Epilogh MAK-NEWS 21/02/95 (M.I.C.) [*]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MIC:

  1. * TALKS GLIGOROV-VAN DER STOEL:"TIME FOR DIALOGUE"
  2. * PROTEST IN FRONT OF MACEDONIAN EMBASSY
  3. * IN TETOVO - PEACEFUL "CLASSES POSTPONED" - NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUING
  4. * POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN TETOVO MEETING OF ALBANIAN PARTIES
  5. * MEETING OF MACEDONIAN PARTIES IN TETOVO
  6. * FIRST COURT SANCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN CLASHES SEVEN PEOPLE CHARGED
  7. * INVESTIGATION AND TEMPORARY ARREST FOR SULEJMANI
  8. * MUSLIM GRAVES IN KUMANOVO DESECRATED

    MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  9. * FINANCE - NEGOTIATIONS WITH IMF NEARING END
  10. * BUSINESS NEWS - JUGOHROM MADE US$ 36 MILLION FROM EXPORTS
  11. . GASIFICATION - SIGNING OF AGREEMENTS WITH USERS

SKOPJE, 21 FEBRUARY, 1995 (MIC)

  1. TALKS GLIGOROV-VAN DER STOEL:"TIME FOR DIALOGUE"
    The President of the Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov yesterday received the OSCE High Commissioner for minority issues Max van der Stoel. In the talks, which were also attended by the head of the OSCE Mission Tore Bogh, the two sides exchanged opinions on the latest development in Macedonia, following the incident with the so-called "Tetovo University."

    The President informed the guests that the radicalization of the situation in the inter-ethnic relations is profoundly against the peace and stability in the country. He assessed that the escalation of the situation regarding the university in Albanian language is the result of political, and not educational forces, directed toward broader radicalization of the Albanian question in the region.

    It was jointly assessed that the realization of the rights of the nationalities should be done in the framework of the legal institutions, with respect of the Constitution and laws. Those who use political methods and pressure, which lead to more wide-scale inter-ethnic conflicts, have nothing in common with the educational rights of the nationalities.

    On this occasion, President Gligorov reiterated Macedonia's lasting commitment for harmonization of the inter- ethnic relations and adherence to the international standards in the realization of the civil rights and rights of the nationalities. Therefore, President Gligorov underlined, the instigation of inter-ethnic conflict and the use of violence can not be in the interest of any citizen of the RM, regardless of national affiliation.

  2. PROTEST IN FRONT OF MACEDONIAN EMBASSY
    A student protest meeting was held yesterday afternoon in front of the Macedonian embassy in Tirana, as a sign of support for the so-called "Albanian University" in Tetovo. The protest meeting started at the University in Tirana. Afterwards, the students, who were carrying banners and shouting out paroles, headed toward the city center. They held a meeting in front of the building of the Macedonian embassy in Tirana, in which numerous speakers expressed support for the Tetovo University. At the end, the students left a letter of protest in front of the building of the Macedonian embassy.

    Radio Tirana, which broadcast the news about the protest in the afternoon, did not specify the number of students that took part.

  3. IN TETOVO - PEACEFUL "CLASSES POSTPONED" - NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUING
    Yesterday, it was peaceful in Tetovo. The police left the town, while no classes were held in any of the objects of the so-called Tetovo university. However, in the afternoon hours, some twenty villagers from the surrounding villages surrounded the objects, acting as security. In Mala Rechica, the villagers cleaned and re-painted the house in which the mathematics faculty is located. The facade did not have the provocative Serb symbols any longer, written by unknown "authors" who appeared on Saturday morning, before the funeral of the deceased Emini, "Vecer" reports. The field on which the clashes between the police and the demonstrators took place was cleared from the stones that were thrown at the police.

  4. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN TETOVO MEETING OF ALBANIAN PARTIES
    A number of meetings between PDP, NDP and the "Tachists" were held yesterday. The representatives of PDP held a meeting with colleagues from the NDP on PDP premises. "The meetings are directed toward calming the spirits on the territory of the municipality of Tetovo," stated Abdurahman Aliti, president of PDP.

    In regard to the communications with the authorities, Aliti emphasizes that "there are positive steps, including the withdrawal of the police. The talks have to continue because that is the only way of overcoming the problems." Aliti added that PDP's stance is "to adhere to the program orientations which include the high education of the Albanians in their mother tongue, but getting all that through the institutions of the systems, and legally."

    Otherwise, the PDP is not announcing solidarity with NDP and the "Tachists," who have decided temporarily not to take part in the work of the Macedonian Parliament. In NDP, the secretary Bedredin Ibrahimi stated for "Vecer" that they still held the stance of freezing the parliamentary activities.

    According to NDP, the release of the people arrested is a "prerequisite" for continuation of the dialogue.

    Yesterday, the "Tachists" informed they were preparing an initiative to change the Constitution, demanding the changing of the status of the Albanians to a constitutional nation. They called Sulejmani's arrest an undemocratic act.

