MAK-NEWS 20/04/95 (M.I.L.S.)
From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>
CONTENTS
[01] GERMANY TO AID ECONOMIC REFORMS IN MACEDONIA
[02] MACEDONIAN-AUSTRALIAN COOPERATION IN EDUCATION
[03] CRVENKOVSKI ADDRESSES DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE
[04] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS
[05] FIRST THREE MACEDONIAN COMPANIES PRIVATIZED
[06] PARLIAMENTARIAN BRIEFS
[07] WHY DID PDP ASK ALIU TO RESIGN?
[08] POLICE TEAR DOWN ILLEGALLY BUILT OBJECTS
[09] TIRANA PAPER ANALYZES MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN RELATIONS
[10] US CORN ARRIVES IN MACEDONIA SPOILED
[11] COMPUTER FAIR IN SKOPJE
[12] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: ACCORDING TO WHICH LAW?! (Koha, 12 April 1995)
M I L S N E W S
Skopje, 20 April 1995
[01] GERMANY TO AID ECONOMIC REFORMS IN MACEDONIA
Germany will send a direct financial aid of 38 million
German marks, along with an additional 28 million through EU
institutions to support Macedonia, said Karl Dieter
Spranger, German Minister of Economic Cooperation and
Development, at yesterday's press-conference in Skopje. The
fact that two German ministers have visited Macedonia only
shows how important the cooperation with this country is in
the eyes of Germany, Spranger said yesterday, following
talks with Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and several
ministers in the Macedonian Government. "Our cooperation and
presence in Macedonia shows that Germany respects and
recognizes the current economic and political reforms in
Macedonia," he told reporters. He also announced new funds
to be sent in the future through the IMF and the World Bank.
Germany remains interested in seeing its aid for Macedonia
realized quickly and efficiently. To be more precise, he
said, Germany plans to donate over 5 million German marks
this year for construction of the railroad to Bulgaria.
Spranger is in Macedonia also as a World Bank Governor. "I
hope", he said, "to be able to report on the situation in
and the needs of Macedonia to the World Bank at the next
Board session due next week in Washington." He promised
Crvenkovski to use his influence at the Paris Club to help
Macedonia settle its debt there.
During the talks with Crvenkovski and ministers Zhuta,
Angelov and Buzlevski in the meeting with the two country's
ambassadors, Spranger pointed out the importance of the
visit in terms of developing the already established
bilateral cooperation and opening new opportunities for a
wider cooperation within the framework of the EU. He also
stated his Government's readiness to make an effort to
accelerate the implementation of EU decisions to support
Macedonia.
Spranger was also received yesterday by President Gligorov.
They expressed mutual satisfaction with the development of
friendly relations between the two nations.
Spranger will end his stay in Macedonia today, by visiting
Ohrid.
[02] MACEDONIAN-AUSTRALIAN COOPERATION IN EDUCATION
The delegation of the Macedonian Ministry of Education,
consisting of Minister Emilija Simoska and foreign under-
secretary Victor Gaber who is currently visiting Australia,
met yesterday in Perth with the Western Australia's
Secretary General of Education and his assistant. They
agreed on possible ways for cooperation between the two
ministries including joint efforts on books and schoolbooks
for Macedonian immigrants to Australia.
The delegation also met with representatives of Macedonian
immigrant organizations.
[03] CRVENKOVSKI ADDRESSES DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE
At the ongoing Conference on Non-spreading of Nuclear Arms,
Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski addressed
those present, and stated his readiness to work along with
all co-signers of the Disarmament Agreement on unconditional
realization of provisions in the agreement.
[04] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS
- In Tirana last Tuesday, Macedonian ambassador to Albania,
Nikola Todorcevski, met with Eduard Seliami, chairman of the
Albanian parliamentarian Committee for Foreign Policy. They
discussed the recent decision of the Macedonia Parliament to
form a working group for cooperation with the Albanian
Parliament. A1 Television reports the decision was welcomed
by the Albanian side, which promised to organize a visit to
Albania by the Macedonian Parliament's working group, to
make contacts with colleagues in Albania and to help improve
mutual relations.
- Luan Starova, Macedonian ambassador to France and Spain,
yesterday presented his credentials to Christina Berios,
Protocol Director of the Spanish Foreign Ministry.
[05] FIRST THREE MACEDONIAN COMPANIES PRIVATIZED
At the Privatization Agency of the Republic of Macedonia,
officials ceremoniously signed the first 3 agreements on
sale of the companies "Fershped" (appraised at 21.779,000
German marks, managerial team of 15), "Skopska Pivara"
(appraised at 39.731,000 German marks, managerial team of
6), and "Makedonija Turist" (appraised at 23.295,000 German
marks, managerial team of 14). The managerial teams are
obliged to buy out shares of the control package, i.e., up
to 51 per cent of the companies' total value, within the
next 5 years. The next company to be sold today is
"Angroteks".
