MAK-NEWS 24/02/95 (M.I.C.) [*]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MIC:

  1. * ALBANIAN PARTIES' JOINT STANCE: "MANIFESTATIONS OF DISCONTENT"
  2. * STUDENT PROTEST IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT: "STOP TO ANTI- CONSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES"
  3. * GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS STUDENT PROTEST ISMAIL: "TO EXTREMISM WITH EXTREMISM"
  4. * OSCE: SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY

    MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  5. . POSTS - DIVISION OF NATIONAL COMPANY FOR POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  6. . PRIVATIZATION - WHAT THE METAL UNION THINKS
  7. . UNIVERSITY - SOFTWARE FROM ORACL


SKOPJE, 24 FEBRUARY, 1995 (MIC)

  1. ALBANIAN PARTIES' JOINT STANCE: "MANIFESTATIONS OF DISCONTENT"
    At the joint press conference of all ethnic Albanian political parties, held in Tetovo yesterday, it was announced that today's day has been proclaimed a day of mourning, on the occasion of the death of Abduselam Emini. Honors will be held in Mala Rechica tomorrow, a petition of dissatisfaction will be sent on Monday, while the following day (Tuesday), demonstrations will be organized in front of the UN building in Geneva.

    It was jointly concluded in the conference that "the police intervention, the interruption of the educational process on the Tetovo university, the killing of Abduselam Emini, the injuring of a number of passersby, the arresting of Fadil Sulejmani, Arben Rusi, Milaim Fejziu, Nevzat Halili, Musli Halimi and others, are uncontrolled actions that increase the political tension with a tendency for further deterioration."

    "Instead of institutional dialogue with the legitimate representatives of the Tetovo university and the other subjects, in relation to the modalities for integration of the educational system in RM, the Macedonian authorities chose the most wrong alternative that instigates the conflicts - repression," was assessed at the press conference.

    The representatives of the Albanian political parties are assessing that the concern and dissatisfaction of the people is growing. Therefore, they informed that the manifestations of discontent will continue until the people arrested are not released and until conditions for unhindered holding of the classes at the "Tetovo university" are not created.

  2. STUDENT PROTEST IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT: "STOP TO ANTI- CONSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES"
    The students of the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje, held a peace protest in front of the building of the Macedonian Parliament yesterday, against the opening of the so-called University in Tetovo. In the presence of some two thousand students, a declaration of the Student Association was announced, the organizer of this protest, as well as support from the students of the University in Bitola "Clement of Ohrid."

    In his address to the colleagues, Mirchevski said that the protest was organized so as to show the unity and strength of the student movement, to say stop to the Albanian political factors in their anti-constitutional acts; to tell the Government to energetically oppose such activities, and the legislative power - the political parties, to strictly uphold the minority rights, according to the international conventions. These, together with the requests for an only high educational system in Macedonian language and for abolition of the national keys in the enrollment policy, are the main requests contained in the Declaration, based on the UN Convention against discrimination in the eduction, as well as the Macedonian Constitution. In the end, Mirchevski said that "we will not allow the education to be used by any national minority, in this case, the Albanian, as an instrument for realizing some foreign strategies, that lead to the disintegration of RM."

    The student protest yesterday passed peacefully, without the presence of the professors, who gave their initial support to this act in the meeting of the University Council, on Wednesday.

  3. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS STUDENT PROTEST ISMAIL: "TO EXTREMISM WITH EXTREMISM"
    In relation to yesterday's protest of the students from the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius," the government spokesman Gjuner Ismail gave the following statement: "These days, the Macedonian public was a witness to the tragic incidents over the so-called university in Mala Rechica. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia, in regard to its stances, as well as the overall activities, received full support from that public and the relevant political subjects in RM, and abroad. That was also a confirmation of our public stances on this question.

    However, sadly, we must conclude that one of our stances, that one extremism will produce and feed another extremism was confirmed in an utterly disagreeable way, with the so-called peaceful protest of the self-proclaimed Macedonian student movement.

    Yesterday, in front of the Macedonian Parliament, we had a classical response to extremism with extremism. This self- proclaimed Macedonian student movement is entirely on the line of what the Albanian extremists wanted. I must warn that the mutual sustaining of nationalism is actually falling into the deep well of nationalistic hysteria, the deepening of divisions and placing those divisions on a pedestal of the most important and only question that can protect our small country.

