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MILS: News from the FYROM, 96-11-12Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 12 November 1996[01] MACEDONIA COULD BE AUSTRALIAN TRADE BASE FOR 'SE' EUROPEYesterday MTV reported that Tito Petkovski - Chairman of the Mac. Parliament - received an Australian delegation headed by MP Bob Sarcom. Discussions mainly revolved around the possibilities to strengthen economic and parliamentary collaboration. It has also been concluded by both sides that it is necessary to open diplomatic missions (embassies) in both countries, and that the Macedonian community had made a considerable contribution towards the advancing of bilateral relations.Last year the overall value of goods trade between both sides amounted to 12.5 million dollars, and it has been conceded by businessmen of both states - during a meeting at the Chamber of Economy yesterday - that this trend would have to increase in the future. It has also been stressed that particular attention will have to be paid to joint venture options in metallurgy, textile and leather, as well as food production and with respect to construction industry and tourism. Up to the present the Australian market has only registered the emergence of products by a few Macedonian companies - such as: 'Evropa' (Skopje), 'Vitaminka' (Prilep) and 'Jugotutun' (Prilep). The Australian MP and Head of the Economy Commission, Bob Sarcom, emphasized that Macedonia could become the Australian trade base for South-East Europe - at the same time indicating the necessity of the Macedonian community in Australia to become more assertive, to use its connections in its home country. Talks have also revealed the need for the establishment of organisations which would facilitate successful collaboration between companies of both countries. [02] OPENING OF EMBASSY IN CANBERRA REQUESTED - AS WELL AS THE ABANDONING OF THE 'SLAVO-MACEDONIAN' TERM OF REFERENCEThese days a delegation of the Macedonian community in Australia has been received by the Secretaries of the Dept. of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Alexander Dullner and Philip Ruddock - according to reports by 'Nova Makedonija'. On this occasion the Macedonian side requested the unconditional opening of an Embassy in Canberra, as well as the dropping of the discriminatory reference 'Slavo-Macedonians'.With respect to this Secretary Dullner responded that Australia is favourably inclined towards the opening of a Macedonian Embassy in Canberra - adding that there are still a couple of technicalities which need to be resolved between the Greek and Macedonian community in Australia. Regarding the reference 'Slavo-Macedonians', Secretary Dullner said that his Government is aware of the unacceptability of this term to the Macedonian community in Australia, as well as that more appropriate alternatives are being sought for. 'Nova Makedonija' further continues that Former Aide to the Immigration Secretary, Nick Bolcus (considered to be the one most responsible for the re-baptizing of Macedonians in Australia into 'Slavo-Macedonians'), stated during this meeting that 'the mistake had been made at the time, though we are aware of it nowadays and admitting this misjudgment as the country's opposition.' A-1 TV reports that the Macedonian Council of Sydney - whose members have been denoted as Overseas Activists of the IMRO-DPMNE in Australia - have forwarded a declaration to Australian Government Officials prior to this meeting of the Macedonian delegation with Secretary Dullner. This declaration states that the Macedonian Council members of Sydney do not recognize the incumbent Macedonian government - and that they will make an effort to convince the Australian Government to prohibit the posting of any national insignia and the national flag in Macedonian Consulates and Diplomatic Missions in Australia. The 'Overseas IMRO-DPMNE Committee in Australia, i.e. the Macedonian Council of Sydney states that it does not approve of the change of the national flag - since it had been executed by the current Government without an adequate public debate or referendum - contrary to the will of all Macedonians in the world. The Macedonian Council of Sydney has also requested that an agreement be signed with the Government of Macedonia, prohibiting the use of any other but the constitutional name of the country in diplomatic interactions. The Council furthermore objects to the what they call 'illegitimate interpretation of the Macedonian Constitution', according to which the Government of Macedonia refuses to defend the rights of those Macedonians living in neighbouring countries - i.e. in those parts of Macedonia which are now in Greece, Bulgaria and Albania. Half of the Macedonian community in Australia originates from these parts, their rights are codified within the Constitution and the Government is thus obliged to respect them. [03] NEW YORK TALKS WITHOUT ANY 'ESSENTIAL' PROGRESSAccording to media in Athens the last round of Greek- Macedonian negotiations in New York has been brought to a close prior to the achievement of any 'essential' progress. This has been ascribed to the fact that 'Skopje insists on using the constitutional name of the country'.'Nova Makedonija' reports that Greek media claims that both Christos Zacharakis and Ivan Toshevski - together with mediator Cyrus Vance - had agreed to continue negotiations. though no definite date had been determined. It is, however, probable that talks are to resume by the end of this month. 