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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-27Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 27 July, 1997[01] PARLIAMENTARY CHAIRMAN PETKOVSKI IN LITHUANIA SINCE YESTERDAYAfter attending the Pan-European Transport Conference in Helsinki, the Macedonian Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski embarked on an official visit to Lithuania yesterday. So far he has been received by his Lithuanian counterpart Vitautas Landbergis. Macedonian media report that talks had revolved around the similar lot of both countries since establishing their independence, while Landbergis expressed his particular appreciation of the peaceful policy employed by Macedonia with regards to all neighbouring countries. Chairman Petkovski repeated Macedonia' commitment to achieve EU and NATO integration, at the same time underlining the necessity of expanding economic, cultural and other kinds of cooperation between Lithuania and Macedonia.[02] `CRAN MONTANA' FORUM: `SPEECH OF PM CRVENKOVSKI ON ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF MACEDONIA'The `Cran Montana' Forum - opened in Switzerland yesterday - is to focus on economic issues. In this context PM Crvenkovski is to delve into the socio- economic conditions and investment potential of Macedonia during his speech. Together with the PMs of the Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania, the Macedonian PM will address the Plenary Session on Saturday, dedicated to security in SE Europe. According to A-1 TV the Prime Minister will also meet his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov at the Forum, in order to discuss the liberalization of the bilateral trade regime and the language-issue. More meetings have been scheduled with the Prime Ministers of Belorussia, Croatia and Romania.[03] DNEVNIK: `SOLUTION ON NAME-ISSUE BY THE END OF AUGUST'As `Dnevnik' reports the Macedonian Foreign Office had agreed as early as in April to settle for a name to be used by Greece in bilateral communication, while the Constitutional name `Republic of Macedonia' would remain in use for the international community. So far Greece has not forwarded a concrete reply to this proposal. The Macedonian Foreign Office nevertheless predicts the resolving of the name-issue by the close of August, as in September Greece is to deal with the Cyprus issue. Therefore matters with Macedonia need to be settled as soon as possible. The latter will also be conducive to Greece's establishment as the leading country in the region, a position requiring good relations with neighbouring states - Foreign Office sources claim.[04] KATIMERINI: `MINORITY PROTECTION DUE TO SKOPJE'S INTERIOR NEEDS'`Once having settled the name-issue with Athens, President Kiro Gligorov began to address the protection of Macedonian minorities in Bulgaria and Greece', stated Greek conservative paper `Katimerini' yesterday. Upon pointing out that President Gligorov has asked the international community to study this issue, the above mentioned Athenian daily assessed that the issue regarding the Macedonian minority has been raised by Skopje's political leadership for internal reasons.[05] DEMOKRATIJA: `BULGARIAN VARIANT ON EARLY ELECTIONS IN MACEDONIA'`In Skopje the Ex-Communists have a strong grip on power, while the opposition predicts the Bulgarian variant of early elections', stated pro-governmental Bulgarian paper `Demokratija' yesterday. `Makfax' reports that this conclusion had been based on talks conducted by a group of Bulgarian journalists in Skopje with representatives of the incumbent SDSM and the opposition last weekend.Sofia paper `Standard' - according to `Makpress' - has been quoting a statement by IMRO-DPMNE leader Ljupcho Georgievski yesterday, concordant to which the main party objective was the holding of early elections this autumn. `In order to achieve this aim will predominantly copy the pattern of activities of protests conducted in Bulgaria in January, which brought about the downfall of the Socialist Government', stressed Georgievski. He further added, among other things, that the IMRO-DPMNE will obtain a majority vote during elections - though it may prove necessary to seek a coalition partner in order to secure absolute majority within the Parliament. [06] RESOLVING THE ALBANIAN CRISIS PEACEFULLY WITHIN A EUROPEAN FRAMEWORKThe Albanian state will never renounce its insistence on resolving the issues of Albanians on Kosovo, in Macedonia - where Albanians have populated their ethnic areas, in Montenegro, etc. A-1 TV reports that this statement had been given by Albanian Parliamentary Chairman Pyetr Arbnori during the meeting of the Albanian World Congress in Tirana. Arbnori further underlined that regardless of unfavourable conditions in the country, Albania would always support the resolving of Albanian national issues - demanding a peaceful solution within a framework of European integration.[07] LJUPCHO ARSOVSKI ALSO AMBASSADOR TO ISRAELMacedonian President Kiro Gligorov has appointed Ljupcho Arsovski, who is also heading the Liaison Office of Macedonia in Athens, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel.[08] BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION IN SKOPJEClassical trade relations embody a restricted framework for the advancing of relations between Great Britain and Macedonia, or for exploiting the potential both economic systems have to offer. Last year resulted in a total trade balance of 53 million dollars. This has been assessed as insufficient. Trade had been concentrating on heavy and light metallurgy products above all... This and other conclusions - MTV reports - have surfaced during talks led at the Macedonian Economic Chamber between a group of British businessmen and their Macedonian colleagues. It had also been stressed that only a very small amount of British capital (app. 170 000 DM) had been invested in Macedonia.In order to improve this state of affairs, it has been proposed to form joint ventures, above all in the production sector. Possible industrial sectors suitable for this form of cooperation are: the chemical