  5. MEETING OF MACEDONIAN PARTIES IN TETOVO
    The managing organs of the Macedonian political parties from Tetovo held a working meeting late last night, at the end of which they issued an announcement made up of ten items. The announcement appeals to all citizens from the municipality, regardless of national or religious affiliation, to make all efforts to keep the peace and stability, in order to overcoming the deteriorated inter-ethnic relations. It was asked to establish direct contact and dialogue with the leaders of the political parties of the Albanians in Macedonia. They expressed support for the measures of the Macedonian Government and the Interior Ministry for protection of the Constitution and laws, and demanded a ban and sanctioning of all activities connected with the initiative for opening the so-called "Albanian university in Tetovo." Due to a number of incidents, confusion and provocations directed against certain citizens, and particularly participants, the Tetovo police station is urged to provide greater control and protection for all, and particularly these citizens. The announcement stresses that every "gettoization" of the citizens in this municipality, in particular the political subjects means further polarization and danger of more serious conflicts with possible tragic consequences. The Macedonian political parties from Tetovo also want a ban on any misuse of the local Assembly and the units of the local self-government with the favoring and exposition of any nationality, including the material and other means which they posses.

  6. FIRST COURT SANCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN CLASHES
    SEVEN PEOPLE CHARGED The Tetovo District court for minor violations has sentenced seven participants in the clashes in front of the object of the so-called "Albanian university" in Mala Rechica to 30 days in prison. The seven people charged are Sulejman Resiti, Vehab Bajrami, Ruzdi Asani, Naser Durmisi, Fadilja Bekiri, Besim Sabani and Emin Emini. The court determined that during the massive gathering in front of the object in Mala Rechica, these seven did not pull back when the police officers told them to disburse, thereby committing a violation according to article 14 of the Law of torts. The court decision comes into effect immediately.

  7. INVESTIGATION AND TEMPORARY ARREST FOR SULEJMANI
    The Tetovo district public prosecutor Boris Milosavlevski stated for the media that the Interior Ministry brought criminal charges against Fadil Sulejmani, Miljaim Fejzi, Kemal Sabani, Arben Rusi and Arben Murtezani. The Interior Ministry requested that investigations be opened for all five, and that they be held in custody for a period of eight days. Fadil Sulejmani and Miljaim Fejzi were charged under the suspicion of committing the criminal act "participation in a crowd that obstructs an official from carrying out his duties." Kemal Sabani was also charged for "illegal possession of firearms and explosive materials." One automatic rifle, two belts with 60 bullets and one gun were found in his house.

  8. MUSLIM GRAVES IN KUMANOVO DESECRATED
    Yesterday, the Kumanovo police station received reports for the desecration of 35 Muslim graves in the town cemetery. The culprits are still not known, while the police is working intensively on finding out the people who committed this vandal act.

    The Islamic religious community announced yesterday that "this vandal and uncivilized act deeply offends and revolts the citizens of the Albanian nationality in Kumanovo and broader." The Community expects the offenders to be discovered and properly punished. MONEY - Economy, Business, Finance & Market

  9. *** FINANCE - NEGOTIATIONS WITH IMF NEARING END: Mr. Paul Thompsen, head of the mission of the International Monetary Fund in Macedonia, who held negotiations with the Macedonian Government this and last month for the approval of a stand-by arrangement, assessed the Government's stabilization program as successful, and stated that the situation was better than expected.

    He said that the inflation was lower than what was predicted, the foreign currency reserves were growing quickly, and the rate of the denar was also quickly stabilizing. Further on, he said that the lateness in the payments with the budget users had dropped, that the production was still dropping (7% from last year), but that, also, according to Thompsen, exceeded the expectations.

    Mr. Thompsen added that in the sphere of structural changes, progress was relatively slow as the process of determination of basic laws and institutions still lasted, which was necessary for the reformation of the economy. He characterized the structural reforms as particularly important, adding that if they were not conducted, the acquisitions from the stabilization obtained thus far could not be maintained. As Mr. Thompsen added, that would not be possible without the financial rehabilitation of the banks and without the starting of the process of restructuring of the big "losers."

    As for the negotiations, Mr. Thompsen stated that the economic policy for 1995 has been agreed with the Government, and if Parliament supports that program, as well as the IMF management, then he believes an agreement for a stand-by arrangement has been reached.

    Mr. Thompsen mentioned two conditions which he regards as particularly important for the IMF: the structural reforms and the adequate financing of the program by the foreign creditors. As to the funds, the process of finding them started only a month or two ago, and is expected to last just as long.

    In relation to concrete sums and the way of using the funds, Mr. Thompsen stated that fresh money, up to US$ 200-250 million is expected to come in 1995 and the first quarter of 1996, as well as the reprogramming of around US$ 200 million.

    Around US$ 85 million are expected from the World Bank, US$ 50 million from the IMF, and the remaining US$ 60-80 million are expected to be obtained from other creditors with which negotiations are underway. The money is to be delivered in five installments.

  10. *** BUSINESS NEWS - JUGOHROM MADE US$ 36 MILLION FROM EXPORTS: Last year, the chemical combine "Jugohrom" from Jegunovce, Tetovo region, ended the year with foreign currency earnings of US$ 36 million. The Combine markets its products mainly in the U.S.A., Germany, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria. The ratio between the imported raw materials and exported products is 1:4.

    The earnings would have probably been much greater had it not been for the blockades, in particular the port in Salonika, which the combine used. At present, the Combine's products are transported through the port in Burgas.

  11. *** GASIFICATION - SIGNING OF AGREEMENTS WITH USERS: During this week, the investor of the gas line GAMA-800 "Makpetrol" and the Gasification Office, on one side, will sign agreements with 37 Macedonian firms that have shown an interest in using the natural gas.

    Every signee of the agreement will gain the right for the investor to provide him with a connecting link up to the location of the consumer, as well as a measuring station, over the course of the year.

    This agreement binds the deliverer to continually deliver natural gas, with certain physical-chemical attributes, up to the year 2010.

    As to the price, it will be coordinated with the price of the natural gas on the world market.