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

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:

  1. * GLIGOROV RECEIVES COMMISSIONER VAN DER STOEL
  2. * STOEL CALLS FOR CALM AND DIALOGUE
  3. * KOSOVO STUDENTS PROTEST IN TIRANA
  4. * BOTH SIDES READY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS
  5. * COURSES AT TETOVO UNIVERSITY TEMPORARILY HALTED
  6. * MACEDONIAN PARTIES IN TETOVO HOLD MEETING
  7. * 35 MUSLIM GRAVES DESTROYED IN KUMANOVO
  8. * GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER FEARS WAR IN MACEDONIA
  9. * ITALIAN MEDIA COMMENTS ON TETOVO UNIVERSITY
  10. * PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFS
  11. . BITOLA PARLIAMENT DEPUTY ELECTED
  12. . HUMANITARIAN AID BRIEFS
  13. . CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSMEN CONTINUE THEIR HUNGER STRIKE
  14. . ELECTRICITY PRICE INCREASE GOES TO THE COURTS
  15. * MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: CHARGES ALREADY LAID

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 21 February 1995

  1. GLIGOROV RECEIVES COMMISSIONER VAN DER STOEL
    Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov yesterday received the OSCE High Commissioner of Minority Issues, Max Van der Stoel, accompanied by Tore Bogh, Chief of the OSCE Mission in Macedonia. They discussed the latest developments regarding the university in Tetovo. Speaking on the current political situation in the country, Gligorov stressed that the radicalization of ethnic relations is contrary to Macedonia's interest in peace and stability. He said reasons for the escalation of the events in Tetovo are political and not educational, and the final goal is a wider radicalization of the Albanian question in the region. They all concluded that minorities must seek their rights within legal institutions and that attempts by radical forces to reach goals through political pressure have nothing in common with education. Gligorov repeated Macedonia's firm determination to harmonize ethnic relations and grant minorities all rights safeguarded by international conventions. Therefore, he said, ethnic conflicts and violence are not in the interest of any Macedonian citizen, regardless of their national affiliation.

    Max Van der Stoel yesterday also met with Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, Minister of Interior Ljubomir Frchkovski and Minister of Education Emilija Simoska.

  2. STOEL CALLS FOR CALM AND DIALOGUE
    OSCE High Commissioner Van der Stoel told reporters, "It is my strong belief that now is the time for calmness and efforts by both sides to maintain peace. It is a common interest of all in this country to live together in harmony. The incident which occurred last Friday may disturb this harmony. I firmly believe that any further escalation of the tension will not be in the interest of any part of the population in this region. Now is not the time for massive demonstrations, but for dialogue, since mutually acceptable solutions can be reached only through dialogue. The university issue is emphasized too much. In my personal opinion, all these issues may be discussed within the framework of the preparations of the higher education law. It is just not possible to seek solutions for problems such as the university question by illegal means. What I heard from President Gligorov is important, as he intends to direct all his efforts toward implementation of all relevant OSCE resolutions, particularly those concerning various population groups and minorities. I think solutions to all problems your country is facing may be found only on such a basis."

  3. KOSOVO STUDENTS PROTEST IN TIRANA
    Macedonian Television reports members of the Association of Kosovo Students "Dardania" held a protest march in front of the Macedonian embassy in Tirana. They demanded the immediate release of Fadil Suleimani, rector of the university in Tetovo. Makfaks says the protest began at the university in Tirana and students then marched to the Macedonian embassy where they left a written protest in front of the building.

  4. BOTH SIDES READY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS
    The situation in Tetovo is slowly being normalized. Political leaders continue to call for calm and to overcome current differences. Police patrols have stopped in Mala Rechica and Poroy, although groups of villagers, UNPROFOR representatives and other monitoring missions are still in the streets. Leaders of the Albanian political parties are still in continuous meetings. Macedonian Radio says NDP secretary Bedredin Ibraimi said the situation is being normalized. This party is continually contacting other parties of Albanians in Macedonia, discussing ways to resolve the problem and deal with key issues for the Albanian minority with the Macedonian authorities. Thus far, Ibraimi said, readiness to resolve problems has been shown by both sides.

    Leaders and deputies of PDP held a meeting yesterday with NDP leaders. PDP president Abdurahman Haliti spoke of signs of disturbance still to be seen in Tetovo, but he said, it is good that the police have withdrawn. "We will continue to insist on resolving all disputable issues through the legal institutions and all activities will be within the country's legal framework." Haliti said demands for an immediate release of Suleimani are justified. Charges brought against some of the imprisoned Albanians could also be ascribed to some VMRO-DPMNE leaders for their activities of two years ago, when they called the Macedonian people to a rebellion. Suleimani's statements are mild compared with their statements, Nova Makedonija cites Haliti as saying.

