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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-04-29

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey


CONTENTS

  • [01] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT
  • [02] CHINA'S AMBASSADOR ON GOOD PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA
  • [03] MORE RED TAPE RENDERS DIFFICULT RETURN OF SERB REFUGEES TO CROATIA
  • [04] SOCIALIST PARTY OF SERBIA CALLS FOR ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES
  • [05] U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON PREVLAKA
  • [06] DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SOCIALISTS OFFICIAL ON THE SITUATION IN THE PARTY
  • [07] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE SENDS LETTER TO GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
  • [08] YUGOSLAVIA'S ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS FOR JORDANIAN DAILY
  • [09] CONSISTENT POLICY OF FR YUGOSLAVIA
  • [10] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES GREEK AMBASSADOR
  • [11] YEAR OF MAJOR CHANGES IN ECONOMY
  • [12] SERBIAN SOCIALISTS ISSUE MESSAGE ON YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION DAY
  • [13] MONTENEGRO DEPUTY PREMIER VUKOVIC ON YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION DAY
  • [14] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA FELICITATIONS TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT

  • [01] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT

    Montenegrin Premier Milo Djukanovic congratulated Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic on the occasion of the Yugoslav Statehood Day.

    Djukanovic expressed hope that the time ahead of us was a time of spiritual and economic revival of Yugoslavia as a democratic and stable country whose republics and citizens enjoy equal rights.

    The Montenegrin Government will give important contribution to Yugoslavia's speedy reintegration into the international community and to its overall social development for a dignified and better life of all Yugoslav citizens, Djukanovic said.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [02] CHINA'S AMBASSADOR ON GOOD PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA

    China's Ambassador in Belgrade Zhu Ankang said on Friday prospects for traditionally good Chinese-Yugoslav cooperation were especially good in the field of oil and food processing industry, agriculture and telecommunications.

    Speaking at a News Conference in Belgrade, Zhu said nine Chinese business delegation were to visit Yugoslavia in May, three of which he said were interested in agricultural cooperation.

    Zhu said talks were under way on cooperation with Yugoslavia's Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Services as well as on investing in new facilities of the fertilisers factory in Pancevo, near Belgrade.

    Trade between the two countries amounted to 60 million dollars in 1996, which is rather encouraging because annual trade between China and the former Yugoslavia amounted to slightly over 100 million dollars.

    He drew attention to a Double Taxation Relief Agreement that China and Yugoslavia had signed and to a five-year Agreement signed with the Serbian Oil Industry Jugopetrol Enterprise on delivering 2 million tonnes of crude oil to Yugoslavia annually.

    Zhu also said China urged Yugoslavia's speedy return to all international organisations.

    He said the Balkans was vital for peace and stability in Europe, saying China, which had good relations with all Balkan states, urged a peaceful settlement of all disputes in the region.

    He said strategic partnership treaties that China and Russia signed on Thursday and an Agreement under which China is to reduce troops on its border with four Republics of the former Soviet Union were vital for preserving peace in today's multipolar world.

    He said China had started undertaking reforms and opening to the world in 1978, saying his country had gone through a large number of changes over the past 18 years.

    China's average economic growth amounts to 9.8% annually, he said adding that its gross national income had reached 850 billion dollars last year and that hard currency reserves had amounted to more than 100 billion dollars.

    Zhu said China expected gross national income per capita to quadruple by the year 2000 and, by strengthening its democracy and legal system, it expected to join medium developed countries by the middle of the next century.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [03] MORE RED TAPE RENDERS DIFFICULT RETURN OF SERB REFUGEES TO CROATIA

    Croatian authorities have introduced more red tape for displaced Serbs in Yugoslavia who wish to return to Croatia, further narrowing and impeding possibilities for their return home, Spokesman of the UNHCR Belgrade Office Marwan Elkhoury told Tanjug on Friday.

    Spokesman Elkhoury said the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade had informed the UNHCR Belgrade Office that the Croatian Government's Office for displaced persons and refugees would from now on issue permits for displaced persons and refugees to reunite with their families in Croatia only if a relative in Croatia made such a request.

    The Spokesman explained that until recently, the request could have been made either by Serb refugees, provided they had the Croatian citizenship paper or some other Croatian document, or their relatives in Croatia.

