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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-08-08Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 08 August, 1997[01] UNFINISHED PEACE REMAINSOne year ago the International Commission for the Balkans issued a report on the situations in the Former Yugoslavia after the Dayton Treaty titled as `Unfinished peace'. The Commission members with experts from the region held a meeting somewhere by the end of last month in the Aspen - Institute, in Colorado, USA, and they were examining the achieved changes.According to this commission the achievement and maintenance of peace in former Yugoslavia remains uncertain. The development of democracy of the post-communistic political structures and civil society, according to the latest statement given by the Commission - have achieved some progress, while the southern Balkans - Macedonia and Albania and Kosovo have been encompassed by intermingled riots, reports `Nova Makedonija'. One year ago it was clear that the stability on Kosovo depends on the relative abstention of Albania and on the ethnic harmony between the Albanians and the Slavic majority in Macedonia. Both states are facing crisis at the moment. The Albanian state has been overcome by anarchy and a civil war this spring; a large quantity of arms fell into the hands of the rebelling gangs.. In western Macedonia fire arms conflicts occurred between the Albanian nationalists and the Macedonian police. The three crisis encompassing Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo are separate, yet connected. If they remain unresolved this opens possibilities for a new greater regional conflict in the southern Balkans. According to this, the Commission again directs an appeal for conducting an urgent preventive action. The Commission considers that the integrity of the Macedonian state is of critical importance to the stability in the region. However, the survival of the state requires a particular degree of decentralizing, which will take into consideration the legitimate demands of the Albanian minority for cultural autonomy, including respect for the basic integrity of one Unitarian state. Besides this, the international military presence, such as the presence of UNPREDEP at the moment, for now will be necessary in Macedonia so as to prevent foreign interference. [02] THE LETTER EXISTS - ITS CONTENTS CONFIDENTIALThe letter of reply from the German concern `Folksvagen' in relation to the project of manufacturing the `A-3' automobile in Macedonia has been sent and delivered to the Finance Minister ,Taki Fiti. This information that was published yesterday by `Nova Makedonija' was affirmed by the Government spokesman, Zoran Ivanov. However, as Ivanov said, he has not yet been acquainted with its contents. It is assumed that if the AUDI reply was a positive one the government wouldn't have been waiting so long to inform the public. Thus it remains the minister to go on with his vacation (abroad), and wait for more specific information afterwards.`AUDI' was buying time in a way, i.e. awaited to see how things were developing in the Balkans and decide afterwards on getting into such a deal. The events that were happening went in favour of this, primarily the events in Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and SR Yugoslavia. Hence one can draw the conclusion that the Germans have no interest in investing in Macedonia from the simple reason that our market is relatively small and does not pay off for a larger serial manufacturing. Maybe this was the reason for the unrealistic conditions that had been set down, such as: the Macedonian Government to point down how many cars it will buy and thus provide future placement of the `Folksvagen'. In this manner they wanted to show that the state is not interested in receiving `AUDI' in this region. We do not believe that there is a state, particularly any going through a transition, that would not want to accept a collaboration with the automobile giant such as `Folksvagen', i.e. it's firm `AUDI'. Once there was the option for Germany to set a factory in Croatia in stead of Macedonia, but it fell through. Macedonia is surely interested into accepting foreign capital in its economy, and even more interested if it means investing from a renown foreign firm. But, our state is not willing to collide with the World Trade Organization ant the EU, while the conditions that were set would have probably lead to such problems, reports `Nova Makedonija'. [03] WORLD BANK APPROVES 25 000 DOLLARS LOANWithin the frames of possible and most appropriate development of the municipalities of Kriva Palanka and Rankovce there are attempts towards using the available sources that will facilitate a better developing perspective of this area. For that purpose preparations are underway for a study on regional development which through the Agency for Transformation of Firms Nationally owned, is financed by the World Bank with unrecoverable means in the height of 25.000 US dollars.This study , says the Kriva Palanka mayor, Ljupcho Petkovski, should precisely go through the region abilities and the possibilities to make use of the advantages and conditions that allow a quicker development of the municipalities and rehabilitation of the economy collapse and unenployment.The study should also include the natural resources, the existing capacities and population structure which will provide use of the comparative advantages and enliven he region. According to the first analysis, our attempts would be directed towards re-structuring and reactivating the existing firms and creating small- and medium-sized firms through examination of the market, finishing the manufacturing