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MILS NEWS 96-09-02Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 2 September, 1996[01] AMBASSADOR HUNTER: 'MACEDONIA HAS REACHED A HIGH LEVEL OF COOPERATIONWITH NATO''Although Macedonia has not been a 'Partnership for Peace' member for a long time, within only one year it has reached a high level of cooperation with NATO. It should be an example of what kind of relations we would like to have with the countries we have a close cooperation,' US Ambassador in NATO Robert Hunter said after the talks with Macedonian officials, 'Vecer' daily reported. At the press conference he had together with Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski, Ambassador Hunter said that most of the talks he had during his two-days visit to Macedonia had referred to the extension of NATO. He precisely stated that the decision about which countries would be offered to join NATO will be made at the beginning of 1997, but that it would include only a part of the countries which are expected to join the Alliance in future.Minister Handziski said the two documents Macedonia had offered in the context of the extension of NATO had been estimated as extraordinary successful ones, and that the third phase of discussions, planned for 18 September, is also expected to be successful. According to Handziski, it is expected to be followed by a visit of NATO Secretary General Javier Solana to Macedonia, as was the case with all the countries which had completed the discussions about the NATO extension. Besides with Minister Handziski, who was his host, Ambassador Hunter had meetings with President of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov and with Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski. The subject of those talks were, besides NATO extension, the foreign policy of Macedonia, relations with neighbouring countries, the cooperation with the USA and the EU, and especially the efforts of NATO to strengthen the security of Macedonia as a factor of peace and stability in the region, Macedonian media reported. [02] RUSSIAN EMBASSY: 'ANTI-RUSSIAN MOOD IS DEVELOPING IN MACEDONIA''The latest announcement of Macedonian Defense Ministry in a form of 'high representatives of the Direction for International Relations' has a clear political character with only one purpose: to further develop the anti-Russian mood', said an announcement of the Information Department of the Russian Embassy in Macedonia.Further on, the announcement denied the claims that Russia was making a pressure on Macedonia to buy Russian weapons. 'At the very beginning of the opening of the Russian Embassy in Skopje, Macedonian military professionals showed a great interest in obtaining Russian weapons for Macedonian Armed Forces. So, the initiative came from Macedonian party,' said the announcement. According to 'Dnevnik' daily, it was also underlined that the information about the first visit of Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski to Moscow and its being estimated as an important step in the development of Macedonian- Russian military relations, had provoked an anti-Russian hysteria. 'Unfortunately, this was not the first time for important events in the mutual relations to become a subject of a severe anti-Russian campaign, such was the case with the visit of Rem Vjahirev or the various interpretations of the Russian position regarding the NATO. This way of acting is being established as a constant factor of the political life in Macedonia. Herewith we confirm that these facts can not be considered normal in mutual relations of the two friendly countries. Those are illogical moves before the visit of Minister Handziski, which should be a strong impulse in the development of Russian-Macedonian military relations,' concluded the announcement. [03] GOOD CHANCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN MACEDONIA ANDBOSNIA-HERZEGOVINAThe satisfaction with the signing of the Dayton Accord and its successful implementation, the similar political orientation of Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina regarding European integrations and collective security systems, the high level of bilateral relations, good chances for mutual economic and political cooperation, the intention of the two Governments to open Embassies and to sign the standard agreements on regulation of the economic relations, were subjects discussed by Bosnian Prime Minister Hasan Muratovic with Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, President of the Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov, Parliament President Tito Petkovski and Minister for Civil Engineering Jorgo Shundovski. During the talks, President Kiro Gligorov once again sent an invitation to Bosnian President Izetbegovic to pay a visit to Macedonia till the end of the year.Local media also reported that Bosnian entrepreneurs who came with Prime Minister Muratovic had a meeting with Macedonian entrepreneurs in Macedonian Economic Chamber, and it was concluded that institutionalization of the legal regulations would encourage the economic cooperation. It was also underlined that Macedonian businessmen were the first to enter the Bosnian market and to include in the reconstruction of the country. Bosnian-Macedonian exchange is currently $2 million worth, but before the war it was about $380 million. [04] GREEK INTENTIONS TO INVEST IN AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN MACEDONIA'Bigger Greek companies are prepared to give technical assistance and to invest in the agricultural industry in Macedonia, and are interested in joint investments with Macedonian enterprises,' said Greek Ambassador to Macedonia Alexandros Mallias during the talks he had with Macedonian Minister for Agriculture Nikola Parakeov. The Secretariat for Information reported that Minister Parakeov underlined the tobacco, grapes, vegetables, rice and lamb meat as possible products to be included in the future cooperation. According to him, there is interest in Macedonia for import of flour, fodder, sugar, dairy products and meat.