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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-21Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 21 April, 1997[01] FINDINGS OF `NBM' SUPERVISION TEAM: `STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL'The NBM informed that the first stage of investigations of the Bitola-based `TAT' bank had been brought to a close last Tuesday - once the bank assets and liabilities had been determined to a sufficient amount. It was further said that the report had been forwarded to the Government and to `TAT' owner Sonja Nikolovska, who has the right to appeal the investigation findings within five days.Once these possible objections to the NBM Investigation Report have been sustained or overruled, the document acquires a definite version and serves as a basis for the initiating of further action concordant to the Bank and Savings Houses Act. Bearing in mind all this, as well as the fact that the NBM Investigation Reports i.e. the findings within them are strictly confidential, this Institution is not in the position to publish any data. [02] NAMES OF EIGHT MPs POSSESSING DEPOSITS OR USING `TAT' LOANS REVEALEDThe office of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Macedonia issued a press release containing the names of the eight Members of Parliament / their family members who have been identified as clients of the `TAT' bank (owners of savings deposits or loan beneficiaries). Thus MPs Jane Angelovski, Kire Vidimche, Zhivko Jankulovski, Slobodan Najdovski, Naum Smijanovski, Blagoj Stefanovski, Dimitar Trpenovski and Branirod Mihajlovski have been registered as bank clients. Of these two MPs (Zhivko Jankulovski and Branirod Mihajlovski) have been using loaned funds with interest rates and deadlines contrary to legally binding provisions at that time, while the remaining contracts did adhere to the latter. In the case of Jankulovski it has been determined that he had used a loan of 20 437 DM with an interest rate of 0.33%, due to be returned over five years - as well as eight more contracts to deposit the total of 104 176 DM, with internal interest rates.Mihajlovski had been in possession of a credit contract on 20 437 DM, with the same terms as in the above mentioned case, and seven additional contracts of which one had been containing a special interest rate amounting to 4 000 DM. The press release of the State Public Prosecutor containing information on the savings deposits and loans on the remaining six MPs or their family members, under regular terms - does not list any data on any illegal payments made to these people, as the NBM Governor had not forwarded information of this kind. [03] BITOLA MAYOR RELEASEDThe Mayor of Bitola Siljan Micevski and his spouse Violeta Micevska, who have been imprisoned over the past 21 days for suspected involvement in the `TAT' banking scandal, have been released last Friday - Macedonian media report.This decision had been brought on by the Investigative Judge, and then confirmed by the Criminal Council, once the bail of 750 000 DM had been submitted. Funds for this have been obtained by mortgaging the Micevski house, in addition to the dwellings of nine of their friends. The DAs Office of Bitola revealed that it is to announce whether it will pursuit any further legal action against the Micevski couple based on the charges, or whether everything is to be suspended, within the next 15 days. [04] SONJA NIKOLOVSKA TRIAL STARTS TODAYThe trial of `TAT' bank owner and director Sonja Nikolovska, and three other persons held responsible for the largest financial scandal uprooting Macedonia so far, are to appear at the Appellate Court of Bitola today. The bar at this court is to be shared by the Former Director of the Bitola Payment Flow Institute Julijana Atanasovska and her employees Sofija Jonchevska and Jovan Bocevski, as all of them are accused of forging documents and abuse of professional authorization.The interest for this trial prevailing in Bitola and throughout the country, is of unseen proportions. Media report that close to 100 domestic and international journalists are to cover court procedures. [05] CLIENTS QUESTION INVESTIGATIONRepresentatives of the National Bank Clients' Association and the `TAT' Bank Clients' Association have criticized the NBM decision to keep the `TAT' investigation findings confidential as provocative, during their press conference last Saturday. The Chairpersons of both associations, Mende Mladenovski and Ilija Nevenovski, underlined that all deceived bank clients suspected that this financial scandal was intertwined with a large amount of `behind- the-scene' manipulations, and that these and the confidentiality argument provided Governor Borko Stanoevski with the possibility to meddle with all the data - `Nova Makedonija' reports. It was further stressed that as the NBM accepted to consider 15th April as the date of completion of all investigations, clients expected the enactment of the Restitution Act tomorrow (on 22nd April) i.e. seven days after the first date - as well as its immediate implementation. Due to this Association representatives would attempt to arrange a meeting with PM Crvenkovski and President Kiro Gligorov. These would not be followed by any other public appearances. Possible incidents, should this not occur, would have to be attributed to the attitude of the PM and his Government.