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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-18Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 18 April, 1997[01] CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO MACEDONIA ACCREDITEDYesterday Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov received the Canadian Ambassador to Macedonia H.E.Amb. Dennis Snyder who forwarded his letters of accreditation. In his welcome speech President Gligorov stated that the establishing of diplomatic relations opened one more door to increase cooperation between both countries. Official records reveal that the Canadian Ambassador stressed that the Macedonian immigrants' community in Canada was a highly respected one, and that Canada supports the Macedonian endeavour to achieve NATO integration.[02] ISRAELI PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITINGThis Thursday an Israeli Parliamentary delegation was received by Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski. On this occasion bilateral relations were assessed as solid, and the necessity of furthering these on an inter- parliamentary level has been underlined once again.[03] COOPERATION BETWEEN GREEK AND MACEDONIAN LAW ENFORCEMENTThe Macedonian Minister of the Interior Tomislav Chokrevski received a delegation of the Greek Dept. of Public Order - headed by its second Deputy Stavros Poulakis. MTV reports that talks mainly revolved around the mutual content with the existent cooperation in terms of countering crime, as well as around the improving of measures to control illegal border crossings from Albania into Macedonia and Greece - especially in connection to drugs and arms trafficking.[04] MACEDONIAN RADIO: `LACK OF LIVESTOCK FODDER DUE TO UNPAID CHARGES'These days livestock breeding facilities in the country revealed that considerable quantities of pigs and cows had to be slaughtered or be left to starve, due to lack of fodder. They further warned of more such instances (involving more cattle) should this problem not be addressed urgently. `Nova Makedonija' reports that fodder manufacturers said the suspending of production had to be attributed to the lack of funds to purchase raw materials, only available abroad.The Macedonian Radio has also broadcast that `Zhito Vardar AD' (Gradsko), the largest producing facility in the country, has a different view on this matter. At the time this company imported a surplus of raw materials and reproduction materials (600 000 tons of wheat and 2 000 of barley). This amount could cover 50% of the overall capacities of all livestock facilities in the country (in the case of pig farms it would amount up to 70%). In the opinion of the company management the main problem is that breeding facilities owe them app. 10 million DM so far - whereas the settling of old and new dues has been conducted in a deplorable manner. Representatives of `Zhito Vardar AD' claim that breeding facilities generate solid revenues through the sales of competitive produce, such as meat, milk, etc. while spending these funds for other purposes, i.e. outside the livestock sector. Due to this their company found itself in such dire straits, as it cannot sell products to major debtors. Company representatives see the solution in splitting off livestock breeding from other agricultural sub-sectors, such as vegetable and wine production. Thus sales profits would be implemented within the livestock breeding sector exclusively. Current world prices - if implemented in the country - would therefore entail the profitability of fodder production companies. The Macedonian Radio also informed that the production company in Prilep had no difficulties in procuring raw materials, though it only supplied paying customers. [05] SUSPENDED DIRECTOR OF CLINIC CENTRE TO SUE MINISTER FILIPCHEYesterday the Executive Board of the Skopje Clinic Centre and the Public Health Care Centre launched advertised vacancy notes for the election of new directors, as the previous ones have been suspended by Minister Ilija Filipche. The suspended Director of the Skopje Clinic Centre Miodrag Vrchakovski announced that he would sue Minister Filipche on grounds of the findings the Minister used to justify the suspension in front of the Parliament.In the opinion of Vrchakovski the justification given by Minister Filipche to the Parliament `represents his ethical and political suicide, as it contains a confession of his own guilt and involvement in the x-ray film scandal'. The same statement given by Minister Filipche also generated a response from major pharmaceutical suppliers. They state that it was high time the Minister `made a realistic assessment of his own artificial and simple traits of character and organisation talents - as a human being, a doctor and a minister'. Their representatives have also requested a public apology due to the `Mafioso- like nepotist behaviour of the Minister.' [06] NEW RADIO-BROADCASTING BILL: `SMALLER FEE, NOT INCLUDED IN ELECTRICITY BILL'This Thursday the Parliamentary Commission on Transportation and Communications discussed the draft-bill on radio broadcasting. This resulted in the adopting of several amendments which are to be forwarded to the Parliament. `Vecher' reports that these suggested alterations mainly focus on the value of the radio broadcasting charge. It has been proposed that instead of the initial 3% it should be lowered to 2% of the average net-income in the country over the preceding three months, and that it should not be included into the electricity bill. The Transportation Minister has not accepted the proposals aired by the Parliamentary Commission, though it has been agreed to decrease the minimum of original programmes at local radio stations from 50 to 30%. In addition to this, the time limit of broadcasting radio programmes which could obstruct the psycho-physical development of children and adolescents has been pushed back to midnight (in comparison to 23 h.).It was