'The Government in Skopje is paving the way for the economic annexation of Greece to Macedonia'... is being reported by 'Elephterotypia', which attributes the main reason for this attitude exhibited by 'FYROM' to the fact that the Greek embargo exposed the dependence of that country from Greece and the cooperation between the former and the latter, that relations with Tirana and Sofia are not very stable and that Belgrade has adopted a rather paternalistic attitude. According to 'Elephterotypia' this has convinced Skopje that it can only be safe with Athens. A-1 TV reports that the Greek paper is supporting such theses by listing that during the recent meeting of Greek and Macedonian construction contractors in Ohrid - attended by the PM and half the Macedonian Government - a four-year programme of state investments had been studied, in order to enable Greek investors to choose the field they would like to invest in. [04] ALEXANDER MEXI: ALBANIANS A CONSTITUTIONAL PEOPLE IN MACEDONIA'Relations between Macedonian and Albanian authorities are becoming increasingly tensed - which is why it is more than justifiable and inevitable to grant the request of Albanians in Macedonia to be proclaimed a constitutional people.' ... This - according to the Albanian radio - is part of a statement given by OSCE High Commissioner for Minority Questions Max Van Der Stuhl at the Institute of Strategic Affairs in Tirana. A-1 TV reports the statement of one of Van Der Stuhl's councellors according to which it has been ages since the Commissioner's last visit to Tirana.The above mentioned TV station has also broadcast official releases from Tirana, according to which several issues remain to be resolved between Albania and Macedonia. In this context they have also quoted a statement by Albanian PM Alexander Mexi who said that 'Albanians are a constitutional people in Macedonia... Albania had already exhibited its interest in Macedonia's stability, but it was also in the interest of this country to solve those problems concerning Albanians in Macedonia. This may be an internal issue of the Republic of Macedonia, but we nevertheless take an interest in these issues. We support President Gligorov's initiative on compiling a comparative analysis on the position of minorities in the region... but we deem it necessary to precede this by outlining the difference between a minority and a constitutional people within a state. Albanians in Macedonia do not represent the former, as they outnumber the percentages of 2 to 3% of the overall population.' A-1 TV reveals that this statement by Mexi had been made during the CEI Conference in Graz. [05] GOVERNMENT ON EXECUTION OF 'PHARE' PROGRAMMEAccording to official sources the Macedonian Government have analyzed and adopted the Programme of Activities compiled by PHARE for Macedonia for '96, during its session yesterday. This programme covers all projects and assistance PHARE is to provide to further the development of small and medium-size businesses, the reform processes in agriculture, and the overall evolution and consolidation of reforms, as well as the up-scaling of legal acts to European standards.The Mac. Government also stressed the necessity to speed up integration procedures regarding the European Energetics Charter, which has already been signed by over 50 European countries. It has furthermore been decided to permit the tax free import of 40 000 tons of sugar beet for the Bitola production facility from Albania, in order to secure the full use of the plant's capacity, and in order to meet demands on the domestic market. [06] OCM ON ATTACKS LAUNCHED BY OCSThe Holy Archiepiscopal Synod of the OCM - on considering most recent attacks launched by clerical circles the Orthodox Church of Serbia (OCS) addressed to the OCM and the Macedonian people - assessed these as unprincipled, illegal and totally unrealistic, but conducive to destroying any possible future cooperation of both people and churches. MTV further reports that the OCM represents a canonical church in concordance to St. Clement's learning and apostolic roots. 