Association
The civil association "We love Vodno" have called for Vodno to be saved, and thus ensure that the city is protected. They are seeking an urgent spatial plan to save the mountain outside Skopje. The action by the activists comes after the observation of intensified deforestation.
Peaceful Assembly
- Following the incident that occurred in September 2021 in Bitola, where a police officer used excessive force during the arrest of a Roma person, Avaja - the association for the rights of Roma people - held a march in Skopje. This protest was preceded by a protest staged by the independent police union and some supporters, who stood in defence of the police officer who was sentenced by the Criminal Court in Skopje to one year in prison for excessive use of force.
- On 4th November 2021, as a sign of frustration due to frequent power outages, the residents of Grcec blocked the Skopje-Tetovo highway. The responsible enterprise says that the frequent interruptions are due to the theft of electricity and the inability of the employees to do their work in the field due to violence and threats from the locals. Additionally, they claim that the defects in the village are a result of overloading of the network by the residents themselves who illegally use electricity for their own needs as well as for mining bitcoins.
- On 21st November 2021, protesters gathered in Skopje to express their dissatisfaction with forced vaccination. The protest was held under the message "Stop fascist measures", after the official announcements of the new measures by the country's health authorities to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- At the beginning of December 2021, environmental activists announced a series of protests against the start of construction activities for the highly controversial skyscraper complex to be built in the centre of the city. This case has caused public outrage ever since 2015, but the construction activities were placed under a moratorium until the winter of 2021.
- In mid-December 2021, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia announced a protest demanding previously promised changes and addendums to the law on minimum wage, which includes the implementation and application of a minimum wage amounting to MKD 18,000 (approx. 3,000 EUR) as of January 2022.
Expression
The Association of Journalists of Macedonia has requested that the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje dismiss the criminal charges filed by the Intelligence Agency against journalists Goran Momirovski and Dragan Milosavljevic after the journalists were invited to testify at the Public Prosecutor's Office and provide further information. This comes after a show was broadcast on TV Alfa titled “Sleep if you can”. The Association pointed out that the criminal prosecution of journalists, especially by security structures, which could be punishable by several years in prison, could further jeopardise the already fragile freedom of expression in the country.
The media and the civil society sector were prevented from following a public debate on the cannabis legalisation law announced through social media. The event took place in the amphitheatre of the Medical Faculty, but the organisers refused to start the discussion until the teams of "Morning Briefing" and "Free Press" left the premises. The Association of Journalists of Macedonia has called on competent institutions to clarify the details surrounding the incident and demanded respect for citizens’ right to information.