Skopje, 10 December 2021 (MIA) – Whistleblowers Gjorgji Lazarevski and Zvonko Kostovski have received the "Meto Jovanovski" award, for the highest recognition for long-term achievements in the field of promotion, protection and advancement of human rights. "The fight for human rights is impossible without courage, determination and risk-taking, and the human rights fighter must be a person with integrity who is ready to take action at the cost of violating personal security," chairwoman of the awarding board, Uranija Pirovska, told the award ceremony on Friday which was attended by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Minister of Defense Radmila Shekerinska, Minister of Culture Irena Stefoska, MPs, professors etc. “These long-time officials at the Ministry of Interior are both professionals, awarded for projects related to national security after learning about mass human rights violations by illegal wiretapping, and in 2010 they began gathering evidence of illegal activities. Despite the danger and possible repercussions to their lives, they decided to expose this great crime that brutally violates human rights. Due to this activity, Lazarevski and Kostovski were the target of orchestrated attacks, intimidation against them and their families, and spent time in prison,” said Pirovska. According to her, their personal sacrifice and courage to oppose these operations against citizens is a high moral act. “Lazarevski and Kostovski are a shining example for all those who are in the service of the state. With their actions, they clearly sent the message that duty should always be performed in the interest of the citizens, and not in favor of superior authorities who have decided to use the state apparatus for the purpose of fulfilling personal criminal goals,” added the President of the Board. Gjorgji Lazarevski, who is already retired, recalled what they did and said that he was sure that the mass violation of the rights of thousands of citizens would never happen again. “Exactly 11 years ago we decided to do what we thought was the only right thing to do given the circumstances. We were fully aware of the risks, and we did not think or care about awards and recognition. 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. We are proud that everything we went through personally was not in vain and that with our activities we helped to bring about more positive social changes. We are sure that in our homeland there will never be a massive violation of the rights of thousands of citizens ever again,” said Lazarevski. The award, he added, will be dedicated to their families and the people who have courage, effort, expertise and dedication to sincerely fight for the protection of human rights, who also fight for justice and the rule of law. In 2018, Lazarevski and Kostovski received the Freedom of Speech Award for outstanding courage and heroism in alerting the citizens of North 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. dk/nn/