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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-05-14Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 14 April, 1997[01] INCIDENT AT MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN BORDERDuring a series of incidents occurring at the Macedonian- Albanian border yesterday, one Albanian national has been killed and two Macedonian troops have been wounded - the media report upon quoting official police sources.According to press release issued by the Ministry of the Interior an ARM patrol intercepted one Albanian national near the Sterzimir village (Gostivar region), about 10 km deep into Macedonian territory, some time around noon yesterday. The Albanian started firing his automatic rifle at the patrol, wounding two troops. The offender managed to escape while medical assistance had been immediately rendered to the troops, who are not in any critical condition any longer. Besides this, a police patrol obstructed the illegal entering of a larger group of Albanians near the Gostivar village of Oktushe. Members of this group also fired their weapons at the police. The entailing skirmish resulted in the heavy injury of one Albanian national, who subsequently passed away on his way to the hospital. The Macedonian Ministry of the Interior has also arrested 30 Albanian nationals of this group - as well as 50 more individuals attempting to cross the border. All these are to face corresponding legal action, the police revealed. [02] PRACTICAL PART OF `RESCUER `97' COMMENCEDThis Tuesday the practical segment of the multinational military exercise `Rescuer `97' (within the NATO `PFP' Programme) at the Krivolak training facilities near Negotino. Divided in several groups, the troops began by familiarizing themselves with the required equipment and by holding a practice session at the automatic rifle range. Today it has been planned to conduct a `dressed rehearsal' of the humanitarian operation within `Rescuer `97', headed by the civil defence units and the air force.[03] IMRO-DPMNE REQUESTS DISSOLVING OF PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT RESIGNATIONToday the Parliament of Macedonia is to hold its 67th session. This however will not focus on the governmental draft-bill on bank client restitution (covering the `TAT', `ALFA-S' and `Lavci' affairs), as the already mentioned IMRO-DPMNE requests on Parliament dissolution and Government resignation have been submitted to this body.This means that an urgent Parliament session is needed in order to study the party's proposal on enacting an election law package and decisions which would dissolve/appoint the Government and the Parliament in extraordinary conditions. According to Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski, the Presidium of this assembly is to focus on these issues today, while its views are to be aired on the next regular session. [04] IMRO-DPMNE: `SHOULD REQUESTS BE ADOPTED, THE MEETING WILL BE A CELEBRATION'The requests on Parliament dissolution and Government resignation are legally and Constitutionally compatible.Should the Government exhibit the will to address current political conditions in the country through the institutions within the system, this would be an opportunity to do so - stated the IMRO-DPMNE during yesterday's press conference. According to party Spokesperson Dragi Ivanovski the party should not be surprised by a rejection of its demands, but only if demands should be accepted would the meeting obtain a festive character. In addition to this, Ivanovski repeated once more that the meeting has been planned as a non-violent protest during which the memorandum (forwarded to the Parliament, the Government and the President). For now 15 speakers have asked to address the participants, though this list may be extended further on. Ivanovski also stated that provocation may surface during the meeting, but as the organizers (i.e. the IMRO-DPMNE) are responsible for its peaceful execution, the party would do everything in their power to prevent unwanted occurrences. [05] LDP TO SUBMIT RESOLUTION ON ANNOUNCING EARLY ELECTIONSFollowing the feedback on the meeting with the PM, the LDP leadership has decided to submit a resolution demanding the announcing of early elections via its Parliamentary faction. Other requests will include the forming of an administrative government, which requires the consensus of all relevant political factors in the country - as well as the determining of a precise schedule for the enactment of election laws.In connection to the planned IMRO-DPMNE meeting, LDP leader Petar Goshev stressed that his party is attempting to exhaust all options of an institutional resolving of these issues and the overcoming of the evident crisis. The IMRO-DPMNE expressed the wish to act as the sole organizer, and in the opinion of Goshev the LDP as a serious party may only participate in this event as a co- organizer. [06] PARTIES ON THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THE `IMRO-DPMNE' MEETINGYesterday several political parties held press conferences in order to comment on their contribution to or abstention from the protests announced by the IMRO-DPMNE. Thus MAAK- CP and the DP confirmed their attendance of the event on 15th May, while the Labour Party stated that it would not support obvious demagogic and vagabond activities. The Civic Liberal Party aired the view that it would function as a visitor, while the League for Democracy has asked the President to obstruct the meeting and schedule a meeting of all political parties.