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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-16Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 16 April, 1997[01] MINISTER FRCHKOVSKI: `INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD BUILD A SPECIAL RELATION TOWARDS MACEDONIA'While briefing the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission yesterday, the Head of the Macedonian Diplomacy, Ljubomir Frchkovski, stated that the international community should support Macedonia via the establishing of a specific relation - due to the economic crises in our country's surrounding, which is slowly growing into political unrest. According to Frchkovski this had also been the topic of bilateral talks held with the Euro-Atlantic political structures (esp. with NATO) quite recently. On this occasion the broad political consensus prevailing in Macedonia with respect to its integration into the Treaty Organisation was stressed once again... as well as the high level to which our country has already complied to the membership criteria imposed by NATO, and the strategic relevance of expanding the Southern Wing of NATO. As reasons justifying the latter, the Macedonian side mentioned terrorism in the Mediterranean, tension between two of its member-states in the region, the `ring of unrest' encompassing Macedonia, etc.The Macedonian Head of Diplomacy further stated that the extension of the UNPREDEP mandate seemed highly probable, when bearing in mind the latest indicators of the opinion of international factors. The mandate, however, would focus on the borders with Albania and SR Yugoslavia (i.e. Kosovo). As regards Macedonia's endeavours to become a temporary UN Security Council member, the Macedonian Radio is quoting Frchkovski's statement that intensive political and diplomatic campaigning was including almost 150 states. To this purpose, Frchkovski revealed, a diplomatic meeting would soon be held in Skopje, in order to explicate the views of Macedonia in detail. In terms of human rights protection in Macedonia, Frchkovski stressed that the Government had been submitting reports to the Council of Europe and the UN on a regular basis, as it is a signatory of their conventions and open for any kind of cooperation in this domain. In connection to the recent request aired by Macedonia to be excluded from the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur Elisabeth Rehn, he stated that Macedonia would continue to advocate this view and expect a positive reply to this request. Upon discussing the relations of Macedonia with its neighbouring states, Frchkovski claimed that the visit of Theodoros Pangallos had embodied a break-through in bilateral relations between Greece and Macedonia, adding that the concept of improving relations had been made a priority-issue - while everything else was of secondary importance. As regards relations with Bulgaria Frchkovski stressed that in spite of the fact that this country was facing elections, intense negotiations on trade liberalisation were being conducted through diplomatic channels. While stating that relations with SR Yugoslavia had now obtained normal dimensions, Frchkovski said that Albania represented a specific case in which the entire internal structure had collapsed, as well as that Macedonia would do everything to help this country. Minister Frchkovski also responded to the question of a journalist why Macedonia had been denoted by the reference `host-country' at the meeting of the `Royamount' Initiative, while it had abstained from attending the Sofia meeting for similar reasons. In his opinion this had been a gesture of goodwill towards the organizer - the European Union - which had insisted to stage this meeting in Macedonia, as the country appeared to be exempted from these initiatives. [02] MAKFAX: `ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN SUMMIT'`Makfax' is quoting unofficial Government sources upon reporting that Macedonian Secretary Ljubomir Frchkovski is soon to pay an official visit to Albania. The same sources have also not ruled out the possibility of a meeting of PMs Bashkim Fino and Branko Crvenkovski, at either Skopje or Ohrid.[03] INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENT WITH THE NETHERLANDSYesterday the Netherlands and Macedonia signed an Agreement on International Transportation of Passengers and Goods, in Macedonia's capital. This represents a complementary treaty to the one on air transportation, signed two months ago. It makes provisions for the issuing of 2 000 universal permits for all types of transportation, a contingency which may be increased. The Agreement has been signed by the Dutch Ambassador to Macedonia H.E.Amb. Heyn Heynen and the Macedonian Transportation and Communications Minister Dimitar Buzleski. Both officials assessed that this would encourage and increase goods trade between the Netherlands and Macedonia. Talks between expert teams of both countries are to continue today. They are most likely to focus on pay tolls and endeavours to establish a liberal transportation and traffic regime with the Netherlands.[04] SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TEXTILE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH `EU'Delegations of the EU and the Republic of Macedonia have successfully completed negotiations conducive to the paraffining of an Agreement on Textile Produce Trade, the Information Secretariat reports. It has also been revealed that this treaty is to be paraffined at the Macedonian Foreign Office today.[05] `ZORBAS THE GREEK' CONFIRMING THAT GREECE AND MACEDONIA STRIVE TO ESTABLISH GOOD RELATIONSThe staging of `Zorbas the Greek' by Mikis Theodorakis in Skopje represents an important step, confirming once again that both countries are striving towards the establishment of solid relations - stated Greek Government Spokesperson Dimitris Reppas yesterday. `Makfax' also reports that Reppas expressed the hope that bilateral relations would become even cordial, once the proverbial `thorn in our sides' the name-issue were resolved.