MAK-NEWS 06/04/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>

CONTENTS

  • [01] KINKEL TO VISIT MACEDONIA

  • [02] SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATIONS WITH WORLD BANK

  • [03] BRITISH MILITARY DELEGATION IN SKOPJE

  • [04] THATCHER RECEIVES NIKOVSKI

  • [05] JAPANESE MILITARY ATTACHI IN SKOPJE

  • [06] WAR IN MACEDONIA NOT EXCLUDED

  • [07] PROBLEMS IN MACEDONIA CAN BE SOLVED, ANSON SAYS

  • [08] GREEK- MACEDONIAN TALKS POSSIBLY IN MAY

  • [09] PARLIAMENTARIAN BRIEFS

  • [10] HALILI CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL ACT

  • [11] GEOLOGISTS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE MEET IN MACEDONIA

  • [12] MACEDONIAN CULTURE EXHIBITION OPENED

  • [13] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: TETOVO UNIVERSITY CAUSES FEVER (Rilindja, 5 April 1995)

    •

    M I L S N E W S

    Skopje, 6 April 1995

    [01] KINKEL TO VISIT MACEDONIA

    Macedonian daily newspaper "Nova Makedonija" reports that German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel will pay a visit to Macedonia on April 11. No details regarding the visit are known, but he is expected to meet President Gligorov and Prime Minister Crvenkovski. Besides bilateral relations, they will probably discuss the situation in the region and Macedonia's problems resulting from the embargo's on the north and south.

    [02] SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATIONS WITH WORLD BANK

    Minister Jane Miljovski, head of the Macedonian delegation currently negotiating with the World Bank in Washington, said in an interview with Macedonian Television, "...negotiations are satisfactory. We are slowly eliminating aspects that are unfavorable for this or that side. We are redefining the goals in terms of coordinating the state's role in the ongoing reforms in Macedonia. We have come to terms on most of the relevant issues. This is not always easy, but what we now have is a document which I think is quite favorable for Macedonia and reflects all that is happening and could happen in Macedonia in the future. As the talks are running smoothly, I believe we will have the agreement signed by the end of this week. I mean, the agreement will be submitted by then to the Bank's managing board."

    [03] BRITISH MILITARY DELEGATION IN SKOPJE

    A delegation of the Defense Ministry of Great Britain is to arrive in Skopje today led by Vice-marshal David Henderson, Chief-of-staff of the British Armed Forces. They will be received by President Gligorov and Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski. Henderson will open a seminar on the organization and structure of the United Kingdom's military establishment which will take place at the Army Center in Skopje.

    [04] THATCHER RECEIVES NIKOVSKI

    Ex-Prime Minister of Great Britain Margaret Thatcher, now a member of the House of Lords, received Risto Nikovski, ambassador of Macedonia to Britain, in London yesterday. They discussed the situation in Macedonia and Thatcher pointed out the importance of maintaining internal cohesion and stability in Macedonia. She accepted Nikovski's invitation to visit Skopje.

    [05] JAPANESE MILITARY ATTACHI IN SKOPJE

    Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski yesterday received Colonel Takashi Abe, newly appointed military attachi of Japan to Macedonia. Abe was also received by General Dragoljub Bocinov, Chief-of-staff of the Macedonian army.

    [06] WAR IN MACEDONIA NOT EXCLUDED

    "The possibility of a war in Macedonia is not excluded," writes Le Mond, as cited by A1 Television. A war could break out from within the country, the paper speculates, adding that Macedonia has only managed to survive so far, due to the fear created by its neighbors questioning its existence. Greece, the paper goes on, has blocked its border with Macedonia; Albania is interfering with Macedonia's internal affairs every time it considers that the rights of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia are endangered; Bulgaria is presently reserved, but is also interested in Macedonia's territory; and finally, Serbia acts as if it borders onto Greece. Macedonia is surviving on the basis that a war would be just too dramatic and that the international community would have no power to localize it," Le Mond commented yesterday.

    [07] PROBLEMS IN MACEDONIA CAN BE SOLVED, ANSON SAYS

    Speaking of the situation in Macedonia, in an exclusive interview with A1 Television, Hugo Anson said, "I am quite assured that all the challenges in Macedonia can and will be overcome. They are being dealt with not only by the Government, but as Prime Minister Crvenkovski said during the latest visit by Akashi to Macedonia, also by the people themselves, who sometimes act more intelligently than the politicians. We are witnessing this every day. Because of this, no one here pretends that the situation is better than it is, but there are many instances which could be improved. I believe the problems can be solved."

    [08] GREEK- MACEDONIAN TALKS POSSIBLY IN MAY

    In regard to the possibility of starting the Greek- Macedonian talks, the Greek paper Ta Nea writes today that the negotiations have been tacitly postponed, and that they could be renewed sometime next month. According to the paper, the American side promises a new round of talks between Greece and Macedonia if the US pressure on Macedonia yields results. Makpress says that the US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Holbrooke, is to visit Athens next Friday to ask the Greek Prime Minister to lift the embargo on Macedonia and create conditions for continuing the interrupted talks.