  5. COURSES AT TETOVO UNIVERSITY TEMPORARILY HALTED
    The university in Tetovo will cease its work until the committee, formed from parties of Albanians, announces the result of their negotiations with Macedonian authorities, says Masar Kodra, member of the Tetovo university Rector's Office, according to a Makpress report.

  6. MACEDONIAN PARTIES IN TETOVO HOLD MEETING
    The block of Macedonian political parties and associations in Tetovo held a meeting yesterday to discuss the political and security situation in the region. They passed resolutions supporting the law-and-order protection measures undertaken by the Macedonian government and the Ministry of Interior. They requested that all activities connected with the university in Tetovo be forbidden and efforts be aimed at reaching a consensus between all Macedonian political parties in Tetovo and western Macedonia. Deciding to start a direct dialogue with all leaders of parties of Albanians, the Macedonian parties appealed to citizens in and around Tetovo to contribute to peace and stability.

  7. 35 MUSLIM GRAVES DESTROYED IN KUMANOVO
    The police said 35 Moslem graves have been destroyed and an investigation is in progress. The Kumanovo Islamic religious community leaders issued a statement to say the barbarous and uncivilized act deeply offends and embitters ethnic Albanians of Kumanovo and other towns. Therefore, they expect that the police will find and punish those responsible. The case has caused anxiety among all citizens of Kumanovo, as this is the first such case of desecration

  8. GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER FEARS WAR IN MACEDONIA
    Yesterday's issue of the London-based Guardian newspaper expressed concern with further events in Macedonia, following the recent incident in Tetovo. Makfaks cites the paper as saying ethnic Albanians might leave parliament and form their own assembly. Stating that ethnic Albanians have become more radical in their demands after last October's elections, the Guardian writes of the concern by western diplomats in Skopje with a possibility of a war in this former republic of Yugoslavia, thus far left out of the conflicts in the region.

  9. ITALIAN MEDIA COMMENTS ON TETOVO UNIVERSITY
    Regarding the incident in Tetovo, the Italian paper La Vocce writes: "The situation in Macedonia is not peaceful; incidents occurred two days ago in Tetovo where ethnic Albanians tried to establish their own university. Ethnic Albanians make up 20 per cent of the population in Macedonia, which has a total of two million citizens... The thus far the tolerant policy of President Gligorov has succeeded in maintaining peace, thanks to allowing representatives of ethnic Albanians to hold office in the Macedonian government. Yet fears are that Tirana is trying to increase ethnic tensions and even cause conflicts in the region... More than anywhere else, the dream of a Greater Albania is alive in Tirana. Albanian extremists in Macedonia are apparently provided with guns by Tirana. Knowing Albania is supported by Turkey, and Greece by Serbia - historic enemies - it is easily predictable what kinds of scenarios are possible in the region of the southern Balkans."

  10. PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFS
    Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 22), the Macedonian Parliament is to continue its debate on the remaining points on the agenda of the tenth session. It is to be immediately followed by an eleventh session, focused on ratification of agreements on cooperation between the Macedonian government and the governments of Slovenia, Albania, Croatia and Turkey. Upon government suggestion, parliament is to hold a session next Thursday to discuss the economic policy and financial support by the IMF and World Bank. Meanwhile, members of parliament yesterday adopted the proposal of issuing diplomatic passports to MP's. The law will grant all MP's, along with politicians and the directors of state institutions the right to such a passport.

  11. BITOLA PARLIAMENT DEPUTY ELECTED
    Out of the total number of 17,775 registered voters in Bitola, nearly 24 per cent went to the polls to elect a Bitola parliament deputy last Sunday. Branirod Mihajlovski of the Alliance for Macedonia won a seat in parliament with 1,509 votes.

  12. HUMANITARIAN AID BRIEFS
    - The Italian government will send 3,300 tons of cattle food concentrate as humanitarian aid to Macedonia. The first package of 1,564 tons is expected to arrive in Macedonia next week.

    - The Italian humanitarian organization CRIC, financed by ECHO, is involved in the project to support 25 boarding houses and homes for orphans in Macedonia. More than 20,000 school children will receive food, clothing, linen and hygiene products, all worth up to 900,000 German Marks.

