Macedonia Revises Media Election Rules After Outcry

Macedonia's Broadcasting Council has pledged to look again at a planned rule book, prohibiting politicians from appearing in the electronic media in the run-up to the official start of the general election campaign in mid-May. Election day is on June 5.

“We will review all the complaints and will certainly amend the draft,” the head of the Council, Zoran Stefanoski said. He said the changes would take place this week.

Journalists and political parties were particularly annoyed by provisions that would have banned the use in the media of recorded politicians' statements. They also protested against the ban on inviting politicians to panel discussions.

Stefanoski’s announcement followed talks on Monday between the Council and representatives of the media.

"We agreed to let politicians be guests in panel discussions but they will not be allowed to speak about their election platforms or candidacies," Roberto Belicanec, from a Skopje-based NGO, the Media Development Centre, said after the talks.

He said they obtained the consent of the council also to scrap the planned ban on airing politician’s statements.

The Association of Macedonian Journalists, which was also part of the talks, had criticized the provisions as "a rude intrusion into, and restraint on, journalists' work”.

Political parties had also condemned the planned restrictions. The ruling VMRO-DPMNE party on Monday said the draft rules would "institute media darkness" in the country.

Stefanoski said the code was originally aimed at regulating and limiting political advertising during the period before the official start of the campaign.

The intent was to prevent political misuse of this period and place both government and opposition parties in equal positions.

Opposition Social Democrats have already accused the government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of making a premature start to the election campaign.

They have criticised a recent sharp rise in the number of launches, ground-breaking ceremonies and other official events that include the appearance of the premier and other officials.

The government has denied these claims, arguing that all events were scheduled long in advance, before the announcement of snap polls.