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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-04-23Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 23 April, 1997[01] RESIGNATION OF HEALTH MINISTER ILIJA FILIPCHEYesterday Health Minister Ilija Filipche submitted his resignation to PM Branko Crvenkovski who accepted the same - Macedonian media report. Filipche lists in his justification that he was being obstructed from conducting his office responsibly and conscientiously, which nullified any personal responsibility of his - something he considered prerequisite to holding such a public office.`I remain with the conviction that my resignation will facilitate the unimpeded continuing of reform procedures by the Macedonian Government within the health sector', Filipche states in his letter of resignation. Upon quoting Government sources A-1 TV attributed the resignation of Health Minister Filipche to his meeting with PM Crvenkovski two days ago, during which the PM openly aired his discontent with the state of affairs in this sector and with the work of the Minister. In this context the PM further said that he was considering the suspension of Filipche. This entailed the subsequent resignation of the latter. Besides this, these days Filipche had been making the headlines with the claim that he had put an end to the `business triangle' devouring several million DM of the Health Insurance Fund via numerous manipulations (mainly with respect to pharmaceuticals purchase for prices far above the realistic cost). The `corner-posts' of this `business triangle': the former head of the Skopje Clinic Centre Dr. Miodrag Vrchakovski, Dr. Panovski and the owner of the major supplier firm `Zegin' Blagoj Mehandzhiski have completely discarded such accusations, while announcing their intention to sue former Minister Filipche for libel. [02] CLIENTS DISCONTENT WITH MYSTERY SURROUNDING `TAT' CASEPrior to today's Government session which is to concentrate on the draft- bill on restitution of deceived bank clients (generated through numerous bankruptcies), the clients of the Bitola-based `TAT' bank held a press conference at this city. On this occasion they aired their discontent and revolt with respect to the mystery surrounding the investigation findings report, which is being treated as confidential material. It had been stressed that the highest Government circles had promised that nobody would get away with illegal practice and activities. The Macedonian Radio reports that the deceived bank clients had once again made it clear that any option not containing the complete restitution according to real interest rates (approved by the NBM) would be considered unacceptable. The promises made by the PM and several other Government officials must be fulfilled. Otherwise, clients stressed, nobody could control any future development of events. The deceived `TAT' bank clients have also once again underlined that the case should not acquire political dimensions, asking from all parties to prove that they are `both capable and willing to address the issue.'[03] GOVERNOR STANOEVSKI: `REPORT BECOMES FINAL AFTER INPUT FROM NIKOLOVSKA'Following yesterday's NBM session, Governor Stanoevski stated that the investigation findings report would be considered final once the input of `TAT' bank owner Sonja Nikolovska had been obtained. MTV reports that Governor Stanoevski claims that in his opinion the most adequate approach to resolve conditions at the `TAT' bank would be to introduce classic bankruptcy measures. At the same time this is also outlined within the Bank and Savings Houses Act.With respect to the announcements made by the defence counsellours of Nikolovska that it was in possession of records containing the names of several well-established public personalities, Stanoevski expressed his suspicions on the existence of such documents. As regards the sum of around 30 million DM paid over the period between 3rd January and 3rd March `97 - the Governor dismissed this as a bluff, adding that there had been an influx of 23 million DM and an outflow 30 million. This meant a deficit of 6.5 million which are funds acquired by Nikolovska from different enterprises. [04] GOVERNMENT RECONSTRUCTION AFTER HOLIDAYSThe Central Council of the incumbent SDSM gathered for a session yesterday, focusing on current political conditions in the country. `Vecher' reports that immediately prior to the session, PM and SDSM leader Branko Crvenkovski had announced that Government reconstructions were most likely to be conducted after the holidays at least for the two following reasons: the two recent resignations.