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MILS: News from the FYROM, 96-11-28Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 28th November 1996[01] UNPREDEP MANDATE EXTENDEDYesterday the UN Security Council adopted the Resolution which prolongs the mandate of the 1 100 UN troops stationed in the Republic of Macedonia until 31st May 1997, though their number is to be gradually decreased by roughly 300.`Nova Makedonija' reports that 14 votes were cast in favour of the Resolution, none against and Russia abstained from voting. The reduction of troops is to be completed by 30th April 1997, i.e. as the Resolution states as soon as conditions allow it within the mission's mandate. The UNPREDEP forces based in Macedonia currently consist of: the USBat (500 troops), the NorBat (another 500 troops) an Indonesian Engineering Platoon of 50 and 35 military observers besides a number of Civilian Police monitors. [02] MINISTER FRCHKOVSKI: `REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AS A COMPLEX NAME TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THE GEOGRAPHIC TERMThe Mac. Head of Diplomacy Ljubomir Frchkovski has given the following statement regarding a possible settlement of the Greek-Macedonian negotiations on the name-issue - according to weekly `Puls':`I expect the name Republic of Macedonia to be accepted as the only name for my country to be used on an international level. This is not only based on international legal provisions, according to which an independent state has the right to choose its own name but also because the name of a country could not possibly pose a threat to anybody else. By accepting the term `Macedonia' as an indispensable component of my country's denotation, it would appear quite logical to apply the same standards to the coinage `Republic of Macedonia' as it would introduce a clear distinction between itself and the geographical term Macedonia, which encompasses a wider territory spanning over several present- day states.' In addition to this `Puls' also announced the continuing of talks in New York in Mid-December (most likely 17th December). [03] GREEK MILITARY AIRCRAFT VIOLATED MACEDONIAN AIRSPACEMedia report that yesterday in the morning hours a Greek military aircraft violated Mac. airspace by flying low over Lake Dojran and Gevgelija. Mac. radio revealed that the aircraft's engine noise caused a considerable amount of unrest with the population. Up to the present, however, this information has not been officially confirmed - and there has been no response by corresponding state authorities.[04] MAC. DELEGATION LED BY PRESIDENT GLIGOROV TO ATTEND OSCE SUMMITMac. Head of state Kiro Gligorov is to lead the Macedonian delegation at the OSCE Summit in Lisbon on 2nd & 3rd December. The Mac. radio also reports that this will be the debut of Macedonia as a fully fledged OSCE-member, after the ratification of the Paris Charter and the Helsinki Paper this year. The Lisbon Summit is to be attended by 54 states from Europe and the US and Canada, while its thematic focus are security issues in Europe.[05] POLISH FOREIGN SECRETARY IN MACEDONIA TODAYMacedonia is to host a two-day official visit by Polish Foreign Secretary Dariush Roati, based on MTV coverage.Meeting are to result in the ratification of agreements on mutual investment protection, the avoiding of dual taxation and on economic cooperation and trade. [06] ALBANIA AND 22 OTHER COUNTRIES TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL-RESOLUTION ON KOSOVOAlbania and 22 other UN-member states announced the submitting of a proposal-resolution on Human Rights in Kosovo, according to `Makfax'. The Resolution is to condemn violations of the same in Kosovo, demanding the release of political prisoners and the revival of democratic institutions, the Parliament and the Judicial system, as well as all educational, scientific and cultural institutions of Albanians in Kosovo. The document also demands the commitment of Belgrade towards the commencement of a constructive dialogue with the Kosovo Albanians.[07] AGREEMENT ON ELECTRO-ENERGETIC COOPERATION SIGNED WITH SERBIAAn Agreement on Operative Cooperation through Trade and Export of Electric Energy and Technical Support and Know-How has been signed by `Electricity Supplies of Macedonia' (`Elektrostopanstvo') and its Serbian counterpart (`Elektroprivreda'). This deal also covers the export-import of electricity by paying with consumer goods.Representatives of both countries stressed the necessity constructing a 400 KW long-distance electricity line from Skopje to Vranje to facilitate the electro-energetic link-up between both countries. [08] A-1 TV: EXTREMELY RESTRICTIVE FISCAL POLICY NEXT YEARBy quoting high-ranking government officials A-1 TV revealed the expected increase of budget funds by 2.1% in comparison to last year. This is to parallel the predicted inflation rate for 1997, and result in an extremely restrictive fiscal policy in Macedonia for the next year - on account of a far more liberal approach advocated by the National Bank. To that purpose app. 5% of the budget are to be allocated to the above mentioned bank in order to maintain the stability of the national currency and in order to increase the number of credits within the business sector. Next year the national budget should affect the settling of matters regarding the retirement funds far more actively as well.This will result in a reduction of means which are above all to slow down the construction of the railway towards Bulgaria, as this project is to be financed through very favourable foreign loans. [09] ASSESSMENT ON COMPLIANCE TO CONSTITUTION REGARDING FORCEFUL SUBPOENAING AND APPEARING IN COURTThe Constitutional Court of Macedonia has taken legal steps against the Law on Criminal Procedures, i.e. Article 151 Paragraph 1 which grants law enforcement organizations to forcefully conduct an individual to court once the subpoena has been ignored. The court has ruled this to be a violation of competency by the police as the Constitution is very clear in this respect, as such procedures are only sanctioned on the basis of an issued court order and codified procedures.