MILS NEWS 14/03/96

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 14 March 1996

[01] MACEDONIAN-GREEK DIPLOMATIC WRESTLING

Head of the Macedonian Liaison Office in Athens Ljupcho Arsovski was received yesterday by the President of Greece Costas Stefanopoulos. As Arsovski stated for the Macedonian Radio, the Greek President was interested in the health condition of the Macedonian President Gligorov, the current economy situation of Macedonia, particularly the transition and the privatisation processes. The talks focused on the economy cooperation between the two countries, as their meeting coincided with the meeting of Balkan countries businessmen in Thessaloniki.

Meanwhile, Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski yesterday received the Head of the Liaison Office of the Hellenic Republic in Macedonia Alexandros Mallias, informed A-1 television. The purpose of the meeting was to prepare an eventual direct contact between Frckovski and his counterpart, Minister Pangalos. Previously both Ministers expressed a wish to meet, which, according to A-1 Television should happen soon, on a neutral ground.

[02] SOLUTION FOR A COMPLEX NAME ANNOUNCED TOO EARLY

Greek Premiere Costas Simitis, in his addresing the Balkan business meeting in Thessaloniki, stated that the Greek government has only one option - a policy of peace and cooperation, and emphasised that it refers to Skopje as well. Simitis said the Balkan countries should strengthen the mutual economy cooperation and develop a joint market, as that is the only way to survive in the international competition and to develop the region.

Greek Premiere is expected to meet today with the leaders of all Greek political Parties, disscussing the Macedonian issue. As reported yesterday he already had made consultations on the issue with the former Greek Premiere Papandreou.

Meanwhile, about 125 prominent citizens of Thessaloniki, including professors, journalists and businessmen, submitted a memorandum to Premiere Simitis asking for the 'Skopje issue, which has been burdening the foreign policy of Greece for years, to be closed'.

The day before yesterday, Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said it would be better to discuss less about Alexander the Great and more about what is happening in the reality. 'Two and a half million people, who are very close to us, who have the same religion and culture as we do, live at the other side of the border,' emphasised Pangalos, adding that 'Greeks have to stop living in the past, when people fought for the boundaries'. As 'Makfax' reported, the Greek Minister said the complete political and economy cooperation will be activated after the name issue with the northern neighbour is resolved. He added that there were other opinions except the one that Greece must not make a compromise. 'There is an opinion of 'Skopjeans' which we should hear,' stressed Pangalos.

Reporting the statement of Macedonian Foreign Minister Frchkovski that the differences in the name issue should be excluded from the bilateral economy and political cooperation, the Greek Sky Radio commented that the government of Skopje is not ready to definitely close the name issue.

Greek national television paid a great attention to the statement of Frchkovski that he is ready to meet his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos and to discuss openly all the issues.

Reffering to Frchkovski's saying that Macedonian will not make a compromise on its name, the Greek daily 'Katimerini' was reserved about the results from the forthcoming April meeting in New York. The paper informed there were signs in the UN that Macedonia was not prepared to make a final compromise, one of the reasons being the fact that Athens 'had announced too early the intentions of both parties to reach a complex name'. Apperantly, such an intention was confirmed by confidential sources of the Greek Foreign Ministry and by a governmental representative, says the paper.

The opposition daily 'Elefteros Tipos' wrote that Athens authorised the Chief of the Hellenic Liaison Office in Skopje, Alexandros Mallias to inform the Macedonian government on the hope of Premiere Simitis and Foreign Minister Pangalos for 'a complete normalisation of the bilateral relations, which understands bringing a compromising solution on the name issue as soon as possible.'

[03] 'WINTER '96' ENDED WITH PARACHUTING

The joint maneuvers of Macedonian and US military forces 'Winter '96' ended yesterday with parachuting near by Prilep. The special units performed 20 jumps. The maneuvers were attended by the vice Defense Minister of Macedonia Colonel Mirko Atanasovski, the Chief of US Mission to Macedonia Victor Comras and US Military Attach, to Macedonia Colonel Philip Rusciolelli.

[04] MACEDONIA AND SLOVENIA HAVE THEIR PLACE IN THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE OF USA

Defense Ministers of Macedonia and Slovenia Blagoj Hanjiski and Jelko Kacin signed an Agreement on Defense Cooperation for 1996, yesterday in Ljubljana. Military Attach,s of both countries will be exchanged till the end of the year.

Referring to the statement of US President Bill Clinton that only Macedonia and Slovenia fulfill the conditions for millitary cooperation with the USA, Minister Hanjiski said it was a definite recognition of the fact that these two countries have remained out of the war with their policy since the very beginning of the crisis in former Yugoslavia, and that the arms embargo imposed on them was unjustified.

'It is also a recognition that Macedonia and Slovenia have their place and role in the strategic defense and doctrine of USA,' said Hanjiski.