`Should no acceptable solutions be offered by 22nd April the population will assume the centrestage at Bitola, i.e. a huge civic meeting will take place. We have also invited all foreign diplomatic representatives and international journalists to attend this event. It is the objective of this meeting to convey the following message to all corresponding authorities and institutions: they will not get away with turning the biggest banking scandal in this country into a local freak-show, which has unfortunately set up its camp at Bitola', stated the Chairperson of the National Bank Clients' Association Mende Mladenovski. In the opinion of the `TAT' Bank Clients' Council Ilija Nevenovski, most of the banking clients favour confronting the Government aggressively (e.g. besieging the Mining & Electricity Facility of Bitola, by staging a meeting at the `Medzhitlija' border crossing, etc.). In the end deceived clients have also stated that they did not agree with the proposal to the resolve the matter by initiating restitution via classic bankruptcy procedures. The release of `TAT' bank owner Sonja Nikolovska from prison has also been demanded from authorities, as she would be the only one to provide genuine data on who has been involved in this scandal - and to what extent. [06] EU COOPERATION AGREEMENT DUE ON 29TH THIS MONTHThe Information Secretariat of the Republic of Macedonia has revealed that the Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Macedonia is to be signed at Luxembourg on 29th this month. The press release also states that on behalf of the Macedonian side the treaty is to be signed by PM Branko Crvenkovski.[07] SPEEDY PACING TOWARDS `NATO' STANDARDSLast Thursday a Macedonian delegation attended discussions on the perspectives on Macedonia's future partnership with NATO, during the meeting of all 16 member-states in Brussels. The team had also received all necessary instructions as regards the planning of military and political activities to achieve NATO interoperability.`Makpress' reports that the meeting in Brussels had also focused on the future of the extended security structure already known by the name Atlantic Partnership Council, in which Macedonia is to play an active role. The Constitutional Conference of this body is to take place during the NATO Summit in Madrid, scheduled for July, once the names of the new member-states have been revealed. `Makpress' reports that the cooperation between NATO and Macedonia had received the highest praise, i.e. that our country had been denoted a privileged partner-state, in which all activities are being conducted without difficulties. [08] TANJUG: `ARM OFFICERS TO BE TRAINED IN TURKEY'Officers of the Macedonian Army and Air Force are to be trained at facilities of the Turkish Armed Forces, the Government of Turkey in Ankara announced. `Makfax' is quoting `TANJUG' upon reporting that this decision has been passed by the Turkish Government and approved by President Souleyman Demirel, in view of the continuous furthering of relations between Turkey and Macedonia in all domains, incl. the defence sector.[09] TALKS ON MACEDONIAN-SERBIAN BORDERLast Friday the UNPREDEP Force Commander, Brigadier- General Bo Wranker, has met the Deputy CINC of the Yugoslav Army - Major General Dragoljub Ojdanich at Bujanovac (Serbia). A press release by the Yugoslav Army Information Office reveals that talks between Wranker and Ojdanich had revolved around the successful outcome of border demarcation negotiations. `Vecher' reports that so far the cooperation between the Yugoslav Army and UNPREDEP had been assessed as positive, in addition to being conducive to the addressing of burning issues.[10] BRITISH LOBBYING TO FACILITATE ADMISSION INTO `UN' SECURITY COUNCILOne of the positive and more relevant achievements of the Macedonian Parliamentary delegation during the Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, is the contribution to the compiling of the Resolution on Albania made by two Macedonian representatives to this Italian initiative.This document - according to delegation member Ratka Kuljan Zoografska - is of particular importance to the neighbouring countries of Albania as it embodies a protective mechanism from a refugee and arms flood. `Nova Makedonija' reports that in addition to attending the Conference in the Republic of Korea, the Macedonian delegation had the opportunity to establish contact with colleagues from Great Britain, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Ireland and other countries. In this context the meeting with their British counterparts had been denoted as quite substantial, as they promised to lobby in favour of Macedonia's admission into the UN Security Council as a temporary member. [11] NEW BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN MACEDONIALast Friday Macedonian Foreign Secretary Ljubomir Frchkovski received the newly-appointed Ambassador of Great Britain to Macedonia, H.E.Amb. Mark Dickinson. On this occasion H.E.Amb. Dickinson - who is the successor of H.E.Amb. Tony Milson - forwarded his letters of accreditation to the Macedonian Foreign Secretary.[12] MACEDONIANS IN BULGARIA ONCE AGAIN PREVENTED FROM VISITING THE GRAVE OF JANE SANDANSKIIt has once again been the case that Macedonians in Bulgaria have been prevented from visiting the grave of revolutionary Jane Sandanski, to mark the anniversary of his assassination. As over the past years, Bulgarian police has not let members of `OMO Ilinden' near the tomb at the Rozhden monastery. `Makfax' informed that the Macedonian revolutionary had been honoured by the Macedonian Ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E.Amb. Gjorgji Spasov.[13] VECHER: `AUDI A-3 NOT TO BE SET UP IN MACEDONIA'`Vecher' is quoting unofficial sources upon reporting that the last round of negotiations between German car manufacturer `AUDI' and the Macedonian Government on the production of the A -3 model in our country ended in a debacle. It is being stated that due to the lack of flexibility exhibited by the `AUDI' negotiation team, the Macedonian side had requested a meeting with the Executive Board. The reply to this was that the Chairperson of the Board will only attend the ratification of the contract on the implementation of this project. `Vecher' states that this indicated quite clearly that the AUDI A-3 project was not to be set up in Macedonia.