[10] ROUND 2 OF ELECTIONS WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERSThe second round of local elections in Macedonia scheduled for Sunday, 1st December '96, will be conducted without the presence of international observers, according to information published in today's `Nova Makedonija' which quotes the OSCE mission in Skopje. The latter revealed that neither its own nor Council of Europe observers would monitor this second round, as procedures during round 1 went by without major difficulties - thus obliterating the need for international observers.[11] MINISTER POPOVSKI ANSWERS ACCUSATIONSYesterday media once again broadcast coverage of several press conferences and statements on local elections in Macedonia. Concerning the statement of DP spokesperson Jovan Manasievski, given two days ago, accusing Justice Secretary Vlado Popovski of distorting the truth by claiming that part of the DP leaders family and that of DP Youth leader Zhernovski were entered on the voters' register.Yesterday, in reply to this, Secretary Popovski presented concrete evidence - i.e. the actual electorate registers which proved him right as the Zhernovski family was registered. Secretary Popovski stated that the same applied to the sister of DP leader Petar Goshev, i.e. the Zmejkov family. While presenting this evidence the Justice Secretary concluded that DP spokesperson Manasievski is projecting epiteths more suitably describing himself onto others. Concerning the claim made by Gjorche Petrov mayor-candidate Velibor Dzharov that he had been omitted from the register, this has been attributed to the fact that Dzharovski has obtained his passport i.e. his citizenship `personally' by the Ministry of the Interior which is why there is no adequate corpus of documents on him. Secretary Popovski evaluated the entire matter as a case of abuse of a government official within the aforesaid Ministry. Velibor Dzharovski responded that he had been given the passport `on the grounds of merit', i.e. by saving 340 Macedonian boys who were to end up on the battle fields of Bosnia and Croatia within the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). He furthermore claimed that both his passport and his citizenship have been approved by the Minister of the Interior at that time, by the Deputy-Minister, and this therefore is no ground for this omission. [12] LP: COLLECTIVE MANAGEMENT AFTER ROUND 2`The last conference of the Justice Secretary did not diminish doubts and objections aired by the Liberals, as this government is incapable of organizing fair and democratic elections which would generate reliable results.It is also rather unfortunate - as LP spokesperson Risto Ivanov stressed during yesterday's press conference - that Secretary Popovski has not shown an inch of guilty conscience that a vast number of citizens was not allowed to fulfill their constitutional right.' LP Vice-President Risto Ivanov (also holding spokesperson post during elections) has also announced that his party would demand the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission which would verify the electorate registers against the referendum lists. `Round 2 of these elections would denote the mapping out of a political atlas via collective management, whereas the civic option would be obscured...' Yesterday Risto Ivanov also pointed out that the LP, inspite of its numerous contacts and cooperation negotiations with other parties on a municipal level, has rendered its support to the IMRO-DPMNE, DP & MAAK-CP only at the municipalities of Centar and Gazi Baba. [13] DPM LEADER AIRS IDENTICAL ACCUSATIONS REGARDING POPOVSKIAccording to the Election Commission the identity of the person who broke open the balloting box at the Zhicarnica polling station remains unknown. DPM leader Tomislav Stojanovski - Bombaj, however, holds that a PDP Election Commission member responsible for this incident. Throughout yesterday's press conference Stojanovski also emphasized that conditions to conduct elections in Mala Rechica had not been created, as two members of the Election Commission had spent the night preceding elections in marking all 420 voting slips. This incident had entailed charges against the offenders brought up before the Public Prosecutor in Tetovo.Stojanovski also indicated that the NEC was not entirely free of blame regarding the voter registration issue, i.e. the chaos with respect to some DPM members and the explanations offered by Justice Secretary Vlado Popovski. `What has been offered by the Justice Secretary with regards to the PDM Secretary-General and the carrier of the DPM nominees' list in Tetovo, Zoran Efremov, is a blatant lie', said DPM leader Tomislav Stojanovski. [14] IMRO-DP CONDEMNS IMRO-DPMNE LEADERSHIPIMRO-DP aired its revolt and condemnation regarding recent threats made by IMRO-DPMNE leaders against members of their party prior to the commencement of local elections, during their press conference yesterday. This was followed by the revealing of other objections referring to accusations expressed against this party