MILS NEWS 12/03/96

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 12 March 1996

[01] MACEDONIA AND GREECE HAD NOT CHANGED ATTITUDES

As Macedonian media reported yesterday, the unofficial information that Macedonia and Greece have agreed on the name 'New Macedonia' had been officially denied by the Greek government Spokesman Dimitris Reppas. He said there were no secret agreements between the two countries on any issue, and especially not on the name issue. Reppas added neither Skopje nor Athens had changed their attitudes on this issue, which means that no progress had been made in the discussions in New York.

As Greek 'Ta Nea' reported, the Greek government is interested in the normalisation of the relations with Skopje, but does not intend to yield from its well known attitudes on the name issue. The same daily claimed the opposite only three days ago, that Greek and Macedonian governments had agreed on a complex name, and that the only problem remaining was to harmonize the attitudes inside Greece.

Greek Premiere Costas Simitis has started the consultations with the leaders of the political Parties on the name issue with Macedonia. He had a meeting yesterday with the Executive Committee of PASOK, and is expected to meet with the leaders of the Left Wing Coalition, the Communist Party and the ultra-nationalistic Party 'Political spring'. His meeting with the leader of the most dominant opposition Party 'New Democracy', Militijadis Evert, had been postponed for the end of this month.

These consultations are, according to 'Makfax' agency, a sign that theGreek Government might accept a complex name which would contain the term 'Macedonia'. 'Makfax' also informed that Greek Foreign Minister Pangalos, on the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Palermo, had requested from the Union to pressure Skopje to take a more flexible attitude before the next round of discussions in April, and had stressed that an adequate solution for this dispute should be found.

[02] GREECE - AN OBSTACLE ON THE WAY OF RECOGNITION

Foreign Ministers of the 15 EU member countries, on their informal meeting held yesterday in Palermo, again stressed the necessity for the mutual recognition of FRY and Macedonia, after which EU would normalize the relations with Belgrade. After the discussion, as Macedonian Radio reported, EU Ministers stressed their impression that Greece was the main obstacle for fulfilling this condition.

According to the sources of the Macedonian Radio, official Belgrade has prepared a project for recognizing Macedonia under its constitutional name, which is a problem for Athens. That is why the situation is blocked and its end is uncertain.

EU Ministers also discussed on the suggestion of the European Parliament Kosovo issue to be added as another condition for the EU recognition of Belgrade. They decided that it was unacceptable at the moment, but that it would be set as a condition in the next phase of improving the relations of FRY with the EU.

[03] ISSUE OF SERBS IN MACEDONIA SHOULD BE SOLVED NOW

As 'Makpress' agency informed, President of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia, Dragisha Miletic, stated for Serbian radio 'Kragujevac' that all the conditions are ready for the position of Serbs in Macedonia to be improved. 'We believe it will be settled with the normalization of the relations between FRY and Macedonia,' said Miletic. He added that his Party had sent a letter to the Serbian President Miloshevic asking from him to make the Constitutional position of the Serbs in Macedonia a crucial issue in the future mutual recognition. 'We are for an independent Macedonia, but we think it must establish strong economy connections with Yugoslavia,' stressed Miletic.

[04] BALKAN COUNCIL FOR USING THE EU FUNDS

Yesterday, Greece suggested a Balkan Council to be formed to support the cooperation between the neighbouring countries in the region, which will enable EU funds to be used in a better way. Greek Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, on the Balkan Economy Forum in Thessaloniki, stated it would be a kind of body which would coordinate the economy sector, the industrial policy, the infrastructure credits, and, eventually, the political cooperation and preventive diplomacy issues. Papandreou said Greece would support the cooperation of other Balkan countries with the EU, adding that she would personally initiate the forming of a Balkan Energy Forum, in which 10 countries of the region would participate.

[05] MACEDONIAN-AMERICAN MANEUVERS 'WINTER 96' HAVE BEGAN

After ten days of preparations, the joint maneuvers 'Winter 96' of the Macedonian and US special units began yesterday on the location of Popova Shapka. The participants were greeted yesterday by the Macedonian vice Defense Minister, Colonel Mirko Atanasovski, and by the US Military Attach, to Macedonia, Colonel Philip Rusciolelli. The activities were observed by military attach,s from Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey, accredited in Macedonia.

Macedonian and US soldiers will check their abilities to act in difficult weather conditions, as well as the quality of the bilateral relations in defense, institutionalized with the Cooperation Memorandum, signed in May last year. The Memorandum stresses the training of Macedonian officers in the USA and in Macedonia. The final activity of the maneuvers, parachuting, will take place near Prilep, on Wednesday. The first paraschuting took place during the maneuvers 'Friendly Jump' last year near Kumanovo, immediately after Macedonia joined the 'Partnership for Peace' Initiative.

[06] MACEDONIAN-SLOVENIAN EXCHANGE OF $300 MILLION

Slovenian Premiere Janez Drnovshek and Macedonian Ambassador to Slovenia Dimitar Mirchev, yesterday in Ljubljana, viewed the economy cooperation between the two countries as positive, reaching the value of $300 million. The forthcoming meeting between the Premieres Branko Crvenkovski and Janez Drnovshek was also a subject of discussion.

[07] NEW CRIMINAL CODE SUGGESTED ADOPTED

Macedonian government, on its yesterday's session, adopted the new Criminal Code. The new Code guarantees equality of all before the law, inviolability of the life and of the ethic and physical integrity of a person, and forbids sex, race, national, social, political or religious discrimination. The Code also treats the most sensitive aspect of the legal state concept, which is based on the relations between an individual and the government, between individual freedoms and rights and the right of the state to punish. The new Code sublimes the previous two Laws and harmonizes it with the latest changes in the economy and political system.

