MAK-NEWS 13/02/96 (M.I.C.)

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

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

CONTENTS

SKOPJE, FEBRUARY 13, 1996 (MIC)

[01] LIST OF NEW DEPUTY MINISTERS

The suggested deputy ministers from PDP are Ramazan Ciroj, in defence, Mersim Polozhani in justice, Hasan Yasari in education and physical culture, and Ilir Ljuma in health.

The deputy ministers from the Socialist Party are nominated in the Interior Ministry - Ilija Gajtanovski, Foreign Affairs - Hari Kostov, Transport and Communications - Branko Petkovski and Science - Vasil Drvosanov.

The representative of the Social-Democratic Party, Branko Janevski, will be given the deputy position in the Ministry of Labour and Social Politics.

Furthermore, it should be mentioned that Speaker of Parliament Stojan Andov has not scheduled the parliamentary session for today at which the Prime Minister's new cabinet should be voted on. Parliament will most likely vote for the new Government at its next regular session on February 23.

[02] MACEDONIAN LIAISONS OFFICE IN ATHENS STARTS WORKING

In the longer friendly conversation, minister Pangalos emphasized that the opening of the liaisons offices of the two countries will contribute to the development of their mutual relations in all fields of mutual interest, whereby Ljupcho Arsovski wished him much success in carrying out his new duties.

Arsovski emphasized that during his mandate in the Republic of Greece, he will work on the development of the relations between the two neighboring countries in all fields of mutual interest, which will contribute to the strengthening of the confidence between the peoples of the two countries and the expansion of the overall relations.

In the statement for the Macedonian radio, the head of the Macedonian office in Athens, Ljupcho Arsovski, said, among the rest: "Spoken in diplomatic terms, I can feel free to say that as of today, I can carry out all the duties and enjoy all the privileges, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Practically, this is a part of the realization of the Interim Accord, i.e. the Memorandum on the opening of liaisons offices in the capital cities of the two countries. Our liaisons office officially starts working today."

[03] GHALI ACKNOWLEDGES MACEDONIAN ARGUMENTS

In the letter, Ghali informs about the decision of the Security Council to accept the arguments and recommendations contained in his report from January 29, this year, for separating the UNPREDEP mission in Macedonia, which will basically have the same mandate, force and contents as before, and that he had informed the Security Council on the sixth of this month about the activities he intends to undertake. Ghali emphasized the financial and administrative implications and aspects of UNPREDEP, as an independent mission.

[04] CALL FOR BALKAN ANALYSIS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

In the letter, Crvenkovski underlines the attention that the proposal created in the Macedonian public, for the UN to conduct a comparative study which will analyze the situation with the realization of the rights of the members of the minorities in all Balkan countries. Furthermore, Crvenkovski reminds that this initiative was discussed in the talks between President Gligorov and Rehn, during her visit to Macedonia, whereby she supported this proposal.

[05] DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH GHANA

Thus, the Republic of Macedonia is continuing the process of officialization and advancement of the relations with African countries, on a bilateral, as well as a multilateral plan.

The models of implementation of the development of diplomatic relations will be determined in more detail during the visit of a high-ranking diplomatic official from the Republic Ghana to Macedonia, towards the end of this month.

[06] FRY TO RECOGNIZE MACEDONIA UNDER CONSTITUTIONAL NAME?

According to the same sources, the announcement of the decision on the recognition of Skopje depends on the talks that are currently being held on the line Athens-Belgrade.

Official Belgrade representatives are announcing a renewal of the relations FRY-EU these days, and one of the basic prerequisites for that is recognition between Belgrade and Skopje.

The FRY Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulaich said in the interview for the Novi Sad newspaper "Dnevnik" on Sunday that "the normalization of the relations between FRY and the EU is a question of days or weeks." In the interview, Bulaich underlined the "normalization" of the relations with the former Yugoslav Republics as one of the priorities in Belgrade's foreign policy, without mentioning the recognition of Macedonia.

"Now it is highly probable that Belgrade might recognize Skopje under its constitutional name," the oppositional Athens newspaper "Elefterotipia" claims. In the commentary entitled "A slap from Belgrade," it is emphasized that under pressure from the "educated" people from the U.S. and the European countries, Belgrade is hurrying to make a decision about the recognition, most probably under its constitutional name, despite, as it is added, the understanding for the Greek sensitivity.

As Makfaks reports, the Greek weekly "To Vima," close to the Government, is also announcing the possibility that Belgrade might recognize Macedonia under its constitutional name. Emphasizing that Belgrade is not ready to wait longer than February 26, for when the ministerial meeting of the EU is scheduled, "To Vima" warns that FRY will also review the possibility of Macedonia being recognized under a constitutional name.

This development of events, the Athens weekly concludes, can easily lead to a "continuation of the verbal conflict with Belgrade."

[07] KONTICH ANNOUNCING CORRECTION OF FOREIGN-TRADE REGIME WITH RM

The Serb businessmen are still unsatisfied with the decision of the Federal Government to introduce a full customs regime with the RM.

The director of the holding company "Yumco" from Vranje, Stanisha Janjich says that due to the new customs regime, his factory can not export goods to the value of $ 2 million, which is endangering the production and the existence of 12,000 workers.

The directors of the Serb glass factory from Parachin and the food factory "Yuhor" from Yagodina agree on this issue.

[08] REACTIONS TO GOVERNMENT RECONSTRUCTION

- PDPA - CREATION OF ARTIFICIAL OPPOSITION

President Gligorov's address to the Macedonian public is interpreted as a propaganda gesture or a lack of power. According to PDPA, that are still two unsolved problems in Macedonia, namely, inter-ethnic relations and the establishment of true democracy. While, in the first composition of Parliament, the blame was ascribed on the nationalistic opposition, now an artificial opposition is created, in order to prolong the adoption of the remaining system laws.

- DP - BREAK UP OF ALLIANCE - CHEATING THE VOTERS

The Democratic Party, Goshev says, feels that even without the Liberals, the inefficiency of the Government will not be lessened, nor will this give the people a more responsible Government. To achieve this, it will be necessary to come to power with democratic and fair elections. This would finally give Macedonia a true distribution of power, as well as a strongly institutionalized parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition, an autonomous seal, media, science, a university, etc.

A continuation of this situation in Macedonia will only give an impulse to a new concentration of political and economic power into the hands of a smaller number of political and financial powerheads and a strengthening of the authoritarian and undemocratic forms of rule.

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