MILS-NEWS 11/01/96

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 11 January 1996

[01] UNPREDEP SUPPORT FOR MACEDONIAN STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE

On the meeting of Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov with Kofi Annan, Under-Secretary General of the UN, it was emphasized the important preventive role of UNPREDEP in Macedonia for the stability of the Balkans. Gligorov stressed that regarding the situation in the region and further implementation of the Peace Accord on Bosnia, presence of UNPREDEP is still needed in Macedonia, and asked for its headquarters to be given an autonomous and independent position, in the Republic. On the issue of further development of the cooperation and friendly relations between the countries in the Balkans, President pointed out the importance of the Resolution for Cooperation on the Balkans, adopted by UN General Assembly, and said the mutual recognition of the newly formed countries from former SFRY republics is a very important element for the stability.

Kofi Annan agreed that the presence of UNPREDEP in Macedonia is a successful one, which supported the stability and independence of Macedonia, as well as the stability and peace in the Balkans. He expressed his confidence that UNPREDEP will further be present in Macedonia and justified the need for the independence of its headquarters.

The meeting was also attended by Macedonian Foreign Minister, Stevo Crvenkovski, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General, Henrik Sokalsky and the Commander of UNPREDEP in Macedonia, Juha Engstrom.

Gligorov invited UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros Ghali, to officially visit Macedonia.

UN Under-Secretary General also met with the President of Macedonian Parliament, Stojan Andov, and the Macedonian Premiere Branko Crvenkovski.

Meanwhile, PDPA coled in Tetovo for demilitarization of Macedonia, saing that 'there is no need of army because Macedonia is protected by international forcess', reported 'Rilindia'.

[02] OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS OF EU AND MACEDONIA

European Union yesterday sent a diplomatic note to Macedonian Foreign Affairs Ministry, making their diplomatic relations official. The will of the European Commission for establishing such relations with Macedonia went through a diplomatic procedure completed at the end of 1995.

Diplomatic relations are one of the conditions to start a political dialogue and to negotiate on an Agreement on trade and cooperation, which should begin at mid-January, according to Macedonian Television. European Commission should soon decide on opening a diplomatic representative office of the Union in Skopje. The diplomatic relations with EU will open the doors to Macedonia to all funds, cultural and non-governmental institutions in Europe.

[03] IMPOSING A DECISION BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS UNACCEPTABLE

According to A-1 Television, the start of Macedonian-Greek negotiations on the name issue was postponed due to the bad weather in New York and the closed airport.

In his statement for A-1 Television on negotiations and various speculations in the public on the name issue, Macedonian Foreign Affairs Minister, Stevo Crvenkovski said:

'The activities of Ambassador Toshevski are in the frames of the agreed and previously announced regular meetings in New York. The speculations on a decision by the UN Security Council to impose some other name to Macedonia is unacceptable. Such a decision on an issue which is being negotiated under patronage of the Security Council can not be accepted. Our attitude is clear and unchangeable, and we will not accept any arbitrage on this issue. This was decided two years ago and I can not find any basis for such speculations.'

[04] COOPERATION IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the 'Marshal's Oath' and 2nd Anniversary of the 'Partnership for Peace', besides US Defense Secretary, William Perry, and Albanian Defense Minister Saffet Zuliali, Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoy Hanjiski also addressed the participants and suggested new forms to intensify the Alliance and 'Partnership for Peace', such as to institutionalize the cooperation in the struggle against the international terrorism. Hanjiski proposed mutual centres for these activities to be established, the first one to be located in Macedonia.

[05] MACEDONIAN PREMIERE ON THE COMMEMORATION IN PARIS

President of the Macedonian Government, Branko Crvenkovski will attend the funeral ceremony of the French President Fransoa Mitteran. Macedonian Premiere will pay the last respect to the late French President in the name of Republic of Macedonia.

[06] MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE ONE OF THE MINORITY LANGUAGES IN EU

Macedonian Radio informed yesterday that one of the conclusions in the Report of the Bureau for Minority Languages of EU, presented in the Sweden paper 'Svenska Doblarett', is that Macedonian language is one of the languages of the minorities in the frames of EU and is spoken by Macedonian minority in Northern Greece. According to the Report, besides 11 official languages in the frames of the Union, 40 other languages of minorities and ethnic groups are in use. The Bureau is an independent body initiated by the European Parliament and established in 1982. The Report emphasizes that, in future, the pressure on the EU authorities to give the right of the minorities to be educated and informed in their mother tongues will be intensified.

[07] ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON GLIGOROV ORGANIZED BY PEOPLE FROM MACEDONIA?

According to 'Nova Makedonija', there are rumours that Macedonian police have come across serious trails which lead to the organizers of the assassination attempt of President Gligorov. Unofficially, organizers are from Macedonia and the attempt was organized and financed inside the country.

The version is that several foreign explosives experts were engaged, while other preparations were performed by persons from Skopje.

This speculation, says 'Nova Makedonija', excludes all previous unofficial versions about the involved foreign secret services, as well as the official statement of Internal Affairs Minister, Frchkovski, about the involvement of a 'multinational finance group from a neighbouring country'.

