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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-07Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 07 April, 1997[01] `COUNCIL OF EUROPE' CENTRE IN MACEDONIAAs of yesterday the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Daniel Tarchise, has been staying in Macedonia.The objective of this visit is to open the Council of Europe Information and Documentation Centre in Skopje. He will also meet several Government officials. During a press statement Tarchise stressed that the Centre is to possess all Council of Europe materials and documents. These will be accessible to anyone wishing to find out more about the activity of the Council of Europe and the promoting of democracy. Upon assessing conditions in Macedonia, Tarchise underlined that the peaceful coexistence of different groups represented here is of vital importance. In his opinion Macedonia is a country with difficulties in preserving peace and democracy, though it had to be admitted that a great deal has been done to decrease tensions and to lay the foundations for peace and progress in the country. It should be mentioned that Tarchise has also been received by the Macedonian Head of Diplomacy Ljubomir Frchkovski. Today he is to meet President Kiro Gligorov, PM Branko Crvenkovski, Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski and a delegation of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission. [02] POSITIVE FINDINGS OF THE `IMF' MISSIONRobert Corker, Head of the IMF Mission which has been staying in Skopje this week in order to examine whether all prerequisites for the proposed `ESAF' arrangement (an 80 million dollar IMF credit for Macedonia) have been met - and whether the collapse of the `TAT' bank is to bear any impact on the arrangement, has stated that the findings of this visit had been positive. Corker said for the media that the remaining two terms referring to the privatisation and transformation of `Stopanska Banka' had been fulfilled. He further assessed that during talks with Government officials, the NBM and other financial institutions there had been no evidence countering the claim that the `TAT' banking scandal is an isolated instance of criminal activity. Corker stated that this view was also shared by all remaining stakeholders of the domestic financial system and the hard currency market, as they retain their stability. `Throughout our discussions with Government representatives we have been convinced that any sort of `TAT' client restitution would not lead to monetary emissions or a Budget deficit. This and all other findings of our mission have increased possibilities for the approving of the `ESAF' arrangement considerably.'It was also stressed that the arrangement proposal is to be presented to the IMF Board of Directors this week. [03] PANGALLOS: `NAME-ISSUE DIFFERENCES SECONDARY'`I have recently paid a visit to Skopje in the belief that our divergent views regarding the name are of secondary importance - compared to the necessity to uphold regional stability', stated the Greek Head of Diplomacy, Theodoros Pangallos in an interview for the Swiss `Neue Zuericher Zeitung'. In this context `Makfax' reports that Pangallos also stated that `the Albanian storm was not devour Tetovo and Kosovo'. As regards the name- issue negotiations between Athens and Skopje Pangallos stressed that talks had been held up to the point of exhaustion. What was needed now was a decision bearing in mind the dignity of the new state and the concern of Greece on whether the name would be conducive to territorial pretensions to the Greek portion of the geographic entity known by the name Macedonia. According to Pangallos Skopje has unfortunately not accepted this view expressed by Athens.`Makfax' reports that Greek media assessed the reply by Pangallos to the question if the name-issue was of secondary importance with the phrase `Pangallos drops another bomb'. Thus `Katimerini' stated that the political edge prevailing a few years ago was no longer attached to the name-issue - while warning that its underestimating may entail gravitating side effects, i.e. nationalist feedback in both countries. `Eskoussia' stressed that now was the time for the Skopje leadership to accept Greek proposals with regards to the name-issue. [04] GERMAN DEFENCE SECRETARY ARRIVES TOMORROWThe German Secretary of Defence, Volker Ruehe, is to arrive on a two-day visit in Macedonia tomorrow. He is to sign the bilateral Cooperation Agreement in the defence sector with his Macedonian counterpart Blagoj Handzhiski.According to the Macedonian MOD this paper embodies the implementation of the already established partnership, and of the Cooperation Agreement on the Armed Forces level, signed last September. In addition to talks with his Macedonian host, Ruehe is also to be received by President Gligorov and PM Branko Crvenkovski. [05] JOINT EXERCISES OF MACEDONIAN AND US SPECIAL FORCESThis Sunday, combined joint exercises of the ARM Special Operation Groups and ten member of an analogical outfit of the Special Forces (Green Berets) of Colorado Springs have started in the vicinity of Mavrovo. The objective of this third event of this kind (which is to last until 20th April) is to further the exchange of experience, and the training of 24 Macedonian SF troops in US tactics for small units and corresponding operations. The exercise is also part of the foundation for the `Train the Trainer' Programme implemented within the ARM, which is to improve its interoperability with NATO. The closing of this event is to be marked by a joint parachute jump at the Prilep airport.