MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-03-03

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From: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>

CONTENTS

[01] FRIDAY PROTESTS DOMINATED BY SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS FROM KICHEVO AND GOSTIVAR

[02] ALBANIAN INTELLECTUALS ENCOURAGING DIALOGUE AND JOINT ACTION

[03] COMMITMENT OF PARENTS TO INCREASE INTER-ETHNIC TOLERANCE

[04] VETERANS' ASSOCIATION: `MANIPULATIONS IN ORDER TO DESTABILISE THE COUNTRY'

[05] MINISTER POPOVSKI: `FLAGS FOR MINORITIES'

[06] CRIMINAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST ORGANISERS OF `PDPA' MEETING

[07] CONVENTION ON SOCIAL INSURANCE BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND MACEDONIA

[08] THE SECRETARY OF `OMO ILINDEN' ARRESTED IN SOFIA

[09] TRADITIONAL MACEDONIAN EVENING HELD IN THESSALONICA WITHOUT INCIDENTS

[10] TAX EVASION RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFICIT IN PENSION AND IMPAIRMENT INSURANCE FUND

[11] DEAL ON PRIVATISATION OF `SKOPJE MINES AND STEELMILLS' DUE THIS WEEK

[12] `JUGOMARKET' OWNER ACQUITTED

[13] LP & DP ON DONORS' CONFERENCE FOR MACEDONIA

[14] DEMOCRATS ADOPTED INITIATIVE TO MERGE WITH LIBERALS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 03 March, 1997

[01] FRIDAY PROTESTS DOMINATED BY SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS FROM KICHEVO AND GOSTIVAR

For the first time protesters also entered the `St. Clement' Congregational Church of the OCM where their representatives lit candles and prayed. Afterwards, part of the university and secondary school students had another meeting with the OCM leader the Reverend Mihail.

According to what was said at the press conference held by the protest organisers the same day, future protests would be held with the blessing of the church. As regards this latest meeting with the Reverend Mihail, the latter claims that his views aired at the previous meeting with a delegation of strikers had not been authentically and appropriately conveyed to the public. He - as it has been stressed - `supports the demands of university and secondary school students due to their Christian and Orthodox nature'.

On Friday a statement of support was also given by students of the Theological Faculty - not in order to increase protest participation, it was said - but in order to support the requests launched in defence of the Macedonian language. The student representative of the Theological Faculty, Alexandar Ivanovski, stated that support had also been rendered by the OCM head the Reverend Mihail, and that inauthentic information had been conveyed by the media with respect to his first meeting with the students.

The secondary school pupils of Gostivar and Kichevo visited the `St. Saviour's' Church as well on Friday, and sang the Macedonian Anthem in front of the grave of Goce Delchev.

Demonstrations ended at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, whereas it was announced in front of the Parliament that protests would be continued until student demands had been fulfilled.

In addition to this demonstrations continued on Saturday evening as well, on the city square of Skopje with a `protest party' starring several Macedonian entertainers.

University and secondary school students were also addressed by a party leader for the first time. On this occasion MAAK-CP leader Strasho Angelovski emphasised that `no party had simply dropped out of the sky, but been formed by our brothers, sisters and parents while you are standing in defence of the most sacred - the Constitution of Macedonia'. Strikers also decided to attend the Vardar - Sloga football match in Skopje last Saturday.

[02] ALBANIAN INTELLECTUALS ENCOURAGING DIALOGUE AND JOINT ACTION

`Some fundamental values of our existence and perspective are being endangered at these protests, in a time when every citizen of Macedonia - and Albanians in particular - expected an improvement of their status, on grounds of the newly-laid democratic foundation in the Republic of Macedonia. In our opinion the law regulating the use of minority languages at the PF merely represents an excuse.

The organisers of these protests intend to instigate the creation of an Albanophobic political environment up to the point of open inter-ethnic confrontations.

