Skopje, 22 April 2024 (MIA) - The State Election Commission (SEC) said Monday that, according to the Electoral Code, it is not authorized to regulate media coverage. Instead, it refers to the Guidelines of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU).

“According to Article 69a of the Electoral Code, the election campaign begins 20 days prior to the Election Day, and in the first and second round of election, cannot continue 24 hours before the Election Day and on the Election Day. This issue is regulated in the timetables for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections, which were adopted and publicly announced on February 14, 2024,” as stated by the SEC.

The election campaign for the presidential elections scheduled for 24 April this year begins on 4 April and will continue until midnight on 22 April. In the timetable for the parliamentary elections, the SEC specifies that the campaign for the parliamentary elections begins on April 18 and concludes on May 6 at midnight.

“According to the above, the SEC has no legal basis, authority, or right through subsidiary acts to interrupt, shorten, or extend any election campaign. In accordance with all this, during the election silence for the presidential elections, the SEC has previously announced that the campaign for the parliamentary elections continues," the SEC said in a press release.

The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU) says Monday marks the end of the election campaign for the first round of the 2024 presidential elections, also noting that election silence starts at midnight before ending on April 24 at 7 pm.

According to the Agency, there will be no media coverage in newscasts of the participants in the campaigns for the presidential and parliamentary elections during the election silence on April 23 and April 24 until 7 pm.

“Under the Electoral Code, violation of the election silence is considered the broadcasting of any information, photographs, audio and audiovisual materials in connection to or those that include participants in the elections; any forms of media coverage openly or in disguise in the service of an election campaign, which could influence the decision of voters; data that reveal the identity of the political subjects and/or individuals involved in incidents or other irregularities on election days, as well as statements by candidates in the election process, by election campaign participants, by political party officials and by office holders in governmental bodies,” says AVMU in a press release Monday.

Free political promotion and paid political advertising of participants in the parliamentary election campaign is allowed during this period.

Also, airing of an educational ad campaign of the State Election Commission (SEC) for the 2024 elections is allowed during election silence.

“The Agency expects all broadcasters, starting at midnight, to adjust their program for the election silence,” adds the press release.

Photo: MIA archive