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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-03-11Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 11 March, 1997[01] THE GOVERNMENT ON CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRYUpon discerning the current situation as regards inter- ethnic relations - and bearing in mind the initiatives of certain parliamentary factions and citizens - the Macedonian Government proposed to Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski to hold a parliamentary session which is to focus on the ways and mechanisms to address this issue concordant to the Constitution and within the institutions of the system. For the sake of a more constructive debate, the Government suggested to the Parliament that it also invited those parties not represented in this body, as well as representatives of the PF Student Body (i.e. the Organisation Board in charge of the hunger strike). This, among other things, is being mentioned in yesterday's press release following the session of the Macedonian Government which dealt with current conditions in the country.Attributing substantial importance to issues affecting inter-ethnic relations - since they bear an impact on the stability of the country - the Government of our Republic considers the Parliament the right place where burning issues can be resolved through dialogue and the discussing of the most relevant political factors within institutions. Therefore the Government appeals to those students participating in the hunger strike, to stop the latter and resume negotiations by using arguments. During yesterday's session (according to official records) the Government has also debated the activities and measures implemented by the NBM in terms of detecting irregularities in the work of certain savings houses. In this context the following conclusions have been adopted: ministers are to sign a statement confirming that they are not clients of these compromised institutions (in order to put an end to speculations that the executive government is involved in this illegal activity), ministers and their deputies are to renounce their right to confidentiality on their savings, the Attorney General of Macedonia is to request all client lists of those compromised banks in order to determine whether these registers include holders of any public office who may directly or immediately affect supervision proscribed by law. Upon discussing the supplies of medicines in this country - an issue which has been upsetting the Macedonian public these days - the Government entrusted the Ministry of the Interior and the Dept. of Public Revenues to conduct an investigation, to determine any violations of the law and the liability of certain individuals and institutions in this sector. [02] PARLIAMENTARY SESSION SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROWBased on the most recent information, Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski has scheduled a session for tomorrow - at 1500 h. - following the proposal of the Macedonian Government and the request of the LP parliamentary faction and several individual MPs. The session is to revolve around current conditions in Macedonia - and the LP announced that it would put several ministers of the Government to a vote of confidence.[03] `UNPREDEP' SUSPENDS WITHDRAWAL FROM MACEDONIAThe observation posts of `UNPREDEP' at the Albanian- Macedonian border are not to be closed, as it had been announced and planned previously, due to political turmoil in neighbouring Albania. In addition to this, `Nova Makedonija' reports that the Macedonian Foreign Office assessed that any other measure would have a backfiring effect. After the closing of the first observation post of the planned nine ones, the second post at the border to Albania was to be shut down yesterday as a further measure of force reduction. But upon awaiting the possible revised decision of the UN Security Council with respect to mission sustainability, `UNPREDEP' has decided to revise its force reduction time schedule, according to which the overall number of 1 050 troops was to be decreased to 750 by the end of April this year. `Nova Makedonija' also states that the appeal addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan by the Macedonian Foreign Office contained the request for an urgent session of the Security Council and the suspension of the decision to terminate the mission.