industry, agriculture and tourism. According to British Ambassador, H.E. Amb. Mark Dickinson, such bilateral meetings between businessmen and the economic cooperation between both countries will receive the strong support of the Commerce Dept. the British Government intends to open in Skopje. [09] GERMANY THE MOST IMPORTANT TRADE PARTNER OF MACEDONIABased on definite data compiled by the National Statistics Office, after having corrected all mistakes within the calculations on the international trade deficit, last year Macedonia's international trade balance totalled app. 2.8 billion dollars. Of these 41.4% fall off to export and 58.6% to import. Thus the coverage of import via export amounted to 70.5%, while the trade balance sheet puts Macedonia in the reds with 480 million dollars. `Nova Makedonija' reports that in 1996 - concordant to the sectors within standard international trade qualification - the largest share of goods export is being occupied by products classified on grounds of material (30.5%), different finished products (27.8%), tobacco products and beverages (13.5%).In terms of import, the top slot is being occupied by machinery and transport vehicles (22.3%), products classified according to material (18.9%) and food (13.4%). The list comprised of around 20 items dominating the export sector is being headed by men's shirts (whose sales generated over 59 million dollars), while the runner-up position belongs to tobacco sales (58 million $). In terms of import the first place is being occupied by oil and lubricants produced from bituminous minerals, for the amount of nearly 100 million dollars. This is being followed by reproduction materials and consumer goods. Concordant to statistic data Germany is the most important trade partner of Macedonia, with an export- import balance of 454 million dollars. The second largest trade partner is the FR Yugoslavia with 411 million dollars. Last year the most significant export markets were within the EU (42.7%) and the Former Yugoslav constituents (33.1%). With regards to import the EU is leading again, this time with 38.7%, and then the CEE countries emerge with 21.1%. Considerable export declines with regards to the same time span last year have been registered with respect to Bulgaria (85.1%), Russia (55.7%), the Ukraine (83.3%) and Italy (56.6%). A substantial export increase of 190% has been achieved with FR Yugoslavia. [10] JANUARY - APRIL: INTERNATIONAL TRADE DEFICIT OF 159 MILLION DOLLARSThe negative trend i.e. international trade deficit of Macedonia has continued throughout the first months of 1997 as well - concordant to the National Statistics Office. Macedonian weekly `Puls' reveals that between January-April Macedonia's deficit amounted to 159 million dollars. During this time span the Macedonian economy closed export-import transactions worth app. 880 million dollars, which represents an increase of 2.9% to the same time span last year.[11] 95.9% OF BUSINESSES IN MACEDONIAN PRIVATE SECTORIn April 1997 a total of 99 727 businesses have been registered in Macedonia, i.e. 0.1% more than during the previous month. Based on data released by the National Statistics Office private ownership appears to be leading the way with 95.9%, followed by 1.3% in state ownership, joint ownership with 1.6% and cooperative ownership with 1.2%. In terms of structure most of the businesses appear to be dealing with commerce (61%), followed by industrial enterprises (9.8%). In terms of capital, 96% originated from domestic sources and 1.4% has fallen under international investments.[12] 73 080 UNEMPLOYED IN SKOPJE LAST MONTHConcordant to the most recent data issued by the Employment Agency of Skopje, by the end of last month there had been total of 73 080 unemployed people in the country's capital, seeking assistance from this office. Of this sum a share of 47 450 are people looking for their first employment. On grounds of their educational background, the overall amount of unemployed in Skopje consists of 3 264 with completed tertiary education, 1 204 with a college degree, 17 503 with a completed secondary education (above all economic technicians and high-school graduates). The total of registered (highly-) skilled workers amounts to 19 795, while 31 293 are without any qualifications whatsoever.[13] ONE MORE WARNING: `FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM TO COLLAPSE'Should existing financial problems not be resolved within the next 15 to 20 days, the flight control system at Skopje Airport will virtually cease to function. This will not only entail the closing of the airport, but also the cessation of controlling our air space - an objective pursued so vigorously over the past few years and eventually achieved in November 1996. `Vecher' reports that this had been pointed out during yesterday's press conference held by representatives of the Flight Control Dept. - i.e. of the flight control employees association and trade union organisation. Flight control operatives once again depicted the absurd situation as regards available means (gathered for guiding flights through Macedonian air space), which are being withheld in Switzerland due to Government negligence.It has further been stressed that within the National Budget the Government had only allocated 2.5 million dollars to the Civil Aviation Directorate, instead of the proposed 6.5 million dollars which would be prerequisite to secure subsistence. Due to this there are neither funds to maintain regular operations nor to disburse local and international staff. All this has a catastrophic impact on flight safety, as well as on the further modernization of the Airport in Skopje. Concordant to the agreement closed with the EBRD which is co-financing this project, all revenues generated by air traffic in Macedonia (app. 9 million dollars per annum) are to be re-invested in the system and used strictly adequately. Unfortunately this does not appear to be the case at present. [14] BILINGUALISM IN PARLIAMENT ANTI-CONSTITUTIONALThe Parliamentary Commission on Statutory and Mandate Immunity Issues rejected the proposal of Albanian representatives to introduce bilinguistic communication - enabling them to submit motions, initiatives and amendments in their native language and script. The Commission justifies this ruling with the argument that this issue has been clearly codified within the Constitution, rendering any new regulating within a new Parliamentary Statute unnecessary. Besides this proposal, the ethnic Albanian faction has proposed another 22 amendments to the draft-version of the new Parliamentary Statute. Most of them have been rejected however. The Commission has not been attended by the representatives of Albanian political parties.