MAK-NEWS 23/02/95 (M.I.C.) [*]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MIC:

  1. * UNACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS BY ALBANIAN AUTHORITIES
  2. * TETOVO ASSEMBLY: DIVIDED ONE-NATIONAL OPINION
  3. . STUDENT PEACEFUL PROTEST SCHEDULED
  4. . LIBERAL YOUTH UNION AGAINST MEETING
  5. * ELEFTEROTIPIA: "MACEDONIA IS TURNING INTO KOSOVO"
  6. * "VECERNJE NOVOSTI": ALREADY TESTED SCENARIO

    MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  7. . PRIVATIZATION - UP TO WHERE IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE "LOSERS"
  8. . BUSINESS NEWS - "STRUZANKA" EXPORTS GOODS VALUED AT 400,000 DEM PER MONTH
  9. . BUSINESS NEWS - "ZLETOVO BATERII" STOPPED PRODUCTION
  10. . PRIVATIZATION - "ANGROTEKS" PRIVATIZED WITH MANAGEMENT BUY-OUT
  11. . BANKS - PROBLEMS WITH COLLECTION OF DEBTS.
  12. . PUBLIC UTILITIES - MORE MONEY FOR ROADS.


SKOPJE, 23 FEBRUARY, 1995 (MIC)

  1. UNACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS BY ALBANIAN AUTHORITIES
    Macedonia's Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski today summoned the ambassador of the Republic of Albania to Skopje Shaban Murati. Minister Crvenkovski pointed out to the ambassador the unacceptability of some qualifications in the statements of the Albanian authorities in relation to the events surrounding the so-called university in Tetovo.

    The Albanian ambassador was also informed about our concern over the demonstrations held in front of the Macedonian embassy in Tirana on February 20, 1995 and the unacceptable, utterly offensive qualifications directed toward the sovereignty and territorial integrity of RM, as well as its state institutions and official figures. This, as minister Crvenkovski emphasized, damages the started positive development of relations and cooperation between RM and Albania.

    The talks also brought up other questions of bilateral character.

  2. TETOVO ASSEMBLY: DIVIDED ONE-NATIONAL OPINION
    The Macedonian members of the Tetovo local assembly walked out of yesterday's session due to essential differences in opinion with the Albanian colleagues.

    The Macedonians disagreed with the assessments of the Albanians that the university in Tetovo was legal, that the Macedonian police was chetnik and chauvinist-nationalistic, and that it terrorized the innocent Albanian population. The Macedonian members expressed support for the government decision to settle all the problems through the institutions of the system. After these differences, the Macedonian members left the session.

    In the absence of the Macedonian members, the Tetovo assembly nevertheless adopted conclusions condemning "the terror and repressions carried out in Mala Rechica and Poroy." It was also decided for the presidency of the Assembly to raise the question of the immunity of Bilal Ljutviu, who was arrested in the meantime, and the release of those sentenced for minor violations. It was also decided to ask for the resignation of the Interior Minister Ljubomir Frckovski, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and the president of the Republic. Furthermore, it was concluded for the ministers Albanians in the Macedonian Government to submit resignations and withdraw from its future activities. The Albanian members of the Tetovo assembly also expressed support for the work of the "university in Tetovo."

  3. STUDENT PEACEFUL PROTEST SCHEDULED
    The students from the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" are scheduled to hold a peaceful protest meeting at 12.00 h today, against the so-called "Albanian university in Tetovo." The protest, which will take place in front of the building of the Macedonian Parliament, is organized by the Student Association of the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" from Skopje. A declaration will be read out at the meeting, demanding an integral high educational system in Macedonian language, equality in the educational policy (without national keys), protection of the Constitutional system and settlement of the education of the minorities according to international conventions.

    This was announced at yesterday's press conference by the president of the Student Association Toni Mirchevski. He explained that today's peaceful protest in front of Parliament signifies the "voice of the students of the Republic of Macedonia" and dismissed speculations of involvement of any kind of political organizations in his association.

    The university administration of the University "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" understood about the student protest only yesterday, in its session. It could be concluded from the individual discussions of the professors that the Administration does not have a definite stand on this meeting. In spite of remarks as to the place of the holding of the meeting (the professors preferred the space in front of the University), as well as its possible counter-productivity, the professors nevertheless expressed initial support of the meeting.

  4. LIBERAL YOUTH UNION AGAINST MEETING
    In its announcement, the Liberal Youth Union called on the students from the two universities in Macedonia (Skopje and Bitola) to reject all initiatives and calls for the announced possible public demonstrations against the so-called "Albanian University." "Only in such a way," this announcement says, "can the students from Skopje and Bitola show their academic dignity, being aware of the dangers that the methods of street democracy offer."

  5. ELEFTEROTIPIA: "MACEDONIA IS TURNING INTO KOSOVO"
    Macedonia is "slowly but surely turning into Kosovo," the Athens newspaper "Elefterotipia" assessed yesterday, in its report from Skopje, entitled as "Tension dropping - crisis simmering."

    The Athens newspaper, as Makfaks reports, assesses that the tension following the recent events in Tetovo has subsided, adding that there are no signs that the crisis in the relations between the Macedonians and Albanians, which has been simmering for four years already, has been overcome.

    "Recently in Tetovo, the Albanians once again, according to the usual practice, made a 'brave move', by provoking unrest and clashes," "Elefteroptipia" assesses, adding that after their withdrawal, the Albanians left all possibilities for a "new round of clashes" open.

