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MILS NEWS 96-09-19Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 19 September, 1996[01] FRCHKOVSKI REPORTS ON THE SITUATION IN THE FOREIGN POLICYMacedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski yesterday reported about the current situation in the foreign policy to the Parliamentarian Commission for Foreign Policy. He informed the Commission members that the Government had prepared two conventions regarding the membership in the Council of Europe for ratification. One of them refers to the protection of rights of minorities, and the other one to the protection of minorities' languages. The latter will be followed by a declaration of the Government in which Serbs will be included besides all the other nationalities stated in the Constitution.Frchkovski said that about 20 bilateral meetings of Macedonian delegation were planned to take place during the session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Macedonia will also nominate for an associate membership in the Security Council, since, according to Frchkovski, the Balkan region needs to have a representative in one of the most important organs of the UN. Macedonia would be suitable for that role as it had proved during the last five years that its cooperation with other countries was based on essential principles of the UN. Macedonian Radio reported that Frchkovski had pointed out the establishing of diplomatic-consular mission with Australia and Canada as one of the priorities of the Foreign Ministry, as Macedonia insisted on their Embassies to be resident in Macedonia. Foreign Minister evaluated the relations with neighbouring countries as good in general, stressing that relations with FR Yugoslavia had been balanced in accordance with the Agreements signed and that they were intensifying. He said relations with Bulgaria were also satisfactory, as things had been moved from a dead point and that there were attempts to avoid the missing agreements on cooperation in certain fields. Frchkovski estimated the relations with Greece as good, followed by an intensified economic cooperation, to which the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje had been contributing greatly. According to him, the relations with Albania had been slowly renewed after the holdup that appeared due to the elections there, Frchkovski stated, adding that the several times mentioned potential visit of Albanian Prime Minister Meksi to Macedonia had been discussed again. [02] GERMAN SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ARRIVED TO MACEDONIAGerman Secretary of Defense Bernard Wiltz arrived yesterday in Macedonia for a two-days visit, during which he and Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski should sign a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of defense. Wilts yesterday visited the Centre for Military Education and Training 'Joseph Crusel', and today he is expected to have meetings with President Kiro Gligorov, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski and with his host Defense Minister Handziski.[03] MACEDONIA PRESENTED THE 'WHITE BOOK'Yesterday at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Macedonia had presented its military potentials with the so-called 'White Book', by which technical preparations for being accepted in NATO were completed, local media reported. The formal procedure regarding the accepting of Macedonia in NATO will be accomplished with the expected visit of the Alliance Secretary General Javier Solana to the Republic till the end of the year. The notifications say that joining of new member countries in NATO will be discussed at the beginning of the next year.[04] MACEDONIA HAS JOINED MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION PROCESSThe Republic of Macedonia yesterday became a full member of the cooperation and security process in the Mediterranean, Macedonian media reported. The membership of Macedonia was unanimously supported by participants of the 96th Inter-parliamentarian Conference in Peking.According to A-1 Television, it was estimated that Macedonia had been connected with the Mediterranean region politically, economically, culturally and historically. Mediterranean parliamentarians had underlined the peace- keeping policy of Macedonia and its orientation to cooperate and have good relations with the neighbours. [05] 'ELEFTEROTIPIA': GREEK PARTIES ON THE NAME ISSUEThe stand of the Greek ruling party PASOK is that the final solution of the name issue of Macedonia should be acceptable for both countries and harmonized with their needs and historical reality, and meet the national will and cultural identity of the two nations. This was part of the results of a questionnaire made by Greek left wing paper 'Elefterotipia' on the name issue, reported by the A-1 Television.The most influential opposition party in Greece 'New Democracy' kept its firm stand that the term 'Macedonia' must not be included in the name of the northern neighbour. The other political parties, which according to the paper have little chances to win the elections, allowed the term 'Macedonia' to be used in the name under certain conditions. [06] MACEDONIAN-BULGARIAN COOPERATION CONDITIONED WITH NON-RECOGNIZING OF MACEDONIAN MINORITY IN BULGARIABulgarian Presidential candidate Ivan Marazov during his pre-electoral campaign had conditioned the cooperation with Macedonia with non-recognizing the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. According to Macedonian media, Marazov said that Bulgaria might cooperate with its western neighbour only in case it revoked all the pretensions for Macedonian minority in Bulgaria to be recognized. Except for this matter, he stated there were no other obstacles for cooperation to be developed between the two states and nations.