MAK-NEWS 21/09/91 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 21 September 1995

[01] MACEDONIA IS A GOOD PLACE FOR INVESTMENTS

Macedonian radio informs, aid given from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Macedonia amounts DM 120 million. An agreement is to be reached for investment of another DM 25 million. The money will be for financing projects in the infrastructure and support of the private initiative in the Republic, it was said at the yesterday press conference with the representatives of this financial institution. The cooperation between BERD and Macedonia will be based on the proposals of profitable projects, The Vice President Ron Freeman stressed that Macedonia is a good place for investment and the given aid to Macedonia is two times larger per capita than the help already given to another 24 countries.

The delegation of BERD was received yesterday by the Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov, who emphasized the importance of the aid.

[02] PROMOTING OF THE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH THE USA

Yesterday , a delegation of the US Defense Ministry led by the Army Secretary Toggo Vest, came for a one day visit to the Republic to Macedonia. The military delegation, including the Commandant of the US Army for Europe, General Krauc, was received by the President Kiro Gligorov who greeted the current development of the cooperation between the two countries in the defense field and stated conviction that with the establishment of the full diplomatic relations this cooperation will be more dynamic and more cooperative.

The US Secretary of the Army repeated readiness of its country for promotion of the programs for cooperation between the two armies and informed that US will stand by Macedonia in this field on international level.

The military delegation met with the Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski and Macedonian Chief- of- Staff, General Colonel Dragoljub Bocinov.

[03] GLIGOROV TO VISIT NEW YORK

Two days ago in New York the 50th meeting of the UN General Assembly started. The Republic of Macedonia as a full time member of the UN actively participated in the work of this meeting. The Macedonian Ambassador Goce Petrevski was elected as the chairman of the UN Committee for Economic Issues. Meantime, the 50th anniversary of the UN will be celebrated on October 22-25. Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov will take part in the event, while in the general debate Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski will participate.

[04] POSSIBLE COMPROMISE WITH MACEDONIA

After the progress in Greek-Macedonian relations it is possible to achieve soon and reasonable compromise with Skopje regarding the name issue, A1 TV reports on the predictions of the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Georgi Pirinski, in the Bulgarian Parliament. The Chief of the Bulgarian diplomacy informed the parliamentarians with the fact that due to the language problem between Bulgaria and Macedonia 23 documents are not signed.

[05] EVERT IS PUSHING THE 'LARGE PACKAGE'

According to Athens News Agency, main opposition Nea Democratia party leader Miltiades Evert today urged its European partners and US President Bill Clinton not to extend recognition to FYROM under any name before the issue is resolved.

According to ND spokesman Vassilis Magginas, in letters to the EU Prime Ministers and Clinton, Evert urging that "until the name issue is definitely resolved" , they should "in no instance proceed to recognition of Skopje, at bilateral and multilateral level, under any name other than the temporary name of FYROM". Evert further outlined his party's positions on the issue, explaining the reasons why ND endorsed a comprehensive negotiation, known as the "large package".

Magginas also called on Greek Prime MInister Anderas Papandreou to raise Greece's national issues at the forthcoming EU summit in Majorca, specifically, the FYROM name issue and the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' accession to the EU. He also said Papanderou should aim at advancement of Common Foreign and Defense Policy during the EU summit.

[06] YUGOSLAVIA WILL NOT RECOGNIZE MACEDONIA

Regardless of the phases in which Macedonian-Greek relations go through, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic, until recently ambassador in Athens, after the meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and the Chief of the Diplomacy Karolos Papoulias, stated today that his country will not recognize Republic of Macedonia, before the solving of the name issue.

In Athens it did not pass unnoticed the message form the Greek Republic President Kostas Stephanopoulos and the Prime Minister Papandreou to President Kiro Gligorov reported lately evening and without any comment. Among the other, the message stressed that President Stephanopoulios gives to the agreement of New York great importance for improvement and enforcement of the relations between the two countries and adds: "However, I 'm obliged to note that there is unsolved important issue. I hope that an honest answer to it will provide a final solution for establishing the relations in interest of both countries and nations".

[07] AMERICAN-GREEK REGIONAL INVESTMENT INITIATIVE

According to Athens News Agency, more than 50 US businessmen and senior executives of major Greek and American companies began crucial talks in Athens yesterday on joint investment initiatives in Greece and neighboring countries.

The 22 American businessmen, 10 Greek representatives of American multinationals and 22 Greek entrepreneurs comprise the informal Greek American Business council set up a year-and-a-half ago.

Informed sources said the investment interest is focusing on infrastructure projects in telecommunications, informatics, foodstuffs, the agro-industry and constructions.

The Greek side is particularly interested in attracting investment activity to Northern Greece and Thrace and in turning the are a springboard for cross-border business cooperation in the Balkans.