[07] SONJA NIKOLOVSKA WANTS 10 MILLION DM FROM THE STATE FOR `TAT' SANATION`TAT' bank owner and Director Sonja Nikolovska has forwarded a sanation proposal to the NBM yesterday. For its implementation she has requested a 10-million-DM loan from the state, MTV reports upon quoting her legal counsellors.Concordant to estimates compiled by Nikolovska such an interest-free loan would ensure the beginning of the sanation process in two years. In this context Nikolovska has also requested the implementation of a two-million- DM credit arrangement with the NBM, for which she had already submitted a mortgage. Nikolovska also mentioned the possibility for the state to purchase the real estate property owned by this bank via its institutions (the public facility for the management of residential and business real estate), on grounds of implemented mortgages. The Privatization Agency could also purchase shares of several businesses owned by the bank. The legal counsellors of Nikolovska indicated that a more detailed sanation programme for the `TAT' bank would require more time and completed investigations. MTV reports however, that NBM Governor Borko Stanoevski has denied the reception of any proposal by Nikolovska, or by anybody else with regards to introducing sanation procedures at the `TAT' bank. It has been denoted as improbable that any of the three largest Macedonian banks will become involved in the sanation of this bank. The deadline for the submitting of sanation proposals is officially expiring today, but as they could be forwarded by (snail) mail a tolerance of two days has been introduced - according to Stanoevski. In this context it has been stressed that should a sanation scheme not be determined by Friday, the NBM would opt for the creating of conditions to instigate bankruptcy procedures. The corresponding court though will have the last word in this matter. Besides this, MTV reports that Stanoevski had dismissed Vice-Governor Tome Nenovski from all duties entailed by his office. This means that he remains a member of the NBM Board and nothing else. In this context Nenovski stated that the Governor had overstepped his competencies and imposed himself upon the Parliament - as this action violates his appointment by this body. It is common knowledge that Tome Nenovski has only recently been released from prison, in order to set up his defence with respect to charges brought up against him in connection to the `TAT' banking scandal. [08] HUNGARIAN CUSTOMS OFFICERS DISCOVER 2 TONS OF DRUGS IN MACEDONIAN LORRY`Makfax' reveals that Hungarian Customs officers have detected 2 022 kg of drugs, intended for the Slovakian market, in a lorry with Macedonian license plates at the Hungarian-Romanian border checkpoint Gjula. The discovered narcotics are high-quality marihuana sent by an unidentified person from a Greek port, with international transportation that would not have required any additional control. Hungarian officials nevertheless became suspicious about the inconsiderable value for the cargo, listed in these papers. Upon checking the vehicle's contents they secured 155 boxes of marihuana, whose estimated value amounts to app. 10 million DM.[09] INVESTOR FOR `CHEBREN' HYDRO-ELECTRICITY PLANT WANTEDThis Tuesday the Macedonian Government has examined the data on determining an investor (concession beneficiary) for the `Chebren' hydro-electrical plant - concordant to provisions binding for this project. Official sources reveal that in this context the Government has decided to launch a tender to determine the most appropriate beneficiary. Procedures are to be conducted in two modes: via re-qualification and litigation. As the project is a very costly one, negotiations have been initiated with the World Bank, which has expressed its readiness to assist the selection. One of the prerequisites in this respect is the involving of Macedonian businesses in the construction process. This should give a boost to the investment cycle in Macedonia.