Yugoslav Daily Survey, 96-12-27

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE A 'REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO'

[02] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT: ALL PROBLEMS MUST BE RESOLVED IN SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS

[03] UNTAES TROOPS BEAT UP GROUP OF SERB WOMEN IN EASTERN SLAVONIAN TOWN

[04] YUGOSLAV INTERIOR MINISTER: CITIZENS FED UP WITH DAILY RALLIES

[05] RUSSIA'S DUMA STONGLY OPPOSES EXTERNAL PRESSURES ON YUGOSLAVIA

[06] MONTENEGRIN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BUDGET FOR 1997

[07] SERBIAN ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 14.065 BILLION DINAR BUDGET FOR 1997

[08] LOWER CHAMBER OF YUGOSLAV ASSEMBLY ELECTS MEMBERS, PRESIDENTS OF COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS

[09] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT UPPER HOUSE ELECTS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

[01] TURKEY WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE A 'REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO'

The official statement was issued in reaction to false reports on the recent opening of an allegedly official representation of the 'Republic of Kosovo' in Istanbul. The 'opening' was not attended by any Turkish officials or representatives of foreign diplomatic missions, but only by members of the Albanian Society in Turkey.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[02] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT: ALL PROBLEMS MUST BE RESOLVED IN SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS

Sainovic first said that Yugoslav economy had achieved stable growth this year despite all difficulties caused by sanctions. 'The fact that this year too will end with a six percent growth of industrial production and social product, following an equal growth percentage in the past two years, demonstrates that Yugoslavia's economy is on a stable rise', Sainovic underlined.

He noted that as Yugoslavia is now normalizing its economic relations with the world, a 13 percent growth of the social productwas expected for next year, which will provide fresh impetus and importance to Yugoslavia's economy and development and its economic role in the Balkans.

'We have therefore planned very restrictive budgets and intend in 1997 to implement a very strict budgetary discipline, including financing from real sources and ensuring the management of the federal and republican budgets without deficit', he said. 'This should contribute to a further reduction on inflation and stabilization of the economy in our country', Sainovic said and added that one of the fundamental elements of the Government's economic policy for next year would be directed to the liberalization of foreign trade.

Sainovic at the same time announced a reduction of import duties and export limitations, and an acceleration of the privatization process which will have a new dimension next year. To accelerate the privatization process, regulations were adopted last summer with the basic idea of guiding the process in a market-based manner, and ensuring that privatization be the fundamental development motive for Yugoslav companies, Sainovic said.

Our companies, thirsty for capital after so many years of exhausting sanctions, have relatively limited possibilities at the financial market, but in cooperation with their foreign partners of the pre-sanctions period and with new ones being found now on the basis of adopted law, they can undertake privatization to meet their development needs, Sainovic. He recalled that unlike some (former socialist) countries of Eastern Europe and former USSR, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has a different concept, according to which the state and state funds, which will get the money from the privatization of state and social property, should immediately reinvest that capital with the same partner into concrete development projects.

'We have renounced to the misconception being applied in the East, where state and social property is being sold to replenish social funds, as it has turned out that if everything is sold at once, the amount of money earned is so small that what occurs in the end is what has occurred there - there is no longer any industry or social funds', Sainovic said.

'This activity will be followed by our further endeavors aimed at normalizing relations with international economic institutions and organizations, and we want in general to promote our relations, both economic and political, with the international community.

In that sense, Yugoslavia had invited the OSCE to send a delegation to get acquainted with the real situation in our country and consequently duly inform OSCE', Sainovic said.

'We want our relations with the international community to be promoted on the basis of full knowledge of the real situation in Yugoslavia, and the present press conference should also contribute to this', Sainovic said in his opening address.

Asked by Reuters to comment Wednesday's statement by the Serbian Interior Ministry to the effect that it would prevent traffic blocking in the city, Sainovic said those who wished to exercise their civic freedoms and the freedom to express their political opinions via demonstrations, were bound to do so in accordance with the law. Regulations provide for the registration and holding of rallies, with police ensuring that other citizens may exercise their rights, above all the freedom to move through the city, said Sainovic and added that an atmosphere of mutual respect should give no cause for incidents.

WTN reporter asked about the role of a recent mission of the OSCE in regard with the electoral situation in Serbia and the authorities' attitude on the pending final report. Assistant Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic said Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic had sent a letter, inviting a high- ranking OSCE delegation to visit Belgrade to learn about the situation in Yugoslavia and help disperse the somewhat distorted image and stands created in the international community, primarily Europe.

