MAK-NEWS 15/12/95 (M.I.C.)

From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

CONTENTS

SKOPJE, DECEMBER 15, 1995 (MIC)

[01] PARIS: "NO RECOGNITION BETWEEN RM AND FRY"

The French idea for all five states, successors of the former SFRY to recognize each other at this peace conference, collapsed at the very start. The explanation is that the recognition is a question of the bilateral relations between the states, that they all have their specific characteristics, and that most of the republics of former Yugoslavia have already recognized each other as independent states since 1991.

The idea for a line of bilateral recognitions was also not realized, although the French diplomatic corps put a lot of work in it during the Conference. The French Foreign Minister Erve De Saret said that the problem is more of a legal nature, than a political one, and that the only issue here is technique. However, Croatia and Serbia could not find a common language, mainly over the issue of Eastern Slavonia and Prevlaka. As regards Macedonia, the main obstacle - the recognition with FRY remains, seeing Macedonia is refusing to recognize the state and legal continuity of the Serbo-Montenegrin federation of SFRY.

[02] REVITALIZATION OF THE VILLAGES IN MACEDONIA

The goods exchange of Macedonia with the countries from the Central European Initiative was somewhat larger this year. As the Minister of Agriculture Ivan Angelov informed at yesterday's meeting with the press, a delegation from Macedonia took part in the meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of CEI.

The prime topic was the upcoming transformation of the agriculture in the member-states of the CEI, which should advance this field, and open new working places which would at least partially soften the problem with unemployment, which has hit the Central European countries. Angelov explained that Macedonia is nevertheless in an advantage, since 80% of the country is privately owned.

A communique was also signed at the meeting, with which the forms of cooperation will be determined in more detail.

[03] INTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION OF PETROL THROUGH GREECE

The transportation of crude oil, petrol and all types of oil derivatives for Macedonia has been increased through the railway border crossing Idomeni and the passenger one - Evzoni, on the Greek-Macedonian border, with "Makpetrol" and the "Skopje" refinery topping the list. Namely, the third tanker carrying crude oil is being transported from the Salonika port. The number of compositions with wagon-cisterns is increasing, while the transportation with auto-cisterns is being done by "Mlaz" vehicles, and vehicles of the private company "Shimov" from Bogdanci, the mixed Macedonian-Greek firm "Trans Veles-Trosos," etc. This means that this winter, Macedonia will have sufficient quantities of crude oil, petrol, and all types of oil derivatives.

[04] GREEK-MACEDONIAN AGREEMENT ON PRICE OF RAILROAD SERVICES

An agreement on the payment of commercial railroad services between the Macedonian and Greek railways was signed in Skopje yesterday, which presents the first such agreement between the railways of the two countries, and a practical operationalization of what was agreed at the Athens meeting, at which, among the rest, a Protocol on the transport and communications between the two countries was signed. On behalf of the Macedonian railways, the agreement was signed by the acting Director Stojan Naumov, and from the Greek side, the Assistant General Director Joanis Riga and Ludvigos Kurtidis.

As Stojan Naumov emphasized, the agreement presents a result of the previously held meetings which focused on the coordination of the commercial politics, by finding measures to increase the work scope, with a special emphasis on the transportation of petrol from the Salonika port. Special care was taken to keep the prices competitive with the other types of transport, and to simultaneously reduce the costs of the customers. The future users of the services of the two railways are expected to be quite pleased with the prices determined this way.

Kurtidis added that a number of questions have been raised at the past meetings, which can not bring immediate solutions, since there are differences that have to be coordinated in the interest of the two railway managements.

Otherwise, according to the Agreement, both sides are obliged not to change the fixed prices from March 1 to October 31, next year. In addition, the representatives of the two railways initially agreed to introduce a line of measures in the domain of the commercial and technical work, in order to improve the offer of the transportation market, and in this context, it has been agreed to ask the governments of the two countries, the state border organs, the customs and the police to intervene, to make sure the trains are held at the border as little as possible.

It was also planned to hold a meeting with the Yugoslav railways at this bilateral meeting, however, the Yugoslav side was prevented from coming. As Naumov emphasized, their side has given the authorization to the Macedonian railways to hold talks in the effect of coordinating the prices for transit through FRY.

[05] "PULS" RESEARCH: 35.67% OF RESPONDENTS PLEASED WITH GOVERNMENT

The weekly "Puls" has conducted an opinion poll on the topic "One year of the Government." 300 citizens, randomly selected were contacted by phone. 47 percent were male and 53 female respondents, 25 percent were at an age between 18 and 29, 24.33 percent were between 30 and 39, 23.33 percent between 40 and 49, and 27.33 percent were over 50. 0.33 percent were without education, 8 percent had elementary, 57.67 percent secondary, and 34 percent had university education. 35.33 percent worked in the public sector, 14.33 in the private, 2.33 were private owners, 26.67 percent unemployed, 4.33 university students, 0.67 pupils, and 16.33 retired."

The results of the poll are presented in five pie charts and expressed in percentages as follows:

1. "What is your opinion about the one-year work of the Government?"

Positive 35.67

Negative 26.00

Barely positive 24.67

Do not know 13.67

2. "Was the coalition government in this period acting in a compact way?"

Partly 40.33

No 29.67

Yes 18.67

Do not know 11.33

3. "Is reconstruction of the Government necessary?"

Yes 68.67

It is still early 14.00

No 10.00

Do not know 7.33

4. "What did the Government pay the most attention to?"

To international relations over 65.00

Do not know over 10.00

To completion of laws over 5.00

To itself 5.00

To economic development below 5.00

To inter-ethnic relations below 5.00

To current economic policy below 3.00

[06] "DINERS CARD" PROMOTED

The first credit card in the Republic of Macedonia - "Diners Club International," was promoted yesterday. This card is one of the most widely accepted cards for non-cash payments in the world, i.e. in 158 countries. As Dragan Mladenovski, director of "Stekom," the firm that is co-founder of "Diners Club International - MAK" with the Irish firm "Findel," said at yesterday's news conference, this card will ease payments abroad greatly. The MAK - card will be able to be used for non-cash payments in the country in 63 firms for now, with a tendency for this number to grow.

[07] INTERIOR MINISTRY DISCOVERS ARMS SMUGGLERS

The Macedonian Interior Ministry uncovered two cases of illegal trade these days. In the first one, two citizens from FRY, who entered Macedonia illegally, were found carrying 17 guns, one automatic gun and 93 pieces of ammunition, intended for sale in Macedonia. A number of keys from various passenger cars were also found, adapted to open up different types of cards. Charges have been brought against the perpetrators (one of them is in hiding" for crossing the state border illegally, the illegal possession of firearms and explosive materials.

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