MAK-NEWS 26/04/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>

CONTENTS

  • [01] GLIGOROV TO GO TO MOSCOW

  • [02] ANDOV RECEIVED BY GINDORUK

  • [03] PARLIAMENTARIAN DELEGATION IN STRASBURG

  • [04] BERISHA WOULD APPRECIATE CONCESSIONS BY SKOPJE

  • [05] TRADE UNION ASKS CABINET TO RESIGN

  • [06] DEMOCRATS TO JOIN THE STRIKE

  • [07] TRADE UNION ASSOCIATION DOES NOT SUPPORT THE STRIKE

  • [08] OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES ON THE STRIKE

  • [09] TRADE LAW POSTPONED FOR 3 MONTHS

  • [10] PURE POLITICAL PROCESS, PARTIES OF ALBANIANS SAY

  • [11] FREEDOM OF PRESS IN MACEDONIA SUFFOCATED

  • [12] SEMINAR ON PRIVATIZATION

  • [13] SPORTS

  • [14] CULTURE

  • [15] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: ENTIRELY POLITICAL TRIAL (Flaka e Vllazerimit, 21 April 1995)

    •

    M I L S N E W S

    Skopje, 26 April 1995

    [01] GLIGOROV TO GO TO MOSCOW

    Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov has accepted the invitation of Russian President Boris Yeltsin to take part in the ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the victory over fascism to be held in Moscow, May 9. Prior to this, Gligorov had also accepted the invitation of Great Britain's Government and of the French President Mitterand to participate in the commemoration of the Victory Day, to be celebrated in London and Paris, May 6 - 8.

    [02] ANDOV RECEIVED BY GINDORUK

    In Istanbul yesterday, Husamedin Gindoruk, President of Turkey's Grand People's Parliament, received his Macedonian counterpart Stojan Andov. They exchanged views on the bilateral cooperation and the situation in the region. Gindoruk said Macedonia is an historic fact and, speaking of the importance of the East-West corridor, he expressed his country's support for Macedonia, adding the unjust embargo ought to be lifted.

    [03] PARLIAMENTARIAN DELEGATION IN STRASBURG

    A delegation of the Macedonian Parliament is currently in Strasburg, participating in the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. They will discuss several issues in the field of law, human rights, current political events, economy, social rights and culture.

    [04] BERISHA WOULD APPRECIATE CONCESSIONS BY SKOPJE

    Albania is for a stable Macedonia and a solution of its problems with Greece, said Albanian President Sali Berisha in an interview with the Greek pro-government paper Ta Nea. Therefore, he said, Albania would appreciate seeing signs of good faith by Macedonia by respecting the human and national rights of Albanians living there. "I cannot see how a country could be stable if its citizens are not enjoying their rights," he concluded.

    [05] TRADE UNION ASKS CABINET TO RESIGN

    Unless the Government accepts a dialogue with the Union of the Independent Trade Unions in Macedonia, the latter will be forced to demand the cabinet to resign and a new, transition administration be named to prepare and schedule new elections within 3 months. This was stated at yesterday's press-conference of the Independent Union. The coming general strike, due April 27, is a purely economic one, said Stojan Nikolov, President of the Coordination body. The Union, he added, is a non-party organization and the support of some of the out-of-parliament parties is coincidental, but the Union cannot afford to reject it. During the strike, leaders of opposition parties will not be allowed to address the crowds, but representatives of the ruling parties will, if they are present, Macedonian Radio informs. Union officials said they have a written agreement with opposition leaders that the latter will not undertake any party initiatives. Protest meetings will be organized in Skopje and other cities, and 3 to 4 major roads will be blocked. The Autonomous Trade Union still left open the chance of the strike not taking place should the Government agree to discuss the 17 demands presented by the Union by April 27. After tomorrow, the Union will be talking only to the president of the country or the parliament president. However, a high Government official, cited by the Macedonian Television, reportedly said that the Government sees no grounds for talks, because in these times of reforms and stabilization of the country, the administration has long ago determined its standpoint regarding social situations like this.

    [06] DEMOCRATS TO JOIN THE STRIKE

    At a press-conference yesterday, the Democratic Party led by Petar Goshev expressed full support of the announced general strike, saying its membership will join the demonstrators. The strike, Goshev said, is an institutional means of the working class to protect its rights in all democracies in the world, and that right is also safe-guarded by the Macedonian Constitution. The demands for a new Government by the Independent Union are also demands of the Democratic Party. The current administration, he said, is acting irresponsibly due to a lack of control mechanisms, and it is exactly the Government that is de stabilizing the country.