and producing attractive and demanded products. Or to be more precise, future investments should be directed towards production of healthy food, for which ideal conditions are provided here, as well as development of cattle breeding and making use of the grass areas, reports `Nova Makedonija'. [04] `TAT' CLIENTS PROTESTINGYesterday, about 10 a.m. on the `Goce Delchev' square in Bitola on the call of the `TAT' Clients' Council some hundreds of clients gathered once more to express their protest against the adopted Bill on pre-term retaliation which, according to some speakers, does not contribute towards returning the lost money from the `TAT' savings bank. The speakers underlined that besides the fact that the clients are being provided with the minimum means of 2.500 DM for a period of 6 months, they are also impelled to pay 600 denars of court taxes for filing demands in the bankruptcy proceedings.The gathered clients kept by police officers directed towards the building of the Basic Court where they were protesting till their representatives Kiro Kovachev, Aleksandar Ilievski, Aleksandar Brajanovski and Trajche Sipkovski were received to talk with the president of the Court in Bitola, Aleksandar Prchevski. The Court president was handed a demand on release of court tax payment. The demand says that that the tax payment is unacceptable taking into consideration the clients' assets situation after the `TAT' bankruptcy. When the negotiations had ended, the clients returned to the town square where they were informed that it would be the best to deliver the demands for their deposits through the mail till the middle of next week when another talks is due in the Court and the Justice Ministry. The clients yesterday in the afternoon, were informed that representatives of the Clients' Association, had allegedly, also spoken in the court which was received by the clients with dissatisfaction, reports `Vecher'. [05] SDSM WITCH-HUNTThe VMRO-DPMNE in its yesterday's report strongly protests against the latest undertaken measures of the Interior Ministry for the Interior (IM) against the persons in Shtip and Prilep, assessing them as Fascist- like witch-hunt conducted by the SDSM regime. The detaining of these people is ungrounded and un- proven and presents a severe breaching of the human rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws. As it is said in the report, these people's expression of party belonging and support once more unmasks the artificial position of the IM which according to the VMRO-DPMNE presents a SDSM private police, reports `Vecher'.[06] DEBTS TOWARDS US, JAPAN AND ITALY TO BE REGULATEDBy the end of this month it is expected to be signed 2 of the remaining 3 bilateral treaties on regulating the debts towards the creditor states. Those are treaties with the US and Japan, while the last one with Italy, according to information from the Finance Minister, will be finished most probably the following month. Macedonia owes a total of 315 billion dollars. The complete foreign Macedonian debt that including obligations to the commercial banks and finance organizations ( the World bank, IMF and others) is estimated up to almost 1,1 billion dollars. The report for consolidation of the Macedonian debt towards the Paris Club of Trustees was signed in Paris on 17 July 1995.Besides the USA (to which Macedonia owes 93 million dollars), Japan (approximately 4 million $) and Italy (around 8 million), other states towards which the obligations are re-programmed are: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and Great Britain. At that time, besides the credits that had a known user, Macedonia accepted 5,4% of the alleged un-located debt owed by the SFRY. This record was the basis for further negotiations in each state separately. Out of the complete debt to the Paris Club, around 217 million dollars were re-programmed with a repayment dead line of 15,5 years, with a 4 years grace period, and the remaining part of 6,5 years with a grace period of 3 years. By the end of this year Macedonia will have to pay the foreign creditors 26,4 million dollars, obligations that come from the installments and accounted interests on the past used credits. However this important foreign currency `portion' will not remain the only one, because it will entail the money owed to the European Investment bank amounting to additional 30 million ECU. The money will be supplied in a combined manner: partly by new debts intended for overcoming the financial gap in the payment balance, partly by foreign donations or, if necessary, by use of the foreign currency reserves. The total foreign debt of Macedonia by the end of June amounted up to 1,06 billion dollars and its pay off is precisely determined with annual foreign currency amounts. For example, in the first 5 months of this year about 40 million dollars have been paid, in the mean time some 15 million dollars have arrived to be paid as well. All this, as the finance experts underline, has been paid on time which confirms the achieved renown of Macedonia as a regular payer. The other part of the means amounting to 15,9 million dollars is intended for the so-called multilateral creditors - the finance organizations of the type of the World Bank or the IMF. This category would cover the 30 million ECU debt towards the European Investment Bank the paying off of which is crucial for activating the finance protocol with the he EU worth 150 million ECU. These will mainly be used for investments in the infrastructure. As it is known, from 15th to 18th last month in our state stayed a mission of the EU as a finale to what had been decided at the donator's conference in Brussels during February this year. This loan