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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-02-19Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 19 February 1997[01] THREATS FROM ATHENS - EUROPEAN FINANCIAL HELP FOR MACEDONIA DEPENDS ON EVENTS REGARDING THE NAMEGreek National Economy Minister Janos Papandonius threatened yesterday that the realization of the financial help granted to Macedonia by the EU will depend on the political development regarding the name solution. The statement given by the Minister, as reported by `Makfaks', was published yesterday the paper of the frugal left winged `Elefterotipija' under the headline `Money as means for pressuring the name'. The decision of the EN Finance Ministers' Union for granting a financial help to Macedonia amounting of 40 million ECOU was assessed by the Greek Minister as the fist step. According to Papandonius Greek at any moment can put at stake the realization of the financial help, `not only because of technical but also because of political events regarding the name of the Skopje Republic'.The Minister added that all relations of Macedonia with the EU will depend on the problems concerning Athens and Skopje. [02] DUE TO PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE NAME - COUNTRIES AT THE SOFIA MEETING PRESENTED ONLY BY FLAGSIn Sofia yesterday began the two-day preparatory meeting of representatives from ministries for foreign affairs from the European South-Eastern states. This meeting precedes the one that should be held in Thessaloniki. At the meeting propositions are being established given by the member- states regarding the document that should be adopted at he meeting in Thessaloniki. `Makpres' reports, at the meeting in Sofia delegates from the Macedonian Foreign Affairs Ministry are also present, and the problem concerning the state name which was the main reason for the Macedonian delegates not to attend the first meeting held last year in Sofia, is now solved in such a way that instead of a written state name there stands a flag at the places where the delegates sit.[03] SR YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT AGREE WITH ARCHIVE DIVISIONYesterday in Brussels there was another round of negotiations regarding the succession of former Yugoslavia.At the meeting the mediator Arthur Watts had tried to concentrate the debate on the division of the archives of the former federation. According to `A-1 TV', for now there is no progress regarding the solution offered by Watts for dividing the archives due to the withstand given by the Yugoslav Federation delegates who made an argument that part of those archives are official secrets of that state. The Yugoslav party stands with the attitude that the decision of the archives could eventually be possible under conditions of `balance in the attitudes of all five republics'. Today Macedonian delegates in Brussels are about to have a bilateral meting with the mediator Arthur Watts. [04] NATO DELEGATES IN MACEDONIADefense Minister Blagoj Handziski yesterday received NATO delegates headed by the British General Angelo Arena from the sector of co-operation and regional security of the International Headquarters of the Alliance. As it is cited in the official announcement, at the meeting there were talks concerning activities regarding the increase of the interoperation of the Macedonian military structures with the Alliance structures as well as the intensive co- operation within the `Partnership for peace' program by which Macedonia was included among the most active members.During their visit in Macedonia the delegates from the NATO International Headquarters will discuss all these topics with representatives from the Macedonian armed forces and they will convey their experiences regarding engagement of the international forces within the joined forces such as the missions of IFOR and SVAD. [05] IN SKOPJE YESTERDAY CONTINUED PROTESTS AGAINST THE PEDAGOGICAL FACULTY LAWThe Student Union from the Skopje Pedagogical Faculty, not content with the enforced Law for lecture conducting in the language of the nationalities, has been organizing student protests which were also attended by a great number of high school pupils. In front of the General Assembly, the Ministry for Education and Physical Culture and the Government building dominated the number of the pupils (5-6 thousands) and together with few hundreds of student the shouted slogans and threw eggs and fire crackers. The procession of students and pupils went from the General Assembly to the Government and the Ministry and round again by which the traffic downtown was paralyzed. A larger presence of the police forces was noticed and they controlled the situation but there was no need for their intervention. Among the slogans shouted by the students there were those of the kind: `Today one faculty - tomorrow a whole university', Resignation and straight to hell', `Albanian language in Albania', `Macedonia wake up!', `Young sufferers for Macedonian honor', `We do not want what's not ours, we defend what's ours', `Communists! They bribed you with pork!'....The protests were most massive and most loud in front of the Education Ministry where few windows were broken and demand were shouted for the resignation of the Education Minister Sofija Todorova.Yesterday there was a meeting of Minister Todorova with representatives from the Student Union at the Pedagogical Faculty at which the minister was handed the resignation demand and there were talks about the current events in the streets of Skopje. The procedures on enforcement of the law for high education were also mentioned. After the talks Minister Todorova expressing concern for the way in which the protests are conducted and the large turn out of the pupils stated that the law for the Pedagogical faculty was enforced by the Macedonian Parliament and its constitutionality and justification will be soon assessed by the state's Constitutional Court. Regarding her resignation demand the Minister stated that she see no objective reasons for such a thing. Yesterday, on part of the Student Union at the Pedagogical Faculty an announcement was made which says that