In the hope that these are extremes which are not encountering wider support in terms of imposing fascist and genocidal ideas, the Union appeals to Macedonian and Albanian intellectuals alike for efficient action, as well as to every other stakeholder, in order to generate new forms of mutual communication through their associations, to make a creative contribution by objective and sober assessing conditions and by implementing a relaxed approach upon resolving open issues.

The Union indignantly discards anti-Albanian outbursts by Macedonian extremists whose sadism is not obscured by artificial disavowals - while it distances itself from certain anti-Macedonian manifestations surfacing at the sidelines and from the undignified behaviour exhibited by individual Albanians, regardless of the fact that both may be a response to the already mentioned events.

The Union will attempt to contribute towards the calming of the situation, it will initiate and accept dialogue and creative communication with all exhibiting goodwill and kind intentions.'

[03] COMMITMENT OF PARENTS TO INCREASE INTER-ETHNIC TOLERANCE

[04] VETERANS' ASSOCIATION: `MANIPULATIONS IN ORDER TO DESTABILISE THE COUNTRY'

`The intention of certain destructive forces from within the ranks of some parties is quite transparent; it consists of generating inter-ethnic intolerance and conflicts, as well as social disorder in order to destabilise the country', the statement quotes.

[05] MINISTER POPOVSKI: `FLAGS FOR MINORITIES'

Connected to the statements released at the PDPA meeting of Tetovo on appeals for civic resistance and the creating of a city-state, as well as on the possible suspension of Macedonian language in Debar, Minister Popovski stated: `The state will intervene in terms of establishing any kind of para-state institutions in the country, as this would mark the beginning of its end. There are no realistic grounds to establish some sort of city-state in Macedonia, as no city may be excluded from state legislation. In terms of inciting civic resistance by refusing to pay tax and upset inter-ethnic relations - as a state we have a legal response to this, completely sanctioned by law. As far as Debar is concerned, the suspending of Macedonian as an official language - based on the justification that that only 9% of the local population are Macedonian - is not feasible. Our legal system would immediately respond to such a thing, for the Macedonian language clearly possesses the status of the country's official language.'

In connection to establishing the structures of local government Popovski emphasised that as of 15th this month the division of both government levels (state vs. local i.e. 34 municipalities) is to commence. Should there not be sufficient prerequisites for the functioning of the municipal level (premises, etc.), it would leave premises at their disposal or devise `additional solutions. 'In terms of potential overlapping of competencies between the state and new municipalities - for which there have been indicators - Popovski stressed that as long as the latter did not have any concretely outlined competency they could not provide state service, and vice versa. In the future - in the opinion of Popovski - the orientation will be directed towards delegating responsibilities from the state to the municipalities, especially in terms of decentralising governance and resource management.

[06] CRIMINAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST ORGANISERS OF `PDPA' MEETING

Concerning the recent visit of Italian Head of state Scalfaro to the Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry expressed its gratitude to the public for their exhibited understanding. In spite of the fact that during this visit several citizens had offended and belittled police officers carrying out their duty and securing the visitor, which is why the Ministry has filed charges against three more citizens.

[07] CONVENTION ON SOCIAL INSURANCE BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND MACEDONIA

According to Austrian Minister Kotschy this Convention is the first international treaty ratified by the Austrian Parliament, which is to regulate the rights of app. 8 000 Macedonian nationals in Macedonia who are thus to obtain the same rights as other citizens in this country.

The Convention is also the first bilateral treaty signed by the Republic of Macedonia with regards to this domain with another country.

[08] THE SECRETARY OF `OMO ILINDEN' ARRESTED IN SOFIA

As `Vecher' reports the Bulgarian press revealed that during a search of his house 4 explosive devices and 370 grams of explosive had been discovered, as well as the police statement that Karamchev had confessed planting explosive in front of a car near the city bingo hall.