[07] INTENSIVE COOPERATION WITH WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATIONJames Shaver, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization yesterday arrived to Macedonia and met with Macedonian Customs Administration General Manager Ilija Iljoski. They discussed the future cooperation between these two institutions and concluded, according to Macedonian Radio, that Macedonia had improved more in that aspect than the other countries which were going through a transition process. Shaver informed the press that he was impressed by the new Law on Customs and by the customs organization in Macedonia.The guest is expected to present his report on a strategic development of Macedonian Customs Administration at the seminar in Ohrid. [08] MACEDONIAN-SWISS AGREEMENT ON REGULAR AIR TRANSPORTAgreement on Regular Air Transport and Avoiding of Double Taxation for Macedonian and Swiss air-transport companies was signed yesterday in Skopje. Local media reported that the agreement had been designed in accordance with the international conventions, and that it set daily flights in both directions, destinations being Bern, Geneva and Zurich in Switzerland and Skopje and Ohrid in Macedonia. Macedonia and Switzerland should sign an agreement on road transport next week.After several postponing, the Skopje Airport should be closed today due to a reconstruction, and the transport to be directed to the Ohrid Airport till 15 November, 1996. Meanwhile, Macedonian Television reported that public enterprise for airport services 'Makedonija' had 'landed' the air transport company 'MAT' due to unpaid debts. In case the payment is not made today, the two airplanes of this company will have to be removed from the airport or returned to the owner. [09] ON GERMAN INVESTMENTS IN MACEDONIAMacedonian Parliament President Tito Petkovski yesterday had a meeting with German Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia Claus Schramaer, during which they positively estimated the development of relations between their two countries and the initiatives for German investments in Macedonia. Future cooperation between the two parliaments was also mentioned, the official announcement said. Parliament President Petkovski yesterday also met with charge d' affaires Ambassador of Iran to Macedonia Girosh Solat, with whom he exchanged opinions on the parliamentary democracy experiences and initiated establishing of parliamentarian cooperation groups.[10] NEW MEASURES AGAINST CIGARETTES SMUGGLING'Makpress' agency reported that usage of control wrapping strips on cigarette packs would begin at the beginning of October in Macedonia. The strips would be treated as securities and the purpose for their applying is cigarettes smuggling prevention.Macedonian Television meanwhile reported that tobacco manufacturing enterprise 'Jugotutun' from Bitola had signed a contract on partnership with the American 'Socotab Tobacco Company' yesterday, with which it had been cooperating for several years already. The US company had, in fact, bought 51% of 'Jugotutun' shares, by which it became an owner of the control shares package and will manage the company in future. [11] NOMINATIONS FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS CAN STARTMacedonian State Electoral Commission yesterday reported that nominating procedure for forthcoming local elections had been opened. According to the Law, this Commission will appoint the presidents, secretaries, members and deputies of municipal electoral commissions till 1 October the latest. State Electoral Commission President said that there will be 124 commissions with 1,240 members.Political parties should submit their proposals for electoral commissions members to the State Electoral Commission till 26 September the latest. This applies only to those political parties which had won at least 5% of the votes at the first round of parliamentarian elections in 1994. The official data read that three opposition parties fulfill this condition: VMRO-DPMNE, Democratic Party and Liberal Party. Secretaries of electoral commissions are not their members, and they are (as well as the presidents) judges at the Courts of Original Jurisdiction, which put in other words means that every second judge will be engaged in electoral activities. State Electoral Commission had already prepared the forms for collecting citizens' signatures for candidates for mayors and town assembly members, as well as forms for candidate lists and for accepting the nominations. The forms remaining to be prepared are those used by electoral organs. [12] VMRO-DPMNE WILL PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS'VMRO-DPMNE Executive Committee unanimously passed the decision of the party to participate in the local elections '96', party leader Ljupcho Georgievski informed the press yesterday. He said they had made such a decision since boycotting the previous parliamentarian elections in 1994 had been of no use for the party, as the isolation was not suitable for their voters and followers. He stated the fact that most of the remarks of opposition parties had been included in the Law on Local Elections (such as the one regarding their participation in the control) as another important motive.Georgievski stressed that his party would be certain that the elections are regularly carried out only after State and municipal commissions, as well as the electoral boards, would include two opposition representatives each. At that point, the decision to participate in fair local elections could be made official. VMRO-DPMNE President underlined the optimism regarding the local elections, informing that