MILS NEWS 28/12/95

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 28 December 1995

[01] MACEDONIAN PROTEST IN ROME

Macedonian Embassy in Rome submitted an official protest yesterday to the organizer of the exhibition about Alexander the Great, opened at the end of last week. It required the exhibition title 'Macedonians - Northern Greeks' to be erased, as it can have negative political consequences, 'Makpress' reports. It is also forgering the history, as it is well known that neither ancient nor today's Macedonians have Greek origin. The President and founder of the Fund, Robert Memo, was asked to erase the incriminating writing from all tickets, leaflets, posters, catalogues and from the entrance board, otherwise the charges will be brougt before the Court of Rome. Meanwhile, Macedonian Government submitted its protest to the Italian Foreign Affairs and Culture Ministries.

[02] SPECULATIONS ON THE CUSTOM DUTIES NEGOTIATIONS

Macedonian Radio reported on an article in Belgrade daily 'Nasa Borba', according to which secret negotiations have began on reducing or eventual abolishing the custom duties between FR Yugoslavia and Macedonia. Macedonian President of Chamber of Commerce, Dusan Petreski, denied this information for Macedonian Radio, saying it is a speculation and a result of personal desires. He added they will officially meet with their counterparts from Yugoslavia after the mutual relations become official.

Meanwhile, an information came from Belgrade that Yugoslav Airlines (JAT) will establish a regular traffic line Belgrade - Skopje beginning January 1996. They are also planning on establishing such lines to the capital cities of the remaining former Yugoslav republics, after the necessary safety conditions are obtained.

[03] BASICALLY POSITIVE ATTITUDE

In his interview for today's 'Nova Makedonija', Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, informs on the situation at Macedonian - Greek border after the New York Agreement was signed. 'During the first two weeks after the Agreement came into force, 7 200 Macedonian citizens entered Greece.

190 were not allowed to cross the border: around 100 of them, because of the insurance car problem (which was solved in the meantime), about 50 because they did not have enough money and exactly 49 because they originate from there. We do not have a precise statistics how many of those who crossed the border were born in Greece, but we know the number is not small. There were incidents with some customs officials, and requests for the sticker with Macedonian car code MK to be removed. We reported these accidents to the other party and they did react, which resulted in gradual decreasing of the incidents. This makes us believe the problem is the actions of executives of different levels which are not coordinated, since basically and in most of the cases the attitude was and is positive.' - emphasized Crvenkovski.

[04] PREVIOUS LOGO AND CODES ABOLISHED

On 1 January 1996, Macedonian railways will begin to issue a new ticket for the internal railways traffic, through a computers system installed in 20 railways stations. The tickets will have Macedonian Railways logo, the code 65 and will be written in Cyrillic. The previous tickets which were used in SFRY railways will not be valid any more.

Products intended for export and for Macedonian market will be also given a new code, NB. 531, from 1 January. The code will be provided by Macedonian Chamber of Commerce and companies will be required to register in Macedonian Association for Articles Numbering 'ENDOMAK'. Previous code number of Macedonian products was 860, now officially Yugoslav.

[05] PRESIDENT GLIGOROV PARDONED PRISONERS

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov pardoned 35 prisoners on the occasion of the New Year. It was officially reported that 16 of them are completely released and to the rest 19 penalties were reduced.

[06] THE NEXT YEAR BUDGET ADOPTED

Macedonian Parliament, on its 34th session held yesterday, adopted the National Budget for the next year of 46 billion and 364 million denars. Finance Minister Jane Miljoski specified the Budget is based on the planned 6 percent inflation for the next year, on the 20 percent GNP raise, on freezing the salaries at the level of August this year, on abolishing the summer holidays payment and, finally, on reducing the number of the social help users. The Budget provides money for social protection program. Bottom existence limit for a family will also be established. The Budget deficit of 3 billion denars will be covered by credits from foreign institutions.

In the discussion many suspicions were expressed, and most of the objections referred to the drastic reducing of the subsidies in the agriculture sector, and to the social help payments. Amendments on increasing the salaries in the culture sector for the total amount of 30 million denars, on decreasing the finances for the planned agri-stock market and on increasing the finances for agri-production stimulation, were also adopted.

PM Blagoja Filipovski from the Socialist Party of Macedonia was appointed a Vice-President of the Parliament, a position previously occupied by late Kiro Popovski.