by several other political organizations.MILS SUPPLEMENT[15] `A Deal is Being Closed, and Spite is Being Shown'(`Vecher' - 27th November 1996)The establishing of coalitions for round 2 of local elections between mayor-candidates is not yet completed but still in its negotiation phase. Political parties running the `local race' have finished some general talks, but concrete alliances have only been forged in some of the municipalities. In terms of municipal council elections the picture seems much more definite as several opposition parties are to join forces against one `principal common foe' - the SDSM. Prior to round 2 of the elections - scheduled for this Sunday in most of the municipalities - the most interesting battles for the position of mayor are to be led at the large urban communities. The most dramatic one is bound to occur in Skopje, as only four candidates are left to compete: the coalition candidate Risto Penov, the independent candidate Ljupcho Nikolovski - Fufo, SDSM candidate Jovica Ugrinovski and LP candidate Darko Markovikj. An equally unpredictable fight will be seen at Ohrid with socialist Nikola Matlievski in the lead, closely followed by coalition candidate Kiril Naumovski and SDSM nominee Krste Tanasoski has managed to obtain almost as many votes. In Prilep competition is to be the fiercest - goes the unanimous verdict. Round two will see a show-down between Dimko Kokarevski (SDSM) and Gligor Ivanovski (Coalition) who are the only ones left in contention, divided by merely 96 votes! Things are to be similar at Bitola, Veles, Kavadarci... The SDSM election HQ claim that they will face round 2 on their own, though they are open to cooperation. It is assumed by them that the loss of support for candidates who did not pass the first round will not alter the outcome considerably, simply because it will be very difficult for those candidates to influence the electorate. In Skopje the Social-Democrats have obtained the votes of those supporting independent candidates Gordana Mihajlovska and Amdi Bajram, and the civic organisation of the SP in round 1. But the SDSM claims that there is an increased mobility of its membership prior to round 2 both in Skopje and in the cities of Strumica, Shtip and Veles. In Prilep the votes of Amdi Bajram have also been gained, as is the case with those previously supporting candidates who did not make it into round 2 in Ohrid. In Bitola things look to be on the bright side as well as support of SPDM, APT, PCER, RP, SKM and the SP has been obtained. The Liberals do agree with the viewpoint that the support of those eliminated in round 1 will not swing the electorate's mood significantly. The party further reveals that coalitions are being formed on a local level. Regarding the statement given by their candidate Branko Spasovski who ended up being third at the Gazi Baba municipality before `donating' his votes to the SDSM, the LP claims that he is not even affiliated to their party. In Kavadarci they claim to have gained the support of those mayor-contenders who dropped put during round 1. In Skopje the LP is still in contention with Darko Markovikj who came in fourth with app. 20 000 votes less than the leading Penov. It must, however, be considered the party claims that their candidate's record is burdened by 17 800 invalid voting slips (on which voters encircled his name instead of his number preceding the former). IMRO-DPMNE circles stress that there are still not any sort of concrete alliances to pool votes with other opposition parties for mayor elections in round two. The main reason for this lies in the fact that certain parties pose unrealistic demands - incongruent with their actual capacities - at the negotiation table. The party expects to emerge victorious in Shtip and Strumica, whereas things are looking rather optimistic in Prilep as well. With respect to Bitola IMRO-DPMNE see their only chance in a bad campaign of the SDSM candidate, while Ohrid most certainly represents a Gordian knot. The Democrats expect to gain most of their support by those who did not have the opportunity to cast their vote in round 1. In the capital of Macedonia they consider independent candidate Ljupcho Nikolovski - Fufo to pose the most serious threat to their nominee Penov, as he seems to be the most efficient tool the SDSM could wish for to divide the opposition electorate. In Bitola it is quite possible for the third-ranked Liberal to hand over its votes to the coalition candidate who is currently in the runner-up position. Democrats are also optimistic with respect to Gevgelija and Kavadarci. The official position of the PDP is one of openness to collaborate with all parties of a principally democratic orientation, in spite of the fact that there have been no concrete negotiations on this issue with other parties so far. There are speculations that the PDP might support the SDSM candidate in Skopje, provided Tomislav Stanoevski - Bombaj gives his votes to the PDP candidate in Tetovo, currently ranked second. It is also very indicative that in Tetovo the NDP decided to team up with PDPA, although the PDP was one of its main coalition partners through round 1. The Socialist Party of Macedonia - based on a statement given by Operational HQ member Jovan Lazarov - will enter the second round of the mayor elections on its own throughout the country. In details this means that no alliances have been formed in any of the municipalities, thus giving the public the freedom of choice regarding election. (end)Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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