Macedonian Journalist Describes How It Feels to Be Subject of State Surveillance

Prominent investigative journalist Meri Jordanovska wrote a testimony about her experience on receiving evidence that she was one of allegedly twenty thousand individuals who have been subjected to state surveillance in Macedonia. In an op-ed on Balkan Insight, Jordanovska explains:

Meri Jordanovska. Photo: Prizma Project. Used with permission.

Meri Jordanovska. Photo: BIRN Prizma Project. Used with permission.

Each report on one of my wiretapped conversations was true: the date, the story I was working on and the sources I was getting briefed by. Everything was correct. I am not sure I will get another “diploma”. This folder was more than enough for me to clearly see what is happening in my country.I can clearly see that someone knew in advance what story I was working on. Enough for me to conclude that my sources of information were endangered. Enough for the centers of power to be able to react preventively before the story was published. Enough to become aware, even though I had always suspected this, that some people know the problems of those closest to me – people who had shared personal matters with me over the phone.

Jordanovska received a file containing surveillance of her communications during a press conference by the opposition party SDSM, at which representatives of the party also revealed that journalists had been wiretapped en masse in Macedonia. Besides publishing several conversation as proof, twenty journalists were given folders with CDs containing their own files, leaked by sources from within the Ministry of Interior. Her text is also available in Macedonian and has been republished by several independent portals in her home country, including Mojot grad.

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev claims that National Security Services illegally targeted over twenty thousand people with the surveillance, which involved illegally recording and storing phone conversations of these individuals over at least four years. His party has not yet published a list of all the alleged victims, nor a list of the wiretapped phone numbers. According to SDSM representatives, these included both citizens of Macedonia and foreigners using local telecom services, including several diplomats.

Follow our in-depth coverage: Macedonians Demand ‘a New Beginning’

4 comments

  • peter7260

    Once again Mr. Stojanovski,tell me that I was wrong in accusing you for being in the same gang as Zoran Zaev in to destroy Republic of Macedonia by your lies.Why don’t you adhere to the truth on wiretapping.Was it not enough for you the discovery of the Verusevski computer and the actual letter from Zaev to Verusevski indicating foreign ambassador and a Prime Minister were ready to help them to overtake the government?Who is mostly wiretapped in Zaevs announcements each week.Was the wiretapping of Zaev and his little girl wiretapped by Gruevski? I must say,Zaevs little girl and Zoran was very sweet talking,won’t you say that this wiretap was done by a Zaev’s reqeuest?. Did Gruevski asked to wiretap his own brother?.Petre Silegov admitted that the clips Zaev is introducing to the public are “seceni i plasirani”?.The wiretapping of Mari Jordanovska is wiretapped by Zaev to keep them in line as other SDSM members so he can have a leash on their necks.
    Your reporting Mr. Stojanovski is nothing but trash!
    You asked me to support my comments,well,this is the second one that you have failed to
    dispel.

    • Karalambro Lubanski (bukvalno)

      These are the same so-called journalist/reporters – read paid mouthpiece, who cry lack of journalistic freedom and yet, they are here spewing garbage and falsehoods on every occasion delegated by their paymasters. This clown Philip, has he reported his earnings he receives for his “noble” effort to the government?

      • peter7260

        I can’t believe it,are we the worst people on planet earth?
        I feel so ashamed with our so called patriots as Zaev,Sekerinska and the Soros reporters as these ones.I am being accused of slander by Mr.Stojanovski who in fact is slandering the whole nation of Macedonia.They cry and clame there is no democracy in Macedonia,I ask,are articles such these,the daily reporting of wiretapping conversations created by Zoran Zaev and Zoran Verusevski are these not considered as freedom of speech.Do they think they can outsmart the Macedonian public with their lies?
        Don’t they realize that the Macedonian people do not support them,don’t they see the difference of the people who attended the meetings between the two parties the SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE over the last two weeks?
        Don’t they see the jobs created by this government even during the worst economic times with over 130,000 new jobs?.
        SDSM’s reign for over 16 years they created 280,000 unemployed,and sold off the industrial complexes for next to nothing.

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