'The OCM is the only Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia, recognized by the OCS as early as 1959 upon enactment of the OCS decree to suspend OCS regulations for the Eparchies and Episcopalities of what was then known as the People's Republic of Macedonia. The OCM hopes that - at the threshold towards the 21st century - all orthodox churches, and in particular the OCS will find a way to transcend such digressions - towards the full execution of Christianity and the Holy Script. The Holy Archiepiscopal Synod of the OCM is ready for any kind of clerical cooperation', reports the official release of the OCM.[07] HUGE CHANCES FOR MACEDONIA TO WIN 'GRAND PRIX' AT 'EUREKA'96'There are great chances for Macedonia to receive the 'Grand Prix', the top award at the World Fair of Technical Innovations and Inventions 'Eureka'96' in Brussels, according to MTV reports. The red hot favourite seems to be the vehicle which does not require an exhaust pipe.Based on unofficial sources MTV claims that the Macedonian invention received 9 votes more than the Polish (4 votes) competitor during the first secret voting of the international jury yesterday, followed by Marocco (3 votes). The second voting resulted in the same outcome, and the final decision is to be announced today - after the third round. [08] 'PALAIR MACEDONIAN': 'WHITE BOOK' ON AIR TRAFFIC MATTERS SOON TO BE PUBLISHEDThe 'Palair Macedonian' airline is soon to draw the public's attention by publishing its so-called 'White Book' on matters defining air transport in Skopje, said Executive Board Chairman Vanja Bitoljanu during yesterday's press conference. This was followed by the distribution of materials which were to prove that the dues (because of which the airline is grounded at the moment) of 'Palair' have intentionally been 'doped up' by the Public Airport Services Company. It has also been revealed that the airline has approached authorities numerous times, with plans on settling its debts (12 - 14 million DM), without ever receiving any sort of reply.The General Manager of 'Palair Macedonian' further stated that the Letter of Guarantee issued by banks on the dues of 'Avioimpex' was a falsificate, since the company was not even registered as legal entity - as well as that the permit issued by the Directorate of Civil Aviation was therefore invalid. He also said that Transportation and Communications Secretary Dimitar Buzleski had been informed of all this, and that both he and the head of the Civil Aviation Directorate - Goran Pavlovski - knew things about the Avioimpex plane crash they had not revealed. [09] THREE KILOS OF HEROINE CONFISCATEDThese days the Mac. Ministry of the Interior succeeded in exposing another case of illegal drug trafficking, by detecting three kilos of heroine intended for the Macedonian market. This had occurred during a routine check of a vehicle on the motor way between Kichevo and Demir Hisar. Its owner (a Macedonian citizen) has been apprehended and is currently under investigation.[10] 'DNEVNIK': POLICEMEN BEAT THREE INNOCENT WOMEN FOR HOURSTwo uniformed policemen of the Veles police station have forcefully entered the house of the Jovanov family and beaten three women for two hours, on 29th September. The entering had been committed without any warrant, and in absence of a legal representative, and the women had been abused without any sort of doubt or guilt being established previously. According to 'Dnevnik' the beating had been continued at the Veles police station for another three hours. The article also reveals that police brutality had not been suspended until the ambulance arrived to transport the heavily-injured women to the hospital. The Macedonian Ministry of the Interior has been informed of this incident, and the identity of those two policemen is known - although they still have not been apprehended - and are carrying out their duty. The article finishes by claiming that the reason for this 'police intervention' had been unresolved property issues with neighbours.[11] 'BACCHANALIA' PERFORMANCE TOURING SWEDENThe play 'Bacchanalia' written by Goran Stefanovski and directed by Branko Brezovec is touring through Sweden at the moment. Its European premiere was staged in Copenhagen this October, by the Mac. National Theatre, the Theatre of Bitola and the Turkish and Albanian Drama Companies within the Theatre of Nationalities of Skopje. The Danish capital is currently the European City of Culture for the year of 1996. These days performances are to be given in Stockholm - during the Days of Macedonian Culture, which are to be held from 19th to 26th November. Swedish press has emphasized the fact that this is a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic project which in its own way raises the question to which extent the theatre can represent an arena for creative challenges to be met through the collaboration of several nationalities. This event is also to include a symposium on 'Cultural Policy in a Multi- Ethnic Balkan State'.MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] 'Re-patriation of Political Refugees of Macedonia as Well?'