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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-01-09Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 09 January 1997[01] GLOBUS: `EU' INTENDS TO UNIFY MARKET OF FORMER YUGOSLAV CONSTITUENTS AND ALBANIAThe EU intends to unify the market of Bosnia & Hercegowina, Croatia, SR Yugoslavia, Albania and Macedonia. Thus produce generated in these countries would be subjected to identical procedures (as if produced in one state), and emergence on the Western market would be easier. According to Bulgarian paper `Duma' this is being reported by Croatian weekly `Globus'. In addition to this the former states that `Globus' claims that Bulgaria and Romania would be excluded from such an economic area in CE Europe. The main objective of the EU in promoting such a strategy is the maintaining of regional stability through the economic link-up of Zagreb and Belgrade, as well as the former constituents of the Yugoslav Federation and the preservation of Bosnia & Hercegowina as one state.[02] STRONG TURKISH SUPPORT FOR MACEDONIAN `NATO' MEMBERSHIP BIDTurkey supports the Macedonian endeavours to acquire NATO membership, as well as its efforts of integration into the international community... were the observations aired by Turkish General Chevik Burom during his meeting with the Deputy Chief of the ARM HQ Gen. Janakie Manasievski in Ankara yesterday. `Makpress' informed that the Macedonian general emphasized Macedonia's wish to modernize its Armed Forces concordant to NATO standards, as well as that this is most likely to require the assistance of Turkey. The Macedonian general furthermore gave a favourable assessment of bilateral relations on this occasion, upon stressing that Turkey had been the first to recognize Macedonia's independence following the disintegration of the Yugoslav Federation.[03] RADIO TIRANA: 1997 TO YIELD A POSITIVE SOLUTION OF THE `UNIVERSITY OF TETOVO' ISSUE`Dnevnik' reports the estimate of Radio Tirana of 1996 as another year during which the major objectives on the agenda of Albanians in Macedonia have not been achieved.The request to become a constitutional people, to proclaim Albanian an official language in Macedonia, to legalize the `Tetovo University', to achieve proportional representation in state institutions, etc. have only remained programmatic notions of Albanian parties which are to be addressed this year as well - according to Radio Tirana. The incapability to achieve these aims - the latter claims - is to be attributed to the fact that Albanian political parties, frustrated by their Macedonian political opponents, concentrated on taking pot shots at each other mainly. The comment broadcast on Radio Tirana finished with the statement that 1997 was expected to yield a solution for the `Tetovo University' issue. [04] DECISION ON MINORITY LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AT PEDAGOGICAL FACULTY OF SKOPJE DUE ON NEXT PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONThe Government proposal for the Pedagogical Faculty in Skopje has been submitted to Parliamentary discussion, reports A-1 TV while adding that this should be conducive to the untying of this Gordian knot and put an end to the boycotting of lectures by students of Albanian nationality of the General Studies Dept. The proposal outlines the passing of a bill on languages in which instruction may be carried out at the Pedagogical Faculty `St. Clement of Ohrid'; and it is expected to be adopted during the next Parliamentary session. The final version of the document has been compiled after consultations and corrections initiated by the Government - including the one referring to the bill's heading, which stated that instruction for the training of pre-school educational workers was to be conducted in Macedonian and minority languages. Besides this, Article 2 states that: `At the Pedagogical Faculty of Skopje instruction may be conducted in minority languages in subjects covered by academic plans and curricula - except in cases where subjects are inevitably conditioned by the Macedonian language, i.e. its rhetoric tradition and history.'If there no properly qualified staff to conduct instruction in minority languages, after having placed a public vacancy note and after the expiry of the outlined deadline, for subjects of study - i.e. if this personnel does not meet the criteria outlined within the Law on Specialised Education, as it is codified within the proposal - readers of existing tertiary education institutions may be engaged for this purpose until a more appropriate solution is found. Those readers need to possess a Ph.D. or a MA / MSc in the required field of study. Unless these provisions yield adequate academic cadre for instruction, the latter is to be conducted in Macedonian. Those readers and highly-qualified instructors already in employment for minority language instruction who fail to meet statutory provisions outlined in the above mentioned act of law - according to this Proposal which is to be adopted `on the double' - are to retain their status of employment at the Pedagogical Faculty of Skopje until 31st December 2002, by which