MAK-NEWS 16/10/95 (M.I.C.)

From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

CONTENTS

SKOPJE, OCTOBER 16, 1995 (MIC)

[01] THE PRESIDENT ALLOWED SHORT WALKS

According to the latest bulletin on the condition of President Gligorov's health, his previously raised temperature is dropping, and his general condition is improving. The recovery treatment is continuing, with the President taking an active part. He has been allowed to take short strolls within the limits of the hospital corridors and the nourishment is normalized. The hospital treatment is continuing.

[02] GREEK EMBARGO LIFTED

Exactly at midnight between Friday and Saturday, the Government in Athens lifted the economic embargo, imposed twenty months ago.

In the announcement by the Greek Government it is said: "Starting from midnight between October 13th and 14th 1995, the Greek Government, implementing article 8 of the mutual agreement which is coming into effect, will refrain from any kind of restrictions of movement of goods to and fro FYROM. The movement of goods will be in accordance with the conditions and practical measures agreed to by Greece and FYROM, as well as the customs and other regulations foreseen with the common market.

As it is known, FYROM has already implemented article 7, item 2, from the mutual agreement on the changing of the flag, and the adequate decrees of the Accord, pertaining to the Constitution and propaganda. At the end, the Greek Government confirms that the counter measures introduced on February 16th 1994 against FYROM were completely legal, in terms of international law, and the EU regulations, as well as the Report by the Legal Advisor of the European Court".

Despite this Government decision, however, the border, according to some information from Athens, has not really been opened yet. The official attitude of Greece, as well as the reactions from the press, are generally that the lifting of the embargo presents a new page in the relations of both countries.

[03] THE BORDER IS OPEN

Yesterday, a day after the lifting of the embargo, around 50 Macedonian citizens crossed the Greek border. They identified themselves before the Greek customs officials with Macedonian passports, after which they were issued a Greek visa on a piece of white paper, at the cost of 33 DEM.

The bumper stickers on the cars - MK, are covered with stickers with Cyrillic letters. The Greek customs officials are sticking rectangular stickers in Greek and English letters on the cars, saying that the "sign is invalid in Greece."

The Macedonian-Greek border will be crossed in this manner until the Greek customs officials and the other border services receive precise instructions and forms from the Government in Athens. The border police says these forms are expected to come some time during the day. It is still unclear how the documents for the trucks will be regulated. The drivers will be issued visas on pieces of paper.

There are also announcements about the unblocking of the oil transports for Macedonia. Announcements have come in from the Salonika port that there will be no problems with the transportation of the petrol and that the docks are open for the transport of petrol and other goods to and fro Macedonia. Simultaneously, the transportation of the blocked petrol from the Mamidakis and Jet Oil warehouses can start at any time. However, there is no information as to the way in which the storage charges for the 20 month-long stay of the petrol in the warehouses will be handled, although there are announcements that an agreement has already been reached.

Yesterday, a large number of Greeks entered Macedonia. They are issued Macedonian visas on the very border, while the sticker with the visa was given to them on hand yesterday, instead of in the passport, at the cost of 33 DEM. The visa is given out reciprocally. With time, it will be specified how the other documents will be issued.

The Greek customs officials are optimistic that soon, all the other problems surrounding the necessary documentation will be resolved. The Greek media have changed their policy toward Macedonia and are now viewing the opening of the border good-naturedly, and heating up the atmosphere for normalization of the relations between the two countries.

[04] MACEDONIAN-GREEK NEGOTIATIONS RESUMING

The Greek-Macedonian negotiations on the application of the Memorandum signed in Skopje last week are scheduled to resume in Athens tomorrow. All the competent ministries have formed working groups to work out details surrounding the transportation, telecommunications, bank transactions, etc.

The authorities in Athens are giving a lot of attention to the economic cooperation, however, are consistently announcing negotiations in relation to the name, reportedly, towards the end of this month.

On this note, minister Papoulias said: "The second round of negotiations over the name is starting. They will be hard, complicated and trying. Greece will sit down at the negotiating table will all its known stances."

[05] BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS: FRY BENEFITS FROM ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Makpress reports that some fifty Bulgarian parliamentarians, signed an open letter to parliamentary speaker Stojan Andov on Friday, at the initiative of MPs from VMRO-SMD, saying that the attempted assassination on President Kiro Gligorov is aimed at destabilizing Macedonia at a time when it is heading toward the final confirmation of its independence, through the recognition by Belgrade and Athens.

The letter reminds that Bulgaria has supported and is still supporting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia. "Only those who are dreaming about returning Macedonia to Yugoslavia, and those who would lose their hopes if Belgrade recognizes Macedonia have something to gain from an assassination."

MACEDONIAN PRESS REVIEW:

[06] "FOCUS": IS GLIGOROV EVERYTHING THEY HAVE?

The editorial writer of the weekly "Focus" Nikola Mladenov analyzes the situation in Macedonia and the balance between the political powers, following the attempted assassination on President Gligorov. Among the rest, the text says: "Is the citing of Gligorov's favorite motto ("Macedonia is everything we have") by Prime Minister Crvenkovski an expression of due respect toward the President, or is precisely Gligorov everything they have in the political battle against the opposition? Is all that immoderacy actually fear, in the event that they might be "left alone?" The answer to all these dilemmas will depend, to a great extent, on the outcome of the political confrontation surrounding the assassination attempt, which, it seems, has yet to start. The number of scars that will result from the mutual accusations will certainly not be without any bearing on the public opinion. The final outcome from the competition surrounding the responsibility for the assassination attempt will undoubtedly become apparent only at some future elections. Only then can it be claimed, without a doubt, whether the public believed in the responsibility of the opposition, or if it will point to the authorities as being guilty and incapable of taking care of the common citizen, since they are taking care of their "biggest investment" so negligently.

