Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-06-26

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: WE SHALL NOT GIVE UP ONE FOOT OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[02] TENSE RELATIONS BETWEEN BOSNIAN SERB POLICE AND SFOR

[03] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER CONCLUDES VISIT TO GREECE

[04] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS DRAFT LAW ON OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

[05] PRESIDENT LILIC: PROSPERITY, DEVELOPMENT AND BETTER FUTURE LIE AHEAD

[06] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: BIG REFORMS TOWARDS SUCCESS

[07] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC ON A VISIT TO KOSOVO DISTRICT

[08] BULGARIAN ARMY DELEGATION ARRIVES

[01] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: WE SHALL NOT GIVE UP ONE FOOT OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic spoke at a magnificent rally in the southern Serbian town of Pristina on Wednesday and said the policy of national equality, the spirit of tolerance and everything that is characteristic of a developed, humane and democratic society should reign in that region.

"It should be quite clear to everyone, however, that there is no pressure that could make us give up one foot of Kosovo and Metohija," said Milosevic, who arrived in Serbia's southern province for a one-day visit this morning.

He said he was very happy to visit Pristina and some other towns in Kosovo and Metohija, and expressed his thanks for the warm reception, best wishes, and cordial welcome at this great rally in central Pristina, held in a festive and happy atmosphere.

Our country is in the stage of intensive reforms, "after coming out of the biggest crisis in recent history and the biggest pressures possible against a single country," Milosevic said.

The reforms are aimed at creating conditions for modern, speedy, contemporary development, at increasing employment, wages, the standard, making our economy, and all of society, capable of taking its place among the most industrialized European countries already by the end of this decade, Milosevic said.

I am certain, since we have very well-planned programmes and very great material and intellectual potential, that this part of Serbia will contribute to this greatly, both with its labour potentials and natural resources, as well as its intellectual potentials, having in mind the fact that one of the most prominent universities of the Balkans today is the one here, in this very town, President Milosevic said.

I hope that all these potentials, taken together, will contribute to the speedier development of this part of Serbia, because it should hurry on, rush to catch up with the average development in Serbia, because Kosovo, as it is known, is quite behind the average development of our Republic, Milosevic said.

Kosovo need not be poor, however, it need not be undeveloped, primarily because of its potentials, and because it has possibilities. Actually, Kosovo, with all its assets, can be developed, and I am certain that it is able and ready to be developed, he said.

This is possible with very successful work not only of the local people, but also the successful work and adequate help from the entire Republic. You may be certain that this help will not be lacking, Milosevic said to ovations and cries of "Slobo, Slobo"(short form for Slobodan).

"I am certain that every citizen of Kosovo and Metohija, and every citizen of Serbia, knows this very well. You are well aware that the word Kosovo is very often heard in the pressures to which our country is exposed.

"In that respect, I wish to say that the policy of national equality should reign in these regions, the spirit of tolerance, everything which is characteristic of a humane and developed democratic society," Milosevic said.

However, he said, everyone should know that there is no pressure which could make us give up one foot of Kosovo and Metohija. There never were any negotiations on that topic, nor will there be, nor is there any doubt as to the outcome of such a policy, he said.

"We achieved everything that you mentioned a while ago, underscoring the values of our policy, because there was harmony and because we practised a united policy in Serbia.

"The biggest evil and the biggest threat to this people, not only in these lands but in all lands where they live, has always been discord among Serbs, from the Battle of Kosovo Polje and on throughout our entire history.

"I believe that now is the time for all forces which wish well to their country and their people to unite in the realization of the goals which we set before us regarding reforms and our country's development, and (I believe) that this town and this area and all of Kosovo and Metohija will make their full contribution in that respect.

"I wish you much success in this and good cooperation with all other parts of Serbia. May you live long!" said Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, ending his speech in the packed King Milutin Square in central Pristina with the traditional Serb greeting expressing wishes for the best of health and happiness.

[02] TENSE RELATIONS BETWEEN BOSNIAN SERB POLICE AND SFOR

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Republika Srpska Interior Minister Dragan Kijac on Wednesday sent a letter to SFOR commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina General William Crouch, asking him to take measures to stop provocations and attacks on Srpska police.

The letter was sent in reaction to repeated incidents between the Stabilization Force (SFOR) and Republika Srpska police, caused by SFOR most often in the area of the northern town of Brcko, said Kijac.

This is not the first, but one of many such incidents in which U.S. SFOR troops grossly violate all articles of the Srpska Constitution and laws, articles of the Peace Accords, and demonstrate force by abusing combat hardware and weaponry in a very rough, inhumane and uncivilized way, humiliating members of the Srpska Interior Ministry, said Kijac.

If such behaviour does not cease, the Srpska Interior Ministry will be forced to decide to suspend all relations and contacts with the SFOR in the region of Brcko, said the letter.

The SFOR actions cannot be described either as military or as civilized, but as an act of raw and disproportionate force, in the style of hostile occupation forces, which is contrary to the honourable mission of the SFOR, said the letter.

The Ministry has informed all Srpska state organs and representatives of the international community, civilian and military authorities, SFOR and the International Police Task Force about these incidents.