time they are obliged to meet all prerequisite criteria. [05] RAILWAY WORKERS ANNOUNCE STRIKE, WHILE THOSE AT `PELAGONIJA', `MAKEDONKA' AND `CONTINENTAL' CONTINUEThe Independent Trade Union of Transportation and Railway Workers of Macedonia and the Autonomous Trade Union of Maintenance Personnel have announced their intention to commence striking on 30th January, should their requests not be fulfilled by that time. A-1 TV reports that most of the latter focus on the enactment of the Macedonian Railway Law as soon as possible, on the implementation of the Collective Agreement of their nationally-owned enterprise (`Makedonski Zheleznici') - and on the regular forwarding of pay and other reimbursements. The decision to go on strike has been passed at the joint session of both Trade Union Organisations towards the close of December `96.Several hundred employees of different sectors of the `Pelagonija' Construction Contractor have continued their strike yesterday. This is to continue until their demands are met. Besides this, a Strike Board comprised of representatives of all company sectors and of the National Construction Workers' Trade Union has been established as well yesterday. This body is to lead negotiations on behalf of `Pelagonija' with the authorities. `Nova Makedonija' reports that the requests of strikers remain unaltered: reviewing the company's privatization, forwarding pay for October and November, payment of `lay- off' reimbursements (70% of pay) and the provision of work for the company. `Vecher' informs that employees of `Makedonka' in Shtip are also continuing to strike, in spite of yesterday's talks with the firm management. As no solutions have been found, the Strike Board has decided to continue striking. The same applies to part of the employees of Skopje's most renowned hotel - the `Continental', where striking commenced on 29th December last year. The reason for this measure is a consequence of the permanent insistence exhibited by the management team, i.e. the foreign partner Antoine Yazbec, to obtain the authorization to represent employee interests by controlling their shares. Strikers have also demanded the annulment of the management decision to suspend several executives for `inciting unrest among employees'. [06] THE FLU, MASS GATHERINGS AND THE HEALTH DEPT. RELEASEMost recent information of the Epidemic Dept. within the City Health Care Institute reveal that over 1 178 flu cases had been registered in Macedonia from the end of December `96 onwards. Based on the estimates provided by several media even this figure is a gross understatement, and that it becomes so even more and more. In the opinion of the Health Dept. conditions are not alarming enough to proclaim an epidemic, as flu is a common occurrence at this time of year... and yet the ministry has issued a release on 6th January `97 confirming the presence of this virus and recommending the avoiding of mass gatherings.The latter, however, have already take place during the New Year's holiday season - and they continue to be held during the celebration of `Badnik' and `Bozhikj'. The holiday period spanning over several days, and the merging of those two holiday seasons into a big one, were followed by the resuming of instruction throughout schools in Macedonia yesterday and for now it remains unclear whether the ministry's reference `mass gatherings' denoted this sort of assembling or what its precise semantic load is. What is quite clear, however, is the fact that the flu keeps spreading. [07] `HOOF-AND-MOUTH' DISEASE PREVENTION STILL IMPLEMENTED AT MACEDONIAN BORDER CROSSINGSThe disinfection of vehicles at Macedonian border crossings still remains prerequisite, due to the fact that authorities (of the National Veterinary Services) have reported the surfacing of the `hoof-and-mouth' disease in Albania, Bulgaria and Greece. As it is known this contagious disease has been officially proclaimed extinct app. 2 months ago in Macedonia. These decontamination measures, as well as the charging of 5 DM for light vehicles, 10 DM for busses and 15 DM for trucks - are to remain in implementation until the ministry issues an official order regarding the presence of the `hoof-and- mouth' disease in these countries, reports MTV.[08] NUMEROUS VEHICLES DAMAGED AT SVETI NIKOLE - POSSIBLE REASON: PETROL OF THE `MAKPETROL' FILLING-STATIONMTV reveals that during the New Year's holiday season many car-owners at Sveti Nikole found their vehicles to be out of order. It has been indicated that this might be ascribed to the quality of the petrol purchased at the `Makpetrol' filling-station in this city. Due to this the station is currently not operating, and petrol samples have been taken to the `Makpetrol' laboratories for examination. So far no results have been revealed, but it has been determined that the petrol arrived on 20th December, and that those app. 40 tons have been imported from Greece. `Makpetrol' executives discard the possibility that the petrol sold by their company at this town could have incurred such damage, as it has been supplied to 4 more outlets and so far only Sveti Nikole had lodged a complaint. The `Makpetrol' filling-station at Sveti Nikole, however, remains closed, petrol samples are being analyzed and many car-owners will be forced to substitute the damaged engine parts out of their own pocket.