MAK-NEWS 15/11/95 (M.I.L.S.)

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 15 November 1995

[01] MISUNDERSTANDINGS ON THE NAME ISSUE

Macedonian delegation led by Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and defense Minister Blagoj Handziski, has departed to Brussels yesterday in the occasion of the admittance of Macedonia in 'Partnership for Peace' project.

Macedonian Radio reports that there was a misunderstanding on the name which will present Macedonia in this project.

Macedonian delegation demanded to be accepted under the constitutional name of the country and refused the reference FYROM. According to informal sources, it was proposed that Macedonian Prime Minister signs the accord with the constitutional name and NATO signs the text with the reference FYROM. According to the same information, there is an optimism that the problem will be resolved and the ceremony of signing will be held today.

[02] BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SECURITY POLICY FULFILLED

The Security Council of the Republic of Macedonia had a session yesterday on the Government documents on the membership in 'Partnership for Peace' It is said that the documents fully express the main principles of the security policy and defense of Macedonia. The session was headed by Macedonian Parliament President, Stojan Andov, acting on behalf of President Gligorov as a President of the Council.

[03] ALL EU MEMBER STATES HAVE SIGNED THE UNIFORM ACCORD

After intense and coordinated activities of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry and the Macedonian Insurance Company, the Secretary General of the Green Card Bureau in London informed the Macedonian Government that the Uniform Accord on green card insurance has been signed by all EU member states. The announcement says that the Macedonian green card will be valid for all EU member states beginning from 17th November 1995.

[04] FOREIGN MINISTER EWANS ADDRESSES MACEDONIANS IN AUSTRALIA

Australian Foreign Minister, Garret Ewans, addressed yesterday the Macedonian Council of West Australia explaining the Government position on the so-called Macedonian question. As Macedonian Radio reports, Ewans stated that Australia has recognized Macedonia under the same name Macedonia had been accepted at the UN.

The Australian Government supports the recent Interim Accord between Macedonia and Greece and hopes that the name problem will be resolved through dialogue between the two countries, he added.

In conclusion, Minister Ewans expressed satisfaction on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Macedonia and Australia evaluating it as a positive step toward the establishment of closer bilateral relations.

[05] THE LAW ON DENATIONALIZATION ADOPTED

At the 29th session yesterday, the Parliament adopted the Law on denationalization with 73 votes for. After the adoption, the 25th session on the proposed Law on High Education continued. There was a severe dispute on the issue and the Albanian deputies threatened with withdrawal from the Parliament if the Law is adopted, A1 TV reports.

[06] THREE LAWS IN PARLIAMENT PROCEDURE

At the session the day before yesterday, the Government proposed to Parliament the proposed Law on telecommunications, the proposed Law on Highways and the proposed Law on Encumber of Macedonia after the approved loan for the reconstruction of the Skopje Airport from the European Bank.

Considering the Law on Telecommunications, Minister Buzlevski at the press conference yesterday stated that the Law introduces directing of telecommunication links and radio broadcasting by a domicile legal entity as a public corporation. The Law also provides participation of legal entities "that have serious intentions to develop this field" by granting concessions.

Minister Buzlevski explained the concept of the Law on Highways which will provide development of highways. 65% of the finances will be aimed for highways, 15% for local ways and 20% for streets. He pointed out that this Law also introduces concessions and establishing a new Fund and public corporation.

With the loan of 17.800 million DM the Skopje Airport will be reconstructed and meet the standards of those in the developed countries.

[07] SPEEDING UP THE PROCESS OF PRIVATIZATION IN AGRICULTURE

Macedonian delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Tome Zimbakov, participated at the Third Conference on Agriculture held in Prague. The Conference was attended by Central and East European countries.

Zimbakov talked on the process of association in the EU of the Central and East European countries conditioned by radical system changes in the societies.

"Republic of Macedonia makes every effort to speed up the process of privatization in agriculture and to create a development strategy which will include Macedonia into the processes of integration in the EU and the World Trade Organization", added Zimbakov.

[08] DEMOCRATIC PARTY HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE

At the press conference yesterday, the Spokesman of the democratic Party, Manasievski, evaluated the absence of the investigative judge in the case of the assassination attempt on President Gligorov as a violation of the political system. He accused Minister Frckovski of playing the role of the invesigative judge. He stressed that the Government not having position on the resignation of Minister Frckovski directly leads to destabilization of the country. The Party demanded establishment of State Commission that will lead the investigation.

At the conference, it was also pointed out that the Party had never denied the legitimacy of President Gligorov and it expressed expectations that he will soon return to his duties since "the political situation in the country is unbearable".

The Democratic Party also greeted the association of Macedonia with 'Partnership for Peace', but it stressed that 'the economic situation in the country is devastating and it may discredit Macedonia in the European associations'. There is an urgent need of stabilization, the Party pointed out.

