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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-10Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 10 July, 1997[01] FLAGS TAKEN DOWN, CLASH BETWEEN DEMONSTRATES AND POLICE IN GOSTIVARThe Ministry of the Interior early in the morning yesterday undertook activities in taking down the illegally hoisted minority flags in front of the township buildings in Tetovo and Gostivar. This was the long delayed realization of the decision passed by the Constitutional Court of Macedonia which annulled the decisions of these municipalities councils. The media report that the flags take-down had not been accompanied by any incidents, but the tensions were increasing later on.In Gostivar the firs incident happened before noon when under the pressure of about 2 000 demonstrates the police was forced to use tear gas. In the scattering of the crowds 3 police officers and 10 demonstrates have been injured. The demonstrates have also demolished some vehicles in the streets while the police prevented some of them to use molotov cocktails. In Gostivar in the afternoon there came to an open clash with firearms between the police and some thousand demonstrates in which 2 people were killed and 10 were injured. The demonstrates attempting to break through the police barriers and come to the place where the flags had been taken down used metal sticks and stones and later started throwing gas bombs and firing with arms. The police fought back after the starting shoots coming from the surrounding buildings and soon the shooting spread throughout the centre and the streets of Gostivar. The police also used military vehicles to disperse the demonstrates. After 17h the situation in Gostivar was calmer and the police forces commenced collecting those who had been throwing gas bombs and firing with guns from the surrounding houses. According to the latest information about 300 people of Albanian nationality who had been shooting at the police have been arrested. During the riots , Rufi Osmani, mayor of Gostivar municipality, the mayors of the DPA and IM members remained in the Gostivar Assembly. In Tetovo the tension was also been increased, the municipality assembly and the streets had been under the control of police forces but no large incidents have been noticed. The township building in Tetovo, the assembly building and its offices have had some broken windows and damages which have presumably been done by the police interventions. The local authority services in Tetovo and in Gostivar yesterday suspended their functions, present also were the UNPREDEP and OSCE observers. According latest information, last night and today before noon the situation in Tetovo and Gostivar has been pacified and the municipality assemblies as well as the central town region are being controlled by mighty police forces. [02] IM - MOLOTOV COCKTAILS AND CHEMICAL AGENTS USED BY EXTREMISTSRegarding yesterday's events in Gostivar, yesterday the Ministry for the Interior responded with a report. `In the afternoon hours in the centre of Gostivar the public peace and order were disturbed. The gathered crowd of about 7-8 thousand citizens of Gostivar reacting to the activities undertaken by the MI was abused by a number of extremists. The MI members were attacked with stones and other pointed objects. The use of molotov cocktails was prevented, 3 Albanian and 3 Macedonian citizens were arrested.The latest information coming from the field report of chemical agents use and shooting on the MI members on part of the extremists. This provocation had been responded to during which 1 person had been killed and 4 had been injured. According to MI spokesman, Verushevski, the police has registered in the Gostivar village Chair about 1.000 people headed towards Gostivar, attacking a group of citizens on the way and violently took over one vehicle. Verushevski also informed that during the police activities the mayors of Gostivar and Tetovo have not been injured as it had been speculated, only their offices have been searched. [03] MINISTER CHOKREVSKI - MI HAD BEEN ACQUAINTED WITH THE ORGANIZED RESISTANCEThe current events in Tetovo and Gostivar were discussed at yesterday's parliamentary session although it had not been in the agenda. On demand of the parliament members, the Interior Secretary, Tomislav Chokrevski, reporting on the Gostivar and Tetovo events underlined that the Government will not give yield to anyone regarding law adherence.We can not have a state if everyone acts according to ones will without having the police intervene, said the minister underlining that the MI had done serious analysis of the problem and had found facts showing that within the frames of a Albanian political subject for a longer period of time there have been preparations for yesterday's event. Pointing out that this Albanian subject is present in the Parliament, minister Chokrevski assessed that the flag issue is a state matter, and the Government functions in order to protect the system which is being disturbed by this political subject. At the end minister Chokrevski appealed to a joint contribution towards putting down the fire, warning that once and for all a non-crossing line must be drown. [04] PARTY REACTIONSRegarding