The same sources said that the expected normalization of relation between Athens and Skopje following the recent interim agreement signed in New York "creates a particularly auspicious conjuncture" for the conference.

[08] NEW FLAG - GOLDEN SUN ON RED BASE

As A1 TV informs, calling on its sources, the new symbol on the Macedonian flag most probably will be a sun with eight sunrays on a red base. Meantime, there are two possible variants for the flag, actually the length of the sunrays. Proposers of the new symbol are a group of delegates of the election coalition "Alliance for Macedonia" and that their number may be over 80 parliamentarians.

[09] THE UNION AGREED WITH THE GOVERNMENT

Union Council of Macedonia at their yesterday meeting discussed and adopted the information for the talks with the Government and the Director of the Agency for Privatization regarding the process of transformation of the state capital.

There is an agreement to be signed between the Union and the Government, according to which the workers during the process of privatization gain the right of random of 10% of the capital with 2 years of grace period and installment payment in 5 years. The stocks should bear the right of profit and management with the enterprise and it will be possible to be reassigned or sold after the grace period. Parallel with the privatization is going on the process of signing the collective agreements for prevention of non-controlled dismissal of the workers.

[10] PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFS

Macedonian Parliament finished yesterday its 25th session. Parliamentarians adopted the suggestion for change of the Law for cooperatives, but did not adopt the Draft-law for cooperatives, while the adoption of the Law for high education was postponed due to the absence of the minister. Parliamentarians adopted the Draft- resolution for the Dojran lake for prevention of further ecological catastrophe of this lake, and were ratified several bilateral arrangements between the Governments of Macedonia,Turkey and China.

The second session of the Interparliamentarian group of the Macedonian Parliament was also held yestrday. The members of the parliamentarian group in the Interaparliamentarian Council for a period for two years were elected, Stojan Andov who is now President of the Macedonian Parliament, and Tito Petkovski, who is now Vice President of the Parliament. They adopted a platform as a base for participation of the Macedonian delegation at the 94th Conference of the Inter parliamentarian Union to be held in Bucharest, October 9-14.

[11] ACTIVATING THE WORK OF REFINERY

After 14 months of work cease, actually after the imposing of the Greek embargo, the Refinery "Skopje" announces reactivating of the work in the middle of October. The beginning of the work is connected with the opening of the Greek-Macedonian border. Unofficially, as A1 TV reports, the Greek side will lift the impediment on October 16.

[12] TENSION FOR THE SCHOOL IN OGNJANCI

Yesterday in the Skopje village Ognjanci, a group of citizens of Macedonian and Serbian nationality, tried to prevent the entrance in the school to 40 children of Albanian nationality. There was no incident because the police without using force dispersed the gathered people. The Ministry for Education has decided to include the teaching on the Albanian language for the Albanian children in the same school. Those protesting think that the school was built by them, and will not allow their children to learn in combined classes with children from different grades. They offer a solution - the children of Albanian nationality to continue their education in the former barrack in the village, until the Ministry reconsiders its own decision and finally decides who the school building will be given to.

Ministry of Education, Emilija Simoska, for the Macedonian TV stated the Ministry does not intend to succumb to any kind of formal pressure and unless there is some disturbances among local people, assistance from Ministry of Interior will be asked.

[13] NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR THE CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION

In the Macedonian Custom Administration yesterday was presented the latest version of system ASYCUDA, which is to be introduced soon in this institution. The Software, costing 1,6 million ECU is financed by the Association of the Customs of EU through program PHARE. Installing of the computer system will speed the exchange of goods in the Republic and its documentation.

[14] YOUTH OPEN THEATER

September, 23 to October 6 , in Skopje is to be held the festival Youth Open Theater. This manifestation has its own tradition of 19 years and tries to present the latest stage forms and modern theatrical expression. During these two weeks there are to be performed about 30 performances from 15 countries. The entrance is free.

[15] END OF SUMMER TIME COUNTING

The summer time counting this year ends in September 24, at 3 a.m. so that with the returning of the clock for one hour back the time at 3 o'clock will be counted as 2 o'clock.

MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT :

[16] SIGNED THE DEFEAT OF MACEDONIAN FOREIGN POLICY

(Nova Makedonija, 21 September) VMRO-DPMNE stands for good neighboring relations and cooperation with all neighboring countries, for peace in the Balkans and resolving of all the disputable issues through a peaceful way, through negotiations on equal base and mutual respect, including the Republic of Greece. However, We do think that the dispute with this our neighboring country regarding several constitutional articles, the flag and the name of Republic of Macedonia is imposed, made up and that several other countries persist in allowing Greece to be its spokesman and to unable the creation of independent Republic of Macedonia.

