They start with a Facebook post announcing the target of the day, and end at dusk with a flurry of attacks on a Macedonian government building -- using balloons and water pistols filled with bright paint.
Month-long protests in Skopje have been dubbed the "Colourful Revolution" for their rainbow hues, but their playful weapons are yet to spur much change in the small Balkan country, which is mired in political turmoil.
"At its basis this protest, this civil rights movement, is a fight and a struggle for democracy," student activist Darko Malinovski told AFP in the capital, near a white triumphal archway splattered with colour by the demonstrators.
"We have disruption of human rights, we have unfree media, we have a corrupt government, we have seized institutions, which should be but aren't serving the public interest," the 23-year-old said.
The rallies have taken aim at buildings and monuments put up in a costly neo-classical makeover of the city, instigated by ex-premier Nikola Gruevski, who stepped down in January after 10 years in power to make way for controversial elections.
The dramatic new look of Skopje, like its politics, sharply splits opinion among Macedonia's two million people.
While the protesters, numbering a few thousand, say their movement is an outpouring of anger against Gruevski's authoritarian regime, their detractors allege the rallies are financed by foreigners who want to destabilise Macedonia.
"The population is divided," said Marko Troshanovski, president of a local think-tank, the Institute for Democracy.
"There is still very strong support on the side of the ruling party, but on the other side the dissatisfaction... is emotionally very intense and it is growing."
- Crisis erupts -
In February last year, opposition leader Zoran Zaev began releasing what he called "bombs" -- recordings that appeared to reveal official wiretapping of 20,000 Macedonians, including politicians, journalists and businesspeople, and high-level corruption.
Denied by the government, the accusations sparked mass protests on both sides and the European Union stepped in to broker a deal, at a time when Macedonia also faced hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing its territory.
Intensifying the turmoil, President Gjorge Ivanov last month issued a mass pardon to those implicated in the wiretapping scandal, including his ally Gruevski. More protests followed, and the Colourful Revolution was born.
"This is not really a revolution like the Bolshevik Revolution, they don't want to change the political system," said Nano Ruzin, a political sciences professor and former Macedonian ambassador to NATO.
The new protests aim to "change the spirit, the consciousness of a lot of people," Ruzin explained.
The mostly middle-class demonstrators from a wide age range gather after work, some with their dogs and bicycles, others with banners and whistles, and some in "Colourful Revolution" T-shirts and stickers.
Each rally has a different theme, such as public debt, but their main demands include the withdrawal of the presidential pardon and the cancellation of a June 5 election, which was meant to end the crisis but is mired in uncertainty.
Gruevski's conservative VMRO-DPMNE is the only major party standing -- others have boycotted saying conditions for a credible vote are not in place, and their fears are echoed by EU and US officials.
- 'Citizens not aware' -
While opinion polls suggest support for Gruevski remains strong, critics put this down to him building up tight control over the country, which aspires to join the EU and NATO.
US rights watchdog Freedom House says Macedonia's media is not free, with the worst rating in the Balkans, and warns that most other democratic indicators are sliding.
"Citizens are not aware of what is happening," said lawyer Marin Gavrilovski, 43, after fellow protesters hurled paint-filled balloons over a row of riot police at the public revenue office.
"That's why we are coming every day, for people to understand that something is not normal in this country."
The likely impact of the Colourful Revolutionaries is questionable -- they number in thousands each evening, rather than a game-changing mass of tens or hundreds of thousands.
Supporting rallies take place in smaller towns, but pro-Gruevski gatherings also still draw crowds around the country.
Even opposition chief Zaev has criticised the paint protests, telling AFP that "citizens will have to pay" to replace the marble they stain.
Activists nevertheless hope their multicoloured flourishes deliver a firm warning to future governments.
"It's no longer a time when it takes years to gather 100 people, now we need two hours. That's the message we would like to send," said protester Misha Popovikj, 34.