the protests in Skopje were attended by 10 thousand students, pupils and citizens of Macedonia. The protests were quiet and with no incidents, and they will continue today as well. In the announcement it is underlined that the student's demand is supported by the Tourism Faculty from Ohrid. Regarding the resignation demand it is cited that it has been personally handed to Minister Todorova and to the Macedonian Government. Yesterday, giving a moral support to the demands of the students from the Pedagogical Faculty in Skopje, the High School Union did not indulge in a behaviour like certain individuals did at the protests in the streets of Skopje. According to the statement of the Union president given yesterday for the Macedonian TV the Union has not called the pupils to protest and the attitude was that each pupil should be governed by his/hers own conscience. As it has been announces the protest will continue today with gatherings in front of the Parliament, the Government and the Ministry between 12 and 16 hrs. [06] VMRO-DPMNE - REBUKING THE POLICE BEHAVIOURRegarding the protest of the students and pupils in the streets of Skopje, yesterday VMRO-DPMNE made an announcement by which they rebuked the way in which the police reacted to the student's dissatisfaction. In the announcement it is stated that MVR once again proved itself to be bound with ideological discipline and mechanisms of a political police, and instead dealing with organized crime and drug expansion it deals with following the political convictions of the youth. As an example VMRO-DPMNE underlines the apostrophe in the police statement of this party's member, Filip Petkovski, and yesterday's visits of MVR representatives in civilian clothes to many high schools in Skopje applying pressure methods and threatening the teachers.This party, in principle, supports the right to a protest and other forms of expressing citizen dissatisfaction from the government performances. VMRO-DPMNE called on the Domestic Affairs Minister, Tomislav Chokrevski, and members of the police to take necessary measures within their competence so as not to over pass their authority and thus cause greater disorder. [07] MEASURES FOR OVERCOMING PROBLEMS WITH THE RAILWAY WORKERSMacedonian Government Prime Minister, Branko Crvenkovski, and Traffic Minister, Dimitar Buzlevski, met yesterday with representatives from the Autonomous Syndicate of the Machine Staff at the Macedonian Railways and the Syndicate of the Railway Workers. According to the official statement, at the meeting there were discussions regarding many current issues of the workers interest. It was stressed that the activities concerning the enforcement of the new railway law will be intensified and all acceptable suggestions on part of the expert and syndicate structures in the Macedonian railways will be respected. Besides the large number of problems regarding the totally limited proportion of operating and the high expenses it was said that measures will be taken in the direction of salary and compensation payment for the employed in the Macedonian Railways all which will lead to normal functioning of the railway system and satisfaction of the needs for economy transport and transport of the population.The media report that after these talks it is expected that the general strike of the railway workers and the machine staff announced for this week will be canceled. The conduct of the strike depended on the results from the meeting between the Syndicate representatives and the state officials. [08] NATIONAL BANK MEASURES DIMINISH THE SAVINGS BANKSIn an attempt in future to avoid the possible affairs with the banks which cheated a large number of citizens, the Council of the National bank of Macedonia has recently taken certain measures which should increase the security in the performances of these finical institutions. The Macedonian TV reports, the Skopje banks reacted to these measures and they believe that the decisions of the NBM are directed towards restricting their performances, i.e. their diminishing and conversion into exchange offices. At the session of the Savings Section at the Economy Chamber they have concluded that with the announced obligatory open revealing of the party's name, the deposit amount and the account restriction the secrecy of the incomes will be violated. Regarding the limitations of the banks' performances it is stressed that the savings banks will die out if they do not act according the proclaimed policy. It has been required from the state to sanction the `quasi - financial institutions' of the type: `Makedonija reklam' and `Dzamadanche' which largely damaged the banking system of the state.[09] MACEDONIAN BOOK OF REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE MEAT QUALITYThis year in Macedonia 116 thousand swine will be bred and they will give 10.440 tons of meat which means that there will be a deficit of 3,5 to 4 thousand tons of meat.`Vecher' reports that this was concluded at yesterday's meeting of the Swine Grouping and the meat-packing industry at the Economy Chamber of Macedonia. The domestic producers could compensate this meat deficit with a greater motivation and organization, it has been said, yet most probably an interveening import will be necessary. The meat producers have pointed out that it is necessary to create a Macedonian book of regulations for the quality of the meat and the meat products which will eliminate the `wild' producers. At the meeting in the Economy Chamber of Macedonia it has been announced that it is possible for the producers of lamb to demand ban on the pork import so as to create space for selling lamb which this year ( about 1.750 tons) will end on the Macedonian instead on the EU market due to the Union embargo. Yesterday this announcement lead to reactions on part of the representatives from the leather industry who assessed that in that case they will be left with no raw materials. `Dnevnik' reports, otherwise the veterinarian authorities of Macedonia have immediately banned the pork import from the countries where the swine fever has been registered. [10] BUSINESSMEN AWARDS FROM THE ECONOMY CHAMBER OF MACEDONIAThe