[06] `TAT' BANKING SCANDAL: `MINISTERS HAVE NOT USED BANK CREDITS'Based on `TAT' records in the possession of the NBM it has be concluded that no Government member or their deputies had been using any loans of this Bitola-based bank. This is being stated in the written reply of the NBM Governour to the Macedonian Attorney-General Stevan Pavlevski. The latter published this reply to his demand to be notified whether any Government members or their deputies had been the beneficiaries of `TAT' banking services, despite of the submitted official written statements they had given.To this NBM Governour Borko Stanoevski replied that apart from the already known cases, several other dubious contracts were being examined (once more), in order to determine the exact identity of the clients and remove the even slightest suspicion. In this context an examination of all these statements seems necessary ASAP with respect to other financial institutions (which went bankrupt in the country) as well - the Governour states in his reply. At the time when this letter was publicised in the country, media coverage is dominated by speculations on the involvement of several other Government ministers. In this context the most frequently mentioned name is that of Minister `Burly Man' who has been seen to withdraw his savings in Bitola (clad in a jogging suit) prior to the collapse of the `TAT' bank, after which he had gone back to Skopje. `Dnevnik' also reports that three high- ranking church officials of the Sacred OCM Synod had deposited several hundred thousand DM at the `TAT' bank. For now these speculations have not been confirmed by official authorities. Media continue to speculate that the Bitola and Resen based part of the SDSM membership has started to exert pressure on PM Crvenkovski to decrease the intensity of investigations and abstain from `getting to the bottom of things'. In this context it is being estimated that the PM attempted to transfer all guilt to the Bitola cadre, in order to shield those in Skopje, and to obscure their involvement. The Bitola D.A. Office has spent these days in augmenting the `riot acts' to be read to `TAT' owner and director Sonja Nikolovska with charges of tax evasion (of almost 1.5 million DM). Rumours have it that alone over the past few months Nikolovska embezzled around 40 000 DM a day. Her trial date has been scheduled for 21st April. So far it has not been disclosed whether the trial is to take place in Bitola or Skopje. Several media report that the collapse of the `TAT' bank has entailed a complete halt in Bitola's economy. Shop- owners complain of a plunge in trade by even 90%, claiming that only prerequisite food products are being purchased. This is above all being ascribed to the fact that around 3 million DM of funds in circulation which had been paid `TAT' interest rates are no longer available. It is just as evident that almost all transactions in the Bitola business sector have been suspended, due to their interrelatedness with the activities of this bank. The majority appears to await the final outcome of investigations, i.e. the fate of those (in-)directly blocked funds, due to this banking scandal. [07] DNEVNIK: `RUSSIAN BOMB TRAVELLING THROUGH THE BALKANS'The radioactive substance detected by Macedonian police at the Skopje suburb `Lisiche' a few days ago (resulting in the arrest of two Macedonian nationals who had been attempting to sell it) has been determined to be Uranium 238 - `Dnevnik' reports. Its isotopic variant (Uranium 235) is used to `equip' warheads, with a different technological implementation though. The detected amount of this highly-radioactive substance had been stored in a leaden container `made in Russia', the same paper informs.In addition to this it is being said that this container containing Uranium is only one of four which had emerged in Bulgaria two years ago, and had been intended for the Near East. This contingency had been `scattered into all four directions' after a razzia by the Bulgarian police in 1995. Yet all of them remained in the Balkans. The Macedonian public is also being swamped by speculations these days, that the Uranium had been on offer at Skopje's black market for over a year. `Dnevnik' has also consulted experts on the contamination with alpha-rays upon handling this radioactive substance. In their opinion the risk exists while opening the container and handling the container from a few