MILS NEWS 16/02/96

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 16 February 1996

[01] MACEDONIA IN OECD

[02] COMBINATIONS OF ALBANIAN PARTIES ON THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE GOVERNMENTAL COALITION

NDP leadership, apparently, refused this, as the offer did not come directly from Premiere Branko Crvenkovski. PDP Secretary, Naser Zibberi, confirmed for A-1 Television that NDP was offered one position for a minister and one for a vice minister.

PDPA was also interested to participate in the new Macedonia Government. By mediation of the Vice President of the Macedonian Parliament, Tito Petkovski, according to 'Koha', they suggested to the Premiere to turn to them and see what kind of people they can offer. According to Naser Zibberi, Crvenkovski refused the offer.

[03] KONTIC - 'NORMALIZATION OF THE RELATIONS WITH MACEDONIA IS APPROACHING'

Meanwhile, in the interview Mirjana Markovic (the spouse of Serbian President Slobodan Miloshevic and leader of the Serbian left wing) for Greek daily 'Elefteros Tipos', avoided to answer the question on the name under which FRY will recognize Macedonia. 'I find the issues such as that of the name least important for the relations in the Balkans', stated Markovic, adding that people of Greece, Macedonia and Serbia should occupy themselves with economic and cultural cooperation.

[04] NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN SIX MONTH

[05] 'SIEMENS' INTERESTED IN RAILWAYS AND ROAD PROJECTS IN MACEDONIA

The already started cooperation with 'EMO' from Ohrid, it was said, should set an example for further including of Macedonian enterprises in the production program of 'Siemens'. Company representatives, besides their current participation in the telecommunications and the energy, expressed their interest for participation in the construction of the railways and road projects in Macedonia.

[06] BURGAS PORT STILL THE CHEAPEST

[07] NEW MUSLIM RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION IN MACEDONIA

He also said that its current leadership used the dissolving of former SFRY to come to power, as 'servants' to certain political parties, which is the reason why some regional boards (in Prespa and Tetovo) now do not accept his jurisdiction. The new Association is completely different from the current one, it is multinational and aims towards gathering all the Moslems in the country in one Association.

The current Islam Association was asked to join the new one, which is regularly registered in the Internal Affairs Ministry.

[08] INCREASING THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC REQUIRED

According to the Labour Party, Macedonia has no economy, but there is much crime and drug trafficking, which creates a very dangerous critical mass that can lead to a social explosion. These situations and the way the officials ignore them lead to the possibility for the 'street to say the last word for the problems in Macedonia'.

[09] VANDALISM UPON THE MONUMENTS

[10] ANOTHER MURDER IN BITOLA

[11] INTERNATIONAL SKI CUP IN MAVROVO

The last international competition in Alpine Skiing in Mavrovo took place in 1978. Sponsor of this Cup is the President of the Macedonian Parliament, Stojan Andov.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[12] Circle of Choke

('Puls' 16 February 1996)

It was expected that the Albanian Premiere, Alexandar Meksi, will pay a visit to Macedonia this week. The political, governmental and diplomatic circles sow it as a chance not only to discuss certain points of the Macedonian -Albanian relations, but also to regulate the border crossing problems. This would open the once most 'sealed' border in Europe. The reason for postponing the carefully planned meeting Crvenkovski-Meksi was not officially announced.

Unofficially, it happened due to the political and Governmental crisis in Macedonia.

The issue of Albanians has been very often mentioned lately.

After Dayton, on Kosovo various political proposals for solving the problems there were heard. Also Macedonia was included, i.e. the Albanian minority in the country in various pan-Albanian, Kosovo or Yugoslav packages. In a very short period, Bakalli, Berisha, Demaci, Vlassi, Aganni, Pullia and representatives of Albanian political Parties in Macedonia presented their views in public.

At the end of this century, Republic of Albania and the Albanian nation are confronted with many problems of a democratic, social and national character. Such a combination resulted in the probably greatest migration of Albanians from Albania in the latest history. For example, there are 300 000 Albanians - economic emigrants only in Greece. The fact that the Albanian nation is present in several countries makes this political issue a specific one.

