MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-03-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] LAW ON BANK CLIENT RESTITUTION, VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON GOVERNMENT AND PACKAGE OF LEGAL PROVISIONS ON EARLY ELECTIONS

[02] LAST DAY OF STUDENT PROTEST

[03] IMRO-DPMNE: `MEETING OF PURELY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTER'

[04] MTV: `SIGNING OF EU COOPERATION AGREEMENT DUE ON 24TH MARCH'

[05] PANGALOS: `SHARED VIEWS ON REGIONAL STABILISATION'

[06] CONTACTS WITHIN US-GREEK TRADE CHAMBER IN ATHENS

[07] FLOUR TRANSPORT TO DEPART FOR ALBANIA TODAY

[08] `KOMERCIJALNA BANKA' SELLS HARD CURRENCY TO STABILISE EXCHANGE RATE

[09] EPILOGUE ON `AUDI A-3' DEAL POSSIBLY DUE TODAY

[10] TETOVO: `DECISION ON USE OF MINORITY FLAGS PASSED WITHOUT MACEDONIAN MUNICIPAL COUNSELLOURS'

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[11] `Tolerance - A Fundamental Value' (`Vecher' - 20th March 1997)

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 21 March, 1997

[01] LAW ON BANK CLIENT RESTITUTION, VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON GOVERNMENT AND PACKAGE OF LEGAL PROVISIONS ON EARLY ELECTIONS

According to PM Crvenkovski the compiling of the restitution law would have to depart from the premises that: the names of all deceived clients should be revealed, the disbursement of the main assets should be of priority, assets tied up in mortgages, placements and loans should be the main source of restitution and all this should be conducted based on realistic financial grounds - without the printing of money.

Upon stressing that there is readiness within the Government to hold all those liable who did not fulfill their professional / legal duties - the PM announced that he intended to proceed all written statements by ministers that they are not linked to any of the compromised banks to the Attorney General, in order to fully determine their possible liability. PM Crvenkovski also stated that a difficult battle was awaiting everybody: the Government, the Parliament, the Judiciary and all other institutions which are to be affected by the completion of a thorough criminal investigation.

Throughout the sequel of the 59th session, the members of the Macedonian Parliament have signed statements confirming that neither they or any members of their closer families have been banking clients - or have been granted any loans - by those institutions embezzling the savings of the population. This had been request submitted by SDSM representative Veljo Tantarov.

Debates revolving around the bankruptcy of 10 savings houses and the mass plundering of citizens, again attributed the major share of responsibility to the NBM.

While stressing that the key issue now was to determine the actual sum of embezzled savings deposits so that clients could be disbursed, members of the SDSM faction emphasised that restitution may be achieved through the printing of money - as this would upset the economic and political system within the country.

LP Members of Parliament have also ascribed responsibility to the Government, in addition to the NBM, since the former - in the opinion of Ace Kocevski - due to its inertia has been contributing to the destruction of the banking system in the country, and to the diminishing of Macedonia's international rating.

Due to this it has been stressed that there is an amount of political responsibility involved, in addition to ethic and criminal liability.

SPM leader Ljubisav Ivanov has also demanded the reconstruction of the Government - as most recent social and political unrest have put the safety and survival of the country in question, whereas the banking scandals are only a minor part of all problems confronting the Macedonian economy.

Minister of the Interior Tomislav Chokrevski underlined during the session that police is in the possession of the records found at the flat of `TAT' owner Nikolovska, which are to be forwarded to judiciary authorities.

Should police detect the existence of illegal practice, nobody would be spared or hidden - but responsibility would be determined until the very end - stated the Macedonian Minister of the Interior.

[02] LAST DAY OF STUDENT PROTEST

Yesterday, during the press conference held by the Organisation Board of student protests (directed against the PF-Bill), a letter addressed to the public has been publicised. The letter stated that the last public appearance of President Kiro Gligorov, has been in the function of the SDSM leader - i.e. an attempt to abuse student protests as a facade to obscure the abundant surfacing of criminal activities in the Macedonian banking system. Students, have therefore expressed their disappointment at how the Macedonian Head of State has transformed their honest intentions to lead a life of equality, coexistence and tolerance into an `inter- partisan show-down'. Due to this the Organisation Board has decided to cancel all scheduled meetings and protest activities addressing this issue - though it continues to insist on the fulfillment of student demands - while responsibility is being ascribed to the Macedonian political leadership.