also stressed that many other objections aired by the Commission had been incorporated into the new text. Thus this version is qualitatively improved in contrast to the first version. [07] SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING AT MUNICIPALITIES CENTAR AND CHAIRSoon simultaneous interpreting is to become an inevitable part of municipal sessions at Centar and Chair, in order to facilitate communication between counsellors of all ethnicities. `Nova Makedonija' reports that all official records and adopted conclusions are to be available in bilingual versions: in Macedonian (in Cyrillic script) and in Albanian (in Latin script). These novelties have been introduced by request of several representatives of the four Albanian Councellors in both structures to use Albanian on an official level. This is being based on Articles 88 and 98 of the Local Government Act, concordant to which in territorial units with a considerable number of minority residents (a minimum of 20% of the overall population registered during the last census) their language and script may be granted official status. In case of the Centar municipality this percentage amounts to 27% as regards the Albanian ethnicity, and in Chair this minority constitutes 28% of the population. This means that the four Albanian municipal representatives in each Council will soon be able to implement this right.`Nova Makedonija' reports that municipal sessions as Shuto Orizari are still being conducted in Macedonian, in spite of the fact that the majority (over 80%) of the population belongs to the Romany ethnicity. The first steps towards bilingualism in this community are nevertheless being taken these days. Thus the official decisions of the Shuto Orizari Municipal Council have been published in Romany and Macedonian for the first time last week. [08] ARBEN DZHAFERI: `MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT ABUSING CRISIS IN ALBANIA'In a statement given for the Albanian Radio and TV Network, PDPA leader Arben Dzhaferi said that the Macedonian Government was abusing the Albanian crisis to retain its views with respect to the requests of Albanians in Macedonia. `Makpress' quotes that Dzhaferi supported this statement by the fact that the Macedonian Government continued to take party activists of the streets and detain them for so-called informative talks. The correspondent of the Albanian Radio and TV Network states that such measures were being taken against PDPA activists at Gostivar, Tetovo and Kumanovo. At Gostivar activists confirmed that the police required data on party activities, garnished with threats of termination in some cases even. In the end the ARTV correspondent concludes that such police activity was continuing in Macedonia, and that it may even gain momentum in view of all banking scandals in the country. Due to these reasons `the reluctance of Ms. Elisabeth Rehn to exclude Macedonia from her mandate becomes quite understandable.'[09] CIVIC LIBERAL PARTY: `THREE OCTOPI THREATENING MACEDONIA'Three `octopi' are threatening to plunge Macedonia into a large-scale crisis... was the conclusion aired at yesterday's press conference of the Civic Liberal Party.According to CLP leader Boris Gegaj the first `octopus' has a hold on politics, as Macedonia is being transformed into a multinational instead of a civic society - while the issue regarding its Constitutional name is being marginalised. `Octopus' No. 2 is permeating the finance system - starting with the frozen hard currency assets of the population up to the encumbering of the state abroad. The third `octopus' is hiding behind medical ethics and the Health Insurance Fund, threatening to transform `the oasis of peace' (phrase used by President Gligorov to denote Macedonia - note transl.) into an `oasis of disease'. [10] LIBERALS DEMAND RESIGNATION OF DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARY CHAIRMAN BLAGOJA FILIPOVSKIYesterday 21 MPs of the LP have submitted a request to Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski, demanding the resignation of his Deputy Blagoja Filipovski. The LP representatives justify this with the fact that Blagoja Filipovski remained an employee of the nationally-owned facility for airport services `Makedonija' even after his appointment on 25th December 1995. He performed the function of the Deputy Chairman on a voluntary basis - in spite of the fact that holders of such offices are registered as full-time employees. In the opinion of the Liberals this represents an unseen precedent, as Parliamentary provisions are not being upheld by the highest-ranking officials of this institution. It has further been assessed that this is not a case of ignorance but material interest as Filipovski wished to retain his more substantial pay (of 40 000 denars) at `Makedonija' in view of the 25 000 denars he is entitled to as the Deputy to the Parliamentary Chairman.MTV reports that Blagoja Filipovski denied all accusations by stating that his current pay was below the one he would receive as a Deputy. The last say in this matter is to be had by the Parliament which is to assess employment regulations - Tito Petkovski revealed. [11] `OMO ILINDEN' NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE FLOWERS TO TOMB OF JANE SANDANSKISofia paper `Duma' reports that Bulgarian authorities have not permitted `OMO Ilinden' (an organisation of Macedonians in this country) to lay down flowers at the grave of the Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski, at the Rozhen monastery. This is being justified with the fact that elections are to be staged in Bulgaria on 19th April, which means that mass gatherings of political parties at that time are not acceptable. On behalf of the Macedonian public the Ambassador of Macedonia to Bulgaria H.E.Amb. Gjorgji Spasov is to pay homage to Jane Sandanski at his grave on Sunday, 20th April. `OMO Ilinden' has denoted this measure as another restrictive decision brought on by Bulgarian authorities - as the initial date for the assembling at the Sandanski grave had been the 20th and not 19th April (Election Day).