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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-02-03Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 03 February, 1997[01] ATHENIAN PRESS: PANGALLOS PROPOSING SOLUTION CONTAINING COINAGEGreek Foreign Secretary Theodoros Pangallos has unexpectedly demanded the reaching of an agreement and the speedy resolving of the name-issue with the Republic of Macedonia of the Greek Parliament on Saturday - as `Nova Makedonija' reports. Upon answering the question of Former PM Constantinos Mitsotakis (now Honorary Chairman of `Nea Demokratia') as regards to the view of the current Government of PM Simitis on the `Macedonian Issue' - Pangallos stressed that Greece should settle for a solution advocated by most countries in the world. The reply of Greece's incumbent Head of Diplomacy - based on `Nova Makedonija' coverage - has been denoted by the Athenian press as an appeal to other parliamentary factions to stop with political games and endorse a `coinage' (complex name) option. The latter has been estimated the most favourable solution which would, among other things, completely protect the national interests of Greece. The above mentioned Macedonian daily is again quoting the Greek press upon reporting that this indirect request of the Greek Head of Diplomacy had not only been supported by MPs of the incumbent PASSOK - but also by the opposition party `Nea Demokratia'. The spokesperson of this biggest opposition party, Costas Caramanlis, assessed that prior to the passing of any sort of decision it is necessary to hold a meeting of all party leaders and Head of State Costadinos Stephanopoulos. This has also been permanently requested by party Chief Militiyadis Evert.[02] GREEK-RUSSIAN FIRM INVESTING IN `KOZJAK' HYDRO-ELECTRICITY PLANTThe Greek-Russian firm `East Power Station' and Electricity Supplies of Macedonia have signed a contract for the construction of the new 100 MW hydro-electricity plant `Kozjak' these days - according to the Greek press.The latter informs that it had required 11 months of negotiations to reach an agreement incl. a 42 million dollar loan to be returned over a time span of 10 years. Construction should be commenced this month and be completed within two and a half years. Upon emphasising that several world-renowned companies had been competing (incl. `Siemens') for this project `Elephterotypia' reports that `East Power Station' is a Greek-Russian joint venture, with a majority share control by `Elliniki Technikide'. The paper further states that Greek Head of Diplomacy Theodoros Pangallos had rendered substantial support to this venture - as did the Chief-of-Mission of the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje, Alexandros Mallias. `East Power Station' Chairman Costas Kaletskis stated - according to `Elephterotypia' - that `Greek businessmen should not hesitate to invest in Skopje whose population nurtures feelings of friendship and admiration towards Greece and the Greek. Pro-governmental `Eskoussia' has labelled the closing of this deal as the `largest business venture negotiated since the establishment of Skopje'. [03] MINISTER UNKOVSKI: `THESSALONICA TO TRANSFER PART OF ACTIVITIES TO SKOPJE'Slobodan Unkovski, the Macedonian Minister of Culture who has been visiting Thessalonica for the past days - due to its proclamation as the `European Seat of Culture `97' - has stated after his return yesterday that the expected part of the activities to be transferred to Skopje by Thessalonica. MTV reports that Minister Unkovski assessed that the latter would result in the cultural linking of these two cities, which share many things that could serve as a basis for cooperation.[04] GREEK PAPERS DISPLEASED BY `US STATE DEPARTMENT' REPORTWith a considerable amount of discontent Athenian papers covered exerpts of the US State Dept. Human Rights Report - assessing that it did not significantly differ from last year's. `Makfax' informs that Athenian press particularly highlighted those extracts referring to the `self- proclaimed Macedonians' in North Greece who have denoted as `Slavophones' by the US Dept. of State. With respect to the `pseudo-Macedonians' the State Dept. pointed out that Greek authorities prohibited their designation as a minority, and their right to determine themselves as Macedonian - states opposition paper `Elephteros Typos'.The moderately left-wing daily `Elephterotypia' is quoting the section stating that `the Government in Athens continues to implement provisions for the revoking of citizenship of all citizens lacking Greek national origin, as well as of those claiming to be of Macedonian ancestry'. [05] DECLARATION ADDRESSED TO `UN' AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BY REFUGEE CHILDREN OF THE AEGEAN PART OF MACEDONIAThe recent (third) Australian meeting of refugee children of Aegean Macedonia, held in Adelaide (S. Australia), was marked by the forwarding of declarations to the Australian Government and the UN in New York. Among other things, this paper is demanding the respecting of human rights of Macedonians living within the Republic of Greece - concordant to all conventions signed by this state. As `Nova Makedonija' reports the Adelaide meeting had also been attended by Australian MPs, the `Vinozhito' party of Macedonians in Greece and the Skopje-based Association of Macedonians of the Aegean Part of Macedonia.