MAK-NEWS 17/05/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>

CONTENTS

  • [01] US WILL FULLY SUPPORT MACEDONIA'S SECURITY

  • [02] EVERT PLEASED BY US STANCES

  • [03] OSCE OFFER TO MEDIATE TURNED DOWN

  • [04] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS

  • [05] ALBANIAN VISAS AGAIN TO COST $25

  • [06] GOVERNMENT REGULATES CHAOS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING

  • [07] REACTIONS BY PRIVATE RADIO AND TV STATIONS

  • [08] USA-MACEDONIA CHARTER FLIGHTS

  • [09] RAISING MUSHROOMS PROFITABLE

  • [10] CULTURE

  • [11] STATISTIC FIGURES

  • [12] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: PARTY ROWS ABOUT MONEY (Vecher, 15 May 1995)

    •

    M I L S N E W S

    Skopje, 17 May 1995

    [01] US WILL FULLY SUPPORT MACEDONIA'S SECURITY

    Following the talks with Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski, US Secretary of Defense William Perry said in Washington "security of the entire Balkans is of high importance for the United States. FYROM has an important role in this, as it is placed in between ongoing conflicts in Bosnia and in the southern parts of the Balkans. We believe security is of prime importance and the US should have close working and military relations with the region. This will not only be good for this country, but is also necessary for security in the entire region. I think the UN forces are playing quite a significant role in Bosnia and Croatia and I hope they will not be withdrawn. If they are, we will most certainly seriously consider increasing the number of UN troops currently deployed in Macedonia. Countries having troops in the area should discuss this between themselves and with Macedonia. We did mention the possibility of an increase during our talks today, but we did not insist on a promise and I do not believe the Macedonian government could give such a promise." The Macedonian minister, on the other hand, said, "We believe the UN peacekeeping troops should remain in Bosnia. Their role there is positive and, should they be withdrawn, the situation can only become even worse. The first question is what to do to improve their safety there and how to keep them in the field until the international community finds an appropriate solution to the crisis in Bosnia and Croatia." The meetings between the two working groups focused on the best ways to distribute the $250,000 US aid for Macedonia for training of Macedonian army officers. They also discussed the request submitted to President Bill Clinton and the State Department by the US Secretary of Defense for an additional $1 million for the development of a security system in Macedonia. The US provides such aid only to country members of the Partnership for Peace initiative. The Secretary stated satisfaction with the program for cooperation with the Macedonia "Bridge to America", also carried out only with Partnership for Peace members. The Macedonian delegation also visited several military bases and training centers.

    [02] EVERT PLEASED BY US STANCES

    In the recent meetings with US vice-president Al Gore and Secretary of State Warren Christopher, the leader of the Greek left-wing, Miltiades Evert, said he was content with America's viewpoint on Greece's crucial national issues. Evert mentioned the talks included Greek-Turkish relations and the Macedonian issue.

    [03] OSCE OFFER TO MEDIATE TURNED DOWN

    The media in Greece report that the Greek government has turned down the OSCE offer of mediation between Athens and Skopje, aimed at lifting the Greek veto on admitting Macedonia into OSCE. The reason stated was that Athens considers the veto as an integral part of the negotiations.

    [04] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS

    The president of the Republic of Macedonia appointed Dr. Gane Todorovski, current ambassador of Macedonia to the Russian Federation, to be an accredited ambassador to Belorussia. The president also appointed Macedonia's ambassador to Germany, Srgjan Kerim,to be an ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the Swiss Federation.

    [05] ALBANIAN VISAS AGAIN TO COST $25

    Beginning yesterday, the Republic of Albania raised the fee for entry visas to $25 for Macedonian citizens traveling there. The visas were previously reduced to $10, but as the Macedonian government had failed to introduce a reciprocal reduction of its visas, the Albanian authorities decided to raise their fee, Makpress reports from Tirana. The Macedonian side, however, claims it had initiated a bilateral agreement to regulate the visa system with Albania, but that the Albanian government has not yet responded. The cost of entry visas to Macedonia is 900 Denars for all border-crossings, and $10 in Macedonian diplomatic offices abroad, for all countries with an entry visa system.