    [07] TRADE UNION ASSOCIATION DOES NOT SUPPORT THE STRIKE

    The leadership of the Macedonian Trade Union Association yesterday issued a public statement to address its membership, trade unions and the Macedonian public saying that the Association is not an organizer and does not stand behind the demands of the Independent Union. Therefore, it appeals to its membership not to take part in the demonstration which is purely political and is aimed at abuse of workers for personal interests. The Association, the statement reads, had already started its own initiative for organizing a general strike. Talks with Government officials on the overall situation of workers are in progress and the membership will be duly informed.

    [08] OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES ON THE STRIKE

    VMRO-DPMNE openly stands behind the Independent Trade Union. The Liberal Party regards the strike as an attempt to de stabilize the country. The Working Party fully agrees with the demands presented by the Independent Union. MAAK reminds that this was to be expected. The Socialist Party completely dissociates itself from the strike. PDP of Albanians morally supports the strike. The Democratic Party of Macedonia does not support the strike. SDSM warns this is a typical political attempt to abuse the current social dissatisfaction and impose a massive negative politicization of the Macedonian public. The Democratic Party openly supports the strike.

    [09] TRADE LAW POSTPONED FOR 3 MONTHS

    About 500 individuals protested yesterday in front of the parliament building against the recently passed Trade Law. Their demand is that the cabinet withdraw the law and put the old one back in effect or to complete the new one with the rights of traders to sell textile and technical goods at markets. Minister of Economy Risto Ivanov received representatives of the demonstrators, and said there is a parliament procedure to change laws. He advised traders to coordinate their work with the law, which requires them to do so within 3 months. Having been informed of the essence of the talks, the demonstrators left.

    [10] PURE POLITICAL PROCESS, PARTIES OF ALBANIANS SAY

    Parties of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia and the Association of Albanian Women held a press-conference in Skopje yesterday to say that the court proceedings due today against the initiators of the university in Tetovo, Suleimani and Feiziu, is a sheer political process and manipulation of the Government. Arben Dzaferi said the Government is trying to distract the public's attention by turning it from social and economic problems toward ethnic differences and trying to create an artificial tension. He pointed out the party's demand to allow the presence of representatives of political parties of Albanians at today's hearing. The proceedings are scheduled for noon today, but A1 Television unofficially says it is likely to be postponed due to a health condition of one of the lawyers. PDP, Makpress informs, supports the announced protest march in Tetovo due today. At yesterday's press-conference, attended also by parliament deputies and ministries members of PDP, the party expressed full support of the rector's office of the university in Tetovo and its attempts to continue with the classes. The parliamentarian group and the ministers will try to institutionalize the university. PDP officials told reporters that the talks held a month ago between representatives of parties of Albanians and the president of the country and the parliament president proved fruitless. Macedonian Radio and Television says the organizers of the protest in Tetovo support the general strike organized by the Independent Trade Union.

    [11] FREEDOM OF PRESS IN MACEDONIA SUFFOCATED

    The Forum for Freedom of Informing and Democracy in Macedonia, led by Ljubisha Georgievski, yesterday held a press-conference to warn against "the increasingly suffocated freedom of informing in the country." The direct reason for this, he said, was the charges for slander made by Minister of the Interior Frckovski against Vladimir Mokrov, editor of the weekly "Delo". The latter had published an article claiming Frckovski had received a bribe. Georgievski said the statement of the Government spokesman Djuner Ismail regarding the issue was an obvious and open support of Frckovski. "As a citizen," he said, "Frckovski has all the rights to bring charges against anyone, but he has no right to use Government press- conferences to publicize this, as this will by all means directly influence the final court decision."

    [12] SEMINAR ON PRIVATIZATION

    In Skopje yesterday, the Macedonian Government's commission in charge of reconstruction of the highest loss-producing companies and the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank started a 3-day seminar on privatization processes in the country. Yesterday, they focused on the macroeconomics in Macedonia necessary for carrying out the transformation. World Bank representatives talked about the two credits for Macedonia approved by the Bank, one of which is to be used to aid the process of financial reconstruction of companies, while the other is to help the social reforms.

    [13] SPORTS

    The Macedonian national senior and junior soccer teams will play a return game in, order to qualify for the coming European Cup, against the teams of Denmark, in Copenhagen today.

