MILS NEWS 07/02/96

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 7 February 1996

[01] PUBLIC APPEAL OF PRESIDENT GLIGOROV

President Gligorov said:

'My intention to address the public in the country was motivated by the latest development of the situation inside the Alliance for Macedonia. As I found it a very serious and sensitive issue, which has both internal and external political dimension for the present and the future time, I would like to point out several facts: The Alliance for Macedonia was formed as an electoral coalition for the second parliamentary and presidential elections in 1994, as a result of the joint action of its member parties at the time between the first and the second elections. It was neither an idea with only pragmatic aims, nor a way to come to power, but an idea to unite the parties with similar programs and identical political aims. This was in the function of strengthening the democracy, the economic progress and the international position and affirmation of Republic of Macedonia. That is why at the time of establishing the Government, the Party for Democratic Prosperity joined the Alliance. These were the motives for my accepting to be a presidential candidate of the parties in the Alliance. I hoped their majority in the Parliament and the Coalition Government will urge the process of effective realization of the policy and the stabilization of the democracy, as well as the economic perspectives of the country. Macedonian citizens understood this, which was proved with the results from the elections. Unfortunately, during the last few months the process of dissolving of the Alliance has began. In a very short period, some principles established when it was formed were abandoned, and personal clashes and intolerance between parts of the member parties appeared. The political climate in the country has reached a point that can have long term consequences not only inside the country, but that could also endanger our international position. And all this at the moment when the basic aims of the policy of the Alliance have been achieved, when the position of Macedonia internationally has been strengthened, when we have joined international organizations, and when, due to the reforms in the country, the interest for foreign investing in Macedonia has raised.

As an electoral candidate of the parties in the Alliance, I feel directly responsible for the present situation and I now want to appeal to the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Alliance, as the main actors in the dispute, to re-examine their present positions and to try to find solutions in the interest of the stability of the country.

They must have a clear attitude that the Government of Macedonia functions as a political one, that Macedonian citizens voted for the Alliance of Macedonia, and it was not a formation to come to power, but a formation with mutual responsibility and obligation to realize the mutual platform. Excluding one of the parties members of the Alliance from the Government, will create a new structure that will not any more express not only the identity, but also the essence of the political platform of the Alliance and my determination to back that platform. I think it is still not too late to find a sensible mutual solution, as things must not be solved radically and must not be based on increased passion and personal settling of accounts. That is why I appeal to both parties to give themselves chances to openly and honestly discuss the disputes, and to reexamine the possibilities for maintaining the Alliance for Macedonia, or to decide that its time has passed and that each side will bear its own responsibility for the future actions. I hope my appeal will be understood in the interest of the well-being and the perspectives of this country, and most of all because of the personal obligation to fulfill what we have promised to the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia.'

[02] CONSULTATIONS OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIPS CONTINUE

The leadership of the Liberal Party also had a session yesterday afternoon, and according to latest information, Prime Minister Crvenkovski has still not addressed them regarding the expected reconstruction of the Government.

On the session of the Socialistic Party officials yesterday, it was decided on the persons and ministerial positions that should be taken by the representatives of this Party.

Socialistic Party concluded they will maintain the platform of the Alliance for Macedonia and they will continue to participate in the Government, in order to preserve the stability of the country, to start with the solving of the economic crisis and to realize the program of the Party.

Party for Democratic Prosperity expects to be given five positions in the newly formed Government, instead of the present four. This was stated by PDP Secretary, Naser Ziberi, the day before yesterday, who in his statement for the daily 'Flaka e Vlazerimit' denied the speculations on leaving the Government by the ministries from this Party. He said PDP does not have to wait for the reconstruction to do that, if it wants to. He said the changes in the cabinet of Prime Minister Crvenkovski have a personnel-changing character, and are not chang of the Government. The participation of PDP in it is based on the same platform with which it has entered the Governmental Coalition.

Macedonian Television informed that PDP and Crvenkovski have already agreed on the members of PDP who will be included in the Government.

