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MILS NEWS 96-10-16Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 16 October, 1996[01] PANGALOS: 'CLOSER TO THE SOLUTION OF THE NAME ISSUE''Yesterday, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Theodoros Pangalos stated for the Greek National Television that Macedonia and Greece were very close to a solution about the name issue, which would be acceptable both for Athens and Skopje,' 'Makfax' agency reported. Pangalos also denied the speculations about the possible triple name formula. According to 'Makfax', political circles in Athens referred to the latest Greek-Macedonian meeting in Geneva with a restrained optimism, but with a belief that a step forward had been made.After the Geneva talks, several Athens newspapers noticed that the UN mediator in the Greek-Macedonian contacts Cyrus Vance had 'hurried up' and called Skopje with the name 'Macedonia' twice. The private Greek TV station 'Mega' thus concluded that Vance had, in fact, showed that he wanted to speed up the process of negotiations for the name issue. [02] TRANSPORT PROTOCOL BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND BULGARIA SIGNEDThe two days long bilateral meeting of experts from the Macedonian and Bulgarian Ministries for Transport ended with a signing of a protocol for transport in two versions, in Macedonian and in Bulgarian language. Some disputable issues in contradiction with the bilateral agreement signed in 1993 were solved, Macedonian Television reported. It was also agreed all traffic taxes for all types of vehicles to be canceled from January, 1997. Possibilities for the border taxes, health and vehicles insurance, and the TIR-carnets in the bilateral transport to be canceled were discussed, too. As for the mutual bus transport, which has been under the regime of contingents, the two delegations had agreed to exchange 200 licenses in the first half of the next year with a possibility this number to be increased. The long waiting at the borders would be discussed by a joint Commission, while the Macedonian party suggested a new border crossing Berovo-Mikrovo to be opened. Both parties had also estimated that a sooner reconstruction of the border crossing 'Novo Selo' was necessary, as well as enlarging of the border crossing 'Deve Bair'.[03] TURKEY SUPPORTS THE MACEDONIAN AMBITIONS FOR A MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATIONSTurkish President Suleiman Demirel, in the talks he had with Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski yesterday in Ankara, had confirmed the Turkish decision to give Macedonia a full support in its tendency for membership in NATO and EU. According to Macedonian Television, Turkish President confirmed that the bilateral relationships were very good, especially the cooperation in the sphere of defense, and he approved the Macedonian peaceful policy of good neighbourly relations and the successful role of Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov in it.[04] OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES FOR OPENING MACEDONIAN OFFICES IN AUSTRALIAMacedonian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jordan Veselinov had separate meetings with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer and with the Minister for Emigration and Multi-Cultural Issues yesterday in Canberra, Australia, 'Nova Makedonija' daily read. At the meetings, the possibilities for improvement of the bilateral cooperation and relationships had been stressed, and both parties estimated that there was a necessity and an interest for overcoming the obstacles regarding the opening of Macedonian Consular Offices in Australia. They also notified that this question was still being examined and that a final decision should be expected soon.[05] DEFINITION OF THE PROPERTY - STILL DISPUTABLEThe first round of direct negotiations on the succession of former Yugoslavia property ended yesterday in Brussels without any concrete results, while the new round of negotiations was scheduled for 11 November. According to A-1 Television, the second day of the negotiations did not bring closer the opposite stands of FR Yugoslavia and of the other four former YU-republics. The disputable definition of the property, which was a subject of the discussions, was not overcome. The mediator of the negotiations Sir Arthur Wots suggested a new round of talks to be held, at which that definition would be defined under seven criteria, in order to avoid an International Arbitrage, A-1 Television reported.A-1 Television also quoted an information of the sources of the Slovenian negotiating team that the Yugoslav offer to Macedonia for transferring a part of the arms of former YNA, which should be destroyed, had been discussed at the negotiations in Brussels. According to this proposal, the value of the Yugoslav arms which might be given to Macedonia would be deducted from the total of the Macedonian heritage from former Yugoslavia. According to the Slovenian media, Macedonian party had refused this offer. [06] FIRST REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF A WESTERN BANK IN SKOPJEThe first Representative Office of a Western commercial bank, the AY Bank seated in London and supervised by the Bank of England, was opened these days in Skopje. AY Bank (ex English-Yugoslav Bank) was established in 1980 by several banks of Former Yugoslavia in order to support the financing of trade and to promote the export from the former Federation. The bank opened in Skopje would continue to work in that direction: development of trade with former Yugoslav republics, joint investments, transfer of technology, etc. The share holders of the bank are Komercijalna and Almako Banks from Skopje and the Belgrade Bank, which owns a greater part of the capital.