Epilogh MAK-NEWS 09/02/95 (M.I.L.S.) [**]
Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:
* Gia thn synedriash ths boylhs ths pGDM sxetika me ton nomo gia to YpEs,
thn KYP kai tis taytothtes. Diekoph h synedriash otan Albanos boyleyths
arxise na agoreyei sta albanika, jekinwntas me to erwthma "kbo bantis
Makedonia;".
** To thleoptiko kanali A1 twn Skopiwn problepei anagnwrish ths pGDM apo
thn Serbia, kai leei oti h episkech toy YpEj ths Gioygkoslabias
Giobanobits sthn Aqhna [h Fwnh ths Ellados eipe Qessalonikh] opoy qa
synanthqei me ton Papoylia einai gia na zhthsei thn "sygxwresh" ths
Ellados.
* Synanthsh toy presbh ths pGDM sthn Bonnh me ton proedro ths boylhs ths
Germanias. Synanthsh toy YpAm ths pGDM me ton Germano presbh sthn xwra.
Synanthsh toy Komra me ypoyrgoys ths pGDM.
. Maqhmata sta albanika qa arxisei na didaskei h paidagwgikh akadhmia ths
pGDM.
* Synanthsh antiproswpeias toy "Dhmokratikoy Kommatos twn Toyrkwn sthn
Makedonia" me ton Ntemirel.
* Oi Toyrkoi ths pGDM diamartyrontai sto Eyrwpaiko Dikasthrio kai thn
Epitroph Aqrwpinwn Dikaiwmatwn gia thn katastash toys sthn pGDM kai thn
afomoiwsh toys thn opoia epiballei h kybernhsh. [Anaferetai kai se
programma analogo aytoy poy eixe h Boylgaria to '84 (nomizw) me to opoio
allazan ta toyrkika onomata prosqetontas katalhjeis ths topikhs
glwssas.]
** Arqro ths "Greek Balkan News & East European Report" kathgorei thn
Eyrwpaikh Epitroph oti diekoce thn proodo stis diapragmateyseis Ellados-
pGDM otan phge thn Ellada sto Eyrwpaiko Dikasthrio, enw htan poly konta
sthn ejeyresh symfwnias oi dyo pleyres.
* Sto Symboylio ths Eyrwphs h pGDM mexri to telos toy etoys, problepei o
epikefalhs ths antiproswpeias ths pGDM sto Symboylio.
* Se krish brisketai to albaniko kinhma symfwna me Albano akadhmaiko toy
Kossyfopedioy o opoios qewreitai "pneymatiko hgeths toy eqnoys".
** Afijh anqrwpistikhs apostolhs argoy petrelaioy sa Skopia proxqes.
Ayjhsh kai stis apostoles froytwn me ellhnika forthga metadidei to
radiofwno ths pGDM.
* Arqro poy anaferetai se syzhthsh stroggylhs trapezhs gia thn qesh twn
meionothtwn sta Balkania poy organwnei to "Makedoniko Koinoboylio
Xelsinki twn Politwn". Anamenontai antiproswpoi apo pGDM, Albania,
Kossyfopedio, Serbia, Mayroboynio, Toyrkia, Boylgaria kai Ellada.
Dhmhtrhs Paneras
Boston, MA
MILS NEWS
Skopje, 9 February, 1995
KU PO SHKON MAQEDONI?
("WHERE ARE YOU HEADED, MACEDONIA?")
The Macedonian Parliament began its tenth session yesterday,
to discuss several draft laws. MP's adopted the agenda and
started a debate on the draft Law on Personal
Identification, when Parliament President Andov called a
break because independent deputy Sali Ramadani started
speaking in Albanian from the floor. Prior to the session,
Albanian and Macedonian deputies held a three-hour meeting.
Albanian MP's warned against a possibility of them leaving
parliament. Mersel Biljali, NDP coordinator, protested
against the government's intolerance of demands by
minorities, particularly ethnic Albanians in Macedonia. "I
have been asked to state the NDP decision not to participate
in discussions concerning the laws on today's agenda," said
Biljali. "I must admit I feel uncomfortable in having to
convince someone about something which is obvious in itself.
The constitution seems to be clear and precise to all but
the government and Constitutional Court."