centimeters' distance. Experts further claim that one kilo of enriched Uranium is sufficient to manufacture a nuclear bomb. Around 250 g of it have been located in Skopje. Meantime Macedonian media report that the Albanian MOD informed the public that dangerous radioactive substances had been stolen from four Albanian storage facilities. The same applied to a huge amount of toxic substances, the Albanian MOD revealed - adding that this represented a considerable threat to the entire population of the country. [08] METAL BEAM CRASHED DOWN ONTO THE AUDIENCE AT THE `MNT'During the dressed rehearsal to the performance `Fuck Whoever Started This' (Excuse the vocabulary - note transl.) at the Macedonian National Theatre a metal beam fell onto the audience form a height of 40m last Saturday. this resulted in the severe injury of one spectator - and the lighter injuring of several other viewers. `Nova Makedonija' reports that the MNT has been closed until investigations are completed.MILS SUPPLEMENT[09] `New Statute for Churches in Australia and New Zealand'(`Nova Makedonija' - 4th April 1997)The Sacred Archiepiscopal Synod of the OCM has adopted the following decisions after a several-day session focusing on conditions in the Macedonian Orthodox Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand, after thorough consultations with representatives of the OCM communities in these countries - in order to overcome all misunderstandings. *The draft statute on religious communities of the OCM Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand is to be forwarded to all religious communities. Their General Assemblies will further analyse the paper and submit possible objections by the end of three months to the Sacred OCM Synod , via the corresponding archbishop. The Sacred OCM Synod does also demand the suspension of legal suits between the Eparchical Board of Australia and New Zealand and the religious community `St. Nicholas' of Preston (Melbourne). Expenses are to be covered equally by both sides. In order to overcome worsened conditions at the above mentioned religious community, the Sacred Archiepiscopal Synod has decided to hold an electoral meeting of the community membership and elect a new leadership. The Initiative Council for the establishing of the OCM at St. Albans (Melbourne), is to submit a request with the Sacred Archiepiscopal Synod for the admission of the `Holy Virgin Mary' Church into the canonical and spiritual jurisdiction of the OCM. This would entail the appointment of a regular parish priest. The Macedonian Orthodox Church `St. George' of Fitzroy (Melbourne) is to continue its regular church and parish life by obtaining a regular parish priest and electing its community leadership. The Sacred Archiepiscopal Synod is further dementing all statements made so far by the `St. George' religious community of Fitzroy (Melbourne) that it was under the jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. In this context the Reverend Metropolitan of Australia / New Zealand Petar has publicly apologised for this given statement, as he had been provoked by certain documents of the first year of the existence of this religious community - and by the desire to unite all communities registered in Australia and New Zealand under the OCM Eparchy. The Sacred Archiepiscopal OCM Synod requires all Macedonian churches in Australia and New Zealand to be placed under the canonical jurisdiction of the OCM. It further demands the unconditional acceptance and implementation of its decisions by all churches and monasteries in the OCM Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand. The opposite would entail accountability to the Macedonian people and the OCM, and penal measures outlined in the Eparchy Statute, the OCM Constitution and the Holy Canon of the Sacred Orthodox Church. [10] `Press Release by the Movement of Loyal Religious Communities'(4th April 1997)A delegation of the Movement of Loyal Religious Communities for the Preservation of the Integrity of the OCM in Australia, which represents 8 churches of the Australian-Macedonian Eparchy, is staying in Skopje at this time for negotiations with the Synod. This body is accepting the decisions of the Synod publicised yesterday in connection to problems in Australia with a great deal of reservedness. `Although it is quite clear that our requests are not being fully met by the Synod, particularly with respect to Bishop Petar and his stay in Australia', states team leader Michael Radin (Adelaide, South Australia), `we will nevertheless discern all proposals with our membership once back in Australia. Then we will notify the Synod of whether we accept their terms, in order to overcome existent misunderstandings and resuscitate unity and harmony into the Macedonian community.' Radin further continued that `it is also quite clear that a certain number of issues remained unresolved. These are likely to continue to cause tension and misunderstandings between the church hierarchy and local municipalities. The Sacred Synod and the structures on an