MAK-NEWS 10/08/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: MILS - Skopje <mils@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 10 August 1995

[01] TWO US CONGRESS DELEGATIONS IN MACEDONIA

Two delegations of the US Congress will arrive in a visit to Macedonia today.

The first one, led by Ike Skelton, Democratic representative of Missouri, will meet UNPREDEP officials and will route the US contingent part of the UN peace-keeping troops in the Macedonia.

The second group of delegates, headed by Republican Harold Rogers, representative of Kentucky and Chairman of the Congress Subcommittee for Budget Issues and by Richard Moose, Under Secretary for Management, will be received by President Gligorov.

The visit is aimed at acquiring first-hand information on the life and work of US representatives in Macedonia and talks with Macedonian leaders, the US Information Service in Skopje informs.

[02] NEW BALKAN CONFEDERATION?

The Skopje daily Vecer says Greece is concerned with a possibility of a new, 'loose confederation' between Serbia, Montenegro and Skopje. This was published by yesterday's edition of pro-government Ta Nea, which added that the 'Skopje Republic would enter the confederation under the name of Macedonia.' Citing European and American sources, Ta Nea claims that the concern has been presented at a session of the Executive Committee of the ruling PASOK party, by Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and European Commissioner Christos Papoutsis.

[03] SKOPJE OUGHT TO GIVE UP ITS INTRANSIGENT ATTITUDE

In a Tuesday interview with the daily Ta Nea, Greek defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said Skopje should give up its intransigent policy to resolve its dispute with Greece, now more than ever because of the increased uncertainty and instability in the region, Makfaks reports. Asked about the latest visit to Macedonia of US special envoy Matthew Nimitz, Arsenis said it is not clear how much the former has advanced in the mediation efforts.

[04] MACEDONIA SENDS REPRESENTATIVE TO WORLD BANK

Current Deputy Minister of Finance Hari Kostov will in the following 12 months act as a representative of Macedonia to the World Bank at its Washington head office.

The group of countries through which Macedonia carries out its interests is headed by Holland. The group consists of a dozen of countries, each of which appoints representatives to the World Bank, depending on the degree of participation in the work of the bank. On the basis of this principle, Macedonia is allowed to appoint an one-mandate assistant every four years.

[05] STRUGA POETRY EVENINGS

The traditional Struga Poetry Evenings will this year take place 24-28 August. More than 100 poets from 40 countries are expected to participate, the Writers' Association said at a press-conference yesterday. Last year's winner of the Golden Wreath, Jehuda Amihai will take part this year as well.

[06] CRIME STATISTICS

The latest information of the Ministry of the Interior says that crime acts involving attacks on life in Macedonia have been in a constant increase in the last three years. Thus, starting from 604 crime acts in 1992, through 747 acts in 1993, the figure has reached a number of 898 crime acts last year. From the aspect of the inner structure of these crimes, they are characterized by a dominance of light and heavy body injuries, fights and endangering law and order by participation in massive fights, against the number of murders (involuntary manslaughter, attempts to murder and murders of newborn babies).

Given the most frequent nature of the murder cases, it is worrying to learn that 118 murders and 110 attempts to murder were registered in the period between 1992 and 1994. Although the police has very successfully dealt with such crimes, 15 murder cases committed in the same period (10 of which in 1993 alone) have remained unsolved. This year began by a new 'fashion' of contracts on lives (in Ohrid and Strumica), taking away also the lives of the members of the closer families of the planned targets. The Ohrid case has been resolved and the murderers have been sentenced to life imprisonment, but the murder of the Mudinov family of Strumica is still open. Police analysts remind that the number of murders with theft as a motive has been in an increase since 1993. These crimes are usually ruthless (like the most recent one in the village of Radolishta).

Apart from murders, the Interior Ministry also informs of a massive trend of manifestation of violence and aggressiveness aimed at endangering the lives of individuals. Over the past three years, police records show 549 heavy body injuries (19 of which ended in death of the attacked), 899 light injuries, 82 cases of participation in fights and 366 cases of attacks on lives. Parallel with the number of cases, the number of doers is also growing: 2,881 crime suspects were involved in the 2,249 registered cases, with 2,605 of them being of age and 276 under age (the latter, though, committed 19 murders).

The Ministry report says that, in the first half of this year (16), the number of attacks on life slightly fell against the same period last year (22). Another encouraging fact is that the police efficiency in revealing such crimes has been the biggest - 90 per cent in average.

