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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-06-20Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 20 June, 1997[01] SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR MACEDONIAThe working visit of President Gligorov to Washington was brought to a close with his meeting several senators of the Foreign Policy Committee of the US Congress, Macedonian media report, while adding that Gligorov also had the opportunity to meet Senator Paul Servanis (of Greek descent) and discuss the latest developments in Greek-Macedonian relations. According to `Makfax' political analysts in Washington assessed that Gligorov sent a clear message on this and other occasions of meeting the political establishment of the US, that his country `irrevocably adheres to its right of retaining the Constitutional name - Republic of Macedonia.'Such an assessment has also been aired by Athenian `Elephterotypia' in an article under the heading `We Have Called Ourselves Macedonian For Centuries.' This paper reports how Gligorov stressed that the right to determine one's name is one of the elementary human and collective rights of all peoples, and the name `Republic of Macedonia' denotes a country within its present borders, hence not posing a threat to anybody. As regards relations with Greece, President Gligorov mentioned his addressing the Carnegie Foundation with a particular emphasis on the improvement of bilateral relations and the development of all shapes of cooperation, especially in the economic sector. The President also delved into the international standing of Macedonia and announced the staging of an international panel which would focus on all aspects of Balkan stability in Skopje this October. `Vecher' further adds that Gligorov encountered considerable political support and recognition for all achievements Macedonia has reached throughout the past few years of democratic transition by high-ranking authorities he met during his stay in Washington. Analysts in Washington state that US troops would remain in Macedonia over a longer period of time to secure its borders. Prior to the departure of President Gligorov, a reception was given in honour of President Gligorov. The event in the US capital had been attended by many public figures including former Secretary of Defence William Perry - in addition to a group of Macedonian immigrants. Following this, President Gligorov left for Chicago and Ground Point where he is to meet representatives of Macedonian Immigrants' Associations. [02] NICHOLAS BURNS: `US TROOPS NOT TO WITHDRAW FROM BOSNIA VIAMACEDONIA'`Nova Makedonija' reports that US State Dept. Spokesman Nicholas Burns clarified during yesterday's press briefing that US peacekeepers leaving Bosnia in 1998 would not end up in Macedonia, but return home to the US. While denoting the offer by Gligorov to `extend hospitality' to US troops as generous, Burns stressed that the US are rather explicit as far as its priorities are concerned. In response to the question on State Dept. views as regards economic development in the Balkans, and whether the second part of the Marshal Plan had been outlined, Burns stated that among other things the US quite obviously endorsed the economic evolution of CEE countries and the Balkans in particular... `We would like to see the Balkans - and particularly FYROM - to prosper and enjoy the benfits of the economic liberty we possess at present.'[03] ONE MORE OBSERVATION POINT TO SECURE BORDER WITH ALBANIAThe Macedonian MOD intends to build one more checkpoint and marina for ARM vessels patrolling the border to Albania, near the village of Radozhda on the shores of Lake Ohrid. Due to conditions in Albania and the frequent illegal entries by Albanian nationals onto Macedonian territory, the MOD has decided to procure to motor boats to patrol Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, thus securing the border to this neighbouring state. This has been announced by Defence Secretary Lazar Kitanovski yesterday, during his inspection of the checkpoints and the border running through both lakes. According to Minister Kitanovski over the past 15 days no incident had been registered along the entire Macedonian-Albanian border. In spite of this, however, the combat readiness of the ARM would remain increased.[04] SEMINAR ON SECURITY IN THE BALKANS STARTED AT OHRID YESTERDAYA Seminar on `Security and Stability in the Balkans', held under the auspices of the North Atlantic Council and the Macedonian Parliament, has been opened by Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski at Ohrid yesterday. The event is to be attended by app. 100 parliamentary representatives from 15 countries, as well as by members of various international organisations and missions. Radio `Super' from Ohrid reported that Petkovski placed particular emphasis on the fact that Macedonia essentially fulfilled conditions for fully-fledged NATO membership, and with its well-trained army of `around 10 000 people in uniform' it succeeded in guarding and completely controlling the borders of our country. In the opinion of Petkovski the Macedonian Armed Forces had limited funding at its disposal, and was therefore in need of financial assistance to upgrade its hardware and meet all NATO standards.[05] MINORITY FLAGS IN `BERMUDA TRIANGLE' BETWEEN CONSTITUTIONALCOURT, GOVERNMENT AND GOSTIVARThe ruling of the Constitutional Court of Macedonia suspending Article 140 of the Gostivar Municipal Statute, i.e. the temporary court order outlining the removal of the flags from in front of the Municipality Building, is to become executive by its publication in the `Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia', A-1 TV reports, while adding that the ruling has been signed by the Chairman of the Constitutional Court Milan Nedkov. The latter also stated yesterday that Justice Secretary Gjorgji Spasov was issuing statements on this subject-matter which were on a direct collision course with the views of PM Branko Crvenkovski.Secretary of Justice, Gjorgji Spasov, said in response to this that the Government was not about to execute the court ruling, in spite of having the right to determine the mode in which this could be done. Within