[12] EMIGRANTS' ASSOCIATION: `EARLY ELECTIONS TO DETERMINE NEW LEADERSHIP THE ONLY SOLUTION'The Emigrants' Association of Macedonia is to obtain a new leadership earlier than expected, but not due to any resignations. This is to occur due to the rescheduling of the election date - `Vecher' reports. This decision had been passed at the last session of the Association's Presidium. Concordant to this elections are to be held towards the close of May instead of October (which would have been the standard time). This - it is being rumoured - represents a sort of exit out of the blind alley in which the Emigrants' Association found itself, following all accusations and confrontations with respect to problems at the Australian OCM Diocese (partly reflected during the meetings between opposed religious communities). Divergent views on the role of the Emigrants' Association in this conflict have already resulted in the resignation of certain members of the Emigrants' Council, while others demand the resignation of Chairman Keramitchiev. All this imposed the necessity of staging early elections to form a new leadership.MILS SUPPLEMENT[13] `Government Service Responsible for Legal Protection in Judiciary'(`Nova Makedonija' - 17th April 1997)The abyss between old social structures and altered socio- political relations has claimed one more victim: the office of the Attorney General. An appropriate slot for this post within the country's legal system has still not been found. The initial instincts in this respect - most often aired by those not acquainted with the system - have proven to be wrong, as the `orphan' subject-matter does neither embody an institution or an individual, but a sublimated terminological synthesis of both. To be more precise, it embodies that state structure whose objective was (within the old system) to implement all measures and means to protect the legal and ownership rights / interests of the state, a municipality or a city. Times, however, have changed: by abandoning the old concept on socio-political communities - and particularly after the transformation of ownership - the office of an Attorney General ended up being pruned by various confinements and restrictions. This may be due to the fact that the most recently proposed restructuring laws contain provisions on this office, in the attempt to outline the new domain of this office. Even prior to the compiling of the draft-bill on the office Attorney General, by the Dept. of Justice, there were many dilemmas in terms of justifying the existence of this institution, up to the point where it was being discarded as an old and outlived relic from the past. There were also such who approved its existence, though its bounds would have to be redefined. Fortunately those employed within this institution (estimates contain the number of app. 80 Attorneys and their Deputies - of who one part has already made a safe transition into another career, as judges or prosecutors) are favouring the second option. Thus all uncertainty and mystery is to vanish in the near future. The version offered by the Dept. of Justice (to be subjected to parliamentary debates on the 66th session) offers a new concept which outlines all rights and obligations of such offices throughout the country in detail. Out of several known variants (based on international experience), it has been proposed that this institution should operate within the Executive Government, i.e. as a Government service which is to protect the ownership rights and interests of the Republic of Macedonia. Contrary to this, in other countries the office Attorney General functions within the corresponding ministries (Justice or Finance). In some cases the Public Prosecutor takes over their competencies, and in some countries this institution does not exist at all. Thus legal protection at court is being transferred to lawyers or specific agencies. In the Republic of Macedonia there is also the institution Public Prosecutor. This official has his own deputies. Their number is determined by the Macedonian Government. The Public Prosecutor represents the state and its interest at court and other structures and legal entities - as well as at foreign courts in cases of ownership law suits and legal procedures. He is obliged to justify his actions to the Government, which appoints this official over a four-year mandate. Concordant to the draft-bill, state authorities are required to contact the Attorney General prior to the closing of any legal contracts on property issues with both foreign and domestic parties, in order to obtain legal counsel. A novelty is being introduced in terms of restructuring Public Prosecution. Thus it used to be obligatory to have one such office for Skopje and 25 more on a municipal level (covering one or several such territorial units). Suggestions to streamline this network have resulted in the downsizing of municipal offices from 25 to 12. Thus the cities of Bitola, Gostivar, Kochani, Kumanovo, Kichevo, Ohrid, Prilep, Skopje, Strumica, Tetovo, Veles and Shtip are to retain the Public Prosecutor's office, in addition to that in the country's capital. This appears to be pragmatic solution, in spite of the fact that one could hear views that the existence of this institution represented `a textbook example of institutional over-regulating', or that `there is no need of this office', during debates led within various parliamentary commissions. The final verdict on this matter is to be passed by 120 MPs entrusted with the country's legislation. Should they give their `go-ahead' during this first stage, it would practically mean the verification of this soon-to-be governmental institution. (end)mils news 21 April 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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