THE AFTERNOON HOURS ARE ALSO MARKED BY AN INCREASED INTENSITY OF IRREGULARITIES

Second report at 18.30 o’clock: An increased number of electoral irregularities are also noticed this afternoon in many polling stations throughout the country

An increased number of electoral irregularities are also noticed this afternoon in many polling stations throughout the country. This was reported by the members of the prevention working groups, constant and mobile teams for monitoring of the elections, as well as by a nu
mber of citizens who called the office of Civil.

In the Municipality of Centar there is a highly charged atmosphere.  According to the reports, voters from Pustec are placed in several polling stations throughout the municipality and cause revolt among the citizens who call Civil and react through the social networks.

From Kochani, where we already informed of a strained atmosphere, it is reported that last night ten activists of one party who were distributing propaganda material were apprehended by the police and, during the interrogation, one of them fell ill whereupon he was taken to a hospital. The special police officers in uniform and in civilian clothes can be seen throughout the city. Automobiles without registration plates were noticed driving around in the city. According to the most recent reports, from the arrested persons, one is still in detention, whereas the others have been released.

In one polling station in Kochani a member of the election commission tried to give two ballots to one voter. The vote buying in this municipality has been registered in many cases. In addition, numerous cases of family voting were registered in the Roma settlements. It is noticed that allegedly illiterate persons ask for assistance, and later the same people appear as assistants to others, who also claim they are illiterate.

In Veles, as previously in Skopje, deceased still appear as voters in the Voters’ Lists.

At the polling station no. 2172 (Veles), there are party activists with lists of voters recording the voters. There was grouping in front of polling stations by members of a security agency, owned by a member of a certain party, which represents direct pressure over the citizens. The same agency is organizing and transporting voters to the polling stations. In the villages of Ivankovci, Dolno and Gorno Orizari, party activists and employees in the administration were threatening some of the citizens by revoking subsidies.

In Mogila, there were many cases of breaking the election silence by canvassing in front of polling stations, as well as by making phone calls to the voters. A part of Mogila had a power outage today.

Civil received complaints from citizens in one of the villages in Berovo, who report that activists of a political party were threatening them with their life and that they will burn their property unless they vote for their party.

Family and group voting was seen in Bitola, Staro Nagorichane, Gostivar, Chair, Tetovo, Tearce, Struga, Jegunovce and other places.

Organised transport of voters is seen in many places.

Pressures and impeding the work of the observers of Civil and of other organisations are also noticed in the afternoon hours in many places throughout the country.

In Kumanovo, Bitola, Tetovo, Staro Nagorichane, Gostivar and many other municipalities, members of the election commissions do not carry identity cards.

Civil’s team will be available to the media with preliminary assessments of today’s voting in its premises as of 21 o’clock. Civil will hold a press-conference tomorrow (Monday, 8 April) at the Journalists' Club starting at 12 o’clock.

Civil’s telephone numbers: 02/5209176 and 075/742445.