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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-08-25
From: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>
CONTENTS
[01] ROYAL VISIT
[02] TWO MORE CASUALTIES AT MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN BORDER
[03] COMMUNICATIONS REDEFINED ?
[04] `BULGARIANS BEREFT OF THEIR PASSPORTS'
[05] CHRISTOPHER HILL: `SPLENDID BILATERAL RELATIONS'
[06] WESLEY CLARK IN SKOPJE TODAY
[07] `MEDCEUR `97'
[08] CULTURAL CONTACTS...
[09] THE RIGHT HAND OF BACCHUS
[10] `TRUCKIES' TO BLOCK `MEDZHITLIJA'
[11] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO HAVE THE LAST SAY...
[12] `SOCIAL BOMB KEEPS TICKING...'
[13] ANOTHER DREARY FORECAST...
[14] SPAIN AND FRANCE VICTORIOUS
MILS NEWS
Skopje, 25 August, 1997
[01] ROYAL VISIT
During his one-day visit to Macedonia Swedish monarch HRH Karl Gustav XVI.
met President Kiro Gligorov and `UNRPEDEP' Chief-of-Mission Henryk
Sokalski. The King of Sweden also visited Swedish troops serving within
this UN peacekeeping mission in Macedonia. Talks between Karl Gustav
XVI. and Gligorov were also attended by Swedish Defense Secretary Bjoern
von Sydow and H.E. Amb. Matte Stefansson - while the Macedonian side was
comprised of Foreign Secretary Blagoj Handzhiski, Defense Secretary Lazar
Kitanovski and the Macedonian Ambassador to Sweden Tihomir
Ilievski. Discussions focused on current conditions in Macedonia and the
region and possible options to enrich bilateral cooperation, while
particular stress was (again) placed on NATO integration as well as the
necessity of international engagement in order to preserve regional peace
and stability. This has been the second visit of the Swedish sovereign to
Macedonia, the first having been in 1978 upon a meeting with Josip Broz
Tito at Ohrid.
[02] TWO MORE CASUALTIES AT MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN BORDER
Two Albanian nationals have been killed and one has been wounded during an
attempt to cross the Albanian-Macedonian border near the Struga border
checkpoint `Mali Vlaj' - the MOD revealed. The incident occurred past
Friday when a Macedonian border patrol detected the group of Albanians
trying to enter the country illegally. The latter - according to the MOD
release - opened fire upon the border patrol troops.
The Albanian National Radio however reported that Macedonian law
enforcement killed two of their citizens and wounded another one without
any prior warning. It has further been revealed that the Macedonian
Ambassador in Tirana, Nikola Todorchevski, has been summoned to the
Albanian Foreign Office. On this occasion it has been asked of the
Macedonian police and authorities to soften their extreme border
surveillance regime. The Albanian National Radio also reported that
opposition leader Sali Berisha (DP) criticized PM Fatosh Nano and his
cabinet for hushing up these incidents in order to improve relations with
the Republic of Macedonia.
[03] COMMUNICATIONS REDEFINED ?
A timed bomb exploded in the centre of Skopje, in front of the entrance
`Inter-Falco' car dealer exploded at 0400 h yesterday. Media report that
there have not been any casualties, whereas material damage caused by this
explosion is considerable: two vehicles and part of the store have been
damaged and the windows of several surrounding buildings were shattered by
the detonation which had been audible throughout the neighbouring area.
Police investigation is underway while rumour has it that this attack may
be warning or threat addressed to the owners of `Inter-Falco.'
[04] `BULGARIANS BEREFT OF THEIR PASSPORTS'
Sofia-based `Kontinent' is making its move by accusing Macedonian
authorities of destroying the passports of 10 Albanian nationals only
because they had declared themselves to be Bulgarians. `Makfax' reveals
that the paper is quoting a Bulgarian VMRO member who is also the Chairman
of the `International Institute for Macedonia' in Sofia. The paper `24
Chasa' (`24 Hours') covers the story in a report with the title `Skopje
Guilty of Hiding Minorities' while denoting the rights of Bulgarians and
Greeks in Macedonia as threatened.