'The idea in the Government's initiative was for the delegation, headed by Felipe Gonzalez, to contribute to normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and the international community and speed up an already advanced process, and, above all, to accelerate normalization of Yugoslavia's full membership into the OSCE.' 'We expect the visit will be conducive to that aim,' said Jovanovic and expressed hope that the OSCE report would reflect that principled stand.

However, should the case be otherwise, Yugoslavia will retain its principled stands, because the issues concerned are the internal questions of a sovereign state to be settled solely within the institutions of its political system, i.e. without outside mediation or arbitration.

'The Government can only accept support and stands to the effect that all questions and all problems regarding internal life in Yugoslavia be resolved in the institutions of the valid constitutional political system,' said Jovanovic.

'Of course, from the standpoint of principles, we do not need anyone to pat us on the shoulder,' said Jovanovic.

'We will continue to treat our questions and problems within the valid constitutional order, because only these institutions provide for democratic solutions,' said Jovanvic. 'All ambitions and wishes directed at seeking solutions outside the institutions of the political system, regardless of whether coming from within the country or outside, are simply not acceptable,' said Jovanovic.

Sainovic said he had had two meetings with Gonzalez and the entire OSCE delegation which reiterated in the first meeting the principles contained in the invitation, and that the mission's aim was to seek information. The principle was reiterated at both meetings, at the beginning of the visit and its conclusion, said Sainovic.

Sainovic quoted Gonzalez to the effect that the mission did not intend to arbitrate or mediate between any parties. 'Respecting that principle, we made everything accessible to the delegation, i.e., everything they wished to see and hear during their brief stay,' said Sainovic, expressing the hope that the mission would remain principled to the end. 'Unfortunately, it happened several times, during the Yugoslav crisis, that what had been said on one occasion had changed afterwards, under various pressures,' said Sainovic.

'We are convinced that Gonzalez and his personal political integrity would not yield to such pressures and that his role, and the role of the delegation, would be to convey to the OSCE as many details as possible about the real situation in Yugoslavia that would be conducive to promotion of our relations with the Organization,' said Sainovic.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[03] UNTAES TROOPS BEAT UP GROUP OF SERB WOMEN IN EASTERN SLAVONIAN TOWN

The protest was sparked by the arrival of a group of 50 Croats for the Christmas Eve celebrations at the local Catholic church, especially the presence of former town officials known to the Serb population for pogroms during the 1991 war of secession launched by Croatia, Politika said.

UN Administrator Jacques Klein apologized to the Serbs in Ilok and ordered an investigation into the incident, according to Politika. The daily quoted Klein as saying in the letter that he was sorry the incident had taken place and people had been injured. Klein said it was the duty of UNTAES to protect people and not assault and injure them, and that he had ordered an investigation which was to show why untaes troops had used force, why there was no coordination and who was responsible for it.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[04] YUGOSLAV INTERIOR MINISTER: CITIZENS FED UP WITH DAILY RALLIES

Commenting on the Serbian Interior Ministry statement that police would no longer allow the arbitrary blocking of traffic, Jokanovic said 'there are many places where peaceful demonstrations can be held, and sidewalks are for walks.'

The Federal Minister was asked why the police did not come into the streets of Belgrade earlier on Tuesday, but only after incidents began. Jokanovic said the police came out 'the moment they deemed it necessary, and they counted on the citizens having opted for peaceful manifestations and rallies.'

'Only after excess situations began, the police came out, because they never come out if there are no excess situations,' Jokanovic said and underscored that police would never use force against citizens who protest peacefully.

Jokanovic pointed out that no-one, and not even the Belgrade Police Chief who is in charge of regulating city traffic, would undertake anything outside the law.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[05] RUSSIA'S DUMA STONGLY OPPOSES EXTERNAL PRESSURES ON YUGOSLAVIA

Duma backs efforts by the OSCE to ease tensions, warning that any arbitrary extension of the OSCE mission to Yugoslavia and turning it into an instrument of exerting pressure on the country could only have negative effects.

Stressing that all its moves were determined by the interests of stability in the Balkans and Europe, Duma said it was willing to help settle the situation and contribute to a speedy resolution of the crisis in keeping with the principles of democracy and international law.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[06] MONTENEGRIN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BUDGET FOR 1997

Government spendings can only be financed from real sources and by maintaining the budgetary balance, Parliament said. Public revenue will be increased and taxes relaxed by curbing the parallel economy and securing discipline in the tax sector. The channeling of funds will create conditions for the continuation of an active investment and development policy through public works projects, the maintenance of road and railway infrastructure and the spurring of agricultural production.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[07] SERBIAN ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 14.065 BILLION DINAR BUDGET FOR 1997

Serbia's northern Province of Vojvodina will get from the Republican Budget slightly more than 68 million dinars, and the southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija about 13.5 million.