    [09] PARLIAMENTARIAN BRIEFS

    The 16th session of the Macedonian Parliament will probably be remembered as one of the most successful (MP's adopted as many as 14 items in only 40 minutes). They passed a law on civilian air transport, a proposal for passing a law on educational inspection, additions to the Law on Communal Taxes, changes to the Law on Court Fees (to be increased by 500 to 6000 per cent), and the annual statement, 1993-1994, and financial plans for 1994-1995 of the National Bank. Parliament, having discharged two judges, also decided to announce an election of judges.

    [10] HALILI CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL ACT

    The Public Attorney of Tetovo yesterday brought criminal charges against Nevzet Halili, former PDP leader and current president of PDP-PNE (Party for National Unity). He is charged with having led crowds, on February 17, to prevent police officers from exercising their duty and implementing the Government's decisions concerning the university in Tetovo. The Attorney also asked that Halili's temporary custody be prolonged.

    [11] GEOLOGISTS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE MEET IN MACEDONIA

    An international meeting of geologists from countries in Southern Europe started in Stip yesterday, under the patronage of UNESCO. The meeting is being attended by about 50 scientists who will present papers on the geological treasures in the region.

    [12] MACEDONIAN CULTURE EXHIBITION OPENED

    At the Museum of Macedonia, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski ceremonially opened the exhibition titled "Macedonia's Ethnoculture", which consists of 1,500 exhibits. Crvenkovski said that Macedonia's rich cultural heritage, some of which can be seen in the exhibition, proves that this type of creativity in Macedonia is specific, ethnically diverse and recognizable. This exhibition, he said, is not only of great cultural importance but is also an inspiration to artists to continue creating and preserving this deep artistic tradition. The exhibits have been gathered from all parts of Macedonia and also includes the most traditional peasant costumes and playing instruments in Macedonia.

    [13] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: TETOVO UNIVERSITY CAUSES FEVER

    (Rilindja, 5 April 1995)

    Plans to establish a university in Tetovo is making Albanian blood boil. This is somewhat risky, a poet said, but it is even riskier to be educated in your own language. But we fully understand those Macedonians who are saying that the Albanian language university can lead to de stabilization in the country and even an armed conflict. The future professors and students at the university in Tetovo are treated as a "disgrace" which is taking place only 40 kilometers away from the capitol and where the majority of the population is Albanian. "We all want to continue our education," says Ardiana Ferati, a high-school girl. "If we are given the opportunity to study in the Albanian language, why should we have to study in Macedonian?" The full potential of the differences was realized a few weeks ago, when one person was killed and 28 were injured in the conflict between the Macedonian police and university demonstrators which occurred outside the building supposed to serve as a classroom. This murder could be a threat which leads to wider and more risky conflict. Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia, comprising one fourth of the state's 2-million population, believe that the university would be a simple example of equality in terms of education. For the Macedonian Government and many Macedonians, this is intimidating and could initiate Albanian radicalism and de stabilization of the country which has been in a permanent geopolitical crisis ever since its secession from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. On the north, Serbia is hesitating whether to recognize this former republic of Yugoslavia. On the south, Greece has imposed a diplomatic and trade embargo on Macedonia, accusing it of usurping the name "Macedonia" which Athens regards as its own property. The largest problem, however, are possible ethnic conflicts in the country, which could be used by either Serbia or Greece to invade Macedonia. The Macedonian Government seems to believe that a large-scale war could also be caused by the possible demands of Albanians, from Kosovo and Macedonia, to have their regions annexed to Albania. The Government's view on the establishment of a university in the Albanian language is that it is illegal. "We will do all we can to establish a state on legal bases," says Emilija Simoska, Minister of Education. "Nowhere in the world can anyone build even a house without a proper legal license, let alone a university. These bureaucratic statements prove that there is a fear that the national orientation of the university shows that ethnic Albanians might request secession from Macedonia. Fadil Suleimani, rector of the university, was born in Tetovo and has over 20 years experience in teaching Albanian language and culture at the University in Prishtina, Kosovo. This university was closed down by authorities in Serbia in 1991, as part of the planned pressure on Albanians living there. The initiative to establish a university in Tetovo, according the Macedonians, is a result of Serbia's intention to get rid of unwanted Albanian intellectuals. "This idea did not come from Macedonia," Simoska claims. "It is not in the interest of Albanians living in Macedonia to act on orders from people from abroad." According to ethnic Albanians, the problem lies in the fact that the Government refuses to seriously integrate the Albanian language and culture into the Macedonian state. Two years ago, the Macedonian President Gligorov ordered the universities in Skopje and Bitola to reserve 10 per cent of enrollments for "ethnic minorities". In this way, Macedonian remains as the sole recognized language of higher education. The initiative for providing Albanian language education for the 140 Albanian students at the Pedagogical Academy in Skopje failed when the Academy director refused to employ the required Albanian professors. The director resigned, but the problem remains. Western diplomats, on a mission in Skopje, believe the authorities could resolve the problem with several concessions. Arben Dzaferi, leader of the radical fraction of PDP, party of Albanians in Macedonia, says the Macedonian culture has little to offer. Dzaferi accuses the Government of creating ghetto's in which the Albanian culture is endangered.

    (end)

    mils-news 6 April '95

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