Stories about Macedonia
Disinformation fuels church protest against gender equality in North Macedonia
The iconography of June 29 protest, organized by Macedonian Orthodox Church and right-wing political parties, included religious and nationalist symbols, Russian flags and participation by pro-Kremlin politicians and associations.
Disinformation helps weaponize homophobia in the Balkans
After 2013, Moscow has emerged as major generator of homophobic narratives that exploit existing endemic intolerance in the Balkans region.
Interview with Romanian anti-disinformation activist reveals disinformation campaigns often target refugees from Ukraine
The position of Romania regarding the war in Ukraine remains in line with the EU and NATO, despite pro-Russian destabilizing efforts. However, at general level, disinformation had become part of political discourse.
The construction of the 5G network brings the demise of the Chinese domination in North Macedonia’s telecommunications
Despite the real concerns around privacy and espionage, and the often debunked viral concerns around 5G and health, the installation of a 5G network in North Macedonia continues without problems — for now.
European Parliament’s Report on Pegasus spyware indicates involvement of North Macedonia companies
Pegasus and Predator spyware can allegedly extract all communications records from mobile devices. A European Parliament report and journalist investigations suspect wide illegal use in and outside of the European Union.
Repeated cyberattacks across the Western Balkans highlight need for an organized approach to security
Microsoft experts trace the Albanian attack, which took out public services websites to Iran, leading the Albanian government to take diplomatic action.
North Macedonia journalist organizations condemn verbal attack against female journalist
Garbage collectors in Skopje threatened a journalist who documented their lack of work by implying harm to herself, her family and even her dog, demanding that she delete incriminating photos.
The Western Balkans will need unity and cooperation across society to overcome press freedom challenges
Independent media in the Western Balkans face disinformation campaigns, hate speech, physical attacks, threats, low income, poor economic status, divisions, self-censorship and job insecurity.
European Court of Human Rights vindicates Macedonian journalists convicted of defamation
In 2014 and 2015, Focus journalists had to pay more than EUR 9,000 as damages to the former director of the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence (ASC) Sašo Mijalkov for defamation and insult.
How fascination with Russia’s power is created in the media and on social networks in North Macedonia
In North Macedonia, Russia’s military power is talked about in a way and in a quantity that cannot be found about any other country.
Does the state's failure to act enable online sexual violence in North Macedonia?
The absence of a separate crime in the Criminal Code is just an excuse for the authorities not to act effectively in cases of online sexual harassment, activists say.
Private abuse in Telegram’s ‘Public Rooms': Can North Macedonia fight online sexual harassment?
In February 2021, hundreds of feminists and other supporters took to the streets of Skopje in protest of the Macedonian institutions’ inaction and impunity for the perpetrators of online sexual violence.
From Kosovo 1999 to Russia 2021: The ‘cheapfake’ photo trend fuelling dangerous propaganda
"It is important to raise awareness of the widespread use of cheapfake images and to acknowledge that some governments use the practice to influence people's opinions."
Employees of Hungarian-owned TV in North Macedonia conduct partial strike over unpaid salaries
Since 2018, money funneled through Hungarian companies have bolstered media peddling populist propaganda in Slovenia and North Macedonia.
North Macedonia court rejects lawsuit by journalists over 2017 Parliament attack
Journalists sued the Macedonian state for the violence they faced on that fateful April 27, 2017, when a mob stormed the Parliament. A court ruled they failed to prove the attack happened.
Global Voices condemns the attacks on North Macedonia NGO Metamorphosis Foundation
We call on North Macedonia's public authorities to investigate the attacks and enforce the appropriate legal remedies against the perpetrators, as well as provide protection to Metamorphosis staff.
European Court of Human Rights verdict vindicates Macedonian columnist convicted of defamation in 2010
"This verdict is important for Macedonian journalists, columnists, and overall, for the people that appear in public, as it encourages them to be principled, honest, brave and persistent."
Holocaust denial should be considered hate speech, survivors demand of Facebook
Hate speech is a criminal offense in most European countries that experienced the horrors of World War II, but the US does not have such laws at the national level.
Al Jazeera Balkans crew attacked at a right-wing opposition party protest in Skopje
Assaulted female journalist insisted on reporting the incident to the police and tracking the attacker, as a way to stand up to a culture of impunity for violence against journalists.
Password hack claim puts cyber security on the public agenda in North Macedonia
The government said that no user data was compromised in the apparent attack.