[15] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: `NATIONAL SERVICE FOR THOSE HOLDING TO NATIONALITIES OR NOT?'Yesterday the Constitutional Court of Macedonia held a preparatory session examining sections of the Defence Act. One of the key dilemmas was whether the excusing of those holding two nationalities from National Service is creating a privileged category of citizens or not. The Court actually discussed provisions outlining that National Service would not be compulsory to those possessing an additional citizenship to that of the Republic of Macedonia. These could decide whether they wanted to serve or not. One citizen of Skopje however launched this initiative on the grounds that defence is an obligation of all Macedonian nationals, without any privileged categories.In this context it is also being stated that the Constitution does not provide any options of avoiding National Service, and that any other approach embodies the privatization and liberalization of national defence. The Macedonian Radio reports that different views had been aired by MOD representatives concordant to whom these provisions are not contrary to the Constitution or creating inequality. In their opinion this is merely to prevent double recruitment. The final ruling on this issue is to be passed on one of the following sessions of the Constitutional Court. [16] DECISION ON JUDICIARY ADMINISTRATION STRIKE DUE ON MONDAYThe session scheduled for yesterday by the judiciary administration, its Trade Union Organisation and community organisations - which was to determine whether the strike would continue or not - has been postponed until Monday. Macedonian media reveal that by that time the strike is to continue. Besides this most recent meetings with Justice Secretary Gjorgji Spasov have resulted in a concession on pay rise (though not by 28% as requested initially) via standardizing pay all over the country in this sector.MILS SUPPLEMENT[17] `70-Year-Old Grenades `Lying' On/Beneath the Beach of Peshtani'(`Dnevnik' - 25th June 1997)Many non-detonated artillery shells have been buried for already 70 years at the Lake Ohrid shore near the village of Peshtani, that shallow that virtually everybody could `unearth' one. Local residents claim that these grenades are no threat as they are `too old to be any good.' Experts do most energetically request the cleaning of the Peshtani beach, as the shells remain dangerous - regardless of how long they have been buried. `The grenades have been lying here since 1918. According to my father, at that time a huge artillery storage facility had been housed in the caves beyond Peshtani. Upon the break-through at the Thessaloniki Front, the Bulgarians stationed at the village emptied the caves and buried the shells along the shore. Some of them were also sunk in the middle of the lake', says Bore Talimanovski, a pensioner living at Peshtani. Last week `Granit' construction workers discovered the grenades, while preparing the installation of the collector pipes between the hotels `Desaret' and `Metropol'. Concordant to their accounts, the excavated findings amounted to 17 shells, with a length of app. 50 to 60 cm and a weight of around 10 kg each. The construction workers then carried the shells to the Peshtani police station with their bare hands, and from there these were transported to Ohrid. `Upon digging a collector line at the 95-meter-long Peshtani section we came across non-detonated explosive devices. Those excavated were handed over to the police. We also requested expert assistance from the Department of Defence. Their people scanned the terrain and upon their suggestion we re-allocated the line. Thus it now traverses safe territory. The shells at Peshtani, however, are still there', stated Ljupcho Chaulev , Head of the Community Development Fund of the Ohrid Municipality and one of the project investors. We have found out in the meantime that the collector lines will now run along the asphalt road next to Peshtani. Our team of reporters nevertheless found signs of digging at the shore near the village, in spite of all assurances that these grounds were sealed off and that no work whatsoever was to be conducted there. The local population is still convinced that the buried shells are harmless. `How can it be that something buried that long ago can still be active? The shells are rusty and cannot be detonated anymore', says Anastas Batkovski from Peshtani. Pyro-technicians however claim that all non-detonated explosive devices are generally speaking dangerous, and may be detonated by a shock or incorrect handling / removal from their location. Concordant to the statements by residents, a large number of shells have also been found during the building of their houses. These have been taken out onto the lake and sunk subsequently. The tooth of time and erosion however have been conducive to the receding of the water line. Thus the shells can even be noticed under water, at a distance of 3 to 4 meters from the shore. Thus it is hardly surprising that even our team of journalists managed to spot the contours of a shell on the bottom of Lake Ohrid, around three meters off-shore. Meantime, until the final disposal of the explosive devices (which will commence God-knows-when), construction operations are fully in progress, children are playing on the dug-up shore and the residents of Peshtani stick to their tradition of celebrating their weddings beside the waters of the lake. (end)mils news 27 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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