President of the Parliament, Stojan Andov, on the cocktail party organized for the Parliament members and Government Ministers, talked about the work of the Parliament this year, expressing his hope it will work effectively and intensively during the next year.

[07] COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Collective bargainings for the primary and secondary education were signed yesterday in Macedonian Trade Unions by the Education Union President Aco Jankulovski and by Macedonian Education Minister Emilija Simovska. Simovska emphasized the Laws for Primary and Secondary Education passed a test period in practice, before these Bargainings were signed.

Meanwhile, a Collective Bargaining was signed in 'Metalski Zavod - Tito' yesterday by the employers and the Union representatives. This enterprise is one of the 25 with greatest losses.

[08] MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

Hunger strikers from 'Chik' in Kumanovo met yesterday with Macedonian Labour Minister Ilijaz Sabriu, the President of Bankruptcy Council of 'Chik' Slobodan Dzipunov, Ministry of Law representatives and the director of Macedonian Employment Institute. Minister Sabriu offered only solutions that can be, realistically speaking, fulfilled by the Government in the current situation. On workers' request to receive their payments from the Employment Bureau until they are again employed or retired, Sabriu answered such a request was unrealistic and estimated it a difficult one to fulfill either at the moment or in much better conditions.

Minister said he will intercede with the Government to realize as soon as possible the money intended for additional employment of 160 workers, adding that Labour Ministry will give a once occurring financial help to the workers in most critic situation.

President of Bankruptcy Council of 'Chik' Slobodan Dzipunov promised to meet the trustees to complete the information of the work of the enterprise in the crisis period, which will be reported to the workers.

On the appeal to stop the strike, workers decided to answer after they receive the written report from the ministry, and the decision will most probably be brought after the meeting with all other workers.

The Board of Macedonian Trade Unions, on its session yesterday, estimated the dividing of the workers from the enterprises with greatest losses a very negative thing.

Despite the workers in Kumanovo refuse to contact the Unions, the Board offered their complete support and suggested them to unite. The Board informed they will insist on a meeting with the hunger strikers in Kumanovo, as their problems consider many other workers in similar position in Macedonia.

[09] OBJECTION FROM TODOR PETROV

The independent candidate Todor Petrov, who entered the second voting round in the electoral unit 114, submitted a written objection on the first voting round to the Electoral Commission. He pointed out several failures at the polling places NB. 34 and 35 in the local community 'Jane Sandanski', asking for revoking, and at the polling places 36, 37 and 38 in the local community ' Nikola Karev', where, besides for revoking, he also asks for changing the location of the polling places.

MILS SUPPLEMENT:

[10] Macedonian Business Resource Center (Part II)

4. Strategic Partnerships, Joint Ventures and Capital Raising
This program addresses the need for long-term strategic planning, recapitalization, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and new sources of capital including both debt and equity.

Programs include:

• development of long-term businesses and strategic plans
• identifying capital requirements
• capital investment analysis
• determination of optimal capital structure
• sourcing long-term capital - debt/equity
• preparation of offering materials
• sourcing strategic partnerships and joint ventures

Programs include:

• product yield and quality assessment
• recommendations for value-added products
• market research and data collection
• access to new markets
• general management
• general financial management
• business and liquidation plans

The management should contact the Center and express its interest in working with the consultant team and receiving assistance. Typically an introductory meeting with one or more of the consulting team members will take place. After this initial contact, the management may submit a formal written request for assistance. The management and the Center will then determine the areas of assistance to be provided, and the terms and conditions of the cooperation. Managers using the resources of the Center will provide certain key information regarding their company as well as their perceived opportunities and problems. This information will be treated as highly confidential by the Center, and will include, for example:

• name, address, phone, fax
• legal registration
• principal business activities, products and services
• markets and competition
• organizational structure and management team
• asset list and description (fixed and current)
• liability list and description
• number of employees by functional area
• ownership structure and shareholders
• annual report (if available)
• three years of financial statements
• five year financial projections
• business plan (including finance, operations, marketing, capital expenditures & human resources)

How to Contact the Center

The Center is located at Leninova 34, Skopje, Macedonia. Please contact the Center directly at tel./fax: (389 91) 213 312:

Enterprise Assistance           Michael White
                                Karl Larson
Agribusiness Assistance         Michael Peden
General                         Samir Latif (Macedonian)

(end)

mils news 28 December '95

DUE TO NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS, MILS NEWS WILL CONTINUE ITS SERVICE ON 4 JANUARY, 1996