"Whistlers" who discovered the mass wiretapping received the "Meto Jovanovski" award

Photo: MIA

The Whistlers Gjorgji Lazarevski и Zvonko Kostovski received the award today "Meto Jovanovski", for the highest recognition for long-term achievements in the field of promotion, protection and advancement of human rights.

- Exactly 11 years ago we decided to do what we thought was the only right thing to do in the given circumstances. We were fully aware of the risks, and we did not think about awards and recognitions, nor did they matter to us. But today we are proud that we are the winners of the highest recognition for achievement in the field of promotion, protection and advancement of human rights. Proud because everything we went through was not in vain and because our actions helped to bring about more positive social change. We are sure that in our homeland there will never be a massive violation of the rights of thousands of citizens, said Lazarevski.

The Prime Minister attended the award ceremony Zoran Zaev, the Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska, Minister of Culture Irena Stefoska, MPs, professions.

Lazarevski and Kostovski, former employees of the Security and Counterintelligence Directorate, took out the recorded conversations, the so-called "Bombs" and handed them over to the former director of UBK Zoran Verushevski.

Kostovski agreed with the Prosecution and pleaded guilty, after which he was sentenced to three years in prison. Lazarevski pleaded not guilty and therefore remained in custody for 11 months. Kostovski was released from prison in April 2016, following the abolition of former President Gjorge Ivanov.

In 2018, Lazarevski and Kostovski received the Freedom of Speech Award for outstanding courage and heroism in alerting the citizens of Macedonia to the widespread human rights violations awarded by the Coalition for the Protection of Whistleblowers of SEE and the European Center for Whistleblower Rights.

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