Prime Minister Zoran Zaev replied to a question at the conference dedicated to media freedom in the region and said that he has no evidence of Russian influence in Macedonia.
_I have no evidence of any Russian influence in Macedonia. The Russian Federation is a friend of the Republic of Macedonia and there is nothing that stands in the way of Macedonia’s accession in the EU, but it is openly opposed against NATO. If there is any evidence of interference by using fake news I will publicly share them – said Zaev.
He reminded that there is no alternative for Macedonia but EU and NATO and that Macedonia wants to have “Friendly relations with all countries.”
Zaev stressed that he is aware of the information for networks of profiles that are spreading fake news on social media including traditional media, and stated that he hopes that we “can get to know the details,” but that there are no indication of countries spreading fake news.
The Prime Minister warned that “the misuse in the form of spreading disinformation can easily reflect on the stability and it doesn’t represent freedom of speech.”
The question was posted because of the statement that was given by Pentagon’s spokesperson, Eric Peon tot he New York Times before today’s visit of the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis to Macedonia, which said: “Macedonia’s membership in NATO is one of Russia’s worst nightmares.”
Zaev said that the US Secretary of Defense, Mattis will come to encourage the citizens to use their democratic right to vote and expects to exchange experiences with him as two partner countries.”
