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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-22Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 22 July, 1997[01] AMERICAN HIGH DELEGATES IN MACEDONIA TODAYHigh delegates from the USA headed by the regular American representative in the UN, Bill Richardson, will stay today in one-day official visit to Macedonia. Ambassador Richardson, as it has been announced will be received by President Kiro Gligorov and will have talks with PM Branko Crvenkovski and Foreign Secretary, Blagoj Handziski. The American delegates, according to the announcement of the American Information Centre in Skopje, at the meetings with the Macedonian leaders he will talk on enlargement of the Security Council, the peace operations and the UN reform. Within the frameworks of the visit to Macedonia the American delegates will also meet the Special Envoy of the UN General Secretary, Henryk Sokalski and will visit the UNPREDER mission.[02] MACEDONIAN ISSUE IN BULGARIAN COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL SECURITYThe Bulgarian Socialist Party will urge President Petar Stoyanov to call a session of the Council for National Security which would resolve the problems with Macedonia in general, stated the leader of the party, Gjorgji Prvanov. `Makfaks' reports, the Bulgarian socialists stand behind the attitude that `the Kominterna is to claim responsibility for the Macedonian issue'. In his statement given for the paper `Pari', the socialist leader Prvanov underlined that the blame is to be put also on the succeeding parties that had governed the state since 9 September 1944, because Bulgaria under their leadership took part in a war that ended with a national catastrophe.[03] CRITICISM FROM PM SIMITIS REGARDING MACEDONIAN ISSUEThe participants in the World Congress of All-Macedonian Unions from Greece which commenced yesterday in Thessaloniki directed criticism to the Government of PM Simitis regarding the politics he leads against the alleged Macedonian issue, reports the Macedonian Television. On the first day of the Congress which is to last till 27th July, as Greek papers report, was conducted under a tense atmosphere. The reason for this had been the statement given by a representative from the `Sinspismos' party who advocated reasonable, compromise, and nationally acceptable resolution of the name. The delegates did not allow the representative of the Greek Communist party to speak because he harbored a similar attitude regarding the name.[04] GLIGOROV CONGRATULATING MILOSHEVICHThe Macedonian Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, yesterday directed his congratulations to Slobodan Miloshevich on the occasion of his election for president of the SRY. Wishing him success in the new function, President Gligorov in a telegram also expressed his pleasure with the continual development of the friendly relations and collaboration between the Macedonian Republic and the SRY, and he also expressed his conviction that these will be furthering and developing for the well-being of both states, their peoples and for the interest of peace and prosperity in the region and Europe in general.[05] OIL PROBABLY GETTING MORE EXPENSIVEThe Macedonian Government is expected these days to pass a decision on the price of the oil derivatives due to the recent denar devaluation for 16%. The Skopje Refinery `OKTA' and the largest oil company in this state `Makpetrol' demand increase in the oil price or tax deduction in favour of the producers and distributors of this strategic product. Unofficially the media report that the Government has decided in favour of the first option, i.e. increase of the oil derivatives price for a minimum so that the price of the Super petrol is expected to be increased to 40 denars, which presents 1,5 denars increase of the prior 38,5 denars per liter. This increase, as it is assessed, would satisfy the demands of `OKTA' and `Makpetrol' who demand a sooner resolution because the petrol with the present price costs them 200.000 denars per day. After the denar devaluation the wave of price increase continues, as one of the economic measures recently conducted by the Government.Yesterday the price of the pasteurized milk was increased for 12% and now costs 28 denars per liter. The producers have announced that the purchase price of the milk will also be increased for the same percentage. The oil factory `Blagoj Gjorev' from Veles yesterday announced the information on decrease of the cooking oil price which had been increased before the devaluation. The price of cooking oil according to the latest decision will be reduced for 3,5 denars and will return to the old price prior the devaluation - 58 denars. This is being explained to result from a Government recommendation to re-examine the possibility for decreasing the price of this food product. [06] IN THE FIRST HALF YEAR - INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASED FOR 2,4 PERCENTThe industrial production in Macedonia in the first 6 months this year notices a growth of 2,4%, reported the Republic Statistics Institute. As it is cited, this is largely resulting from the increased production of working means and goods for general consumption for 11,1%, which partakes in the structure of the industry production with 40,6%. In the first half year of 1997 the production has increased in half of all 32 existing industrial branches, and their presence in the structure presents 66,4%. The production growth in this period has been realized in the chemistry, food, tobacco industry, as well as in the production of drinks and electrical machinery and devices with a total of 37,9% participation. In June the state industrial production in comparison to the average monthly production form last year records a decrease for 6,6%. The greatest influence on decrease of the production is present in the electrical industry, black metallurgy and textile industry. The industry production in June in comparison to the previous month has fallen for 5,5%.