GENERAL INFORMATION:
DEADLINE: Sunday, 8th of March 2020 at 23.59 CET
WHEN: The election is set to be on the 12th of April 2020. Therefore, the program for observers will be from the 7th of April to the 13th of April, where the 7th is an arrival day, and the 13th is debriefing and departure day.
You may know North Macedonia by its rich history, complex national identity or simply as Lonely Planet’s third best travel destination for 2020. After belonging to many empires over time (including Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and most recently Yugoslavian), the country gained its independence in 1991, and now EU and NATO accession talks are on the table. In October the incumbent prime minister Zoran Zaev called for a snap election to be held in April, five months ahead of the regular date in autumn. The snap election was brought about because the promised EU accession talks were blocked by France’s opposition at the European Council, causing a wave of anger and disappointment both in the Balkan nation and among EU officials and leaders who had lobbied hard to open the talks. “Now, the citizens should decide what's next for the Balkan state”, says prime minister Zaev.
Do you want to be in the midst of this election, where Macedonians choose the future for their country? And are you interested in democracy and how an election works in practice? Then join Silba’s EOM to North Macedonia as an international observer!
We expect that you:
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Are between 18 and 35 years old
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Are a member of Silba. You can become a member here.
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Are available from Tuesday 7th of April to Monday 13th of April
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You must pass the free OSCE E-Learning course “Comprehensive Course for OSCE/ODIHR Observers” before the EOM begins. You need only to focus on the short-term observation part of the course. If you have completed the course during the last year, it is not a necessity that you complete it again. The course can be found here.
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It is not a requirement that you have previous experience in monitoring elections. However, knowledge of the country or region is highly valued.
By joining you:
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Strengthen your CV
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Get the opportunity to establish new international networks
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Exchange views with like-minded youth
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Join a dynamic team
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Get great experience!
The participation fee for this EOM is 250 euros. This covers accommodation, food, and other expenses during the program. In addition, you will have to pay for your travel expenses (including eventual visa costs) to North Macedonia. We would like to note that all our activities are non-profit, which means all the money will go to covering the cost for you as a participant!
NB: Silba reserves the right to cancel the EOM in case of safety issues at any time. Silba's safety assessment is based on open-source information and the Danish foreign ministry's travel advice. Silba will not send observers to unsafe areas.