We, the civil society organizations that are target of constant orchestrated attacks of the former government and its servants, once again request public apology and withdrawal of all lies, defamations and misinformation regarding our work which were told by the so called civil initiative “SOS”. If not, we will be forced to seek justice in court i.e. we will file lawsuits for insult and defamation.

This isn’t just an orchestrated foray against George Soros and his Foundation, yet it represents a foray against the open society, against the independent and unbowed civil voice. In other words, “SOS” and its order-givers are troubled by the free and independent associating and acting, freedom of expression and all democratic values and principles in general. Therefore, they launch untruths, manipulative data and false information in the public with one intention – silencing the civil society, discrediting and blackening its pledges and achievements.

“SOS” in its last press conference, on February 4, told bunch of lies, defamations and misinformation which we unequivocally disprove and reject as untruthful. We emphasize that we HAVE NOT been wanting to destabilize the country and we HAVE NOT caused crisis, we HAVE NOT been working for any party’s objectives, we HAVE NOT been purposely created before elections, we HAVE NOT informed refugees to cross the border illegally, we HAVE NOT been paid to attend protests, we HAVE NOT received millions on our accounts for party objectives.

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At the same time, the presented manipulative data and numbers related to the financial work of our organizations for 2016, final accounts are yet to be delivered, point out to possible misuse of information possessed by the competent state institutions.

Thus, we send a message to all state institutions that possess information on the work of civil society organizations not to breach their lawful authority and not to put themselves in the service of the non-democratic foray against the free-minded civil society. Otherwise, they will be liable for misuse of their lawful authority.

At the end, once again we strongly condemn all of the presented lies and misinformation regarding our work and we remind that we are organizations dedicated to the fight for clean water without arsenic; labor rights; freedom of speech; clean air; freedom of media; true fact-based news, not lies and manipulations; rights of youth, women, vulnerable groups, people with different sex orientation; rule of law; equal opportunities and rights for everyone etc…

Therefore, we send a message to the public, i.e. the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia: We will remain unswervingly consistent to our pledges for freedom, democracy, equality, justice, respect of human rights and we will continue working scrupulously, committedly, as nonpartisan organizations, independently, transparently and accountably.

Respectfully,

  1. Akcija Plus, Resen
  2. Vizio, Kichevo
  3. Association of Textile and Leather Workers Silent Majority – Loud, Shtip
  4. KHAM, Delchevo
  5. Macedonian Center for European Training
  6. Youth Cultural Center, Bitola
  7. Youth Educational Forum
  8. NGO Info-center
  9. Women’s Organization – Strumica
  10. Pactis, Prilep
  11. Signposts, Gevgelija
  12. PROJECT-EU, Kavadarci
  13. Regional Center for Sustainable Development, Kratovo
  14. Faculty of Things That Can’t Be Learned
  15. Metamorphosis Foundation
  16. Foundation Open Society – Macedonia
  17. Foundation Focus, Veles
  18. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of RM
  19. Regional Center for Sustainable Development of Community, Debar
  20. Contemporary Arts Center
  21. JEF Macedonia

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