MAK-NEWS 01/11/95 (M.I.L.S.)

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 1 November 1995

[01] MACEDONIA HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PHARE PROGRAM

The Ministers of the EU have made a decision in Luxembourg to admit Macedonia in the PHARE program and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. As Macedonian radio reports, the Committee of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Union accepted the recommendation of the EU Commission for admittance of Macedonia in the program. The decision has been announced at the end of the meeting. The admittance practically means realization of the first phase of financial aid in the framework of the reconstruction of the former Yugoslav countries. The decision will be officially announced in December and the European Parliament will come out on it.

As 'Makfaks' reports, the European officials came to conclusion that the Interim Accord between Greece and Macedonia has been put into effect and there are no obstacles against Macedonia to join the PHARE program.

According to Doris Pack, the President of the Commission for Southeast -European Relations, there should not be any additional problems for Macedonia, and, however, it will depend on impressions of the European Parliament delegation after the two-day talks in Macedonia.

The Embassy of the EU will be probably opened in December this year. This was announced by Doris Pack during the talks with the Macedonian officials.

[02] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES VISIT MACEDONIA

A delegation of the EU Parliament led by Doris Pack had meetings with the Macedonian Parliament President, Stojan Andov as well as with members of the Council for inter ethnic relations of the Macedonian Parliament.

Pack and Andov agreed that the situation in Macedonia is stable despite the assassination attempt on President Gligorov. Andov thus stated that Macedonian-Greek relations improve and many disputable issues are solved in order to preserve peace in the Balkans.

At the meeting with the Council for inter ethnic relations the main issue was the human rights and the right of minorities. Jorgo Kjuka, a member of the Council, stated that comparing to other world constitutions, the Macedonian is the only one that recognizes certain minorities ( Romas, Vlachs). Nebi Aljus, a representative from the Turkish nationality stated that legislature on minorities is satisfying, however there are certain problems in the practice. Serbs in Macedonia insist to be recognized by the Constitution, said Bozidar Despotovic. Professor Ferid Muhic stated that Macedonia should not be treated as a minority in Europe but as an equal member of Europe where it belongs.

The delegation in conclusion expressed satisfaction of the present democratic processes in Macedonia as well as the treatment of human rights in the country.

Pack stated for the Macedonian Radio that the visit is a result of the invitation of the Macedonian Parliament President, Andov, and also a usual practice of the EU delegation in order to acquire additional information on the democratic processes in the country. Concerning the relations of Macedonia and the EU, Pack said that the first step is associating in some financial institutions. The next step is bilateral agreement between Macedonia and the EU which is to be signed by the end of next year. This means that Macedonia will receive a considerable amount of financial aid. Pack mentioned that such an agreement had been signed with former Yugoslavia.

The European Parliament deputies had meetings with deputies of the Macedonian Assembly, representatives of non- parliamentary opposition, the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Parliament and some other non-government organizations.

[03] MACEDONIAN GREEN CARDS ARE NOT VALID

Greece will not recognize Macedonian green cards for vehicle insurance until the Insurance Company from Macedonia solves the problems with the European Insurance Association. Until such an agreement is reached, vehicles from Macedonia will have to pay insurance taxes ranging from 160DM to 500 DM.

Macedonian green cards are valid only for the neighboring countries except of Greece and other members of the EU.

Anyone who possesses green card that is valid in one of the members of the EU does not have to pay vehicle insurance in Greece.

A representative from the Macedonian National Insurance Service announced that the issue of the green cards will be solved today. Although three EU members (Portugal, Italy and Belgium) have not signed the unilateral agreement between Macedonia and the EU on the insurance, the transport may continue with a permit of the general secretary of the International Insurance Bureau in London. According to Causevski, the general secretary was absent yesterday, but it is expected that problems will be resolved today.

Meanwhile, Macedonian and Greek railway representatives agreed yesterday on the railway transport. Namely, as A1 TV reports, 11 transport contingents will be provided by both sides per day, of which 9 contingents will transport oil and the rest for other goods. Also, they agreed on the railway schedules as well as the financing between the two companies.

[04] EVERT: BALKAN COUNTRIES NEED AN ACCORD

Athens News Agency reports that main Greek opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Miltiades Evert reiterated his proposal for the signing of an accord by the Balkan states recognizing the existing borders in the region, in Athens yesterday.

"All the countries agree to such a move which will be the first step for economic cooperation," Evert said.

"We have every reason to extend cooperation to other areas and...to agree to the accession of Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Bulgaria to NATO and the European Union so that Greece does not constitute the border of the EU...," he added.

