The Greek-Macedonian dialogue will start in New York these days, the newspaper of the moderate left-wing "Elefterotipia" claims. The Athens newspaper, without revealing its source, writes that Athens and Skopje have coordinated the themes of the coming dialogue in New York beforehand.
"Elefterotipia" is announcing that the "lifting of the embargo" by Greece will be discussed in New York, and the "changing of the symbol and irredentist articles of the Constitution" by the Macedonian side`.
The newspaper also brings the analysis of the university professor Teodoros Columbis, which says that after more than three years of "reflexive nationalism" the Greek foreign policy is facing a "decisive turn in policy" which requires "the courage of the Government and support by the opposition." Professor Columbis, who is also president of the managing board of the Greek Institute for foreign policy, is assessing that the path to normalization of the relations between Athens and Skopje is opening. As part of that, he feels that "theoretically, there is a dilemma between the so-called 'small and large package' for settling the dispute."
Columbis assesses that the so-called "small package" will have a positive effect on the Greek economic presence in FYROM and ease the negotiations which would continue in accordance with the decisions of the Security Council.
Professor Columbis, however, believes that there is a "realistic danger" of the name Republic of Macedonia establishing itself internationally, provided Athens agrees to a deal only in relation to the so-called "small package."
Therefore, the Athens professor recommends that both sides immediately promise to continue the negotiations in New York, with the mediation of the UN. Their aim would be to end the name dispute in a way that would "clearly separate the name FYROM from Greek Macedonia and Bulgarian Macedonia."
The statement of the Greek President Kostis Stefanopoulos that Macedonia has territorial pretensions toward Greece and Bulgaria, has received wide publicity in the Albanian press.
Conveying parts of the recent statement made by Kostis Stefanopoulos, the Albanian press, as Makfaks reports, brings the assessment that the President of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov is refusing to change the symbol on the flag and is inciting territorial pretensions.
The Albanian press says that during his recent stay in Thessaloniki, the Greek President Kostis Stefanopoulos announced he would visit Tirana. These reports, however, do not specify the time of the visit of the Greek President to Albania.
The rector of the illegal University in Albanian language in Tetovo Fadil Sulejmani was sentenced to two and a half years in prison yesterday, for the criminal act of inciting resistance. The president of the Human Rights Forum from Gostivar Miljaim Fejziu has been sentenced to six months in prison for the criminal act of participating in a crowd preventing an official person from carrying out his official duties.
Yesterday, the third day into the trial, "Vecer" reports, Sead Dzaferi, the interpreter to the accused Sulejmani from Albanian to Macedonian language, gave a statement as a witness of the defence. Namely, Dzaferi, together with Sulejmani, took part as an interpreter in almost all press conferences organized in relation to the para-university in Albanian in Tetovo. In the trial, he stated that at the press conference on February 17, Fadil Sulejmani never said "if the police comes tomorrow and the day after....200,000 Albanians will stand up in defence of the university." To this statement, the court presented the witness with a full written translation of everything that was said in the conference, which clearly shows that to the question of one of the reporters, Sulejmani said that "the university will be defended by 200,000 Albanians, if the police intervenes."
Also appearing as a witness in the trial was Liman Kurteshi, vice-president of the Tetovo assembly, who gave his testimony before the criminal council with sarcasm and irony, for which he was warned by the court. Like his predecessor, he also claimed that although he also attended the press conference, he had never heard Sulejmani mention a figure of 200,000 Albanians who would defend the premises of the university, if the police intervened. He claimed that he did not go to the village Poroy, and that he had gone to Mala Rechica together with some members of the local assembly, in order to calm the masses from coming into conflict with the police!
Further into the trial, the court presented the video tape from the press conference, as evidence, which clearly records Sulejmani's words from the press conference, as well as his words in the village Poroy, when he stated that 200,000, that is, 100,000 Albanians would stand up in defence of the university. The defence reacted strongly to the use of the video tape as evidence, under the explanation that it could be tampered with. As the trial went on, the defence asked to call up other new witnesses, however, their request was refused under the explanation that they were irrelevant as evidence and had no particular importance for the charges.
In the closing statement, the Tetovo district public prosecutor said, among the rest, that the accused Sulejmani had called the Albanian population to resistance through his statements, press conferences and his direct presence in the public gatherings, all with the aim of realizing the initiative to open an university. In the end, he asked the accused Sulejmani and Fejziu to be pronounced guilty.
After passing sentences to Sulejmani and Fejziu, the defence suggested that bail for Sulejmani be set at 50,000 DEM. The decision over this suggestion of the defence will be made by the Criminal council of the Tetovo municipal court. Fejziu has been released on bail.
The average wage in January, this year, in Macedonia, was 8,444 denars (US$ 230.8) while the value of the consumers' basket with foodstuffs for a four-member family, was 10,142 denars (US$ 277.3). That means that the food costs in January this year, were 1,698 denars (US$ 46.4) higher than the average wage and a four- member family can cover them with 1.2 wages.
As for February, the value of the average February wage was 8,351 denars (US$ 228.3), while the consumers' basket cost 9,774 denars (US$ 267.2) or 1,423 denars (US$ 38.9) more.
As to the February wages, employees in the economic sector earned 8,037 denars (US$ 219.7), and in the non-economic sector - 9,247 denars (US$ 252.8). This month, 18.5% of the employees did not receive their salaries. In the economy, that figure is 23%, and in the non-economy - 2.9% of the employees were left without wages. There were 20 working days in January, and with an average of 7 working hours, the daily earnings were 422 denars (US$ 11.5) per day.
In February, this year, the industrial production noted a drop of 17% in comparison with the same period last year. In the period January-February, a growth in production has been noticed with 6 industrial branches, among which the highest is with the electro-economy and the production of foodstuffs, while participate with 22.1% in the structure of the economy.
In January, the retail trade realized a turnover of 2,372 million denars (US$ 64.84 million) or 15.1% less than the same period last year. Wholesalers made a turnover of 3,656 million denars (US$ 99.94 million) or 20% less.
The February inflation notes a growth of 0.2%, while the living costs increased 0.1%. Larger increases in the living costs are noticed with the groups heating and lighting - 14.9%, rents - 7.5%, while a drop of 4.8% is noted with the food group.
The number of workers in the companies in January was 387,677 persons, and it has dropped 0.4% in comparison with the previous month. The number of people seeking jobs in January was 197,968, and it has gone up 0.9% in comparison with the previous month. Of them, 41,455 people were employed previously, while 156,513 are looking for jobs for the first time.
The main investors in the gas line system in Macedonia are the Republic of Macedonia, with an investment of US$ 31.4 million and "Makpetrol" with US$ 28.6 million, of which US$ 12.6 million are from personal funds and US$ 15.9 million are a credit from "Sojuzgazeksport."
The total investments in the first phase (without the planned adaptations with the future users) are expected to cost US$ 61.691 million.
51.83% of the entire investment is in foreign currencies.
After a ten-year break, the Marble combine from Prilep resumed mining the colored marble onyx yesterday, which was started off a decade ago by the firm "Sirma," which subsequently went bankrupt. The Marble combine expects to dig up 600 cubics of onyx, in which the Italian market is especially interested.
This type of marble is used for the production of decorative ornaments, and a number of inhabitants from the surrounding villages are expected to get jobs in mining the onyx.