Vote Nature! Campaign

22 June 2006

The Macedonian Green Centre (MGC), in cooperation with six environmental NGOS � Eko-Svest, Proaktiva and Eko.net from Skopje, Biosfera from Bitola, IO Krste Jon/Zelen Centar from Struga, and Green Power from Veles � started the �Vote Nature!� Campaign.

The campaign will be implemented on national and local level and will aim to inform the voters and initiate debate among the candidates running in the 2006 Parliamentary Elections, on four important topics: protection of Lake Ohrid; energy; waste management; and completion of environmental obligations set by EU.

This is the second campaign of this type. The first was organized, under the same name, during the 2005 Local Elections, focused on the process of decentralization and aiming to raise the profile of several local environmental problems in the platforms of candidates running for municipal offices.

According to Metodija Sazdov, MGC Spokesperson, the 2005 campaign achieved relative success, while in some municipalities, especially in Strumica, it was exceptionally successful. MGC hopes that this year�s campaign will prove much more successful and listed several indicators that point out at the potential for success.

�First of all, the interest of political parties and coalitions in environmental issues is much bigger than before. Last year, for instance, we had to literally beg for a meeting to present our views. Now, the parties are much more open for cooperation and in several cases, they were the ones to initiate the first contact�, said Sazdov.

The campaign is supported by the Dutch Foundation Millieucontact. Media sponsorship is provided by �Spitz� daily and �City Radio� from Skopje, and additional support is given by �Imelda Ogilvy� Advertising Agency.