[08] TRADITIONAL RECEPTION FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov organized yesterday the traditional New Year Reception for the diplomatic corps in Macedonia, which was attended by representatives of foreign countries and governments, of international organizations and by foreign missions members. In his addressing, Gligorov wished for the successful cooperation of their countries and organizations with Macedonia to continue and thanked them for their support. President informed he will return to his duties at the beginning of the next week. The Doyen of the diplomatic corps in Macedonia, British Ambassador Tony Millson, expressed his gratitude for the greetings in the name of all members of the corps.

[09] DISCUSSIONS ON THE SUCCESSION

Representatives of Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina met yesterday in Zagreb behind closed doors, and continued the discussions on their mutual cooperation on succession of the property inherited from former Yugoslavia. Bozo Marendich, head of the Croatian Bureau for SFRY Succession Project, said that the four states have unanimous attitudes, based on the international legislation and on the opinions of Badinter's Commission, adding that UN should intensify the succession process and that these four countries did a great deal to stop unblocking the finances of former SFRY. Marendich emphasized that, regarding this, there are many problems, mostly with Great Britain and France, and more recently with Austria.

[10] STRIKERS MET WITH GOVERNMENT MINISTERS

The long expected meeting between the hunger strikers from the shoe factory 'Chik' in Kumanovo with the Bankruptcy Director and representatives of the Macedonian Government was held yesterday in the Town Hall of Kumanovo. According to Macedonian Television, on the meeting with Ministers:

Dimitar Buzlevski, Vlado Popovski and Illijaz Sabriu, strikers were promised to have a great deal of their requirements fulfiled. The decision whether they will continue the strike or not will be announced today. The Bankruptcy Director of 'Chik' should submit a detailed finance report on the situation of this factory till 15 March 1996. It was agreed that 160 workers will be re- employed till the end of January, and inspectors will be controlling the over-time engagement of the workers during the next 10 days. It was suggested the enterprise to be transformed in a share holding company, in order to stop bankruptcy procedure, which was refused by the workers, who also expressed their suspicion in the information that the factory owes 250 million DM, including the interests.

Meanwhile, VMRO-DPMNE sent their support to these workers and asked from the Government to take actions to solve the problems of workers of all bankruptcy enterprises in the whole country.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[11] 31 POLITICAL PARTIES REGISTERED

('Nova Makedonija', 10 January 1996)

According to data obtained from the District Court in Skopje, 31 political parties have fulfilled their obligation to renew the registration. 35 others, that have not managed to fulfill respective conditions of the Law for Political Parties, were erased from the court register. Most of the latter did not succeed to obtain the minimum number of 500 members for a party to be registered.

For the last registration it was needed to submit various documents and a citizenship certificate, while for this one only a statement signed by authorized representative and recorded in a court is needed. The representative, i.e. the president, states he is morally, materially and legally responsible if the number of members has reduced till the end of 1995, and is obliged to inform both on increase and decrease of the number of members.

Political parties that fulfill the conditions needed and are legally registered are the following:

National Democratic Party - NDP with headquarters in Tetovo (President - Ilijaz Hallimmi), Social Democratic Party (Aleksandar Donnev), Party for Democratic Prosperity - PDP, headquarters in Tetovo (Abdurahman Alliti), MAAK (president Ante Popovski), Macedonian National Party (Vladimir Stefanovski), Socialdemocratic Alliance of Macedonia - SDS (Branko Crvenkovski), Democratic Party of Turks in Macedonia (Erdogan Sarach), VMRO - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (Ljupcho Gjorgjievski), Labour Party (Krste Jankovski), Party for Complete Emancipation of Gypsies - PCERM (Faik Abdi), Socialist Party of Macedonia (late Kiro Popovski is still registered as its President), Liberal Party of Macedonia (Stojan Andov), VMRO - Democratic Party (Vladimir Golubovski), Citizens Liberal Party of Macedonia (Boris Gegay), Party for Democratic Action - Muslim Way, with headquarters in Tetovo (Kenan Mislimi), Party of Democratic Movement of Egyptians in Macedonia, with headquarters in Struga (Sinan Naser), Democratic Progressive Party of Gypsies in Macedonia (Alli Bekir), Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia (Dragisha Miletich), Party for Democratic Action of Macedonia - SDA (Avdija Pepich), Democratic Party of Macedonia, with headquarters in Tetovo (Tomislav Stojanovski), Albanian Democratic Alliance - Liberal Party (Jamill Idrizi), Communist Party of Macedonia (Todor Pellivanov), Alliance of Communists in Macedonia - SKM (Milan Panchevski), Macedonian National Front, with headquarters in Prilep (Ivan Spirkovski), Democratic Party (Petar Goshev), VMRO - Homeland Party, headquarters in Bitola (Dimitar Crnomarov), VMRO - Macedonian National Democratic Alliance (Tomislav Stefkovski), Party for Democratic Prosperity - Party of National Unity in Macedonia (Nevzat Hallilli), Party of Democratic Prosperity of Albanians in Macedonia - PDPA, headquarters in Tetovo (Arben Jafferi), Party for Democratic Action - Civil Alliance (Sadria Hasanovich) and Democratic Party for Complete Emancipation of Gypsies in Macedonia - PCERM, with headquarters in Kumanovo (president Sevjan Suleimanovski).

(end)

mils news 11 January 1996