Naser Ziberi of the PDP said the parliament made a mistake
when it adopted a law prepared by the previous parliament,
avoiding to discuss laws concerning the rights of
minorities. Unless this parliament starts serious work on
these issues, he warned, "we, the Albanians in Parliament,
will be forced to use different tactics. We have already
used all available mechanisms for action within the
parliament. We will not merely acquiesce in decisions
imposed by the government. What we want is a dialogue with
the government."
Ismet Ramadani of the PDP pointed out his party has
frequently repeated its determination to contribute to
developing democratic relations and equality for all
citizens. "I personally will not feel very bad if and when
the law is adopted in its present form, as those who will
vote in favor of it will be the real losers," he said.
Sali Ramadani, independent deputy and member of the Thachi-
led faction of the PDP, began his debate with the words,
"Where are you headed, Macedonia?", saying "we will speak in
both Macedonian and Albanian here today." His 10-minute
speech was heard only by Albanian deputies since all
Macedonian MP's left the hall after the break called by
Andov.
The Socialist Party said the proposed law is contrary to the
constitution, as it provides an opportunity to have names
written in both Macedonian and minority languages. Such a
law, they said, would require changes in the constitution.
The Liberal Party's parliament group said it will support
the draft law.
According to the Parliament Information Service, the session
was to begin again at 10 a.m. today, as deputies had to go
over amendments proposed yesterday by parliament committees
and the government.
SERBIA TO RECOGNIZE MACEDONIA
A1 Television cites unofficial sources as saying Serbia will
very soon recognize Macedonia. Observers in Greece say this
is a part of an overall solution for the crisis in the
former Yugoslavia, and all former Yugoslav republics will
have to recognize each other. The media in Greece is still
speculating on the proposed Belgrade-Skopje-Athens
confederation.
A1 Television says diplomatic sources in Greece believe that
the Yugoslav Foreign Minister, Vladislav Jovanovich, will
meet his Greek counterpart Papoulias in Athens tomorrow. The
goal of the meeting is to ask Greece's forgiveness for the
Belgrade decision to recognize Macedonia.
DIPLOMATIC MEETINGS
- The Macedonian ambassador in Bonn, Srgjan Kerim, was
received yesterday by Rita Siesmut, president of the German
parliament. Siesmut accepted the invitation to visit
Macedonia sometime in the first half of 1995, and said
conditions have been created for development of bilateral
cooperation, particularly in the economy.
- Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handzhiski yesterday
received Hans Lotar Stepan, German ambassador to Macedonia.
They discussed military cooperation and agreed on specific
terms for the training at German military bases of
Macedonian army officers, to start at the end of this month.
- Minister of Education Emilija Simoska yesterday received
Victor Comras, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in Skopje,
to inform of activities and plans of the ministry.
- Minister Bekjir Zhuta also received Victor Comras and
spoke of reforms, in particular the transformation of state
companies. Comras expressed readiness on the part of his
government to intensify economic cooperation through direct
contacts with Macedonian businessmen.
PEDAGOGIC ACADEMY TO OFFER COURSES TAUGHT IN ALBANIAN
The Council of the Pedagogical Academy in Skopje again
discussed the request from the Ministry of Education to have
all courses for the Albanian group of students taught in the
Albanian language. They decided to start with courses in
teaching methodology, psychology and sociology for the time
being. Teachers for this purpose will be employed on a
temporary basis, as the decision itself is temporary.
Courses will begin this spring and will include only
Albanian students already enrolled for the 1994-95 academic
year.
TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEIVES MACEDONIAN TURKS
Turkish President Suleiman Demirel received a delegation
from the Democratic Party of Turks in Macedonia, headed by
its leader Erdogan Sarac. The delegation spoke of the
position of the Turkish minority in Macedonia.
MACEDONIAN TURKS COMPLAIN AGAINST ASSIMILATION
At a recent meeting with officials of the European Court and
Commission on Human Rights, representatives of the
Democratic Party of Turks pointed out several examples of
disrespect for the basic rights of Turks in Macedonia,
Birlik writes. They said classes in the Turkish language at
elementary schools in Radovish, as throughout the entire
country as of recent, have been banned. In the Debar
region, four teachers who demanded classes in Turkish have
lost their jobs. The party claims Macedonia is assimilating
the Turkish minority by adding suffixes as "ov", "i", and
"ski" to people's last names. The Ministry of Interior has
not yet reacted to the numerous complaints on the issue. No
state institution, such as the Constitutional or Supreme
Court, has employed an ethnic Turk, despite the fact that
proposed candidates met all requirements. The Democratic
Party of Turks will seek a solution for the problems through
official institutions.
