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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-02-11Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 11 February, 1997[01] MINISTER FRCHKOVSKI: EXTENSION OF `UNPREDEP' MANDATE DUE TO WORSENED CONDITIONS IN THE REGION`Conditions in the region have worsened significantly over the past six months, since the last agreement on the gradual reduction of the blue helmet force component in Macedonia... the stability exhibited by the latter is partially due to the presence of `UNPREDEP', stated Foreign Secretary Frchkovski during his meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York yesterday. On this occasion - media report - the Macedonian Head of Diplomacy insisted on the extension of the `UNPREDEP' mandate in Macedonia, as it is expiring by the close of May this year. According to Minister Frchkovski conditions in SR Yugoslavia and tensions on Kosovo are arguments in favour of an `UNPREDEP' mandate extension in Macedonia.In addition to this the Macedonian Foreign Secretary was also received by the UN Representative of the Russian Federation H.E.Amb. Sergey Lavrov in order to discuss a possible Russian veto on a new `UNPREDEP' mandate for Macedonia after 31st May this year. A-1 TV reports that the situation in SR Yugoslavia - and above all on Kosovo - could be the reason for a wider regional conflict in the opinion of Ambassador Lavrov. The latter however also stressed the view of Russia according to which `UNPREDEP' has basically fulfilled its preventive mandate, which is why it should be suspended. Ambassador Lavrov further emphasised that the Russian Federation does not oppose any other mandate in Macedonia - or any sort of bilateral agreement. In this case Russia would respect the choice of Macedonia - stated UN Representative Lavrov, while leaving open further possibilities to discuss conditions in the region and the `UNPREDEP' mandate. [02] SHOULD DONORS' CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS SUCCEED, `EU' AGREEMENT TO BE WRAPPED UP NEXT MONTHShould the Donors' Conference - which is to provide means to settle the 30- million-dollar debt to the European Investment Bank - be a success the Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Macedonia would be signed throughout the second half of March or the beginning of April, whereas its implementation would commence in June / July this year... Media report that this has been stated by Vice-President Jane Miljoski yesterday, at the session of the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Commission. Upon discussing the imminent Donors' Conference for Macedonia, Vice-President Miljoski stressed that so far reactions have been rather favourable - based on the response to the materials explicating the Macedonian position, the success of economic reforms and relations to the EIB which have been distributed to all European donor-countries. In a joint action by the Ministry of Finance and the Foreign Office a wide-ranging diplomatic campaign has been launched in France, the Netherlands, Germany and England.Of particular importance is also the support shown by the US - stated Miljoski upon adding that the `G-24' countries are practically functioning as hosts to the imminent Donors' Conference, along the EU and the World Bank. In the opinion of Minister Miljoski distinctions should be made between financial assistance already rendered by the EU and bilateral support. As regards the latter contacts so far have been rather promising, as for example has been the case with the Netherlands... stated Miljoski. [03] MINISTER TAKI FITI IN FRANCEAs of yesterday a Macedonian delegation headed by Finance Minister Taki Fiti has been staying in Paris, where it is to be received by several high- ranking state officials and managers of French enterprises. Talks with Michel Declare, in charge of international cooperation at the General Tax Directorate, have so far focused on comparing the tax systems of France and Macedonia - as well as other countries in transition, according to MTV. Today the Macedonian Finance Minister is to be received by his French counterpart, who is also in charge of international trade, Minister Yves Gallant, in order to discuss a possible bilateral agreement on investment protection and the support expected from France at the upcoming Donors' Conference in Brussels. During their visit to France the Macedonian delegation is to meet the CEOs of several French enterprises, as well as high-ranking Customs officials of the Republic of France.[04] `ESKOUSSIA' PROPOSES THREE NAMES FOR `NORTHERN NEIGHBOUR'Greek pro-government paper `Eskoussia' has accused the leaders of the Greek opposition and the Government alike of exhibiting political hypocrisy with respect to the `Skopje-issue' A-1 TV reports. The Athenian paper further claims in a report with the title `No Obligations as Regards Skopje-Issue' that the `92 Decision concordant to which the name of the northern neighbour may not contain the term `Macedonia', has been passed in completely different circumstances. Upon concluding that the latter were altered by the New York Interim Agreement, the Athenian paper asked PM Simitis `to face the music'.According to `Eskoussia' Greece should settle for a compromise by proposing a three-names solution: one for international communication, one for Greece and then the recognition of its Constitutional name for internal use only. In the end the paper concludes that the Skopje leadership will not