[04] APP. 40 MILLION DM OF `TAT' BANK HAVE GONE `MIA'Based on unofficial estimates conducted at the `TAT' bank in Bitola, around 114 million DM (whereas public speculations have it that this sum is up to 300 million). Several Macedonian media revealed yesterday that inspections executed so far have indicated that app. 40 million DM have gone `missing in action.' Meantime tension is growing in Bitola and several other Macedonian cities. The announced deadline for the substitution of savings deposits contracts with savings books has been extended, and as of yesterday criminal charges are being pressed against another `TAT' bank employee. Media further report that NBM Vice-Governour Tome Nenovski has already submitted his resignation, and Governour Borko Stanoevski is expected to do the same thing soon. Yesterday MTV informed that in spite of the fact that the owner of the `TAT' bank had also functioned as its director for almost four years, she had done so without a permit by the NBM Governour. Thus it remains to be seen how legal sanctions against her would be implemented.The Client Board of the `TAT' bank of Bitola has been received by PM Branko Crvenkovski and by NBM Governour Borko Stanoevski. The Macedonian Radio reports that during the meeting with the latter a lack of trust had been expressed towards the NBM and its inspectors - whereas talks with PM Crvenkovski had indicated optimism as regards the overcoming of these difficulties. It has also been stressed during yesterday's press conference of this Council that Governour Stanoevski attempted to wash his hands from this matter, transferring the entire guilt to the clients who invested their funds in `TAT'. As regards the meeting with PM Crvenkovski it had been stressed that - unlike Governour Stanoevski - the optimism of clients had been restored, as it had been emphasised that the Macedonian Government would not close its eyes to this case, i.e. that it would endeavour to bring about a favourable solution of this problem - in spite of the fact that it does not possess any legal authorisation to act. It was further said during the press conference that 11 requests have been submitted to PM Crvenkovski and Governour Stanoevski on behalf of clients from Bitola, Prilep, Kavadarci and Skopje. These demand the shortening of the investigation deadline at the `TAT' bank to one week; the commitment of the NBM to guarantee the disbursement of savings deposits; the imposing of an NBM moratorium over `TAT' and `TAM' assets (the latter is a firm registered on the spouse of apprehended Nikolovska) - as well as the prohibition of all further transactions; the equal treatment of all clients - regardless to which city they come from or to the size of their deposits; the increase of the number of NBM inspectors; the allowing of Clients Board representatives to participate in further investigations and monitoring at the bank; the public exhibiting of depositors' lists in order to determine how many of them are ministers of the incumbent Government. The Board has further expressed its determination to have the case escalating to unwanted proportions should these requests not be fulfilled or the state not support its citizens. In this context it has been stressed that virtually every household in Bitola is damaged by the `TAT' bank scandal. This does not exclude the business sector, students, pensioners, laid-off workers and many others. [05] IMRO-DPMNE: SDSM STANDS BEHIND `TAT' BANKYesterday IMRO-DPMNE leader Ljupcho Georgievski assessed that `the disguises had finally been dropped', i.e. that `the original organisers of the TAT bank in Bitola are hiding in obscure HQs of political parties which rule in the Republic of Macedonia.' During the press conference Georgievski emphasised that it could not be denied that a lion's share of responsibility fell off to the NBM and its Governour Borko Stanoevski. The main responsible party however, is the one governing the country - as well as its ministries and ministers i.e. `the ministerial conglomerate of the Resen-Bitola region'. Due to this, Georgievski stressed, `the IMRO- DPMNE as a political party is publicly addressing the incumbent SDSM to stop performing any more political stunts which is sacrificing one or another structure. This time it should assume the entire responsibility by itself in the eyes of the Macedonian public.'The IMRO-DPMNE leader underlined that in his opinion Bitola was a financial waste land - regardless whether the overall damage amounted to 100 million DM (according to current estimates) or to 300 million - as unofficial rumour has it. In his opinion the mass departure of part of the Bitola establishment yesterday has not been executed in order to shed some light on the case - but in order to cover up the tracks leading to the SDSM from this bank. This - as Georgievski remarked in the end - is reason enough for the SDSM to abandon its position and for an administrative government to be formed, which would hold new elections in two to three months - and go about the investigation / solving of the cases of `bank client robbery', as this appears to be a textbook example of pyramid-saving which had been prevailing in neighbouring countries. [06] LP: `ALARMING CONDITIONS IN MACEDONIA'At the Macedonian Parliament, the LP revealed at its press conference yesterday, the party had once again requested the holding of an urgent parliamentary session which would focus on current issues in Macedonia (student protests, events in Tetovo and the `TAT' bank affair, as well as critical conditions in the health sector, i.e. funding and medicine procurement in the latter). Another announced intention was the subjecting of several ministers (covering finances, health and education) to a vote of confidence. Upon indicating the alarming nature of conditions prevailing in the country, the LP expressed their hope that the Parliament would energetically support law enforcement structures in their endeavour to clean up the latest instances of `criminal activity' - without submitting to any sort of pressure. As regards several incumbent ministers, it has been stressed that they are heading sectors where the functioning of parallel systems outside the law had been allowed, which is why - in their opinion - they should face the music now.