    [06] GOVERNMENT REGULATES CHAOS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING

    At yesterday's press-conference of the Macedonian government, Minister of Transport and Communication Dimitar Buzlevski told reporters that, due to the current real chaos and piracy in the public broadcasting system, the Ministry decided to ban the work of about 250 private radio and television stations. So far, he said, only 24 stations have been ordered to cease broadcasting, but an action is underway in the entire country. He added that the grounds for the ban are of a technical nature. Inspectors of other ministries have been made available, since there have been reports of some stations' refusing to obey the order. The minister announced harsh measures against those who do not comply. He also said the TV transmitter on Gazi Baba in Skopje has been forbidden to broadcast and that the order in which stations are banned is purely accidental (answering to questions why A1, Sitel, MTV Channel 3 and Radio 103 have not been closed down). Buzlevski said he is unable to say why those preceding him in office had not established order in public broadcasting. Asked about the ministry's treatment of Macedonian Television, he said the ministry is working in compliance with the law, upon a fundamental parliament act and a government decision to regulate the current broadcasting system. Buzlevski said 4 ministries have already been assigned to prepare coordinating laws to regulate the sphere. Until this is done, he said, the ministry will be issuing frequency licenses in accordance with its plan.

    [07] REACTIONS BY PRIVATE RADIO AND TV STATIONS

    - At yesterday's meeting in Skopje, the 57 members of the Association of Private Radio and TV Stations in Macedonia, embittered by the measures implemented by the ministry, claimed the government acted without any appropriate laws or regulations. They decided to have the banned TV and radio stations included on the air again, and released the following protest announcement on all private TV stations every day at 7 p.m.: "The Association of Private Radio and TV Stations in Macedonia urgently demand that the Government of Macedonia adopt a law and technical criteria on public broadcasting, regulate the work of electronic media and create equal legal bases for participation of private radio and TV stations in the informing of the country. Considering the previous work to be a contribution to the pluralism in the country, the Association requests that the private radio and TV stations be issued temporary working licenses. Citizens of Macedonia are called on to state their views with competent government agencies." The announcement will include the telephone numbers of the minister of transport and communication, the prime minister, parliament president and the president of the country. The Association formed a working group to follow the procedure of initiating a law. - A1 Television dissociated itself from the Association's appeal, saying, "this time, just like before, there is again no answer to the question as to who allowed the chaos in public broadcasting and which law will regulate serious attempts to work as a medium."

    [08] USA-MACEDONIA CHARTER FLIGHTS

    Reach International Airways of the United States announced it will organize 4 charter flights between Macedonia and the US this summer. Passengers will be able to fly via Detroit- London-Skopje-London-Detroit on DC-8-862 planes.

    [09] RAISING MUSHROOMS PROFITABLE

    Profits of $12 million have been earned last year in Macedonia by raising mushrooms. The largest importer of Macedonian mushrooms is Italy; it has bought mushrooms worth a total of $7.462,000. At the same time, Macedonia has also imported mushrooms worth $7 million in 1994. The Chamber of Commerce is currently planning a series of measures to increase and improve the production and standardization of the processing and the issuing of licenses.

    [10] CULTURE

    The French Cultural Center in Skopje and the Association of Artists in Macedonia has organized an exhibition of paintings by the French painter Claude Der'ven, to be ceremoniously opened at 8 p.m. on May 18, at the premises of the Skopje Academy of Arts.