will be received in 2 installments, and it is important that the first one will be quickly be redrawn because immediately afterwards the deadline of 3 months will be activated for gaining the second part of the credit that would cover the remaining payments. The first part of the credit amounts up to 25 million ECU, while the second one - 15 million. The second installment is conditioned with the reform realization in our state, and as a `quid pro quo' for this are the arrangements with the IMF and the World Bank. The time term for repaying this credit is 15 years, with a grace period of 10 years. The interest rate is changeable and amounts half a the percentage over the interests determined by the London inter-banking market, and if Macedonia agrees the interest can be turned into a static one.This credit practically continues the tradition of those that had been granted in the past few years under more favourable conditions which decreases the total debt burden of the state, reports `Nova Makedonija'. [07] AMERICAN EXPRESS IN MACEDONIABy the end of June this year the `Macedonian Bank' commenced issuing `American Express' credit cards. For this relatively short period the bank has already issued about 50 cards, and the number of those demanding this card is large. So as to gain this card one has to have an open checking of foreign currency account in `The Macedonian Bank' and this means that the interested subject has to receive his salary through this bank or he has to be a former client of this bank for at least one year. The card is also issued to citizens that are working in firms collaborating with this bank, i.e. firms that realize any closer contacts with the Macedonian Bank. If the citizens has not been so far a client of this bank, for this purpose he may open an account in it and gain the right to use this credit card.Besides this, the subject must deliver data on the values and assets he possesses. Also his monthly income must not be lower than 700 DM which somehow presents a luxury for a greater part of the citizens. The deposit which is invested for gaining this card amounts to 1.000 DM (the same as in using other cards), and it is also necessary to pay 900 denars for `American Express' membership. The yearly membership fee for using the card amounts up to 1.800 denars. [08] 12 DAYS VACATION, 6 MONTHS MATERNITY LEAVE AND LOADS OF CUTSThe proposals on cutting the base of the paid vacation from 18 down to 12 days, the cut on the maternity leave from 9 to 6 months, the cut of the 2 days paid absence for the blood donators, the decrease of the compensations during sicknesses - all these are merely part of the `package' of alterations and augmentations in the legal regulations which in September will be analyzed by the Assembly and they were suggested by the World bank and the IMF. The novelties and reductions in the sector for work relations, according to the Deputy-Minister for labor and Social Policy, Vera Nikolovska, are not contrary to the international conventions and norms.The Economy Chamber and the Syndicate Union of Macedonia were updated with the whole enterprise and have no reprimands referring to the suggested restrictive measures. The World bank and the IMF have packed the ESAF. In the preparation of this document participated representatives from the ministries for labor, social policy, health,finance and education. The Labor Ministry has accepted the suggestion of the foreign financiers that `18 days of vacation for all workers that have over one year length of service is to generous in comparison to the international standards'. The new minimum of yearly vacation will be 12 days. Accepted was also the recommendation that all paid absences - wedding, moving, and other private activities - to be reduced to from 7 down to 5 days. The Bill on work relations will wipe off the right to 2 days leave on grounds of blood donating. The ESAF considers this to be `an expensive manner of stimulating blood donation', reports `Dnevnik'. [09] INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND PAYMENT BALANCE - PART 5 (G. Bishev)As regards the instruments of a payment balance adaptation policy, they should be comprised of a combination of expenditure-reducing policies and expenditure-switching policies. This implies the necessity to conduct a policy based on a market- orientated, real denar exchange rate, since it represents a key development factor in addition to the balance of payment. Only in conditions marked by the existing of correct price indicators, a rational allocation of resources within domestic economy becomes feasible. The opposite situation, i.e. the over-rating of one's national currency, may be conducive to serious distortions in terms of production and export-import structure, the transfer of economic entities from producing tradable to non-tradable goods and services, etc.The determining of hard currency exchange rates on grounds of the correlation between offer and demand embodies the most neutral approach to uphold financial competitiveness with respect to the international market. This is they basic prerequisite to the success of an export-oriented development strategy for the Republic of Macedonia. As regards the modes of international capital influx, so far the generating of debts has been the only shape of capital procurement employed by the Republic of Macedonia. The share of direct international investments is utterly insignificant, which is above all based on unstable regional conditions and the low appeal of Macedonia as an economic area to international investors. (To be continued...)mils news 08 August, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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