Compact version |
|
Wednesday, 14 August 2024 | ||
|
MAK-NEWS 25/01/96 (M.I.C.)From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>Macedonian Information Centre DirectoryCONTENTS[01] SKOPJE AND BELGRADE TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER SOON[02] MILOSEVICH COMING TO SKOPJE[03] FRY TAXES FOR MACEDONIAN GOODS CHANGED[04] PRESIDENT GLIGOROV RECEIVES TORVALD STOLTENBERG[05] GREEK STANCES REMAIN UNCHANGED[06] GREEK BUSINESSMEN INTERESTED IN MACEDONIAN ENTERPRISES[07] AGREEMENT WITH GREECE-CONSTITUTIONAL[08] FORUM ON STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF MACEDONIASKOPJE, JANUARY 25, 1996 (MIC)[01] SKOPJE AND BELGRADE TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER SOONThe Republic of Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia are very close to mutual recognition and the establishment of full diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level, "Nova Makedonija" writes today on the first page. The intensity with which matters are progressing, the constructive atmosphere, which according to the announcement of the Foreign Ministry prevailed in the two rounds of preliminary talks in Skopje and Belgrade, as well as the maximum respect that the two sides showed each other during the course of these talks, indicate that the two countries are quite likely to recognize each other soon as independent and sovereign states. The results of the past two rounds of negotiations are being analyzed in detail at the moment, and if no delays come up in this phase, it can realistically be expected that the act of recognition takes place by the end of this, or the start of next month.The to-date dialogue between Skopje and Belgrade is given a special quality by the comprehensiveness of the topics and questions discussed by the representatives of the two ministries at the preliminary talks. Practically, the dialogue encompassed everything of interest for the present and future relations and the cooperation between the two sovereign neighboring states. From the recognition and permanency of the existing border, the mutual communication, to the question of continuity of the former federation, which is still not straightened out. "Nova Makedonija" has learned that both sides are seeking modalities for a mutually acceptable solution, however, without having to have Macedonia give up its legal continuity of the SFRY, on which official Belgrade insisted until a while ago. All of this contributes to the eventual acceptance of the future agreement between RM and FRY as the first complete and comprehensive documents that the FRY signs with one of the former Yugoslav countries. "Nova Makedonija" comments that soon, Macedonia will be the only one out of the former YU republics to have an embassy from official Belgrade. [02] MILOSEVICH COMING TO SKOPJEIn the Belgrade press yesterday, there was practically no information whatsoever on the two-day negotiations between the delegations of RM and FRY, over the normalization of relations between the two countries, held in Belgrade.The Macedonian public was informed about the talks by a couple of independent newspapers that reported spokesman Gjuner Ismail's statement from the news conference in Skopje on Tuesday, that "the modalities of cooperation between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia, as well as the mutual recognition are the topics discussed in Belgrade." An official announcement on the course of the negotiations has still not been issued. The independent Belgrade newspaper "Nasa Borba" writes that Skopje expects normal relations to be restored in the next couple of days, adding that the regions inhabited predominantly by Serbs and Montenegrins expect the Serb President Slobodan Milosevich to make a return visit soon. [03] FRY TAXES FOR MACEDONIAN GOODS CHANGEDThe FRY Government has introduced tax reductions for imported goods from the former YU republics, including Macedonia. Taxes are abolished on all goods in which over 51% of the in- built parts are of Macedonian origin. Other goods are subjected to 4% tax, in addition to the customs tariffs, while this percentage ranges between 1-9% for certain goods. This tax reduction does not include the cigarettes, for which the customs and tax adds up to 18%.On the other hand, Macedonia is not making any changes to its customs policy towards FRY, however, eventual changes are possible after the establishment of full relations between the two countries and the signing of an agreement on economic cooperation, the Director of the Macedonian Customs Administration, Ilija Iljovski says. Iljovski informed that Macedonia has introduced a customs regime towards Bosnia and Herzegovina as a result of the frequent occurrence of reporting Bosnian goods as being produced in FRY, thereby entering Macedonia without being cleared through customs. Iljovski