'Flaka e Vlazerimit' unofficially informed yesterday that members of PDPA might also participate in the new Government, which has, apparently, been discussed on.

As Macedonian Television informed, the reconstruction of the Government will not be on the agenda at the session of Macedonian Parliament, scheduled for tomorrow. According to the regulations, the President of the Parliament should call for a session within eight days after he would receive the list of the reconstructed Government, and the members of the Parliament will decide on the suggested list. In case more than one third of the ministerial positions are involved, the voting will be organized as for a new Government.

Today's daily 'Vecer', without specifying its sources, writes that the current positions of Liberals will be divided between Social Democrats, who will take the diplomacy, the PDP, who will take the economy, and the Socialists, who will take the agriculture sector. The vacant position of a minister without portfolio, currently taken by a Liberal, will, apparently, be abolished.

[03] PRODUCT OF INTER-PARTIES AND INTER-CLANS CLASHES

Regarding the releasing from duty that took place in the Macedonian Television, it was said that it was not a result of the principle fight between democrats and anti-democrats, but a logic product of the policy, pointed out in the announcement of Gjuner Ismail. 'It is a product of inter- parties and inter-clans clashes between SDSM and the Liberal Party, that are being transferred in the Macedonian Television through their political commissioners.' - stressed the spokesman Manasievski.

It was also said on the conference that President of Democratic Party, Petar Goshev, has had two meetings with President Gligorov. The journalists were informed that the option for the Party to collect 150 000 signatures for scheduling early elections is possible, but at the moment, they are working on establishing the procedure and are consulting international experiences.

[04] RESIGNATION OF THE EDITOR OF MTV INFORMATIVE PROGRAM

[05] MACEDONIAN AMBASSADOR ACCREDITED TO EU

Before that, the Macedonian Government should adopt the draft Agreement, which will be given to it by the EU these days.

[06] SUPPORT IN THE INTENSIFYING OF THE COOPERATION WITH EU

[07] MACEDONIAN - SLOVENIAN COOPERATION IN THE JUDICIARY

[08] ALBANIAN PREMIERE MEKSI IN SKOPJE

[09] THE MURDERER FROM VINICA ARRESTED

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[10] Whose Spokesman Ordanoski was?

(MTV Comment, Main News, 5 February 1996)

MRTV, as a public enterprise formed by the Macedonian Assembly, has the only aim: to be an information service for the citizens, and not a service of individuals or groups.

That is why MRTV can not be a service of political parties, but it must take care of a correct, continual, precise, accurate and politically uncoloured informing.

The situation, no matter how unpleasant for the employees of the house, throws a different light, towards which the journalistic and program efforts must be directed. The Saturday's comment of Ordanoski shows exactly what must not be done in the journalism and in the program. And that is to present journalistic texts without arguments, with almost agitating content and message, which attack the public, and provokes a dilemma: what is that so fateful and frightful happening in the ruling circles?

The insulting words intended for the media in the country, and said by the Spokesman Gjuner Ismail, who claims that 'he has submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister Crvenkovski only as a reaction to the releasing from duty of Sasho Ordanoski', clearly show whose spokesman Ordanoski was. It is otherwise impossible to understand the reaction of Ismail, who implied there is not a single journalist in MRTV worthy of his or her profession.

Last night, the Editor in Chief of the Informative Program of MTV, Zoran Ivanov, also reacted, saying that this act is a severe censorship, a knife stabbed in the heart of the free journalism. On today's meeting of the General Manager of MRTV, Melpomeni Korneti, with all editors and commentators in the house, the situation was discussed, and many different examples were presented. Namely, many journalist items and suggestions were censured exactly by Sasho Ordanoski. He, therefore, contributed to a conducted, severely selected and one-sided informing of the public regarding the more sensitive domestic happenings. That is why his releasing from duty can not at all be identified with an act of censorship nor considered a death of free journalism.

(end)

mils news 7 February 1996