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MILS: News from the FYROM, 96-12-03Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 03 December, 1996[01] 114 MAYORS ELECTEDBased on still unofficial and provisional data presented by Macedonian media yesterday, the SDSM emerged as a total leader after rounds 1 and 2 of local elections in Macedonia with 52 mayor posts; followed by the IMRO-DPMNE, DP & MAAK- CP coalition with 15 mayors of the IMRO-DPMNE and 12 of the DP faction and a victory in the city of Skopje (thus amounting to a total of 28). 12 mayor seats have also gone to the PDP, whereas their opponent PDPA managed to obtain 4.The race remains open in Tetovo, however, where the latter party appears to be in the lead and the PDP candidate is occupying the runner-up position. The PDPA/NDP coalition succeeded in gaining 3 mayor slots, whereas the PDP/NDP coalition bore fruit in one case. The SPM obtained 7 mayor positions, 2 were gained by the Turkish DP, while the Serbian counterpart of the latter got 1 so far - as did the DPPRM and an independent candidate in Shipkovica. Considering the minimum difference between candidates running for mayor in Valandovo, Ohrid, Prilep and Probishtip, it is most likely that the votes of ARM servicemen are to make the difference. The number of these votes should be known by today or tomorrow at 19 h. What can be said without any doubt is the fact that triple coalition candidate Risto Penov is to be the new (yet still unofficial) mayor of Skopje, as he is leading with app. 10 000 votes with respect to independent candidate Ljupcho Nikolovski - Fufo, and with around 15 000 with regards to SDSM nominee Jovica Ugrinovski. In addition to this the Election Commission of Skopje announced that it has assessed three complaints lodged by the SDSM, the LP and the triple coalition on propaganda in front of polling stations, the surplus of one or two voting slips as unfounded. Yesterday most of the media estimated that round 2 of local elections had passed relatively peacefully and in a democratic atmosphere. Incidents had been registered in a few localities, and data on electorate turn-out reveal that over 50% cast their vote. [02] SDSM: POLITICAL OPPOSITION RECOGNIZING LEGITIMACY OF STATE ORGANS`The active involvement of the political opposition - in particular of the IMRO-DPMNE and the DP - is of great significance to the SDSM as it entails the eventual recognition of the legitimacy of state authorities, above all the head of state, the government and the parliament... which is the direction in which we expect cooperation as it represents a contribution to the development of democracy in Macedonia'.MTV reports this to be part of a statement given by SDSM Secretary-General Ljubomir Popovski during yesterday's press conference on analyzing the results of election rounds 1 and 2. In this context Popovski assessed that the SDSM enjoys the support of the electorate majority with 52 mayor slots and the largest number of counsellor seats - stressing the importance of the fact that the party managed to `infiltrate' some bastions of the IMRO-DPMNE and the LP - such as Bitola, Kichevo, Kumanovo, Karposh and Radovish - during these elections. The SDSM Secretary-General also underlined the positive atmosphere generated by organizational and technical conditions, as well as by the fairness and the democracy dominating these elections. According to him the solid voter turn-out attributed a legitimate framework to the elections, confirming at the same time the high level of civic consciousness regarding the democratic constitution of local government structures. [03] IMRO-DPMNE: SDSM BECAME AN AGRICULTURAL - RURAL PARTYYesterday's exhibition of Macedonia's public will, i.e. that of the Macedonian people has confirmed the enormous trust it places in the victorious IMRO-DPMNE, DP & MAAK-CP coalition - not only with regards to the relevance and size of cities in which victory has been gained, but also based on the total of voters stating their support for our candidates. This refers particularly to the difference in votes between our winners and the SDSM votes in Skopje, Shtip, Strumica and other cities... This is part of yesterday's IMRO-DPMNE's press release on the local election epilogue.`Dnevnik' reports that the release also dwells on how the SDSM `boasted with entering elections on their own, whereas it assumed the position of a coalition partner to minority parties (PDP, PCER & PDDR) on the one hand - and state reserves, the Ministry if the Interior and the National Statistical Institute, etc. on the other according to the communist creed: `one party - one state'... `In the end it should be stressed that inspite of the SDSM's huge boasting on how they won local elections, they have transformed themselves - prior to their exit from the political stage - into a `genuinely agricultural or rural party' from a so- called `constitutional party'... states the IMRO-DPMNE release. [04] OSCE: ROUND 1 OF ELECTIONS CONDUCTED ORDERLY WITH UNREGISTERED VOTERSRound 1 of local elections in Macedonia, held on 17th November `96, went by in a `generally orderly manner' states the official OSCE monitoring report, though the main problem listed by the observers is the insufficient registration of voters.According to `Dnevnik' the 66 observers of this international organisation, joined by 12 Council of Europe monitors, stressed in their report that they have visited 89% of the polling stations throughout the country. Conducted surveys point out deficiencies of voter registration - although overall procedures were conducted concordant to regulations. `It is apparent that electorate registration is not considered reliable by the public. Measures to be taken to facilitate communication between the