`Nova Makedonija' reports that Mikis Theodorakis aired his willingness to participate in the Ohrid Summer Festival with the ballet version of `Zorbas the Greek', prior to staging this production in Izmir (Turkey) and Tirana (Albania). This Macedonian daily also informed that most Athenian papers stated that the held concert facilitated the bridging of differences between both countries and created a better climate to resolve the only unaddressed problem: the name-issue. In this context it is also being stressed that the linking of both people is not only of significance to both countries, but to peace and stability in the Balkans in general. There are certain circles in Athens which have a different opinion on this cultural event in Skopje. Thus PASSOK representative Stelleos Papatemelis state that if there was any `political moral to the story' it would be the one written by Skopje (`Greece has finally recognised us as Macedonia.'), rather than the one of the Greek people. `Political Spring' leader Andonis Samaras has also assessed the concert as a tremendous embarrassment whose objective it was to conceal the even greater shame brought about by the Government. In his opinion the Greek Government was laying the foundations for a `go-ahead' to the UN Security Council to approve a reference for their northern neighbour containing the word Macedonia. [06] `ELEKTROSTOPANSTVO' OWED 84 MILLION DM BY CONSUMERSLast year `Elektrostopanstvo' (`Electricity Supplies') managed to stay out of the reds, in spite of the fact that it is being owed 84 million DM in charges. Of these 70% fall off to the industrial sector, it has been said during yesterday's session of the Association of Energetics, Heavy and Light Metallurgy. It was also revealed that electricity consumption in the industrial sector had plunged down by 30% last year, while an increase had been registered within the private sector and households. The production of electricity (compiling 13% of overall industrial production, and app. 20% of the GNP) has been growing by 3.4% during the first two months of this year.As regards production at the `OKTA' refinery in Skopje, it has been revealed that 120 000 tons of crude oil had been processed since the beginning of this year, in spite of the fact that the price gap (compared to world market rates) had still not been bridged. This represented one of the basic problems for the maintaining of current production capacities. In this context it was also said that last year `OKTA' had generated 12 million dollars in losses, in terms of producing oil derivatives. As regards heavy and light metallurgy the majority of facilities closed last year with a negative balance sheet, in spite of the registered positive index with respect to the physical scope of production. Proposed suggestions to overcome such conditions in this sector included the speeding up of transformation and investments, the procuring of liquid funds, the improving of a default interest rate policy, etc. [07] TRADE UNION FEDERATION: `GOVERNMENT PROPOSING RESTRICTIVE LAW'The draft-bill regulating employment and insurance in case of unemployment is far too restrictive... was the general opinion brought forward during yesterday's session of the Presidium of the Trade Union Organisation Federation of Macedonia (`Sojuzot na Sindikatite na Makedonija'). MTV reports that most of the speakers objected that this act of law opened the back door for new dismissals of employees as it neglected the basic rights of the latter on the one hand, but gave more substance to the rights of employers on the other. In this context the Trade Union Federation promoted the introducing of benefits for laid- off employees, for those employees declared to be redundant and for those awaiting their employment over a longer period of time. This also includes the category of employees with more than 25 years of accrued employment, out of a job at the moment.The draft-bill further determines that the monthly value of financial benefits (paid no longer than a year to eligible cases) may not exceed 50% of the average pay obtained throughout the past 12 months of employment. If these benefits are granted for more than one year, their value drops to 40% of this average. In connection to these regulations the Trade Union Federation pointed out their restrictive quality, while adding that the minimum rate to be observed should amount to 60% of the lowest guaranteed income, outlined within each sectional collective agreement. The conclusions adopted during this session are to be forwarded to the Government, to the Economic and Social Council and the Parliament. These structures will be required to compile a favourable reply as soon as possible. [08] SUPPORT OF HEALTH MINISTER AND REFORMSThe Macedonian Radio reports that yesterday, during a meeting of all Public Health Centre and Medical Centre Directors of Macedonia talks had focused on current conditions in this sector. All present further expressed their support of the policy employed by Minister Ilija Filipche, and of the continuing of reforms in the health sector. It was also said that all recent debates and speculations regarding the latter had been in concordance to overall conditions in the country (student protests, banking scandals, etc.) - i.e. they had been induced artificially.Publicised scandals in the health sector had been `cooked up in the political pantries' of certain political parties, which strive towards the staging of early elections and the changing of Government. Upon stating that actual conditions were not being reflected through media coverage, it has been said that major pharmaceutical suppliers attempted to put the blame on the Health sector, by discrediting Minister Filipche. This was being ascribed to the fact that some had lost all their earnings they made previously. It has also been stressed that certain media painted this very bleak picture on purpose, without mentioning any of the positive