Yugoslav Daily Survey, 96-11-18

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

CONTENTS

[01] MILUTINOVIC MEETS ITALIAN UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE

[02] YUGOSLAVIA AND FRANCE WANT TO STEP UP COOPERATION IN THE SPHERE OF DEFENCE

[03] EGYPT WANTS FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[04] YUGOSLAVIA GRADUALLY RETURNS TO EUROPE

[05] MONTENEGRO OFFICIALLY DECLARED OFF-SHORE ZONE

[06] DJUKANOVIC: MONTENEGRO HAS CANDIDATES FOR TOP POSITIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA

[07] YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA INTRODUCE CUSTOMARY VISA REGIME ON FRIDAY

[08] KRAJISNIK SAYS MUSLIM AUTHORITIES' APPROACH TO ACCORDS IS WRONG

[09] SERBS PLEASED WITH LATEST U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION

[10] PILOT PROJECT FOR RETURN OF SERB REFUGEES TO CROATIA

[01] MILUTINOVIC MEETS ITALIAN UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE

In their talks, they discussed the questions of further promotion of comprehensive cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. They were pleased to note that the relations between the FR of Yugoslavia and Italy were marked by the continued progress in the spirit of partnership and common interests.

It was assessed that all conditions for the reconstruction and promotion of the relations between the FR of Yugoslavia and the European Union, have been created. In that connection, it was emphasized that the normalisation of relations with the European Union represents an important contribution to the stability and development in the region.

[02] YUGOSLAVIA AND FRANCE WANT TO STEP UP COOPERATION IN THE SPHERE OF DEFENCE

Bulatovic and Doun, who headed a French Army Delegation on a two-day official visit to the Army of Yugoslavia, exchanged views on the military and political situation in the Region, the Press Section of the Yugoslav Defence Ministry said.

They agreed that the international community and each country separately should equally treat Bosnia's two Entities, the Moslem-Croat Federation and the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska, in the economic and military sense, which they said was vital for securing and a stable and lasting peace in the Region.

Praising France for a large number of diplomatic actions that have helped restore peace to the Balkans, Bulatovic said Yugoslavia consistently complied with all obligations assumed under Peace Accords initialled in Dayton and signed in Paris, and under an Arms Control Agreement reached in Florence.

[03] EGYPT WANTS FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH YUGOSLAVIA

Egyptian Minister said concrete steps to this effect were being prepared. Bulajic invited Musa to visit Yugoslavia and he accepted.

Bulajic headed a Yugoslav delegation which attended the Third International Conference on economic development of the Middle East and Northern Africa that ended Thursday evening in Cairo. It was attended by over 5,000 delegates representing 800 companies.

During the three-day Conference, Bulajic and his delegation had contacts with high Egyptian officials and many participants, including Palestinian, Russian and Ukrainian delegations.

[04] YUGOSLAVIA GRADUALLY RETURNS TO EUROPE

The European Union may be expected to remove customs and other barriers in trade with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia over the coming months, the Institute's Director Predrag Simic said.

Simic was speaking to reporters on the occasion of a Round-Table discussion being held at the Institute on the subject of cooperation between the FRY and the European Union.

He said that diplomatic relations between Belgrade and Brussels might be expected to be fully normalised in the spring of 1997, which would set Yugoslavia on the course of joining the European integration.

Simic said that the participants in the debate were in fact seeking an answer to the question of how far Yugoslavia was legally, politically and economically ready for economic integration with the European Union.

A long period of transition still lies ahead, according to Simic. He said that for some time to come, Yugoslavia would have to seek an asymmetrical relationship with the European Union. It would have to ask for the door to its goods to be open as wide as possible, i.e., for the lowest possible customs and non-customs barriers for its exports to that market, he said.

Meanwhile, it should seek indulgence for a certain degree of protection of the domestic industry, until it should have become capacitated to compete on the European market, Simic said.

The most important thing for Yugoslavia now is to appear in talks with the European Union as a European state that has a lot to ask, but also a lot to offer in terms of its geographic position and as one of the biggest nations in Southeast Europe, he said.