administration and the citizens upon registration procedures and the updating of records, are more than welcome', is being recommended by observers in their report. Regarding pre-election campaigning most objections focus on violations of the moratorium by posting up slogans and posters the night before election day. It has nevertheless been emphasized that during round 1 there had been a remarkable amount of engagement into political procedures exhibited by all parties - without any sort of boycott. [05] INTENSE CONTACTS MADE BY MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT AT `OSCE' SUMMIT IN LISBONYesterday the two-day OSCE Summit commenced in Lisbon, which will - for the first time - be attended by the Republic of Macedonia as a fully-fledged member of the organisation. The Mac. delegation is being led by President Gligorov who is to address the Summit today with a speech on the Euorpeanisation of the Balkans.In addition to this media also report increased activity of the Mac. Head of state, who has met his Turkish counterpart Suleyman Demirel, his Slovenian colleague Milan Kuchan, the Albanian President Sali Berisha and NATO Secretary-General Xavier Solana within the Summit. Another meeting announced towards the end of day 1 were talks with the Bulgarian Head of state Zhelju Zhelev. `Vecher' reveals that Albanian President Sali Berisha urged President Gligorov in Lisbon to personally aid the legalization of the so-called `University of Tetovo'. In reply to this the Mac. Had of state stressed the importance of pursuing European standards regarding the settling of this issue, by compiling a comparative study on minorities in the region - including the educational sector in each country separately. The above mentioned paper also reports the caution expressed on neglecting the East-West corridor, in comparison to the North-South option which is once again being attributed priority status in the region. [06] DOWNSIZING THE BUDGET VIA RATIONALIZATION IN PUBLIC SPENDINGYesterday the Mac. Government adopted the Draft-Budget for the upcoming fiscal year which - as it has been determined - is not to equal last year's Budget. This is to be achieved by further rationalizations within the public spending sector. Another basic feature of the `97 Budget is the provision of funds to continue to sustain commenced reforms.The basic objectives providing a foundation for the Draft- Budget for next year - as unofficial records reveal - amount to a predicted annual inflation rate of 2% and a projected GNP growth by 5%. This should include the continuing consolidation of the fiscal sector, the reduction of revenues in funding the public sector, the decompression of monetary policy without endangering the denar's stability and the complete introduction of the `tresor' system in order to improve revenue management and bring about their appropriate and efficient implementation. It has been agreed that the Draft-Budget `97 is to total 44 billion and 454 million denars which is to be procured as follows: 41 billion and 320 million denars in inherent yields, 200 million denars in donations and 2 billion and 900 million denars in loans by international financial institutions. Session records also reveal that the Budget for next year would secure a realistic balance between revenues and expenditures within the national treasury, which would further be conducive to an increasing of funds to be reallocated to the social policy sector and to reforming the retirement pension system. [07] THE `ROMANOVCE' CASE ROUNDED OFF BY LEGAL EPILOGUEThe case of the Romanovce Elementary School, where because of the `teacher non grata' pupils boycotted classes, is to be completed by a legal epilogue, after the kind of `poetic justice' sentence already doled out to the pupils who will have to study an additional 29 days (equalling the length of their absence) due to their parents' boycotting. The latter have been held responsible as well, by fining 19 parents with app. 3 000 denars for instigating the self-initiative absence of their children from instruction, an act contrary to the Law on Elementary Education.[08] `INTERPOL' ASKED TO AID IN INVESTIGATION OF MURDER OF A MACEDONIAN CITIZEN IN GREECEConcerning the death of Sasho Mizhorov from Gevgelija, whose body has been found in the border area (on the Greek side) on the 20th November this year, the Mac. Ministry of the Interior has issued a statement listing the cause of (violently induced) death as strangulation. This is based on findings obtained during the post-mortem examination of the corpse at Thessalonica. The Ministry furthermore announced that it has contacted the INTERPOL office in Athens, requesting their assistance in investigating this homicide. 22-year-old Sasho Mizhorovski from Gevgelija has been found on Greek territory at the border region Mala Reka on 20th November, and initial assumptions attributed his death to falling into an abyss on attempting to cross the border illegally.[09] DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE GAINING MOMENTUM WITH YOUNG PEOPLEAddictions such as alcoholism, drug abuse and tobacco abuse have reached worrisome proportions in Macedonia, especially with juveniles. Preventive measures are at an unpermittedly low level, thus there are almost no counselling facilities - nor specialized institutions - outside Skopje; the National Addiction Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme exists on paper only - i.e. it does not seem to exist at all... media report this to be part of the general conclusions expressed during the recently finished Seminar on `Addiction Prevention', held under the auspices of the Macedonian Red Cross. The Seminar has been attended by experts in these fields, such as; neuropsychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and representatives of institutions battling the spreading of substance abuse.