Macedonian Defense Minister was received yesterday by the Slovenian President Milan Kuchan and had talks with the Economy Relations Minister Janko Dezelak.

[05] ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO AND IN MACEDONIA ACT TOGETHER

'The political struggle of the Albanians in Kosovo and in Macedonia is becoming more connected, and the relations between these two movements are strengthening.' This is a conclusion of the British expert on the relations between nations and, according to Belgrade agency 'Beta', a specialist for the Southern Balkans, James Petiffer. 'The radicalising of the politics by the young Albanian leadership in Macedonia, who are replacing the older leaders of a communist kind, makes them closer to the politics of the Albanians in Kosovo,' said Petiffer on the Conference on the national issues, borders and peace, held in Belgrade recently, in the organisation of the British Embassy.

The Albanian leadership in Macedonia, according to Petiffer, uses the traditional nationalistic rhetoric of 'Great Albania', but does not aspire to it or to a bigger autonomy.

He warned that the situation of Albanians in Macedonia is worsened. Agency 'Beta' reports his claim that Albanians in Macedonia are the 'toughest' and that they have always been greater believers and most susceptible to the Moslem influence.

Meanwhile, 'Makpress' agency reported the information of the Albanian Telegraph Agency that the Albanian government, on its last session, had adopted a draft Law on sending an Albanian peace unit to participate in the operations of NATO in former Yugoslavia for the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord.

[06] NEW DUTIES OF THE VICE PREMIERES

Macedonian Premiere Branko Crvenkovski, according to A-1 Television, proposed a new schedule of the duties of the three vice Premieres. Ljube Trpevski will be in charge of the negotiations with the international finance institutions and with the Paris and London Clubs, as well as of the reform of the banking system. Jane Miljoski will be a national coordinator of the cooperation with the EU and will be in charge of the denationalisation and of the preparing a Law on Trade Associations. He will be released from responsabilities regarding the succession of former SFRY, which will be a new assignment of the Foreign Affairs Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski. Bekjir Zutta will be in charge of all the issues of the former Economy Minister and will coordinate the joining of Macedonia to the World Trade Organisation.

[07] WORLD BANK DELEGATION SOON IN MACEDONIA

A delegation of the World Bank will arrive in Macedonia next Monday to discuss the conditions for the second installment ($40 million) of the agreed credit arrangement of $85 million with the Macedonian government.

[08] PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS ON SEVERAL LAWS

Macedonian Parliament held its 40th and 41st session yesterday, when the Law on the Development of the Agriculture was passed with 66 votes for, 13 against and 10 abstained. The members of the liberal Party did not vote for this Law as they considered it would only worsen the situation in the agriculture and the producers will be cheated mostly with the abolishing of the wheat premium.

The draft Law on Tobacco was passed with 65 yes votes , after being five years in a parliamentary procedure. It was said that might be one of the reasons that the number of tobacco producers has reduced from 200 000 to 100 000 individual housholds. The Parliament also decided on appointing the judges in the municipal courts, while 19 of 88 judges listed for the appellate courts of Skopje, Bitola and Shtip were not given enough votes. The members of the Liberal Party and of the Party for Democratic Prosperity did not consider some candidates for judges as individuals of highest qualities. Albanian deputies found the number of Albanian judges insufficient and required for their number to be increased.

The request of the Liberals for the Government to report on the endangered life and property of the citizens was not accepted and was postponed for one of the next sessions.

[09] CALCULATING MECHANISM OF PENSIONS DENIED

With the valorisation coefficients of the salaries from the previous years on the level of 1994, the Pension Fund has established a mechanism for calculating the pensions which is less favourable than the one fixed by the Law. That was the reason for the Constitutional Court of Macedonia to bring charges on the constitutionality and lawfulness of the decision, also because it was made not by the Fund, but by its General Manager. The calculation procedure used is in collision with Article 34 of the Macedonian Constitution, which reads that the right to a pension insurance is set by a Law and by collective bargaining, the Court explained. The Court brought charges against the buying off procedure of the flats and property of former Yugoslav Army, and abolished three decisions of state bodies and public enterprises referring to the resignation period.

[10] CITIZENS INTERVIEWED ABOUT 'ALLIANCE FOR MACEDONIA'

'Data Press' pooling for 'Nova Makedonija', says 48% out of 1 200 citizens interviewed, belive that with the breaking up of the coalition between SDSM and the Liberal Party, those who voted for the 'Alliance for Macedonia' have been cheated. 37% said the platform of the Alliance for Macedonia would not be possible to be realised after the breaking up.

30% of the interviewed considered the breaking up had come as a result from a conflict between interests of the Parties, while the opinion of 28% was it had been an attempt for new political restructuring for the new elections. 44% of these citizens said they did not vote for the Alliance on the last elections, while 39% of those who did vote for the Alliance said they did that because of President Gligorov.

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mils news 14 March 1996