“The attack on the civil organizations is not just propaganda news that can be heard in the media. It is an attack on the civil society, on the dignity and the reputation of the citizens that are born here, who live, work, pay taxes and who have devoted their work and commitments, professionally and voluntarily, into the improvement of the lives of all citizens in the country, equally” said Uranija Pirovska, the executive director of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.
At today’s press conference, 122 civil organizations, under the motto “We have to protect the civil society in Macedonia” asked for support from the citizens, the institutions and the current and future government because of the attacks on the civil society in the past period.
-We call you to support the organizations, groups, communities, and the individuals that are actively fighting for democratic values in the Republic of Macedonia, for protection and defense of the civil sector, which, for the last 25 years has acted as a controller and as a supporter of the work of the institutions and to defend the civil society that strives for respecting of civil rights and freedoms – as was said in today’s plea.
The intensive inspections and investigations of the financial operations of the civil organizations, as was stressed by Fani Karanfilova – Panovska, the executive director of the Foundation “Open Society” – Macedonia (FOOM) are making an impression that these made on purpose to make pressuring and to cause fear.
-The civil organizations regularly fulfill their obligations towards the state and are striving for good and transparent management in all spheres of the society. From there, the orchestrated state controls of the financial operations of tens of organizations within the same time period, make the impression for tendentiously and purposefully putting under pressure, causing fear and damage in the free civil sector – stressed Karanfilovska – Panovska.