('Nova Makedonija' - 11th November 1996)The issue is expected to be raised in parliament by Lerin MP Yorgos Lyanis by the end of this month. Government plans facilitated by Macedonia's decision to issue special passports to Macedonians born in the Aegean region of Greece. Real Estate Issue not to be addressed. Could it possibly that one of the most intricate issues concerning relations with the Republic of Macedonia - the abolishing of discriminatory legal regulations concerning thousands of political refugees from Aegean Macedonia who were driven out of their homes by force - is about to be resolved in Greece? It has been reported that the Greek government intends to permit unimpeded re-patriation of refugees who live at the Republic of Macedonia, through an act of law which is soon to be submitted to the Parliament. It is public knowledge that up to the present such individuals had been denied the right to return, due to the argument that 'only Greek citizens in their own right' are allowed to return from political exile. The issue - according to the leading conservative paper 'Catimerini' - is to be raised before parliament by Lerin MP Yorgos Lyanis. The paper furthermore claims that Foreign Secretary Theodoros Pangalos and other authorities who consented to this sort of legal resolution, have known about this intention of Lyanis. In the meantime, this 'most sensitive issue' has been raised by several party factions within the incumbent PASSOK in 'western Macedonia'. It has to be stressed that one week ago that a similar request to re-instate those rights to the 'Slavo- Macedonians' who participated 'en masse' in the war, to facilitate their re-patriation, had been aired by CPG leader Christos Florakis. According to present legal provisions, re-patriation has been granted to all political refugees throughout the past 8 decades, (This includes the restitution of their property.), provided they are 'Greek by birth.' As a result of this - the above mentioned paper continues - thousands of citizens are prohibited to enter Greece. This is conducive to numerous social problems as they are prevented from visiting their relatives - or from maintaining any sort of contact with them. This is still ascribed to the Civil War, as its 'ultimate consequence'. What sort of measures, however, had been undertaken by Greek authorities between this war and the present in connection to international rights of political refugees remains a secret to the public in Greece. The Government plans of PM Costas Simitis - who announces a new political regime to be implemented towards the Balkans, particularly towards neighbouring countries - have been considerably facilitated by the recent decision of the Macedonian Government to issue political refugees of 'Greek origin' passports which merely list the Republic of Greece under place of birth - and not the concrete 'Slavic' toponyms. It has not only been the viewpoint of the Government - but also of local authorities in Lerin, Pela and Kostur which are the regions most frequently stated as the place of origin of these political refugees - that conditions to transcend these post-Civil War measures have now been created. Even if, however, such an act of law were to be ratified it would nevertheless present a merely symbolical gesture - as this act would not cover the rather sensitive issue regarding the restitution of property to these cases - whose number (according to 'Catimerini'), incl. their families, outgrows the figure of 30 000. It has also remained unclear what sort of changes would be brought about by the enactment of this new legal document, since for Macedonian citizens it will become possible to visit their birth-place and relatives without listing their location of origin if they wish to do so - besides traditional Greek strong-headedness to change those toponyms. This detail, however, has not been mentioned anywhere. What happens to those, though, who oppose these alterations, or to that majority of political exiles who are not citizens of the Republic of Macedonia but of new Zealand, Australia, Canada, the USA and many other countries throughout the world. But there is more to this than meets the eye: sooner or later Greece will have to confront itself with illegal discrimination and the breaching of basic international legal provisions - according to which nobody is to be denied the right to the property of one's ancestors, especially not if this refers to the former citizens of the respective country. (The End)mils news 12 November, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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