This story made the first page on the Sofia newspaper `Kontinent' under the title `Ilinden plants bombs at Petrich', mentioning in the article that Karamchev had received his education in Skopje four years ago, that he was a Macedonian spy - but also that `there was nevertheless insufficient evidence to support all this'.

`Kontinent' further revealed that the police were searching the houses of `OMO Ilinden' members.

[09] TRADITIONAL MACEDONIAN EVENING HELD IN THESSALONICA WITHOUT INCIDENTS

[10] TAX EVASION RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFICIT IN PENSION AND IMPAIRMENT INSURANCE FUND

It has been revealed that the Fund nevertheless generated a 598.29 million deficit, which is by 66.2% more than it had been initially planned within the `96 Budget. This to be ascribed to the unexpected decrease in contribution funds. At the session it was also decided that what had to be achieved was a positive revenue - expenditure balance of the Fund in 1997, as this was also outlined by the macro-economic policy of the Republic of Macedonia for 1997. Therefore an additional 1 300 million denars had been reallocated within the National Budget.

[11] DEAL ON PRIVATISATION OF `SKOPJE MINES AND STEELMILLS' DUE THIS WEEK

The privatisation of this company is to follow the `transform demand into shares' approach, which should settle its dues of 150 million DM towards the three above mentioned companies. According to expectations all three companies are to receive the controlling majority in shares (51 to 53%), whereas employees are to retain 23% of all shares while the rest is to remain in state ownership.

In addition to this `Dnevnik' reports that the company is currently employing app. 3 000, while all pay including all social insurance charges and tax have been paid in October `96. The company and its products has become incompetitive with respect to western markets due to increased production costs, due to which the majority of employees is most often laid off.

The corresponding Trade Union Organisation (of metal workers, energetics employees and miners) of Macedonia.

This is expected to reduce tensions in this industrial sector which employs app. 60 000 in Macedonia, and short from collapsing. `Puls' reports that in this branch around 14 000 do not receive pay on a regular basis, and 28 000 are not accruing any social benefit eligibility over a period between 3 months and 3 years since their contributions have not been paid. Of the 23 largest loss- generating businesses in Macedonia 11 fall off to the metal sector, i.e. of 45 000 employees covered by the programme for these loss-generating businesses 35 000 are metal workers and miners, while of 15 000 employees declared as technologically redundant, 11 800 are from the metal industry.

[12] `JUGOMARKET' OWNER ACQUITTED

[13] LP & DP ON DONORS' CONFERENCE FOR MACEDONIA

DP leader Petar Goshev - as `Dnevnik' reports - stated that `the mere fact that we are requesting the staging of a third Donors' Conference five years after the successful implementation of economic reforms speaks louder than any words'. In his view, this Donors' Conference is a serious omen for reforms in Macedonia.

Besides this Vice-President Jane Miljoski said in an interview for `Nova Makedonija' that Macedonia is to continue its reforms, aided by approved funds and means which are yet to arrive. According to whom it has been irrational to expect the raising of such a huge sum at the Donors' Conference. `Three years ago we have asked for 120 million dollars and received 30, two years ago we have requested the same sum and obtained only 18 million. The funds acquired so far, and those we are to receive yet, are necessary to cover the payment balance over the next 3 - 4 years', stated Jane Miljoski for `Nova Makedonija'.

[14] DEMOCRATS ADOPTED INITIATIVE TO MERGE WITH LIBERALS

According to leader Petar Goshev of 59 attending members of the central leadership 58 were in favour of the latter initiative, while one abstained. As regards the draft declaration of unification and the statute - these were supported by 54 and opposed by 5. DP leader Goshev stated in an interview for `Nova Makedonija' the meeting of highest party structures which are to approve this venture, will be held at the beginning of next month.

During the Central Council session the DP members were also familiarised with the fact that Executive Board members Densko Skalovski and Dragan Goranchev had submitted their resignations, which were not to be accepted or discarded by voting, as the Statute has outlined them as personal action.

(end)

mils news 03 March 1997

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