[07] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: STATE STRIKES BACK

(Vecer, 10 August 1995) Regardless of certain cynicism among the public in describing the latest government declaration of an open war against crime as a promotion of a kind of a 'Macedonian Elliot Nes' along with a group of 'Untouchables', it must be admitted that the cabinet seems determined to start an all- inclusive struggle against all forms of crime in society.

The stressed four programs (for prevention of corruption in the administration, of organized crime, of illegal drugs and arms dealing, and of money laundering) are supposed to act as a barrier against deviations that have already bitten off a large bite of the healthy tissue of society. Apparently, the all-inclusiveness - not only of the programs, but also of the determined ways to carry them out - is a precondition without which nothing of all this will ever be accomplished.

The model upon which the Government is entering its struggle against crime necessarily has administrative features. Yet, the planned authorities and the very engagement of authorized agencies seem to promise concrete results from the practical steps of the government plan. This would supposedly secure conditions for a safe and peaceful life of citizens, at a time when the huge waves of crime only add to the general feeling of insecurity among the population due to the ongoing armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.

A careful study of the government's program for crime prevention indicates that the police will be no longer be alone in its struggle against crime and criminals. The idea to form an 'independent national committee (or a council) for prevention of crime', to be consisted of representatives of various sectors of the state administration, clearly points this out. Also, there will be the designed 'regional and communal councils for crime prevention, consisted of selected officials, local administrators, police officials and judges. Their main task will be to work out prevention programs on local levels, to initiate campaigns and to underline citizens' responsibility. This, in the long run, should help create a front against crime that would in a way include all segments of society connected to the crime problem in this or that way.

Parallel with this, the committees will systematically follow and analyze all the different types of crime, help the judiciary achieve greater efficiency, constantly re-examiner the police policy and practice to lower the current social distance between the police and the public for the needs of which they are there.'

The plan also includes an idea to 'improve the ethnic representation of the police', as well as systematic studies of development trends in the European criminal law and incorporation of novelties in the domestic laws (such as, for instance, 'computer crime'), special prevention programs to deal with crime in urban areas, delinquency and street violence, analyses of the role of the criminal law in environmental protection... The public and media are also called on to support the program.

This, in short, is the essence of this 'Masters Plan', with which the Government resolutely opens a front with four main points. Organized crime, money laundering, corruption and drugs and arms trade are at the moment underlined as the four spheres in which action is most urgently needed. There is no need to remind that this action has been called for much earlier. The present government's visions include special committees for each field separately, with a common denominator maybe in their role to secure communication on the government-local administration level, to increase public awareness against crime and communication with the media and other states. And, in the end, to contribute to a general trust in the rule of law.

The 'prevention committees' (with their main task being providing the cabinet with advice on crime prevention strategies) will be a part of the prime minister's cabinet, just as it is throughout the world. Once they have been constituted by the Government, they will become wholly independent in performing their duties. The committees will be consisted of representatives of the ministries, local self-government, private sector, experts of various areas, but also other individuals who will be able to participate in the prevention of crime in specific ways.

Except for providing advice for the cabinet, the committees will also be coordinating crime prevention strategies and relations between the Government and local administrators and other social groups.

All prevention activities will be financed by budget funds, through 'sponsor financing - with the Government as a co-financier - and a so-called 'discretion financing - again with the Government participating in financially supporting certain local activities and initiatives.

Yet, each committee will have its own, specific features as a result of the specific nature of each separate crime area. In the case of organized crime, for instance, prevention activities will focus on eliminating factors facilitating this type of crime through implementation of methods already tested in other countries and through improvement of the crime departments and courts. A basic feature of this sphere is its goal of determining the responsibility of organized crime leaders (usually keeping a low profile), protection of witnesses' personal integrity, and possible 'prevention arrests' and limited chances for paying bails.

What is certain is that the Macedonian law will from now on include the type of crime referred to as 'money laundering'. Experts will explore ways to limit the secrecy of financial transactions, deepen the cooperation between banks and police departments and possibly introduce a 'model of confiscation of crime profits.' Economic areas in which money launderers usually operate will be located and judges, prosecutors and bankers will be specially trained to cope with them.

The Government's plan is to also intensify police activities to prevent illegal trade with drugs. Special programs for rehabilitation of drug-addicts and 'risk groups' will be organized, along with programs for intensive campaigns in areas in which the use of drugs currently spreads the most. The cure for corruption (apparently characteristic for all countries in transition) will be sought in the establishment of agencies for anti-corruption in the administration, as well as in the lowering of the discretion rights of employees in the administration, drawing out a system of codes for their behavior, and opening efficient channels for citizens to submit complaints and reports of cases of abuse of position.

(end)

mils-news 10 August '95