`Nova Makedonija' data announced during this Seminar revealed that 1 714 drug addicts are registered in Macedonia - with the majority of them in Skopje and West Macedonia, and varying between the age of 12 and 18 years. It has also been registered that 90% of the addicts are heroin-users, whereas 80% are dealing with drugs at the same time. By the end of September 1996 eighty cases of illegal drug production and trafficking had been detected, thus bringing 120 persons `unto the bar'. Besides this the police confiscated 130 kg marihuana, 20 kg heroin, 14 kg cocaine and 2 kg raw opium. It has been noticed that in most cases marihuana had been of domestic production, as such `plantations' have been discovered in 14 municipalities. Regarding alcoholism in Macedonia those attending the Seminar registered a trend of growth - particularly among young people between 14 and 18 and among women. So far 40 000 alcoholics - of which 12 000 in Skopje - have been registered in the country. MILS SUPPLEMENT[10] `The Basilica of Stobi Among 100 World Cultural Monuments?'(`Vecher', 29 November, 1996)The complex of the Episcopal Basilica of Stobi, one of the oldest Early Christian sacral objects in the Balkans, is the only cultural monument of Macedonia competing to enter the list of the `100 Most Endangered Monuments in the World' for next year, compiled by the World Monument Fund located in Paris. It has been nominated by the Macedonian National Committee of ICOMOS (the International Council of Monuments and Sites), which has submitted the application to the World Fund these days. This application consists of a historical description, an account of the site's values and data on its current condition. The expert analysis has been compiled by a commission including: Dr. Zhivoin Vinchikj, Dr. Blaga Aleksova, Mitko Prendzhov, Gjurgjica Lekovska and James Weisemann of the University of Boston. Their finding was that this complex is the most endangered monument of the Macedonian Cultural Heritage, requiring urgent sanation. The application will be submitted to the thorough scrutiny of the World Fund's experts, who will then subsequently forward their findings by mid-April next year. Should the reply be favourable, the site will join the `race' for huge financial resources for its refurbishment. Provisions declare that the sum of these funds is outlined by the nominator (in this case the Mac. Committee of ICOMOS) who has requested 100 000 dollars from the Fund. The overall cost for the reconstruction of the complex amounts to over 235 000 dollars, which means that the rest of the necessary funds is to be procured by the Macedonian Ministry of Culture, the National Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Monuments and People's Museum of Veles - which is the actual proprietor of this complex. The Episcopal Basilica of Stobi is one of the oldest objects, dating back to the Early Christian period i.e. the middle of the 5th century AD, in the Balkans. It has been completely excavated between 1920 and 1930, and according to US and then still Yugoslav experts its uniqueness lies in its complexity, as most recent studies have shown that it has been built upon a larger platform east of the VIA SACRA, opposite the semi-circular forum. In 1971 an extremely rare and monumental object was discovered within this complex: the clove-shaped Baptistery with a Baptismal Fount in its centre. The importance of the Episcopal Basilica is only augmented by the fact that it is an integral component of the Stobi site - a locality abundant in archeological findings. `Should our nomination be accepted and the complex of the Episcopal Basilica of Stobi be entered into the list of the world's 100 most endangered monuments, it would represent a major achievement as a Macedonian cultural monument would become part of the edition bearing the same title which distributed throughout the entire world. We also hope that in this case we could obtain the much-needed funds, which might not necessarily be the case as the inclusion into the list does not automatically entail a financial injection by the World Fund. The competition is tremendously strong... as an example one only has to mention the fact that this year merely 37 cultural monuments out the 100 entered onto the list managed to obtain funding,' says Lazar Shumanov Vice- Chairman of the National Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Monuments, and Chair of the Macedonian National ICOMOS Committee. Another indicator to the tremendous amount of competition lies in the fact that a huge portion of the funds for the refurbishment of world heritage monuments is to be allocated for the renowned city of Pompeii in Italy. The World Fund for Cultural Monuments - with its seat in Paris and offices all over the world - has been founded in 1965 as a non-profit organisation which aids the preservation of the world's cultural and architectonic heritage within its programme `Supervising World Monuments' established last year. The reputation both the institution and the project enjoy is affirmed by the fact that the main donor is no other than financial giant `American Express' with a contribution of one million dollars, made to preserve the cultural heritage of the world. Our interviewee revealed that this year 326 cultural monuments are competing for a place on the list, from all over the world. This is sufficient proof to underline the relevance attributed to this list and a position on it for any monument - as it entails the possible obtaining of funds for its renewal. (end)mils news 03 December, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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