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

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:

  1. * CRVENKOVSKI CRITICIZES ALBANIAN STATEMENTS
  2. * TETOVO TOWNSHIP HOLDS SPECIAL SESSION
  3. * SKOPJE STUDENTS TO PROTEST AGAINST TETOVO UNIVERSITY
  4. * DZHAFERI CALLS ALBANIANS OUT FOR PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS
  5. * BELGRADE MEDIA SEES TETOVO AND KOSOVO SIMILARITIES
  6. * MACEDONIA TURNED INTO A KOSOVO, ELEFTEROTHIPIA SAYS
  7. * DIOGUARDI ORGANIZES PROTESTS IN NEW YORK
  8. * ALBANIA TO RECONSIDER ITS MACEDONIAN POLICY
  9. . FRENCH PARLIAMENT DELEGATION ARRIVES IN MACEDONIA
  10. . GOVERNMENT BRIEFS
  11. * MILOSEVIC, KOSIREV MOVE CLOSER ON FY REPUBLIC RECOGNITION
  12. . MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: PRIVATIZATION FOLLOW UP

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 23 February 1995

  1. CRVENKOVSKI CRITICIZES ALBANIAN STATEMENTS
    Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski yesterday summoned Shaban Murati, the Albanian ambassador to Macedonia, to register complaints about some of the official statements from Tirana regarding the university in Tetovo. The Foreign Ministry says Crvenkovski expressed serious concern with the anti-Macedonian demonstrations held in Tirana on February 20, which included highly offensive slogans about Macedonia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, its institutions and authorities. This, Crvenkovski warned, damages the already positive development of bilateral relations and cooperation between Macedonia and Albania.

  2. TETOVO TOWNSHIP HOLDS SPECIAL SESSION
    The Tetovo township assembly yesterday held an urgent session with the events in Mala Rechica as the only point on the agenda. The session was requested by PDP and NDP representatives. The assembly president Shakir Aliti blamed the government for the direct clash between police and citizens, saying the government should bear the responsibility, as no laws regulating higher education have been passed yet. Prime Minister Crvenkovski and Minister of Interior Frchkovski were bitterly criticized. "Mr. Frchkovski's police are pro-Serbian Chetnicks, with or without his being aware of it," said Muzafer Kamberi, committee member and president of the municipality of Mala Rechica. Other ethnic Albanian members spoke in a similar way. Following the open and direct support of the illegal university in Tetovo by all ethnic Albanian members, the Macedonian committee members walked out of the city hall. On behalf of all of the Macedonians, member Zoran Stojanovski said, "The Macedonian committee members are of a common view that the disturbed political and safety situation in Tetovo results from the illegal activities of the so-called rector's office of the university in Tetovo and its wide support by all parties of Albanians in Macedonia. Statements about the Macedonian police by ethnic Albanians in this committee are tendentious and lead to the further destabilization of ethnic relations."

    The session, continuing without Macedonian representatives, passed resolutions to suggest that PDP withdraw its ministers from the government, to call the government to responsibility and to demand that Frchkovski be dismissed from his position. The assembly will continue to support the work of the university, demanding that Fadil Suleimani and all suspects be released.

  3. SKOPJE STUDENTS TO PROTEST AGAINST TETOVO UNIVERSITY
    The Students' Council at the university "St. Cyrill and Methodius" in Skopje, has organized a peaceful student protest for today in front of Parliament. Yesterday's session of the Council went in a different direction than the one announced by the Council president Toni Mirchevski. Mirchevski asked that all university deans give students a free day, calling professors to join the protest. Some of the deans supported the students, while some said the protest comes too late. Students said the university had left it all in the hands of government, failing to carry out its duties in such situations. Therefore, they said, the university must be more energetic in future. Some students, however, said the protest would be counterproductive, as the state intends to integrate ethnic Albanians into the higher education system. Mirchevski turned down the suggestion to hold the protest on the university premises instead of in front of parliament. He announced a declaration will be read at the demonstration, to say students insist on a unique and integral educational system in the official Macedonian language, respect for the principle of equality instead of national keys when students enroll, and a demand that the executive power protects the constitutional order and territorial integrity of Macedonia without any retreats at all.

    The Liberal Union of Youth opposes the demonstration and has appealed to all students at the universities in Skopje and Bitola to ignore initiatives for public demonstrations against the university in Tetovo. The Union says this is the only way for students to remain dignified and to not get involved in street democracy. The Union called all young ethnic Albanians to draw the right conclusion from the incident in Mala Rechica and respect law and order as the only way for coexistence. The Union's statement ends with a condemnation of the desecration of Moslem graves in Kumanovo.