[05] STANOEVSKI: 'DENAR WILL BE A CONVERTIBLE CURRENCY IN TWO-THREE YEARS''I think the international convertibility of the denar can be realized in two or three years at most, i.e. when net reserves of Macedonia will reach the level of $350 million and when a more permanent and secure growth of industrial production and GNP will be evidenced,' said Macedonian National Bank Governor Borko Stanoevski in an interview for 'Nova Makedonija'. He stated that the production level realized in Macedonia before its independence would be enough for the denar to become an internationally convertible currency. According to Stanoevski, the industrial production level in Macedonia during the last five years had decreased for 45%. Annual production growth of 5-8%, which would be a permanent value, would be a realistic basis for the convertibility of the denar.The Governor also said that Macedonian foreign currency reserves were net $210 million or about 8.5 billion denars. The quantity of money in circulation is a little more than 5 billion denars, while gross foreign currency reserves are $257 million, $47 million of which were an obligation to the IMF. The net sum of $210 million are not an obligation to anybody else and are owned by Macedonia, reported Stanoevski. [06] 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN-CANADIAN EPARCHY OF MACEDONIAN CHURCH MARKEDHead of Macedonian Orthodox Church Archbishop Mihail yesterday held a religious service at the Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral 'St. Dimitrie' in Rochester, USA, during the biggest religious Macedonian event on the North American continent - the People's Gathering of the American-Canadian Eparchy. Macedonian media reported that Archbishop Mihail had been a guest on three TV channels in USA and had spoken about the history of Macedonian nation and Church, as well as about activities of the Gathering. The event was ended with a celebration in the 'Hyatt Regency' in Rochester. The assembly which was held before the gathering was attended by Macedonian Ambassador to USA Ljubica Achevska, Minister Vlado Naumovski, Consul Zvonko Micunovski, Slave Nikolovski- Katin, etc.[07] HUNGER STRIKE CANCELED'The hunger strike of workers of 'Staklarnica'-Skopje, which was taking place in front of the Government of Macedonia, is temporarily canceled until the term, within which court procedure about privatization of the enterprise should start, ends,' announced the Independent Union of the factory, adding that: 'in case the verdict is not in agreement with the documentation submitted to the Appellate Court, the strike will be renewed.'[08] DPM CALLED ON A BOYCOTT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS IN WEST MACEDONIADemocratic Party of Macedonia (DPM), more precisely its leader Tomislav Stojanovski called on Macedonians from western part of the country to boycott the forthcoming local elections in case the Parliament passes the new Law on Territorial Dividing of Macedonia. According to 'Vecer' daily, Stojanovski said the new map was 'sealing of the future and complete destroying of the small perspectives Macedonians had, i.e. creating conditions for introducing an autonomy of Albanians and realization of their ideas for a 'Great Albania''. Stojanovski said the new map was 'an agreement between the parties SDSM and PDP', and that Macedonian Government was the 'biggest enemy to the Macedonian nation', because it had accepted the demands of PDP to be given an influence in towns of west Macedonia. He supported this with the great number of reactions of Tetovo citizens and their notifications of informing all the international institutions and organizations with the 'truth that the situation was complicating'. Stojanovski asked for a new and rational Draft Law on Territorial Dividing to be made, by which the Government would not lose its 'conscience, honor and sense'.[09] MAAK-CP CALLS ON PARALLEL LOCAL ELECTIONSMAAK - Conservative Party, at a press conference, also called on the population of west Macedonia to boycott the local elections and to have parallel elections organized, in case the Draft Law on Territorial Dividing of Macedonia is passed. Party President Strasho Angelovski emphasized the fact that Tetovo, Gostivar and Struga would have one- nationality Assemblies, which was a move by which the Government 'for the second time within one year (the first time was the signing of the Interim Accord with Greece) is selling a part of Macedonian territory, and is yielding to the aggressive policy of the leaders of Albanian political parties, who are not accepting to live together with Macedonians', 'Nova Makedonija' read.MAAK-CP Vice president Zare Apostolovski informed the press that representatives of Macedonian Parties had met in Gostivar and agreed not to participate in the local elections. There was also an initiative for a second 'meeting of truth' to be organized in all endangered towns, such as Struga, Debar and Kumanovo. [10] INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL OF STUDENTSThe 27th International Folklore Festival of Students will take place in Skopje from today till 6 September, with participation of folklore ensembles from Ukraine, Czech Republic, Croatia, FR Yugoslavia, Romania and Bulgaria. The event is hosted by the folklore ensemble 'Mirche Acev' from Skopje, and the festival will begin with a parade of participants in the centre of Skopje. Besides in Skopje, the participants will have performances in Prilep, Ohrid, Titov Veles, Valandovo, Kumanovo and Kochani.[11] TEAR GAS IN A CROWD WHO CELEBRATED A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYDuring the religious service in the monastery 'St. Jovan Osogovski' near Kriva Palanka last Friday, still unidentified people threw tear gas among the crowd, which provoked a panic. The local media reported that about thirty people had been injured of about 5,000, and that some of them had jumped into the abyss by the monastery while trying to run away.MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] 'Macedonian-Albanian Fight For Each Inch of Land!'