[03] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER CONCLUDES VISIT TO GREECE

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic concluded late on Wednesday a one-day working visit to Greece during which promotion of bilateral relations and doubling of trade was agreed on.

Yugoslavia received guarantees that Greece would urge the former's equal treatment in international bodies, and back its full admission in the international community.

Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos and Kontic agreed that bilateral relations were good politically and improving economically.

Kontic conferred about more specific forms of cooperation in a meeting with his counterpart Costas Simitis.

The open and constructive talks focused on economic cooperation, the Peace Process in the former Yugoslavia and regional cooperation.

Kontic told a news conference he expected bilateral trade would amount to 500 million dollars next year, thanks to many deals, and two accords on stimulating and encouraging investments and avoiding double taxation, signed in Athens on Wednesday.

Kontic said he expected a significant credit from Greece amounting to 100 million dollars, for bilateral commodity exchange, would soon be realized.

On the political plane, dialogue continues and Simitis is due for a visit to Belgrade soon, said Kontic.

He said the Peace Process in the former Yugoslavia and an initiative for Balkan cooperation, were given support, as well as Yugoslavia's initiative for parliamentary cooperation.

Greece will support Yugoslavia in all international institutions, Simitis said in a statement to Serbian Radio-Television (RTS).

Kontic said Yugoslavia called for "further normalization of relations with the European Union, i.e. the use of preferences, especially in agriculture, and the use of funds."

"Greece has consented that Yugoslavia be a member of the same constituency as Greece in the International Monetary Fund. It has consented to chair a Working Group for our admission to the World Trade Organization, and would urge the inclusion of Corridor 10, which passes through Yugoslavia, in the pan-European corridor network," said Kontic.

In a meeting with the Greek Parliamentary Speaker, Kontic and Apostolos Kaklamanis agreed to promote parliamentary cooperation.

Kontic and Jason Stratos, the President of the Association of Greek industrialists, indicated which spheres of cooperation, from industry to tourism, would be most beneficial.

[04] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS DRAFT LAW ON OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

The Serbian Government adopted a draft Law on ownership transformation at a session on Wednesday chaired by Premier Mirko Marjanovic and sent it to Parliament for consideration and adoption, a Republican Government statement said.

The draft is the result of a wide and very thorough debate in which top experts in this area, many businessmen, trade union organizations, representatives of all relevant political parties, numerous organizations and citizen associations took part.

The draft took into consideration experience by other European countries in the implementation of ownership transformation, and foreign experts were also consulted.

It is the key legislative project within the reform process and will round off the market-oriented economic system which the Serbian Government has been building for three and half years.

The basic objective of the draft is to promote the efficient work of companies, increase their competitiveness and profitability, securing in turn the further progress of the home economy and thus increasing the standard of citizens.

Under the draft Law, companies independently decide about entering into the process of ownership transformation and choose the desired model. The draft allows for the possibility that ownership transformation cover both social and state capital available to companies.

The draft Law also secures the participation of 4-5 million citizens in this process. All participants in social and state capital so far can take part in ownership transformation under equal conditions - employees, former employees in the social and state sector, pensioners, and all farmers, insured and uninsured.

The draft also includes solutions for funds obtained by sales of social or state capital to be directed into a Development Fund, Fund for the labour market, and Fund for pension and disability insurance, so that other categories of the population can also be covered by the positive effects of these changes.

In this way, the bulk of the existing social and state capital will go to its creators. The concentration of capital in a small number of affluent individuals or groups will be prevented, thus enabling and securing justice in the best possible way in this very important reformist endeavour.

[05] PRESIDENT LILIC: PROSPERITY, DEVELOPMENT AND BETTER FUTURE LIE AHEAD

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic hosted a reception for journalists, cameramen and photographers at the Federation Palace on Wednesday.

The reception was attended by about 100 media representatives who had reported on the activities of the President over the past four years.

Lilic, whose mandate expires on Wednesday, said all public functions and activities should be carried out in the interests of the people of Yugoslavia.

"We must direct all our strength toward a stabilization of political relations in Yugoslavia," said Lilic, and added that Yugoslavia did not need destructive processes, but a stable country above all.

Lilic said the most important task for the country now was the election of a new President.

Asked whether Serbia would insist on a revision of the Constitution of Yugoslavia, Lilic said the initiative was raised by the Socialist Party of Serbia and indicated that "everything which is conducive to promotion of democratic processes in Yugoslavia should be a subject of discussion."

"No initiative should be rejected apriori. I personally believe that the initiative will be broached in Parliament, if not at present, then at some other time," he said.

Asked about the constitutional competencies of the President of Yugoslavia, Lilic said that if the Republican Constitutions were coordinated with the Federal Constitution, and if the institution of the Federal State were respected, then there was no reason to alter anything in particular relating to the powers of the President.

Asked what sort of cooperation he expected with the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, which has rejected the initiative, Lilic said the acceptance or non-acceptance of an initiative can not be the measure of cooperation between two coalition partners who had, after all, created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

"I believe that regardless of the opinions of certain individuals, from either party, that cooperation can not be brought into question," Lilic said in conclusion.