    Due to the new rule, only 24 Serbs returned to Croatia from Belgrade through the UNHCR on Thursday, whereas as many as up to 70 had done so each Thursday up to now.

    Elkhoury said the UNHCR position was that refugees were refugees regardless of whether they had Croatian documents or not.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [04] SOCIALIST PARTY OF SERBIA CALLS FOR ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES

    Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Spokesman Ivica Dacic urged on Friday all left, democratic, progressive and patriotic forces in Serbia to unite their efforts in safeguarding the country's sovereignty and dignity and achieving its prosperity.

    Dacic told a News Conference that the personnel changes carried out at a session of the SPS Main Committee on Thursday were aimed at further strengthening the Party, so that it could effectively implement a program of society's material and spiritual renewal.

    'It is beyond doubt that Serbia and Yugoslavia have in the past several years gone through one of the most difficult periods in their history,' Dacic said, and set out that 'the breaking up of the former Yugoslavia, a change of the social system, the war in our neighbourhood, and the sanctions would have destabilized by far bigger and stronger states than are Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.'

    Dacic underscored that the listed factors were the basic causes of existing problems in many areas of social life, from the economic, to the political, cultural and ethical, and that they had effected a material and spiritual erosion of society as a whole.

    He said it was the SPS's position that the existing difficulties required a large-scale mobilization for the adoption and implementation of a comprehensive program of society's material and spiritual renewal.

    'An aggregate of reforms, which is to enable the country's renewal and progress, must cover all domains, from structural and ownership changes in the economy, which are important, to reforms in the political system, science, education, health protection, social policy, culture, foreign policy, information,' Dacic told the News Conference, and said the changes were to enable a better life and better living standard for all citizens and the country's prosperity.

    Dacic specified that, in keeping with the SPS's programic commitments, the aim of the changes was to create a modern, democratic, free, economically and spiritually rich society.

    Such a program of reforms is to motivate all left, democratic, progressive, and patriotic forces in our country to rally together, the SPS Spokesman set out.

    'The idea of an alliance of all forces which want the best for Serbia has always been present in the SPS,' he stressed, and noted that the SPS had always primarily had in mind the interests of the citizens of Serbia and Yugoslavia and not its own partisan interests.

    The SPS showed this when President Slobodan Milosevic raised the initiative for a Government of National Unity in Serbia in 1994, Dacic told the Press.

    'This time again, the SPS urges all parties, movements, individuals and all citizens committed to the country's sovereignty, dignity and prosperity to strive for these through concerted efforts,' the SPS Spokesman said.

    'In the present conditions, too, the left and democratic forces which are linked together and concordant have for their primary goal the safeguarding of the State and the people, and their primary role is of an explicitly patriotic nature,' Dacic set out.

    He said that was why the SPS held the view that 'an alliance of left and democratic forces, meaning primarily an alliance of patriotic forces, should carry out to that end a large-scale mobilization of society on the basis of the idea of society's dignity and renewal.'

    'A successful implementation of these programs of reforms and society's renewal requires a further strengthening of the SPS, as a modern left party, in terms of organization, program and personnel,' Dacic underscored.

    'The detection and elimination of all shortcomings in the functioning of the SPS is not a reflection of its weakness but of its political strength,' the SPS Spokesman underlined.

    He said the strengthening of the Party and its unity was to secure a stronger affirmation and more consistent implementation of the SPS program.

    Dacic told the Press that 'the organizational and personnel changes carried out in Serbia in the more recent months were designed to make the work of the SPS even more effective,' and that 'the changes in the distribution of duties and responsibilities in the SPS leadership were carried out in the closing phase of those changes.'

    'The essence of the changes is for the nucleus of the (SPS) leadership to be made up of individuals who will hold only Party posts,' Dacic said.

    Dacic said the changes in the SPS leadership were not replacements but were aimed at securing more efficiency in the Party work, saying top SPS officials had to be operational and had to work permanently in the SPS.

    Three SPS Vice-Chairmen - Milorad Vucelic, Zivorad Jovanovic and Dusan Matkovic - will have permanent posts in the SPS, while Vice-Chairman Zoran Lilic holds the post of Yugoslav President.

    Dacic said the newly-elected Vice-Chairmen and members of the SPS Executive Committee had not yet been given concrete assignments because he said the Committee had not had a meeting yet.