[07] GOVERNMENT SESSION - GUARANTEES TO USED CREDITSIn function of completion of the procedure regarding keeping file on obligations towards foreign creditors such as the International bank for Renewal and Development, the European Investment Bank and other finance institutions, the Macedonian Government at yesterday's session has fortified alterations in 4 legal projects. These are: the Bill on rehabilitation and reconstruction of part of the banks in Macedonia and the bills on fortification of the relations regarding payment of used credits from international finance organizations, on taking guarantees on the used credits from the European Investment Bank and on taking part of the obligations for some credits from the `Stopanska banka' and `Judobanka -AD Skopje.'As the official session report cites, the Government has accepted the proposal on passing a Bill on loan of the Republic of Macedonia by the EU amounting up to 40 million ECU for support of the payment balance of the state which is to be realized by the end of this year. The Government yesterday discussed and analyzed the prices situation resulting from the recent denar devaluation and activities regarding telecommunications privatization. More detailed information on this are expected from today's regular press conference. [08] ALBANIAN MINISTERS UNSATISFIED WITH INFORMATION REGARDING GOSTIVAR AND TETOVO EVENTSAlbanian ministers in the Macedonian Government at yesterday's session of the Government were present only in the part of the session when there was a discussion regarding the information of the Ministry for the Interior on the Gostivar and Tetovo events which had been demanded by the Party for Democratic Prosperity. According to the Government's report, in the discussion the 5 Albanian ministers have characterized the information as incomplete and non-objective, assessing that it does not lighten up the cases with the killed citizens in the brutal police intervention.The Albanian parliament members have also expressed protest because the information does not accept the fact that the police has over stepped the legal frameworks and authorizations during the intervention and that the person from the Interior Ministry who issued the order for police intervention has not claimed responsibility. The report also cites, due to opposing of the Albanian ministers to the presented information, the Government has agreed to return it to the Ministry which is expected to reply to these remarks. After this the Albanian ministers again in a sign of protest have left the session and stated that they would return in the Government only when a complete and objective information on the Gostivar and Tetovo events is placed on the agenda. [09] INTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS OF PDPIn the premises of the parliamentary group of the Party for Democratic Prosperity yesterday intensive consultations were conducted regarding the events related to the police action in Gostivar and Tetovo, as well as the activities of the parliament members of the party in the Parliament and the Government, i.e. regarding their participation of non-participation in the functioning of the state bodies. The PDP President, Abdurahman Aliti, yesterday held another meeting with PM Crvenkovski and discussed current events. The media report that Aliti yesterday met with the British Ambassador in Macedonian, Mark Dickinson, who aired the attitude of the European Union members regarding the Tetovo and Gostivar events. More specific information on this talk is not available for now, but according to Abdurahman Aliti an official announcement is expected soon conveying the EU attitude.[10] FLAG ALSO REMOVED IN BOGOVINJEIn the seat of the newly formed municipality Bogovinje yesterday the Albanian flag was removed were it was illegally hoisted and exhibited from 2 months ago. The Albanian flag in Bogovinje, as the Macedonian radio reports, was taken down one hour after midnight on the grounds of a unanimous decision passed by members of the municipality council. The removal of the Albanian flag in Bogovinje was conducted in peace and order and is expected to set a positive and practical example of consistent adherence to the legal regulations in the state. Illegally hoisted Albanian flags are still on the masts in the township buildings in Oslomej, Tearce and Zajas.[11] DPA - GLOBAL SCENARIO CONNECTED TO SITUATION IN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO`The police intervention in Gostivar and Tetovo has revealed the global scenario which is closely related to the situation in Albania and Kosovo with the purpose to diminish the level of national demands of the people with Albanian nationality, it was assessed in yesterday's special session of the Democratic Party of the Albanians taking place in Tetovo. In the session, presided by the party's president, Arben Dzaferi, the only item on the agenda was the situation in the Macedonian towns inhabited by Albanian nationalities after the intervention of the 'regime forces from Skopje over the innocent people'.