Skopje, 14 August 2025 – Following the announcement of the Local Elections, scheduled for 19 October 2025, the Coordinating Body for handling complaints based on the Code of Conduct in the Online Sphere during Electoral Processes and Referenda has been reactivated. This mechanism serves to protect and uphold the right to freedom of expression and information guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and by Macedonian laws.
Individuals, institutions, NGOs, political parties, or independent candidates can submit complaints to the Coordinating Body if they deem that disinformation, hate speech, discrimination, misuse of personal data are being spread concerning the electoral process, or there are violations of the Macedonian Journalists’ Code of Ethics and the Guidelines for Ethical Reporting by Online Media. Complaints can be sent electronically to: koordinativnotelozaizbori@avmu.mk.
The Coordinating Body consists of representatives from the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU), the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CMEM), the Macedonian Institute for Media (MIM), the Institute for Communication Studies (ICS), and the Metamorphosis Foundation. Biljana Georgievska, Director of the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia, has been appointed as Coordinator, and Olivera Vojnovska from the Metamorphosis Foundation as Deputy Coordinator.
The Code of Conduct in the Online Sphere during Electoral Processes and Referenda, adopted in September 2023, applies to political parties, their candidates, and independent candidates in the online space (including social networks), internet editions of broadcasters, online media outlets, fact-checkers, influencers, and other entities that may exert influence on the citizens and their voting rights.
Compliance with the Code is expected to ensure the integrity of information during the electoral process, transparency in political advertising, security of personal data, and prevention of the spread of disinformation, hate speech, xenophobia, intolerance, fear, or tensions that undermine democracy.
Over the past two years, three political parties—Levica, European Democratic Party, and Pensioners’ Party—as well as 21 media organizations (TV Alfa, TV Koha, TV Tera, TV Due, TV Kochani LD, TV Spectra, Radio Bleta, Radio Kochani, Radio Vati, Radio Kometa, Koha newspaper, Sport1, 4News, Ekipa, Radovish News, Gostivari Sot, Flaka, Makpress, Odlucise.mk, Portalb, and 360 Stepeni) have all joined the Code.
The Coordinating Body encourages all entities to which the Code applies to join in and commit to respecting the Code’s provisions, thus helping to ensure that the local elections are held in a fair and democratic atmosphere.
The Accession Form for the Code is available online at: ACCESSION TO THE CODE – Изборен Кодекс
For more details, read: CODE OF CONDUCT IN THE ONLINE SPHERE DURING ELECTORAL PROCESSES AND REFERENDA – Изборен Кодекс