    Asked who had chaired Thursday's meeting of the SPS Main Committee, Dacic said, 'Slobodan Milosevic has always been President of the SPS and has taken part in its work' adding that the meeting had been chaired by a person that had always done that.

    Dacic said the Main Committee had not reviewed the issue of who was going to be the Party's candidate either for the post of Serbian President or the post of Yugoslav President, explaining that it was too early for that.

    He said in Serbia's November polls, when they had also called for the alliance of patriotic forces, the SPS, the Yugoslav Left (JUL) and the New Democracy (ND) had run as a coalition, saying there was no need to change the name of the coalition now or to give it some specific name.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [05] U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON PREVLAKA

    The U.N. Security Council said on Friday that the situation on the disputed Adriatic Promontory of Prevlaka was stable but that the situation in the area had not significantly improved.

    The U.N. Security Council adopted the statement on the basis of a regular report by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

    The Security Council expressed concern over a remark in Annan's report to the effect that violations of the demilitarised zone of Prevlaka continued. Croatia moves heavy weapons and special police and a Yugoslav torpedo ship has entered the waters of the demilitarised zone, the statement said.

    The Security Council invited both sides to refrain from such activities and closely cooperate with U.N. observers. The statement also called on both sides to make efforts aimed at improving security and safety in the region and ensuring free movement to U.N. observers.

    The statement supported the U.N. mission and invited Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to find a negotiated solution to the issue of Prevlaka under an Agreement on the normalisation of bilateral relations, signed in Belgrade on August 23, 1996, and in the spirit of the U.N. Charter and good neighbourly relations.

    On January 13, the U.N. Security Council adopted a Resolution under which U.N. observers should remain on Prevlaka for another six months (until July 15).

    The Resolution also said that the U.N. Secretary-General should periodically submit reports on the situation on Prevlaka to the Security Council.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [06] DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SOCIALISTS OFFICIAL ON THE SITUATION IN THE PARTY

    A proposal for the announced changes in the Montenegro Cabinet will be discussed by the governing Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) before it is put on the agenda of the Montenegro Assembly, the daily 'Pobjeda' quoted on Sunday DPS Vice*President Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic as saying.

    Pejanovic-Djurisic said the recent debate and discussions in the DPS had actually strengthened the Party, 'despite the negative effects in the public, and despite having given rise to public rumours about the existence of some kind of factions.'

    The DPS Vice*President set out that the discussions had shown that 'there are basically no differences in the DPS' as far as Yugoslavia and Montenegro's role in it were concerned.

    'There are no differences in views about a common State being our lasting commitment, naturally, a Yugoslavia as defined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a Yugoslavia as a common, democratic, modern and open State in which the equality of the Republics and all citizens will be guaranteed in the highest degree possible,' Pejanovic- Djurisic told 'Pobjeda'.

    She said that as far as she could tell the latest developments in the DPS 'were in no way initiated from outside.' 'It seems to mean that the continued launching of rumours about the dispute being directed from Belgrade is aimed at leaving the impression that there would be no problems in our mutual relations, in the life and functioning of the State of Montenegro had they not been initiated by someone from the outside,' the DPS official said.

    'However, definite problems do exist, we are aware of them and are coming to grips with them. I am confident, and I hope time will show this for sure, that the latest developments have in fact been in the interest of Montenegro and that they are strictly our internal affair which we, ourselves, must resolve,' the DPS official said.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-27

    [07] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE SENDS LETTER TO GOVERNMENT COMMISSION

    The Montenegrin President's General Secretariat has sent a letter to a Government Commission for examining the lawfulness of the State Security Service (SDB) activities, pointing at a series of facts that do not support the Montenegrin Public Prosecutor's claims that there have been no unlawful activities in the SDB.

    The letter said that laws regulating this Service had not been observed when the SDB heads had discussed, among other things, an 'agreement about taking preventive and repressive measures to prevent and stop activities aimed at making the security situation in the Republic more complex,' which the Montenegrin President had recently found out.

    Addressing Public Prosecutor Vladimir Susovic, Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic said that he did not know of a single reason based on the Constitution and Laws that would justify the implementation of these measures by the SDB and demanded that facts be examined and responsibility determined in order to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens of Montenegro.

