Macedonia Tight-Lipped on US Secret Surveillance

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski claimed that he did not have enough information to say anything about the allegations mentioned in recent leaked data from whistleblower and former National Security Agency, NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

“I cannot comment on the case because I don't know the details. In any case, we as a government are doing everything in order for all citizens to be protected on the internet,” Gruevski told media last week.

Macedonia's parliamentary commission tasked with civil control over the work of the secret services was unavailable for comment because it has not yet been formed after the April general elections.

The leak, first published by journalists at The Intercept and Denmark’s Dagbladet, reveals that the NSA through its surveillance program codenamed RAMPART-A is able to intercept huge volumes of private emails, phone calls and internet chats thanks to the secret cooperation of 33 countries worldwide, including Macedonia.

Croatia, Romania, Hungary, Greece and Turkey are also alleged to have the same kind of cooperation with the US.

Croatia Authorities Silent
While Croatia’s officials have remained silent on the matter, Gordan Bosanac from the Croatian Peace Studies told Balkan Insight “This looks like a clear case of violation of rights of privacy, since Croatian legislation permits that access into the content of private communication only with court warrant,” and added that is a gross violation of rights that can only be justified with a possibility of a serious threat.

“The Parliamentary Committee for National Security should intervene and look through the agreement with the NSA, while the Committee for Human Rights should look for human rights...