[06] NEW BULGARIAN PRESIDENT DEFINITELY FOR SOLID BULGARIAN- MACEDONIAN RELATIONSAs `Makfax' reports the new Bulgarian Head of State Petar Stojanov has stated during his visit to Brussels that he is a determined advocate of good Bulgarian-Macedonian relations and the resolving of all problems - incl. the language-issue. In his statement covered by several Macedonian media Stojanov committed himself to dialogue, frequent meetings and discussions on all issues affecting relations between both countries... `Nowadays Bulgaria and Macedonia pursuit the same objectives - and mutual assistance can only benefit both countries', says the recently-elected Bulgarian President.[07] FOUR CASUALTIES IN `UNPREDEP' HELICOPTER CRASHOn Saturday a helicopter conducting an UNPREDEP patrol flight crashed into Lake Mavrovo, resulting in the unfortunate death of all four passengers - three members of the Nordic Battalion (Finnish troops) and their civilian pilot from Canada. So far there are no information on the cause of this tragic event, but media report that the accident occurred as the helicopter crashed into the 110 KV cables of the distance electricity line. The only other information in a brief press release issued 10 hours after the accident states that the aircraft had been heading towards the UNPREDEP Observation Point `Foxtrot 14'.[08] NEW FORM OF MEDICAL SERVICESAs of today public health care facilities will operate by providing a medical services in a new way - the Ministry of Health reveals. In its notification (dispatched to all public health facilities in the country) the latter states the patient should be provided the opportunity to receive counselling or therapeutical treatment as a part of health care. To this purpose it is prerequisite to reach a consensus between the health care facility and its employees. Concordant to this latest decision the above mentioned services may only be rendered outside regular working hours by a doctor if the latter has chosen to do so - and a background of 10 years as a General Practitioner or 3 years as a Specialist. The public health facility is obliged to provide premises and equipment, whereas the beneficiary of such services is to pay the set charge of 1 000 denars per session. These additional services may be provided during a maximum of 4 hours per week. The reimbursement for the use of premises and equipment is to amount to 5 000 denars a month. According to Health Secretary Ilija Filipche the trend of procuring such medical services to the public is a commonly accepted one in West-European countries, and embodies one more additional control mechanism in verification and establishing a relation of trust as regards the choice of one's GP / doctor - as well as a segment of implementing guaranteed human rights and liberties.Minister Filipche has also emphasised that this decision brought on by the Dept. of Health is not conditioned by the World Bank (which it has been rumoured opposes this measure) - as it does not fall within the negotiated reform structures. This nevertheless does not mean that it is contrary to the latter. [09] DECEIVED BANK CLIENTS TO PICKET GOVERNMENT ON WEDNESDAYThe Depositors' Councils of `Makedonija Reklam', `Jugomarket' and `ALFA-S' have decided to put pressure on the Government at their meeting last Saturday, in order to ensure that their issue is being addressed. Peaceful protests in front of the Government have been scheduled for Wednesday, 5th February, and as `Dnevnik' reports strikers are to be joined by `freshly- conned' savings depositors of the `Dzhamadanche' commercial firm. Citizens from other cities of Macedonia, who have been abused in a similar way, have also been asked to join the protests.[10] `DP / LP' UNIFICATION CONGRESS DUE THIS MONTHThe DP and the LP should be merged this month, and the constitutive acts of this new political entity should be publicised within app. 30 days - Macedonian media report.It has been revealed that both parties would stage separate congresses prior to this, in order to obtain the `go-ahead' by their membership bases. What would follow is the Unification Congress - which is to yield the Statute and the political platform of the new party. The latter - it is being speculated - is to be called either the Liberal-Democrat or the Democrat-Liberal Party, and its leader should be Petar Goshev and the Party Council Leader - Stojan Andov. The party is supposed to assume a central position on the political scene - as this slot appears to be vacant according to assessments. Media report that the highest party structures - the Central and the National Councils - had received the unanimous support of wider party structures, thus approving of the unification. As party leaders Goshev and Andov pointed out, the idea had been existing before local elections in an `unfinished' shape. Now, however, conditions for unification among the opposition had matured and imposed its inevitability, thus underlining its significance as one more step towards the development of democracy in the country. According to unofficial sources `Nova Makedonija' reveals that it had been agreed that the 27 LP members of Parliament are to function as joint representatives within this national assembly. The property of both parties is also to become the joint possession of both sides. [11] `PF' STUDENTS TO BOYCOTT INSTRUCTION FROM 17TH TO 21ST THIS MONTHThe press release issued by the Students' Council of the Pedagogical Faculty (PF) of Skopje, signed by Chairperson Mirjana Kitanovska, announces the boycott of instruction by students of this faculty from 17th to 21st this month.Media report that this measure had been adopted during the last session of the Students' Federation, in order to air student discontent with the passed law on the use of minority languages at the PF. Other adopted decisions promoted the networking of all student structures within the `Ss. Cyril and Methodius' University. The press release further contains an appeal to the