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MAK-NEWS 12/02/96 (M.I.C.)From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>Macedonian Information Centre DirectoryCONTENTS[01] NEW GOVERNMENT WITHOUT LIBERALS[02] MEMBERS OF NEW GOVERNMENT[03] CHANGING OF GOVERNMENT WITHOUT MUCH PUBLICITY IN GREECE[04] RM DISSOCIATES ITSELF FROM DECLARATION OF FIRST CONGRESS OF BALKAN PEACE MOVEMENTS IN THESSALONIKI[05] $ 7.3 MILLION REPROGRAMMEDSKOPJE, FEBRUARY 12, 1996 (MIC)[01] NEW GOVERNMENT WITHOUT LIBERALSPrime Minister Branko Crvenkovski announced the composition of his new reconstructed cabinet on Saturday, which, as anticipated, has no ministers-Liberals. At the news conference on Saturday, Branko Crvenkovski dismissed the thesis that a government without Liberals would invariably mean a break up of the Alliance for Macedonia. He explained that "if the Alliance for Macedonia were comprehended as a coalition government, then it does not exist from the very formation of the government. As it is known, the Liberals did not give support to the Government, under the explanation that their ministers are taking part in it at the personal choice of the Prime Minister."In order to avoid this paradoxical situation and to be able to implement the program of the Alliance for Macedonia much better and with more coordination, Crvenkovski made a decision to reconstruct his cabinet. He explained that following Gligorov's appeal, one more meeting was held with the Liberals in a constructive atmosphere, whereby each party held on to its stand. [02] MEMBERS OF NEW GOVERNMENTThe new Macedonian Government will have three vice- presidents, notably: Jane Miljovski (SDAM), Bekjir Zhuta (PDP) and Ljube Trpevski (SP). The ministers that have held on to their spheres of competence are: Blagoja Handziski (SDAM), Minister of Defence, Vlado Popovski (SDAM) Minister of Justice, Jorgo Sundovski (SDAM) Minister of Urbanization, Construction and Ecology, Dimitar Buzlevski (SDAM) Minister of Transport and Communications, Ilija Filipche (SP) Minister of Health.The new Foreign Minister is Ljubomir Frckovski (SDAM), the new Interior Minister is Tomislav Cokrevski (SDAM), the new Minister of Finance is Taki Fiti (SDAM), the new Minister of Agriculture is Nikola Parakeov (SDAM), the new Minister of Education and Physical Culture is Sofia Todorova (SDAM), the new Minister of Culture is Slobodan Unkovski (SDAM), the new Minister of Development is Abdulmenaf Bedzeti, the new Minister of Labour and Social Politics is Naser Ziberi, the new Minister of Economy is Bekjir Zhuta, and the new Minister of Science is Aslan Selmani, all from PDP. Vlado Naumovski (SP) and Dzemail Hajdari (PDP) are ministers without portfolio. The new Government is expected to be verified at tomorrow's session of Parliament. [03] CHANGING OF GOVERNMENT WITHOUT MUCH PUBLICITY IN GREECEThe changing of the Macedonian Government has not raised much publicity in Greece. According to the press and some electronic media, Ljubomir Frckovski's appointment as new Foreign Minister could change the stand of the Macedonian delegation in New York the negotiations with Greece, within the UN.Moreover, it is assessed that the absence of the Liberal Party from the Macedonian Government presents a rift in the relations between Branko Crvenkovski and President Gligorov. According to assessments in Greece, Gligorov's reputation and political credibility, as the inspirer of the previous ruling coalition, have been given a serious blow. [04] RM DISSOCIATES ITSELF FROM DECLARATION OF FIRST CONGRESS OF BALKAN PEACE MOVEMENTS IN THESSALONIKIThe First Congress of the Balkan Peace Movements was concluded in Thessaloniki on Saturday. The Congress was attended by delegations from the Balkan countries, including Macedonia.At the end, the Congress adopted a Declaration which the Macedonian delegation refused to accept and from which it dissociated itself, due to the stances that were expressed in regard to the role and status of the UN as an instrument of the U.S.A.. The Macedonian delegation pointed out its positive experiences from its cooperation with the UN, especially through the first preventive diplomatic mission of UNPREDEP, which also includes U.S. troops, and which has contributed greatly to the maintenance of peace and stability in Macedonia. Furthermore, it underlined that Macedonia's participation in the "Partnership for Peace" project is assessed as a positive step in the building of the Macedonian independence and sovereignty. [05] $ 7.3 MILLION REPROGRAMMEDThe Macedonian Government has successfully concluded talks with representatives of the British Government over the reprogramming of the Macedonian debt. This presents an operationalization of last year's agreement for consolidation of the Macedonian debt to the member-countries of the Paris Club.The debt totals $ 8.7 million, of which $ 6.8 million are listed as the principal debt. Of the overall debt, in accordance with the reached agreement, $ 7.3 million will be reprogrammed, while the rest, some $ 1.5 million will have to be paid back in regular installments, starting from this year. The reprogrammed part of the debt will be paid back over a period of 15 years, up to the year 2011, inclusive, with a 6-year grace period, according to a libor interest rate, which is increased 0.5% (on account of margins and expenses). In the first six months of this year, according to this construction, the debt to the British will be reprogrammed according to a 6.68% interest rate. This is the fourth such agreement with certain member- countries of the Paris Club. It will come into effect as soon as Parliament ratifies this agreement. (end) |