At this time of an 'explosion' of the national identities in the Balkans, the national problems are specially sensitive.

Divided nationalities in the Balkans are not rare - similar examples are the Macedonians, the Serbs, the Greeks...

As far as Albanians are concerned, Kosovo is considered the most dramatic zone. The political tension in Kosovo lasts for more than ten years. These tensed relations between Serbs and Albanians have created such a state of mind that can not last forever. The economic and social circumstances are exhausting. The parallel existence and functioning of the Serbian state bodies and those of the so-called 'Kosovo Republic' present the probably most absurd political and life situation. Dayton did not offer a solution for Kosovo, but obliged Serbs to pay attention to it. Although there are some notifications that a dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo will begin, nothing has been done so far.

Political and intellectual circles in Kosovo have proposed various projects for the future of Kosovo. The problems referring to the human rights and freedoms are always in the centre, and the political and state status are always the point. The leader of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo and the first man of the 'Kosovo Republic', Ibrahim Rugova, constantly presents his idea for 'neutral and independent Kosovo, equally open towards Albania and Serbia'. One of the leading ideologists of the party, Fehmi Aganni, sees Kosovo 'only out of Serbia'. Adam Demaci, an individual with longest political and prison experience, intercedes for 'Kosovo with a status of a republic in the federation of Serbia and Montenegro'. The attitude of the previous leading political person of Kosovo, Azem Vllasi, is similar - he sees Kosovo as a federal unit. Albanian President, Salli Berisha, also sees the solutions for Kosovo inside Serbia.

There is also an option for an alliance of provinces, including Kosovo.

The most 'restless' of all on this issue are the Americans.

Their first pragmatic move after Dayton was the opening of liaison offices in Washington and in Pristine. The visit of Warren Christopher to Belgrade and the contacts of Richard Holbrooke with Miloshevic made Kosovo issue the top subject of the political dialogues. Christopher Hill, a representative of the US diplomatic team for the Balkans visited Pristine.

The part which is missing is the offering of a solution for the political, national and country status of Kosovo. The most often mentioned one is that of 'returning to the autonomy of 1974'. The bases are probably the previous rights of the Albanian nationality in former SFRY. To return to the situation from 1974 is, however, not only difficult, but even impossible for many reasons. SFRY does not exist any more, so there are no institutions, the political, ideological and state mechanisms that formed it. Two processes simultaneously took place in former Yugoslavia - the nationalistic and the civil one. And both of them have different consequences. The Yugo-dimensions were lost and the way towards the Balkan states, i.e. towards East and Central Europe was opened. After Dayton, certain standards were set. All of this together created a challenge for finding a new 'Kosovo formula', one which would include the aim and the methods of a democratic and civil solution. At the moment, that is impossible, due to the severe confronting. Azem Vlassi is probably right when he says that 'due to the current so distant positions, somebody from outside must offer a solution, as the international community did it in Bosnia'. Kosovo, on the other hand, is not Bosnia. That is why there is a possibility to search for autonomous and original solutions.

The connection between Macedonia and Kosovo is found in various solutions or ideas for the Albanian issue by the formula 'all Albanians in one state'.

Regarding the position of the Albanians in Kosovo and those in Macedonia as identical is acceptable at the points of their equal identity and their geographical closeness. The political and any other position, however, of the Albanians in Macedonia is qualitatively different from the one of those in Kosovo. Not only because they have the freedom for political organizing, but also because of their integral participation in the Parliament, in the Government and in all other areas of the society and the state, where they live as Macedonian citizens. It is normal that solving all their problems will take some time. And the project 'all Albanians in one state' reminds of that of 'all Serbs in one state'. There is also the idea to include Macedonia in a federal Serbian variant. It is simply 'forgotten' that Macedonia is an independent and a sovereign country, that solves all such problems inside its state and within its democratic institutions. According to its own model, of course. Its biggest value is solving all the problems in accordance with the history, the tradition, the folklore and the contemporary political principles.

(end)

mils news 16 February 1996