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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-06-25Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 25 June, 1997[01] `AUDI A 3' CONTRACT JUST A MATTER OF TIMEThe negotiation teams of the Macedonian Government and German car manufacturer `Audi' have managed to overcome several contentious issues with regards to the possible implementation of the `Audi A 3' project in Macedonia, during their negotiations last week. Out of eight `bones of contention' only two have been left on the negotiation table. These will have to be addressed by the time the final memorandum verifying the project has been drafted. This has been revealed by Government Spokesman Zoran Ivanov yesterday with respect to the conclusions adopted on the Government session two days ago.He further said that `the closing of a contract with AUDI is merely a matter of time now, while details on the proposal-memorandum expressing the consensus of both sides may not be disclosed. This is common business practice and in this case it has also been insisted on by the German partner, until the final agreement has been signed. Besides this A-1 TV has also reported that the Macedonian Ministry of Finance forwarded a letter to the `Audi' Executive Board, containing the technical details of the contract which still needed to be addressed. The reply to these proposals - which are reported to be closely linked to the future admission of Macedonia into the WTO - is expected today. [02] GREECE ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE IN RATIFYING `EU' COOPERATION AGREEMENTDuring the Pan-European Transport Conference in Helsinki Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski (who is heading the Macedonian delegation) has been received by European Parliament Vice-Chairman Georgiou Anastasopoulos. In this context the Macedonian Radio also reports the assessment that relations between the EU and Macedonia were developing - while the Union supported the evolution of our country, thus corresponding to the sincere wishes of Greece.According to Chairman Petkovski talks had been concentrating on a soon ratification of the EU - Macedonia Cooperation Agreement and the procurement of funding on several projects. Besides this, the Greek National Press Agency `ANA' also stated that the Head of the Macedonian Liaison Office to the Republic of Greece, Ljupcho Arsovski, has asked Athens to aid the expedite ratification of the recently- signed Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Macedonia. `Makfax' reports that Arsovski had aired this request during his meeting Deputy Foreign Secretary Yorgos Papandreou in Athens. [03] ATHENS AND SOFIA: `FEEDBACK ON GLIGOROV'S IMPRESSIONS ON VISITS TO CHINA AND THE US'President Kiro Gligorov is convinced that his country has won the battle for the international recognition of the country's name - stated `Radio Thessaloniki' in one of its broadcasts yesterday. According to `Dnevnik' the Greek media attribute the optimism of Gligorov to the fact that the Republic of Macedonia has been recognized by this name by more than 40 countries throughout the world. It has also been said that Gligorov revealed upon his return from Beijing and Washington that Skopje had proposed the recognition of its Constitutional name in New York, with the possibility for Greece to choose its own reference for international communication.Bulgarian media have also commented on the visit of President Gligorov to China and the US, while placing major emphasis on the language-issue. in this context papers `Duma' and `24 Chasa' quoted a statement by Kiro Gligorov that `every nation has the right to give the language it speaks a name.' `Continent' points out that Gligorov had complained about the fact that Sofia considered the Macedonian language a Bulgarian dialect, upon meeting US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. [04] BULGARIAN MEDIA: `MACEDONIA AWAITING BULGARIAN WINTER'These days Bulgarian media have been brimming with the views and impressions of app. 30 Bulgarian journalists who had been staying in Skopje during the weekend. `Continent' states that Macedonia is apprehensive of an economic collapse and that the governing SDSM is most likely to win at the next parliamentary elections. The paper is also quoting IMRO-DPMNE leader Ljupcho Georgievski that `corruption and incompetence exhibited by the Government have been responsible for the economic crash of Macedonia.' `Trud' states that due to `the pyramids on the banks of the Vardar, which have buried app. 180 million DM, Macedonia is in for a Bulgarian winter.'[05] REPEATED REQUEST TO EXTEND `UNPREDEP' MANDATEMacedonian Secretary of Defence Lazar Kitanovski has confirmed upon returning from a NATO Working Session in Prague that Macedonia will request the extension of the UNPREDEP mandate after November. During the above mentioned Session (the 14th of this kind), which has also been attended by representatives of the `PFP' Programme countries, debates revolved around general conditions in the region. The Macedonian side presented an analysis of conditions in the Balkans (relations of Bosnia with neighbouring states and the position of Macedonia in the region). In this context - and with respect to the requested mandate extension for UNPREDEP - Macedonia has once again expressed its commitment to establish democracy and achieve NATO membership, regardless of when these objectives would be effectuated.Defence Secretary Kitanovski also revealed having met several country representatives (of the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the US) on a bilateral level. Discussions with US NATO Representative Ambassador Hunter concentrated on current conditions in the Balkans (especially in Albania), while conclusions had made it clear that present borders must not be brought into question. Hunter once again expressed the support of the US of Macedonia's independence and its territorial integrity. These bilateral meetings in Prague also resulted in the agreement on the Dutch Defence Secretary's visit to Macedonia in November 1997. A consensus has also been reached with the Czech Defence Secretary as regards cooperation in terms of officer training, i.e. the lecturing of Czech readers at the Military Academy in Skopje - stated Secretary Kitanovski. [06] MACEDONIA A ROLE-MODEL IN RESPECTING RIGHTS