('Dnevnik', 31 August, 1996)'The negotiations on territorial dividing of the country were long and difficult and a fight for each inch of land!' This was the way Mersim Polozhani, a Vice Minister for Justice and a member of Party for Democratic Prosperity had described the harmonizing of stands between his Party and the Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) about the matter. Prior to its being accepted at the session of the Government, the Draft Law on Territorial Dividing of Macedonia was a subject of discussion between the coalition partners. They negotiated how would the map of local self government units look like in future. The initial map had 111 municipalities, and was made by a special Governmental Commission. At the end of negotiations (i.e. when SDSM claimed they were completed while PDP were still considering a possibility for another round, since Polozhani insisted on it, while Aliti notified that 'it might not be necessary'), the Law and a map with 120 municipalities were presented at the session of the Government last week. All the ministers, Albanians and Macedonians, had voted for such a dividing, according to Minister for Justice Vlado Popovski, who confirmed that there had been 'certain harmonizing and correcting' of the initial map. PDP President Abdurahman Aliti, confirming that his party will vote for the Law at the Parliament, is still reserved about the fact how much had Albanians gained from the new dividing. 'Only minimum of the requests of PDP were fulfilled,' he said. SDSM Secretary Ljubomir Popovski, who also participated in the negotiations, before the Government accepted the Draft Law said that 'changes would be made only if something had been overseen in the structuring of the new municipalities centres or if some of the criteria promoted by the Government had not been fully respected'. Previously, PDP Secretary and Minister for Labour and Social Policy Naser Ziberi notified that his party might boycott the local elections in case some serious problems of the territorial dividing were not solved. Popovski stated that was 'an additional pressure in order to realize certain goals'. It appeared, however, that the corrections were not so minor, since Macedonia is going to have nine municipalities more than initially planned. Mitko Panov, one of the authors of the first dividing was greatly surprised by the corrections, but refused to comment on them. 'I will ask from Minister Popovski to receive me and explain certain things to me, after which I might decide to present some details in public,' Panov told us. This should mean that the PDP-SDSM compromise was to a disadvantage of Macedonians in the western part of the country, which was the disputable area. Members of the opposition Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians (PDPA) seem to have a similar opinion. 'I can not understand how did SDSM make such a 'mistake' and allowed the villages of Poroj, Selce and Mala Rechica to be included in Tetovo municipality, as well as Chejle, Balin Dol and some other Albanian villages in Gostivar municipality. Thus, the Tetovo town municipality is going to consist of over 70% of Albanian population, and Macedonians are going to be the majority in only two of the total nine municipalities. Also, Gostivar is going to have 55-60% of Albanian population,' said PDPA spokesman Alaetin Demiri, who still claimed that this Law was a continuation of the arrogant provoking of Albanians by the Macedonian Government. He supported his claim with the Governmental decision to suspend the decision of Tetovo Town Assembly to organize a referendum on the dividing of Tetovo into five municipalities. It seems, according to him, that such a referendum is going to be allowed for Skopje. If it is true that the steps back were being made in favour of PDP, the inevitable question is in which way will SDSM be compensated for it? 'A better review of the way the dividing had been made in other parts of the country would give the best answers to it, but most probably the price PDP will have to pay would be not to oppose to passing of the Laws referring to the local elections,' Demiri said. Macedonian opposition parties claim this kind of territorial dividing was a result of 'bargaining between certain lobby- groups or representatives of political parties'. According to Democratic Party Secretary Risto Penov, a proof for that are some illogical matters such as forming municipalities with a number of population of 10,000 and of 100,000. The Liberal Party considers that the Government had abandoned the principles and criteria of the European Charter for local self government and the principles of territorial dividing of the Republic. 'Instead, the Government introduced a principle of an agreement between nationalities, i.e. between SDSM and PDP, which are not authorized to do that as political parties,' LP secretary Ace Kocevski said, adding that it would result in straining of the inter-ethnic relations. It is obvious that nobody else, except for the negotiators themselves, understands who and what wins or loses. The opposition mainly considers that those who won were the parties in the Government, while a part of the population was the one who lost. More detail expert analyses and presenting the remarks in 'public', as Panov said, as well as pointing out the eventual illogical things, might answer the question to what extend had the demographic factor determined the map, and whether enough attention had been paid to the real and practical needs of some villages and settlements. At the moment, it seems that the priority had been to create electoral units with as large percent of voters of the map makers in them as possible. And to the question what will be the eventual consequences from it, the experts answer with: 'We'll see.' (end)mils news 2 September, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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