Macedonians are heading to the polls for the first round of presidential elections on Wednesday, followed by a second round on May 8.
Pendarovski, the current president of North Macedonia, whose candidacy for a second term is supported by the pro-EU ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, candidate of the opposition conservative party VMRO DPMNE, are currently favored to reach the second round.
Critics of the media law amendment say state advertising can restrict press freedom by leaving media outlets financially dependent on the government, leading to self-censorship and biased reporting.
It can also be used as a tool to reward or punish media outlets based on their coverage of government activities, which ultimately creates a hostile environment for independent journalism and undermines the watchdog role of the press, one leading domestic journalist said.
“It’s an attempt to return state advertising to the media before the elections,” Mladen Čadikovski, president of North Macedonia’s Association of Journalists, told POLITICO. “All that is carried out through a shortened procedure and by abusing the European flag,” he said, adding that the amendment was falsely presented as complying with EU media laws, which the candidate country would have to adopt eventually if it becomes a member of the bloc.
Brussels opened accession negotiations with North Macedonia in July 2022.
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