UN experts are being quoted with statements that only those minorities
codified within the Constitution (Albanians, Turks, Vlachs and the Roma)
are being granted cultural rights. Bulgarian Foreign Secretary Nadezhda
Mihaylova stated for `Kontinent' - upon advocating a European solution for
Balkan issues - that with regards to postponed negotiations with Macedonia
`a new era would occur as has been the case with Greece and Turkey', while
adding that this new era would be brought about by a change of Bulgarian
policy.
[05] CHRISTOPHER HILL: `SPLENDID BILATERAL RELATIONS'
`The bilateral relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the US are
splendid', stated US Ambassador Christopher Hill for `Macedonian Voice' -
broadcast aired on Radio Perth yesterday. The US Diplomat further denoted
Macedonia as a key regional stability factor due to its strategic position,
while the country's advancing and success are of tremendous importance to
the US.
[06] WESLEY CLARK IN SKOPJE TODAY
The CINC of USEUCOM and NATO Forces in Europe, Gen. Wesley Clark, is to
arrive in Skopje today. During his stay the General is to be received by
President Gligorov, military and civilian representatives of `UNPREDEP' and
he is to visit US troops serving within this peacekeeping mission. Most of
his meetings are to concentrate on security issues and relations between
NATO and Macedonia. General Clark has been a member of the Dayton
negotiation team headed by R. Holbrooke prior to assuming the position
previously held by Gen. George Joulwan on 9th July this year.
[07] `MEDCEUR `97'
This joint military exercise carried out by US and Macedonian troops has
been opened at the `Krivolak' training grounds yesterday, and is to last
until the end of this month - according to the MOD and USIS. Exercises are
to focus on rendering immediate medical assistance, medevac procedures and
preparations and surgical and specialist treatment. Observers have been
invited from Slovenia, Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria.
[08] CULTURAL CONTACTS...
....continue to develop between Albania, Greece and our country. Culture
Minister Slobodan Unkovski returned from Greece yesterday, where he had
been attending the `Prespa `97' Culture Festival upon invitation of his
Greek counterpart Evangelis Venizelos and MP Yorgi Lyannis. `Makfax'
reports that Venizelos and Unkovski discussed the further implementation of
already commenced projects and another meeting with the Albanian Minister
of Culture delved into possibilities to further cultural cooperation in
this part of the Balkans.
[09] THE RIGHT HAND OF BACCHUS
Or: another task falling within the domain of our Gvt. As the grape harvest
is by far exceeding that of the previous years - as it has been stated by
Agriculture Minister Kiril Dokuzovski during a meeting with wine producers
at the `Povardarie' (Negotino) vineyards - optimism arises as regards grape
processing and wine production. But this is being countered by the lack of
financial means pruning the capacity of virtually every producer in the
country, in spite of their willingness to purchase the entire harvest. This
will require the Govt.'s assistance. In this sense Minister Dokuzovski
stressed that the Gvt. will do everything in its power to facilitate
purchase and export conditions - firstly by procuring purchase funds.
[10] `TRUCKIES' TO BLOCK `MEDZHITLIJA'
The Independent Trade Union Organisation of Truck Drivers of Macedonia and
the Association of the Bitola private sector have agreed to block the
`Medzhitlija' border checkpoint from 7 to 12 o'clock today. This is to be a
`warning shot' prior to the staging of the general strike due to start on
31st August - should authorities fail to accept conditions requesting the
reduction of fees for TIR labels and other dues imposed on truck drivers in
Macedonia.
[11] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO HAVE THE LAST SAY...
