MAK-NEWS 13/10/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 13 October 1995

[01] THE GREEK-MACEDONIAN INTERIM ACCORD OPERATIONAL?

Unoficially, MILS finds out that in the prolonged second round of talks Foreign Ministries of Macedonia and Greece the Memorandum on the implementation of the Interim Accord will be signed today. Macedonian TV, calling to source from the Foreign Ministry, announced that until the opening of the liaison offices of both countries, visas will be issued at the border crossings. The Greek Foreign Ministry has already given directions to its border officials which are in accordance with the Memorandum. It is announced that the embargo will officially be lifted on Saturday evening. Still the work of the experts teams of the Ministries for Traffic, Interior and Custom Administration will continue in order to finalize some details.

[02] REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA ADMITTED TO OSCE

Republic of Macedonia is admitted as a member in the OSCE.

This was decided yesterday at the session of the Standing Committee of the Organization held in Wien. The decision, which will come in force on Saturday, 10 a.m., was cordially greeted by all the member states. They also sent greetings to the President Gligorov and best wishes for his speedy recovery and return to his office.

[03] ANDOV RECEIVED BOGH

Macedonian Acting President of State and Parliament President, Stojan Andov, received yesterday the Ambassador of the OSCE mission in Macedonia, Tore Bogh, accompanied by General Blais. The Ambassador Bogh with voiced satisfaction informed the President Andov of the OSCE Committe decision for the admittance of Macedonia in this organization. During the talks, the Ambassador Bogh stressed that although Macedonia has for a longer period observation status in OSCE, its formal admittance is a sign that the situation in this part of the Balkans is being normalized. Patience of Macedonia, will be rewarded by the international community through increasing the aid and cooperation which will enable further undisturbed prosperity of the country, said the Ambassador Bogh.

President Andov emphasized the enormous significance of the fact that Macedonia is now a member-state of OSCE. In the course of the talk, Andov spoke about the terrorist act on the President Gligorov, pointing out that Macedonian citizens have presented maturity and attachment, while the state bodies continued normally to function. Ambassador Bogh and General Blais, were also received by the Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski.

[04] 'MACEDONIA ALWAYS WAS AND WILL REMAIN MACEDONIA'

'Perhaps Macedonia has an official name FYROM in the UN, or elsewhere, but for me it always was and will remain Macedonia' - said Sir Nicholas Bonsor, Minister in the British Foreign Office, at the joined press conference with the Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, yestrday. Minister Bonsor voiced conviction that after the cease of the war in Bosnia, already good diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Macedonia will improve more. He promised the issue of the restrictive visas system of Great Britain regarding the Macedonian citizens will soon be discussed.

Minister Bonsor greeted the normalization of the relations between Greece and Macedonia, stressing that there no notions that the assassination attempt on the President Gligorov were initiated in order to prevent the normalization of the relations between Macedonia, Greece and Serbia. Estimating his visit to Macedonia, Minister Bonsor said that it is a part of the good intentions for development of the bilateral relations, but is also an expression of support of his country for speady integration of Macedonia into the European institutions.

[05] JOHN SHALIKASHVILI ARRIVES TODAY IN SKOPJE

Chief-of-Staff of the US Army, General John Shalikashvili is to arrive today in an official visit to Macedonia. This will be his second visit to Macedonia, and as it was confirmed he will meet with the Acting President and Parliament President Stojan Andov, the Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, the Defense Minister Blagoja Handziski, and Chief-of-Staff of the Macedonian Army, General Colonel Dragoljub Bocinov. The theme of the talks will be the bilateral cooperation on a military plan as well as the forthcoming admittance of Macedonia in the initiative "Partnership for Peace".

[06] CONDITION OF THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT ANY CHANGES

Condition of the President Gligorov remains the same.

Ordinary laboratory and medical check-up are conveyed. The result are good and within normal parametars. The intensive care will continue.

[07] MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE BULGARIAN NATIONALISTS

Activities taken by the Macedonian police regarding the assassination attempt on President Gligorov, caused great publicity in the Sofia pres. Today's Vecer cites, that in the information released these days in Bulgaria is reported that the Macedonian police has arrested all the politicians with the "pro-Bulgarian orientation". On the top of the list of arrested is the name of Dimitar Crnomarov, leader of the VMRO-Fatherland Party. According to Bulgarian press, Crnomarov was arrested 'due to his connections with the Bulgarian politicians and suspicious visits and relations with the Bulgarian Ambassador in Skopje'. This media campaign in Bulgaria, Vecer referes, was initiated by the party VMRO-SMD. Bulgarian nationalists have caused media fire with their claims that Skopje is useing the current situation to clear up the matters with its political opponents, addes the newspaper.

[08] ANDOV RECEIVED THE TURKISH AMBASSADOR

Macedonian Acting President and Parliament President, Stojan Andov, received yesterday the Turkish Ambassador to Macedonia, Unam Marsli. TheTurkish Ambassador emphasized the attention his country is giving to the policy of Macedonia.

Stressing that Macedonia enjoys full support from the Turkish people, Ambassador Marsli added that he is glad Macedonia is overcoming the present difficulties. Also, the Ambassador welcomed the positive outcome of the dialogue between Greece and Macedonia.