[07] AGREEMENT ON FREE TRADE WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA STILL NOT APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRSPrior to today's continuation of the 54 Parliamentarian session, on which the Agreement on Free Trade between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia should be ratified, the Commission for Foreign Affairs had a meeting yesterday.According to the Macedonian media, the member of the Commission and of Liberal Party Nikola Popovski had asked whether the Government was competent to pass International Agreements which had not been ratified by the Parliament previously. This was asked because of the fact that the already signed Agreement came into force on 04 October this year, although it has not been ratified yet. According to Popovski,the Agreement was signed too early, because FR Yugoslavia and Slovenia are more developed than Macedonia which might have negative consequences for Macedonia. Naum Siljanovski asked for an information whether the already signed Agreement would bring to any negative consequences for the National Budget and where the budget would be re-compensated from. The Commission of Foreign Affairs did not bring any conclusion on this subject because the members of the Liberal Party had left the meeting, protesting against the fact that they were given only the Serbian version of the Agreement. The Foreign Affairs Commission did not have a meeting yesterday because of the withdrawal of two items, which are in its competence, from the agenda of today's Parliament session. According to the Macedonian Television, the Parliamentarian group of PDP had asked the Draft Law on Ratification of the European Chart for Regional and Minority Languages to be withdrawn and required for the Convention for Protection of Minorities to be replaced with other draft laws. Unofficially, Macedonian Television reported that PDP circles had concluded that the offered solutions were below the acceptable levels and that they would ask from the competent institutions to declare themselves about these matters. [08] INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTIONS DECREASED AGAIN'The Macedonian industrial production has decreased for 6,9%, beginning from August this year, in comparison with the monthly average production last year, while the industrial productions has decreased for 1,4% in August compared to July,' Macedonian Statistics Institute officially announced. The export trade exchange of Macedonia in July this year was $220 million US worth and, compared to June last year, it has decreased for 3,9%. In July last year, the export was $75 million worth and the import achieved the amount of $144 million.Former Yugoslav republics had the greatest part in the export (39,1%), the EU member countries participated with 34,5%. EU member countries had the greatest part in the import - 39,4%, as well as the countries of Central and Eastern Europe - 23,2%. The coverage of the import with the export in the period January-July this year was 57,9% and the balance of exchange was negative, the total amount being $380 million. Retail prices were lower for 0,7% in August this year, while the costs of living were 1,2% lower. The number of unemployed persons in Macedonia was 341,492, i.e. the same as in June last year, while the number of individuals who had asked for a job in July was 237,312. The average salary in July was 8,865 denars and, compared to June, it has increased for 1,2%. [09] VACCINATIONS AGAINST INFANTILE PARALYSIS WILL START ON 21 OCTOBERDirectors of Medical Centres in Macedonia met yesterday at the Ministry of Health and decided to have the obligatory immunization against infantile paralysis started on 21 October. It would be carried out within about 20 days. In context of this, the participants discussed the instructions of the Government stated in the Programme for Obligatory Immunization of the Population. Ministry of Health appealed to all the parents and children to join the action. The immunization is supposed to involve all children from 3 month to 10 years old.Health Minister Ilija Filipche reported that successful measures have been taken in the last two months to prevent the spreading of infantile paralysis in Macedonia from Albania. It was said that the 700,000 vaccines were supplied from Sweden through the UNICEF Office in Skopje, and that they should arrive in Skopje on Friday. Minister Filipche informed those present of the situation in Tetovo area, explaining that World Health Organization and the US Embassy in Skopje had also been informed about that matter. [10] SITUATION IN TETOVO IS GRADUALLY NORMALIZINGMacedonian media reported that the situation in Tetovo area regarding the alleged poisoning of the Albanian pupils has been gradually normalizing. The information obtained at Tetovo Medical Centre said that most of the pupils have been dismissed from the hospital. Some of the children were returning to the hospital, but after the examinations they were sent home again. The schools have continued their work normally, except for one primary school, where the classes have not been carried out, 'Nova Makedonija' read.'Nova Makedonija' also reported an announcement of the Albanian Foreign Ministry referring to the 'poisoning of the Albanian children in Macedonia'. 