public firm `Elektrostopanstvo na Makedonija', `REK Bitola' from Bitola, AD'Ading' from Skopje, the farming plant `Tikvesh' from Kavadarci, PTP `Fatina' from Gostivar, AD'Skopski pazar' from Skopje and AD'Komuna' from Skopje were the winners of the award given by the Economy Chamber of Macedonia for 1996 for achieved results in the increase of production, productivity and economy in their working 5 years in a raw, `A-1 TV' reports, as best managers in production, circulation and services for at least 4 years in a raw were chosen:Vladimir Todorovich - manager of `Tineks' markets from Skopje, Dimitar Stojanovski - manager of `Pelister' a knitting factory from Bitola, Zzivko Apostolovski - manager of AD `Agroplod' from Resen, Savka Dimitrova - manager of AD `Evropa' from Skopje and Risto Gushkov - manager of AD `Cementarnica' from Skopje. [11] DPM - TENSIONS BETWEEN PDP AND PDPA REGARDING LOCAL ELECTIONS IN TETOVO ESCALATElast year's elections have not yet ended and the municipality of Tetovo has not yet chosen a mayor in a democratic way, pointed out yesterday the leader of the Democrat party of Macedonia, Tomislav Stojanovski Bombaj, assessing that this creates a unfavourable climate in Tetovo which may give unpredictable consequences. Yet the tensions between PDP and PDPA escalate, warns Stojanovki at yesterday's press conference, stressing that at the open voting in Sunday on 23 th February one may expect attempts for violation of the Law for local elections. This could be prevented with the presence of members from the State Election Commission, OSCE, and other observers, stressed Stojanovski. At yesterday's press conference Stojanovski expressed the attitude of his party and called the citizens of Gostivar not to vote in the second election round for the DPM candidate and instead vote for any candidate of other parties.MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] `We can not close our eyes'(`Nova Makedonija' 18 February, 1997)I have been following the debate in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia after my recent visit to the country mainly through the newspapers `Nova Makedonija', `Puls', Makedonsko Sonce', and `Delo'. The debate demands certain explanations. 1. To be a special informer for human rights on the territory of former Yugoslavia is not a voluntary mission. That is a mission with a mandate determined by the United Nations member- states on honorary grounds and it is not paid. The special informer must work according to what is cited in the resolutions of the Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations and the General Assembly. I accepted the mandate and I have to respect the unanimous will of the United Nations and I am grateful for the support I receive in my work from the member- states. Regarding the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, one year ago, on my suggestion, the Commission for Human Rights decided to reduce the mandate. This means that the Centre for Human Rights still works through the office in Skopje and it helps me by regularly informing me because I've decided personally to visit the FYROM at least once a year if more visits are not necessary. I often meet with government representatives, ministers, ambassadors in FYROM, and I also get information from non-governmental organisations, citizen groups, from different members in the field of human rights and of course, from other international organisations. My co- operation with UNPREDEP is quite solid. 2. President Gligorov gave me a very important suggestion during our meeting one year ago. That was a meeting which I highly appreciate. It was an idea that someone should make a comparative study of the rights of the minorities in former Yugoslavia and the neighbouring countries. I contributed within the frameworks allowed by my mandate, i.e. I contributed to the situation of the minorities in SRY and in Croatia. This elaborate report was presented at the General Assembly in November 1996. 3. We can not close our eyes in front of the fact that the issue of education of the minorities in the FYROM presents a problem. The European Council which by the Government of the FYROM is always considered a partner for collaboration and advice, has very often mentioned Finland as a model for dealing with the minorities. Finland has 6% of Swedish speaking population which officially and according to the Constitution has the same rights as the majority that speaks Finnish. I would particularly like to point out that both language groups cover Finnish people with a strong feeling for the Finnish nation and they have fought in wars for our independence. The Swedish speaking minorities have the right to education in their mother tongue in our country and there are three universities where the lectures are conducted in Swedish. In a few universities there are professors who teach in Swedish. These are absolutely no `Scandinavian' schools, they are purely national with Finnish teaching plans. Of course, the Finnish government has greater expenses due to the two official languages, but we have realised that the cultural difference pays out. The citizens who speak Swedish are highly educated. For me, as a special informer, it is important to be open and direct in my opinions, to criticise when necessary and to be positive when it is allowed by a situation. I also can take criticism and information in return. But for me it has always been crucial the criticism to be based upon true facts and not upon attacks on persons. That is neither constructive nor does it contribute to our mutual goals i.e. creating a situation of human rights with high standards and respect for each individual. I hope that this does not present only my goal as a special informer supported by the member-states of the UN through their recommendations, but that it is a goal particularly for the Government of the FYROM and even more for the media and the citizens of that country. Elizabeth Ren, Special Informer of the UN Commission for Human Rights for the territory of former Yugoslavia. (end)mils news 19 February, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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