[05] MONTENEGRO OFFICIALLY DECLARED OFF-SHORE ZONE

Montenegro Premier Milo Djukanovic told a news conference at the Adriatic resort of Milocer that the programme had practically been launched on Friday with the registration of the first, British-owned company.

Djukanovic said Montenegro had all prerequisites, from legal and systemic to economic, to embark on a road of stepped-up economic recovery and in a short period draw near the developed Western countries in terms of the quality of life.

He quoted international factors as saying that Montenegro's serious programme of economic reforms guaranteed continuity and the quality of the overall transition process in the coming period.

Montenegro, as an Off-Shore Centre, reaffirms its strong determination to set up new types of links with contemporary economic systems, step up the privatization process, and improve conditions for a rapid integration into the world economy, Djukanovic said.

The Montenegro Premier noted that the program was to secure a harmonious marriage between Montenegro's interests and needs and the interests of foreign capital, through liberalization, legal security, guaranteed transfer of profits and economically attractive terms.

'All indications are that the degree of Montenegro's openness to international transactions and business activities of foreign partners will significantly reflect, directly and indirectly, on the Republic's national income,' Djukanovic said.

Montenegro Deputy Premier Zoran Zizic said the chief advantage of Montenegro's Off-Shore model was a low profit tax of only 2.5 percent.

Montenegro enables foreign companies and Yugoslav citizens who have lived abroad for at least five years to deal in the export of Montenegro economy's services and goods.

The Law on the founding of companies under concessional conditions, and the already established system of Duty Free Zones and foreign investments, has given final form to the legal system in the field.

Under the Law on companies, founded and operating under special conditions, the founders can be foreign legal and physical persons based abroad. Yugoslav nationals will have the same possibility if they have resided at least five years abroad.

Minimal capital for founding a Limited Company is 1,000 dollars, and for a Stock Company 10,000 dollars.

The Montenegrin Government has determined by special regulation the tax for the registration of these companies. For a Limited Company the tax is 150, and for a Stock Company 200 dollars.

The regulation also provides for the payment of an annual tax of 80 dollars for a Limited Company, and 200 dollars for a Stock Company, which can be paid at the end of the business year.

For boats, depending on tonnage, registration tax will range from 400 to 4,000 dollars. Yacht registration tax, depending on length, will range from 150 to 350 dollars.

For aircrafts, depending on number of seats, tax will range from 200 to 1,200 dollars. The taxes have been determined bearing in mind that they have to be competitive with those applied on Cyprus.

[06] DJUKANOVIC: MONTENEGRO HAS CANDIDATES FOR TOP POSITIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA

Djukanovic said that under the Constitution each Republic was entitled to one office during one term, saying, 'there is no doubt that we shall reach agreement on the issue and that we shall be able to offer candidates who will conduct the functions successfully and professionally.'

Yugoslavia's current President, Zoran Lilic, is from Serbia, while Prime Minister Radoje Kontic is from Montenegro.

President and Prime Minister are elected by the Yugoslav Parliament. In Parliamentary elections, held on November 3, Serbia's ruling Socialist Party and Montenegro's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists confirmed their superiority.

[07] YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA INTRODUCE CUSTOMARY VISA REGIME ON FRIDAY

The Interior Ministers of Yugoslavia and Croatia, Vukasin Jokanovic and Ivan Jarnjak respectively, were speaking following talks on cooperation between their Police forces and measures for easing the flow of people, vehicles and goods across the mutual border.

Jokanovic told journalists that also were removed other administrative barriers regarding the crossing of state borders. He said that after the normalization of relations between the two countries, conditions had been created for cooperation between these two ministries.

According to Jokanovic, the talks underscored the need for introducing passenger travel without visas which, he said, would depend on the development of the overall relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia.

Jokanovic said that agreement had been reached on the need for cooperation in the struggle against international terrorism and crime because no single country can act by itself in this sphere.

'We have also exchanged draft Agreements on cooperation in the sphere of internal affairs and agreed that during the coming week our experts consider and coordinate the texts to prepare them for signing,' Jokanovic said. He expressed hope that this would take place in mid-December in Zagreb.

