MAK-NEWS 24/02/95 (M.I.L.S.) [*]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:

  1. * OSCE CALLS FOR CALM AND DIALOGUE
  2. * SERECHI WARNS AGAINST SLAV-MACEDONIAN CHAUVINISM
  3. * CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER MUST BE RESPECTED, RUSSIA SAYS
  4. * STUDENTS PROTEST IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT
  5. * GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS STUDENTS' PROTEST
  6. * ETHNIC ALBANIAN STUDENTS CALL FOR STUDENT SOLIDARITY
  7. * ALBANIAN PARTIES APPEAL FOR PROTESTS
  8. * COURT OPENS INVESTIGATION ON TETOVO SUSPECTS
  9. . PUBLIC DEBATE ON TOLERANCE
  10. . BILINGUAL EDUCATION CAUSES PROBLEMS IN AMERICA
  11. * FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS SKOPJE
  12. . BUDAPEST ECOLOGISTS OPEN OFFICE IN SKOPJE
  13. . UNIVERSITY COMPUTER SYSTEMS START UP
  14. . MACEDONIANS GO HOME!
  15. * MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: OPPOSITION VIEWS ON UNIVERSITY IN TETOVO (Delo, 24 February, 1995)

M I L S N E W S

Skopje, 24 February, 1995

  1. OSCE CALLS FOR CALM AND DIALOGUE
    At a yesterday session in Vienna, the OSCE Permanent Council discussed the situation in Macedonia. Supporting Macedonia's territorial integrity, sovereignty and stability, the Council passed a resolution welcoming the positive attitude of the Macedonian government and the representatives of ethnic Albanians, an attitude which should help alleviate the tension. The Council called on both sides to remain calm and enter a dialogue to overcome problems in compliance with Macedonia's constitutional order and OSCE principles.

  2. SERECHI WARNS AGAINST SLAV-MACEDONIAN CHAUVINISM
    The media in Albania quoted Alfred Serechi, Albanian Foreign Minister, as warning against "a Slav-Macedonian chauvinism still existing in the Balkans, increasingly adding to the already tense situation." Serechi was speaking during his recent official visit to Italy.

    Serechi also reportedly said no agreement could be reached in peace negotiations in the former Yugoslavia unless the Kosovo question is included in the talks.

  3. CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER MUST BE RESPECTED, RUSSIA SAYS
    Yuri Petrovich Trushin, the Russian Charge d' Affaires to Macedonia, yesterday visited the Macedonian Ministry of Education. Discussions focused on educational problems for ethnic Albanians. Stating that Russia considers the university in Tetovo is illegal, Trushin repeated his country's interest in the preservation of stability in Macedonia, which, as he said, is possible only by an unconditional respect by all citizens for the constitutional order.

  4. STUDENTS PROTEST IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT
    Yesterday, nearly 2,000 students of the "St. Cyrill and Methodius" university in Skopje held a peaceful protest in front of the parliament building. They issued a declaration against the establishing of an Albanian-language university in Tetovo. Among the many slogans was, "Let the Damn Shqiptares know the Macedonian Name will Never Die". Students' Council president Toni Mirchevski said, the Council is always ready to use all legal means to protest and contribute to a democratic development of the country. Apart from professor Dimitar Dimitrov, no other university professors accompanied the students on their protest. The Students' Council at the "St. Clement of Ohrid" university in Bitola sent a telegram of support to their colleagues from Skopje.

    Yesterday afternoon the Students' Council of Skopje dissociated itself from the chauvinist slogans used during the protest, as they are contrary to the principles proclaimed by the Council.

  5. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS STUDENTS' PROTEST
    Regarding yesterday's students' protest, government spokesman Djuner Ismail said, "It is with regret that we note our warning that one extremism gives birth to another has been confirmed by the so-called peaceful protest by students. We hope the students are not supported by their teachers in this. This protest only encourages activities by Albanian extremists, feeding on nationalism which inevitably leads to a bottomless pit of nationalist hysteria. It leads to further divisions and irrational attempts to make this issue of differences the most important in the current situation. Claims that an entire nation is "damned" are the best proof of one's own damnation."

  6. ETHNIC ALBANIAN STUDENTS CALL FOR STUDENT SOLIDARITY
    Ethnic Albanian students at the "St. Cyrill and Methoduis" university in Skopje reacted to the Macedonian student protest by issuing a public statement. They said all students, regardless of national affiliation, must be the main force in bringing democratic changes in a society, instead of promoting short-sighted daily politics. "Instead of protesting, students should have supported their colleagues at the university in Tetovo in the desire to improve and acquire the achievements of the modern world. Unfortunately, they turned to street-democracy methods to support the repressive measures of the current government. This certainly does not lead to preservation of peace and stability in the country," the statement says.

