Media Freedom Protest Held in Macedonia

Employees of A1 and the daily newspapers Spic, Vreme and Koha e Re, part of the same media group,attended the rally alongside opposition parties supporters and others.
 
A1's owner, Velija Ramkovski accused Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his centre right VMRO DPMNE party of trying to silence freedom of speech.

On Thursday evening, police and financial inspectors swarmed into the building of the Skopje-based TV station, saying they were there to inspect the accounts of six other Raamkovski’s companies that have the same address as the TV. They insisted that A1 was not among the firms being inspected.

But in front of the TV cameras, A1 journalists complained of harassment and accused the authorities of resorting to brutal methods to suspend their work. People then gathered in front of the building, trying to break through police lines.

Ramkovski, whose trade firms were inspected said Gruevski was guilty of the financial crime of misusing state funds for party purposes.

He accused Gruevski of taking almost 4 million euro from the state budget to advertise his party in the first three years of his rule since coming to power in 2006.

“Gruevski has stolen from the state treasury,” Ramkovski said. “He is trying to shut down A1, Vreme, Spic and Koha e Re but he has no chance. He will be toppled from power before he sees democracy suspended.”

Support for the meeting came from the opposition political bloc. Representatives of the main opposition Social Democrats, the right-wing United for Macedonia and other smaller parties all spoke at the rally.

Police insisted that the heavy police presence in the building on Thursday night was required to ensure that the financial inspectors could carry out their work.

Gruevski's party said the drama played out on the TV, known for its criticism of the government, was a piece of political theatre by the Social Democrats. The party accused Ramkovski of manipulating the journalists to save himself from the financial inquiry.

On Friday, A1 continued to broadcast but the three daily newspapers based at the same location said their premises had been sealed by the police and inspectors and they were unable to get in the building. Later, the newspapers said they had been allowed back into their offices.