accept this proposal, but that Greece at least would have gotten rid of its political hypocrisy. [05] AS OF TODAY DECEIVED BANK CLIENTS JOINED BY LAID-OFF WORKERS AND UNEMPLOYED IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNMENTThe protests of clients of several banks and companies continued in front of the Government building yesterday.Demands for a meeting with PM Crvenkovski were repeated once again... as were requests for urgent restitution and legal liability of the offenders. Media also report that the demonstrating bank clients had been joined by members of the Independent Trade Union Organisation of Laid-off Workers, who announced that they would again join protesters in front of the Government seat today. In this context the Coordinate Council of the Independent Trade Union Organisations of the Unemployed, the Technologically Redundant Employees of Macedonia and of the Laid-off Workers of the city of Skopje has released the information that they would picket the Government on a daily basis from 5 minutes to 12 until 16 00 hr. as of today. [06] `ZLETOVO' MINERS INSIST ON THEIR DEMANDSMiners of the largest mining-company `Zletovo' based in Probishtip - who have been on strike for several days - are refusing to resume work until all their demands have been completely met. These requests mainly revolve around pay increase, regular forwarding of the latter, regular payment of retirement and impairment insurance as well as the procuring of necessary reproduction material. The Macedonian Radio further revealed that the management considered part of the demands unjustifiable as last month's production only totalled 50% of the scheduled overall rate. Their speculation is that the strike in `Zletovo' is due to political motives.[07] STRIKE SUSPENDED IN `MAKEDONKA' OF SHTIPToday employees of the `Makedonka' Textile Company are to resume work again, after a strike which had commenced towards the close of last year... MTV reports. Yesterday the Strike Board had addressed all employees with the request to go back to their work, upon informing that the changed Directors and Shift Leaders would be suspended starting with 12th February, until they are summoned back by the Strike Board and the newly-appointed temporary management. It is furthermore being reported that the Strike Board had been received by Mayor Tomo Mitashev and `Makedonka' Coordinator Vancho Trajkovski, which eventually resulted in the suspension of the strike. Other information reveal that `Makedonka' had procured enough crude oil to resume production.[08] DNEVNIK: `PDP' LEAVING GOVERNMENT COALITION?Today's edition of `Dnevnik' reports that the Party of Democratic Prosperity is most likely to pass a final decision on whether it will leave the Government coalition by the end of this week, as it is `discontent with the treatment of its ministers within the incumbent coalition'. It is further being stated that throughout the past 10 days the central PDP leadership has discussed the possibility twice - while definite counsellings with all party branches are to take place by the end of this week.This is to entail the final decision. According to the sources of `Dnevnik' these `reflections' of the PDP may be ascribed to the fact that party representatives are not being consulted by the SDSM on matters of importance to Albanians in Macedonia. Other objections dwelled on the insufficient representation of Albanians in the judiciary, in public companies and other public service sectors, on the conditions, i.e. the conspiratory climate within the Foreign Office,... The PDP camp informed that so far the issue of leaving the Government coalition had been on the agenda of the central party leadership twice. This resulted in the proposal to withdraw ministers form the Government first. `Dnevnik' further reports that for the timebeing the issue of whether Albanian MPs are to leave the Parliament - as the request to address this body in Albanian has been denied - remains shelved. Albanian MPs intend to make use of their natural right to speak in Albanian of the speaker's podium... according to the PDP only violent intervention can prevent them from doing so. [09] FOUR CANDIDATES LEFT IN ROUND 2 AFTER VOTING IN GOSTIVARUnofficial results on the additional voting held at polling station No. 17 of Gostivar, for one vacant seat in the Macedonian Parliament reveal that only four of the initial six candidates remain in the race during round 2.These are: the leading Nazim Burde of the PDPA with 2 333 votes, PDP's Zemlji Elezi with 963, Srekjko Lazarevski (SDSM / SPM) with 600 votes and Smilko Ilkovski of the DPM with 345 votes. The elections themselves are to have gone by in a normal atmosphere, without incidents or objections, whereas the electorate turn-out amounted to a little bit more than 26%. [10] INTENSIVE CONTACTS BY `IMRO-DPMNE' LEADER IN NEW YORKIMRO-DPMNE Chairman Ljupcho Georgievski had the opportunity to meet US Congressman Benjamin Gillmann (member of the Congressional Committee on International Affairs) on National Prayer Day, during his stay in Washington - in addition to meeting many state delegations and Arizona Senator John Kyle... MTV is quoting the IMRO- DPMNE Information Service upon stating that the IMRO-DPMNE party leader is to participate in an open panel with Macedonian immigrants in New York during his working visit to the USA.