this guaranteed right, the Government has made the political assessment that the best solution lies in the enactment of a bill regulating this subject-matter in the long run. Thus - Spasov states - there are no dichotomies between the view of the Government and the Constitutional Court on this issue, nor were there any as regards the opinion entertained by PM Crvenkovski and himself. Besides this, the Municipal Council of Gostivar has adopted several amendments to the draft-bill on the use of minority flags in the Republic of Macedonia, upon suggestion of Mayor Rufi Osmani. These are to be submitted to the Parliament for further processing / ratification. Concordant to this draft- bill, flags representing minorities would not only be hoisted in front of local government institutions for public and official purposes; but also in front of the premises housing public services, institutions, utilities and nationally-owned enterprises founded by the state. It has also been suggested that these provisions not only apply to municipalities with a majority percentage of ethnicities, but also in administrative units where this percentage exceeds 20%. The Municipal Council of Gostivar has further proposed the exhibition of flags not only during state holidays, but during municipal and ethnic festivities as well. These amendments have been adopted with 10 votes in favour and 7 votes against, while the general conclusion reached at the session stated that these alterations offered a rational approach to the enacting of a bill conducive to the defusing of inter-ethnic relations - not only at the municipality of Gostivar but throughout the other 20 Macedonian municipalities with Ethnic Albanian residents as well. Should the amendments not be adopted - the Macedonian Radio reports - Mayor Rufi Osmani announced that no other Parliamentary decision would be executed. In this sense - he said - he is fully aware of the threat to this mandate, which nevertheless would not force him to abolish the advocating of a realistic, egalitarian, public and official use of the flags. [06] DNEVNIK: `ALBANIAN' MUNICIPALITIES TO FINANCE `UNIVERSITY OFTETOVO'25 Mayors of Macedonian municipalities where the majority of the population is affiliated to the Albanian ethnicity, have signed the `University of Tetovo Declaration' on grounds of a majority consensus, on 17th this month. In this paper the municipal councils commit themselves to an `institutional approach' of funding the university and to the recognition of its degrees.This - `Dnevnik' reports - has been stated by the self-proclaimed Rector of the `Tetovo University', Fadilj Sulejmani, these days. The latter announced that the University Council has obliged itself to provide facilities for all departments, a venture which has been estimated to require 2.5 million denars. Concordant to Fadilj Sulejmani the ratified Declaration will render the present mode of funding (collecting 1 DM from each Albanian per month) obsolete. This development of events have resulted in feedback by DPM leader Tomislav Stojanovski - Bombay, who said that this practically meant that the `Tetovo University' would subsist via budgetary funds. As regards the recent `tour' of Fadilj Sulejmani through Croatia and Slovenia (covered by Radio Tirana), Stojanovski stated that organizers of this journey included the name of the Macedonian Ambassador in Zagreb, Servet Aziu who - in the words of Stojanovski - had quite obviously forgotten that he was not an Ambassador of the DPA or the `University of Tetovo' but of an independent, sovereign state. [07] NO PAY RISE FOR JUDICIARY ADMINISTRATIONEmployees of the judiciary administration sector, who have been on strike for the past ten days, will not be granted a 28% pay rise as they demanded. Macedonian media report this to be the epilogue to yesterday's meeting between representatives of the Strike Board and Justice Secretary Gjorgji Spasov. Held talks merely yielded a consensus on the value of transportation reimbursement and an 0.5% bonus for each accrued year of employment. In the aftermath of this the Strike Board announced that it would vote on the continuing of the strike next Monday. In addition to this employee demands had also received the support of Macedonia's Independent Trade Union Federation. The press release stated that the latter was willing to support strikers, while advising the Government to commence negotiations.[08] INSUFFICIENT EFFICIENCY OF COURTS DUE TO OBJECTIVE REASONSLast year the courts of Macedonia had to function in complex conditions without any serious delay in processing cases, but with an insufficient level of efficiency due to objective reasons. This is the evaluation of the performance of Macedonia's judiciary system, compiled by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Macedonia and publicized during yesterday's press conference. It has further been registered that in 1996 the judiciary had above all been unfavourably affected by material / financial conditions, a lack of appointed justices, the postponing of their appointment, the lengthy engagement of judges during local elections and the increased number of cases.Yet - as Supreme Court Chairman Dimitar Dimishkovski points out - it should be taken into account that in some cases this unfavourable situation is a result of the insufficient professional engagement and expertise exhibited by justices, of flawed work organisation and bad inter-personal relations. Appellate Courts have received a positive evaluation, though it has been stressed that there certainly was room for improvement. In order to increase efficiency, Dimishkovski pointed out the necessity of creating a separate budget for the judiciary, the enactment of all prerequisite laws, the granting of national priority to this sector and thus the procuring of material and financial means. The press conference was brought to a close with the conclusion that at present the key objective was reinstating the trust into the judiciary system among the majority of the population. In addition to this it was revealed that of a total of 834 000 cases forwarded to the courts of Macedonia, around 50% have been processed and closed. [09] `AUDI A 3' MOST LIKELY TO BE MANUFACTURED IN MACEDONIAIn the aftermath of the last round of negotiations between the Macedonian Government and German car manufacturer `Audi', it is being expected to hear the final say on the `AUDI A 3' project at the next Government session on Monday. According to Finance Minister Taki Fiti, who is also heading the Macedonian negotiation team, several minor details should be outlined on Monday, in addition to the ratification of the Memorandum of Consensus with the German side. Optimistic views as regards the completion of negotiations on the `AUDI A 3' project in Macedonia have been expressed by `ASIBA MG' General Director Pece Damevski, whose company is to be the main Macedonian project partner.