MILS NEWS 03/04/96

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 3 April 1996

[01] OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS IN THE REGION

He stated that most important about the meeting in Tirana was that the participants openly discussed all the problems in the region and made efforts to find ways to establish a mutual confidence.

Hanjiski quoted the US Secretary of Defense William Perry by saying that the 'Partnership for Peace' Programme was a vestibule of NATO, which should encourage those who did not attend this meeting, to come to the next one. Tirana meeting was a beginning of regular similar future meetings, that should be also attended by countries important for the development of the regional processes, emphasized Hanjiski, referring to the participation of USA and Italy.

He expressed his sorry for the absence of the Greek delegation in Tirana, as they would have contributed to an even more constructive dialogue and discussion.

[02] TIRANA MEETING - A PLOT AGAINST GREECE!

Conservative daily 'Katimerini' commented the absence of Greece at the meeting as a constant attempt of PASOK's governments to systematically reduce the role of Greece in NATO.

Officially, Greece refused to attend the Tirana meeting because other Balkan countries had not been invited to it.

[03] ATHENS REITERATES ITS SUPPORTS FOR CoE ACTIVITIES

On his part, Tarschys said the council's Parliamentary assembly would convene in the northern Greek capital of Thessaloniki in the coming months.

[04] SIGNIFICANT US MILITARY AID FOR ALBANIA

[05] UNNECESSARY FEAR IN MACEDONIA FOR THE AGREEMENT

Regarding the Macedonian insisting on making precise the evolution clause (for associating Macedonia to the EU immediately after the conditions are fulfilled), the Union representatives said there were some unpleasant experiences with other countries in fixing the day of the begining of the negotiations, added Miljoski. There were cases when the associating had not been realized, which is worse than the gradual development of the relations, stressed Macedonian vice Premier. He said the EU representatives convinced him that Macedonia will practically be given all the rights the other countries have with the Agreement.

Miljoski informed that the financial arrangement of Macedonia and EU will be of ECU 150 million value - a credit with beneficiary interest rates, which will be paid from the EU budget funds. As the Macedonian negotiating team insisted on a bigger amount, it was agreed that the European Investment Bank would finance infrastructure projects in Macedonia, but without beneficiary interest rates. This credit will be given after the old debts (of the Railways 'Skopje' and of the Roads Construction Institute) of $ 80 million are paid back, said Miljoski.

[06] REJECTING REGIONAL ASSOCIATING IN THE BALKANS

Meanwhile, representatives of Macedonian and Greek Railways signed yesterday in Thessaloniki an Agreement on commercial privileges. They also made a preliminary agreement on establishing a tariff union for the freight transport.

[07] AUSTRIAN AID FOR MACEDONIAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

This makes the Austrian government a co-creditor of the project approved by the UN at the end of 1995, for which Macedonia received $ 600 000. The development programme, which should define the development of the Republic till 2 020, will be prepared by the Macedonia Academy of Art and Science in cooperation with the Vienna Institute.

[08] MINISTER FRCHKOVSKI WILL VISIT NORDIC COUNTRIES

He will also give a presentation on the topic 'Republic of Macedonia and the situation in the Balkans' at the Swedish Foreign Policy Institute in Stockholm.

[09] LAWS ON BANK SYSTEM ADOPTED

The new Law makes the National Bank a central one, on a higher level than the others. The Bank will guarantee for 60% of the savings up to DM 10 000 per client. With the Law on Banks Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, the obligations that appeared after using the Paris Club credits beginning from October 31, 1995 are taken over. With the Law on Banks and Savings Banks, the founding capital for a bank is raised to DM 7 million (i.e. to DM 21 million for a bank working with foreign countries), the founding capital for postal savings is raised to DM 1 million, and for other savings banks to DM 300 000. Also, a fund for ensuring the savings is formed for the first time.

[10] SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS YEAR FOR KOMERCIJALNA BANKA

[11] COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR REFERENDUM ENDS TODAY

Macedonian Radio quoted the unofficial statements of some members of the Parliament that there was a doubt whether it was possible 162 000 signatures to be collected in four days only. Suspicion had appeared that the initiative might have started in secret long before.

Macedonian Radio also informed on the possibility for the signatures to be checked by official parliamentary bodies or by the State Electoral Commission. There is a dilemma, however, whether the Commission can be authorised by the Parliament to check the signatures.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[12] Elisabeth Rehn: The Situation Regarding the Minorities' Rights and the Media In Macedonia is Worrying

('Dnevnik', 3 April 1996)

This is stated in the latest report on the situation of human rights on the territory of former Yugoslavia, made by Elisabeth Rehn, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

Ms. Rehn states that there are still irregular methods in the work of the police. The illegal use of the so-called 'informative talks' and interrogations is most distressing.

Rehn, therefore, appeals to the government to take the necessary measures and to improve the discipline of the police, as well as to pay a greater attention to the education of the police officers in the field of human rights.

The Special Rapporteur encourages the government to continue its efforts to provide an equal approach for the national minorities to their education and employment, and to look for alternative ways for these groups to be educated in their mother tongues. The special needs of the minorities have to be also taken into account during the preparing of the new Law on Higher Education. Rehn invites all the parties involved to make an open dialogue and to solve the remaining issues and problems in the frames of the Constitution.

Rehn greeted the acceptance of Macedonia in OSCE last October and in the Council of Europe last November. She believes that the membership of the country in these institutions will secure the further development and improvement of the human rights and freedoms. It must be noted that the acceptance of Macedonia in the Council of Europe and especially the signing of the European Convention on Human Rights will oblige the government to enforce the efforts for strengthening the legislation and policies, in accordance with the international and European standards.

The situation regarding the media, especially the independence of the press, is seriously worrying, in the frames of the global human rights situation. The main media and the distribution net, which cover the whole country, are still controlled by the government, reads the report.

Ms. Rehn, therefore, greets the recent initiative for publishing a private newspaper that will cover the whole territory of the country, referring to the initiative of publishing the daily 'Dnevnik'.

Some independent press representatives claim there is still a discrimination in the access to the official information, at the press conferences and in the interviews with politicians or other governmental officials.

The Special UN Rapporteur confirms the urgent necessity for establishing the regulations for the TV and radio broadcasting, as the situation about it is ambiguous, due to the lack of new and modern legal acts.

(end)

mils news 3 April 1996