[11] COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING `OCM' INTEGRITY IN AUSTRALIAThese days media have received a statement issued by the `Movement of the Loyal Communities for Maintenance of the Integrity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Australian' in connection to most recent event unfolding in this eparchy of the OCM, as well as the correspondence and misunderstandings between the responsible Bishop Petar and the OCM - which had received considerable coverage by Macedonian media lately.Representatives of several religious communities and churches of Macedonian immigrants in Australia publicised the decision - passed on their meeting of 19th January this year in Melbourne - to remain loyal to the original eparchy: the Australian Macedonian Orthodox Diocese (AMOD) - ergo, loyal to the Holy Synod of the OCM. At the same time it is being stated that these communities do not recognise the jurisdiction of the `so-called' eparchies of the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) which has been quite recently established and of the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese (registered: NSW), as the former is being governed by Bishop Petar - though opinions exist that both dioceses have been illegally and undemocratically formed. In this context it is also being revealed that other separate churches will be granted the democratic right to choose their ally according to the wishes of their congregations. The notification addressed to Bishop Petar contains accusations of him usurping the power within the entire Australian Eparchy over the past 5 years in order to obtain control over property, financial funds, management over communities and their membership - as well as that his doctrine is essentially fundamentalist and inadequate for everyday practice, incompatible to the lives of Macedonians in Australia. Bishop Petar is also being held guilty of conducting discriminatory practice against Macedonians of Aegean descent living in Australia, i.e. he was utterly insensitive to their needs, the conditions they live in, their experience and their suffering. This is complemented by the assessment that Bishop Petar had been impartial, favouring only those Macedonians of a `certain ideological orientation'. The statement also claims that he had led separate assaults on religious communities of Macedonians of Aegean descent in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. As regards the newly-established diocese of Bishop Petar, it has been said that it merely represented the old diocese in a restructured shape, which enabled him to seize power of the entire Australian Diocese. Representatives of the loyal communities have informed that the AMOD will continue to exist legally, as it has done since 1971 when it was recognised by the Holy Synod of the OCM. The latter is requested to appoint an `Arhierej' (Archbishop) based in Skopje and a Deputy of his in Australia to uphold the cannon according to norms valid in this country. Local matters would be addressed by a governing body which would be comprised of democratically-elected representatives of the loyal communities. The statement closes with the assessment that the `Loyal Communities' movement and its churches within the AMOD embody the strongest association of Macedonian Organisations in the Diaspora, consisting of thousands of members and assets worth app. 50 million dollars, it is certain that the movement is to continue the important and long-term endeavour to enrich the social, cultural and religious life of Macedonians in Australia through the activities of its communities. MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] `STATEMENT of the Loyal Communities for Maintenance of the Integrity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Australia'(`Third Meeting of the Loyal Communities, Melbourne, Victoria' - 8th February 1997)`Today above Macedonia rises the new sun of freedom - Macedonians are fighting for their rights ` We, representatives of the Loyal Communities, established in August 1995, have gathered in this place for our third official meeting fully conscious of our responsibilities before our people, our nation, and before almighty God. We have not taken the following decisions lightly, and we are aware of the possible ramifications for many years to come. We remain loyal to our original and only legal diocese, the Australian Macedonian Orthodox Diocese (AMOD), which has never been legally dissolved, and of which our churches are a part, and through the AMOD, loyal to the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. It is the clear democratic option of the members of our communities and parishes to choose this path in this country. It is no way comprises our commitment to our holy institution. We do not recognize not accept the jurisdiction of the other so-called dioceses in Australia, the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese (Registered (NSW)), and the newly established Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), headed by Bishop Petar, because in our view, they have not been legally and democratically established. However, we do respect the democratic right of other individual churches to freely align themselves with such institutions, if that is the wish of their members, as it is the wish of our members not to be aligned with them. Moreover, we believe that the new Diocese of Bishop Petar is merely the successor body of the ` Registered ` Diocese, with the Bishop Petar having simply consolidated its existence by reorganizing essentially the same personnel to usurp all institutional power in the