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MILS NEWS 08/04/96From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>Macedonian Information Liaison Service DirectoryCONTENTS[01] DOUBLE-NAME FOR MACEDONIA WILL BE PRESENTED AT CLINTON-SIMITIS MEETING?[02] GREEK CONCERN ABOUT FORMING A NEW BALKAN AXIS[03] 'WAR OF PORTS' OVER MACEDONIA[04] BERISHA DOES NOT PREFER PDP[05] MACEDONIAN MILITARY DELEGATION SOON IN ROMANIA[06] JUDICIARY RUNS SLOW[07] FIRST ROMA ALPHABET BOOK PUBLISHED IN MACEDONIA[08] GOSHEV - 'DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS THE ALTERNATIVE WAITED FOR'[09] INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING COMPETITION IN SKOPJEMILS SUPPLEMENT[10] Extracts from an interview with Stojan Andov, the leader of the Liberal Party, published in 'Nova Makedonija' on 6 April, 1996MILS NEWSSkopje, 8 April 1996[01] DOUBLE-NAME FOR MACEDONIA WILL BE PRESENTED AT CLINTON-SIMITIS MEETING?'Greek Premier Costas Simitis left for USA yesterday to meet the US President Bill Clinton and to discuss, among other things, the Macedonian issue,' informed 'Sitel' Television.According to 'Sitel', Clinton will present a double-name plan, i.e. New Macedonia (Nova Makedonija), for international use, and Republic of Macedonia, for a domestic use. Previously, according to Athens News Agency, Simitis in Alexandroupolis said: 'We are not in a hurry to close any national issue. When the time comes, we shall adopt the most correct solution'. Meanwhile, 'Makfax' agency reported the request made by PASOK's Central Committee, for the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry to define its stand on the name issue, as well as on the borders and the economy relations of the two countries. According to 'Nova Makedonija', the Committee members were for complete normalisation of the relations with Macedonia. 'Makfax' informed that the leader of the opposition party New Democracy, Militiadis Evert, will also be asked to declare whether he would or not agree with a complex name which would include the term 'Macedonia'. Today's 'Nova Makedonija' informs on a message sent by 364 University professors at technical Colleges in Thessaloniki to the Greek government, requesting the term 'Macedonia' not to be used for the northern neighbour's name. The professors warned that it might 'stimulate new pretensions amongst 'Skopjans'. In addition, 'Nova Makedonija' reminds of the recent request of over 400 Greek intellectuals for the relations with Macedonia to be normalised as soon as possible. [02] GREEK CONCERN ABOUT FORMING A NEW BALKAN AXISAfter the Tirana meeting of the southern Balkan countries Defense Ministers, which was not attended by Greek representatives, a concern has appeared in Athens due to the 'forming of a new axis Albania - Macedonia - Bulgaria, with blessing of USA'. Sitel Television informed that the denials made by Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Hanjiski of any kind of plan, were not of any help. He stressed that what had been discussed was creating a Forum which would include all southern Balkan countries in NATO and in the 'Partnership for Peace' Programme. Hanjiski also stated for the Athens News Agency that the absence of certain countries in Tirana 'is not because they not contribute equally to security and stability in the region, but because there is an issue of mutual recognition between them, and they have not established diplomatic relations'..[03] 'WAR OF PORTS' OVER MACEDONIAThe recent visit of Macedonian Chamber of Commerce representatives to the Thessaloniki Port provoked many comments in the Greek media, that a 'war of Balkan Ports' had started over Macedonia. According to 'Makfax', the Greek media informed that Burgas (Bulgaria) and Bar (FRY) Ports had been trying hard to attract the Macedonian sea transport by low prices and other preferable conditions. They had been trying, according to the information, to exclude the Thessaloniki Port and to compensate for the great distance (Skopje - Burgas 700 km, Skopje - Bar 450 km). The distance between Skopje and Thessaloniki is, on the other hand, only 250 km. Greek media also remind that, before the imposing of the embargo, Macedonia had imported about 1 million tons of various goods and about 4 million tons of oil through the Thessaloniki Port.Vice President of Macedonian Chamber of Commerce Dushan Kotevski stated at a press conference last Friday that Macedonia and Greece had agreed to form a working group, which would try to coordinate the Thessaloniki Port prices according to the Macedonian needs. Kotevski said the Port had been widened during the last 18 months with containerized facilities. The containers transport is more and more used in the world, and Macedonian railways have already been equipped for it, and soon will be the largest Macedonian transport company 'Fershped', as well. [04] BERISHA DOES NOT PREFER PDPAlbanian President Sali Berisha said the active participation of Albanians in the public life of Macedonia would contribute