In conclusion, the Party commented on the announcement of the Liberal Party, saying that it had a clear purpose to avoid personal responsibility of their attitude after the assassination attempt on President Gligorov.

[09] VMRO-DPMNE AND DP WILL BOYCOTT THE ELECTION IN THE UNIT 114

The non-Parliament opposition parties VMRO-DPMNE and DP announced they will boycott additional elections in the electoral unit 114 which will be held for the place of the passed away Kiro Popovski, who was a candidate of the Socialist Party. As 'Nova Makedonija' reports, both parties decided to boycott the elections, otherwise they would indirectly recognize the "self-elected Parliament and the results of the falsificated elections".

Meantime, Parties from the coalition 'Union for Macedonia', the SDSM, the Liberal Party and the Socialist Party, will participate at elections with one candidate.

The candidate will be one of the four possible candidates from the Socialist Party. The coalition will make a decision on the candidate by Friday.

[10] RECOGNITION OF MACEDONIAN INNOVATORS

At the 44th World Exhibition of Innovations which was held in Brussels from 8th to 11th November, Macedonian innovators have won many prizes.

Lazar Dimitrievic won the gold medal for the project of technological production of ecology cylindrical wrapping material. A gold medal was also awarded to Eftim Cesmedzija who invented a new windshield wiper with adaptable speed. The silver medal was awarded to Lazar Dimitrievic for a video game with special ecological performances, to Kosto Sekutkovski for the endless dodecaeder and to Atanas Blazevski for the vacuum glass with safety valve.

The inventions attracted the attention of a few famous world corporations.

MILS SUPPLEMENT:

[11] Albanians want the legalization of the "Tetovo University"

(Nova Makedonija, 15 November '95)

Macedonian Parliament deputies had a session yesterday on the proposed Law on Higher Education (Universities) which was several times postponed. This Law has expectedly attracted the attention of deputies. Many disputes arose on the articles and proposals. For instance, Abdurauf Prusi from the PDP said the Law reminded of the statute of the University St. Cyril and Methodius. He added that the Law has many 'Balkan' nationalistic articles such as the 9th on the language use.

Sali Ramadani from PDPA evaluated the proposed Law as better than the other two laws on education, yet, he said, he could not support it as many important things were missing. He added that the prohibition on religious and political organizations in Universities was a Marxist- communist attitude and that the 9th article on the language use was a pure discrimination, suicide and catastrophe. The law needs to be brought back at the beginning procedure, and legalize the "Tetovo University", he suggested.

Hisni Shaqiri from PDPA said the law was one of the possible ways to resolve national problems in the country.

The Government has a bad policy on the 'Tetovo University'. Albanians have shown patience and tolerance, so there is a need of Law regulations in favor of the Albanians in Macedonia, that will regulate the 'Tetovo University' and include it in the Macedonian education system, otherwise the gap between Macedonians and Albanians will be greater, and the responsibility will be on the ruling coalition, he added.

Dzheladin Murati also stated that the 'University' should be legalized, which may be done if the Constitution is read democratically and extensively. Finances are not problem, there are political, economic, national and strategic reasons and interests on the issue, he stressed.

The Parliament is to pass the exam, said Rami Tuda from PDP, and if it does not pass it Albanians originality will be jeopardized which will cause unpredictable consequences. Albanians are deprived of their natural right of mother-tongue education, said Tuda, and requested the legalization of the 'University' that will function within the education system of Macedonia. Independent deputy, Mersel Biliali, asked whether the law was meant to establish a minimum political compromise. Albanians have a right of a higher education which is confirmed by the Constitution and international accords, he pointed out.

Abdulali Veiseli, independent deputy, stated it was an utopia to form a uni-language state that has over 40% of population differing from the majority. Hisen Ramadani asked why only part of Parliament deputies support the legalization of the 'University' when everyone should insist on resolving the great educational disproportion.

Rufi Osmani from PDPA expressed his disappointment on the proposed Law and elaborated the need of legalization of the 'University'. He said Western Macedonia is not West Europe and the Government does not pay attention to real interests. He stressed that no one can be against the 'University' since there are two Macedonian language Universities, and asked why in the most settled area of the country there is not such an institution.

Pance Minov from the Liberal Party said the proposed Law has good solutions about development of higher education.

Ismet Ramadani from PDP said the Law has a good concept but it does not reflect relations between the great minority and small majority. He added that "Tetovo University" is not a birthday party anymore, and must be institutionalized.

Sefedin Hairuni from PDP elaborated the history of the 'University' and said the Law does not bring new and acceptable solutions.

Nano Ruzhin from SDSM stated that the Law will be a polygon for inter ethnic disagreements. Atanas Vangelov from the same party talked about the present system of education and its incompleteness saying that there is no need of competition between parallel systems but a competition within the system itself.

(end)

mils news, 15 November '95