MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] SIGNING OF `EU' COOPERATION AGREEMENT TODAY

[02] STOYANOV ON `THE MOST ROMANTIC PART OF BULGARIAN HISTORY', PART DEUX

[03] FINAL CONFERENCE ON `RESCUER `97' DUE TODAY

[04] BANK CLIENTS MEET SONJA NIKOLOVSKA

[05] NEGOTIATIONS ON CONSTRUCTION OF `KOZJAK' HYDROELECTRICITY PLANT CONTINUE

[06] NOVA MAKEDONIJA: `LIVESTOCK BREEDERS HIDING BRUCELLOSIS'

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[07] `Increased Order in Broadcasting Chaos' (`Vecher' - 28th April 1997)

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 29 April, 1997

[01] SIGNING OF `EU' COOPERATION AGREEMENT TODAY

Besides this the signing ceremony is to commence by the exchanging of notes due to Greek objections to the use of Macedonia's Constitutional name, and due to Macedonian resistance to sign the document with the FYROM reference.

Other than this, the contents of this treaty had been approved by both sides as early as last June - following four months of negotiations.

It is common knowledge that the EU Cooperation and Trade Agreement with Macedonia is to outline political and economic relations between both sides, as well as the maintaining of a permanent political dialogue on all levels and the integrating of a so-called `evolution clause' which makes provisions for Macedonia's associate and eventually full membership within the EU. From an economic perspective the signing of this document opens the door of EU markets to Macedonian products, without burdening customs duties. The treaty also includes a financial scheme on a 150 million ECU credit for Macedonia with beneficiary interest rates.

MTV revealed that last year 34% of Macedonia's exports fell off to the EU market, while the corresponding import rate amounted 39.6%. Compared to 1995, export had been decreased by 26 index points last year - and the import by 10. With regards to goods trade, the FRG has emerged as the first partner among EU countries with a total of 348 million dollars generated by both sides. The Macedonian business sector expects exports into the EU to rise by 10% with the signing of the Agreement.

[02] STOYANOV ON `THE MOST ROMANTIC PART OF BULGARIAN HISTORY', PART DEUX

In an interview for Sofia-based `Demokratija' Stoyanov stated that as a Bulgarian national and the President of the country he would not withdraw the statement that the history of Macedonia represents the history of Bulgaria - i.e. its most romantic part. A-1 TV further reports that Stoyanov had added that there was no necessity of stirring up `a storm in a water-glass', as well as that bilateral relations were a different issue altogether which would have to be addressed on the basis of European standards, dialogue and mutual understanding.

The above mentioned TV station further reports that `Demokratija' had justified this approach of Stoyanov in its editorial, as he had not only proven himself a contemporary European but also caused standing ovations for Bulgarian transition. In the very same article it is being stated that the reaction of Skopje in terms of history is of a largely `extravagant character', not founded on realistic facts as Macedonia did not react to the part of the statement claiming that there is no Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. In its editorial with the title `History for You, but Romanticism for Us', Sofia paper `Kontinent' stresses that the statement by President Stoyanov only once again confirmed that Bulgaria has unbiased views on the past, and that Skopje should attempt to grasp the olive branch extended through the words of the Bulgarian Head of State.

[03] FINAL CONFERENCE ON `RESCUER `97' DUE TODAY

[04] BANK CLIENTS MEET SONJA NIKOLOVSKA

Sonja Nikolovska stated that the announcement of bankruptcy on 6th March this year had come as a surprise, and that in her opinion the state of affairs at the `TAT' bank differed from impressions conveyed to the public. She further claimed to be in possession of data on all relevant matters linked to `TAT' operations, adding that the same would soon be disclosed to the public by her lawyers.

This particularly refers to the 30 million DM withdrawn form the bank during January 1996.

While asking the clients for a bit more patience, Nikolovska promised to return every single dime - including interest rates - to her clients. She further promised to appear at the next protest staged by bank clients, scheduled for the days following the holidays.

During this event bank clients will once again ask the Government to suspend the draft-bill for bank client restitution. The protests are to continue until this demand had been fulfilled.

[05] NEGOTIATIONS ON CONSTRUCTION OF `KOZJAK' HYDROELECTRICITY PLANT CONTINUE

The overall budget for the construction of this power plant has been assessed to around 140 million dollars, while the EBRD has already exhibited interest in financing the final stages of construction.