    The letter said that the Interior Ministry could plan and take such measures only after clearly assessing the political and security situation and determining who threatens the constitutional order, peace and stability in the Republic. Since this was not the case, the plans were not in accordance with the Law.

    The letter said that after being informed about a special report on the SDB's activities in 1996, the President was dissatisfied with the Service's achievements and operation and demanded the replacement of its Head at a meeting with the Republican Premier, Interior Minister and the SDB Head.

    In a statement released on the occasion of the President's demand, the Public Prosecutor said that the SDB had performed no unlawful activities.

    As the authorised State organ, he has an indisputable right to express this claim, but also an obligation to prove it because arguments on which he based his conclusion are not known, the letter said and added that this conclusion now represented a significant impediment to the Government Commission, because if the conclusion were correct, the Commission would not be needed.

    The letter said that the Public Prosecutor's findings indisputably showed that repressive measures were on the agenda of the meeting of the SDB heads.

    Although the Prosecutor said that the SDB was not authorised to take repressive measures, he overlooked the fact that the SDB had violated the Law merely by planning measures that were not in its jurisdiction.

    The letter informed the Commission that the Montenegrin President had received no information from the SDB in the past few months.

    The President has reached this decision on the basis of certain proof that he has not received some of the most important information for the Republic of Montenegro.

    The President has been forced to reach such a decision because this has been the practice over a long period, although it was explained away as coincidence. The President receives minimum security information from the Interior Minister, the letter said.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [08] YUGOSLAVIA'S ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS FOR JORDANIAN DAILY

    Yugoslavia and Arab countries share good past experience and cooperation, especially in the economic sphere, according to Yugoslavia's Assistant Foreign Minister as quoted by a Jordanian newspaper.

    Assistant Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic told Jordan's daily "Al-Rai" that this was the basis for planning and developing mutually useful cooperation, both present and future.

    Jovanovic stressed the possibility of cooperating in investment, the construction industry, infrastructure development, the power industry, agriculture and irrigation projects.

    "Al-Rai" quotes him as saying that Yugoslavia highly appreciates the role played by Jordanian troops serving with international Peace Forces in former Yugoslavia, and their efforts for establishing and keeping the peace in war-affected areas.

    Jovanovic's statement to "Al-Rai" has been picked up by all Jordanian media, according to the Jordanian news agency 'Petra'.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-27

    [09] CONSISTENT POLICY OF FR YUGOSLAVIA

    The Fifth Anniversary of the constitutionality of FR of Yugoslavia (FRY), marked April 27, comes after a series of important events in the past 12 months of exceptional importance for the fate of the joint State of Serbia and Montenegro and its full return into the international community.

    The most important event is certainly the decision of the UN Security Council from October 1, 1996 on the lifting of economic sanctions against the FRY and RS (Republika Srpska), which opened the road for the integration of Yugoslavia and of Republika Srpska into world economic and political processes.

    Leading European and a number of other countries have in the past 12 months normalized their diplomatic relations with the FRY, by sending their ambassadors to Belgrade and creating thus a good basis for a full swing of respective political and economic ties.

    FR of Yugoslavia, by consistently committing itself to the peace and equality of all peoples in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, has become a key and compelling political and economic factor of stability in the region. Evidence of that are the numerous meetings of statesmen in Belgrade, headed by Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, and other Serbian and Yugoslav officials Zoran Lilic, Momir Bulatovic, Radoje Kontic.

    The fact that some of the most powerful countries in the world, first and foremost the United States, still insist on the so-called 'outer wall of sanctions', or are against the return of the FRY into the United Nations and other important international organizations, is yet another indicator that world power brokers still want to shape the territory of the former Yugoslavia and the Balkans as a whole to suit their vested interests.

    Such a policy is practically pursued since 1991 when the breakaway republics, largely supported by interested circles from abroad, clearly expressed their intention to secede. The former Yugoslavia then broke up.

    Serbia and Montenegro, as soon as the crisis erupted, expressed their desire to remain in a Federal State.

    The Declaration of FR Yugoslavia, in Parliament on April 27, when Parliament adopted the Constitution of the new State and the Declaration on the basic principles and goals of the Federation, represents thus a logical move, after the forcible secession and international recognition of the four Republics of the former SFRY.

    The two Republics, members of the FRY, started from the principle that they have the right to survival in their mother state Yugoslavia, to whose formation in 1918 they contributed decisively.