[05] 'MULTIGROUP' FROM SOFIA ACCUSED FOR THE ASSASSINATION

ATTEMPT The chief of the Greek 'Macedonian Information Agency' from Salonica, Spiros Kuzinopoulos, stated for the newspaper 'Thessalonici' that the assassination attempt on President Gligorov was organized by the Bulgarian corporation 'Multigroup'. According to 'Makpres', Kuzinopoulos referred to a statement of Minister Frckovski who stated that the attempt had been organized by a multinational group based in a neighboring country. "I believe that 'Multigroup' is a corporation founded in Bulgaria and has connections with the former KGB and the Russian lobby in Bulgaria", stated Kuzinopoulos.

'Multigroup' evaluates the statement as provocation at the time when peace processes lead to results in the region.

[06] 121 000 CITIZENS OF MACEDONIA DO NOT HAVE CITIZENSHIP

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported about its poll on 1788 persons out of 121 000 who have not regulated their citizenship. All of those polled were from different origin: Macedonians, Turks, Albanians Romes, Serbs, Bulgarians, Vlachs and others. The results say that 39% of those who have not regulated their citizenship live abroad, 2,32% do not exist on presented addresses, while 13,9 % have regulated their citizenship but are still not included in the register. 10,2% wait for results of the regulation.

[07] BEST PRIZE AWARDED TO THE WRITER ILHAMI EMIN

The best prize of the International Poetry Festival in Turkmenistan was given to the Macedonian writer Ilhami Emin.

On the occurrence, the Association of Macedonian Writers held a press conference yesterday. It was stressed that the prize is established in the honor of the great Turkish writer, Mehmet Aki Persoi, and it is awarded to authors from Turkish origin.

[08] CONFERENCE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

The Macedonian institute for health prevention in cooperation with the French humanitarian organization 'Equilibire' held a conference on the AIDS issue. In the framework of the conference many activities considering prevention of AIDS were evaluated as national strategies in the two countries. Many non-government organizations were included in the conference, such as the Macedonian Red Cross, the Youth Council and the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation.

MILS SUPPLEMENT:

[09] CITIZENS UNSATISFIED OF THE PROPOSED LAW ON DENATIONALIZATION

('Vecer' 1 November 1995)

The proposed Law on denationalization will be adopted after inevitable disputes and long discussions in the Assembly.

The Minister announced the procedure of the adoption a month ago but the draft has not come to Parliament commissions yet.

When the draft was proposed, the Association of Protection of the Rights of Private Owners had an annual meeting and during some discussions, certain principals of the proposed law were criticized by its members. The Minister Miljovski said that the proposed Law needs further improvement.

Concerning the point of view of the aforementioned association, we talked to Rafail Cerepnalkovski, a lawyer and a member of the Committee of the association. At the beginning Cerepnalkovski stressed that the proposed Law is too restrictive as it does not return the whole nationalized property. The fact that the government proposes alternatives, he says, it is clear that it does not have a definite opinion on the draft and it expects the Parliament Commissions to review the draft.

- We think that this Law will not be in coordination with the Constitution. It limits the rights of private owners.

Its first article says that properties will not be returned to legal entities. Individual entities have properties in the industry. The Law is not clear to which of those owners it applies.

At the annual meeting of the Association it was said that the Law contained 18 parts which talk about non-returning of the properties. Cerepnalkovski mentioned that the law will not consider returning properties of Health, Education, Social Institutions and other public institutions. The law does also not consider returning land to former owners if the present ones are agriculture, forest or other institutes. As Cerepnalkovski said, they are privileged comparing the former owners.

-The problem of denationalization is not solved, especially in the part of confiscated property. Also, problems of property gained from war profits is not adequately solved as it is nationalized said Cerepnalkovski.

If the Law on denationalization provides returning of nationalized property that has been taken illegally, and at the same time says that certain property will not be returned, then we should think that the property is getting nationalized again. The Law on Privatization also uses former private property as state property. The article which proposes continual statehood of those who will apply for the nationalized property is not clear. Children born after nationalization might not have a right for nationalized property if their parents had passed away on the day of the adoption of the Law.

Considering the part of the proposed Law which concerns financial compensation from the state, it may be limited in the framework of the budget finances. Cerepnalkovski comments this issue as following:

-The Government will pay off its debt to former owners through bonds in 10 or 20 years. The state owns the property 45 years now, and it will take 55 or 65 years to resolve the problems.

Still, the Association hopes that the Parliament will consider their views on the issue. Cerepnalkovski says that he will insist on returning all nationalized properties, and the one that cannot be returned the state should pay bonds.

When the property is returned to former owners they should be free from paying property taxes in order to make investments, Cerepnalkovski suggested.

(end)

mils news 01 November '95