    Stating the examples according to which "Skopje reminds of Pristine," "Elefterotipia" concludes that President Gligorov would least like to see his country "slowly, but surely turning into Kosovo."

  6. "VECERNJE NOVOSTI": ALREADY TESTED SCENARIO
    The recent events surrounding the opening of the "Albanian university in Tetovo" were performed according to a well-prepared and organized scenario, already tried in Kosovo.

    This assessment is contained in the commentary that came out in "Vecernje Novosti," a newspaper close to the Belgrade authorities. The newspaper says that the Albanian police option "what was not accomplished in Kosovo to be realized in Macedonia - can not pass in Macedonia, for now."

    According to "Vecernje Novosti," one of the reasons for radicalization of the inter-ethnic relations is the quick opening of the border toward Albania, as well as the support of official Tirana of the "Tetovo university."

    MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  7. *** PRIVATIZATION - UP TO WHERE IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE "LOSERS": The Privatization Agency has given ten opinions on the offered projects for transformation of the companies that entered the government list of "25 losers."

    The acceptance of the projects means that those companies can already start working according to the offered projects, but that depends on the government, which also has its own obligations in this domain.

    As for the problems that are appearing, there is also the problem with the sale of parts of the companies, which have to firstly be evaluated. It is still not clear where the money for the evaluations will come from, but it is known that the deadline for that is April 30, as the Minister of Economy Risto Ivanov stated.

    One of the problems is also management. Namely, the old workers' councils have been dissolved, and it is waited for new managing boards to be formed, with commissioners from the government.

    February 28 is the last day for the "losers" to announce their debts, as well as the money owed to them, and turn the same into a deposit. Only then, when the ownership structure of the companies is known, can they go on to evaluation and the sale of certain parts.

  8. *** BUSINESS NEWS - "STRUZANKA" EXPORTS GOODS VALUED AT 400,000 DEM PER MONTH: The stock company "Struzanka" from Struga exports mens' and womens' knitted goods, as well as curtains, valued at 400,000 DEM, per month. The export is mainly oriented toward Europe, while Germany is the most important partner. The factory has 1,300 employees, of which 90% are females.

    "Struzanka" started its privatization in 1991, according to the old laws of the former Yugoslav Prime Minister Ante Markovich. According to its records, 60% of the capital is in the form of stocks, and now, according to the new privatization laws, the company is preparing to complete its privatization.

  9. *** BUSINESS NEWS - "ZLETOVO BATERII" STOPPED PRODUCTION: Due to the shortage of revolving capital for the supply of raw materials and intermediate goods, the production process has come to a halt at the stock company "Zletovo baterii" from Probishtip, and 1,300 have been temporarily laid off.

    According to the company management, negotiations are being conducted with Ohrid firms for obtaining raw materials and intermediate goods, as well as for the marketing of car batteries. From February 27, production is expected to resume in the only productional capacity of this kind in the country.

  10. *** PRIVATIZATION - "ANGROTEKS" PRIVATIZED WITH MANAGEMENT BUY-OUT: "Angroteks" from Stip is the first company to be privatized in this municipality. The company chose "management buy-out" as the model for its own privatization, that is the purchase of the company by persons who run it. This model has received approval from the Macedonian government.

    According to the words of the director Mijalche Nikolov, half of the company is in the form of shares, and it is planned for all the employees, up to the last one, to become shareholders, in the coming period.

    All the workers are guaranteed jobs and no one will be left without their jobs. "Angroteks," a company dealing with wholesale textile trade, employs 50 people who receive wages at the level of the average Republic wage.

  11. *** BANKS - PROBLEMS WITH COLLECTION OF DEBTS: According to their managements, the banks in Macedonia have problems with collecting the money from the credits given to their debtors. The banks blame this situation on the existing laws according to which the collection of the credits that have not been paid back is going very slowly. The most frequent guarantee for the credits are mortgages, but sometimes even up to 2 years go by until the debts are collected through them, which goes through the court. Over this period, the debtor makes turnovers of the borrowed capital.

    As an illustration, the "Makedonska banka" has 41 mortgages submitted as guarantees for credits to the total value of MCD 385 million (US$ 9.8 million). At present, two mortgages up to the value of MCD 2 million (US$ 50,000) have been activated, which have been waiting in the competent courts since February 1994. In "Komercijalna banka" 40 credits for execution have been submitted, on the basis of mortgages, while the number of credits in "Stopanska banka" is far higher.

    The banks want some order to be introduced also in the interest estimates of the sued clients. For now, the judges are using their own judgement to decide whether the debtor will be calculated the agreed interest determined with the law of the obligation relations, from the day the case is brought to court, to the public auctioning of the estate, or the legal default interest.

    Till the adoption of the new legal provisions, the larger banks are exchanging black lists of debtors through the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce, once a month, with which, at least to some extent, they reduce the risks in their work.

    As for the courts, they also agree with the stand that the existing laws need changing, and that new ones should be introduced, such as the Law for mortgage. In regards to efficiency, the courts claim that even 74,000 cases are brought to them every year,

  12. *** PUBLIC UTILITIES - MORE MONEY FOR ROADS: At the session of the Group for housing and public utilities, the public company "Streets and Roads," which maintains the streets and roads in the capital city, Skopje, is asking for at least 10 times more money for repairs of the Skopje streets.

    At the moment, MCD 16 million (US$ 406,000) are allocated for maintenance of the city streets, while according to this company, at least MCD 231 million (US$ 5.86 million) are necessary. The winter service and the traffic-technical regulative also require greater funds.