Unofficially, A1 Television says the next step of Fershped,
Skopska Pivara, Makedonija Turist, Herc Makedonija,
Makpetrol and Alkaloid will be to form a joint bank. This
would mean that the companies will withdraw their deposits
from Stopanska Banka, despite their claims that they would
leave the deposits where they are. If this happens, chances
are Stopanska Banka will have to be divided into parts even
smaller than those set by the World Bank as a condition for
signing new financial arrangements with this Macedonian
bank.
[06] PARLIAMENTARIAN BRIEFS
At yesterday's 17 th session of the Macedonia Parliament,
MP's passed 5 laws. The Law on Trade is expected to put an
end to illegal trading in the country, which, according to
some calculations, comprises as much as 50 per cent of the
total trading operations in Macedonia. MP's also passed the
Tourist Activity Law, which sets midnight as a closing time
for restaurants, with an additional two hours after midnight
in tourist areas and during tourist seasons. Night clubs and
cabarets are allowed to stay open until 3 a.m., while
discotheques can operate until 1 a.m. Liquors are not to be
served from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and not at all to underage
individuals.
Parliament members also passed laws on standardization,
control of products made of precious metals, and measurement
units.
[07] WHY DID PDP ASK ALIU TO RESIGN?
A few days ago, the PDP leadership asked Eshtref Aliu to
resign from his position as a member of the party
leadership. The reason stated was Aliu's statement in an
interview with the papers Rilindia and Bujku, which,
according to PDP leaders, is contrary to the party's basic
policies. A1 Television reports Aliu had said the ethnic
Albanian ministers in the Macedonian Government were in
favor of a university in the Albanian language, but admitted
that such a university would impose an additional burden
which the weak Macedonian economy could not bear. In his
interview with Bujku, Aliu had said ethnic Albanians in
Macedonia have no need for a university at which lectures
are given in basements and private houses; they do need an
institution with well organized and well established
methods, with modern objectives and with qualified
professors. Ethnic Albanians ought to turn to the Skopje
University of "St. Cyrill and Methodius" as their real need,
he said, adding that the university in Tetovo issue is to be
resolved within the framework of the already existing
higher-education institutions. Ethnic Albanians, Aliu said,
see no problem in having an Albanian-language university,
but the Macedonian side does as a result of its
incomprehensible desire for domination.
PDP president Abdurahman Haliti said in an interview with
Nova Makedonija that these statements are opposed to the
basic PDP viewpoints, and therefore the party has asked Aliu
to resign from the leadership.
[08] POLICE TEAR DOWN ILLEGALLY BUILT OBJECTS
The illegal high-school in the Albanian language "Hajdar
Dushi" in the village of Radolishta near Struga was closed
down by the police yesterday. The act went peacefully and
with no unrest. Prior to shutting the doors of the school
and taking the sign down, an official of the local unit of
the Ministry of Education spoke with a delegation from the
local self-government and delegates in the township
committee. He told them talks are to follow shortly at legal
institutions on the possibility of the inclusion of the
remaining school children of the village in the legal
educational system. UNPREDEP and OSCE officials were also
present in the village for a short period during the closing
of the school.
Yesterday evening, representatives of the closed school and
local PDP and Dzaferi-led faction officials discussed the
event and announced their intention to issue a public
statement.
An illegally built mosque was torn down in the village of
Kocivari, near Titov Veles, also yesterday. Villagers had
built the structure without any legal documents or
permission of the local unit of the Ministry for City
Planning and Construction. The action went without any
problems.
[09] TIRANA PAPER ANALYZES MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN RELATIONS
Following the recent border incident near Debar including
the killing of an Albanian citizen trying to illegally cross
the border, the Tirana newspaper Koha Yone published an
article two days ago, analyzing current relations between
Macedonia and Albania. The article says 14 Albanian citizens
have been killed by Macedonian border guards over the past 3
years. The initial process of establishing good neighborly
relations was interrupted two years ago, the paper writes,
after the meeting between presidents Gligorov and Berisha in
Podgradec and Ohrid. After this, neither Gligorov visited
Tirana nor did Berisha go to Skopje, the paper comments. The
text concludes by stating two dominant opinions held by
analysts : one says relations have worsened following the
events in Tetovo, and the other claims that those events are
a mere result of the already declining relations.
[10] US CORN ARRIVES IN MACEDONIA SPOILED
Nearly 3,000 tons of the 40,000 tons of US humanitarian corn
sent to Macedonia are of a bad quality and have been
disposed of. General State Inspector for Plant Protection
Kiro Jankovski says analyses have shown that the corn
reached Macedonia in perfect condition and of proper
quality. According to him, the corn was spoiled due to the
prolonged and improper transportation. The cargo arrived
through the Greek port of Salonika and the transport was
delayed for 20 days due to problems caused by the Greek-
imposed embargo. On top of this, he adds, Greece had refused
the offer of Macedonia to provide closed freight-cars for
the transportation.