    [11] STATISTIC FIGURES

    The latest May figures of movements in the macro economy show that the government's macroeconomics policy has yielded certain general results, despite the fact that the number of insolvent companies is constantly growing, along with the number of unemployed, and the production is on a downward trend. The foreign currency reserves of the state, nevertheless, are increasing and the inflation rate is going down. According to data presented by the ministry of development, the payment ability of Macedonian companies is constantly being worsened and there are more and more insolvent enterprises (both private and social) with higher and higher debts. By March this year, this figure amounted to 2,212 insolvent companies with some 89,000 employees and unsettled debts totaling nearly 4 billion Denars. More than half of these companies are continuously insolvent, with accounts blocked for 60 days throughout the year or 60 days within the last 75 days. The data of the same ministry on the movement of inflation in the country are somewhat brighter. According to them, retail prices in April were higher by 0.6 per cent against the previous month, while living costs went up by 0.3 per cent. Yet, these figures refer to movements in the real and financial sectors and often create a contradiction between the declared and realized macroeconomics policy. Thus, the industrial production continues to fall and presents the darkest factor in the overall economic movements. In the first quarter of the year, production fell by 18.6 per cent in cumulative terms, as compared with the same period in 1994. The number of employees in the industry also fell; 7,600 employees lost their jobs throughout last year. Yet, the number of employees in non-productive companies went up from 84,000 to 85,200 which is far from showing rationalization measures in these branches, so loudly announced earlier. The number of those seeking employment is also growing by the month; the Employment Office has registered 198,700 job-seekers so far. While the economy is facing extreme difficulties, the public sector seems safely protected against hard times. The total revenues aimed at financing this sector are also constantly growing, reaching a total of 5.3 billion Denars by March this year. The state and local municipalities' budgets seem to be in the most favorable position and the situation in the pension and unemployment fund also appear to be improving. Monthly figures on realized foreign currency transactions indicate that the total turnover of foreign currencies on the market amounted to $100 million in March, with the National Bank of Macedonia having bought $6.6 million and sold $4.7 million in that period. A month before (in February) the National Bank had purchased $4 million and sold $4.4 million. And, despite an obvious increase in the purchase of foreign currencies, the foreign currency reserves appear to be increasing ($169.9 million in February and $178.9 million in March), which does not seem to be in correlation with the foreign currency transactions of the central bank in Macedonia.

    [12] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: PARTY ROWS ABOUT MONEY

    (Vecher, 15 May 1995)

    The leadership of the Liberal Party announced its intention to bring criminal charges with the Public Prosecution against Minister Jane Miljovski, on grounds of abuse of authority for the purpose of obtaining personal profit. The Liberals claim that Miljovski ordered that finances (a total of 8.113,242 Denars - or DM 280,000) approved in compliance with the Law on Electing Parliament Deputies be transferred to the account of the Social Democratic Alliance (SDSM), instead of to the account of the Liberal Party. "Up until today, the party has not received the agreed amount supposed to compensate for a part of our campaign expenses. We inquired with the Ministry of Finance on three occasions to find out why this is so. The first time, we were told that there is no money in the budget. When we reminded them that other parties have already received compensation, they came up with a ridiculous explanation. They did not know our bank account, they said. Although the account is by no means hard to find out, we submitted the number to the competent ministry, only to receive another funny explanation. The amount set aside for the Liberal Party, they told us, has been transferred to the account of SDSM," says Ace Kocevski, Liberal Party secretary and coordinator of the parliament group. The party found the reply unsatisfactory since, as they explain, the money could not have been transferred to SDSM for the simple reason that the latter is not a legal entity. "And, finally, when they could not come up with anything else, they told us that the finances have gone to the account of SDSM," Kocevski says. Should it be proven that a minister, and SDSM vice- president, has taken over finances aimed for the Liberal Party, there will no doubt be an "affair number one" in the state, particularly because the accusation comes from a coalition partner in the government. All this would not end by simply bringing charges against Miljovski; it would be bound to have far more serious consequences for the parties in power. Officials in the Ministry of Finance, however, persistently claim that the story of the Liberals is totally groundless. "It is absolutely untrue that the finances set aside for the Liberal Party have been transferred to the account of SDSM or any other party," says Stojna Najdenovska, under- secretary in the ministry, authorized by the minister himself to inform the public of the case. "It is true that the State Election Commission decided to grant the finances to the Alliance for Macedonia. We asked the Commission to divide the amount among parties constituting the Alliance in accordance with the determined criteria. Once this was done, we asked the parties to submit their bank accounts so that we would be able to execute the transfer. The Liberal Party submitted their account later than the others and, due to a pressure on the budget and insufficient income of funds, we were not in the position to pay them their compensation." Najdenovska underlines that the amount and the Liberal Party's right to it are not at all disputable, assuring it will be paid to them the very same moment when the budget is filled. Ljubomir Popovski, SDSM secretary, also refuted rumors of the money having arrived at his party's account. "It is true that finances are arriving at our account, but this is only the sum approved by the State Election Commission." Leaders of SDSM say this is only an attempt of the Liberals to put pressure on the ministry and make them pay out the sum sooner. Backstage comments, however, say the Liberals are taking advantage of the event in order to get back at minister Miljovski, as they wished his position for a member of their own when cabinet duties were assigned.

    (end)

    mils-news 16 May '95

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute
    news2html v2.07 run on Wednesday, 17 May 1995 - 12:06:33