[10] MACEDONIA GRANTED MEMBERSHIP`Makfax' reveals that the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has asked Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia and Hercegovina to join its membership.The BIS Directorial Council, comprised of the Central Bank Governors of the 10 most developed countries, has forwarded this offer to the former Yugoslav constituents with the condition that they enter their shares into the bank. Such a decision represents a temporary solution while succession negotiations are still in progress, as part of the Federal hard currency reserves (660 million dollars in gold and hard currencies) are still at this banking house in Basel. These assets of the Former Yugoslav Federation will have to be divided among its five constituents, upon insistence of the BIS and the IMF. [11] `EBRD' PURCHASING `MACEDONIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS' STOCKSThe EBRD in London is to be the first stockholder of the already publicized `Macedonian Telecommunications' nationally-owned enterprise, which is currently undergoing privatization, `Vecher' reports. During a two-day visit to Macedonia EBRD representatives expressed their willingness to approve a 42-million-dollar credit in order to achieve the transformation of the stock capital of `Macedonian Telecommunications'. The corresponding Macedonian Ministry has accepted this proposal - according to `Vecher'. Thus the EBRD is to own 5% in shares of this enterprise, as its estimated value amounts to app. 800 million dollars.[12] AS OF 1ST JULY PAYMENT FLOW HANDLED BY BUSINESS BANKSAs of 1st July 1997 major payment flow operations are to be handled through business banks in Macedonia. Minor transactions are to be covered by clearing houses - NBM Vice-Governor Gligor Bishev announced yesterday.After the session of the Banking and Insurance Association this Tuesday, Bishev revealed that denar transactions had risen by 310 million denars over the first quarter of 1997. Of these 220 million were generated for the state, and merely 80 million were invested in the economic sector. Over the same period banks generated a total of 598 million denars in revenues, with a profit rate of 7% - which equals that in banks throughout the world. `Vecher' reports that during yesterday' session bankers indicated the emerging of many problems, in spite of positive achievements, particularly in terms of recovering mortgages and the high tax burden. Banks have also underlined the need to become more actively involved in legislative procedures, especially with respect to the Law of Transforming Hard Currency Debts, the legal provisions providing specific solutions for several banks and other laws affecting the financial sector. [13] NBM: `NORMALIZATION OF DM EXCHANGE RATE AFTER HAVING REACHED 27.2 DENARS'NBM Vice-Governor Dushanka Hristova has denied that the NBM is involved in interventions at the hard currency and exchange market, in an interview for A-1 TV. Thus the decrease of the DM exchange rate from 27.8 to 27.2 denars has been explained with the abnormal growth of this currency over the previous month, caused by unrest in Albania and banking scandals in Macedonia. NBM experts claim that the rate of 27.2 denars has been assessed as realistic for Macedonia.[14] GREEK SUPERMARKET CHAIN `VEROPOULOS' SOON IN MACEDONIAMacedonian media report that the opening of the `Veron' supermarket of the `Veropoulos' chain represents the largest investment of this kind (worth 3.7 million DM) in Macedonia so far. This Greek supermarket-chain (one of the larger ones in Greece with last year's profit of 980 million DM generated in its 130 outlets) announced the intention to open 15 supermarkets throughout Macedonia's larger cities.[15] FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FAIR OPENEDOver 50 participants of 15 countries are presenting their products at the first international fair on transportation in Macedonia. thus `Transport `97' features a variety of transportation vehicles, motor oils, spare parts and equipment. The event has been opened by Transportation and Communications Minister Dimitar Buzleski yesterday. He stressed the importance of transportation as an economic branch for Macedonia, as the country exports 80% of its production.[16] LAKE OHRID: `OF GLOBAL IMPORTANCE'Lake Ohrid is Macedonian and Albanian only in terms of its geographic position. With respect to its endemic wildlife and its natural beauty (placed under the protection of UNESCO). With respect to its endemic wildlife and natural beauty, however, it is a treasure of the world and should be considered as such...' According to `Dnevnik' this has been the conclusion of the session of the Working Group entrusted with the project design for the preservation of Lake Ohrid. Besides officials of the Albanian and Macedonian Governments, this body is also comprised of members of the WB, monitoring experts and representatives of the Regional Eco-Centre in Budapest and many others.The project design stage should be completed by the end of this week, and then sent to the WB for approval. `Dnevnik' reveals that the total costs for this project amount to 4 million dollars. Of these funds, 55% go to Macedonia and 45% to Albania. Besides this, the Government of Switzerland has granted another 2 million dollars to Macedonia, for procuring a laboratory & monitoring ship, for the furthering of agriculture i.e. organic food production, etc. MILS SUPPLEMENT[17] `Files Going to Europe'(`Vecher' - 13th May 1997)After an `ice age' of fifty years the issue regarding Macedonians during the Greek Civil War has finally obtained international proportions. The Federation of Helsinki Committee based in Vienna and the Committees of Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Macedonia