have received the “Meto Jovanovski” award
This article first appeared in transparency.mk
December 10, 2021
The whistleblowers Gjorgji Lazarevski and Zvonko Kostovski have disclosed the mass wiretapping in Macedonia have received the “Meto Jovanovski” award as the highest recognition for long-term achievements in the field of promotion, protection and advancement of human rights.
These longtime officials from the Ministry of Interior, both top professionals and awarded for national security-related projects after learning of a massive human rights violation through illegal wiretapping in 2010, began providing evidence of illegal activities.
Due to these activities, Lazarevski and Kostovski were the target of orchestrated attacks, intimidation against them and their families, and spent a period in prison, stated the chairwoman of the award committee Uranija Pirovska at the award ceremony attended by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Minister of defense Radmila Sekerinska, Minister of Culture Irena Stefoska, MPs, professors. According to Pirovska, their personal sacrifice and courage to oppose these operations against citizens is a high moral act.
Gjorgji Lazarevski, who is already retired, said that he was sure that the mass violation of the rights of thousands of citizens would never happen again.
“Exactly 11 years ago we decided to do what we thought was the only right thing to do in the circumstances. We were fully aware of the risks, and we did not think or care about awards and recognitions. However, today we are proud that we have received the highest recognition for achievement in the field of promotion, protection and advancement of human rights. We are proud that everything we went through personally was not in vain and that with our activities we helped to bring about more positive social changes. We are sure that in our homeland there will never be a massive violation of the rights of thousands of citizens”, said Lazarevski.
The award, he said, will be dedicated to their families and to all people who with courage, hard work, expertise and dedication sincerely fight for the realization and protection of human rights, fight for justice and the rule of law.
In 2018, Lazarevski and Kostovski received the Freedom of Speech Award for outstanding courage and heroism in informing the citizens of Macedonia to the widespread human rights violations awarded by the Coalition for the Protection of Whistleblowers of SEE and the European Center for Whistleblower Rights.