OF THE VLACH MINORITYDuring the summer session of the Council of Europe (which was also attended by a Macedonian delegation), participants discussed the position of the Romanian minority in Balkan countries (Albania, Greece, FR Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Macedonia). The latter were requested to respect the rights of the Vlach minority, i.e. the facilitating of studying their native language and its usage in schools, churches, the press and electronic media. During the part focusing on Macedonia it has been stated that concordant to data obtained during the most recent census a total 8 467 Vlachs live in Macedonia. Associations of this ethnicity however claim that there are around 100 000.The report further revealed that the Vlach minority has been officially recognized via the Constitution of Macedonia, thus enjoying all rights and liberties. This includes air time at the Macedonian Radio and TV Broadcasting Corporation, at local radio stations, etc. and the Vlach language may be studied at school as well. Concordant to representatives of the Vlach minority - the Macedonian Radio reports - Macedonia should be considered a role- model in terms of upholding the rights of this minority compared to other Balkan states. [07] GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL ON COLLECTING WITHHELD PAYROLL CONTRIBUTIONSThe regular Monday Government Session focused on current conditions with respect to the prerequisite collecting of payroll contributions within the Macedonian business sector. To this purpose - as Spokesperson Zoran Ivanov revealed - the Government has proposed to introduce the forwarding of these withheld funds (in payroll contributions and tax) in installments, while all dues towards the Retirement Pension and Disabilities Fund should be settled by 15th each month, prior to the disbursement of staff pay. The Government has decided to facilitate the of forwarding these funds by Macedonian businesses via allowing a number of installments equal to the amount of months over which they have been withheld.The order of beneficiaries would be as follows: the Retirement Pension and Disabilities Fund, the Health Insurance Fund, other payroll contributions and personal revenue tax. At request of the nationally-owned facility entrusted the handling of residential and development property, the Government outlined the initial price rates for auctioning business premises at the City Shopping Centre (`Gradski Trgovski Centar') - Ivanovski informed, while adding that they varied between 1 500 and 7 500 DM per square metre depending on the actual site. [08] RESPONSE OF FINANCE MINISTRY ON PUBLIC TENDERS INVALIDThe Survey Commission of the Macedonian Parliament is not satisfied by the response offered by the Finance Ministry with regards to issues concerning the public tenders announced by different ministries. At yesterday's session the Commission - as `Dnevnik' reports - requested the representatives of the Finance Ministry to present concrete and valid information instead of `legal interpretations.' The members of this Commission have demanded access to classified data on procurements made by the Ministry of the Interior, i.e. the suspending/lowering of their confidentiality level. Explanations have also been demanded with regards to the state of affairs at the Ministry of Health, or the purchasing of a telephone operation centre by the Ministry of Finance bought during the mandate of Jane Miljoski.[09] DECEIVED BANK CLIENTS TO SUE THE STATE AT THE TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUEYesterday the National Council of Hard Currency Deposit Holders in Macedonia revealed that they had been conducting talks with Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski recently - in addition to having met Finance Minister Taki Fiti and IMF representatives. Discussions had revolved around the restitution of app. 1.2 billion DM in hard currency deposits, frozen during the disintegration of the Former Yugoslav Federation. At these meetings client representatives made it clear that they expected the Parliament to react swiftly by enacting legal provisions conducive to the solving of their problems. Should this not be the case, they intend to boycott banks, commence hunger strikes, etc. `Dnevnik' reports that clients threatened to sue to state at the International Tribunal in the Hague by the end of this year, if those legal provisions have not been provided.[10] 23.7 % OF MACEDONIAN WORK FORCE WITHOUT PAY IN APRIL23.7% of Macedonia's work force have not received any pay in April 1997 - stated the National Statistics Office yesterday. In the economic sector this figure amounts to 30.7% - while a mere 3% fall off to non- economic activities. Based on data released by the above mentioned office, the average pay for April amounted to 9 160 denars, i.e. 4.7% more than in April 1996. In the economic sector the average net income disbursed in this month amounts to 1.3% more in comparison to March 1997, while the same figure in the non-economic sector reflects a 0.7% decrease.[11] BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION IN SKOPJEA British Trade Delegation comprised of 14 representatives of various companies is to arrive in Macedonia today. The visitors are to examine possibilities of cooperation with Macedonian businesses. Concordant to information released by the British Embassy in Skopje, this visit of British businessmen has been organized by the London Chamber of Trade in coordination with the British Dept. of Trade and Industry.