[09] LARGER PART OF THE MACEDONIAN ECONOMY PRIVATIZED

Macedonian Agency for Privatization of the Enterprises with Social Capital informed on a press conference heald yestrday, that by now in Macedonia there have been transformed 423 enterprises. 34 are big companies, while the rest are medium or small, with total 108.954 workers.

The evaluated estate is amounting 817,73 million DM, while their structure has evidenced stock capital amounting 413,73 million DM. 47,5 million DM has been transferred to the Pension and Handicap Security Fund, while the social capital engaged in these enterprises is amounting 267,649 million DM. The Agency announced it will privatize additional 368 enterprises, or total 791 enterprises will be privatized by the end of 1995. Regarding the size and the importance of already privatized enterprises, the Agency estimates that the largest part of the Macedonian economy has been transformed.

Refering to the recently signed Agreement on participation of the workers in the privatization process of the enterprises, between the Government and the Trade Union, it was stressed that the agreement is also supported by the Agency, which will speed up the process.

As part of the USAID program in Macedonia the Agency promoted a guide for investors 'Doing Business in Macedonia' prepared by the American expert Richard Draves.

[10] PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Secretary of the Democratic Party Risto Penov, at the yesterday press conference, expressed his sincere satisfaction of the stabile condition of the President Gligorov. At the same time he voiced concern on the present 'worming up' of the political clime in the country.

According to him, it is mainly caused by the Foreign Minister's expose in the Parliament, and the statements of the leader of VMRO-DMPNE Party, Ljupco Georgievski.

Therefore he asked the ruling parties to chain their "hawks", while VMRO-DPMNE was called not to use in its defense not founded attacks which others use against it.

Media was asked to contribute in overcoming the tense atmosphere, with their responsible and professional work.

[11] MACEDONIAN AGENDA

Yesterday, the book "Macedonian Agenda" written by Victor Bivell, was promoted at the premises of the Macedonian Information and Liaison Service (MILS) . In attendance of representatives of Macedonian publishing houses, domestic and foreign journalist and guests, the book was promoted by Professor Dr. Vasil Tupurkovski and Michael Radin, Federal Judge from Australia. The book is focusing on the integration of Macedonians in the Australian multicultural society.

MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT:

[12] EXTREMISTS AT THE FIRING RANGE

(Puls, 13 October)

From its own sources, Puls reveals the information that in contrast to Macedonia, in Western Europe exist certain forms of organized extremists organizations formed by Macedonian emigrants, prepared for terrorist activities in Macedonia.

Puls has no information whether some of those extremists are in the closest circle of the suspects for the assassination attempt. If we exclude the arming of the so-called paramilitary army and military activities held on the mountain Pelister by the Macedonian "volunteers", during and after Yugoslav army left Macedonia, the public has no information on any forms of terrorist activities organized by extreme Macedonian emigration and radical groups in Macedonia. Revealing this information, Puls opens a taboo theme, without any intention to identify or sugest the perpetrators of this act.

According to some unofficial information, in 1993 an assassination attempt on the President Gligorov was planned but was not realized Also, there are certain notions that during the Wien Conference on Human Rights, another attempt on the life of the President was planned. This assassination attempt has been organized by an extremist organization in cooperation with some political radicals in and out of Macedonia.

Those who are familiar with the Macedonian emigrants, know that there is a Macedonian extremists organization which was exercising in several firing ranges in Switzerland, Germany and in Croatia, "to fight against all those who are against the Macedonia and its nation". This organization, according to these sources, was functioning on army principles, and financed by its membership fee (100-200 DM per month). Its members wore black uniforms, red berets and bullet-proof vests, and their military training was conveyed mainly at one firing range in Karlsrue. The German police was aware of these activities, yet it did not undertake any steps.

Macedonian security services are familiar with the fact that this same organization planned to enter Macedonia through joined venture and foreign enterprise representative offices. This organization focused its interest on and followed the activities of the Albanian emigrants in Germany. Meanwhile, the members of this organization, dressed in their uniforms, were participating at protest meeting held in Bonn, May 19, 1993, after admittance of Macedonia in the UN.

Reportedly, this organization was shedowed for a while, because the German police has change its attitude towards the Macedonian extremists after one action of the German terrorist organization RAF, in 1993. However, according to Puls sources, in 1994 the same organization made three terrorist actions in Rotterdam. There are notions that the organization was preparing a terrorist action in Belgium during the football match Macedonia-Belgium, but the whole operation was canceled after the information on enforced steps by the Belgium police. Allegedly, it was also planned to take similar actions in Germany and other countries in Western Europe.

There are notions that extremist nationalistic groups of Macedonians living in Germany, have suggested to certain persons in Macedonia, acknowledged as extremists and "weapon admirers", to begin with terrorist activities in the country. They were threatened, in case the activities are not done, that terrorist from Germany will be sent. Among the other things, there are notions that this Macedonian extreme organization has been cooperating with the international terrorist organization "Medusa" - famous by giving under lease its terrorists for the needs of others extreme organizations! Besides all this, our sources claim that in Macedonia has been noticed an activity of one illegal group calling itself "The Legion of Honor" which members are communicating between themselves only through coded channels. Although this group is working under the "shield" of a registrated organization, it finds the terror as a method of "political" fight.

(end)

mils news 13 October'95