[07] SOLVING OF PROBLEMS WITHIN INSTITUTIONSYesterday a four-member delegation of the Students' Association of the `Ss. Cyril and Methodius' University has been received by President Kiro Gligorov. This encounter was followed by a release issued by the presidential cabinet, concordant to which the student representatives had stated that student demands should be addressed within the system and through democratic means. It is further being revealed that President Gligorov stressed that the Students' Association should be beyond political manipulations and influences. In this context President Gligorov also expressed his belief that the hunger strike would be suspended - as it is not an approach conducive to the achievement of their objectives.[08] PARTICIPANTS OF HUNGER STRIKE VISITED BY HEAD OF `OCM'On day 7 of the hunger strike of app. 20 PF students of Macedonian origin, as a symbol of protest against the PF- Bill, the students were visited by OCM Head the Reverend Mihail. Media report that the latter expressed his concern about their health condition, and appealed to them to end the hunger strike and fast and pray instead in order to ask for divine assistance and unite themselves with the Orthodox Church of Macedonia, so that the entire Macedonian people may support their cause. `We need you the way you are, heroes determined to defend what is sacred to our people, to defend what is sacred to you as students, to defend what is sacred to us as a Church as well', was the message of the OCM Head to strikers. In addition to this media reported yesterday that the health condition of several participants has started to deteriorate - and that they had received medical treatment by a team of doctors and nurses.At the press conference of the protest organisers, students announced that they would partially accept the advice of the Reverend Mihail and stop drinking milk - in order to start fasting. It has further been publicised that unless demands were met, the entire Organisation Board would join the hunger strike and all of them would withdraw from the public eye. Besides this, students have also launched an initiative at the Constitutional Court to assess the Constitutional compatibility of the PF-Bill regulating the use of minority languages - at the same time insisting that the Court commences its session and passes its decision as soon as possible, on a priority basis. As of yesterday it has been started to raise funds among the public for the publishing of a periodical by strikers in order to inform of the demonstrations independently from the Macedonian media - as the latter are not being trusted. The customary itinerary through the center of Skopje was passed by about 1 000 demonstrators, including a large number of citizens. The latter were also signing the petition in support of student demands which - according to estimates made by the strikers - has been signed by app. 200 000 citizens. Unlike the previous days, police presence was decreased in front of the Parliament these days - whereas traffic chaos was once again on the agenda, as whatever police contingency was present, it did no go about sealing off the area form regular traffic. [09] MACEDONIAN RADIO: `CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO DECIDE ON PF- BILL'On Wednesday the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Macedonia is expected to examine the PF-Bill regulating the use of minority languages at the `St. Clement of Ohrid' Pedagogical Faculty - the Macedonian Radio reports. it is also being stated that several initiatives have been lodged at the Court, according to which the use of minority languages in higher education violates the official use of Macedonian language and Cyrillic script.[10] DPM: `THE FATE OF MACEDONIA FORGED IN TETOVO'Yesterday the DPM once more expressed its support of the PF students' demands, while party leader Tomislav Stojanovski - Bombay emphasised that the DPM had lodged a request with the Constitutional Court to examine the constitutional compatibility of the PF-Bill. Stojanovski has further appealed to students to end their hunger strike, and invited them to enter a dialogue with the public and the Government.During the press conference he also stressed that `at Tetovo the fate of Macedonia was being forged, and that it is quite obvious that paroles of a Greater Albania are no longer empty phrases - but a notion promoted in public at the highest level'. The celebration euphoria following the mayor election at Tetovo - in the opinion of Stojanovski - reflected the Anti- Macedonian mood