to the further development of the improvement achieved and speed up the accomplishing of their rights. At the third Congress of the Albanian Democratic Party, that ended in Tirana two days ago, he stressed that the understanding between Macedonians and Albanians was a necessity for the internal stability of Macedonia and of the Balkans, and that respecting the human rights and freedoms of Albanians was a condition.Today's daily 'Dnevnik' informs that excluding of PDP from the guests list of the Congress, was understood in the Albanian political circles as a sign that Berisha prefers the PDPA leaders to Abdurahman Alliti of PDP. PDPA leader Menduh Tachi said the invitation he had received was a recognition of the legitimacy of the biggest Albanian party in Macedonia. He stated the reason for which PDP had not been invited to the Congress was that they had greeted the Congress of the Socialist Party of Albania, while Europe openly supported the non-communist parties, i.e. the Democratic Party of Albania. [05] MACEDONIAN MILITARY DELEGATION SOON IN ROMANIAMacedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Hanjiski was invited by his Romanian counterpart to visit Romania at the end of this month. The invitation was handed to Hanjiski by the Romanian Ambassador to Macedonia, Nikolae Ricu, last Friday. During the visit to Romania, the areas of mutual interest will be discussed and agreements on cooperation will be determined, reads the statement of the Ministry.[06] JUDICIARY RUNS SLOW'Despite the weaknesses in the work of courts, mostly in their effectiveness, they do realise their constitutional obligation to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens. The realisation of the new constitutional re- organization and the position of the judiciary in comparison with other governmental bodies is being carried out very slowly. The re-organization has to be accomplished till 30 June 1996, which is the term fixed by the Law.' - was said at the press conference in the Supreme Court of Macedonia last Friday, held on the occasion of the 51 Anniversary of the Judiciary in Macedonia and the 1st Anniversary of the appointing of Supreme Court judges. The President of the Court, Dimitrie Dimishkovski, pointed out that the trust of Macedonian citizens in the courts sharply reduced, despite the efforts made to solve the enormous number of cases (4 000 were solved last year, and there are another 10 000 still waiting).Dimishkovski commented on the part of the US State Department report which read that there was 'an opinion that the Macedonian courts were corrupted', and said that was untrue and not proved. There have been two cases on that, one of which is going on, while for the other one there had not been sufficient evidence. Dimishkovski also said the list of judges appointed by the Parliament to the Appellate Courts was generaly positively viewed by the Court. The introduction of the sentence to life imprisonment was also supported by the judges of the Supreme Court, he added. [07] FIRST ROMA ALPHABET BOOK PUBLISHED IN MACEDONIAOn the occasion of the International Day of Romas, 8 April, the first ever Roma Alphabet Book and Reading Book were introduced in Macedonia. Macedonian President Gligorov congratulated the holiday to the delegation of the Party for Complete Emancipation of Romas, led by their President Faik Abdi, and of the Union of Romas, led by the President Iliaz Zendel. During the talks, Gligorov expressed his belief in the joint efforts of all Macedonian cityzens for prosperity and development of the Republic.The delegation of Romas was also received by Macedonian Premier Branko Crvenkovski, who said the newly published books will further help education and culture of Romas in Macedonia and wider.Tito Petkovski, President of the Macedonian Parliament, also greeted the Roma holiday. [08] GOSHEV - 'DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS THE ALTERNATIVE WAITED FOR'The Democratic Party held its Annual Meeting in the National Macedonian Theatre last night, presenting the activities of the Party for scheduling early elections and its stand on the new elections regulations. Petar Goshev, President of the Party, said the new elections will have to take place, regrding the situation in the country and the existing regulations. 'Human rights issue in Macedonia, the poverty, the European quality of life, can not be responsibilities of a group who had proclaimed themselves responsible for the destiny of the country, without having any legitimacy for that. That is an impudent underestimation of the Macedonian people, of the thousands of unemployed citizens, students and retired waiting for a better alternative. They are all waiting for a better quality of life, for employment, for regular pensions, for stopping the crime, i.e. for the Programme of the Democratic Party, said the leader of this Party. He added, in case the citizens vote for new elections on the referendum, the fall of this government would be inevitable. The Party presented its readiness to fix the exact date of the elections and to discuss the new elections regulations with the current government, suggesting the proportional model.