[10] AGREEMENT ON INVESTMENT INCENTIVES RATIFIED WITH FRANCEThis Thursday an Agreement on Mutual Investment Support and Protection has been adopted by delegations from France and Macedonia, in our capital. `Nova Makedonija' reports that the ratification of this treaty would complete the legislative framework for intensifying economic cooperation between France and Macedonia, by creating security for potential investors in economic and other activities in both countries and on third markets. This Agreement is expected to be signed at the first official bilateral meeting on a high political level - based on information issued by the Information Secretariat within the Macedonian Government.[11] FRENCH `SISTRA' COMPANY INTERESTED IN RAILWAY PROJECTA delegation of the French-based `Sistra' company has been staying in Macedonian for the last two days, since it is interested in the railway project linking Macedonia and Bulgaria. `Nova Makedonija' released data on the French company concentrating on investment, construction, electrification and automatization of railway links. Its representative visiting Macedonia will meet official of the corresponding Ministry and of `Macedonian Railways, besides inspecting the future construction site stretching from Kumanovo via Beljakovci to Gushevo. According to unofficial information ` Nova Makedonija' claims that the French company had exhibited interest in joining the project on several previous occasions with respect to the linking of Macedonia and Albania via Kichevo and Ohrid on a concessional basis.MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] `Draft-Bill for Government Control Over NGO Sector'(`Dnevnik' - 16th June 1997)The Department of Justice considers the draft-bill on NGOs brilliant and compiled in compliance to Swiss provisions on this subject-matter. Macedonian NGOs however stated that the new proposal is even more restrictive than the old bill. This text should simply be shelved and a new version should be written unless we prefer `Balkanization' to Europeanization... says Meto Jovanovski, Chairman of the Macedonian Helsinki Human Rights Watch. The new draft-bill makes provisions for the forming of an association with a minimum of 15 charter-members. This represents a restricting factor when bearing in mind that the old bill requires 10. Further provisions outline the number of Executive Board members and the establishing of a supervising body. They strictly determine the tasks of each structure and the fact that every NGO will be obliged to submit an annual report to a Government institution. The latter will then determine which NGOs serve public interests and which don't, i.e. which organisations will be receive budget funds and which not. Besides three general criteria, there are no precise standards which would denote a NGO of public or private character. Should the organisation or fund lack means to achieve their objectives, the court may decide in favour of suspending their activities or closing them down. `The majority of these restrictions can only apply to organisations of public interest. These do not engage in economic activity, while possessing the capacity to serve the public through material and human resources without affecting elections. This does not make them devoid of political objectives as all NGOs pursue some kind of political aim. The annual report clause should remain in power as they will benefit from tax evasion. Restrictions may not apply to those proclaiming their private status, thus not requiring tax alleviation', states Sasho Klekovski, Head of the MCIC (Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation). NGO representative say that an issue of particular importance is the establishing of a discrete Government authority, a board, in charge of cooperating with NGOs. Thus only the `good' NGOs would end up eligible for Government funding. `This issue has been solved very elegantly in Bulgarian legislation. Concordant to the latter this board is not comprised of government employees, but of eminent legal experts and academics/intellectuals nominated by the President, the Government and the Parliament. This prevents the `partisan or governmental colouring' of the matter. In Great Britain the Department of the Interior appoints the Board. Klekovski states that democratic experience is of principal importance, rather than the form. In addition to this, Article 10 states that the public character / purpose of an organisation is to be determined by corresponding ministries. On which grounds who will actually engage in this activity - remains to be seen... `The provisions proposed in this draft indicate more than clearly that the state wishes to control this sector. Therefore the rather restrictive framework, which the wrong approach to take from the very beginning as this sector cannot be codified as one would proceed in case of economic or legal matters', claims Sashko Stefkov (LDP), while adding that `the NGO sector should primarily protect itself against the executive government. The state will have to devise other means to prevent manipulation and misuse of funds. At present it is merely being restrictive towards everybody.' There are around 150 associations and foundations in Macedonia registered as civic organisations, but only a very small share of these is being `barely kept alive' with 1 million DM - the sum currently being set aside by the Government for the developing of this sector. (end)mils news 20 June, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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