  7. ALBANIAN PARTIES APPEAL FOR PROTESTS
    Representatives of the NDP, PDP, the Party for Democratic Action - Islamic Road, the Tetovo-based PDP faction, and the Association of Albanian Women, yesterday held a joint press- conference. They all agreed that the Macedonian government took the wrong step when it chose to use police force to interrupt the lectures at the university in Tetovo and arrest a large number of people. This will only increase political and ethnic tension, they said. Instead of starting an institutional dialogue with the legitimate university representatives and other people - a dialogue aimed at finding ways to integrate the university in Tetovo into the educational system - the government chose the worst alternative and deepened the conflict. The parties appealed to all citizens in Macedonia to show solidarity with their suggestions - to declare Friday a day of mourning; on Saturday to pay their respects at the grave of the victim who died in Tetovo; to present a petition of dissatisfaction on Monday; and to organize demonstrations in front of the UN building in Geneva on Tuesday. Similar demonstrations will be organized in future until the arrested people are released and conditions are provided for uninterrupted work of the university in Tetovo. Otherwise, said the NDP president Iliaz Halimi, the university will soon restart its work. He reiterated that they have a promise by Gert Arens that the police will not enter private houses where lectures will be held. President Gligorov is very disturbed by the February 17 events, Halimi said, as they made Macedonia look bad in the eyes of the world.

    In future, PDP will announce its decision just before each parliamentary session as to whether it will participate in that session. Arben Dzhaferi said the biggest mistake was to neglect the need for a dialogue between the Macedonian political parties and the parties of ethnic Albanians. The Albanian political subject in Macedonia, he said, contacts only the Ministry of Interior.

  8. COURT OPENS INVESTIGATION ON TETOVO SUSPECTS
    The District Court in Tetovo opened an investigation into the imprisonment of Fadil Suleimani, Miljaim Feiziu, Nevzat Halili, and Kemal Shabani. The Suleimani and Feiziu cases will be investigated on the grounds of inciting resistance, while the investigation on Shabani is to determine whether he is guilty of illegal possession of weapons. The court sentenced all three defendants to 30 days imprisonment to cover the investigation period. Nevzat Halili received the same sentence, on grounds of having participated in militant crowds and preventing police officers from exercising their duty.

  9. PUBLIC DEBATE ON TOLERANCE
    The Macedonian Youth Council is association with the Macedonian Council of European Movement, will hold a public debate entitled "The Road To Tolerance" today at 7 p.m. in the "Hall 19,19". The debate is organized to mark the start of the European youth's struggle against racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance. The debate will include speeches by OSCE ambassador Tore Bogh and ambassadors Ivan Toshevski and Naste Chalovski.

  10. BILINGUAL EDUCATION CAUSES PROBLEMS IN AMERICA
    Keeping in mind the Tetovo university events of the past week, the media in Macedonia reported yesterday that the issue of bilingual education is causing problems even in American society. As a result, a draft-law proposing a ban on bilingual education has been submitted to the U.S. Congress. Makfaks says Republicans insist on banning bilingual education. Explaining the draft-law, Congressman Pit King said any support for bilingual education will bring about splits in the American society and prevent non-English speaking citizens from following their American dream. The issue of bilingual education is probably the most dangerous aspect of the current administration's fascination with multi-lingual and multi-culture notions, King said. The draft-law, however, met with resistance even by some Republicans who said it is non-American and xenophobic.

  11. FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS SKOPJE
    The French Parliament delegation, currently visiting Macedonia, met yesterday with several members of the Macedonian Parliament to discuss the priority goals of the Macedonian Assembly and the situation in the country. The French delegation, accompanied by the French ambassador in Macedonia Patrick Chrismant, showed particular interest in the university in Tetovo. The PDP representative told the French parliamentarians that ethnic Albanians have only confirmed their intentions to live within Macedonian boundaries by opening an Albanian-language university which is to work in accordance with Macedonian curricula. However, officials of the Macedonian parties represented in Parliament pointed out the university in Tetovo is an illegal institution based on political instead of educational needs and aimed at radicalizing the Albanian issue in the Balkans and destabilizing Macedonia. Parliament vice-president Tito Petkovski said Macedonia has no economic power to establish universities in the languages of all its minorities living in the country.

    The French delegation expressed support for Macedonia's integration into European economic, political and financial institutions and Macedonia's membership into the Council of Europe and OSCE. They agreed to intensify mutual parliamentary cooperation.

    The delegation will visit Bitola, Ohrid and Tetovo in the next few days.