Jokanovic said that the talks had been useful and good because issues of joint interest were raised, thus defining a need for cooperation in the sphere of internal affairs. He expressed belief that cooperation in this sphere would certainly contribute to the overall development of the two countries' mutual relations.

Jarnjak underscored that Croatia wants the cooperation between the two Ministries to continue in keeping with the Yugoslav-Croat Agreement on the normalization of mutual relations.

He said that the overall security situation in both countries had been discussed and that it had been concluded that similar types of crimes exist in each of them.

Jarnjak said that the talks had also focused on the struggle against terrorism, drug smuggling and international organized crime. Cooperation agreements in these spheres will be signed by December 15, during Jokanovic's visit to Zagreb, Jarnjak said.

Speaking about the introduction of the normal visa regime between the two countries, Jarnjak said it is necessary to sign another series of agreements from other spheres to enable the planned flow of goods and people.

[08] KRAJISNIK SAYS MUSLIM AUTHORITIES' APPROACH TO ACCORDS IS WRONG

Krajisnik told reporters in Pale, the administrative centre of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Serb Entity of Republika Srpska, that the Conference summarized the results of a year-long implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. He added that the basis was created for its further elaboration.

Krajisnik said that the Conference also pinpointed problems of the constitution of the Ministerial Council, return of refugees and displaced persons, prisoners and cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

The Republika Srpska delegation backed the International Community's option and said that its plans were being changed through different instances of abuse, Krajisnik said. Republika Srpska will insist on a consistent implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords, he said.

Under the Dayton Accords, Bosnia-Herzegovina was conceived as a Union of two equal Entities - Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

Apart from the three members of Presidency, the Paris Conference was attended by Foreign Ministers of 17 countries and representatives of many international organizations.

Representatives of Yugoslavia and Croatia were present at the Conference as signatories of the Peace Accords for Bosnia-Herzegovina.

[09] SERBS PLEASED WITH LATEST U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION

The predominantly Serb populated region, which is located between Yugoslavia and Croatia, has been placed under the Transitional U.N. Administration for a year, with the possibility of an extension for up to 12 months.

The U.N. resolution is a further step in the Peace Process and it enables equal treatment of Serb and Croatian refugees, region Premier Vojislav Stanimirovic said.

'The resolution's Article 7. clearly says that we can count on another six months of the UNTAES presence, in a modified form, after July 15, 1997, while the return of refugees is dealt with as a strictly two-way process,' Stanimirovic said.

Region President Goran Hadzic welcomed the U.N. resolution and urged Serbs not to leave their homes. Hadzic said it was of the utmost importance to preserve 'concordant unity, as conditions for an election victory.'

Region Secretary of Justice Vojin Susa said the U.N. resolution was an outcome of the realistic policy pursued by the region leadership and of the unbiased stand of U.N. Administrator Jacques Klein.

[10] PILOT PROJECT FOR RETURN OF SERB REFUGEES TO CROATIA

The first phase is to cover the return of Serbs to 104 villages and towns in Croatia where Serbs had constituted a majority in 1991. The 104 villages in the regions of Banija, Kordun, Lika, Northern Dalmatia and Western Slavonija were predominantly populated by Serbs until two Croatian military operations in May and August of 1995 led to an exodus of 250,000 of them.

According to the 1991 census, 581,663 Serbs and 224,910 persons of 'Yugoslav' nationality (mostly mixed marriages with one spouse of Serb nationality) lived in Croatia at the time. While Serbs had constituted 12.16% of Croatia's population in 1991, they account for only 2% today, according to the Belgrade-based Committee.

The project for the return of Serbs to Croatia is based on an Agreement on the normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia signed in August this year, which calls for reintegration, guaranteed security of returnees, and the returning of their property.

The Committee insists that Croatian authorities reenact the 1990 Constitutional Law, under which an ethnic or national community or a minority which accounts for more than 8% of Croatia's population should be represented in Parliament, the Government and the supreme judicial bodies.

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article