Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-25

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT RELEASES STATEMENT ON BK-TELECOM

[02] RUSSIA READY TO BACK YUGOSLAVIA'S REINTEGRATION INTO WORLD COMMUNITY

[03] SERBIAN STATE TV SAYS CONTRACT WITH BK TV CANCELLED DUE TO UNPAID DEBT

[04] TELECOMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SAYS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN UNFOUNDED

[05] UNHCR VIEW OF LASTING SOLUTION UNACCEPTABLE FOR YUGOSLAVIA

[06] OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION ACT BASED ON FEDERAL CONSTITUTION

[07] SERBIAN PREMIER PRESENTS DRAFT LAW ON OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

[08] CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP

[01] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT RELEASES STATEMENT ON BK-TELECOM

The Ministry said it was releasing the statement in connection with an open letter addressed by BK-Telecom to the Serbian and Yugoslav heads of Government, in which the two Governments were accused of allegedly preventing the work of BK-Telecom.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[02] RUSSIA READY TO BACK YUGOSLAVIA'S REINTEGRATION INTO WORLD COMMUNITY

In a talk with Yugoslav Ambassador in Moscow Danilo Markovic, Lihachov, who also heads the Russian delegation to the Council of Europe, said Russia wanted to help speed up Yugoslavia's reintegration into international and in particular European political and financial institutions.

Lihachov and Markovic agreed that conditions had been created for it.

They also discussed details of a Federation Council delegation's working visit to Belgrade in late May. Lihachov, a renowned expert on international law, is to head to the delegation.

The delegation is to discuss issues concerning the two countries' cooperation on the bilateral and international levels, focusing on joint actions within Europe's security system.

Issues concerning cooperation among Yugoslav and Russian regions will also be on the agenda. Lihachov and Markovic agreed that this cooperation developed at a faster pace than that at the federal level.

The delegation's visit is to prepare the ground for an official visit by Yegor Stroyev, the Council's Chairman, to Yugoslavia. The date of the visit has not been determined yet.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[03] SERBIAN STATE TV SAYS CONTRACT WITH BK TV CANCELLED DUE TO UNPAID DEBT

The statement signed by RTS Director-General Dragoljub Milanovic says that the media campaign of BK*Telecom against RTS and state bodies over alleged violation of media freedom and taking BK off the air was only an unsuccessful attempt and hiding the fact that the BK Group, which owns BK*Telecom, simply does not pay its bills. This is demonstrated by the notice by Karic Banka that a sum of 1,121,074.5 dinars had been paid to RTS, which fully covers the BK Group's debt, the statement says.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[04] TELECOMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SAYS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN UNFOUNDED

Minister Radojevic said the 'Federal Telecommunications Ministry has taken no decision in connection with any user of the frequency spectrum, meaning not even in connection with BK-Telecom. The Federal Ministry will consistently maintain equidistance in relation to all broadcasting stations, in keeping with domestic and international standards.'

'The campaign which is present in the public is totally unfounded and fabricated,' Minister Radojevic said. The Federal Ministry has no intention and no authority to interfere in commercial relations among users of the frequency spectrum, the statement said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[05] UNHCR VIEW OF LASTING SOLUTION UNACCEPTABLE FOR YUGOSLAVIA

Morina said the Yugoslav delegation had voiced serious dissatisfaction with the draft document presented at a regional meeting of ministers and commissioners for refugees of Yugoslavia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (both Entities) in Geneva on March 21.

'The document prejudices that a large number of refugees will remain in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which is an improvisation on the part of the Belgrade UNHCR office and is contrary to the UNHCR's and the international community's commitment to repatriation, as the foremost and best solution for refugees from the territory of the former Yugoslav Federation,' said Morina, who headed the Yugoslav delegation in Geneva. She said the offered solution was unacceptable from both the standpoint of refugees and Yugoslavia's economic situation.

Figures and polls of refugee associations show that there is an immense wish among refugees to return, Morina told Tanjug. She said refugees from Krajina were especially interested in going back, and noted that the UNHCR should play a more active role in this by taking necessary steps with Croatian authorities.

On the other hand, Yugoslavia is economically drained, primarily due to the international sanctions, a drastic drop in production and the living standards, high unemployment and a housing shortage, Morina set out.

She said the integration urged by the UNHCR threatened the elementary existence of refugees, and the integration of even a part of refugees was unrealistic and impossible without a clear assistance from the international community and its financial institutions.

The Yugoslav delegation set out that the return of refugees to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina was a priority for Yugoslavia, Morina told Tanjug.

The Yugoslav delegation pointed out at the Geneva meeting that no significant number of refugees had returned and that about 700,000 of refugees still in Yugoslavia were an immense burden for the state (Yugoslavia has spent more than a billion dollars for housing, food, education, medical and social protection of refugees in the past few years.)

'We especially stressed that it was unacceptable that the most important international humanitarian organizations, such as the European Union Humanitarian Bureau and the World Food Program, announce the suspension of their food deliveries for refugees in Yugoslavia,' Morina noted.

She said the Yugoslav delegation had set out that the closing of aid programs could result in a humanitarian catastrophe, since Yugoslavia was unable alone to bear the refugee burden, especially in a situation when it was still not participating in international economic and financial institutions.

Concerning the return of refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia urged that Republika Srpska be treated as an equal in the distribution of reconstruction aid, since that alone could enable the return of refugees to the Serb entity, Morina said.