the police interventions and the realization of the Constitutional Court decision on taking down the minority flags in tetovo and Gostivar, yesterday a press conference of the Albanian Democratic Party leadership took place. Speaking in Albanian language the leader of the DRA, Arben Dzaferi, stated that the police had done brutal interventions and attacked the local authority leading to shooting and destruction of many properties of the municipality. Assessing that the situation in Tetovo and Gostivar is chaotic, Daferi characterized the police activities as an attack to his party, i.e. `involving' the DPA into political action and behaving in undemocratic manner.According to Dzaferi, yesterday's events and police intervention have no connection to the flags of the Albanian Republic in Gostivar and Tetovo. The Government in fact wishes to draw the attention away from the social problems and towards the field politics, underlined Dzaferi. The Macedonian Television reports, Dzaferi stressed that the DPA will try to pacify the situation. Expressing bitterness due to the brutality of the police and the demolishing of the township offices Dzaferi yesterday advised the citizens to behave calmly so as to over come the situation in Gostivar and Tetovo, i.e. to act with political means. The Tetovo mayor, Alajdin Demiri, who has been translating Dzaferi's speech, yesterday pointed out that the police intervention was not necessary because the Parliament by adopting the Bill practically authorized the use of the Albanian flag. Pointing out that the police has attacked the local self-management, which should be politically solved by the central power, Demiri advised the citizens to stay calm, not react to provocation, and contribute towards pacifying the situation. The Party for Democratic Prosperity in yesterday's report criticizes the provocative and imprudent actions and entrance of the police forces in the seats of the Tetovo and Gostivar municipalities, criticizing also the vandal behaviour manifested by the police during the act of taking down the flags. The PDP appeals to the citizens to stay reserved and not fall into provocative traps by protecting the flags because the flag and its use are in now protected by law in their primal form. The taking down of the flags in fornt of the townsip buildings in Tetovo and Gostivar is assessed by VMRO- DPMNE as another hypocrisy of the Government above all of the SDSM because it happened too late. The taking down, according to the leadership member,Gjirgi Naumov, should have been done 6 months ago. The adopted bill on minority flags in the Republic of Macedonia, according to VMRO-DPMNE, has no constitutional basis and has been adopted with the blessing of the governing party as part of the trading done for keeping the power and all this is damaging the Macedonian people. At yesterday's press conference the member of the party leadership, Gjorgji Naumov, stated that VMRO-DPMNE considers that now Chief of State has to act and concordant to his authority he should not sign the decree on enacting the Bill. Unless this happens VMRO-DPMNE has announced to launch an initiative to the Constitutional Court of Macedonia to re-examine the Bill. The Leader of the MAAK-Conservative Party , Strasho Angelovki, yesterday announced that the flags removal in Gostivar and Tetovo wiped off the reasons for the announced rally in Gostivar and it is not to be conducted. Angelovski underlined that this party will address the Chief of State not to sign the decree on enacting the bill on minority flags. Otherwise, as Angelovski has stressed, his party would address the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice. MAAK-CP yesterday called on the Macedonian people from the western part of the country to remain calm and not react to any provocation. The intervention of the Ministry of the Interior according to the Liberal-Democratic Party is a planned action of the Government and its objective is to amortize the negative effects form the Bill on the flags which will go in nobody's favour. The LDP assesses that its consequences will mean disintegration of Macedonia and separation of the states sovereignty. According to the Macedonian Democratic Party this was an expected and effective reaction of the Government. In the party's report it is assessed that the bill should be studied and there has to be trust in the system institutions if we want to have a legal state. [05] GLIGOROV - A LARGER ALLIANCE PRESENCE IN THE SOUTH-EAST EUROPEMacedonia demands for a larger presence of the Alliance in the SE part of the continent and active participation in the solution of the current disputes all which requires closer relations leading to a membership with full civil rights of Macedonia and all other serious candidates from the region in the NATO.This, as reports the A-1 TV, was pointed out yesterday by the Macedonian Chief of State, Kiro Gligorov, in his speech at the NATO summit in Madrid. Gligorov also pointed out the necessity of strengthening the regional collaboration through the Euro-Atlantic partnership council.Macedonia, according to Gligorov, greets the summit's decision on admitting Bohemia, Poland, and Hungary in the NATO, as well as the Alliance's advocacy to continue the