They start with a Facebook post announcing the target of the day, and end at dusk with a flurry of attacks on a Macedonian government building — using balloons and water pistols filled with bright paint.
Month-long protests in Skopje have been dubbed the “Colourful Revolution” for their rainbow hues, but their playful weapons are yet to spur much change in the small Balkan country, which is mired in political turmoil.
“At its basis this protest, this civil rights movement, is a fight and a struggle for democracy,” student activist Darko Malinovski told AFP in the capital, near a white triumphal archway splattered with colour by the demonstrators.
“We have disruption of human rights, we have unfree media, we have a corrupt government, we have seized institutions, which should be but aren’t serving the public interest,” the 23-year-old said.
The rallies have taken aim at buildings and monuments put up in a costly neo-classical makeover of the city, instigated by ex-premier Nikola Gruevski, who stepped down in January after 10 years in power to make way for controversial elections.
The dramatic new look of Skopje, like its politics, sharply splits opinion among Macedonia’s two million people.
While the protesters, numbering a few thousand, say their movement is an outpouring of anger against Gruevski’s authoritarian regime, their detractors allege the rallies are financed by foreigners who want to destabilise Macedonia.
“The population is divided,” said Marko Troshanovski, president of a local think-tank, the Institute for Democracy.
“There is still very strong support on the side of the ruling party, but on the other side the dissatisfaction… is emotionally very intense and it is growing.”
– Crisis erupts –
In February last year, opposition leader Zoran Zaev began releasing what he called “bombs” — recordings that appeared to reveal official wiretapping of 20,000 Macedonians, including politicians, journalists and businesspeople, and high-level corruption.
Denied by the government, the accusations sparked mass protests on both sides and the European Union stepped in to broker a deal, at a time when Macedonia also faced hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing its territory.
Intensifying the turmoil, President Gjorge Ivanov last month issued a mass pardon to those implicated in the wiretapping scandal, including his ally Gruevski. More protests followed, and the Colourful Revolution was born.
“This is not really a revolution like the Bolshevik Revolution, they don’t want to change the political system,” said Nano Ruzin, a political sciences professor and former Macedonian ambassador to NATO.
The new protests aim to “change the spirit, the consciousness of a lot of people,” Ruzin explained.
The mostly middle-class demonstrators from a wide age range gather after work, some with their dogs and bicycles, others with banners and whistles, and some in “Colourful Revolution” T-shirts and stickers.
Each rally has a different theme, such as public debt, but their main demands include the withdrawal of the presidential pardon and the cancellation of a June 5 election, which was meant to end the crisis but is mired in uncertainty.
Gruevski’s conservative VMRO-DPMNE is the only major party standing — others have boycotted saying conditions for a credible vote are not in place, and their fears are echoed by EU and US officials.
– ‘Citizens not aware’ –
While opinion polls suggest support for Gruevski remains strong, critics put this down to him building up tight control over the country, which aspires to join the EU and NATO.
US rights watchdog Freedom House says Macedonia’s media is not free, with the worst rating in the Balkans, and warns that most other democratic indicators are sliding.
“Citizens are not aware of what is happening,” said lawyer Marin Gavrilovski, 43, after fellow protesters hurled paint-filled balloons over a row of riot police at the public revenue office.
“That’s why we are coming every day, for people to understand that something is not normal in this country.”
The likely impact of the Colourful Revolutionaries is questionable — they number in thousands each evening, rather than a game-changing mass of tens or hundreds of thousands.
Supporting rallies take place in smaller towns, but pro-Gruevski gatherings also still draw crowds around the country.
Even opposition chief Zaev has criticised the paint protests, telling AFP that “citizens will have to pay” to replace the marble they stain.
Activists nevertheless hope their multicoloured flourishes deliver a firm warning to future governments.
“It’s no longer a time when it takes years to gather 100 people, now we need two hours. That’s the message we would like to send,” said protester Misha Popovikj, 34.
