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Wednesday, 14 August 2024 | ||
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MAK-NEWS 06/02/96 (M.I.C.)From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>Macedonian Information Centre DirectoryCONTENTS[01] SASHO ORDANOSKI: "I WILL APPEAL THE DECISION"[02] PROGRAM BOARD IN SUPPORT OF KORNETI[03] 604 ENTERPRISES PRIVATIZED SO FARMACEDONIAN PRESS REVIEW:[04] MACEDONIAN RADIO TELEVISION: THE REASON WHY THE DIRECTOR AND EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE MACEDONIAN TELEVISION HAS BEEN DISMISSED (CENTRAL NEWS FEBRUARY 5)SKOPJE, FEBRUARY 6, 1996 (MIC)[01] SASHO ORDANOSKI: "I WILL APPEAL THE DECISION"The former director and editor in chief of the Macedonian Television Sasho Ordanoski, held a news conference in the Club of journalists yesterday. In discussing the claims made in the decision for his dismissal, Ordanoski emphasized that in the absence of a strict editorial policy of the Macedonian Radio Television, it was his right to make a retrospective of the political events in the last couple of weeks. In this, he consulted with the on-call editors. "The dismissal," he says, "contradicts the principles of free journalism."Following his dismissal, Ordanoski has been appointed as commentator in the documentary program, however, he said he would exercise his right to appeal the decision within 15 days, not excluding pressing charges as well. He also pointed out that he would ask for help from the international institutions fighting for the freedom of the press. Answering a number of questions regarding the political influence on his dismissal, Ordanoski underlined that "the MRTV is a public house. The general director is a member of a party." As for himself, Ordanoski said he was not a member of any party. "My approach by the SDAM was in the function of an expert who they deemed capable of executing the function of director." Answering the question as to precisely which printed media he implied in his commentary, Ordanoski said "there were various speculations in the Macedonian public, especially the printed media, directly after the assassination attempt on President Gligorov. Immediately all the jokers surrounding the possible successor were pulled out, while the President was still fighting for his life. I have the right to mention the actual situation in a political analysis." In his opinion, the "electronic media in Macedonia are far ahead of the printed media in their freedom." [02] PROGRAM BOARD IN SUPPORT OF KORNETIAccording to reports in "Vecer" and "Nova Makedonija," the Program board of MRTV expressed its support of the general director Melpomeni Korneti yesterday afternoon. According to reports, the Board was astonished by Sasho Ordanoski's commentary and act. Furthermore, the Board disputed the legitimacy of yesterday's announcement of the Editorial board of the MTV (a supportive body of the MTV director), requiring that Ordanoski be reinstated, and which says that Ordanoski's dismissal represents an attack on free journalism. Some sources say that many editors have dissociated themselves from that announcement.[03] 604 ENTERPRISES PRIVATIZED SO FARAccording to the Law on privatization, a total of 604 enterprises have been privatized over the last 2 years, while another 396 enterprises are in the process of transformation. Precisely 216 enterprises have not started the process of transformation within the legal terms, i.e. from December 12, 1995. Their privatization will be completed by the agency.These 604 fully privatized enterprises employ a total of 59,966 employees, while the estimated value of the capital in these enterprises totals 933 million DEM. Of this, a little bit over 302 million DEM of state-owned capital is for sale, and after the capital of above 45 million DEM is subtracted from this amount, on account of the Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, state-owned capital to the amount of 357 million DEM is left. The value of the companies that are in the process of privatization totals 1.8 billion DEM. MACEDONIAN PRESS REVIEW:[04] MACEDONIAN RADIO TELEVISION: THE REASON WHY THE DIRECTOR AND EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE MACEDONIAN TELEVISION HAS BEEN DISMISSED (CENTRAL NEWS FEBRUARY 5)Mr. Sasho Ordanoski's Saturday commentary, who was director and editor in chief of the Macedonian Television until yesterday, may have been the direct motive, but in no way the only reason for his dismissal from the mentioned function. This event has stirred the Macedonian public unlike anything else in recent times. And, that is good, because an essential matter is in question here, the place and role of journalism in Macedonia, which is walking along the bumpy road of democratization. This confirms, once again, that a very sensitive profession is in question, which, precisely for this reason, must be approached very seriously by all social segments. This event sends out a clear message, that journalism must be consistent, objective, unprejudiced, and to offer precise, checked and timely information.He shows exactly what should not be done with an information house that is of vital importance, a house such as the Macedonian Radio Television, which can not be treated as a banknote for shortchanging someone's narrow interests. The Macedonian Radio Television, as a public company founded by the Macedonian Parliament, has one sole aim, to be a public service for informing the citizens, and not to serve certain individuals or groups. For this reason, the Macedonian Radio Television can not be a service to the political parties, but, in the interest of the state, to provide precise, continued, timely and politically unprejudiced information. This newly-developed situation, not matter how disagreeable it may be for its employees, sheds new light, towards which the journalistic and organizational efforts in this house must be oriented. The Saturday commentary of Mr. Ordanoski, the replaced director and editor in chief, portrays exactly what should not be done in the program and in journalism, and that is, to advocate unsubstantiated journalistic texts, with, more or less, propaganda contents and messages, in the form of political pamphlets, which face the viewers with the dilemma what's going on at the top that is so terrible and fateful. The insulting words directed against the media in the country, especially the journalism at the Macedonian Radio Television, voiced by the minister-spokesman Gjuner Ismail, who, as it is stated, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Crvenkovski strictly as a reaction to Sasho Ordanoski's dismissal, clearly show whose spokesman Sasho Ordanoski actually was. It is impossible to comprehend the Mr. Ismail's reaction in any other way, as if there are no journalists left in the MRTV worthy of their profession. The editor in chief of the Information program of the Macedonian Television, Zoran Ivanov, also reacted to Ordanoski's dismissal yesterday, describing this act as censorship and a stab in the heart of free journalism. At today's meeting between a number of editors and commentators in the Macedonian Radio Television and the general director Melpomeni Korneti, which focused on the newly-developed situation, a number of examples were listed, showing that journalistic themes and proposals have often been subjected to censorship, precisely on the part of Mr. Sasho Ordanoski, who thereby contributed to dictated, strictly selective and one-sided information about more sensitive domestic events. Therefore, Sasho Ordanoski's dismissal can least be compared to an act of censorship and death to free journalism. (end) |