[14] LIBERALS AND DEMOCRATS: `JUST MARRIED'Last Saturday the LP and DP of Macedonia merged into one united political entity in Skopje. Media report that the Constitutional Congress had been attended by 873 delegates, who voted in favour of creating a united Liberal-Democrat Party. The LDP is to be headed by Petar Goshev (former LP leader), while ex-DP Chairman Stojan Andov has been elected to chair the Party Council. The supervising body of this party is to consist of five members, whereas the Central Council will be comprised of 60 activists and functionaries of both sides (incl. former ministers, MPs and public personalities). Delegates have also adopted the Statute and the Programme- Declaration of the LDP during this Constitutional Conference. This once again confirms the commitment of both constituents to create a strong political subject, which will strive towards the political centre.Upon highlighting certain components of the platform of this new party, of which most delved into economic issues, the new LDP leader Petar Goshev stressed the importance of five components / fundamental, long-term principles: attributing priority status to the economy, to a continuous and stable economic policy, an economic policy procuring equal opportunities to everyone, a policy advocating an open economy and the extermination of corruption. Conceptual points of reference / development throughout this endeavour amount to: a social policy differing form `the deja-vu approach employed by the incumbent party'; the energetic countering of the greatest evil plaguing youth - drug abuse; environmental protection, etc. In the opinion of Stojan Andov, the LDP has the potential and the human resources to lead Macedonia onto the right path, to introduce law and order within the state and to represent themselves as a highly-organised, respectable political force. The Constitutional Conference of this new party was also preceded by separate conventions of the LP and DP, resulting in the `go-ahead' as regards party unification. [15] CONVENTION TO PRESERVE DEMOCRATIC PARTYLast Saturday a Convention was also staged by those DP members opposing the unification with the LP. While stressing the necessity to preserve the party as `the authentic articulation and reflection of the interests of all citizens of democratic orientation' the 369 delegates attending the Convention adopted a Programme-Declaration on Preserving the Party and elected new leadership structures. Thus party presidency over a period of 6 months has been granted to Denko Skalovski. MTV also reports the ratification of amendments to the Statute, the suspending of leadership structures incumbent to that point of time and the deadline for staging another (regular) electoral congress within the next 12 months to determine the regular party leadership. Another adopted decision outlined that should municipal counsellours and mayors of the DP choose to remain within the party, they would be able to complete their mandates as otherwise their status would be illegitimate.The new DP leader Denko Skalovski stressed that at the Constitutional Congress `the centralist, lounge-room governance of political parties typical of Skopje had entailed the loss of integrity - due to which there was a need for its decentralization. This is to express the democratic orientation of its membership.' This Party Preservation Convention was welcomed by representatives of their local-government coalition partners the IMRO-DPMNE, MAAK-CP and others. [16] `IMRO-DPMNE' CONSIDERS COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURESShould the Macedonian Government and the Parliament continue to insist on enacting an extra-ordinary law usurping local government and resuscitating electoral results, the IMRO-DPMNE leadership considers the option of abandoning all local government structures altogether in order to bring about early local elections - especially with respect to the country's capital. `Vecher' reports that this has been stated during the IMRO-DPMNE press conference staged in Skopje last Friday. With respect to the letter of Justice Secretary Vlado Popovski as regards election laws, the IMRO-DPMNE stated that based on acquired experience it would abstain from issuing written statements and opinions unless opposition parties are finally enabled to actively participate in the decision- making process.In connection to the Constitutional Court ruling suspending the implementing of all acts passed by the Skopje City Council during its first two sessions, it has been stressed that the next move was to be made by the Government which is to clarify which acts would be contended on grounds of Constitutional compatibility, within the predetermined deadline. [17] BISHOP PETAR CONTINUING LAW SUITS IN AUSTRALIAIn spite to the decision passed by the Holy Archiepiscopal OCM Synod that the Diocese Council covering Australia and New Zealand - headed by Bishop Petar - was to suspend all legal action against the former management of the `St.Nicholas' religious community at Preston (AUS), law suits are still in progression `Dnevnik' reports. Bishop Petar is thus maintaining all legal procedures at the Supreme Court of Victoria, as in his opinion this is the best approach to preserve the property of the Church. Macedonians in Australia encompassed within the Movement of Loyal Religious Communities - MTV reports - denoted this a violation of the Synod's decisions, as well as an accumulating of court fees which may well grow up to 200 000 Australian dollars. (end)mils news 21 April 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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