She pointed out that the Yugoslav delegation had drawn attention to the fact that the Agreement on the normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia, specifically its article 7, enabled the UNHCR to take a more active part in the repatriation process, which is its duty and also the duty of the wider international community under the Dayton Accords.

'At the initiative of the Serbian Commission for Refugees, the Yugoslav Government has formed a Working Group to draw up, in cooperation with competent bodies of the Federal Government, Serbia and Montenegro, a national plan for lasting solutions for refugees in Yugoslavia', Morina said.

The implementation of the plan over the next two years is to be financed by international financial institutions and competent U.N. organizations, she noted.

The Yugoslav plan will first be presented in Geneva on April 23 at a meeting of the Peace Implementation Council's Working Group for humanitarian issues.

'U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata will visit Yugoslavia April 16-17 and will get acquainted with our positions and demands for the UNHCR to change its view of a lasting solution to the problem of refugees in our country and to aid the Yugoslav Government in the implementation of the national plan,' Morina said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[06] OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION ACT BASED ON FEDERAL CONSTITUTION

The Serbian ownership transformation act, to take effect on July 1 this year, will be compatible with privatization regulations in Montenegro and in Republika Srpska, Vasiljevic said. He pointed out however that federal and confederal units can have different regimes of reaching the point of ownership restructured firms.

The working version of the act presented on Monday will be discussed in public for 30 days. The english translation of the regulation will be on the INTERNET on Monday, and the text will be conveyed to all embassies and foreign consultancy agencies.

Head of the expert team for preparing the Law on ownership transformation, Mirko Vasiljevic, said that in order to solve the ownership regime, or to go toward natural ownership forms - towards private and partly state ownership, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, it is logical that in clearly defined ownership relations, and with the strongest constitutional guarantees of ownership, a legal security of ownership and respect of contracts should be expected.

Socially-owned capital has not been evaluated precisely, and it ranges from 60 to 70 billion Deutsch Marks and according to some assessments it ranges from 30 to 100 billion Deutsch Marks.

In the upcoming privatization, the Government sees a chance for solving the problems of frozen foreign exchange savings, said Serbian Minister for economic and ownership transformation Milan Beko. The state will, most probably, offer business space, concessions and the possibility of purchasing stocks in the stock fund of the Republic of Serbia, he said.

Pensioners and their next of kin are equated with the employed in the right of first refusal of purchase, with a discount. Foreign citizens will also be able to purchase shares or companies in the second round - on the market and without discount.

Before starting the process of privatization the fate of 495 firms will have to be solved, which have filed complaints on the work of the Agency for valuation of social capital.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[07] SERBIAN PREMIER PRESENTS DRAFT LAW ON OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

Speaking at the presentation of the draft Law on ownership transformation at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Marjanovic said that those who had created the socially-owned property must have priority in the ownership transformation, along with all those who were or had been employed and who had contributed to the normal functioning of the economy and the society through the development of social and state activities. This approach has won the support for the draft of trade unions, Chambers of Commerce and other interested participants, he said.

Marjanovic said that the Law should ensure the framework for the ownership, business, financial and organisational transformation of major enterprises which were in the special interest of the state and the society.

'These production systems have been the protagonists of development in some branches and fields, with major capacities and a large number of workers and because of many difficulties, especially in the period of several-year sanctions, they face the problem of their revitalisation.'

Saying that this year has rightfully been proclaimed the year of reforms, because their implementation is an important precondition for the market restructuring of the Serbian economy and its joining of international economic, financial and technological processes, Marjanovic stressed that the Government saw the ownership transformation and privatisation as an integral part of reforms.

'We are entering the reform activities aware of the fact that the goals of stability and speedy economic growth can be achieved only through a further consolidation of the foundations of a modern market economy, functioning of the legal state and full protection of ownership and contracts,' the Premier said.

He added that this environment enabled a significant growth of entrepreneurship, activation of the existing unused capacities and that it was an additional encouragement for new investors, both domestic and foreign ones.

The ownership transformation of enterprises and management with new responsibilities will become a better partner and more competitive participant on the world market and thus help the export orientation of our economy which is the key to a lasting economic recovery come to the fore, Marjanovic said.

Expressing belief that the proposed solutions took into account the experiences of other transition countries as well as our specific characteristics, Marjanovic said that the Law offered best conditions for achieving goals and principles from which the Government had started in working on it.

He added that the proposed ownership transformation was in the interest of all currently employed workers who had a possibility to become formal owners in their and other enterprises under very favourable circumstances, as well as pensioners, major production systems, funds and workers who will temporarily lose their jobs, because the overall ownership transformation process focused on the creation of a more efficient economic structure and development of new companies and economic activities.

The Premier said that in its further activities in the implementation of the Law and ownership transformation programme, the Serbian Government would reaffirm its firm reformative commitment shown in all three years of its term so far.

Marjanovic invited all political parties, associations of businessmen and the employed, scientists and all others to use their knowledge and experience in the public debate and help improve the draft Law and help it yield results 'for which we have decided to adopt it.'

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

[08] CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP

Granic did not say when the authorities would take a definite stance on Yugoslavia's proposal of dual citizenship for the inhabitants of the Eastern Slavonia, Baranya and West Srem region.

The Croatian Government, ministries and parliamentary bodies will study the possible effects of the proposed agreement, and added that Croatia believed that Croatian nationals in Yugoslavia should also have the right to dual citizenship.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-25 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-24

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