[06] NOVA MAKEDONIJA: `LIVESTOCK BREEDERS HIDING BRUCELLOSIS'

`Nova Makedonija' reports the emerging of new cluster areas in the Prilep region, especially at the village of Dzhaferica. Conducted controls in this village revealed that out of 800 heads of sheep 200 had to be killed. In the Tetovo area there have been 43 contaminated goats which have also been disposed of. Media inform that the Government is disbursing breeders for livestock that had to be killed, concordant to current market rates. Yet there is a considerable amount of resistance exhibited by livestock breeders in terms of disclosing and terminating contaminated heads. Thus there are numerous cases of brucellosis which are never being reported to state authorities, as farmers fear the destruction of their entire herds / flocks - for whose renewal huge investments would be necessary.

Timely detection of this disease may only be achieved through obtaining blood samples of all livestock, as brucellosis is not characterized by any clearly visible symptoms. Dangers entailed by the consuming of meat of contaminated livestock are nearly non-existent, as the carriers of the disease are destroyed if the tissue is processed at a temperature over 65 degrees Celsius. This however does not apply to not completely ripened cheese or not pasteurized sheep and goat milk - should they originate from contaminated livestock.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[07] `Increased Order in Broadcasting Chaos'

(`Vecher' - 28th April 1997)

Almost a year since the adoption of the first stage of the radio- broadcasting bill, the Members of Parliament voted in favour of the final version of this bill last week. If one, however, considers the amount of debates, panels and similar gatherings staged on this issue, as well as the fact that 130 amendments have been submitted to Parliamentary processing, it becomes clear how much attention this final version generated. The period of time between the ratification of both variants of the bill has been used to provide several analyses by international experts; then to sublimate all objections (esp. those by present radio- broadcasting enterprises) and to compile other documents prerequisite to the implementation of accepted provisions. This incl. frequency management and the creating of a price policy for frequencies.

With respect to this, nevertheless, the final say is to be had by the Government. This means that in practice there still is a chance to commence the correct implementation of the bill within planned deadlines.

What is of greatest interest to the public though, is the radio- broadcasting fee which - it has been announced since June - is to be incorporated into the electricity bill. It has been agreed by the MPs and those advocating the bill that the fee is to total 2.5% of the average net income paid in the country over the three preceding months. Exact data on this rate are to be obtained by the National Statistics Office. The gathering of these funds is to become more stable by integrating it into the electricity bill, unlike last year when only 40% of the expected means were raised (in the first three months of 1996 this even amounted to a mere 25%). In addition to this the number of recipients (512 000) exceeds the number of those registered so far, in spite of all suspensions. Then there is the obligation for businesses to pay, as well as for owners of a vehicle if the latter contains a radio.

With respect to those making a living of radio and TV broadcasting (radio and TV stations), they are feverishly awaiting the announcing of frequency concessions being granted. The exceptions to this rule will be MRTV and local radio stations throughout the country (28 at the moment), which will be granted a frequency automatically. In order to arrive at this point as soon as possible, a Radio-Broadcasting Council needs to be established (concordant to legal provisions) somewhere by mid-June. The nine members of this Council are to be determined by the Parliamentary Commission for Elections and Appointments.

Fifteen days after the establishment of this Council, the Transportation and Communications Ministry is to submit the technical parameters prerequisite to the obtaining of a concession. Within the next two months the Government is to initiate a bid of commercial radio-broadcasting enterprises for concessions. Then the Council will again be given two months to filter out the best applications, to compile a list of proposals and to forward this to the Government which - concordant to the Concessions Act - is obliged to `let' state property (including broadcasting frequencies).

This is not only entailed by the fact that the number of frequencies is limited, but also by the possibility of this concession to be too high for some of the (over 200) existing radio-broadcasting enterprises. Other prerequisites, such as spatial, technical conditions, staff and programme requirements may also prove to be a problem. Thus some of them may have to go off the air.

The rest of them will be granted `their own' frequencies. This will entail a more relaxed climate as their work will be legal, and threats due to `gray zone' operating (a possible shut-down) will be eliminated. With respect to upholding the bill and concession provisions, the National Inspectorate of Transportation and Communications (the dept. in charge radio-broadcasting) and the Council (on programme compilation and emission) will emerge as main monitoring mechanisms. The Council will also be a decision-making factor in terms of allocating funds (gathered via fees and deposited at an account at the National Payment Flow Institute), incl. up to 10% of overall costs for creating and broadcasting programmes of public interest - which will be indeed vital for local radio stations.

(end)

mils news 29 April 1997

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