We are familiar, in the recent past, with the prohibitions, trials and penalties for the Macedonians during the Serbian occupation when they used the name Macedonians. In this sense the temporary agreement signed by Stevo Crvenkovski and Karolos Papoulias, and its signing is the price of establishment of Macedonian authority with falsified elections on a state level which got the support and legitimacy from certain international political factors which made the pressure to accept such an act.

To VMRO-DPMNE the international agreements which were signed by the current illegitimate authority, and which by the way are damagable and deeply interfere with the fundamental and strategic national interests and have far more consequences on the sovereignty and integrity of the Macedonian state, are non-valid and illegitimate.

With the acceptance of the agreement by the self-elected minister Stevo Crvenkovski, is signed the defeat of the Macedonian foreign policy in the dispute with the Republic of Greece, although it was persistently denied. It is accepted so called small package which Greece has offered 19 months ago and its unacceptance was the reason for the imposing of the embargo. Today, even greater paradox are the activities made by the illegitimate authority, in conditions of embargo which has greatly damaged the Macedonian economy are accepted the Greek demands. As a matter of fact, it seals for a longer period the name FYROM, although the authority through severely controlled medias with systematic brain -washing of the Macedonians tries to deny that. Even more indicative is that the in the text of the Agreement we do not exist under that name. We are being named "second side", in total subordinate position to Republic of Greece which is named "first side", which imposes the conditions, which can react, deny and dictate under which name we are going to be admitted and named in the international institutions. Subordination and souveregnity of the Macedonian state to Greece are to that level that Republic of Greece obliges Republic of Macedonia, as stated in article 7, paragraph 1 " to take over effective measures for prohibitions of enemy activities or propaganda by the agencies under state control, and discouragement of activities taken by private subjects" , which most probably are to be considered that which will incite violence, hatred and hostility among them, "which means direct interference in the our internal affairs by Republic of Greece". This open wide space for using repressive measures by the illegitimate authority led by the President Kiro Gligorov against certain individuals, political parties and associations which treat national issues, for which the authorities will evaluate according to its will, not taking into consideration any kinds of threats, that are being "inappropriate". This could be great excuse of the totalitarian authority for prohibitions of the opposition parties and repression to its leaders.

The signing of such agreement means enforcement of the corridor north-south having not only economic but also political implications, in the sense of enforcement of the axis Athens-Belgrade, connecting through Skopje with help of the illegitimate authority which pro-serbian orientation has already proved. In that way Republic of Macedonia will be brought in position of a satellite state. Even more, with the name FYROM and the conditions accepted in agreement by the our state with approval of the communistic government, may be exposed to various threats and calculations about its territory, to canonization, and with that may very soon have the fate of Bosnia. The catastrophic results of the foreign policy, in which main actor is Kiro Gligorov, can be seen in the announced interpretation of the Constitutional articles in kind of declaration which Macedonian Parliament should vote it. The articles mean resignation from the care for the status and human rights of the Macedonians living or coming from the territory of today's Greece.

The capitulate policy of the illegitimate authority in the Republic of Macedonia is clearly contained also in the part of the Agreement in which is clearly accepted by the Macedonian side the change of the national symbols, of the Macedonian flag which was voted by the parliamentarians. Illegitimately elected parliamentarians have no mandate, have no approval from the Macedonian people to vote changes of the national marks. Such act is a non-valid, approval of the "Alliance for Macedonia" for the change of the flag on Greek demand is traitorous, and means direct interference in the internal affairs of Republic of Macedonia as well as acceptance of the patronship and bringing in question the souveregnity of our state. Until yesterday, the same communist nomenclature which is ruling now, accepted the Belgrade directions, and from today its spokesman and alliance is Athens.

The signing of this agreement is humiliating, and because of the acceptance of the formulation that is was signed on the "language of second side", which means resignation of the official Macedonian language by the current government, which in the contacts with the other neighboring countries most hypocritical insists on the constitutional formulation and from these reasons postpones the signing of the agreements which would mean promotion of the cooperation and good neighboring relations with aim to remote the cooperation's with others neighbors, and bring it more closer with Greece and Serbia. For such policy of equidistamce, talks Mr. Gligorov, and only to him it is clear.

VMRO-DPMNE once more stresses that it will not accept the agreements which are signed by the illegitimate authority and which damage national interest, and deeply interfere the fundamental state interests, so that the only solution of the deep crisis, that communist nomenclature brought Macedonia into, on economic, political and internal and international plan is dismiss Gentlemen Gligorov, Andov and Branko Crvenkovski, as well as the dismissal of the parliament and new and free elections to be scheduled.

I must state that it is more than embracing the subordinate standing of the national medias which the national shame try to present as a success, and the subordinate peace of the greatest part of the Macedonian intelligentsia and MASA members, which by this behavior do not deserve the epithets that bear, but actively participate in the national treachery by the ruling authority.

(end)

mils news 21September '95