EU DISRUPTED GREEK-MACEDONIAN RELATIONS
An editorial in the last edition of the Greek Balkan News &
East European Report says that "During the first months of
the sanctions, the attitude of the Skopje government began
to change, and at the time it appeared that a normalization
in relations between the two states was not far off. The
intervention of the EU Commission, which referred Greece to
the European Court of Justice, brought the opposite result,
increasing FYROM President Kiro Gligorov's intransigence.
The situation deteriorated further with the various
interventions, from time to time, by several EU member
states or the United States which in their bilateral
dealings with Greece, used the issue as a leverage against
Greece, further feeding FYROM expectations.
To cut a long story short, if the EU Commission had not
referred Greece to the European Court of Justice in the
first instance, relations between Athens and Skopje would
have been normalized, or, at least, close to normalization.
Needless to say any ruling against Greece would only toughen
Greece's position at the expense of FYROM.
Under the circumstances, Greece cannot concede a matter it
considers of prime national priority to Brussels. No Greek
government can bow to a negative European Court ruling and
stay in power for another 24 hours. Keeping this in mind EU
authorities should think harder before pressing Greece over
this".
MACEDONIA IN COUNCIL OF EUROPE BY THE END OF THE YEAR
Nikola Popovski, head of the Macedonian delegation to the
Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, said the
admission procedure to the Council has entered its final
stage. The Council experts who visited Macedonia last week
are to submit a report to the Parliamentary Assembly, and
the actual admission is to start sometime next fall. It is
possible, Popovski said, that the procedure will be
completed by the end of 1995. The basic condition for a
membership is that the Macedonian legislature is coordinated
with legislatures of the member countries. This means
Macedonian law-makers will have to adopt or at least begin a
procedure on adopting laws to regulate the judiciary, local
self-government and the election process. No consensus is
required for entry in the Council and Greece is, therefore,
not expected to block Macedonia's admission.
ALBANIAN ACADEMIC SAYS ALBANIAN MOVEMENT IS IN CRISIS
Kosovo academic Redzhep Kjosja, referred to as the
"spiritual leader of the nation", recently spoke in an
interview with the newspapers Koha and Bujku of a deep
crisis in the Albanian separatist movement . The U.S.
president has done nothing to help the "Republic of Kosovo"
gain independence, he said. The Kosovo problem can be
resolved only in Kosovo. Help from outside can be expected
only if Senator Robert Dole wins at the coming presidential
elections in the U.S, as he has proved his friendly attitude
towards Albanians. Kjosja claims, "the American troops in
Macedonia are not here to help reach a just solution to the
Albanian question, despite the fact that certain Albanians
saw it as an opportunity to create a confederation between
Macedonia and Kosovo. They are here to reinforce the status
quo in the Balkans at the expense of the Albanian people."
CRUDE OIL FROM GREECE ARRIVES IN SKOPJE
The entire humanitarian shipment of 5,000 tons of U.S.crude
oil arrived in Macedonia two days ago. Macedonian Radio
says the number of Greek vehicles carrying southern fruit to
Macedonia has recently increased.
MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: MACEDONIAN HELSINKI PARLIAMENT
HOLDS ROUNDTABLE ON MINORITIES
(Flaka e Vlazerimit, 8 February, 1995)
The Macedonian Helsinki Parliament of Citizens has organized
a round-table discussion on the legal status of minorities
in the Balkans. The debate will take place on February 10
and 11 and is expected to be attended by representatives of
the Macedonian Parliament as well as deputies from Albania,
Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece. Kim
Mehmeti, president of the Macedonian Helsinki Parliament,
said the roundtable is an opportunity for a dialogue between
parliamentary deputies of Balkan countries. Ethnic problems
in the Balkans cannot be resolved in a short period, but we
will keep trying to establish dialogue as long as we think
there are chances for it, Mehmeti said. The first day of the
debate will focus on majority-minority relations; the second
day parliamentary representatives will discuss ways of
contributing to lifting barriers in these parts of the
Balkans. Representatives of international organizations are
also expected to attend the debate.