  12. BUDAPEST ECOLOGISTS OPEN OFFICE IN SKOPJE
    The Regional Ecology Center of Budapest officially opened an office in Skopje, yesterday. Besides financial aid for ecology projects, the center will be providing counseling services and participating in environmental protection projects in Macedonia.

  13. UNIVERSITY COMPUTER SYSTEMS START UP
    The university "St. Cyrill and Methodius" yesterday showed off its computer equipment and programs, worth $250,000 and donated by the ORACLE software company. The programs enable the university to organize more efficient and faster communication between academics, and provide better planning and control over university administrative work.

  14. MACEDONIANS GO HOME!
    Macedonian Radio reports that the Ohrid township assembly has passed a resolution to allow only foreigners to spend their summer holidays by the lake this July and August. City authorities explain this will be more profitable for Ohrid, in both ecological and economic terms.

  15. MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: OPPOSITION VIEWS ON UNIVERSITY IN TETOVO
    (Delo, 24 February, 1995) - Dosta Dimovska, vice-president of VMRO-DPMNE: "The recent events surrounding the so-called university in Tetovo show that all this was a premeditated scenario between the parties in the Alliance for Macedonia and parties of Albanians. The reason was to cause incidents and intimidate the Macedonian population in western Macedonia into accepting the policy of retreat and concessions toward the Albanian minority in Macedonia. Statements by the British Foreign Office recommending that the authorities in Macedonia fulfill their promises to the Albanian minority only prove that the events were previously planned. And, after all that happened, the police have been withdrawn and students and professors from Kosovo continue uninterrupted in their university activities in Poroy and Mala Rechica. This will increase the number of immigrants from Kosovo to Macedonia. In my opinion, this is part of the plan by Mr. Gligorov, who intends to help alleviate Albanian-Serbian tension in Kosovo and then give the Albanians in Macedonia a territorial and political autonomy. Finally, the remaining part of Macedonia would be annexed to Serbia and so complete the Belgrade-Skopje-Athens axis. I believe ethnic tension will only increase in the future and new confrontation on other issues is also likely. The official policy, allegedly led in the name of peace and coexistence, will lead exactly to the opposite - disturbance of peace and stability in the country, turning it into another Bosnia."

    - Petar Goshev, leader of the Democratic Party: " The development of events and the loss of a human life is more than anything else a result of the ruling logic of this government, which has clearly shown that it has no concise concept for dealing with problems in ethnic relations. This government should expected this, especially after its secret talks with the Albanian political groups. To make matters worse, the government continues to make deals behind the back of its own people. As if neglecting the fact that there are institutions like parliament, government and a president of the country, along with parties of Albanians who have recognized this parliament and are participating in the government, the government has formed some informal group to lead secret talks with an ad-hoc coordinating body of various Albanian political groups.

    On the so-called university in Tetovo and problems in education, our party's view consists of the following three points: 1) The entire problem must be resolved within state institutions and the constitutional and legal framework of the country; 2) It is unacceptable to form a third university in the country, along with the existing two which are far from meeting European educational criteria; and 3) No decisions and solutions regarding ethnic relations must endanger the unity of the state and put collective rights above those of the individual, unless someone intends to make Macedonia a state similar to the one in the past." -Dragisha Miletich, leader of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia: "I would like to remind people that our party was the first in Macedonia to warn the Macedonian government against its very suspicious coalition with the Shqiptares, some two and a half years ago. We also told them there would come a time when this coalition will bring nothing but trouble to the Macedonian people. This conclusion of ours is now being materialized through the opening of the Shquiptare university in Tetovo, or more precisely in Mala Rechica. And this is only the beginning, as this is a scenario already seen in Kosovo. However, Serbia has already dealt with this problem.

    According to this scenario, the university is the first step to be followed by demands for cultural autonomy, then a secession and finally creation of their desired "Ilirida" state. Why have they chosen Tetovo? Because they are counting on a large number of students from Kosovo; according to our calculations, this university would have up to 50,000 regular students. Why is the Macedonian government tolerating this and why is Minister Frchkovski giving such casual statements? He is trying to present the event as only a small group of citizens having gathered together for a birthday party. What birthday party, I ask you, is celebrated by as many as 10,000 guests? This is closer to a rebellion than a birthday party. I am afraid this might be a birthday for their "Ilirida". This step has seriously shaken ethnic relations between not only Macedonians and Albanians, but also Serbs, Turks, Vlachs, and Rhomas. What do you expect would happen if all ethnic groups in Macedonia demanded a university in their native language? We, as Serbs, clearly said that should the Shqiptares be allowed a university, we would demand the same right for us. But, we would have an even more legitimate right than the Sqhiptares. I am sure they will not stop until they achieve their goal and that is why rumors have been spread that the danger comes from north. We are certainly for solving all problems through dialogue and within legal institutions."