    The position is clearly stated in the said Declaration, that the FRY continues the international-legal and political personality of the former Yugoslavia and that, in line with that principle, it will observe the previous commitments of the former joint State.

    The Declaration on the goals and basic principles of the FRY includes a part by which the joint State of Serbia and Montenegro renounce any territorial aspirations towards its neighbours and support the principle of peaceful resolution of all disputes.

    The FRY, in the same document, expressed a readiness to recognize the rights and interests of the seceded Republics of the former Yugoslavia, noting that the recognition will follow the regulation of all essential pending issues in respective relations.

    The Constitution, as the supreme legal act, determines the FRY as a sovereign Federal State in which the equality of citizens and member Republics are guaranteed.

    The FRY obtained in December 1993 its State Coat of Arms which united State symbols of Serbia and Montenegro. The Coat of Arms consists of a red shield with a two-headed white eagle on whose breast is a shield with four squares containing two silver crosses and two lions.

    All these changes took place in an extremely difficult situation in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, where a civil war first raged in Croatia and later in Bosnia and Herzegovina and despite the sharp opposition of the United States and its allies that Serbia and Montenegro remain in a joint State.

    Disrespect for this dictate of the world power brokers was decisive for the imposition, on never proved charges that it was interfering in the civil war in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of economic and political sanctions against FR of Yugoslavia by the end of May 1992.

    The fact that the economic embargo, after the signature of the Peace Agreement on November 22, 1995 in Dayton, to which have contributed decisively Serbia and the FRY, were first suspended and beginning of March last year completely lifted, is evidence that our country carried out in practice the principles written down in its topmost State Acts.

    Attempts that some new political discontent in Yugoslavia, and especially the one that emerged after the November 17 local elections in Serbia, be used for the destabilization, weakening and disintegration of the FRY, shows that there are still very strong forces in the world intent on shaping this territory to suit their interests, attempting to 'punish' those who do not bow to their dictate, and supporting those who serve their interests.

    That is the only explanation for the West's support to the opposition in Serbia, regardless of the real content and program of opposition efforts.

    The leaderships of Serbia and of Yugoslavia have recognized in that campaign the interests and objectives of the same circles which had contributed to the break-up of the former SFRY, in order to create on the ruins of that Federation several small, and by their realistic political- economic potentials, insignificant States.

    The FRY has stood up against such attempts and is openly calling on the world to political, economic and other cooperation but without preconditions, blackmail and pressure.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-26

    [10] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES GREEK AMBASSADOR

    Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic received on Friday Greek Ambassador to Yugoslavia Panayotis Vlassopoulos, at his request.

    Both officials expressed satisfaction with the level and dynamics of development and promotion of relations between the two countries, a Yugoslav Government statement said.

    They agreed that relations between Yugoslavia and Greece have always been successful.

    An announced business contract between the Greek company Mitilenos and the Trepca Mining and Metallurgical Combine of Kosovska Mitrovica, southern Yugoslav Province of Kosovo, will in the best way confirm the continuity of relations between the two countries.

    The successful cooperation of the two companies will continue in the future, since Mitilenos and Trepca are expected to sign a contract on business cooperation worth over 500,000 million dollars.

    Kontic and Panayotis stressed that the two countries were ready to further develop and promote overall bilateral relations, said the statement.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-25

    [11] YEAR OF MAJOR CHANGES IN ECONOMY

    FR of Yugoslavia (FRY) marks on April 27 the Fifth Anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution, determined to achieve in the near future, after everything that happened in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, a better life.

    The past few years were a very difficult period for the FRY.

    Civil war broke out in parts of the former Yugoslavia and Serbs living there stood up to defend their national rights, freedom and equality, endangered by the forcible secession and break-up of the country.

    The FRY, by its generous support and the huge sacrifices suffered by its population, did its utmost to help the just and heroic battle of the Serbian people since the beginning of the crisis in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, just as it did everything to achieve peace by way of diplomacy.

    The results of such a consistent policy, which was not at all easy to pursue, are increasingly visible lately and there are growing signs that the FRY is gradually assuming its place in the world community.

    On the internal level, it is increasingly clear, especially after the lifting of sanctions, that economic life is normalized. Economic recovery is the main characteristic of economic processes, marked by a significant growth of foreign trade.