his party was prepared to submit candidate lists for mayors and assembly members in at least 100 municipalities. He notified that his and the Democratic Party will have same nominees for mayors, but separate candidates for assembly members. He stated that final decision regarding a coalition with the Democrats would be made till Saturday the latest, while the one with MAAK- Conservative Party was certain. [13] 'RAINBOW' ON ELECTIONS IN A COALITION WITH 'OAKKE'The Movement of Macedonians in Greece, 'Rainbow', yesterday called on a support during the forthcoming elections in Greece, in which they would participate in a coalition with Greek left wing forces 'OAKKE'. The announcement they had issued included their goals and their main purpose was the recognition of the national rights of Macedonians in Greece and in the European community, as well as creating non-nationalistic Balkans.[14] 'DIGNITY' ON THE TREATMENT OF MACEDONIANS IN GREECE'How to Come to Your Place of Birth' is the title of the humanitarian project promoted at a press conference yesterday, organized by the association for protection of rights of Macedonians discriminated by the Republic of Greece 'Dignity' ('Dostoinstvo'). The association President Kole Mangov said the main goal of the project was to inform the domestic and international public of the discrimination and treatment of Macedonians - victims of the Greek Civil War, as well as of those who still live there. It was stressed that evidence materials and documents had already been sent to the Governments of seven developed countries and to the European Parliament, UN Committee for Human Rights, as well as to Robert Badenteur. They will be also given to the Macedonian delegates at the session of the UN General Assembly.[15] PDPA DELEGATION IN TIRANA'Makpress' agency reported that PDPA delegation, led by the President Arben Dzaferi, yesterday had been in Tirana and met the Prime Minister of Albania Aleksandar Meksi and Foreign Minister Tritan Shehu. As alleged, Dzaferi and his colleagues had presented their anxiety and concern regarding the official Macedonian stand towards Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia.[16] DPT CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH HUNGER STRIKERS'The situation with hunger strikers in Central Zhupa is extremely critical and in case competent institutions in Macedonia show no interest in stopping the strike, implications with severe consequences will take place,' Democratic Party of Turks announced yesterday. Further on, it was said that in case Macedonian Government did not make any moves to solve the problem, it will be fully responsible for the eventual consequences.MILS SUPPLEMENT[17] 'Strikes Replaced by Criminal Charges'('Nova Makedonija', 18 September, 1996)Sanctioning of acts that violate rights of employees, regulated with the new Criminal Code, will significantly change the ways of trade unions' fight for these rights. Deputy President of the Macedonian Trade Unions Tome Georgievski told us that disrespect and neglecting of the Criminal Code, its regulations or the collective bargaining regulations would be treated in new ways. 'This is a solution acceptable for the Trade Unions. It means that strikes, protests and negotiations will be less necessary for the rights of employees to be realized, as problems will be solved by bringing criminal charges by the Unions. After that, the Public Prosecution will be in charge of dealing with them. The Labour Inspection will act the same way as the Unions,' Georgievski said. The Trade Unions have already organized themselves in order to use the rights from 1 November, when the Code should come into effect. They had sent instructions to all their branch and municipalities offices, i.e. to the lawyers there, explaining them in what cases they should address the Prosecution. Part of the matters stated in the Code had been previously treated as crimes, as well. The news is Article 156 that treats violation of the right to strike as a crime, i.e. an individual who would limit or deprive from the right to strike another individual will be fined or imprisoned up to one year. The suggestion of the Trade Unions of Macedonia to include sanctions for preventing trade unions organizing in the Criminal Code was not accepted. The request was made according to international conventions, and due to the fact that there have been many cases of employers who have been doing that, especially in the private enterprises. The Code regulates violation of rights regarding the employment or its canceling, the salaries, working hours, vacations and absences, protection of women and night shifts, which are sanctioned by fines or imprisonment of up to two years. This, in fact, confirms the regulations of collective bargaining, which have been very little respected so far. There are sanctions for situations which have been occurring very often during the last several years, such as fines and up to two years imprisonment for violation of rights regarding health insurance, pensions and social insurance. On the other hand, a person who would realize those rights groundlessly would also be fined or imprisoned for up to one year. The competent authorities will be punished in case they do not provide protection measures at work by fines or by up to one year imprisonment, but in case of a suspended sentence the individuals convicted may be obliged by the court to provide the protection measures within a certain term. The act of violation of rights for being included in the management will be sanctioned with fines or imprisonment up to one year. (end)mils news 19 September, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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