....as regards the Constitutional compatibility of the recently effectuated
laws on book-keeping. This has been contended by the Federation of Trade
Union Organisations (SSM), especially with respect to Constitutional
provisions outlining the right of employees to pay. The recent changes
introduced a few months ago may have facilitated the gathering of payroll
contributions for social funds (covering disabilities, health insurance and
social security)... But Paragraph one of Article eight for example
prohibits the disbursement of per diem payments and the covering of
expenses for employees on business trips, then food and travelling
reimbursement, pay during vacation, anniversary premiums, solidarity funds,
the coverage of expenses for using privately-owned vehicles, dividend
disbursement, etc. should all payroll contributions not have been
forwarded.
The SSM states that reimbursement of food, transport and travelling
expenses should not be vetoed, as they have been guaranteed within the
Constitution and as they directly bear an impact on the conducting of set
tasks being essential conditions for executing one's work. The SSM
entertains similarly unfavourable views with regards to the Pay
Disbursement Act, concordant to which the net incomes in all sectors except
the privatized one are to remain frozen from 9th July till 31st December
1997. The contention of this Act by the SSM is being justified by the
Constitutional provision that the legal status of employees is to be
codified within the Employment Relations Act (and not other legal acts) and
the Collective Agreement. The SSM further objects to its enactment
procedure, to the criteria employed throughout the privatization process,
etc.
[12] `SOCIAL BOMB KEEPS TICKING...'
....according to IMRO-DPMNE leader Ljupcho Georgievski, since all bleak
oracles uttered by this party in the beginning of this year appear to have
become reality. This means that at the threshold of autumn the economic
crisis in the country will only continue, after the denar-devaluation and
the freezing of pay which is to result in a 30% income decrease to the
population. Georgievski further said for `Vecher' that the bad weather
season was also complemented with a new set of restrictions to employee
rights, since the latest provisions on payroll contributions will shut down
many businesses and boost unemployment.
The `Khawhoom' of the `social bomb' will also be brought about by the `few'
but first-rate financial scandals resulting in the `carrot/promise on the
stick' approach for large factions of victims over the past few
months. `The only open question is when the bomb will explode and in which
direction it will go off', states Georgievski, while adding that the
dialogue with the Gvt. on early parliamentary elections has been suspended
since authorities appear to have bet everything on the card that
legislative provisions on elections will never be passed in time i.e. prior
to their regularly scheduled holding. `General conditions in the Balkans
however have taught us that there are more expedient ways of bringing about
elections. This does certainly not mean that the IMRO- DPMNE has given up
on early elections', says Ljupcho Georgievski.
[13] ANOTHER DREARY FORECAST...
....on this year's political autumn, this one by SP leader Ljubisav Ivanov.
In his opinion Macedonia will have to focus on addressing its economic
problems, the further advancing of our economy, the investing into the
production sector and the opening towards the global market. In an
interview for `Vecher' Ivanov stated that Macedonia must now make the best
of the textile export agreement signed with the EU, besides alleviating the
economy by tax cuts and the introduction of different benefits as this
would open the door to international investments and a stronger programme
in this area.
Throughout the creation of a creative environment and the abandoning of the
years of stagnation, a key role should also be assumed by the Gvt. - and by
the Parliament which has to verify a corresponding legislation. In this
context priority is to be given to acts codifying elections - stated Ivanov
- adding that this requires the resumption of a creative dialogue between
the PM and political parties. `I expect further endeavours to reach a
consensus on vital national interests in the near future since this is the
only way for all parties to create favourable positions for the upcoming
elections', says the SP leader.
[14] SPAIN AND FRANCE VICTORIOUS
During the 11th Ohrid Swimming Marathon over the 30 km-long track known as
the `Klime Savin' route (Sv. Naum to Ohrid), Spain's David Medina and
France's Anne Chagneau took top honours. Of the Macedonian team Tomi
Stefanovski came in fifth at the men's competition and Teodora Raptis ended
up fourth of the ladies. The only one not to finish the race due to health
problems was Afghanistan's Galina Shatnoya, who is currently at the Ohrid
hospital for medical treatment.
mils news 25 August, 1997
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