'These poisonings affected only the Albanian children, which shows that an anti-Albanian strategy is being carried out. These events are opposite to the good will of our people and our Government for a bilateral cooperation and good relations. Albania is ready to cooperate with the Macedonian and international health institutions in order to clear up the situation,' said the announcement. [11] 'DNEVNIK': NO KEROSENE AT THE OHRID AIRPORT'Skopje Oil Refinery 'OKTA' has not been supplying the Airport in Ohrid with kerosene since 14 October, because the distributor 'Makpetrol' has refused to pay the new 15- 20% higher price of the kerosene offered by the Refinery,' today's issue of 'Dnevnik' daily reads. Since 'Makpetrol' is the main supplier of kerosene, this brought to a lack of kerosene at the Ohrid Airport on Monday. The problem was for the moment solved with 'Makpetrol's' own reserves. It is still not certain how the problem would be solved in the future.[12] REGULATIONS FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSSEDMacedonian Centre for International Cooperation yesterday organized a discussion on the subject of a law on civil associations and foundations, as a part of the project entitled Law on Non-Governmental Organizing. Local media reported the conclusion made at the meeting that the currently applied Law, which was inherited from the previous system, was incompatible with the current situation, due to which the non-governmental organizations are still referred to as social ones. It was also said that the necessity for such a Law to be passed was supported by the Constitution entries, and that it should help Macedonia to come closer to the international standards in the work of non-governmental institutions.MILS SUPPLEMENT[13] 'Where Were Those Competent in the Critical Moments'('Nova Makedonija', 16 October, 1996)A homogenization of the Albanians is happening in Macedonia again. The situation was similar during the events connected to the opening of the illegal university in Mala Rechica, when a clash took place between the demonstrators and the police. The other similar events were the incidents on Skopje bazaar 'Bit Pazar'. This time, the homogenization happened in Tetovo area in context of the symptoms of poisoning which were manifested by hundreds of pupils, followed by an extreme strengthening of suspicion towards the Macedonian state. It lasted for almost two weeks: identical symptoms were manifested by pupils of the Albanian nationality only. The official explanation of the 'unwanted events' (a definition created by the Government) in Tetovo area was that there were no proofs either of a poisoning or of any other disease. It was supported by the results of the analyses made at the Tetovo Medical Centre, at the Toxicology Clinic in Skopje and at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Vienna, where a sample was sent with a mediation of UNPREDEP. The suspicious attitude towards all the results and the competent organs is till being expressed by the Albanians in Macedonia and by their political parties. Also, the first news about the coming of the American toxicologists to Macedonia were reported by Radio Tirana. Allegedly, it was requested by the Party for Democratic Prosperity from the US Embassy in Skopje. Then, the information was confirmed by the US Information Service in Skopje which added that it was Macedonian Government that had asked for help. And the Ministry of Health announced that it had been informed about it by the media! This was probably not the first time for the authorities to look confused when such important or dangerous events take place. Still, the 'unwanted events' should have been followed more carefully. First of all, because it were the children who manifested health problems. Tetovo Medical Centre was full of children, and often two or even three children had to be put in one bed because there was no enough room for all of them. The doctors and the other staff worked 24 hours a day. There were also hundreds of people acting as observers in the halls of the hospital. The parents made pressure on the doctors and nurses, and even threatened them. No assistance was given by the other medical centres in the country. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Health took the role of a passive observer, while the Minister went to Tetovo on Wednesday. They waited too long and formed an expert team too late. One should not be suspicious about the capability of our health institutions, because there are enough experts in them. However, if it was really not a poisoning that took place, the authorities should have been more engaged in finding out who, how and why had allowed themselves to abuse the children and to manipulate with them. It is impossible not to mention the Ministry of Internal Affairs in this context. All the information they had officially presented in public could lead only to one conclusion - that they have no traces. The press conference this Ministry had organized was also full of confusion. The most critical part of the 'unwanted events' took place in the village of Golema Rechica near Tetovo, where several individuals of the Macedonian nationality were almost lynched by the crowd, due to the rumours spread in the village that they were the 'poisoners'. The Ministry of Internal Affairs later denied those accusations explaining that those people had nothing to do with the events, which the Albanians still refer to as 'poisonings'. But, the police did nothing to protect the lives of those citizens. The fact that they did not go to the village, despite the open roads, might be considered as a good thing now, because nobody can be certain that a new Mala Rechica or Bit Pazar would have been avoided. It is most worrying that leaders of political parties or other individuals are more influential than the official organs of the state. It creates an unfavourable image of the functioning of the legal state on the territory of whole Macedonia. (end)mils news 16 October, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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