says that the situation will remain as such until the two foreign ministries agree which certificate to accept as valid. [04] PRESIDENT GLIGOROV RECEIVES TORVALD STOLTENBERGThe President of the Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov received Torvald Stoltenberg, co-chairman of the Geneva Conference on former SFRY, yesterday.Torvald Stoltenberg informed President Gligorov on the cease of existence of this Conference, expressing the conviction that the signing of the peace agreements on Bosnia-Herzegovina opens a new ear of peace and cooperation in the Balkans. President Gligorov informed Stoltenberg on the current situation in Macedonia, its relations with the neighbors and the start of the process of negotiations on cooperation and association with the EU. In this context, he underlined Macedonia's lasting orientation for Europeanization of the Balkans as the best alternative for the peace, cooperation and economic progress. [05] GREEK STANCES REMAIN UNCHANGEDGreece's stance on the relations with Macedonia remains unchanged, even though Teodoros Pangalos is the new Foreign Minister. Makfaks reports that the new spokesman of the Greek Government Dimitros Repas stated this at his first meeting with the press on Tuesday. He stressed that Pangalos must respect the policy of PASOK, although, as an MP, he expressed different views on the relations with Skopje.On Tuesday, the new Greek Foreign Minister stated that there would be no changes in the foreign policy. Upon taking over his new duty from Karolos Papoulias, Pangalos stated that Greece's foreign policy, paved by the leader of PASOK, Andreas Papandreou, will continue. [06] GREEK BUSINESSMEN INTERESTED IN MACEDONIAN ENTERPRISESThe two-day Conference in Athens, dedicated to Macedonian-Greek economic cooperation, with the participation of representatives from Macedonia and a number of businessmen and renowned professors from the Athens universities, came to a close yesterday.The Conference once again affirmed the wide interest in expanding the cooperation between the two countries, the high level of information in Greece about the economic reforms in Macedonia, the political situation, the course of the process of privatization, the prospects and conditions for foreign investments and the tax system. In assessing the results of the meeting, Verica Hadzivasileva-Markovska, director of the Agency for transformation of public companies said that the Greek businessmen were disappointed to hear that a number of enterprises, namely, the most successful ones, have already been privatized, however, according to Markovska, that does not mean that they can not take part in what has been left, or to establish direct contacts with them. "Obviously, although Macedonia is a small country, it represents an important country for their economic activities, due to its position," Mihail Petkovski said. [07] AGREEMENT WITH GREECE-CONSTITUTIONALFollowing the Law on ratification of the Interim Accord between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece, signed in New York on September 13, 1995, the Constitutional Court of Macedonia decided yesterday not to initiate a procedure to evaluate its constitutionality.This is connected with the VMRO-DPMNE initiative, according to which the Interim Accord was signed between a representative of Greece and the private person Stevo Crvenkovski, on behalf of Macedonia, and that it was actually an interim agreement, and not an interim accord. According to VMRO- DPMNE, this comes as a result of the fact that the agreement was not signed on behalf of the state Republic of Macedonia, by the President of the Republic of Macedonia or the Macedonian Government, as prescribed in the Constitution, since it was not signed in the name of the sovereign Republic of Macedonia or its authorized representatives. Therefore, the initiator requested that the first article of this law be annulled, since, according to them, it is not in accordance with the Constitution. [08] FORUM ON STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF MACEDONIAThe three-day forum on the strategy of development of Macedonia over the next 15 years is due to start in Ohrid today, at which representatives of the field of science and economy, as well as state officials, will present their visions on the priorities for the development of Macedonia.The Forum is organized at the initiative and proposal of the World Bank from Washington, and is the first of this kind, where this UN specialized agency gets involved in such activities in a country in transition. In view of this, it has been announced that a number of guests from the World Bank and experts from countries that have been successful in implementing development strategies in the past, will be taking part in the Forum, so as to present their past experiences, and mistakes. (end) |