  4. DZHAFERI CALLS ALBANIANS OUT FOR PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS
    Unlike PDP leader Abdurahman Haliti, who insists on dialogue and talks, Arben Dzhaferi, leader of the informal political group (Thacists), states that there have been requests from the branches for organizing public demonstrations in Tetovo, as well as in all the other cities in Macedonia. In its statement yesterday, the NDP says the Macedonian government abused the readiness for dialogue shown by the Albanian political groups. The authorities continue with arrests, and latest government view, presented by Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, is for further repression, arrests and political trials against ethnic Albanians. The NDP will use all available democratic methods to express the collective dissatisfaction felt by Albanians in Macedonia.

  5. BELGRADE MEDIA SEES TETOVO AND KOSOVO SIMILARITIES
    Latest events in Tetovo were part of a well-prepared plan, already used in Kosovo, the Belgrade paper Vechernje Novosti wrote yesterday. Intentions of the Albanian groups to make in Macedonia what it failed to create in Kosovo are being thwarted. According to the paper, ethnic relations in Macedonia have been radicalized because Macedonia opened its borders with Albania too soon, and also because of official support by Tirana of the university in Tetovo.

    A1 Television cites the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug as saying Greece is very concerned with the ethnic tension in Macedonia, which may bring about great instability in the region. Despite its dispute with Macedonia, Greece does not want to see an ethnic conflict in Macedonia. The Greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos reportedly said, "Greece wants Skopje to exist as a stable state; Greece fears another source of instability in the Balkans, especially in its southern part."

  6. MACEDONIA TURNED INTO A KOSOVO, ELEFTEROTHIPIA SAYS
    Slowly, but surely, Macedonia is being turned into a second Kosovo, the Greek paper Elefterothipia wrote yesterday in an article entitled "Tension Eased, Crisis Still There". Makfaks quotes the Athens paper as saying there are no signs the crisis in Macedonian-Albanian relations has been overcome. Ethnic Albanians in Tetovo have taken a bold step and have caused incidents and riots. Comparing Skopje to Prishtina, the paper concludes the last thing President Gligorov wishes is to see his state turning into another Kosovo.

  7. DIOGUARDI ORGANIZES PROTESTS IN NEW YORK
    In New York, yesterday, U.S. ex-congressman Joseph DioGuardi organized demonstrations of support for the Albanian- language university in Tetovo. The news was reported by Radio Tirana and the Albanian media.

  8. ALBANIA TO RECONSIDER ITS MACEDONIAN POLICY
    Albanian authorities will no doubt re-examine its policy toward Macedonia, because the Macedonian government shows no intention of fulfilling promises concerning the rights of the Albanian minority. This was stated by the Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister, Arian Starova in his interview with Radio Tirana.

    Macedonian Radio yesterday said the comment by Albanian Radio reveals the truth of Albania's interest in the rights of Albanians in Macedonia and its real intentions in building friendly relations with Macedonia. This means Macedonian-Albanian relations will be good only if in interest of Albania and to the extent where Macedonia is ready to make concessions to ethnic Albanians in Macedonia. Tirana, in fact, wants a status of constitutive people for Albanians in Macedonia, to be followed by autonomy and new borders within Macedonia, all to make true the dream for a Greater Albania in the 21st century Europe. Tirana urges a belief in such dreams, playing the card of homogenization of all ethnic Albanians in the Balkan region. Whenever it fails to reach this goal, Tirana introduces a radicalization of relations with Macedonia, regardless of any tragic consequences, as already seen. No arguments can justify their open support for extreme action by the initiators of the university in Tetovo, and urging them to disrespect the laws of Macedonia. Closely resembling the old communist ways, the Albanian President Berisha's "democratic" administration manipulates the Albanian public and mobilizes students at the university in Tirana to organize demonstrations with slogans like "Tirana-Prishtina-Tetovo". The same was only recently stated by Albanian Prime Minister Mexi, who said all Albanians living in Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Greece should gather together under one roof, in on Albanian state. What does Berisha really mean when he says the peaceful coexistence of Albanians and Macedonians in Macedonia is a pre-condition for stability and prosperity of Macedonia? Was it aimed to gain applause from the international public, as dictated by Albanian patrons in western Europe and America, or was it really intended to assure Macedonia of Albania's good and friendly intentions? Mr. Starova also said his country has continually been helping Macedonia to endure under the Greek embargo, and has gained nothing in return. What is the price Macedonia has to pay to Albania?, asks Macedonian Radio yesterday.