[09] AFTERMATH OF VRANESHTICA HOMICIDE: IMPRISONMENT OF PENSIONER MIROSLAV ZDRAVKOVSKIThe homicide of Master Sergeant Metodija Mickovski at the village of Vraneshtica has been committed by pensioner Miroslav Zdravkovski, who fired a bullet from his hunting rifle out of the window of his house in the village... informed the District Attorney's Office at Kichevo.`Vecher' reports that the offender has already been imprisoned, and subjected to investigation due to the suspicion of his committing this homicide. In response to implications aired by the Regional Committee of the IMRO- DPMNE on a possible political motive for this crime, both the DAs office and the Elementary Court of Kichevo stated that only investigation - and not `party business' - could prove the substantiality of charges. MILS SUPPLEMENT[10] `Litmus Paper Indicating Bank Liquidity'(`Vecher' - 7th January 1997)The Monetary Exchange, established towards the close of last year, is to function as a shareholding company. Its founders are 10 banks and 7 savings institutions with a starting capital of 85 000 DM. According to the consensus reached by bankers during their last meeting, the Monetary and Short-Term Stock Exchange (established at the end of 1996) is expected to commence operations at the beginning of this year. To this purpose it has obtained the permit by the National Bank of Macedonia. What remains to be done is its registration by the judiciary, and the wrapping up of last preparations prerequisite to the Exchange's practical functioning. The starting capital of the Exchange amounts to 85 000 DM, and it has been procured by 10 banks and 7 savings institutions. Concordant to its Statute the Monetary and Short-Term Stock Exchange is to function as a legal entity, i.e. a shareholding company on the territory of the entire Republic. The Exchange is to mediate in terms of giving and obtaining daily liquidity loans by its participants, in terms of giving and obtaining short-term loans with a maturity up to one year, with facilitating the transaction of short-term stocks and with informing on the total demand and offer of funds, loans and short-term stocks. In addition to this it is to monitor nominal interest rates of short-term loans and stocks, as well as their changing. Transactions handled by the Exchange will be unidirectional and re-purchase transactions. The former are comprised of either only purchasing or selling funds, loans or short-term stocks (the buyer keeps stocks until they are matured and due for payment). Re-purchase transactions will include both the purchasing and selling of stocks. Upon this the bank or savings institution commits itself by contract to re-purchase its own bonds at a certain price after the expiry of a set period of time. Both the latter and the former are codified upon the drafting of the contract. In addition to this clients will be kept up to date on the interest rate binding for transactions (loans) the previous day. Trading of funds, loans and short-term stocks are conducted and sealed during the `inter-bank meeting'. The `clients' of this Monetary and Short-Term Stock Exchange are its founders, the National Bank of Macedonia, the Savings Security Fund and other financial houses and institutions which did not function as founders of the Exchange - but do possess appropriate authorization issued by the Exchange, i.e. its Executive Board. The founders' status may also be obtained by other banking houses, following their subsequent integration. In order to assess the rating / credibility (`bonity') of Exchange clients, and settle disputes between the same - it has been planned to establish a Bonity Commission of the Exchange. Apart from this, an Internal Affairs Commission is to monitor the functioning of the Exchange itself. As far as the offer of transactions and deals is concerned, brokers are required to check its credibility and pass a decision on whether the deal is to be accepted or rejected. Offers to sell funds, loans and short-term stocks have to be rated by brokers, based on interest rate value into those yielding lowest to those yielding the highest interest. Offers to sell funds are to be classified according to the same principle, but in a reversed order (from highest to lowest interest rate). In the opinion of Mr. Sasho Manakovski, currently the `Charge d'Affairs' of the Monetary and Short-Term Stock Exchange, this sort of organizational structure and competency will provide a barometer of bank liquidity, i.e. of the liquidity of its clients and a type of `financial value' market. In the beginning - Manakovski states - it will be the task of the Exchange to gain trust, the trust of the offering as well as the demanding party - both need to be convinced that the transaction will be executed to the negotiated terms, within given deadlines and concordant to the set interest rate. (end)mils news 09 January 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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