`In Gostivar the Macedonia which is endeavored to be built up by the nations that live in it and the international factors has been broken apart. Different segments of the current authority are acting so as to put the blame on the Albanians and to frighten them with all kinds of torture exercised on the DPA. The courts and diplomacy, so as to hide the loss of confidence in the Albanians towards the state, are trying `post festum' to construct the guilt by preparing a political process against the DPA representatives, but this only reveals the weaknesses of the rulers instead of their force', it is cited in the DPA report from the session. [12] ALBANIAN TELEVISION - FOREIGN FACTOR BEING IN BELGRADEThe Albanian national television these days in a special comment has given an advise to the Macedonian Interior Minister, Tomislav Chokrevski, to look for the foreign factor in Belgrade because the events in Gostivar happened only 2 days after PM Branko Crvenkovski had returned from Belgrade, but also because of the factor that within the Macedonian police forces there were police and military units from Serbia. This comment, according to `Dnevnik', has been given after the statement of the Interior Secretary, Tomislav Chokrevski, in which he assessed that the events in Gostivar and Tetovo had been caused by the extremist forces induced by Albania and Kosovo.The comment also cites that the Macedonian diplomacy can not assess this reaction of official Tirana as involvement in Macedonian domestic affairs. `The issue at stake is the interest of the Albanian population which covers 40% of the overall population in Macedonia', it is cited in the comment. Condemning the `surprising silence' of the international community and the European media regarding `the events in the Albanian towns in Macedonia', the Albanian Television has assessed the situation as being very difficult. President Gligorov's proposed comparative study on the minorities has been estimated as unacceptable because one can not compare 2 -3 thousand Albanians of the non- Albanian nationality living in Prespa with the 800.000 to 1 million Albanians living in their ethnic regions in the FYROM. [13] DEMOCRATIC FORUM FROM GOSTIVAR - PROVOCATION AGAINST THE ALBANIAN PEOPLEThe Prishtina paper published in the Albanian language `Bujku' yesterday published a report of the Democratic Forum for Human Rights and Freedom in Macedonia with a seat in Gostivar regarding the recent riots in Gostivar and Tetovo. According to the explanation of the Forum the report has the purpose to inform the domestic and foreign public , the international organizations and organizations on protection of human rights on events in Macedonia. The report, as reports A-1 TV, bears a warning that the Bill on use of minority flags was signed by the Assembly chairman, Tito Petkovski, instead being signed by President Gligorov.In relation to the police intervention against the Albanian demonstrates in Gostivar and Tetovo, as it is claimed in the Forum, 5.000 special forces were used armed with armored vehicles and modern fire arms. Regarding the 3 Albanians killed in the riots is cited to have been victims of snipers. In this report the Democratic Forum also claims that the police tortured the prisoners, and used hospital data so as to arrest the persons who had been hurt in the riots and press charges against them. According to the Democratic Forum the preparation of penal procedures against the Gostivar mayor, Rufi Osmanli, the leading man of Tetovo, Aljadin Demiri, and many other Albanians now being imprisoned presents a sequel of the provocation against the Albanian people. MILS SUPPLEMENT[14] `Pre-terminal Disbursement in a Credit Form'(`Vecher', 21 July, 1997)The Bill establishes the amount and sources of means for early disbursement of part of the clients' demands. The means will be disbursed in equal monthly instalments for each household with 13.500 denars in the next 6 months. The state will intervene with 540 million denars The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia in the sequel of the 68th session adopted the Bill on supplying means in a form of a credit for partial early disbursement of the demands of the citizens on basis of saving deposits and it practically refers to the `TAT', `Lavci' and `ALFA-S' banks. After a pause of almost 2 months the parliament members adopted the Government proposal which allows a partial disbursement of the clients' savings from the banks on which an interest has been accounted and rejected from their demands. The Assembly of the Macedonian Republic recommends the government to take into consideration the possibility of taking over the complete assets of the `TAT', ALFA-S' and `Lavci' banks the purpose of which is avoiding any devaluation of the assets which might happen in the process of bankruptcy proceedings and to suggest within the frameworks of its competence a possible resolution for restitution of the obligations towards these banks' clients. This means, the Bill fixes the amount and the sources supplying the means in a credit form for an early partial disbursement of the demands by the clients of the banks that have gone bankrupt (`TAT' is undergoing the bankruptcy procedure). With the means predicted by this