Today, our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic events that have unfolded in Kochani, Macedonia. Words cannot fully express the depth of sorrow we feel for the lives lost and the families affected by this devastating incident.

In times like these, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of coming together as a community to support one another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those who are suffering in the wake of this tragedy.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may their families find strength and solace in the midst of this unimaginable pain. Let us stand united in compassion and solidarity, offering our support to those in need during this difficult time.

With deepest sympathy,

OIDE – IOED

Today, on May 15th, we celebrate the significance of family in our lives. Family is the cornerstone of society, providing love, support, and a sense of belonging. It’s a day to honor the bonds that tie us together and reflect on the importance of family values.

На сите припадници на полициските сили, како и на полициските ветерани и на активните полицајци, најискрено им го честитаме Денот на полицијата, Северна Македонија, 7-ми Мај. Со честитката, ја изразуваме нашата желба сите полицајци да продолжуваат совесно и професионално да ја вршат својата работа и им посакуваме успех во борбата против криминалот, како и успех во сите понатамошни полициски акции.

–

To all members of the police force, as well as to police veterans and active police officers, we sincerely congratulate them on the Day of the Macedonian Police, May 7th. With the congratulation, we express our desire that all police officers continue to do their work conscientiously and professionally and we wish them success in the fight against crime, as well as success in all further police actions.

Today marks the World Media Freedom Day established on May 3, 1993 by the United Nations Assembly. This day is celebrated in the media around the world at 11:55 a.m. when the program is interrupted for five minutes and through the action “Five minutes of thunderous silence” attention is drawn to the position of journalists.

A group of African journalists, 14 of them, referring to the 19th Universal Declaration of the UN, the right to freedom of speech, managed to fight for this day to raise awareness of the importance of media freedom and remind the governments of countries to respect and support the right to freedom of expression.

Every year on May 3, UNESCO marks this day in the manner established by the General Assembly of the United Nations, by gathering journalists and media organizations to submit a report on the assessment of the state of media freedom around the world. It is also an opportunity to recall the essential principles of media freedom, to assess the level of freedom, to transmit information, to protect the media from those who want to threaten their safety, and to pay tribute to journalists who lost their lives doing their job.
An award was also established in honor of Guillermo Cano Isaz, who was killed in front of the office of his newspaper El Expedator in Bogata on December 17, 1986, after writing articles about Colombian drug cartels.
Radio Free Europe journalist Alsa Kurmaseva was nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and 22 other countries for the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Prize for Freedom of the Media in 2024.