Civil Aviation Agency: Persons Operating Drones Had to Register Previously

Breaking the rules under the excuse of “We didn’t know” is unacceptable, the Civil Aviation Agency has said following the information that TV21 and Reuters crews were summoned by police for a conversation on Tuesday over drone journalism to cover the gatherings at the central square in Skopje (and released after the conversation).

As the Agency said on Wednesday, the persons operating the drones previously had to register previously because no category of drone operations (A1, A2 or A3) allows a drone to be operated above gatherings of people.

The same day, Interior Minister Pance Toskovski, regarding the reactions to the issued ban on drones that had been operated in Kocani, stated that everyone had to comply with the laws. Asked whether the ban would continue and which areas it would concern, he said an assessment process was underway.

“If there is a rule saying operating a drone is required to be registered with a relevant organ, then, one is required to do that. If there’s European legislation saying a drone mustn’t be operated over a crowd, then, that mustn’t be done. Either we will respect laws over every activity for which they are prescribed or disasters will be happening to us”, the Minister noted.

Though he stated that journalists, generally speaking, did a great job of objectively informing the public and encouraged them to continue to do so, Toskovski called for everyone to follow the laws. Also, regarding the funerals of those killed in the Kocani fire, which will be held Thursday (20 March), the Minister called on journalists and everyone else with a camera to respect the appeal of the families and refrain from reporting touching scenes.

Later that day, a protocol was prepared by the Ministry, in consultation with the Association of Journalists and Independent Trade Union of Media Workers regarding the Kocani funeral. Journalists will be in a separate zone, 300 metres from the entrance of the chapel to the City Cemetery. The ban on operating drones, too, will apply to the zone.

“This media protocol aims to protect privacy of the families of those killed in the fire, while, at the same time, enabling journalists and camera operators to safely follow the event from an appropriate distance”, it was pointed out in the press-release.

Later that day, the Interior Ministry said that there was a ban on drones in eight Municipalities, including Kocani and Strumica. Also, the Government adopted several conclusions regarding the funeral and days of mourning.

State institutions have been tasked and local authorities have been recommended to exempt from job obligations all employees on Kocani’s territory, the Interior Ministry has been tasked with taking necessary safety and traffic measures, the Kocani Territorial Fire-fighting Unit has been tasked with taking measures and activities in line with its competences, while the Health Ministry, in cooperation with the Crisis Management Centre and Red Cross, has been tasked with providing ambulances.