  13. CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSMEN CONTINUE THEIR HUNGER STRIKE
    Andre Radinovski and Mihajlo Srbakovski, both construction businessmen in Vevchani, Macedonia, have been on a hunger strike in Maribor, Slovenia, for 18 days. They are protesting against the unfulfilled promise by the Slovenian construction firm Gradis to pay 250,000 German Marks for their contract work in Russia. Two days ago, Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski sent a written request to his Slovenian counterpart Zoran Toler, asking him to personally look into the matter. Macedonian cultural associations in Slovenia requested meetings with President Kuchan and the mayor of Maribor.

  14. ELECTRICITY PRICE INCREASE GOES TO THE COURTS
    Three weeks after the last electricity price increase, several associations and the Trade Union Alliance submitted have sent appeals to the Constitutional Court, demanding a re-examination of the constitutionality of the decision. Aspects to be re-examined are the constitutional principle of equality, coordination between ways of forming prices and the Energy Law, and the relation between the price and prices of other services within the framework of the macroeconomics policy. Due to the complexity of the issue, the re-examination process may last from three to six months.

  15. MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: CHARGES ALREADY LAID
    Following the investigation, the Tetovo District Court judge issued an eight-day imprisonment for Dr. Fadil Suleimani, Miljaim Fejzi, Arben Rusi, Miljaim Shabani, and Shabani Kjemal.

    SITEL Television yesterday announced that Tetovo police submitted demands to the Public Prosecutor's Office for criminal charges against Fadil Suleimani, Miljaim Fejzi, Arben Rusi, Miljaim Shabani, and Shabani Kjemal. The Public Prosecutor initiated a demand for an investigation and the temporary imprisonment of Fadil Suleimani and Miljaim Fejzi, on grounds of their having committed a criminal act of inciting people to resistance, in accordance with article 206 of the Criminal Code; the imprisonment of Kjemal Shabani on the grounds of illegal possession of weapons, in accordance with article 218 of the Criminal Code (the search of his house revealed an automatic rifle - Tompson, caliber 45, a revolver of caliber 6.35 mm, and 9 pieces of ammunition); and imprisonment of Arben Rusi, Arben Murtezani and Shabani Kjemal, on the grounds of belonging to a crowd preventing policed officers from exercising their duty, in accordance with article 205, point 2 of the same law. Fadil Suleimani and Miljaim Fejzi are also accused of having continually incited people to resistance and disobedience of the 19 of February decision of the Macedonian government and appropriate measures of the Ministry of Interior, concerning the university in Tetovo, from the end of 1994 until 17 February 1995, through the media and at public gatherings. The indictment cites Fadil Suleimani as stating "... should the Macedonian government try to stop us, everything will go to hell" in a 2 December, 1994, interview with the paper Nova Makedonija. At the end of January, 1995, defendant Miljam Fejzi called for disobedience of the said government decision during a television show, warning that the university will be defended with all means possible. On 13 February, 1995, defendants Suleimani and Fejzi brought a statutory decision declaring the autonomy of the university in Tetovo. On 16 and 17 February, 1995, the two defendants addressed crowds in the villages of Mala Rechica and Poroy, saying "... come tomorrow in big numbers, to defend us from the police," warning the police not to "...stop us, because 200,000 people will be defending us." As a result of their activities, large crowds of people gathered in Mala Rechica on 17 February, 1995, to prevent the police from undertaking measures as ordered by the Macedonian government. The crowds started fighting with and throwing stones and even opening fire at police officers, causing a considerable damage. Police and Macedonian Television vehicles were damaged and police officers, journalists and onlookers were wounded, and Emini Abduselam of the village of Lisec was killed. Fadil Suleimani and Miljaim Fejzi are facing a possible one- to five-year sentence. Arben Rusi, Arben Murtezani and Shaban Keljami, accused of belonging to a militant crowd, may be sentenced for one to three years. Shaban Kjemal is also facing a one- to ten-year sentence for illegal possession of arms. The current imprisonment order may last up to three months in order to prevent any possibilities of escape, repetition of the activities, and to enable a more successful investigation.

    Makpress reports that seven ethnic Albanians from have been sentenced to 30 days imprisonment for refusing to leave the university in Mala Rechica, on 17 February, 1995, where a crowd was disturbing the law and order. Due to the seriousness of their violation and in order to prevent them from repeating the same activities, the court decided to start implementing the decision at once, before the decision even becomes legally effective.