achievements brought about by conducted reforms. Participants of this meeting decided to establish a five- member commission which is to examine conditions within the health sector, and then forward a report on the same to Minister Filipche, to the PM and to the President. [09] LP & DP `UNIFICATION CONGRESS' ON 19TH APRIL`The DP and LP are to create a strong political force, with the programmatic potential and human resources to take on the responsibility of shaping the country's policy and protecting the public's interests', stated DP Spokesperson Jovan Manasievski upon announcing the date of the unification of both parties, the 19th April. This event is to be attended by nearly 900 delegates, under the motto `For a Bright Future' (also to be the slogan of the new party). The new party is to concentrate on two key issues: the implementation of economic reforms and the establishing of democratic institutions.According to LP Vice-President Risto Ivanov the Unification Congress is to be preceded by separate conferences of both parties, also on 19th April. It was revealed that nominations for the future leader of the Liberal- Democratic Party included such names as Petar Goshev, while LP leader Stojan Andov is up for the post Chairperson of the Party Council. Other structures to be chosen during the Congress include the Central Council (comprised of 60 members) and a Supervisory Board (of five members). [10] SP: `DEBATE ON COALITION BUT NOT ON GOVERNMENT RECONSTRUCTION'During yesterday's session the Executive Council of the SPM has adopted the corrected version (after all parts criticising the party leadership had been removed) of the report on local elections. In the opinion of party leader Ljubisav Ivanov Zingo, the session mainly revolved around relations with their coalition partner SDSM. In this context it was stressed that the coalition should be upheld, though some issues as - for example - the representedness of Socialists in state structures, needed to be re-negotiated. `Dnevnik' reports that Ivanov confirmed having met PM Branko Crvenkovski - stressing that talks had not focused on a possible Government reconstruction, but on the relations between both parties within the coalition.MILS SUPPLEMENT[11] `Events in Albania Revise European Attitude Towards Macedonia?'(`Nova Makedonija', 15th April, 1997)Macedonia has an interest in supporting international activities in Albania, especially the deployment of humanitarian aid so that it can reach the regions near the Macedonian border and thus make a contribution to stabilising the situation there, stated Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski yesterday, upon explicating the Resolution to place the roads and airport of Ohrid at the disposal of the states which take part in the `ALBA' operation. According to Frchkovski the Government has not yet ended discussions regarding the issue whether Macedonia will participate in the activity and send regular military forces or members of the special peace contingent, the height of expenses, etc. but the Resolution to be passed - will not be a result of external pressure, but purely Macedonian. The situation in Albania, according to the impressions of the Minister who has recently visited France and NATO, on the other hand, influences an additional evaluation of the overall situation in the region and a renewed interest in the so called southern wing. According to the minister, this resulted in a unexpectedly direct and explicit support by official Paris of the inner stability and the strategic commitments of Macedonia, and also in an attitude expressed at the meeting of the North-Atlantic Council in Brussels by the ambassadors of the NATO member- states that geographic balancing in spreading the military alliance should be achieved, and the states that set a positive example should be awarded durng this process rather than having to `troubleshoot' in them afterwards. This support, according to the Minister, most probably owes much to the fact that these days 1.000 French soldiers are expected to arrive in Albania ( plus another 5.000 from other states) who need a background protection and collaboration in the region, adding that in this positive treatment of Macedonia in Brussels Turkey and Greece are on an equal level - the only difference being that the former addressed with the name while the latter with the reference for Macedonia. The loudest supporter of retreating UNPREDEP from Macedonia - official Moscow, seems to be changing its attitude regarding the mission and it is abandoning all objections these days regarding the suspending of this operation (although Moscow obtained it) and it announced a more flexible attitude throughout discussions for the new mandate of the peacekeepers scheduled for the close of May. This, according to the Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ognen Maleski, is the epilogue of his talks with high Russian officials during his recent visit to Moscow where he was assured that this country does not hold a strong negative attitude towards mandate extension and mission sustainability and that the attitude will depend on the developments in the region both in and around Macedonia. According to Maleski, during this visit an invitation has been sent to the Head of Russian Diplomacy, Evgenij Primakov to come on an official visit to Macedonia and there is an open slot for a visit to Russia by President Kiro Gligorov and all this is done in order to move away from this, as the Secretary assesses, absurd situation when both states have never been in a clash but still the relations do not develop with the necessary and expected dynamics. That's why, according to this source, a visit has been arranged of one of the vice-presidents from the Russian Government to Macedonia at which several key resolutions that would support mutual economic collaboration are expected to be signed. (end)mils news 16 April, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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