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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 102, 96-05-27
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 102, 27 May 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] GEORGIA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY.
[02] TYPHOID OUTBREAK IN TAJIKISTAN.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[03] MASSIVE IRREGULARITIES, VIOLENCE DURING ALBANIAN ELECTIONS.
[04] ALBANIAN OPPOSITION CHALLENGES LEGITIMACY OF BALLOT.
[05] THREE ALBANIAN COMMUNIST-ERA OFFICIALS SENTENCED TO DEATH.
[06] FORMER TSAR ARRIVES IN BULGARIA . . .
[07] . . . AND RECEIVES MIXED RECEPTION FROM POLITICIANS.
[08] SERBS BLOCK REFUGEES, CONTINUE ETHNIC CLEANSING.
[09] WILL KARADZIC DISAPPEAR FROM PUBLIC VIEW?
[10] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER ON INDEPENDENCE.
[11] TUDJMAN ON CROATIA'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS.
[12] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL WANTS TO EXTEND UNPREDEP MANDATE.
[13] TRADE UNION PROTEST IN BUCHAREST.
[14] MOLDOVAN TEACHERS STAGE STRIKE.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] GEORGIA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Georgia celebrated its independence on 26 May, Russian media reported same
day. Although the Georgian parliament declared independence on 9 April 1991,
the country celebrates its independence on the date of the previous
declaration in 1918. In the capital, Tbilisi, the celebrations opened with a
military parade followed by a concert. Supporters of former President Zviad
Gamsakhurdia also held a meeting to mark the anniversary of his election; they
later marched through downtown Tbilisi with the flags of Georgia and the
Republic of Ichkeria (Chechnya). Police intervened in the march and detained a
handful of the demonstrators. -- Irakli Tsereteli
[02] TYPHOID OUTBREAK IN TAJIKISTAN.
A typhoid epidemic appears to have broken out in southern Tajikistan, ITAR-
TASS and RFE/RL reported on 25 May. Tajik Health Minister Alamkhan Akhmedov
said 600 cases had been registered in the Kulyab region; ITAR-TASS put the
figure at 800 in Kulyab and Gissar (west of Dushanbe) since 24 May. The
epidemic seems to have been caused by mud slides that contaminated the water
supply. Acute shortages of medical supplies are compounding the problem. --
Bruce Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[03] MASSIVE IRREGULARITIES, VIOLENCE DURING ALBANIAN ELECTIONS.
One day before Albanians went to the polls to elect a new government, a "large
number of Socialists," including former Prime Minister Ylli Bufi, were
arrested, Albanian media reported on 25 May. The secret police (SHIK)
reportedly beat up members of the Socialist Party. Deputy Interior Minister
Agim Shehu claimed that the Socialists had created an illegal "paramilitary
force" and had reprinted and distributed ballot forms among voters. Socialist
leader Servet Pellumbi, however, said the arrests were a pretext to interfere
in the elections. He added that in a radio address, a member of the election
commission had asked voters to photocopy election forms to ensure sufficient
supplies. More arrests, beatings, and intimidations were reported from all
over the country late in the evening of 26 May. Members of election
commissions and parliamentary candidates of opposition parties were reportedly
the target of those attacks. -- Fabian Schmidt in Tirana
[04] ALBANIAN OPPOSITION CHALLENGES LEGITIMACY OF BALLOT.
Many opposition election commission members left the polling stations saying
they had been intimidated with guns or beaten up by SHIK officers. The
Socialists, the Social Democrats, the Democratic Alliance, the Party of the
Democratic Right, the Agrarian Party, the Party of National Unity and the
Party for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms all declared that they
would withdraw their representatives from the electoral commissions. They also
called on the Constitutional Court to declare the ballot invalid, saying they
would not take part in any government formed on the basis of these elections.
Democratic Alliance leader Neritan Ceka accused Europe of giving "blind
support" to President Sali Berisha, adding that only the U.S. could ensure
democratic elections. Meanwhile, Berisha said on Albanian TV that he expected
the Democrats to win some 70% of the vote. -- Fabian Schmidt in Tirana
[05] THREE ALBANIAN COMMUNIST-ERA OFFICIALS SENTENCED TO DEATH.
Former Deputy Interior Minister Zylyftar Ramizi, former Prosecutor-General
Rrapi Mino, and former head of the Supreme Court Aranit Cela were sentenced to
death on 24 May, Albanian media reported. Former parliamentary president Haxhi
Lleshi and ex-Deputy Prime Minister Manush Myftiu, who were both partisans
during World War II, also received life sentences. The five were charged with
crimes against humanity, including sending thousands of dissidents and their
families into internal exile. Lleshi and Myftiu had been under house arrest
due to bad health but are now in a prison hospital. Before Albania's admission
to the Council of Europe in June 1995, parliamentary speaker Pjeter Arbnori
had said his country was committed to abolishing capital punishment and would
not carry out death sentences following its admission. -- Fabian Schmidt in
Tirana
[06] FORMER TSAR ARRIVES IN BULGARIA . . .
Simeon II on 25 May arrived in Sofia on his first visit to Bulgaria since he
was forced into exile in 1946, Bulgarian and international media reported. He
met with Sofia Mayor Stefan Sofiyanski and the following day with President
Zhelyu Zhelev. Reuters reported as many as 500,000 people turned out to
welcome Simeon when he toured Sofia's Orthodox churches on 26 May. Simeon is
expected to stay in Bulgaria for three weeks or so. Recent opinion polls
suggest that while less than 20% of Bulgarians want the monarchy restored,
some 40% want Simeon to assume an important political role. The former monarch
said he will disclose his future plans after touring the country. -- Stefan
Krause
[07] . . . AND RECEIVES MIXED RECEPTION FROM POLITICIANS.