Thus the tent housing the hunger strike participants at the `Zhena-borec' park in Skopje was disassembled yesterday, and according to the students the strike has been put on hold - but not ended. Students announced that they would plant 15 trees at the location where the tent stood, in memory of the 15 days of hunger strike.

[03] IMRO-DPMNE: `MEETING OF PURELY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTER'

Certain politicians are obviously refusing to understand the motto under which this meeting has been announced: `Stop the Economic, Social and National Downfall of Macedonia' - stated IMRO-DPMNE leader Ljupcho Georgievski at yesterday's press conference. It has also been stressed that current parliamentary debates regarding the `TAT' banking scandal, represented only one more reason for the party to proceed with the meeting. Georgievski further assessed the Parliament session as a Government attempt to do everything in its power to obstruct the discussion of the `TAT' banking scandal - as well as the affairs involving the remaining banks in Macedonia - in order to ensure that the actual offenders are not held responsible, since this literally embodies an instance of organised crime at the highest political level.

`According to data available to the IMRO-DPMNE and certain records we have been forwarded - we are able to claim that the entire SDSM leadership of Bitola, headed by mayor Siljan Micevski, is involved in covering up organised crime in their own party ranks. This operation also includes more than half of the SDSM Government ministers and 12 (mostly SDSM) members of Parliament who have abused their position to obtain interest rates at the `TAT' bank - worthy of the admiration of any hard- boiled loan shark - based on internal agreements concluded with owner Sonja Nikolovska. The lists are reported to contain the names of five SDSM Government ministers and one of the PDP, according to the IMRO-DPMNE leader - who added that records also mentioned judges, leading police officials and directors of public enterprises. The only names not to be found on these lists, are those of PM Crvenkovski, and Ministers Vlado Popovski and Slobodan Unkovski.

In the opinion of Georgievski the business practice of banks has been quite decisively codified within appropriate legal acts - which is why he attributes a certain amount of liability to the country's law enforcement as well. Since he considers that authorities / incriminated parties are incapable of conducting an objective and independent investigation, Georgievski requested the involvement of experts by `Coopers & Lybrandt' and `Lloyds' and the inclusion of frozen hard currency assets of the Former Yugoslav Federation.

[04] MTV: `SIGNING OF EU COOPERATION AGREEMENT DUE ON 24TH MARCH'

[05] PANGALOS: `SHARED VIEWS ON REGIONAL STABILISATION'

According to coverage of Greek national TV the reached consensus among Athens, Belgrade and Skopje above all provided cooperation in the defence and law enforcement sector. The precise mode of cooperation is to depend on the development of events in Albania, whereas Greece is to function as a coordinator of joint efforts to resolve the Albanian crisis.

`Makpress' informs that Greek media mainly concentrated on the meeting between Pangalos and President Gligorov as the most relevant component of his visit, adding that the latter embodied a giant step forward in overcoming several years of stagnation as regards bilateral relations.

The same agency reports that `Nea Demokratia' leader Militiadis Evert stated that the Pangalos' visit strengthened Skopje's negotiation position with respect to the name-issue. Opposition paper `Elephteros Typos' assessed the visit as the dooming of Greek diplomacy.

[06] CONTACTS WITHIN US-GREEK TRADE CHAMBER IN ATHENS

[07] FLOUR TRANSPORT TO DEPART FOR ALBANIA TODAY

`Dnevnik' reveals that along the Albanian-Macedonian border Albanian nationals have resorted to selling arms at laughable prices (e.g. a Kalashnjikov for 50 DM, or a revolver for 20), or to exchanging other goods for food and cigarettes.

[08] `KOMERCIJALNA BANKA' SELLS HARD CURRENCY TO STABILISE EXCHANGE RATE

The maximum amount to be purchased by one person per day amounts to 500 DM. This measure is being introduced to stabilise the exchange rate of the DM and other hard currencies, and to stop the artificial increase generated by recent banking scandals - first and foremost the one at the `TAT' bank.

[09] EPILOGUE ON `AUDI A-3' DEAL POSSIBLY DUE TODAY

Similar experts have been engaged by `Audi'. What appears to be a quintessential bone of contention is the request made by `Audi' that all `Volkswagen' models be imported into Macedonia without any customs charges. This may - it is being assessed - burden Macedonia's relations with the WTO and obstruct its recent admission into this organisation.

