Macedonia NGOs Deny Taking Foreign Cash to Cause Chaos

A group of NGOs in Macedonia has given a recently formed movement, Stop Operation Soros, SOS, a week to apologise or face legal charges over its claims that local NGOs are receiving money from abroad to destabilise the country.

In separate press releases the NGOs, including the Macedonian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, the Metamorphosis Foundation as well as smaller civic groups, said the SOS had presented lies and false data about their alleged money transfers.

"These claims are not only false but are also designed to diminish our reputation as well as that of our members," the Helsinki Committee wrote, dismissing SOS allegations that they were working for the opposition Social Democratic Union, SDSM.

The Metamorphosis Foundation, which faces a series of financial inspections by the Revenue Office for its work in the past five years, also said the attacks against it were politically motivated.

Stop Operation Soros, which was formed in mid-January, on Saturday accused local NGOs of receiving foreign cash in order to fund anti-government protests and influence the December 11 elections in favour of the opposition.

Nikola Srbov, a member of SOS, said that they were convinced that recent massive "anti-government protests as well as other pre election activities were financed through NGO projects funded by the Foundation Open Society - Macedonia", owned by US billionaire George Soros. He added that these allegations should be investigated by the authorities.

Supporters of SOS have vowed to "de-Soros-ise' Macedonia, a process that VMRO DPMNE party has increasingly underlined as a priority after it narrowly came first in the December 11 elections.

The Association of Young Federalists, JEF - Macedonia,...