MILS: News from the FYROM, 96-12-26

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From: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>

CONTENTS

[01] US ARMY CINC IN MACEDONIA

[02] NO COMMENTS FROM ATHENS ON GLIGOROV'S SPEECH

[03] PROTOCOL MEETINGS OF THE NEWLY-APPOINTED RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

[04] RESTRICTIVE BUDGET - GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL

[05] NOVA MAKEDONIJA: `PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH PRESSURING MPS'

[06] LAW ON INSTRUCTION IN MINORITY LANGUAGES PROCESSED `DOUBLE- QUICK'

[07] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: `POLICE MAY ONLY APPREHEND PEOPLE BASED ON A COURT ORDER'

[08] ECONOMIC CHAMBER: `INVESTING INTO ECONOMY AND REALISTIC INTEREST RATE POLICY'

[09] STRIKE OF `MAVROVO' CONTINUES, PART OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF BACK AT WORK

[10] UNCERTAINTY ON WHERE TO DISPOSE SKOPJE WASTE REMAINS

[11] `ZLETOVO' OF VELES RESPONSIBLE FOR POISONING OF FISH IN THE VARDAR RIVER

[12] PRESIDENT PARDONS 44 CONVICTS

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[13] `Without Restrictions Within the Social Sector' (`Nova Makedonija' - 24th December 1996)

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 26 December, 1996

[01] US ARMY CINC IN MACEDONIA

[02] NO COMMENTS FROM ATHENS ON GLIGOROV'S SPEECH

[03] PROTOCOL MEETINGS OF THE NEWLY-APPOINTED RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

Petar Dobroserdov. As the Macedonian Radio reports talks focused on the readiness of Macedonia to further intensify relations and cooperation with Russia in all respects. On this occasion the Russian Ambassador also submitted his accreditation. Today he is to be received by President Kiro Gligorov, Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski and PM Branko Crvenkovski.

[04] RESTRICTIVE BUDGET - GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL

Media report that debates focused on four key problems: stimulating export- orientated economy, building the water supply system `Lisiche' at Veles, increasing funds for the Agency for Undeveloped Areas and the subsidising of agriculture. The longest discussion nevertheless delved into the 90-million-denar request to finish construction of the `Lisiche' water supply system, which would procure clean drinking water for the population of Veles. This amendment, as well as all above mentioned issues, have been discarded.

Since funds for the construction of the railway connection to Bulgaria have been downsized, too - Finance Minister Taki Fiti stated that this project will have to be financed by means obtained from the European Investment Bank.

The ratification of the `97 Budget was followed by the adopting of several changes affecting tax policy. The latter makes room for the unification of the three different rates for service charges (existing so far) into one of 13%; for the reduction of revenue tax from 30 to 15% which - according to the Government - should be conducive to a more realistic depicting of achieved revenues. Changes of luxury and deficit goods result into an increase of tax on imported beer, whereas luxury goods tax has been downsized by 20% to 50%. A tax reduction has also been pushed forward for oil derivatives.

During the last Parliamentary session of 1996 yesterday, MPs have also ratified the changes and complements to the Law on Pension and Impairment Insurance, which outline a new mode of determining retirement pensions in the future. Another thing adopted was the Decision on the Objectives and Tasks of Monetary Policy in `97, as well as a Decision on Hard Currency Policy and a Forecast on National Financial Balance - in a shape proposed by the Government.

[05] NOVA MAKEDONIJA: `PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH PRESSURING MPS'

Today `Nova Makedonija' reports that the Presidential speech delivered by Gligorov, particularly the last section on political and social demagogy offered `within certain political platforms in the country recently' - and the part referring to well-balanced relations with all neighbours, contained many clear messages, as interpreted by many MPs and the public, addressed to Socialist leader Ljubisav Ivanov - Zingo. According to `Nova Makedonija' this very passage is the reason why Ivanov requested a meeting with President Gligorov yesterday. The latter took place the same day, though there is no specific data on its contents yet.