[12] TRADE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND MACEDONIA DECLININGIn contrast to optimistic announcements by both sides that economic trade between Australia and Macedonia would progress speedily - reality indicates deteriorating conditions. This - `Vecher' reports - has been concluded during recent talks between the Marketing Officer at the Australian Embassy in Belgrade, Philip Hepburn, with representatives of Macedonian firms. It was further noted that Macedonia is burdened by a considerable deficit as regards its trade balance with Macedonia - as our country only exports an insignificant quantity of pastry products to Australia.In contrast to this the latter exports sheep-skin and wool to Macedonia utilized within leather goods and textile production. At present the import of these goods into Macedonia is being complicated by the insolvency of Macedonian businesses, by lengthy production processes and payment terms. Due to this Australian businessmen expect the introduction of measures on furthering cooperation i.e. the crediting of export or consignment ventures. [13] `STOPANSKA' AND `KOMERCIJALNA BANKA' AMONG THE LARGEST IN CENTRAL EUROPEConcordant to US periodical `The Banker' Macedonian `Stopanska Banka' has been ranked on place 41 among the 100 largest banks in Central Europe (incl. the Baltic states and the Ukraine). The list also places `Komercijalna Banka' on rank 51. In terms of the remaining Former Yugoslav constituents, the register includes: `Privredna Banka' (Zagreb), `Zagrebachka Banka', `Belgradska Banka', `Privredna Banka' (Novi Sad), `Gorenska Banka' (Slovenia), `Jugobanka' (Belgrade) and `Nova Ljubljanska Banka SKB Banka' (Ljubljana).MILS SUPPLEMENT[14] `No Universal Democratic Model'(`Nova Makedonija' - 21st June 1997)The Republic of Macedonia, in view of the three parliamentary elections, is entering the last preparatory round of compiling all prerequisite legislation. Apart from determining the election model, legislators will also have to regulate election eligibility, the registering of voters and the defining of election units. During initial meetings with leaders of major political parties led in order to discuss the election model, these days Branko Crvenkovski has talked to representatives of 27 registered political parties. All this has been done with the objective of arriving at a concept outlining the election of those representing the interests of the public, this being a key component of pluralistic democracy. Regardless of the fact that there are several methods comprised of several variants - in addition to the one that there is no universal democratic model in this world - major divisions of election models distinguish between a majority, correlation or a combined model. The choice of either boils down to the social, cultural, political and spiritual context within a society. Concordant to general analyses in East European countries where the old political elite remained `on stage' for Act II, their control over transformation processes was quite evident. This was particularly the case with countries gaining their independence, after having been within the Soviet or Yugoslav Federation which were not too fond of multi-party election systems. During the first free elections in Macedonia (towards the end of 1990) the absolute majority system had been effectuated. Thus legal provisions provided 120 uni- nominal election units within the administrative bounds of existing municipalities. According to the analyses of Tsakirpaloglou and Verigikj the first elections in Macedonia entailed quite unusual results. Election turn- out had been extremely low - the lowest in all of East Europe with app. 280 000 voters (around 20%) of all those eligible to vote in round one. The low turn-out particularly applied to ethnic Macedonians, as ethnic Albanians exhibited a high level of loyalty towards their parties. But these different blocks could not agree on the composition of the coalition government. Thus the so-called expert government was formed in March 1991, which eventually transcended into the `great coalition of Communists, Socialists and the PDP of Macedonian Albanians.' The same election system was to prop up this political elite during the second parliamentary elections in 1994 when `the old regime' assembled within the Alliance For Macedonia (SDSM - LP - SP), and as early as in round one it was clear where the electorate's support was going. To major opposition parties, the IMRO-DPMNE and the DP the results of the first round were merely a product of `numerous forgeries and irregularities in round one via which ruling structures executed a `coup d'etat' against Macedonia.' By boycotting the second round of elections - as Dr. Natasha Gaber and Aneta Jovevska (MA) are to notice - these two parties emerged as the extra- parliamentary coalition who would attempt to create conditions for early elections by mobilizing the public - in spite of the fact that they are/were committed to different causes.' Based on opinions publicized so far there are considerable differences concerning the election model. The two most powerful parties - the SDSM and the IMRO- DPMNE - though dedicated political opponents, appear to be closest to promoting the majority election model, with a slight difference as regards the section of MPs to be determined on grounds of the correlation election model. The new political force, the LDP and the Albanian parties PDP and PDPA, are adhering to the correlation election model. It appears that the very divergence on the election model issue embodies one of the greatest impediments in intensifying the cooperation between these two major opposition parties, which nevertheless both have a keen interest in bringing about the calling of early elections this autumn. These differing party views also raise the issue as to which legislative option is to be employed : the current version of 120 or the possible alternative of 140 Members of Parliament constituting the Parliament. This dilemma does not only open financial but also organisation issues, which pose a challenge to the current structure of election issues. Generally speaking, this summer is to be dominated by heated debates between the Government and the opposition on the election model, voter registration and the compiling of voter ID documents. A multitude of opinions has also been expressed by experts at round tables, within research studies or in periodicals. In the summer of 1994 a draft-bill was compiled which indicated a preference of the combined model (containing elements of the correlation election system) over the pure majority approach. As the position and opposition could not reach a consensus however, it eventually occurred that only the acts outlining the election of the President and the functioning of political parties were adopted by the Parliament out of a whole package of election laws. This entailed the survival of such major - and at times diametrically opposed - dichotomies among political parties with respect to selecting the most appropriate election model. (end)mils news 25 June, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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