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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-14Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 14 July, 1997[01] IN GOSTIVAR AND TETOVO - LIFE GRADUALLY COMING BACK TO NORMALAfter the events taking place in Gostivar on the 9th this month life in this town during the weekend is gradually came to normal, report the Macedonian media. On the streets there are still traces left form the clashes between the Albanian demonstrates and the police, however there are no more road blocks on the streets and the identification checking have ceased and the number of police officers has been cut down. Yet the more important crossroads are under control and vehicles and passengers are being searched at the town entrances. The largest number of shops are opened and the usual liveliness on the streets has gradually reappeared.As the media report, the general impression shows that the citizens, regardless of their nationality, are to a certain degree upset, but are doing their best to drive their living back to the normal. The situation in Tetovo these past days is calm, but the police continues to control the most frequent crossroads and the town entrances. The armored cars of the MI have been removed away from the streets with the exceptance of one still placed in front of the township Assembly. The media reported yesterday that the Albanian flag is no longer hoisted, and in the municipalities Chegrane and Srebinovo it has been taken down on self-initiative. The Albanian flag is still hoisted in front of the Assemblies in the municipalities in Vrutok and Negotino (Poloshko), while in Debar in still remains besides the Macedonian and Turkish flags. [02] MI PRESS LAST FRIDAY- SITUATION MAY GAIN UNDESIRED FLOW IN TETOVO, DEBAR AND KICHEVOAccording to statements given by the authorities from the Macedonian Ministry of the Interior at their press conference held last Friday, the situation in certain towns in the Western part of Macedonia is serious and may gain negative consequences. The MI spokesperson, Zoran Verushevski, informed that the Ministry has learned that the situation may gain an undesired flow in Tetovo, Debar and Kichevo. The police has made there assessments according to based information regarding activities of the Albanian political subjects who intend to place the conflict's focus in other parts of the state, has been stated at the MI press conference.Last Friday the MI announced that the action of taking down the illegally hoisted flags in Gostivar and Tetovo has been conducted in concordance with the frames of the authorities with no over stepping of the authorizations. After the incident the police has arrested, i.e. kept in 320 demonstrates among which foreign citizens, a large amount of fire arms and ammunition have been confiscated and for there have been 6 criminal and 40 offense charges. The Gostivar mayor, Rufi Osmani, has been arrested and also pressed charges against, informed Mi representatives. Regarding the coordinated action of taking down the flags, MI informed that in Gostivar there had been an organized plan to give resistance on part of the Albanians. In the township Assembly building have been discovered people with fire arms and with `special authorizations' from the mayor Osmani to guard the flag, `crisis headquarters' have been organized, a courier's service, a medical aid team, as well as a list of people who should be called in cases of interventions, all with the purpose to keep the Albanian flag in front of the Assembly building. MI last Friday reported that the demonstrates' resistance in Gostivar had also been organized. The shooting from the surrounding buildings and the mass of people started after a gas bomb had been thrown as a signal.The plan had been to destroy the police vehicles with molotov cocktails which was not successful. Regarding the Gostivar mayor, Rufi Osmani, it has been said that he was requested to pacify the crowd which he had refused to do. [03] PM CRVENKOVSKI CREDITS SUCCESSFUL POLICE INTERVENTION`The Macedonian Police does not discriminate the citizens according to their nationality but according to whether they obey the Constitution and the laws", stated the president of the Macedonian Government, Branko Crvenkovski at the meeting held last Friday with the MI representatives stationed in Gostivar. PM Crvenkovski, as it is cited in the MI report, has given credits to the successful operation of the police and its contribution to the maintenance of the integrity and constitutional order of the state.[04] DPA DEMANDS DIALOGUE WITH INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION`We demand help from the international institutions to mediate in commencement of a dialogue between the Albanian and the Macedonian party, as a logical manner of solving the generating problems in Macedonia, it is said in the note which the Parliamentary group of the Albanian Democratic Party (6 ministers) has sent to the UN, OSCE, the European Council, the Parliamentary Assembly, the American State Department, and the Council for Human Rights Protection seated in Geneva.