The bulk of the budget funds, or 46 percent - 6.47 billion dinars, are to cover the pays of the about 240,000 employees in state instituions and public services, including the judiciary, education, science, culture and sports. Social, veteran and disablement security is to account for 3.073 billion, a sum 50 percent higher than in 1996. The funds are to cover also vocational training and the rehabilitation of disabled persons,which is a novelty. Economic development incentives will account for 1.8 billion dinars, and the agriculture for 930 million.

The Budget does not cover the roads, but between 900 million and 1 billion dinars will be secured from the road tax included in the price of fuels, other taxes and tolls. The railways will get funds from the Republican Budget only for their terminals in the largest cities in the republic - Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac - and another 900 million from a special sales tax.

The municipalities and urban centres will get a part of the funds from the sales tax. Those which prove unable to secure themselves the funds necessary to meet the set standards will get extra funds from the budget, for which 154 million dinars have been earmarked.

Debt payments to the Central Bank will account for 100 million dinars of the budget, to which end short-term bonds will also be issued.

Finance Minister Dusan Vlatkovic said the bulk of the budget revenues, or 43 percent, would be secured through sales and excise taxes, 42 percent through personal income tax, and the remainder through corporate, property and other taxes.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[08] LOWER CHAMBER OF YUGOSLAV ASSEMBLY ELECTS MEMBERS, PRESIDENTS OF COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS

Ljubisa Ristic of the Yugoslav Left (JUL) was elected President of the Committee for Foreign Policy Relations, Milutin Stojkovic (SPS) President of the Committee for Defense and Security, Zivko Sokolovacki (JUL) for Legislature and Federal Administration, Damjan Seckovic of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS CG) for Foreign Trade, and Djordje Djukic (SPS) for the Credit-Monetary System.

The Committee for Market and Development is headed by Milija Scepanovic (DPS CG), for Agriculture and Villages by Dragan Markovic (SPS), for Federal Budget by Dragisa Pesic (DPS CG), for Labor, Health and Environmental Protection by Milisav Cutovic (JUL, for Public Information by Ivica Dacic (SPS), for Mandate-Immunity issues by Dragisa Ivkovic (SPS).

he following deputies were elected Presidents of the Federal Assembly Commissions: Gorica Gajevic (SPS) for Constitutional Issues, Miroslav Zdravkovic (SPS) for Legislative-Legal Relations, Suzana Salai (JUL) for the Realization of Freedoms, Rights and Duties of the People and Citizens, Milan Bojanic (DPS CG) for Administrative Affairs, Branka Jesic (SPS) for Complaints and Proposals, and Zoran Knezevic (DPS CG) for Operating Procedure.

According to the operating procedure and in agreement with the Lower House President and the deputy group heads, the Committees and Commissions include deputies represented in proportion with the strength of the parties in Parliament.

Lower House President Milomir Minic informed deputies that 'only the political organization Zajedno is still not using its election rights.' He expressed his conviction that issues in connection with elections should be resolved in Parliaments because that was in the interest of the citizens, the state, and its stability.

In the first part of the constitutive session of the Chamber of Citizens held on Dec. 10, 116 of the 138 deputy mandates in that house were verified, because the Coalition Zajedno did not send in a list with the names of its 22 delegates.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

[09] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT UPPER HOUSE ELECTS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Elected for Presidents of Chamber of the Republics Boards are: for Foreign Political and Economic Relations Slobodan Babic from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), for Defense and Security Radmilo Bogdanovic (SPS), for the Judiciary and Federal Administration Stevan Susic from the National Party of Montenegro (NS CG), for the Monetary System Dusan Mihajlovic from New Democracy (ND), for Market and Development Radoje Kontic (DPS CG), for the Federal Budget Dordjije Pribilovic (DPS CG), for Labour, Health and Protection of the Environment Asim Dizdarevic (DPS CG), for Public Information Radivoje Nikcevic (DPS CG), for Mandate-Immunity Issues Momcilo Bojovic (DPS CG) and for the Chamber of the Republics Operating Procedure Miroljub Mladenovic (SPS.

The Chamber of the Republics elected Presidents of Commissions of the Federal Assembly: for Constitutional Issues Gorica Gajevic (SPS), for Legislative-Legal issues Miroslav Zdravkovic (SPS), for Realizing the Freedom, Rights and Duties of Citizens Suzana Salai from the Yugoslav Left, for Administrative Issues Milan Bojanic (DPS CG), for Petitions and Motions Branka Jesic (SPS) and for the Federal Chamber of the Republics Operating Procedure Zoran Knezevic (DPS CG).

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-27 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-26

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