Epilogh MAK-NEWS 13/02/95 (M.I.L.S.) [*]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:

  • . Piqanologeitai nea episkech Arens sthn pGDM. To arqro anaferei oti o Arens phgainei sthn pGDM kaqe fora poy yparxoyn kriseis metajy twn meionothtwn ths xwras.
  • . Stratiwtikh synergasia pGDM-Norbhgias.
  • . Synanthsh diplwmatwn ths pGDM kai toy DNT.
  • * To albaniko radiofwno xarakthrizei thn katastash sthn Boylh ths pGDM ws "poly tetamenh".
  • * Anwtato stelexos toy PDP zhtaei thn metatroph ths pGDM se xwra dyo eqnothtwn. Apaitei rizikes allages sto syntagma ths xwras.
  • * Elhjan oi "synomilies" toy "koinoboylioy toy Xelsinki" gia tis "meinothtes sta balkania". Syzhthqhke h qesh twn Blaxwn sthn Ellada, thn Albania kai thn "Makedonia".
  • * Synenteyjh Ban Nter Stoel sthn "Macedonian Times". "O ejtremismos einai o megalyteros exqros ths Makedonias".

    Dhmhtrhs Paneras
    Boston, MA

    MILS NEWS

    Skopje, 13 February, 1995

  • ARENS VISIT LIKELY NEXT WEEK
    According to Nova Makedonija, unofficial sources say Gert Arens, chairman of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia's Group for Minority Issues, will visit Macedonia sometime next week. Arens usually visits Macedonia whenever ethnic tensions rise in the country. He is expected to discuss the use of minority languages.

  • MACEDONIAN- NORWEGIAN MILITARY COOPERATION
    Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handzhiski received General Soli Arn, Chief-of-staff of the Norwegian Army. The meeting was also attended by Macedonian Chief-of-staff, General Dragoljub Bocinov. They all expressed satisfaction with previous bilateral military contacts. A Macedonian military delegation will visit Norway to explore more detailed cooperation and to pave the way for a visit by Defense Minister Handzhiski.

  • FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED FOR REFORMS IN MACEDONIA
    Macedonian Minister Ljube Trpevski and IMF Representative Paul Tomsen met with diplomatic representatives in Macedonia of the Paris Club countries. The "Club" were told that Macedonian and IMF have reached an agreement for a stand-by arrangement. Macedonia will need a financial support by international institutions, especially from members of the Paris Club.

  • TENSION IN MACEDONIAN PARLIAMENT, ALBANIAN RADIO SAYS
    Following the adoption of the Law on Personal Identification, the situation in the Macedonian Parliament is "very tense", according to Radio Tirana. The "Law itself discriminates against the Albanian language," says the radio station, and "it is highly likely that Albanian parliamentary deputies and ministers will cease participation in the Macedonian government."

  • HALILI CALLS FOR A TWO-NATION MACEDONIA
    PDP branch leader Nevzat Halili has said Macedonia ought to be transformed into a two-nation country and a state of peoples instead of national minorities. Speaking at last Saturday's founding assembly of the party branch in Tetovo, Halili said, "What we need are radical changes in the Macedonian Constitution." Albanians in Macedonia should be recognized as a constitutive people. There are three categories of citizens in Macedonia, he said. Macedonians are first-class citizens, Albanians are second class, and Serbs, Bulgarians and Greeks are third class. "Our goal is an autonomy and a special status for Albanians in Macedonia," he said.

  • HELSINKI PARLIAMENT ADOPTS MULTI-CULTURE RESOLUTION
    The two-day round-table debate on minorities in the southern Balkans, held in Skopje last Friday and Saturday, ended by adopting a resolution for a multi-cultural life. The debate was organized by the Helsinki Parliament of Macedonia, and was attended by representatives of Helsinki parliaments and other non-governmental organizations from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, and Turkey. The debate mainly focused on problems of the Albanian minorities in Macedonia and Kosovo and their education, especially the situation with the Tetovo university. Discussions also included current Greek- Macedonian relations and the position of Vlachs in Greece, Albania and Macedonia. It was agreed that the Helsinki Parliament should continue to support all initiatives aimed at securing collective rights and the development of cultural and information exchanges. Future meetings are to be held in all countries that sent their representatives to the meeting in Skopje.

  • MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: EXTREMISM - THE WORST ENEMY OF MACEDONIA
    (The Macedonian Times, 28 January, 1995) The following is a Macedonian Times interview with Max van Der Stoel, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities: MT: Leaders of Albanian political parties in Macedonia recently announced revisions in their political course, saying they might leave Parliament and government. Did they inform you of this? Stoel: In a coalition government, any partner can at a given moment break up the coalition. But I certainly hope that this is not going to happen, because I think that the Albanian population group is very important and it would be unfortunate if there would be a government without Albanian ministers. Question: What is your opinion about the current state of the dialogue between Macedonian and Albanian politicians? Is it better now than it was before the elections? Answer: I think it is too early to say, because the government has been in power for such a short time, only few weeks. I hope for fruitful cooperation within the coalition and for steps to promote inter-ethnic harmony. Question: Some observers speak of trends of globalization of the Albanian issue in the Balkans, seeing a connection between the trend and moves of some Albanian leaders revealing a supposed global plan. What is your impression? Answer: I do not know what such a global plan could include. Of course, I think all politicians always take into consideration all factors affecting the position of their parties. But I don't know what this global plan contain. Question: For instance, there have been attempts to create a situation in Macedonia similar to the one in Kosovo: certain Albanian politicians in Macedonia have undertaken a form of resistance highly resembling the "Intifada" in Kosovo, while Macedonian Albanophobic politicians call for repression measures similar to what Milosevic does in Kosovo. Answer: I think that nationalist extremism is the worst enemy here in Macedonia. Any extremism, regardless of where it comes from, is harmful for the future of Macedonia. I believe that the future of your country can be safeguarded by fruitful cooperation between the various ethnic groups here. This is of essential importance for the future of Macedonia. I hope that all ethnic groups will continue to work through the existing institutions and I think the government could improve the situation by taking steps to promote inter-ethnic harmony and by taking the interests of specific national groups into consideration. ...I think that it is important to ensure continuing dialogue between the various ethnic groups. In this way, the mutual distrust can perhaps be lessened and chances for fruitful cooperation be increased. Question: What do you think of the Albanian-language university situation in Tetovo and of the Ministry of Interior's actions to prevent it? Answer: I think there are two things to be considered here. First of all, there are international norms and criteria concerning the issue. Members of minority and national groups within a state have the right in principle to establish private educational institutions, including universities, in accordance with OSCE and the Council of Europe's criteria. On the other hand, these criteria also make it clear that this can only happen within the legal framework of the country. The second aspect is the Macedonian Constitution. It says that citizens have a right to establish private schools at all levels of education, with the exception of primary education schools, under conditions determined by law. I think that Mr. Suleimani and the others who launched the initiative failed to take this into account. Question: Did you discuss the case of deported Kosovo Albanians with Macedonian authorities? Answer: Yes, and their explanation was that this had been done because of political activities by the deported Albanians. Question: What is your general impression after your visit? Should we expect radicalization of the situation or a lessening of tensions? Answer: I would say that depends very much on the various population groups themselves. If all of them make efforts to work constructively in the interest of the state, I am sure stability can be maintained. If extremist tendencies of either side take over, the situation could be much more gloomy. I hope that all population groups will realize that destabilization of the country would be very detrimental for all of them, and that inter-ethnic harmony and stability is very much in the interest of all.