Dean of the PF to consider the three and half months of boycott staged by their Albanian counterparts, who in compliance to legally binding provisions should not be admitted to the subsequent semester. [12] IMRO-DPMNE: `PF' BILL IS A PLANNED AND STAGED `SDSM' DONATIONThe IMRO-DPMNE condemns the urgent enactment of the discrete PF Bill on the use of minority languages at this institution in Skopje - denoting it as a previously planned and staged SDSM donation, a coarse violation of the Macedonian Constitution and a dangerous precedent in raising the rights of national minorities above international criteria. The party's press release further states that the enactment of a law for only one component of the `Ss. Cyril and Methodius' University undermines basic Constitutional principles, the sovereignty of Macedonia and it embodies the first step towards introducing multi-lingualism i.e. the ultimate partitioning and federalisation of Macedonia.`The absolute rejection of the decision of the University Senate, of the petition signed by 460 university readers and associates - as well as the ignoring of public student protests - has astounded the entire Macedonian population as the enacted law is merely a daily whim of the SDSM, its attempt to remain in power by all means. This is to entail serious consequences upon the passing of the Law on Tertiary Education - and thus on overall political and security conditions in Macedonia'... In the end it is being stated that - considering Constitutional provisions which codify Macedonian and the Cyrillic script as the official ones of this country, as well as the right to education in one's mother tongue up to the secondary level - the IMRO-DPMNE is to lodge a complaint with the Constitutional Court of Macedonia in order to have the Constitutional quality of this law examined. [13] `TETOVO UNIVERSITY' RECTOR FADILJ SULEJMANI RELEASED FROM PRISON TWO DAYS AGOThe Rector of the `University of Tetovo' Fadilj Sulejmani, who has been serving his sentence in prison, has been released two months prior to the completion of his sentence. Media report that his first stop were the premises of the `Tetovo University' at Mala Rechica, in order to receive the latest update on the state of affairs. The welcoming at Mala Rechica was not attended by representatives of any Albanian political party, though this most recent gesture of state authorities has received their unanimous support. Initially Fadilj Sulejmani had been sentenced to 26 months of imprisonment by the Municipal Court of Tetovo due to inciting public unrest upon the establishing of the `Tetovo University' at Mala Rechica. The Regional Court of Skopje subsequently lowered the sentence to one year. Due to a request submitted to authorities to diminish the sentence further, Sulejmani has been released two months ahead of time.[14] FIFTH REPEAT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS AT TETOVOMayor and City Counsellor elections have been staged for the fifth time at polling stations No. 2 and No. 60 at Tetovo yesterday - and once again (this time) minor incidents and verbal duels were on the agenda. At polling station No. 2 voting began after a 40-minute delay,. and subsequently it was put on hold for over an hour as the draft bothered two members of the Election Council. At polling station No. 60 voting was `kicked off' by a small skirmish between PDP and PDPA supporters in front of the polling station. By 18 hrs. approximately 30% of the electorate had cast their vote - A-1 TV reported yesterday. The `election rat race' is being fought out among 13 parties for the counsellor discipline and 10 for the mayor category at Tetovo. The derby however is to involve the PDP and the PDPA.[15] KOSOVO THE GORDIAN KNOT OF SERBIAThe Yugoslav press agency `Tanjug' reports that during this weekend three ethnic Albanians have been murdered by the police on Kosovo, upon their attempted assault on a police vehicle. The report states that one of the attackers had been a high-ranking member of the illegal Kosovo Liberation Army. The most recent US Ambassador to SR Yugoslavia, Warren Zimmerman, has indicated the potential rekindling of confrontations on Kosovo these days, i.e. the resuscitation of a crisis which would entail devastating consequences for the entire Balkans.`Vecher' reports that more and more Washington analysts consider Kosovo a potential gunpowder barrel in Serbia, and the eventual denouement of the crisis. Those analysts - as well as British `the Independent' - have recently estimated that Miloshevikj could decide to light the fuse in order to divert domestic and international attention, away from the falsified election results debacle. British `Reuters" Agency has reported these days that the most eminent parties of Kosovo Albanians (the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo headed by Ibrahim Rugova, and the Parliamentary Party of Adem Demakji) are promoting the independence of Kosovo. According to this agency Rugova is endeavouring to achieve this objective in a non-violent way, whereas `Demakji' advocates a radical secessionist policy. [16] `MAKEDONSKO SLOVO' AWARD FOR SLAVKO JANEVSKIThe newly-established Grand Prix `Makedonsko Slovo' (`Macedonian Script') has been unanimously awarded to the renowned Macedonian writer Slavko Janevski for his literary output. The Grand Prix has been recently established by the Association of Macedonian Authors, and the Jury consisted of writers Paskal Gilevski, Vlada Uroshevikj, Aleksandar Popovski, Svetlana Hristova-Jocikj and Gjorgji Stalev Popovski.(end)mils news 03 February 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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