Bill an early disbursement of a part of the demands is procured before the bankruptcy mass formation is completed and before their rights from the bankruptcy mass are realised. As citizen deposits the Bill regards those deposits of all members of one household which has been recorded in a savings bank. The deposit amount of one household is fixed as a total of deposits of all family members living on the same address from the day when the bankruptcy procedure has commenced, reduced for the total amount of accounted i.e. both accounted and disbursed or only disbursed interests under agreements on deposits that had been closed till that day or are still being active. Deposits that are fixed as being under an agreement with interests higher than the ones regulated with a resolution passed by the bank, as well as used credits from the bank with an interest lower than the deposit interest are not liable to the right of disbursement according to this bill. Otherwise, so as to realise this legal project the state will intervene with 540 million denars supplied from realistic sources i.e. from the surplus of the income over the expenses after the final accounts of the MNB for last year in the amount of 150 million denars, then from finance means of the Fund for basic means of the MNB - 160 million denars and 230 million denars from the Budget of the Republic for this year. The money will be disbursed in equal monthly instalments for each household amounting at most 13.500 denars in the period till the bankruptcy procedure will be ended, but not longer than 6 months from the day of the bill's enforcement. For deposits higher than 1.350.000 denars the right on early disbursement according to this law is realised by previously providing a proof of the deposit's origin and the necessary documents will be submitted to the bankruptcy administrator. The order and dynamics of the disbursement will be set by the bankruptcy judge after the documents have been examined by the bankruptcy administrator for the credibility of the demand on the grounds of deposit. [15] `The State is Training Finance Discipline'The salaries that have been disbursed with difficulties and delays, starting from today, with the enforcement of changes in the Bill on finance functioning, will be disbursed with even greater difficulty. By severing the connection between the disbursement, the personal income and the fees the Government has decided to put an end to the endless - no salary so as not to pay fees and personal taxes which is being practised by many firms.From now on the following stands - there must be money for paying off obligations while salaries can wait, if there's any money left. So, the employees will have a guaranteed health and pension insurance, but they will have difficulties surviving and living to see the day when they will retire. Was is necessary for the Government to take such a step? It is undeniable that the state's finance situation has gone under the minimal limits allowed and the non-payment of fees and other taxes have largely endangered the rights of the funds users. The pensioners are in front of a dilemma whether to continue sharing their destiny with the rest of the citizens under conditions allowing certain people to get rich with fees non-payment on behalf of their past labouring. But if it can be proven that the undertaken measures will close many firms, a question pops up of whether providing regular fund income will not be practically reduced to those who have regularly been paying so far. And this has been proven insufficient. On the other hand, the state has to strike back because the budget has huge debts towards many firms. The finance discipline required by the subjects must be respected by the state as well, so as not to cut one of the boughs it is sitting on. If it allows the firms not to respect for the finance discipline, now exercised by the state as a debtor, the measures will be confined to failure. Besides, severity must be applied to everyone, with no bending of rules for some. The largest effect of the offered legal possibility is expected to pay the remnant fees in instalments. And a 70% discount is provided if the debt is paid back within a time term of 45 days. This is seen as a guarantee for covering fund deficits, relieving the budget from unpredictable obligations and the last chance of avoiding bankruptcy for many firms. Why these hopes that the piles of debts will be paid-off only because they are packed up in a bill? The possibility to pay in instalments is not new to the debtors. Last year they were offered almost the same through making triple fund agreements, but the effect was disastrous. Particularly to the Pension Fund. Unlike the Health Insurance Fund where on this ground the income was increased, the pension registers received nothing. Maybe the Government expect a different response because the payment of pension fees is in priority position, but demands from Fund authorities in defining the directions for implementation of the bill changes point out that they fear repetition of last year's situation. They demand blockage of accounts belonging to firms that would not apply neither for instalment payment nor for discount payment. And this is a sure signal that the predictions for guaranteed fund deficits covering are not to be counted on. (end)mils news 22 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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