Meanwhile, only 2,500 tons of the corn have been sold so
far. Cattle food producers and farmers are not interested in
the corn because of, as they say, the high price of 8 Denars
per kilogram set by the Government. Other producers are
selling corn at 4 Denars per kilogram. The Government
lowered the price of American corn to 6 Denars. The cargo
cost the Government $7 million, provided through a credit to
be returned in 30 years, after a grace period of 3 years and
an annual interest rate of 3 per cent.
[11] COMPUTER FAIR IN SKOPJE
The first International Computer Fair in Skopje "Infokom
'95" was opened yesterday, displaying computers,
telecommunication equipment and literature. The fair was
opened by the Macedonian Minister of Finance, Jane
Miljovski.
[12] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: ACCORDING TO WHICH LAW?!
(Koha, 12 April 1995)
Apart from problems in relations with neighboring countries,
Macedonia is increasingly being faced with problems caused
by itself, the hardest one probably being the judiciary.
Statements frequently repeated by Macedonian politicians
some 4 - 5 years ago during the times of "democratic"
euphoria, designed to correct mistakes made by the previous
communist legal system, now resemble towers built in the
sand, melting more and more under the waves of reality. It
is obvious that daily political games, often determining the
scope of the "contingent" of rights to be allowed, are
playing quite an important role in defining the social life
in Macedonia. The latest example for this are court
proceedings against the pioneers of the Albanian-language
university in Tetovo.
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Tetovo initiated criminal
charges against Dr. Fadil Suleimani, rector of the
university in Tetovo, Milaim Feiziu, president of the Human
Rights Forum in Gostivar, and Nevzat Halili, leader of PDP-
Party for National Unity.
Fadil Suleimani is charged with inciting to resistance, on
grounds of article 206 of the Criminal Law of the Republic
of Macedonia. The indictment says Suleimani had been
constantly repeating the criminal act he is accused of. As a
result of his actions, the indictment goes on, a crowd of
people gathered on 17 February in Mala Recica, intending to
prevent the implementation of the Macedonian Government's
decision concerning the initiative for a university in
Tetovo.
The other two, Feiziu and Halili, are accused of
participation in crowds and preventing police officers from
exercising their duty, on grounds of article 205 of the
Criminal Law. The temporary imprisonment is extended for all
3 defendants.
So far, no details about the proceedings have been
announced, except the fact that only statements of
eyewitnesses have been taken as evidence. (Let us remind the
reader that Macedonia was neither in a war nor under a
martial law on 17 February.
Mahmut Yusufi, lawyer, says that article 206 of the Criminal
Law of the Republic of Macedonia, regarding "incitement to
resistance toward decisions or measures brought by the
administration agencies or prevention of officials from
exercising their duties," is cited in combination with
article 51 of the Constitution, which says every citizen is
obliged to respect the law and Constitution. According to
Yusufi, no constitutional category says that disrespect for
government decisions or measures shall imply criminal
charges.
The final outcome of the initiated indictment will most
probably affect the fate of the imprisoned ethnic Albanians.
But, having in mind the previous experience in proceedings
of similar nature (such as the hearings on the 10 ethnic
Albanians convicted in the arms affair), it is difficult to
believe that something can change the course of the
proceedings. Reporters interviewed following the arrest of
Suleimani have also been summoned to court in the role of
witnesses for the prosecution. The reporters, sources say,
have been asked to testify that Suleimani did state that
"200,000 Albanians will rise to defend the university."
These very statements were the grounds for bringing charges
against Suleimani in the first place. The indictment on
Feiziu seems to be based on similar grounds, as it says he
had also stated "the university will be defended by all
means possible."
Nevertheless, the law is read and interpreted in different
ways, depending on the need. A year ago, for instance, a
certain Macedonian politician (having lost the elections in
a large electoral unit in Skopje), stated that "Skopje will
be a second Bucharest, as no one could possibly win
elections in Macedonia with democratic means." But nothing
happened, and this politician, unlike his ethnic Albanian
"colleagues", was not even summoned to an informative
questioning or asked to explain his threats toward the
government and the state, let alone be taken into custody.
The question arises by itself: What are the motives behind
an act like this, which is no doubt far from being
productive or contributing to the development of democracy
or a just legal system?
In this context, it seems worth mentioning that initiatives
have already been brought to have the Constitutional Court
re-examine the constitutionality of articles 205 and 206 of
the Criminal Law. The initiator is the said lawyer, who
points to the fact that article 205, which "sanctions
participation in crowds to prevent state officials from
exercising their duties" is in coalition with article 21 of
the Constitution, which reads "citizens of the Republic of
Macedonia have a right to peacefully gather and protest
publicly, without previous notification and needing no
special permission; this right can be limited only in a case
of war or under a martial law."
Note: The Macedonian Constitutional Court yesterday turned
down the initiative brought by Mahmut Yusufi, lawyer, for
re-examination of constitutionality of articles 205 and 206
of the Criminal Law. The Court decided that the said
articles are fully adequate for the criminal acts performed
by the defendants Suleimani, Feiziu and other demonstrators
during the 17 February unrest in Mala Recica. Therefore, the
Court will not question the decisions made by the District
Court in Tetovo.
(end)
mils-news 20 April '95
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