MAK-NEWS 28/09/95 (M.I.L.S.)

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 28 September 1995

[01] MACEDONIA ADMITTED IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with an acclamation reached a decision for admitting Macedonia to this institution. The admittance is under the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Macedonia is the 38th member of the Council of Europe. An amendment suggested by 5 parliamentarians for admittance under its constitutional name was not accepted by the Parliament.

They also did not accept the amendment for encouraging Macedonia and Greece to find a solution for the name issue through negotiations, as well as the amendment suggested by several Romanian parliamentarians which asked for protection of the Vlach language in Republic of Macedonia and guaranties for non- interference in their language use and the restoration of the Vlach's monuments.

[02] ANDOV ADRESSES THE EUROPARLAMENT

After the voting on the admittance of Macedonia, Macedonian Parliamentarian President, Stojan Andov, addressed the Europarliamentarians, and voiced gratitude for the support and stressed the democratic orientation of Macedonia. The Council of Europe, stressed Andov, with its principles and aims represents a protector and promoter of the values of a democratic society and united Europe. The admittance of Macedonia in this institution confirms the long-centuries relations with the other European countries and nations. Andov particularly stressed the aid Macedonia received from several delegations of Council of Europe in the development of the democratic processes in Macedonia and aid for the legal regulations. Andov stressed the readiness of Macedonia for good neighbor relations with all countries, and remembered the recent signed accord with Greece.

At the end Andov voiced gratitude to all parliamentarians and especially to President Martinez and Secretary General Tarshes for their support of the Macedonian candidacy.

[03] CRITIC TO THE ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY

The admittance of Republic of Macedonia in the Council of Europe was a theme yesterday of the Albanian independent newspaper Koha Jone. The article, as Nova Makedonija cites, criticizes the Albanian foreign policy. The Magazine considers that Albania took a more moderate attitude to Macedonia than Greece, and in this sense did not make the necessary pressure for realization of greater rights of Albanians. Namely, Tirana to the Albanians in Macedonia clearly announced that the borders between these two countries are final, and at a moment when the issue for the university in Tetovo was current, Albania voted in favor of the admittance of Macedonia in OSCE.

[04] STARTED PRACTICAL REALIZATION OF THE ACCORD

Macedonian Foreign Ministry announced that expert- delegations of the Foreign Ministries of both countries will meet in Athens next week. They will discuss the issues for practical realization of the accord signed in New York. As Makpress informed, the number of Macedonian citizens which are geting visas at the border is increasing. The visas are issued on a special form.

Yesterday, a Macedonian railway delegation returned from Greece. The delegation attended the meeting of Europe's railroad employees where they discussed the new European corridors. The Director of Macedonian Railway Kovacev stated that in the next 10 days it is expected that a normalization of the railroad transport between Greece and Macedonia will occur.

[05] PROBLEMS AT THE MACEDONIAN-SERBIAN BORDERS SOLVED

Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia reached an agreement for about 80% of the border problems, Macedonian Radio reported yesterday, citing the statement of the UNPREDEP Commander in Macedonia, General-Colonel Juha Angstrom given in Belgrade. The agreement came after talks with the Assistant Chief-of Staff of the Yugoslav Army, General Kovacevic. The remaining 20% should not be a big problem, because according to Angstrom, problems occur on both sides of the borders.

[06] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS

-Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski met in New York with the EU Commissioner Hans Van der Broek. Van der Broek voiced great satisfaction with the signing of the accord, and need for normalization of the relations between Macedonia and the EU. Minister Crvenkovski also met with the Chief of Tunisian diplomacy, Habib Benijahija. They stressed the need for development of the relations between both countries and the establishment of the diplomatic relations, as soon as possible.

-Finance Minister Jane Miljovski went to London. There he will talk with representatives of the European Bank for approving a credit amounting to $12 million, for reconstruction of the Skopje airport.

[07] THERE WILL BE NO MONOPOLY FOR THE NAME

No one has exclusive right to monopolize the name Macedonia, but, to avoid misunderstandings, this should be done by clear classification among the people from various areas, stated Evangelos Kofos, former counselor of the Greek Foreign Ministry, for Nova Makedonija.Kofos, added that he is sorry that the Accord in New York did not include the name issue.