The above mentioned daily also reports that these days speculations of SDSM officials have gained increased volume and frequency, according to which local elections imposed the necessity to examine the future partnership with the SP, as the latter - though part of the Government - has proven to be its severe critic. Based on information published in `Nova Makedonija' the supporters of Socialist leader Ivanov are said to remain strictly convinced that the social- democrat coalition will not be wrecked. This conviction has been aired repeatedly during encounters with the press, as well as the opinion that collaboration on a national level does not exclude the independent appearance on a local level. The Socialists have also denied allegations on any sort of division within their party, reducing these to journalistic speculation and media campaigning.

[06] LAW ON INSTRUCTION IN MINORITY LANGUAGES PROCESSED `DOUBLE- QUICK'

According to A-1 TV, the Dean of the Pedagogical Faculty Nikola Petrovski has stated (in response to the aforesaid) that the Ministry has the right to draft laws, but the Management and the Senate of the University are obliged to analyse the latter.

[07] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: `POLICE MAY ONLY APPREHEND PEOPLE BASED ON A COURT ORDER'

The Constitutional Court has also suspended Articles 11 and 12 of the Payment Flow Law yesterday, as it has been ruled by the Court that financial revisions may be conducted by other specialised subjects as well - in addition to the Payment Flow Institute. The surplus of revenues generated by this institute are also to remain within the latter, rather than being reallocated to the Budget, the Court decided.

The Court furthermore suspended Article 37 of the Law on Spatial and Urban Planning as it has been assessed that citizens are paying for the use of urbanised space, for the determining of construction sites and for possessing real estate - which is not complying to the Constitution in terms of guaranteeing the principle of the rule of law.

In addition to this the Law on Procuring Public Funds for Extending the Material Basis of Companies has been suspended in its entirety. The reasons for this legal intervention are to be sought - among other things - in the fact that this act of law upheld concepts not outlined by the Constitution.

[08] ECONOMIC CHAMBER: `INVESTING INTO ECONOMY AND REALISTIC INTEREST RATE POLICY'

During the reception for the press Petrevski - according to `Dnevnik' - revealed that the Macedonian Chamber of Economy has first and foremost concentrated its efforts on solving production and export issues this year, as well as on the increasing of economic cooperation with international partners, the improvement of product quality and the obtaining of the ISO 9 000 certificates - prerequisite to placing goods on the world market.

[09] STRIKE OF `MAVROVO' CONTINUES, PART OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF BACK AT WORK

The `Mavrovo' management has also said that payment of hard currency reimbursement for these projects would be continued next year as well. The same applies to pay for November and December 1996, and food and travel reimbursements for `96.

It has furthermore been revealed that a meeting with representatives of the Independent Trade Union has been scheduled in order to see how long the strike would continue.

[10] UNCERTAINTY ON WHERE TO DISPOSE SKOPJE WASTE REMAINS

In addition to this it was said that `Community Hygiene' will not be allowed to discard waste generated in Skopje at the `Vardarishte' facility - concordant to provisions of the Law on Protecting and Improving Human Habitat and the Environment, which has been enacted yesterday.

A-1 TV reports that for now it remains uncertain where the waste of Skopje would be taken to, from the city's streets, and whether upon another Ministerial decision the new `Drizla' facility will eventually be opened (as for now its use has not been permitted) - a bone of contention between city and national authorities and Skopje hygiene services for quite some time.

The new mayor of Skopje Risto Penov has commented in reply to this decision that he supports the closing of `Vardarishte' and that he would reveal more definite data / views following the meeting with the head of `Community Hygiene'.

[11] `ZLETOVO' OF VELES RESPONSIBLE FOR POISONING OF FISH IN THE VARDAR RIVER

Media report that this `catastrophe' occurred at the `Zletovo' smeltery, as a vent broke upon filling the acid into an Albanian tanker - and 4 to 5 tons of this substance were dumped into the river. `Dnevnik' reports that the Macedonian Ministry of Urbanism, Civil Engineering and Ecology is to press charges against `Zletovo' for not having installed a draining system or a pool for toxic substances such as sulfuric acid at the loading station, which led to this incident (the spilling of the acid into the river). The Ministry would also prohibit further use of this station at `Zletovo'. In addition to this the Ministry of the Interior is to press criminal charges against the driver of the truck who contributed to this eco-incident by failing to close the safety vent.