[08] INDUSTRY PRODUCTION STILL FALLS

The latest data of the Macedonian Statistics Institute show the industrial production decline of 10.7% in 1995. The inflation is more stable: the costs of living in February have increased for only 0.1% compared to January.

The average Macedonian salary in 1995 was 8 580 denars and was 10.7 percent higher than the one in 1994. Average food basket costs in 1995 were 8 570 denars. These costs have increased for 1.1% in February compared to January this year, and have reached the value of 9 023 denars. The total food costs have increased for 5.2% in Macedonia last year.

The average number of employees in 1995 in Macedonia was 357 902, which is 9.3% less than in 1994. The unemployment has increased for 16.3% in 1995, i.e. there were 216 222 unemployed. 20.8% of the employed in Macedonia had not received one, two or more salaries till December 1995, which is again more than in the previous year.

[09] MACEDONIAN TOURISM PRESENTED IN BERLIN

Macedonia presents its tourist offer amongst 176 countries on the Tourist Fair in Berlin. Macedonian booth was visited by several foreign tourist businessmen from Greece, Russia, Hungary, Germany, etc., who were interested in next summer arrangements. The booth was also visited by the Macedonian Ambassador to Germany, Srgjan Kerim.

[10] THE OHRID LAKE POLLUTED AS THE LAST YEAR

According to official analyses, the pollution level of the Ohrid Lake is close to the one from last year. This was informed on yesterday's press conference of the Macedonian Health Care Institute, when it was said that water near the port, at the location Saraishte, at the mouth of Grashnica River, and at the village of Radozda, is of the fourth category of pollution. The microorganisms found warn of the possibility for serious health infections.

[11] CONSCIOUSLY COMMITTED CRIME IN PETROVEC BARRACKS?

According to the Macedonian media, the investigation on the death of corporal Goran Zareski, showed that the suspect Isuf Bislimi had intentionaly shot two bullets. He has already been charged with attempted murder and violation of guard patrol regulations. According to 'Vecer', Bislim has been detained and defends himself with remaining silent.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[12] Bottomless Agricultural Den

('Vecer', 11 March 1996)

The total loss in the agricultural production last year reached the point of 942 million denars, while the total debt was 625 million denars. The average net salary was 18% lower than that in other economy sectors, and was paid with a delay of five to eight months. Total expenses were 12.3% higher than the income.

Despite the fact that the production in 1995 was at the average level, the activities in the agriculture were followed by a constant lack of money. That was the reason why the autumn sowing was realized only partly. Namely, only 83.5% of the planned lands were sowed, thanks to the new credits taken for obtaining seeds, oil, artificial fertilizers, and other necessary reproduction materials.

The lack of money influenced the last year's products' buying off. The payment for some products has still not been made, although the terms planned have ended a long time ago.

Some payments were made with flour, cooking oil, fertilizers, oil, etc., instead with money.

The same problems are expected to appear this year, as nothing has changed in the meantime. The buying off of the tobacco is reaching its end - around 80% of it have been taken over, but the tobacco manufacturers are still trying to obtain money to make the payments. 17 tobacco enterprises of total 21 in the Republic worked with a loss last year.

The producers do not have enough resources to obtain the reproduction materials and to engage the mechanisation needed for the spring sowing, which makes its end uncertain.

As far as the protecting policy and the stimulation from the government are concerned, it was estimated that the plans were unrealistic. Namely, 415 million denars of the national budget will be given for certain products, which is a 44% lower amount than the one planned for the last year. 210 million denars should be given for a regress of high quality seeds, while no money were planned to be given for a regress of artificial fertilizers and other protecting means. What most negatively influences the producers is the fact that the regress of the part of the credit interests has been abolished.

Jovan Jovanov, the Director of the agricultural manufacturer 'Strumica', considers the monthly interest rate of 8% too high, which enlarges the production expenses for five times per year. According to him, the production can not be successful in such circumstances.

Removing the wheat from the list of premium products, say the producers, will additionally worsen the situation. There have already been enough problems about it, such as the illegal import, which was the reason for great losses in the domestic wheat production.

1 300 million denars of the national budget are planned to be given for goods reserves, which is again an amount for 15% lower than the one planned for the last year. This happened due to the intention of the Administration for Goods Reserves to start working on market bases. The opinion of the producers is that the Administration should be supported by the government until it becomes financially strong enough. In a situation like this, when the Administration has limited funds at its disposal, it is normal that we have an unstable market and prices, and that it is impossible to create conditions which would support the production of the most important agri-products.

The Association of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce have requested certain changes of the conditions regarding the necessary reproduction materials supply, which would make the production cheaper. They ask the customs duties to be reduced for the reproduction materials that are not produced in Macedonia. They also require the customs duties to be decreased for those materials which are not produced in sufficient quantities in the country, but only when a lack of their supply appears. This would bring to a fall of the production costs, and would reduce the need for using the national budget funds.

Despite the conclusion that the money planned to be given from the national budget are not sufficient to realize all the projects in the agriculture, 50 million denars will be invested in the agriculture stock exchange. Some competent persons claim that, however, this project is not likely to justify its function, as there are no conditions in Macedonia for auction sale of agricultural products.

(end)

mils news 12 March 1996