Until then, we can only hope that the "reins" will not be tightened any more, because of the danger of complete suffocation of the social organism. Namely, it is quite possible, under the pretence of creating some kind of order in the state, to actually create a dozen new frustrations among the people, and make them the subject of "security interests," instead of those who will come out of these precarious times, in a "mysterious" way, with thicker bank accounts, in order to be able to form the elite that will rule in the next hundred years. This kind of development will definitely not help reduce the danger of new street terror, but it will have an efficient effect in destroying even the smallest desire to view reality with a doze of criticism.

The right to disagree, to have a different opinion from the official one, will, no doubt, be left to those who will practice the same in a "constructive" way. The degree of constructiveness, on the other hand, will depend on the constructors of the new reality. Everything will smell a bit like "democracy within the socialist alliance..." In order to avoid such a danger, it is necessary, as first, for the President to return to his duties, and to call to account those who did not do everything in their power to reduce the risk from assassination to a minimum. And, certainly, to at least ask himself how come suddenly there are so many people around him who want to scrape off a bit of his aureole of integrity, good-naturedness, rationality...?

And finally, it's quite natural to raise the dilemma, is everything alright in a state, when so much depends on one man? The head-nodders usually "lose their head" when they lose the subject of their adoration...The experiences from a similar regime surely don't have to be pointed out to the man who witnessed and lived them from the very start to the bloody end.

Any solution that excludes Gligorov's return in the presidential cabinet and to his duties, even for three days, after which he would eventually withdraw, is creating numerous unknowns. Then, the space for speculations will be wide open. Only then will we see what the uncreated space for the articulation of the frail public means. Our southern neighbor has put Stojan Andov, Vasil Tupurkovski, Branko Crvenkovski, Ljubomir Frckovski and Blagoja Handziski among the candidates. Seeing they are also counting on those who don't have a constitutional right to candidacy, this raises the dilemma whether we can take their concern about our future seriously. But, whichever way, in this newly-created situation, all combinations are in the game. Even the most impossible one: for Branko Crvenkovski and Ljubomir Frckovski to back Stojan Andov as their candidate. The ways of politics are unpredictable......

In return, Andov would not take any "reprisals" against the "top cop," because of the slip-ups in Gligorov's security, whereas the eventual assessment that they can put up a good fight in the presidential race only as a team, will force them to leave the settling of their old accounts for some other time. Everything depends on their judgement. And, who can guarantee, in the final run, that they will conclude that they don't have any chances against Tupurkovski, or any other candidate who, encouraged by the undoubted success of Ljubisha Georgievski (in view of the short campaign and minimal political experience) in the last elections, will try to take away the throne from the egoists in front of their nose!?

Such an assessment could have a considerably different plot. The first thing that would be done then, when viewed logically, is to strip the presidential post from power. The necessary number of votes will be easily achieved, when faced with the common uncertainty. The center will be transferred to Parliament and the elections for filling up his places, seeing that the function of President of RM, regardless of the authority the President would enjoy, will be scaled down to the role of the English Queen. In view of this, quite naturally, there will be no need to organize general elections. It will be quite enough to reach an agreement in Parliament.

The upcoming three years, in that case, will be used to add the final touches to the privatization and normally, to direct the international help toward enterprises that have a "constructive" approach to the matters. Pending the constitutionally stripping of power of the President, by the Parliament, the debate will go on as to whether Mr. Gligorov can or can't carry out his duties.

The opposition will make accusations that the group surrounding the President is manipulating him, while the authorities "as is proper," will contradict them with indignation toward those who don't have even an ounce of respect for the people who have indebted the nation. The telegrams with support will fill up half of the news programs in the public media, to make sure there's enough space left for the other crisis regions in the white world. In this whole mess, the only thing missing will be the eventual trial of the people behind the attempted assassination. Instead of reprimand, the police will become a new "guarantor of our peace and security," and its top people - unjustly accused by those "whose power went to their mind." The trial itself, of course, will be a spectacle of the highest rank. Then, probably, even CNN will come here, will a whole dozen of world-renown reporters, who will be keeping us in the focus of the world public. The accused, normally, "will not recognize this court..." Then, it's known - memoirs and new evidence pointing to some other culprits, whereby the validity of the trial will be permanently questioned.

Of course, there's also the worst alternative - to really experience the burning of the fuse in these moments, before the series of assassinations which could truly threaten to destabilize this Macedonian region. Taking precisely that into account, it is high time to start a dialogue between the quarreling parties. If they really have no intentions of starting the history and future of these people all over again, precisely by taking over the state helm, it's high time for them to show that in practice. Otherwise, no one will be amnestied from the responsibility that we will collectively have to bear.

In the end, precisely this is the time when the nation is passing, or failing its graduation exam. Now, it is necessary to be wise in order to come out of the labyrinths that are literally "crying" for the "way out" that's called - a firm hand. Macedonia has yet to take its exam of democratic development.

And, finally, this is the first serious attack on the determination to solve all problems in a democratic way. There shouldn't be any victors or defeated from this battle... However, therefore there should be minimum tolerance and understanding for the arguments of the other side, which are not contradictory because they "hate the state." At least a part of the patience that was shown in relation to the "First die," should be built in the dialogue between all sides.

The investment is really big... We have yet to see the seriousness of the players.

(end)