`The Macedonian Parliament adopts the discriminating bill which break the individual and common rights much more that in the time of monism. It is prohibited in the Macedonian Assembly the use of one's native language. The police forces prohibit the use of the national symbols', it is said in the DPA note. Otherwise, `Dnevnik' reports, the presidencies of the Debar branch offices of the DPA and the Party for Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians last Friday held sessions oh which the police intervention in Gostivar was assessed as an act of `a military junta' and a decision had been made on a protest rally in Debar. The rally took place Friday night under the motto `For the national flag - against the violence'. Around 1,5 thousand people attended it and it went through peacefully. The party activists from the DPA and the PDP read 2 announcements accusing the Macedonian Government and the police of `anti-Albanian, uncivil, chauvinistic, anti-democratic and vandal behaviour'. At this rally the demands on equality of the Albanian people in Macedonia have been repeated, as well as making official the Albanian language, legalization of the `Tetovo university' and the use of the national symbols. There was also expression of revolt against the use of force on part of the Macedonian police and demanded release of all people arrested in the Tetovo and Gostivar events. The leader of the DPA, Arben Dzaferi, yesterday after having a meeting with the commissar of the OSCE for national minorities, Max Van Der Stoel, stated that before he police intervention in Gostivar talks had been in process with the Government regarding peaceful solution of the problems, but in spite of that `a scenario has been made on `collecting tax' from the Albanians'. Underlining that result of the talks have been the fallen culprits, Dzaferi, according to `Dnevnik', pointed out that the Government with the action in Gostivar and Tetovo had set `foundation stones' of the misunderstandings between the Macedonians and the Albanians the objective of which was to regain its lost legitimacy. Forecasting that the events will escalate on long terms Dzaferi announced internationalization of the problem as wall as coordination of the DPA and PDP activities so as to avoid divergence among the Albanians and overcoming of the problems. The Parliament group of the PDP, as it is known, after the Gostivar and Tetovo events announced to leave the Parliament until the MI submits a detailed report of the police action. On part of the PDP leadership it has been announced that the party's ministers have not been informed on the police action, i.e. the Government had not discussed it and the decision on taking down the flags had been made secretly. [05] TETOVO MAYOR PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST MILast Friday at the session of the Tetovo township council was postponed on indefinite time on the grounds of assessing the situation in Tetovo as being alarming, announced the council chairperson, Vebi Bedzeti. `Makfaks' reports, at the brief meeting of the counselors, the Tetovo mayor, Aljadin Demiri, informed that he had pressed charges against the Ministry of the Interior for the caused material damage which according to him amounts up to 100.000 DM in the township building only.[06] DPT- MI AUTHORIZATIONS EXCEEDEDThe Democratic Party of the Turks assessed last Friday that the Macedonian Government with its leisure behaviour contributed to escalate the situations in Gostivar. These situations could have been overcome with no disturbance of the order, peace and safety of the civilians in the town, if the mechanisms available to the Government had been applied. The DPT in its announcement criticizes the exceeded authorities of the MI members over the innocent citizens. `We particularly criticize the demolition of the houses and the shops of the Turks surrounding the place where the events took place and where they had been physically harassed and arrested although they never took part in the events and in this actions even children have not been spared.[07] REJECTION OF ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT PROTEST NOTEAfter receiving the protest note of the Albanian Government with which protest is being expressed against the events in Gostivar and Tetovo and the Macedonian authorities are being accused for causing the riots, an answer was sent by the Foreign Ministry of the Macedonian Republic last Friday. The Albanian note, as it is said in the reply, exceeds the frameworks of the legitimate interest of any state regarding the position of the minorities and presents an act of direct interference in the domestic issues of the Macedonian Republic.