which has only one objective: the `extorting of maximalist requests as a price to be paid for a superficial peace... All this is neither a coincidence, nor temporary, but aided by the incumbent Government. Thus the SDSM and its ministers should not be granted absolution, but held responsible,' the DPM leader stated. [11] STOJANOV DENYING BULGARIAN PRETENSIONS TOWARDS MACEDONIA`Makfax' reports that Bulgarian President Petar Stojanov has categorically and decisively denied that Bulgaria had any territorial pretensions towards the Republic of Macedonia.This had been part of a TV interview broadcast during last weekend, and in response to Greek suspicion on the existence of such aspirations in official circles in Sofia. Upon underlining that his country had been the first to recognise the Republic of Macedonia - a deed which had been forgotten soon afterwards - Stojanov expressed his hope that Bulgaria would be able to make up for the stagnation relations to Macedonia had been subjected two within the next two years. [12] TALKS WITH THE FIRST CANADIAN DEFENCE ATTACH TO MACEDONIAMacedonian Defence Secretary Blagoj Handzhiski received the first Canadian Defence Attach to Macedonia - Col. John Miller - at the MOD in Skopje yesterday. Talks revolved around the basics of the country's defence system, as well as on aspects of cooperation in this sector and on projects conducive to increased interoperability with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Official records reveal that mutual consensus and interest had been expressed as regards cooperation in the defence sector - both on a bilateral level and within NATO projects. The Canadian Defence Attach has also been received by ARM HQ CINC Gen.Trajche Krstevski who familiarised his visitor with basic data on the Armed Forces of Macedonia. MILS SUPPLEMENT[13] `Party Leaderships Accused of Terrorism and Extremism' - Part Two(`Nova Makedonija' - 6th March 1997)... Let us only remember that these are not data obtained by the Commission on Monitoring the NIA, but by part of the Directorate of Security and Counter-Intelligence - and then conveyed in the Commission's Report. Thus, as this represents a classic police report, also the following dilemma: how can classifications of this sort be uttered without listing the name of the party or the civic association since - as it has been known so far - no charges have been filed against any member of a party leadership on grounds of preparing certain terrorist actions or `any other kind of extremism'. How can a police structure in charge of counter- intelligence, without any arguments or evidence publicise such gravitating accusations? These - according to what has been written and the style in which it has been written - do practically place all political parties in Macedonia under suspicion. Even the very last characteristic trait of the Report covering the time span between February 1995 and April 1996, reflects the evading of one of the most relevant events of this period: the assassination attempt on President Gligorov on 3rd October 1995. It is common knowledge that this terrorist action is still not solved, as well as the fact that the former Minister of the Interior publicly spoke of flaws in the work of the Directorate in terms of predicting and obstructing the assassination - or that the entailing investigation had been abundant in major mistakes and failures. Therefore the Report looks at least confusing, without one of the key events - such as the physical liquidation of the head of state - in contemporary Macedonian history being `mentioned'. This, in both theory (as a principle) and in practice (as an approach to events), is most certainly unacceptable as the fulfillment of an obligation to the members of the Macedonian Parliament. In the end, what can be concluded on basis of the NIA Monitoring Commission? First and foremost, that all MP comprising this body have not exhibited any sort of interest towards the establishing of a critical attitude with respect to the activity of the Directorate of Security and Counter- Intelligence - but rather followed the path of conformism - thus creating a precedent, as part of the Report to the Parliament contained excerpts of the Directorate's Annual Report which represents a self-assessment which - of course - is everything else but bleak. The second impression is that the largest part of the Report represents a `diluted' version, which provides interpretations of legal provisions and their flaws adherent to the motto `don't rock the boat'. Thirdly, a separate, different report full of unsubstantiated estimates and accusations is being copied without any critical discerning. All in all, a collection of scandalous data ambitiously christened `Report on the Activity of the Commission on Monitoring the Work of the National Intelligence Agency', provides an indeed vivid image of the servile attitude of the Parliament towards the Government and its bodies and structures. mils news 11 March 1997(end)Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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