MAK-NEWS 03/01/96 (M.I.C.)

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

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

CONTENTS

SKOPJE, JANUARY 3, 1995 (MIC)

[01] NEW YEAR'S INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT GLIGOROV FOR MACEDONIAN RADIO

Announcing his come-back immediately after the New Year and Christmas holidays, in the interview for the Macedonian Radio, on New Year's Eve, President Gligorov wished all the citizens to "have a much happier 1996, to have a possibility to further to democratic processes in the country, to carry on with the international affirmation of the Republic of Macedonia, its membership in the remaining organizations, and, in one word, since the sanctions and the embargo have already been lifted, conditions for a normal economic life and development have been created."

Regarding the continuity of Macedonia's policy, among the rest, Gligorov stated that Macedonia's present position gives it a greater chance to fight for its interests, its views, to contribute to the peace, the security in the whole region, to Europe, as a wider community of all the people living on this continent. "I believe this policy should be the focus of our behavior in the coming years as well," President Kiro Gligorov stated in his New Year's interview.

[02] SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT STOJAN ANDOV FOR "NOVA MAKEDONIJA"

As first, he stated that for the remainder of its mandate, the present composition of Parliament will have to concentrate on finalizing the local self-government with a Law on the units of local self-government. "The relations in the state administration, the state services and the execution of the state service will have to be organized. The necessary legal provisions in the electoral system will have to be adopted, and the relations in the field of ownership will have to be finalized by regulating the denationalization, the sale of building lots, the regulation of relations in the field of foundation, work and the closure of business companies, the public sector, and to create the necessary legal conditions to build up all the financial institutions in market conditions. The sphere of organization of trade unions has to be modernized and modified, as well as the system of collective agreement. It is also necessary to complete the work in the judicature, and certain provisions in the field of the mass media are needed."

According to this, the principal activity in Parliament, until the end of this mandate, will be the adaptation of our legislature to those characteristic of the countries with developed democracy.

In the interview, Mr. Andov was asked to comment the statement made by the president of SDUM Branko Crvenkovski, that the Alliance for Macedonia is not a closed room, and that anyone can withdraw from it. Furthermore, he was asked to comment the strained relations between the partners in the ruling coalition, and the intolerance between the party leaders.

Mr. Andov agreed that the coalition was not a closed room, as he said, "seeing it's not only one political party." According to him, the "development of relations as part of the coalition will necessarily be followed by the evaluation of the common and separate party interests in it." As to the relations between the coalition partners, Mr. Andov claims that "they are under a certain, I'd say, healthy tension. They are not extremely disturbed, nor is there any personal intolerance between the leaders." He feels that "the reasons for the tension are the different ideas and proposals concerning certain questions in the arrangement of the economic and political relations, and even assessments about certain conditions in the country."

The author of the interview asked Mr. Andov to explain his party's views on the transformation of the Interior Ministry, and to explain the criticism of the investigation into the assassination attempt on the President of the Republic Gligorov.

In regard to the transformation of the Interior Ministry, according to Andov, the "Liberals requested that all those services that have any connection with the status of the citizens and are of an administrative character, and are not linked with the need for supervision and repression, to be separated from this ministry." In relation to the investigation into the assassination attempt on President Gligorov, Andov stated that the citizens expect the "organizers and executors of this terroristic act to be brought to justice." "However," Andov said, "no one is freed from the thought that the perpetrators are at large, or the feeling that our preserved values might be threatened again in the future. Therefore, all the citizens expect that investigation to be brought to an end, successfully."

[03] NEW YEAR'S INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER BRANKO CRVENKOVSKI

Specifically in regard to this question, he stated that it is correct that "no greater reconstructions have taken place to this moment, however, considering this Government compositions has been functioning for more than a year, I am announcing the idea about reconstruction as possible."

The Prime Minister stated that the members of the Government belong to various political parties and therefore feel certain obligations towards different political platforms. However, on the other hand, Crvenkovski says, the Government cannot be efficient if it does not act in coordination.

In the interview, Prime Minister Crvenkovski was asked to comment the assertion that if the ruling coalition Alliance for Macedonia ever falls apart, it will not be because of the different program orientations, but because of the personal intolerance between the presidents of the two parties. In response to this, Crvenkovski strongly claims that "I don't see any reason for rivalry, neither from a generational aspect, nor in terms of the personal ambitions and future plans, nor the functions that we occupy. I can speak at least for myself, that there are no such feelings or such an approach."

Crvenkovski claims that, according to his opinion, "the problem in the mutual relations lies someplace else - whether the Liberal Party will accept the results of the democratically expressed will of the citizens at the parliamentary elections, which establish specific relations between the political forces, between political influence and power, that can even be quantified through the number of seats in Parliament." As to this, Crvenkovski says that "that relationship between the political forces, regardless of whether someone likes it or not, can only be changed at the next elections, and not with various combinations and tactical maneuvers."

"The second serious burden on the coalition relations," according to Crvenkovski, "is the approach LP chose upon the constitution of the Government and which is without precedent in practice in the parliamentary democracies." "Namely," Crvenkovski says, "LP has 4 representatives in the Government, however, LPM did not vote upon the election of the Government, promoting the stand that it does not take part in the executive power, as a party. Or, in other words, that means that they want to have influence and power, but they don't want to bear any responsibility. As long as good things happen, they're here, but when things get bad, they distance themselves right away. Also, it is incomprehensible to be in a coalition with SDUM at a state level, and with IMRO-DPMNU at a town and municipal level. So, this raises the question, are there any principles, or just one, to take part in power, no matter how or with whom."

To the question whether he, as a leader of the largest party in the ruling coalition and prime minister, can abolish this ruling coalition at a moment's notice, the Prime Minister says that "the joint functioning in a multi-party coalition has its rules of the game. They can be more or less flexible, but there are always limits. That is quite understandable, since minimum efficient functioning can not be provided without limits. If we come to realize that coalitioning presents a permanent obstruction, then changes in the coalition will become inevitable."

[04] MACEDONIAN DEPARTMENT AT TIRANA UNIVERSITY

In the talks with the dean Prof. Dr. Liljana Todorova, ambassador Murati was briefed on the activities of the Faculty, whereby both sides expressed the readiness to strengthen the cooperation between the two faculties, especially in the field of Macedonian language and literature, Albanian language and literature, and other philologies.

In this context, Mr. Murati said he would personally see to the finalization of the initiatives undertaken by both sides, as well as the opening of a Macedonian Department at the University in Tirana, which will turn a new page in the cooperation between the two countries.

[05] ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND OMAN

The ceremony took place in the United Nations building, while the joint announcement was signed by the ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia Denko Maleski and the ambassador of Oman, Salim Bin Mohamed Al Kusaibi.

Apart from this, Oman is a member of the Security Council, and its president during last month.

(end)