    [14] CULTURE

    In coordination with the French Cultural Center in Skopje and the Culture Department at the French embassy in Macedonia, Andre Courribet of France will give a lecture on the outstanding French romancier Jean Giono, at 6 p.m. today at the French Cultural Center. Tomorrow, in coordination with the same organizers, Michel Arrive, a professor of linguistics at the Paris University, will give a lecture on the "Reform of Orthography in France" at 6 p.m. tomorrow at the French Cultural Center.

    [15] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: ENTIRELY POLITICAL TRIAL

    (Flaka e Vllazerimit, 21 April 1995)

    Finally, on April 26, 1995, the Municipal Court of Tetovo will hold the main hearing at which the court, presided over by judge Zorica Eftimovska, is to try two intellectuals (ethnic Albanians) on the grounds that they expressed personal ideas in public places and on radio and television concerning the education of the Albanian population in Macedonia in their native language. The accused are professor Dr. Fadil Suleimani, rector of the university in Tetovo, and Milaim Feiziu, member of the University Council. The indictment on Suleimani states: - The accused Fadil Suleimani has used the media and public meetings in Tetovo from December 2,1994 and continuing through February 17,1995, to continually incite the Albanian population in Macedonia to resistance and civil disobedience toward decisions and measures of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. These measures were registered under No. 2317/142 on December 10, 1994, and regard the illegal establishment of an "Albanian University" in Tetovo. His resistance to the measures of the government caused the crowds to start a physical fight with police forces and reporters by throwing stones and other objects at them. The crowds also used fire arms, wounding 60 police officers and several reporters and citizens, and Abduselam Emini of the village of Lisec was killed. The crowds also caused considerable material damage. With this act, the accused Fadil Suleimani committed a criminal act of inciting to resistance punishable under article 206, item 2 and item 1 of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Macedonia. - The accused Milaim Feiziu participated in the gathered crowds in the villages of Poroy and Mala Recica on February 17, 1995, and prevented police officers from exercising their duty to execute the order of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, registered under No. 23-13/142 on December 19,1994, regarding the illegal establishment of the so-called Tetovo University in the Albanian language. In the afternoon hours in the village of Poroy, police officers attempted to enter into the village mosque school in order to prevent the illegal classes. Milaim Feiziu participated in the crowds, formed a human barrier and prevented the police from entering the premises. - The same day following the incident in the village of Poroy, Feiziu also participated in the crowds comprised of ethnic Albanians in the village of Mala Recica, preventing the police from putting a stop to the illegal classes held in the local self-government offices; Feiziu joined the crowds which had formed a human barrier in their throwing stones at the policemen. - With this act, Milaim Feiziu , unaware of it, committed a criminal act of "participation in crowds preventing police officers from exercising their duty, punishable under article 105 item 1 of the Criminal law of the Republic of Macedonia." The activities of the accused, interpreted by the Public Prosecutor Boris Milosavlevski as criminal acts, are in accordance with the newly adopted Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia:

    1. Article 2, item 1 of the Constitution says: " The sovereignty of the state originates from the citizens and belongs

    to the citizens." 2. Article 8 item 1 states:

    " The basic provisions of principles in the Constitution of the Republic

    of Macedonia under item 1 are: basic human and civil rights and

    liberties as accepted by the international law and determined in the

    Constitution." 3. Article 24 items 1 and 2:

    "Every citizen has the right to make suggestions to governmental

    agencies and a right to a reply to the suggestions.

    Citizens cannot be held responsible nor be physically oppressed on grounds of expressed ideas, except in the case of ommitting a criminal act."

    4. Article 15 says, "Citizens are guaranteed a right to an appeal against legal

    acts included in first instance proceedings at courts, administrative

    agencies and other bodies or institutions with public authorities."

    5. Article 21 items 1 and 2 states, "Citizens are free to gather and express protest without announcing this beforehand and without requiring permission. The implementation of this right may be limited only in a case of war or martial law." Apart from citing the above Constitutional provisions, this paper would like to point out that the accused are citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and, as such, have all the rights and responsibilities determined in the Macedonian Constitution. They have the right to present suggestions to courts and other various state institutions, the right to appeal against government agencies' decisions, the right to peaceful gathering and expressing public protest without previous announcement or obtaining permission, as well as the right to formal and legal equality with all other citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. The ancient Romans used to say, "Newly adopted laws cannot refer to old relations."

    (end)

    mils-news 26 April '95

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