Appropriate legal provisions impose fines between 50 and 250 average pays for this sort of felonies in Macedonia.

[12] PRESIDENT PARDONS 44 CONVICTS

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[13] `Without Restrictions Within the Social Sector'

(`Nova Makedonija' - 24th December 1996)

Several proposals have been submitted on covering unpaid pension and impairment insurance contributions... the rights of the unemployed should not be pruned any further... suspension of the Law on Personal Income... public debate on legal provisions affecting social - economic and employee rights spheres.

Yesterday the Trade Union Federation of Macedonia (TUF) has forwarded its own recommendations concerning today's parliamentary discussion on measures outlined within macro- economic policy and the Budget, to: the Prime Minister, the Parliamentary Chairman, the Vice-President of the Government Ljube Trpeski; to the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Labour and Social Policy and to the Ministry of Economic Policy and Development. While stressing that it most authentically reflects the mood among employees, and evaluating the current social - economic position of citizens as alarming - the TUF is airing proposals on how to resolve issues concerning pension and impairment insurance, the insuring of unemployed, difficulties in salary payment and the necessity to establish a Social / Economic Council; in this paper addressed to MPs among other `target groups'.

With regards to the problems on obtaining pension and impairment insurance contributions, it has been proposed by the Union to balance foreign demands with contribution dues - whereas debts towards the state and the Fund of other firms should be transformed into permanent deposits of the former, i.e. the latter. It has also been suggested to permit certain companies to sell their assets in order to settle their dues, to allow individual payment for those about to retire, and to prohibit the payment of personal income next year if those debts have not yet been settled by that time. Another recommended option was to forgive dues towards the Pension and Impairment Insurance Fund accrued throughout 1992 and 1993, and to reduce contribution rates for the years 1994 and 1995 from 50 to 20%. Interest rates upon paying of contributions and personal income tax should also be discarded, and a grace period for their settling should be determined. Those means not to be paid by certain companies therefore, or generated by the reduction of contribution rates for certain years, are to be covered by the state.

Since registering that the new Law on Employment and Insurance which is being drafted at the moment, would entail infringements upon the rights of employees in case they were out of a job, the TUF recommends the alleviation of this condition. New legal provisions, nevertheless, outline that unemployed are to receive support for only 18 months instead of the 24 proscribed so far, with the provision that social and health care contributions would only be covered throughout the initial six months. The TUF has proposed that this kind of reimbursement amounts to 60% of the minimum income, whereas eligibility should be warranted until retirement or re-employment. In case of impaired people specific regulations would be required.

Bearing in mind the fact that 29.9% (i.e. a total of 100 000) of all employees are not being paid, of which 20.9% fall off to the economic sector, as well as the fact that the legally determined quantum of money has not grown over 10% after the most recent wave of forwarded means to provide pay for workers - the TUF underlines the inevitability of suspending the Law on Personal Income.

Another issue requiring immediate attention is the codification of a minimum personal income limit, and the increasingly frequent violations of the Collective Agreement by withholding the 13th pay, food and travel expenses. The paper further contains the repeated appeal to establish a Social - Economic Council.

The TUF points out that the National Budget for next year does not contain significant improvements, and that macro- economic difficulties are being `patched up' by further downsizing of the social and economic spheres, on account of the employees, pensioners and those left without work.

Therefore the TUF put forward several demands: labour should be considered a serious reform factor in Parliament and Government papers; social justice should be the `spiritus movens' of social evolution; the Government should revise its macro-economic policy and propose such measures advancing production growth; unemployment should be decreased; pay should reflect rises in living expenses; and retirement pensions should be paid regularly. In the end it has been suggested to delay discussing the offered acts of law affecting the social -economic and employment rights spheres ( the Amendments to the new Retirement Pension and Employment Laws), in order to stage a public debate involving the TUF as well.

(end)

mils news 26 December 1996

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