Eparchy level must now exhibit goodwill, flexibility, respect, tolerance and a sense of appreciating the values, practice and lifestyle in Australia - in addition to Australian legislation. Our people and structures will very attentively monitor the work of clerical organs, and should past mistakes be repeated - stricter measures will be implemented.' There is no doubt that the delegation emerged victorious in connection to two rather important issues. `The delegation is content with the Synod decision to suspend all legal action initiated by Bishop Petar at the Victoria Supreme Court against the Melbourne-based church `St. Nicholas'', Michael Radin stated. `Even more important is the fact that the Synod authorised the legally elected municipal leadership to stage the next General Assembly for the appointment of the next generation of municipal government. This will assert its statutoriness. Secondly, the consent to appoint a priest for the `Ascension of Holy Mary' church of St. Albans and the surroundings as soon as possible (prior to `Veligden' = Easter) - embodies a long- awaited victory for the entire municipality. The appointing of parallel religious communities and the overall conduct by Bishop Petar were severely condemned by the Sacred Synod, and discarded as unacceptable.' It had also been requested o nullify the decision by which Bishop Petar proclaimed the excommunication of Vlado Trpchevski, Ico Najdovski and Mile Dimovski. The delegation considers its mission in Skopje accomplished. `Most of our requests have been addressed, and I believe that we are being better understood by officials in the republic who deal with the Macedonian community in Australia - whether this are politicians, diplomats, clerical officials, administrative personnel, party representatives or congressmen. Their understanding and respect has increased. We have established prosperous private and social ties in a highly-civilised community. This has to be appreciated for several reasons, as standards there are higher than in the Republic. The principal mistake would be to consider us unstable, to impose Macedonian norms on us - or structures and values in an Australian environment. Particularly without prior consultation and consensus. We think it necessary to await the new millennium together, in expectation of forming a new partnership - a partnership in cultural, social, legal and economic spheres which will be of mutual benefit to the entire Macedonian public in the years to come', Radin claimed. He concluded his observations by stating that `it is as important to stress that there is no substance to rumours on the existence of private churches. Only individuals considerably unfamiliar with democratic processes and basic legal concepts would accept such false information. Our communities and their churches (including all assets and structures) are exclusively the property and responsibility of the membership's General Assembly. This fact is being confirmed by their registration as communal, non-profit organisations. Any attempt to prove the opposite is a ridiculous denial of reality. Due to this it is my opinion that the key apple of discord will the codification of our relations with the Synod by accepting canonical jurisdiction. This remains a Gordian Knot.' The delegation of the Movement of Loyal Religious Communities of Australia has severely condemned the statement given by Bob Spasenovski - Head of the Delegation of the Australian Eparchy - with respect to the request for the resignation of the Director of the Macedonian Immigrants' Association, Dr. Dimitar Keramichiev. `The views of the Macedonian Immigrants' Association and its staff - including its President and Secretary - as regards the stay of both delegations in Macedonia has been correct and decent from all possible aspects', stated the delegation leader Immigration Judge Michael Radin. `The Immigrants' Association functions as a relevant centre for Macedonian immigrants. It embodies a bridge between Macedonia and the Diaspora, rendering equal services to all Macedonians who wish to visit the country. Thus it quite naturally addresses all basic needs and provides all services to such individuals and organised groups. In this context we consider the assistance rendered to us equally available for every individual or delegation wishing to obtain the same', Radin said. `Any suggestion that the President or any employee of the Immigrants' Association has chosen any side in this matter, is presumptuous and malicious - not based on the factual truth. The claim that the President demanded the resignation of the clerical Head of the Australian and New Zealand Eparchy, Metropolitan Petar is absurd and not more than a cynical manipulation of facts. This is to be attributed to political motives of people who have already exhibited intolerance towards Macedonians of certain parts of the country', Radin concluded. (end)mils news 07 April 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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