[10] TETOVO: `DECISION ON USE OF MINORITY FLAGS PASSED WITHOUT MACEDONIAN MUNICIPAL COUNSELLOURS'

All this resulted in the adopting of the decision to use flags at the municipality of Tetovo, followed by the exhibiting of the Albanian flag next to that of the Republic of Macedonia at the building.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[11] `Tolerance - A Fundamental Value'

(`Vecher' - 20th March 1997)

Two days ago the Parliament of Macedonia adopted the `Declaration on Furthering Inter-Ethnic Relations in the Spirit of Tolerance, Dialogue and Mutual Respect and Trust'. The Declaration had been proposed by around 40 MPs, social-democrats and socialists - as well as by PCER, DPPR and DPT-IP. The adopting of this document was preceded by the ratification of amendments suggested by members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union faction Ratka Kuljan-Zografska, Vladimir Sokolovski and Ismet Ramadani - as well as by the adopting of the PDP amendments.

We are enclosing the integral text of the Declaration.

`Declaration on Furthering Inter-Ethnic Relations in the Spirit of Tolerance, Dialogue and Mutual Respect and Trust'

The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia:

*In departing from the fact that the development of stable inter-ethnic relations and tolerance represent a prerequisite to stability and the democratic development of the Republic of Macedonia;

*By repeatedly advocating individual rights and liberties, and the concept of individualism as the foundation for the evolving of a civic society;

*In the conviction that cultural diversity is a factor conducive to social integration and an enrichment of the community - rather than the `spiritus movens' for ethnic divisions;

*While emphasising the need to create and develop appropriate means to strengthen harmony, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect among citizens of different ethnic and cultural descent;

*While adhering to principles outlined in: the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, international treaties on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Framework Convention on the Protection of Ethnic Minorities, as well as to all relevant OSCE documents;

*Upon underlining that the evolving of inter- ethnic relations and tolerance are among the fundamental values of the Constitutional order of the Republic of Macedonia;

*Bearing in mind Constitutional provisions on the equality of all citizens, on the prohibiting of discrimination on any kind of basis, as well as on the efficient implementation of legal protection of these principles;

*While promoting the rights of those of different ethnic descent on a Constitutional level, and the principle of their integration into all spheres of society;

The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia:

1. Is underlining the necessity to uphold the rule of law as the basic prerequisite to democracy and a warranty to the protection of human rights without any discrimination whatsoever;

2. Is emphasising the role and responsibility of democratic institutions (on a national and local level) throughout the process of creating and implementing a policy of inter-ethnic tolerance, effective equality and mutual understanding;

3. Is encouraging and furthering the activities of the Council for Inter-Ethnic Relations, and those of the Commissions on Inter-Ethnic Relations on a local level in furthering inter- ethnic relations;

4. Is counting on the active contribution of political parties upon commencing a dialogue on all current issues in order to establish and develop harmonic inter-ethnic relations - and indicating the threats of inciting inter-ethnic intolerance and hatred, as well as its abuse for political purposes;

5. Is particularly emphasising the necessity of the preventive role of educational institutions in developing tolerance and mutual understanding among young people, and in countering bias of any kind;

6. Is indicating the need of prioritising issues of the human rights domain, relevant to the evolving of tolerance in educational programmes on all levels;

7. Is to integrate international treaties enacted by parliamentary members in inter- governmental organisations of which the Republic of Macedonia is a fully-fledged member, first and foremost those of the Inter-Parliamentary Union - while analysing and enacting legal provisions and bills;

8. Is welcoming and encouraging the activities and impact of the NGO sector and civic associations in furthering tolerance and dialogue among the population of varying cultural and ethnic descent;

9. Is particularly stressing the role and responsibility of media in creating public opinion and public awareness with respect to ethnic diversity and human rights in general;

10. Is underlining the importance of scientific research institutions within studying the reasons and consequences of manifestations of intolerance and the encouraging of activities to eliminate the latter;

11. Is encouraging and furthering all other initiatives and activities directed towards the developing of inter-ethnic relations in the Republic of Macedonia in the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect.

(end)

mils news 21 March 1997

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