process of extending itself towards the other states candidates for membership. Among these states is also Macedonia which has the political and social consensus for entering the Euro-Atlantic integration processes, underlined the Macedonian President. President Gligorov who in Madrid was accompanied by the Foreign and Defense secretaries, Blagoj Hadziski and Lazar Kitanovski, had official meetings with the French President Jacques Chiraque, the Hungarian President Gjula Horn and the General Secretary of NATO, Javier Solana. Mr. Gligorov also realized short unofficial meetings with American President Clinton, German Chancellor Kohl, Greek PM Simitis and Bulgarian PM Stoyanov. [06] GOVERNMENT PACKAGE MEASURES - DENAR DEVALUATION AND FROZEN SALARIESAfter longer negotiations with the mission of the IMF, at a special session, the Macedonian Government has fortified package measures by which among other the denar had been devaluated for 16,1%. The measures also imply freezing of the salaries in the public sector and the enterprises in national ownership starting till 31 December this year. They also imply further control oft the monetary aggregates in the state and lowering of the budget consumption. According to Finance Secretary, Taki Fiti, the Government expects these measures not to cause any further inflation effects, and by the end if this year the inflation is to keep the level of 5-6%.The Chief of the IMF mission for Macedonia, Robert Korker, underlined yesterday that the IMF upholds the package measures of the Macedonian Government because this time is considered as most appropriate for such measures. The subsequent frozen salaries is the main reason for supporting the package measures, Korker underlined , stating that without financial discipline the devaluation can come to no success. At the end Korker pointed out that the mission will suggest the IMF Managing Board to uphold the granting of the ESAF-credit for Macedonia. The governor of the MNB, Ljube Trpevski, pointing out that in the ongoing period the Government's expectations to purchase the extra foreign currencies from the market have not been realized, at yesterday's press conference aired his view that in this way it is expected in the third and forth quarter of this year the extra foreign currencies offered for purchase on part of the MNB will be main channel for emission primary money. In the third quarter it is expected that the loss of 327 million denars (from the first quarter) will not only be compensated but the monetary mass will be increased as well, thus the yearly level will reach the first project on increase of the monetary mass, says Trpevski. Regarding the denar devaluation, yesterday estimations convey that no disturbance in the macroeconomy policy is expected, and the exchange rate (31 denar per 1DM) remains the basic anchor for the economy policy, stated the MNB governor adding that its value will be protected with all instruments. [07] ECONOMY CHAMBER - POSSIBLE EFFECT OF 40 MILLION DOLLARSThe simulation conducted yesterday in the Economy Chamber of Macedonia through using information on the realized export in the last year, compared to the export of raw materials (excluding the loan jobs) denotes that there is a possibility of a 40 million dollars effect from the undertaken Government measures. These measures have been mostly directed towards improvement of the export firms position and, on the other hand, towards decreasing the import of consumer goods and reproduction materials, reported the vice-president of the Chamber, Milan Horvat. According to his opinion, if the foreign currency market is to be adjusted to the offer and demand, and moves towards stabilizing of this devaluation, the effects of the package measures will surely be made use of.According to `Dnevnik', the general assessment of the merchants is that the exchange rate of the denar in the last period has artificially been maintained and that this move of the Government simulates the export. The paper also reports, there are convictions that this will not yield great help the export oriented firms because there is need for reproduction materials for almost everything produced in Macedonia and these are being imported from abroad. The merchants also agree that the denar devaluation will cause increase in the prices. [08] CHANGES ON CONSUMPTION DECREASE AND STABLE PROCESSYesterday the members of the parliament discussed the changes in the Bill on salary disbursement proposed by the Government. The salaries limitation is in the function of decreasing the consumption whose increase under conditions of starting a new cycle in the economy flow might lead to a negative result in the process of price stabilization. This would reduce the danger of pressure on price increase on the domestic market. These changes, as explained by Finance Secretary, Taki Fiti, on the other hand will have a positive effect in increase of the rivalry ability in the production segment of the Macedonian economy through decrease of production costs, which is within the global strategy frameworks.