[08] SIDEROPOULIOS RELEASED

Greek citizen of Macedonian origin, Christos Sideropoulios, who stands for the rights of Macedonian minority in Greece, was released from the charges yesterday. The District Attorney stated that the charge has no legal base and the dossier of Sideropoulios is closed. This process lasted for more than a year. After the closing of the process, he stated that with this act the Court admits its mistake.

[09] GREEK RECTOR IN SKOPJE

On an invitation of the Rector of the University "Cyril and Methodius", Radmila Kiprijanova, the Rector of the University in Janina, Dimitrious Seglaros, arrived in Skopje yesterday. It is expected that they will exchange thoughts for establishing an agreement for cooperation between the two universities.

[10] DECLARATION FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANS

At the 11th Balkan Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societes, held in Tirana, participated in by all the Balkan countries, a Declaration for peace in the Balkans and a Document for cooperation between the Balkan humanitarian organizations were adopted. The theme of the conference was the prevention of catastrophes of any kind : war, flood, fires, refugees. The conference was attended by a delegation of Macedonian Red Cross who met with the officials of the International Federation o f the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societes. They discused the forthcoming admittance of Macedonian Red Cross in this institution in November this year. With a consensus, the participants decided Macedonia will be a host to the 12 Balkan confederation in the next 2 years.

[11] INTRODUCED VISAS FOR ITALY TOO

With a decision by the Council of EU Ministers, Macedonian citizens have no other entrance to Europe. Namely, with the inclusion of Macedonia in the list of countries to which the EU will have unifying visas system, there will be visa required for entrance to each of the country members of the EU, including Italy so far the only open member state to Macedonia. This decision of the Council is administratively above the Sengen Agreement, reports Nova Makedonija.

MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT :

[12] INTERVIEW WITH KOLE MANGOV (Fokus, 22 September) (Part II)

Question: To which values, i.e. principles are you referring to?

Mangov: "National state " is a European innovation and principle. Of course, only if it is democratic; only if it has "civil constitution". Republic of Macedonia is that kind of country. Both, the European Commission and Mr. Badinter agreed to that. And precisely the important issue of the contemporary state - the "national" , is endangered from inside and outside, with the demanding to change our "national" name, symbol and Constitution. And we are well familiar with the energy and arguments used by all those in the Republic of Macedonia who do not have access to the state policy. In spite of that, their energy and arguments are different from the governing political forces. It had to be positively used.

The energy, arguments and activity of those political forces also would have been used for defense of the principles of free exchange of people, goods, and ideas.

That principle, according to the EU standards, should be already experienced, but the same principle is persistently and unscrupulously violated by Greece with the imposing of the embargo. Therefore, Greece was put before the European Court. The process is still continuing. In this sense, possible implications of the "accord" signed by Crvenkovski and Papoulias should be foreseen. This does not eliminate the possibility that this "accord" will have direct influence on the outcome of the court process, and it matters (for the EU) what result will come out of it.

Question: What are you referring to?

Mangov: I'm referring to the fact that Europe must eventually in court defend its principles violated by its members. Because, if she does not have power here, with what legitimacy and authority can she demand from those which are not its members respect to the same?

Europe is the one who is conditioning the admittance to the society of civilized and democratic, i.e. to politically-legal standardized states.

In this respect , Macedonia had and still has a chance to offer great accomplishments. Since the beginning of the embargo, it should have insisted on its lifting, and if the condition is not fulfilled, it will not have negotiations with Greece. In other words, she must insist on postponing the negotiations until reaching a verdict by the European Court for the charges against Greece for the imposed embargo. You know, such practice - to postpone the court hearing until the "former issue" would be solved before that - is well known, usual procedure in contemporary judicial practice.