While Zhelev and opposition leaders met with Simeon, members of the ruling
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) sought to avoid contact with the former
monarch. The government considers his visit "a private affair," while Prime
Minister Zhan Videnov has said he will not meet with Simeon because he has
"much more important work" to do. State media journalists have been told not
to give extensive coverage to the visit or to interview Simeon. Velko Valkanov,
a deputy elected on the BSP ticket, called the visit "a huge mistake" that
will involve Simeon in domestic policy. Anastasiya Dimitrova-Mozer of the
People's Union said the visit deflects attention from real issues and will
further divide the country. -- Stefan Krause
[08] SERBS BLOCK REFUGEES, CONTINUE ETHNIC CLEANSING.
In what has become a familiar ritual, 44 Muslim and Croatian refugees
attempting to enter Bosnian Serb territory were blocked by 250 Serbian
civilians wielding sticks and stones, AFP reported on 26 May. An IFOR bus was
also severely damaged, Oslobodjenje stated. The incident took place near
Prijedor, which the refugees wanted to visit in order to plant a "peace tree"
at the site of a former concentration camp. Serbian police supported the
civilians, while IFOR limited itself to "extracting" the refugees and the IFOR
vehicle from the tangle. Meanwhile in Teslic, in north-central Bosnia, the
authorities continue to expel local Muslim civilians to make room for Serbian
refugees from Sarajevo, the BBC noted. The Dayton accord guarantees freedom of
movement, the right of refugees to go home, and the right to live where one
chooses. -- Patrick Moore
[09] WILL KARADZIC DISAPPEAR FROM PUBLIC VIEW?
Bosnian Serb Vice President Nikola Koljevic, speaking on Serbia's Kragujevac
Radio on 26 May, said Bosnian Serb civilian leader Radovan Karadzic will keep
a low profile from now on and "effectively disappear" from public view,
Reuters reported. But the news agency noted that Koljevic, who is regarded as
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's ally, stopped short of suggesting that
Karadzic will relinquish political authority. Koljevic's statement has not
been confirmed by the state-run Bosnian Serb media, leading to speculation
that he has floated a trial balloon on Milosevic's behalf. Bosnian Ambassador
to the UN Muhamed Sacirbey has noted that any scenario allowing Karadzic to
trade keeping out of the public view in exchange for avoiding prosecution for
war crimes is out of the question. -- Stan Markotich
[10] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER ON INDEPENDENCE.
Milo Djukanovic on 26 May said most people living in the rump Yugoslav
republic would not endorse any moves that might lead to Montenegrin
independence. Tanjug reported Djukanovic as saying that no more than 15-17% of
voters would vote for the "independence option" in elections likely to take
place before year's end. Djukanovic, who in the past has publicly expressed
his differences with the federal authorities in Belgrade, added that
"our...interest lies inside the [rump] Yugoslavia, despite some objective or
temporary differences." -- Stan Markotich
[11] TUDJMAN ON CROATIA'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS.
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, addressing the Presidential Council on 25
May, said the Council of Europe's decision to delay Croatia's admission was
punishment for its refusal to be included in the Balkan integration process,
Hina reported. Tudjman criticized the "humiliating conditions" that the
Council of Europe has laid down for Croatia, while admitting countries such as
Russia. He stressed that Croatia will not agree to those conditions, which
include more press freedom, creating conditions for the return of Serbian
refugees, cooperation and help in solving the Mostar crisis, and not blocking
a solution to the administrative status of Zagreb. Tudjman commented that the
EU states seem to be dissatisfied with the leading role the U.S. has played in
Bosnia and with the fact that the U.S. has taken Croatia' s side. -- Daria
Sito Sucic
[12] UN SECRETARY-GENERAL WANTS TO EXTEND UNPREDEP MANDATE.
Boutros Boutros Ghali on 24 March recommended that the mandate of UNPREDEP be
extended by six months, Reuters and AFP reported. In a report to the UN
Security Council, he said UNPREDEP should remain in Macedonia until 30
November at its current strength of 1,050 troops, 35 military observers, and
168 civilian police. According to Boutros Ghali, there are fewer threats to
Macedonia now than when UNPREDEP was deployed in 1992. But he added that "it
is too soon to be confident that stability has been established in the
region." -- Stefan Krause
[13] TRADE UNION PROTEST IN BUCHAREST.
More than 5,000 employees marched through downtown Bucharest on 24 May to
protest falling living standards and low pay, Romanian and Western media
reported. At the government's headquarters, the demonstrators handed over a
memorandum accusing the cabinet of blocking economic reforms and of being
unable to solve serious economic and social problems. The memorandum also
claimed that ministers were protecting the vested interests of those in power.
The protest was organized by the Alfa Cartel, one of Romania's main labor
organizations. Alfa is demanding a minimum monthly wage of 140,000 lei ($34),
better pay for overtime, and increases in child allowance, pensions, and
stipends. Alfa leader Bogdan Hossu described the situation of many trade union
members as "desperate." -- Dan Ionescu
[14] MOLDOVAN TEACHERS STAGE STRIKE.
Teachers in 32 Moldovan districts on 24 May suspended classes to protest wage
arrears, BASA-press reported the same day. Petru Chiriac, chairman of the
education trade unions, told journalists that since the begining of the year,
teachers have been fully paid for January only. He added that the state owes
them millions of lei for the following months. The state's inability to pay
wages and pensions has caused widespread protests. Earlier this month, Premier
Andrei Sangheli promised education union leaders that the cabinet will solve
the problem, but no concrete steps have been taken so far. -- Dan
Ionescu
Compiled by Victor Gomez and Jan Cleave
News and information as of 1200 CET
This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media
Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in
Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on OMRI publications please write to info@omri.cz.
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