    The most important results are stable prices and a stable rate of exchange of the national currency, the dinar. The monthly inflation rate was 1.4 in January and 2% in March, and production in the first three months this year compared to the same period last year grew 6.5%, despite weak spots, from lack of fresh money for new investments to high internal debts. In three months this year, the FRY imported goods worth 974 million dollars and its exports totalled 454 million dollars.

    Another important result has been achieved in the consolidation of the legal system, or bringing the legislation in conformity with Western norms.

    The standard of living of the population has risen. For example if in February 1994 - 120 average pays were needed to purchase one 'Yugo', a domestically made car, in October last year four times less was needed.

    Economic reforms are becoming a priority of all State institutions. The stability of prices and of the rate of exchange of the dinar, production and foreign trade growth, structural changes and ownership transformation, and the improved standard of living of the population are the key points of this year's Yugoslav economic policy program.

    The orientation is to achieve a growth of GDP (around 13%) by increasing exports and activating domestic and foreign capital.

    Industrial production growth of 13.7% is planned for this year, and pensions and salaries are planned to grow 12.5%, while the inflation is to be reduced to European standards.

    This year, declared a year of reforms, the Yugoslav economy is expected to finally enter the world of modern, market economy.

    The Bills on Privatisation and on Concessions, expected to be passed into laws soon, will make historical changes in transforming socially and State- owned property into private property.

    The FRY has a lot of experience with the private sector, as almost 90% of agricultural production and agricultural land is owned by farmers.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-27

    [12] SERBIAN SOCIALISTS ISSUE MESSAGE ON YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION DAY

    Serbia's governing Socialist Party (SPS) issued a message wishing the people of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia a happy Constitution Day, April 27.

    The message reads: 'Five years have elapsed since the representatives of the people of Serbia and Montenegro, honouring the wishes of their citizens to continue to live in a common State, passed a Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and a Declaration of the basic principles and goals of the Federation. On that day, Serbia and Montenegro, which had made a decisive contribution to the creation of the Yugoslav State in 1918, affirmed in Law and the Constitution that the right to remain in Yugoslavia as their motherland and common State and maintain its continuity is at least as strong as the right of the former Federation members to violent secession.

    'The years behind us have shown the historic importance of this event, as today it is clear that it has made it possible, at the time of fragmentation of former Yugoslavia, war in our neighbourhood and the sanctions, to preserve the peace and defend the freedom, territorial integrity and independence of our people and our State.

    'This has laid the foundations for a modern, democratic Federation - the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - as a State of equal people in their Federal Units, which will continue to practice their policy of peace, independence, stability and economic prosperity.'

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-26

    [13] MONTENEGRO DEPUTY PREMIER VUKOVIC ON YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION DAY

    Montenegro Deputy Premier Miodrag Vukovic has said on the Fifth Anniversary of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that new Yugoslavia was not a State which had been imposed on its citizens but was a product of the wishes and interests of an overwhelming number of those citizens.

    In a statement published in the local daily 'Pobjeda' on Sunday, Vukovic, a co-author of the FR of Yugoslavia Constitution, said that 'nationalists, unitarians and advocates of separate lives for the States of Montenegro and Serbia' had not wanted and still did not want the third Yugoslavia, the federation of Montenegro and Serbia,' because it is a Federal State of equal republics.'

    'They did not want it, they do not want it today, the proponents of national insularity, because it is a State of full civil equality, religious and national tolerance, co-habitation and consensus of members of different cultural and civilizational environments,' Vukovic said.

    He told 'Pobjeda' that not everybody either in Montenegro or Serbia had wanted the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Now, when the third Yugoslavia celebrates its Fifth Anniversary, when not all difficulties are behind us, it must be said that the FR of Yugoslavia is becoming part of the international community and following a road of internal stabilization, the Montenegro Deputy Premier said.

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-27

    [14] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA FELICITATIONS TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT

    Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has extended felicitations to Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic on the Day of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, April 27.

    President Milosevic extended cordial felicitations to all citizens of Yugoslavia and President Lilic and 'best wishes for success in our country's economic and cultural development in the year of reforms, in the interest of the further strengthening and affirmation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, its freedom and independence and the equality of its peoples, republics and citizens.'

    Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-29 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-26

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