[09] CHANCE FOR MACEDONIAN FIRMS IN THE `EUROPATNERIAT' MANIFESTATION IN FRANCEWithin the frames of the `Europartneriat' manifestation which is scheduled for autumn in France participation will take 10 Macedonian firms, it was reported at yesterday's press conference in the Economy Chamber of Macedonia. The Macedonian firms will participate among 2.000 other firms from Europe through the Economy Chamber of Macedonia, the Privatization Agency and in collaboration with the PHARE programme.According to the chief of the executive office of PHARE in Macedonia, Maurizio Locatelli, the presence of the Macedonian firms at this manifestation is of great importance regarding the small domestic market, i.e. the possibilities for extending the foreign market through such contacts. The selection of the Macedonian firms participating at this manifestation is due by the end of this month. MILS SUPPLEMENT[10] `Black Shirts in Tetovo'(`Nova Makedonija', 9 July, 1997)The DPA Uniting Congress taking place last weekend in the Culture Club in Tetovo was secured under the severe supervision of about 30 uniformed watchmen dressed in black shirts, black berets and black trousers as being a special decor of the Congress. Their coming to the PDPA seat in the Culture Club organised in a file two by two have arisen various reactions in Tetovo. From attitudes that it presents a manifestation of neo-Fascism - reminding us of the past, to opinions that its purpose was to manifestation of force directed not so much against the Macedonians as much as against the different political opinion of the Albanians that they have appeared there so as to hinder any other option. Our poll conducted among Tetovo citizens of different nationalities and age have shown that most of them, both Macedonian and Albanian, who have been co-existing so long, would not comment on this event saying that they give priority to existence and adding that everyone should be thinking of one's actions while the state bodies should be performing their duties. Some older Macedonian citizens have stated: 'It is well known who wore black uniform during the occupation - only the Mussolini Fascists and their servants, the Balists. This presents resurrection of those forces. It is clear what they want - all activities and manifestations of uniting are with one purpose only - creating a Greater Albania. What we want to know is how come the state bodies allow such activities.' As opposed to this opinion, some citizens of Albanian nationality have commented that they are even more irritated by that manifestation because they consider it as an imposing of the attitude `we have appeared so as to hinder any other option' on those who have a different opinion which according to their comment is `causing more repulsiveness than attraction'. However, we have realised that such manifestations gain a great amount of support among the youth of Albanian nationality, while the Macedonian youth are more keen than senior citizens and give the following comments: `It's no good, they could wear whatever clothes they like, but the Macedonian is patient and will endure as long as possible but when all limits have been crossed, he will clear things up'. This attitude of the youth is as much as upsetting as the appearance of the so-called black guard, but the fact stays that these and similar manifestations kindle sparkles of various feelings which may be the ultimate objective of the fire starters and it should be timely put down. In reference to this event in Tetovo we have requested an opinion of the PDP. The president of the Tetovo branch of this party, Abdula Ademi, has stated: `Our attitude regarding the appearance of those uniformed watchmen at the Uniting Congress of the DPA is the following - There is no need to make a fuss about it because we have been informed from reliable sources that this sort of security had been approved by the authorities i.e. by the Ministry of the Interior. If there is anything in it that can be associated to something already seen in the Balkans it would be unacceptable and damaging for us.' The attitude of the DPM seated in Tetovo, as stated by Zoran Efremov, is conveyed through a report of the party saying that the manner in which uniformed people marching presents no watchmen service it is more likely similar to a para-military formation which lacked only arms and reminded of such similar files from the 40-ties arising negative feelings in all people with good intentions in Tetovo. The DPM wonders whether the state will act as a mute observer treating these events as democratic and pluralistic behaviour? We are familiar with the fact that in our conditions it is allowed rallies to be secured by policemen but they are recognisable by the tracks placed around the arm, and not by their uniform. And it is to be pointed out that these policemen had no other obligation than to stand by the entrance doors of the Culture Club because the Congress was conducted in a peaceful and constructive atmosphere as announced by the organisers. The question posed is - whether anyone really feared someone and was this massive uniformed security really necessary or was the manifestation's purpose frightening someone else? Instead of causing fear the black shirts have arisen hostility within most citizens regardless of their nationality. (end)mils news 10 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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