[06] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: BIG REFORMS TOWARDS SUCCESS

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic expressed here on Wednesday satisfaction that he was visiting the centre of the Morava river basin in Kosovo and wished success to this region and the entire Kosovo "in the great job all of us in Serbia have undertaken to carry out the speedy economic development and the major reforms."

Milosevic underscored that the realization of this endeavour should lead us "into better relations, knowledge, development and generally, the creation of a very developed and very successful state, as our country should be at the end of the century."

Milosevic, who arrived this morning for a one-day visit to the Province, said that "this is a region in which the industry did not stop for the entire duration of the Yugoslav crisis, and the agriculture has also not been degraded to such an extent. This is a marked agricultural region which is also one of the five major industrial centres of Kosovo," Milosevic said.

"I want to tell you that regarding the economic revival and the revitalization of the agriculture, as well as the recovery of the industry, we will take energetic steps which will promote the situation in these two spheres which are vital for the development of this region and of the entire Kosovo. In view of the advantages of this cattle-breeding region, I hope that in this election year there will be opportunities for significant investments," Milosevic said.

Milosevic was welcomed by local City Council Head Bogdan Peric and the leader of the Gnjilane branch of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Djuro Lazic who is also a Minister in the Serbian Government. The Serbian President was accompanied by SPS Vice-President Milorad Vucelic, the Speaker of the Chamber of Citizens Milomir Minic and the Director of the Federal Customs Administration Mihalj Kertes.

[07] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC ON A VISIT TO KOSOVO DISTRICT

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic met on Wednesday on his arrival in Pristina the political and economic leadership of the Kosovo District and the city of Pristina, who informed him of the current situation in this part of Serbia.

Addressing the city political and economic officials, President Milosevic said that all state organs in Kosovo must apply the same rules as those followed by other state organs in Serbia. "You have spoken of the observance of the law by state organs, but this must be repeated several times in Kosovo", he said.

"Why is it necessary for this to be repeated in Kosovo? Because in Kosovo, the threat of discrimination is greater than in other parts of our state. This only increases the responsibility of state organs - police, judiciary, administration, inspections and all others", Milosevic underlined.

"In this respect, our state must set an example of the observance of the law and of activities of other organs in the Province. We should in this respect have European standards and criteria. I expect the work of state organs to develop and improve on the basis of the principles of non- discrimination and full abidance by the law, and to fully reflect the policy of national equality in our state", the President said.

The President then spoke of economic development and the principal economic issues in Kosovo and Metohija.

"One of the priority tasks of the economic recovery in Kosovo is revitalizing agriculture and simultaneously developing power industry, as agriculture and power industry are the great advantages of Serbia's economy as a whole", Milosevic said.

"The realization of projects of large capacity power plants should start shortly in order to accelerate the elimination of the absurd situation in which Pristina, which is located on top of coal deposits, uses fuel oil for heating purposes", the President said.

The Serbian Government will soon adopt a decision on setting up a special Directorate for the development of under*developed areas, the President said and added that the Directorate should be based in Pristina although there are other under*developed areas in Serbia. This would contribute to a faster understanding of real development issues in Kosovo and Metohija and a faster development of the Province, the President said.

Referring to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Deputy Head of the Kosovo District Veljko Odalovic underlined that the new way of organizing state administration facilitated the exercise of citizens' rights and realization of their interests, the control of the activities of institutions and the curbing of illegal activities.

Odalovic welcomed the draft Law on local self-rule, as it provides mechanisms for ensuring full equality of all citizens, regardless of whether they are in majority or minority.

Security organs are successful in uncovering terrorist organizations and judiciary organs give adequate sentences for the crimes, he said. Odalovic described the situation in the District as stable and said the citizens enjoyed a high level of peace and safety.

Underlining that the economy in the Kosovo District was slowly recovering, Odalovic said that a faster growth of industrial production was expected in a near future. The Serbian Development Institute has drawn up a program for the consolidation of several companies in the District which was endorsed by the Serbian Government, he added.

Pointing to the need for a greater commitment of other republican funds and authorities in the District, Odalovic said this would guarantee the realization of the Government policy in Kosovo and Metohija. These activities must be accompanied by a consolidation of the economy through building housing or providing home building sites to all who wish to live and work in the District, he said.

Odalovic expressed gratitude to President Milosevic for providing support to the development of the District, as demonstrated by his current visit.

[08] BULGARIAN ARMY DELEGATION ARRIVES

Tanjug, 1997-06-25

A Bulgarian Army delegation headed by First Army Corps Commander General Tsanko Dolenski has arrived on a three-day return visit to the Yugoslav Army.

Yugoslav Army Nis Corps Commander General Negosav Nikolic will be the host of the Bulgarian delegation, whose program includes visits to units and institutions and attending Yugoslav Army regular training activities.

The two countries' military delegations, it has been announced, will discuss cooperation in exchanging experience in army military build-up and modernization.

Bulgarian Army representatives will also be received in the Yugoslav Third Army Command.

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