`While a large number of accredited diplomatic representatives, missions and international organizations greet the development of the international processes in the Macedonian Republic and strongly uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, criticizing the non-institutional behavior on the occasion of the enacting of the decision of the Constitutional court on taking down of the minority flags, the Albanian Republic with the rejected note upholds exactly this sort of behaviour', it is said in the note of the Macedonian Government. This note also points out that this is not a way to contribute to pacification of the situations and improvement of the bilateral relations. `The Macedonian Republic remains to stand behind the firm decisions to continue with openness, collaboration and furthering of relations with all neighbours on the principles of independence, sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs', it is cited in the announcement. [08] `DNEVNIK' - PROTESTS AGAINST MACEDONIAN POLICE ACTIONS`On the grounds of international norms it is a legitimate right of Albania to protest against the killing of the Albanians and that reaction must not be considered as one exceeding the legitimate interest boundary of one state for its minority', it is said in the report of the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the note from the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. `Dnevnik' reports, in the second Albanian note it is said that `the Albanian Republic once again expresses its willingness to collaborate with its neighbours on the basis of international principles'.According to `Dnevnik', protests against the actions of the Macedonian police took place last Saturday by a larger group of students in front of the Polytechnic Faculty in Tirana organized by the Students Union `Dardaneli'. At this rally also protested students from Kosovo and Metohija and they (as it is reported by foreign agencies) set the Macedonian flag on fire. Yesterday on the `Skender beg' square in Tirana another rally took place `as a sign of support to the legitimate demands of the Albanian people on protection of the national flag and against the violence on part of the Macedonian police in many Albanian towns in the FYROM'. [09] MAX VAN DER STOEL - DIALOGUE SOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMSWithin the frameworks of a continual collaboration with the Government of the Macedonian Republic and on the occasion of the recent events in Gostivar, the High Commissary on National Minorities at the OSCE, Max Van Der Stoel, from 10 to 13 July 1997 stayed visiting the Macedonian Republic. During his visit he realized meetings with PM Branko Crvenkovski, Foreign Secretary, Blagoj Handziski and the MI Under Secretary, Dime Gjurev. At these meetings Stoel has been acquainted in details with the chronology of events generating the MI action on taking down the flags in front of the township councils in Gostivar and Tetovo, the action itself and the firm decisiveness of the Macedonian republic Government to hinder all attempts directed towards violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state within the frameworks of its constitutional and legal authorizations and obligations.Stoel, as the report from the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs cites, has greeted the intention of the Government to submit a complete report in front of the Government, he also supported the politics of interethnic tolerance, co-habitation and solution of the open problems through the state institutions, through continual dialogue with the minority representatives which might lead to positive results only if the sovereignty and territory integrity of the state, the Constitution and the governing law in it are respected. In the announcement issued by the High Commissary of OSCE for Inter-Ethnic Relations, Max Van Der Stoel, it is said: `The main issue for discussion in Skopje, Gostivar and Tetovo, in which also participated the Chief of the OSCE mission, Christian Faber Rod, were the recent incidents in Tetovo and Gostivar which, for my deep regret , lead to death of 2 people. The Government's intention to hand a complete report to the Assembly regarding these events is welcome. I have noticed that the mayors of both towns have refused to pass implement the decision of the Constitutional Court on removal of the flags. They have shown no indications of changing their attitude after the Bill on use of the minority flags had been enacted. It is important that all nationalities in the state aspire to find a solution for the inter-ethnic problems, discarding the national hatred and intolerance and demanding a constructive and continual dialogue with equal rights to all ethic groups as leading principles. The dialogue should be founded on internationally accepted norms and standards, but it should also be based on respect of the sovereignty and territory integrity of the state, as well as the Constitutional order and legal government', it is stated in the announcement of Max Van Der Stoel. The leaders of the DPA, Arben Dzaferi and of the PDPA, Abdurahman Aliti, after the events in Tetovo and Gostivar had meetings with Max Van Der Stoel. Dzaferi, as `Nova Makedonija' reports, has assessed theta the meeting with Stoel has been realized in a `strained atmosphere', while Aliti informed that ` the guest has expressed an attitude favoring the maintenance of the territory integrity of the republic of Macedonia and adherence of its laws'. The PDP on its part criticized the brutality of the police which has previously been revealed through the media as a party attitude. [10] LDP DISPUTES BILL ON FLAGS IN FRONT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURTThe Liberal Democratic Party regarding the Bill on minority flags, in a whole as well as in particular acts, as non-concordant to the Constitution of the Macedonian Republic has launched an initiative to the Constitutional Court for its re-examination. According to the LDP this Bill is generated from the frameworks of act 1-5 from the Constitution and that is from the part where the coat of arms, the flag and the hymn of the Macedonian republic are expression of its sovereignty, i.e. of the sovereignty of its nationals. And as the sovereignty can not be divided onto different groups of citizens, on different territories, different governments, thus these symbols can not be divided on those grounds as well. On those grounds there can be no flag or hymn of this or that territory, neither a flag, coat of arms or a hymn of this or that nationality, it was pointed out at the LDP press conference last Friday.[11] DEMOCRACY LEAGUE PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST TITO PETKOVSKI DUE TO ARBEN DZAFERIThe Democracy League has recently pressed charges to the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje against the Assembly chairman, Tito Petkovski, due to suspicion that he had conducted `a criminal act of abuse of hi official post and authorizations'. `Dnevnik' reports, the charges cite that Petkovski, as an official, by not fulfilling his official duties in the period from his election in 1996 till today has gained a certain amount of asset benefit in favour of the person Arben Dzaferi from Tetovo. The charges also cite that the basic accusations are generated from the fact that this parliament member for 2 years `demonstratively does not enter the Assembly' while continues to regularly receive his salary.Due to this the suspected Petkovski does not act according to the Constitution and on Assembly the agenda does not pose the question of mandate deprivation, cites the LD. In the charges there is also expression of doubt that Petkovski might destroy the material evidence of the conducted criminal act so they demand from the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office to demand from the General Assembly temporal arrest of the suspect, Tito Petkovski. [12] MACEDONIAN ARTISTS IN `THE BALKANS SQUARE' IN THESSALONIKIWithin the frameworks of the manifestation `Thessaloniki - Culture Centre of Europe for 1997' as a part of the programme `The Balkans Square' in Thessaloniki last week participated artists from Macedonia, Kiro Urdin,and Peter Hadzi Boshkov, the mandolin orchestra at the Macedonian Cultural Centre in Skopje, the national dance company `Tanec' from Skopje and Bodan Arsovski with the `Ezgija' band. Regarding the performances of the Macedonian artists, the art director of the manifestation, Panos Teodotidis, stated that this present a cultural bridge between Thessaloniki and Skopje which will bring the people together much quicker that the states themselves. A shadow on the performances was thrown by the fact that at the opening of the exhibitions of the painters Kiro Urdin and Petar Hadzi Boshkov, the organizer had withdrawn the catalogues because it was written in them that the artists come from Macedonia.[13] `GALICHNIC WEDDING' FOR 35TH TIMEUnder the sponsorship of the Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, last Saturday in the village of Galichnic for the 35th time was organized the traditional manifestation `Galicnik wedding'. This unusual wedding and ceremony brought together in marriage Svetlan Cherepnalkovski and Viktorija Poceva from Skopje and it was attended by great number of home and foreign visitors. The traditional wedding presents the authentic manner and rituals performed for centuries now by the people from this region in which they immortalized love.[14] A FESTIVE OPENING OF THE `OHRID SUMMER'With the opening performance of the symphonic poem - oratorio `Alexander the Great' by composer Toma Proshev, and libretto by Petre Bakevski, last Saturday on the `Sv. Klement Ohridski' in Ohrid the 37th festival `Ohrid Summer' commenced. The Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, addressed the audience with a speech and this audience of a few thousand people was also presented with a spectacle on the occasion of the opening. This year for the `Ohrid Summer' 57 performances have been announced (among which musical, ballet, drama, and solo performances). In the course of 40 days (the festival is to end by 20th August) in Ohrid will perform about 1.500 home and foreign artists.(end)mils news 14 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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