Another thing of major importance is that the violation of a great principle is not made for the possible protection of some other principle, which at this moment is evaluated as more important and has a priority, but only for the violation of the other, essentially more comprehensive principle. With the embargo of Macedonia, i.e. violation of one of the basic principles of the Union, which member is, Greece persist to require one nation - Macedonian, to give up of its national and state marks, and eventually to change its Constitution (the foundation of the newly century state) only because Greece paranoically considers that these things precisely will endanger its territory! Ridiculous! But it is also dangerous for us., for Macedonia. What would the world say if it happens that we should agree to - change the name of the state; to change the state flag or other constitutional articles? Would not the world have proof that the name was not ours; that we were not what we were trying to represent ourselves; that we stole the symbol, i.e. that we were without symbol and that the constitution was like no other in the world? Common sense, as elsewhere accepted, can conclude that. The most tragic thing is that Greece remembered the name now, not 7-8 years ago. Before that they did not even mentioned it, nor claim it as something of theirs. The sun, generally, is a traditional symbol of Macedonia, of Macedonians. It was a symbol that was not even used by the ancient Greeks as theirs, nor Greeks living nowadays.

This is different from many others cultures and nations, including Macedonia, which had it as one of the most valuable and often used symbol - symbol which was used by the girls on their wedding ornaments, on church iconostasis... So we are not claiming anything, and they are claiming even for our symbols. Of course, after they already reached for the land of Macedonians, or as their king Georgios in his decree says, for the "territories in Macedonia, occupied by the Greek army".

Question: You were member of the Constitutional Commission, the same that suggested this symbol as state. How did it happen that precisely the sun became state symbol?

Mangov: The Commission has received numerous suggestions for the state symbol. As far as I can remember it, perhaps 90% had in their base the sun. Do you suppose that they all agreed on that previously? No, spontaneity is only a proof that nothing can hold back the sun from the soul and heart of the Macedonian people, not even the five-pointed star, and even less some "accord".

Question: But the Parliamentary procedure for the change of the flag has already started, in the way as is demanded by the "accord"!

Mangov: Yes, but in the most limited selection are again suggestions that contain the sun. But, let me say right away, that realization of some articles of the accord are not possible. For example, even the President Gligorov in a TV interview a few days ago, with the mentioning of the Party of Macedonians in Northern Greece - "Rainbow", is acting against the regulative of the "accord".

Meanwhile, when we are discussing this question, I would like to say that it is one more element of the "accord" which make it retrograde and heretical regarding the European, that is OSCE 's standards adopted in Wien 1986 and Copenhagen 1990, and which guarantee to the national minorities the right of relations and contacts with their native state. Actually with these standards, the national minorities are raised to a level of subject in the international law.

Question: According to you, is there something which, in the negotiations for normalization of the relations with Greece, Macedonia should agree to change these symbols, to change the Constitution?

Mangov: No, there is not. What is worthier than the identity and dignity? If you change your name, symbol, you are not any more that person. Imagine "Marlboro" to change its name. Will still be "Marlboro"? When discussing the state and nation, i.e. national state it is different. Particularly when it is about Macedonia and Macedonians. Historical memories are still fresh to us.

Grand state ideas and in them implanted political, diplomatic and military actions, to which Macedonia and Macedonians have always been subject to conquering, repression's and divisions, and in which all our neighbors, without exception, were occupiers(in various times and with various results), always and inevitably destroyed the name, symbol, language. The famous "Macedonian name will not die" comes from there, and is present in the conscience and on the lips of our children today. Who and with what responsibility can someone claim that such, nationalistic, grand state passions in the Balkans are finally overcome? That, Foreign Minster Stevo Crvenkovski has already stated(the statement on his returning from US). From his lips to God's ears.

At the end, if there is someone being in a situation to negotiate on behalf of the Macedonian and Republic of Macedonia, no one except the nation has the right to change its name, the name of its national state, or its state flag. That can be done by the people themselves - on referendum. But, that will require a change of the Constitution.

Question: At the end, is there something you would like to say regarding the "accord" ?

Mangov: Of course, there is lot more to say. But, I would point out one thing that we have to be aware of. Namely, with this accord the long-term dependence of Macedonia on Belgrade, now is supplemented with the one on Athens. The political(constitutional) dependence from Belgrade till 1991 is replaced with such from Athens (through interpretation of our constitution ). From here on is the right of the stronger one, in this case Greece. But, it is a new theme.

Question: What do you mean?

Mangov: Well, very simple. The new forms of ruling, on the one hand, and the weakness of the Macedonian state on the other hand allow Serbia and Greece to be its only "neighboring" countries besides the existence of independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia.

(end)

mils news 28 September '95