  9. FRENCH PARLIAMENT DELEGATION ARRIVES IN MACEDONIA
    Upon an invitation by the Macedonian Parliament, a delegation of the Assembly of France arrived in Macedonia yesterday. Today, the delegation will meet with Parliament vice-president Tito Petkovski and officials of all political parties represented in Parliament. Tomorrow, the French deputies will be received by Parliament President Andov.

  10. GOVERNMENT BRIEFS
    At its session yesterday, the Macedonian government decided to exempt tax payers from Bitola, Ohrid and Resen from paying income taxes for 1994 and the first half of 1995 because they suffered damages by the latest earthquake in the region. The cabinet also decided upon several proposed provisions for the protection of sugar production.

  11. MILOSEVIC, KOSIREV MOVE CLOSER ON FY REPUBLIC RECOGNITION
    A1 Television reports that the Belgrade weekly Telegraf says the latest talks between the Russian diplomat Andrei Kozirev and Serbian President Milosevic were not a total failure as first thought. Milosevic was reportedly glad to accept a new suggestion by Kozirev, which included the mutual recognition of all former Yugoslav republics. Milosevic had been assured that the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia would not interfere in the status of Kosovo and the Albanian question in Yugoslavia.

    Telegraf also published results of an opinion poll conducted in Serbia and Vojvodina. Asked whether Yugoslavia should recognize its former republics within internationally recognized borders, 43.3 per cent said Yugoslavia ought to recognize Macedonia, while 51.2 per cent were against it.

  12. MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: PRIVATIZATION FOLLOW UP
    The privatization process speeded up in the second half of 1994. According to figures from the Privatization Agency, nearly one-fifth of the enterprises in transformation decided to become privatized within the deadlines set by the Privatization Law. The law gave a two-year opportunity for large firms and an 18-month opportunity for medium and small companies to decide on their own whether they will enter the privatization process. The deadline for small and medium firms expired in December 1994, and large companies must decide by this June. Enterprises in which the previous privatization has to be examined are granted a somewhat longer deadline, but the privatization process in Macedonia must begin in June 1995.

    The planned dynamics for 1994 was completely finished. The Agency submitted its opinion on 100 cases to the Government Privatization Committee. Having received approval, the Agency began to organize the sale of companies.

    Last January 16 the Agency announced a public sale of the largest tobacco companies, such as Makedonija Tabak of Skopje, and the three tobacco-manufacturing firms in Prilep, Skopje, and Kumanovo. The companies are offered to international bidders, with the obligation to purchase at least 51 per cent of the shares. The deadline for submitting offers by interested buyers is 15 March. All potential buyers are advised to contact the Agency's consultants (Barents Group LLC, KPMG Peat Marwick, Washington, D.C.) for detailed information.

    On 15 February the Agency announced another public sale, offering ten other large companies. Six of them (Teteks of Tetovo, Skopski Lozar of Skopje, Zhito Makedonija of Skopje, Sharpromet of Tetovo, Bilkapromet of Skopje, and Inteks of Skopje) are offering their indivisible part . The remaining four companies - Fershped of Skopje, Pivara of Skopje, Angroteks of Shtip (in fact, a medium-sized company) and Makedonija Turist of Skopje - will be management buyouts. Potential buyers of companies selling their indivisible part are to submit the following:
    a) information on the portion of the indivisible part intended to be purchased; and
    b) information on the amount offered.
    Offers on purchasing companies according to the managerial model should include a program with the following elements:
    a) introduction of the bidder;
    b) development strategy with a projection on balance for the next five years;
    c) planned investment;
    d) planned reconstruction; and
    e) planned employment.

    Offers on companies selling their indivisible part are to be submitted to the Agency within 15 days, and offers on purchasing firms according to the managerial model must submitted within 30 days from the announcement. Results will be published 15 days following the deadlines. The Agency offers packages of information on companies for sale. The next announcement of public sale of new enterprises is expected at the beginning of March.

    Meanwhile, the Agency is planning the transformation of small and medium companies which have missed the deadline for self-privatization. In compliance with the Privatization Law, the Agency now has the legal authority for conducting the transformation of those firms. The Agency will suggest the following models:
    - small companies will be advised to sell their indivisible part, while
    - medium companies will have an alternative of either using the managerial model or issuing shares for an additional accumulation of capital.

    Employees in these firms will also be offered shares amounting to 30 per cent of the companies' value, at lower prices (in accordance with privileges set by the law).