    The Macedonian Government has to express regret for the paroles and songs in which one entire nationality is insulted, because they are insulting for the Macedonian people."

  4. OSCE: SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY
    In the regular session of the Permanent Council of the OSCE in Vienna yesterday, particular emphasis was placed on developments in RM connected with the recent events surrounding the so-called University in Tetovo.

    The Permanent Council, expressing regret over the tragic incident in Tetovo on February 17, expressing support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and stability of RM, made a decision with which it acclaims the attitude of the Macedonian Government, as well as those representatives of the Albanian minority who contribute to the reduction of the possible tensions.

    The Permanent Council calls for restraint and dialogue and for overcoming the problems in accordance with the constitutional system of RM and for adherence to the principles and decrees of the OSCE.

    The decision emphasizes the positive role that was played by the OSCE High Commissioner for national minorities and stimulates the implementation of its recommendations, is said in the announcement of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.

    MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  5. *** POSTS - DIVISION OF NATIONAL COMPANY FOR POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS: The public company for PTT traffic "Makedonija" will be transformed in terms of separation of the postal traffic from the telecommunications. This process will take two to four years, and it is one of the prerequisites that has to be fulfilled with the obtainment of the credit from EBRD of up to US$ 42.5 million.

    The Macedonian posts have already started preparations of the basic documents for this transformation, and that can also be seen from the changing of the name of the firm - Public company Macedonian posts and telecommunications.

    In April already, the PTT "Makedonija" have to prepare the program for transformation of the company, which has to be adopted by the end of June.

    The new statute foresees the formation of a Head office for posts and Head office for telecommunications, as well as a General office which will unite the first two in the transitional phase. The separation of the firm into two separate companies is not planned right away, but some time later.

    Otherwise, this transformation will be done without dismissing any workers, but, on the other hand, the restriction for new employments will remain in effect.

  6. *** PRIVATIZATION - WHAT THE METAL UNION THINKS: According to the trade union organizations in the companies, which are on the list of the 25 "losers," the restructuring of the companies has started with the dismissal of the excess workers, or by making lists for dismissal.

    The Skopje Steelworks is on the top of the list, which has already fired 1,103 workers, of which only 59 are filed as disputable, i.e. refused to sign their dismissal decisions and pick up their dismissal money, so their cases will be reviewed by the union.

    In the bus factory from Skopje "11 October," the lists of excess workers are expected to be announced today, which will also start the process of handing the discharge notices, while in the Metalworks "Tito," March 1 has been marked as the critical day for the departure of the workers, while the lists should be pinned up on February 28.

    Otherwise, in the restructuring of the companies, the union has put its signature everywhere for consent with the manner of restructuring, except in "Baterii" - Zletovo and "Mikron" - Prilep.

    In yesterday's press conference of the metal union, it was said that there were many volunteers in all companies from the metal complex, while the disabled workers were pointed out as most problematic, however, proper solutions for them will be sought with the competent ministries, so these cases are planned to leave the companies last. Otherwise, out the total number of workers, 15,000 that have to leave the companies that are on the list of 25 "losers," 12,000 are from the metal industry.

    In the press conference, the Union protested that the Government has still not appointed its representatives in the managing boards of the companies, which, according to them, only delays the activities. In addition, they are expressing dissatisfaction because the Government is still not giving funds for the new profitable deals, so the workers, who will be staying on in the companies, and whose wages depend on these deals, are left uncertain. This, according to the metal union, is most apparent in the steelworks, where production has been halted for a couple of months, and also now, if funds are received, the effects would be felt in May. In relation to this, money was also requested for wages for the employees in this interim period.

  7. *** UNIVERSITY - SOFTWARE FROM ORACL: The rector of the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" yesterday received the licence for the use of the products of the American corporation for program equipment from the domain of data bases - ORACL. The gift valued at US$ 250,000 was handed over by Mr. Vasja Herbst, director of ORACL for the Adriatic coast.

    The corporation representatives donated to the University the complete development version of this product only for educational purposes, for all points of the university computer network. The significance of ORACL was also discussed by Mr. Les Boni yesterday, managing director of the corporation for the territory of Eastern and Central Europe.