Australian diocese, leaving identical policies intact. Indeed, we regard the pursuance of such radical and extreme national- chauvinistic policies over the past five years in this country as illogical and tragically divisive. Bishop Petar has in our view deliberately manipulated such misguided passions in an attempt to usurp total power, including absolute control over titles, properties, treasuries, committees and membership of not only the Churches, but the broader Community structures as well. His doctrine is fundamentalist in nature, and out of step with current Australian social realities. He has failed to adequately consult parties which he wishes to subject to such profound and immediate change, or in general to attempt to learn sufficiently about the ideals, practices and total way of life of Macedonians in Australia. He has been arrogant, authoritarian, and guilty of conduct unbecoming of a senior church figure. He has failed to remain objective and evenhanded, favouring only those with a particular ideological disposition. For example, those in our Movement who have origin from the Aegean part of Macedonia believe in particular that the Bishop and his followers have been totally insensitive to the special circumstances and experiences that affect them. There is no possible way in which persons such as them are able to satisfy the Bishop's constitutional requirements in order to secure an equal and fair participation in the communities, churches and their management bodies. Such clear discrimination against the Aegean Macedonians, manifested in clear and continued attacks in particular against the largest communities, their committees and their churches in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, will, if successful, result in the total and irrevocable disappearance of this vital part of the Macedonian heritage in this country. Those Macedonians in his stable who originate from the Republic, and yet claim empathy with the cause of their Aegean siblings, are misguided, and have no understanding of their experiences, because very few Aegean Macedonians live in their midst in New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT and elsewhere. To the extent that they believe that their sympathy for the Aegean cause will be evidenced by support of the Bishop and his policies, they are seriously and foolishly mistaken. It has been clearly demonstrated therefore that the Macedonians from the Republic who most appreciate and are sensitive to the Aegean cause, are already members of our Movement, and this is greatly appreciated. To those Aegean Macedonians who have yet to embrace our cause, we urge you to base your views in this current dispute upon important principles such as those described above, rather than any personal and long- standing antagonisms amongst us - for we have no wish for self-destruction, and neither should you! The AMOD will continue to function legally as it has done since 1971, although unfortunately it now comprises fewer churches than previously. It is not necessary to seek recognition from the Synod, as this was granted over 25 years ago at its establishment. We shall now seek the appointment of an Arhierej in Skopje, and a deputy here in Australia, in order to regularize our canonical affairs in this country as required. We are certain of the Synod's support in this regard. Local matters will be managed by the existing Executive Committee, previously democratically elected, and now comprising of the nominees of the ` Loyal Communities `. Our Movement and its churches in the AMOD will comprise the strongest association of Macedonian organizations ever established in the Diaspora. Comprising of many thousands of financial members, and an even greater number of believers, our net asset worth currently exceeds A$50 million! We shall take the necessary legal steps to secure our status, and a Working Committee, comprising of the Community Presidents, has been established for this purpose. Our right to exist and operate as such is clearly protected by Australian law, and further safe-guarded by the democratic aspirations and free-will of our people, who importantly, unlike any other such large-scale movement in this country, are drawn from all parts of our fatherland ! Accordingly, we once again state to the world, and in particular to all free-thinking and democratic-loving Macedonians, that we do not accept the jurisdiction of Bishop Petar and his new diocese, of which we have never been a part. It is the right of others equally to do as they choose. We have neither ruptured the Australian diocese nor established a new one. We were here first, and remain today as always. Rather Bishop Petar and his followers, commencing five years ago, are the ones that must stand accused in this regard. We now wish merely to peacefully and without fear of intimidation continue the significant and long-standing contribution of our communities to the social, cultural and religious life of the Macedonians in this wonderful country , a task in which we have the unanimous support of our members. LONG LIVE MACEDONIA AND THE MACEDONIAN CAUSE ! LONG LIVE MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA ! LONG LIVE THE MACEDONIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ! LONG LIVE THE DEMOCRATIC OPTION, AND THE FREEDOM- LOVING MACEDONIAN PEOPLE ! To be continued... (end) mils news 11 February 1997 Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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