[09] INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING COMPETITION IN SKOPJEAn international swimming competition, attended by 12 countries, ended yesterday in Skopje. The Macedonian swimmer Alexandar Malenko won the 400 m. mixed style race and 50 m. free style one. He was the second in the 200 m. dolphin, behind the Ukrainian Dennis Silantev, who was proclaimed the best swimmer at the competition. Among women, the Macedonian representative Natasha Meshkovska won the 200 m. dolphin style race. 3 national records and 4 Olympic norms were reached.MILS SUPPLEMENT[10] Extracts from an interview with Stojan Andov, the leader of the Liberal Party, published in 'Nova Makedonija' on 6 April, 1996Q: Your until recently Coalition partner gave you the role of a parliamentary opposition in Macedonia. How do you feel about it?I think they couldn't care less about the development of the democracy in Macedonia. As they said themselves - it is a concept. Both the former and the current Internal Affairs Ministers said in their detail reports that it was a concept which should reach two aims: first - the destiny of the country to be given in the hands of a young people group, and second - as obstacles might be set by the President and the Liberals, they should be removed from the governmental circles. Q: Despite the favourable marks of the situation in Macedonia given by the international factors, you said, at the latest press conference, that the international position will rapidly worsen. You also said the way of negotiating with the EU was wrong, and that Europe had asked for a regionalisation due to the latest political disturbances in the country. Why? I am very sorry that our international position is worsening, but that is a fact. Because, well, the last draft Agreement offered by the Union is much worse than the previous one, offered in January. The latter was not presented at all (as a governmental crisis was notified), and it was better than the Slovenian and Albanian ones. Anyone who looks at the latest draft Agreement will easily notice that the situation is not naive. There might be big consequences for our country, which could affect the next generations, as well. It would be the first time for the Union to have the right to monitor the situation in the sphere of human and minorities rights, by which it would determine their activities, measures and sanctions connected with our country. Before us, it was enough for the Union that a country had been accepted in the Council of Europe, as the country must have passed that phase. It means that something big must have happened in that country, which had been estimated a changed situation which must be re- examined. Also, as you know, the mini Marshal Plan was our idea. President Gligorov presented it to Mr. Kinkel as a program for Macedonia which might later be expanded to others, and as a compensation for the damages we suffered from the embargoes. It was accepted as such then, but now nobody seems to remember us. As if we do not exist at all. And only two to three days before the negotiations started in Brussels, the TIR marks for Macedonian exporters and importers had been abolished. It is unusual for the Union to impose such a thing to a country. Q: What is your anticipation about overcoming the pressures while the negotiations in the EU are going on? The Agreement does not include the textile production sector, the transport protocol, the investment guarantees - so it is a very bad one. Q: Your Party (Liberals) announced that you will propose a Commission for public supplies to be formed on one of the following Parliament sessions. You will require the DM 300 million spent by the Ministries of Defense, Internal Affairs and Finances to be justified. Why didn't you do that while there were still your Ministers in the government? It had been initiated in February 1994 by Sasho Stevkov, but it was postponed, after which the government obliged him to prepare a Law. Than, the government changed its attitude and decided to ask for a regulation to be prepared. Stevkov did it and the Premier, in an interview he gave last November, said the regulation had been already passed, which was not true. It was passed in January, but it has still not been announced. We think this matter is being sabotaged, as the passing of the Law was rejected. The regulation required had to be made on the basis of the old laws, not on the market bases, so everything will remain as it was. We had both the right and the arguments to suspect that the public supplying had been abused. How can a telephone exchange of DM 35 000 be bought by one organ, and of DM 850 000 by another? Those are citizens' money, and you certainly know what today means to take a tax from a person. (end)mils news 8 April, 1996 |
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