and the US `Helsinki Watch' are starting the implementation of the project on addressing legal and ownership issues as well as other human rights (especially citizenship and re- patriation). All activities are directly directed to corresponding authorities within the Council of Europe, and later on most probably to the European Human Rights Tribunal. Another interesting fact is that so far the governments of several EU member-states have expressed their willingness to financially support the project. The necessity to seriously address the problems of Macedonians exiled or escaped from Greece by European NGO structures has been imposing itself due to similar issues brought forward by the armed conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia and the exodus of refugees these generated. Generally speaking, it is being considered to establish an international institution whose basic task would be to address all those human right issues brought about by war. With regards to Macedonians from Greece, the first measures in order to familiarize themselves with the cases of confiscated property, revoked citizenship and re- patriation procedures, have been undertaken by the Swedish Helsinki Committee over a year ago. `Almost 95% of all Europeans are not at all aware of the problems confronting Macedonians, and upon learning of them during the conversations we had, we were touched and overwhelmed by how you could survive this for five decades', stated Swedish Helsinki Committee representative Anne-Marie Bostroem. Concordant to the Greek Constitution, ownership right cases may be re- opened at any time. But with regards to Greece and its discriminatory policy towards Macedonian victims of the Civil War - as well as towards those Macedonians still resident in Greece - many violations of the Constitution emerge via separate government decisions. Data obtained by the Swedish Helsinki Committee however indicates that if these ownership cases are re-opened within 50 years all property rights are forfeited. In addition to this, both Albania and Greece have already agreed (some time ago) to return all ownership and other civic rights to those Albanians escaped from Greece! In this sense particular attention is being paid to the so- called `Cyprus case', as it has also made its way to the EU Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Tribunal. The case is concerned with Greek property on the Turkish side of Cyprus. . According to Ms. Bostroem an international law expert - Mr. Per Chelson, an eminent lawyer (and former Cambridge graduate) who has made a name for himself in the US - has already been concerned with the entire matter. As of the 19th March he has begun to delve into the `Cyprus case'. Its solution will most probably serve as a pattern to address Macedonian property issues in Greece as well, in addition to the most recent cases brought about by the latest Balkan conflicts. Specific care has also been dedicated to monitoring the work of the Strasbourg-based EU Human Rights Commission. It has agreed to delve into certain cases, once all other options within the EU member-state(s) and the Council of Europe have been exhausted. These procedures last up to two years and end in the submission of the case at the Human Rights Tribunal. The ruling of the latter may then be implemented as a means of exerting pressure or imposing sanctions. Bearing in mind the policy employed by Greece towards Macedonians, the majority of the latter are not in possession of the required papers to prove their ownership rights. It is for this reason these days that Ms. Bostroem - together with the Macedonian Helsinki Committee and the Organisations of Aegean Macedonians - have commenced the gathering of the most substantial cases and appropriate documents, in order to forward these to Human Rights Commission. It is said that there are genuine `textbook examples' among these cases. The submitting of any new cases is to be handled via the Organisations of Macedonians originating form the Aegean area, whereas later on it has been planned to hire a number of lawyers in both Greece and Macedonia. `Europe is aware of the problems caused by the revoking of ownership rights, which is accounting for its readiness to fund such an international institution', says Ms. Bostroem while adding that `It would seem understandable for people to be skeptical about this project since nobody has ever bothered to help them... and the majority still thinks that this is not about to change. Indeed, even this time there is a possibility of disappointment. But as we hope to achieve something, we cannot sit around with idle hands.' It may be that the European community has not been aware of these issues so far... It remains a fact however, that for the first time ownership documents of exiled or escaped Macedonians from Greece during the Civil War will end up in Europe. The possible implementation of the entire project is nevertheless, another story. (end)mils news 14 May 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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