[05] PROTESTS UNDER THE MOTTO `FOR SOCIAL SURVIVAL UNTIL ALL REQUESTS ARE FULFILLED'This Tuesday a demonstration of the membership of the Independent Trade Union Organisation of the Unemployed, Redundant and Laid-Off Workers was held in front of the Macedonian Parliament, under the motto `For Social Survival Until All Requests Are Fulfilled'. This protest - participants stressed - represents a sequel to the 37-day hunger strike organised at tents set up in front of the Parliament building. Demonstrations are to continue until the fulfillment of the seven requests forwarded to the Government and the President recently. Most of the demands focus on the disbursement of 60% of the national average income until re-employment or retirement; or on the reviewing of privatization procedures generating redundant or laid-off workers. With respect to their fulfillment, representatives of the Independent Trade Union Organisation stated - according to A-1 TV - that for now their only contact reference would be the Macedonian Head of state.The demonstration is to continue every day between 13 30h and 16 00h (with a Trade Union Hour) in front of the Parliament WHEN THE ENTIRE AREA IS TO BE SEALED OFF, until all demands are met. [06] MINISTER FRCHKOVSKI: `PRIVATIZATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR'The ongoing privatization process is to be completed by the end of this year, whereas Macedonia is to continue to create a solid market economy as a foundation for economic reforms in the country. MTV reports that this has been part of the address given by Macedonian Foreign Secretary Ljubomir Frchkovski in front of the UN Economy Commission in Geneva.This stay in Switzerland is t be followed by the departure of Frchkovski for Warsaw, on an official visit to Poland. [07] DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARY CHAIRMAN BLAGOJA FILIPOVSKI STAYS IN OFFICEThe Parliamentary Election and Appointment Commission has decided not to sustain the LP proposal to suspend Deputy Parliamentary Chairman Blagoja Filipovski, as the latter had submitted the request to conduct this office on a full-time basis as of next month - the Macedonian Radio reports. This means that Filipovski will no longer perform this duty as a volunteer, and that his relation of employment with the nationally-owned airport services facility `Makedonija' in Skopje is to be terminated. Thus the main bone of contention concordant to the operation regulations of the Macedonian Parliament, according to which all functions within this institution are to be held on a full-time basis, appears to be out of the way. This was not the case with Blagoja Filipovski so far who had remained an employee of the nationally-owned airport services facility `Makedonija' of Skopje after his election on 27th December 1995 and received full pay, in addition to 30% of the pay of parliamentary functionaries.Most of the Commission members assessed the LP proposal as justified, while adding that it was also clear that there had been no intention of abuse notable by Filipovski. [08] BRUCELLOSIS AT PRILEP, TETOVO, VELES...`Dnevnik' reports that the National Health Protection Institute had revealed that so far 82 cases of brucellosis had been registered in Macedonia. Most of them came from Prilep (16), Tetovo (12), Veles (13) and four of them had emerged in Skopje. Experts claim that this disease has a tendency to spread fast. Conditions are most alarming at the Tetovo village Gjermo where over 40 goats had contracted the virus and 8 residents had been hospitalized.At the Prilep area a total of around 80 sheep and goats had to be killed so far - concordant to provisions issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. In the case of cattle, contaminated heads are slaughtered at sanitary facilities and their meat is still being used after thermal processing. The disease is most easily spread through the consumption of non-pasteurized milk, dairy products made from such milk and meat of contaminated livestock. [09] EMIGRANTS' ASSOCIATION: `STRESS ON RELATIONS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND MACEDONIA'Relations between Australia and Macedonia have been the main thematic focus of yesterday's regular session of the Macedonian Emigrants' Association. `Vecher' reports that in this context the conclusions of the Working Group had been adopted. These confirm that the exhibited engagement of Dimitar Keramitichiev concerning the stay of both Australian delegations in Macedonia had been indisputable and well-intended, in order to resolve tension within the Diocese peacefully. In the opinion of Keramitchiev accusations of his being impartial have clearly been influenced by certain individuals in Macedonia to discredit him.According to Lidija Nedelkovska, however, Keramitchiev abused his authority, while Trajan Bavtirovski requested the activating of the Emigrants' Council. Samuil Lamevski stated that the Church managed to project the conflicts onto the Emigrants' Association, which is to pick up the pieces now. In the opinion of Vasil Zigomanov discord had surfaced within the OCM and then spread over to the parties, the Congress and the state like a bush fire - in order to settle who would be the Diaspora `Lion King'. The OCM Head the Reverend Mihail pointed out that there are no acceptable arguments for the disintegration of the Macedonian Emigrants who wish to live in peace, order and unity. In his opinion the situation in the Diaspora was to be attributed to the presence of a party and a Congress rather than to the involvement of the Church or the state. In this context the Reverend Mihail did not object to their presence in the Diaspora but to their negative impact. In the end he emphasized that a solution had to be reached via conversation and compromise, while the Church is not to take either side. [10] RADIO-BROADCASTING BILL SUPPORTED BY TWO COMMISSIONSPrior to today's Parliamentary session, the Commission on Socio-Political Systems and the Legislative Parliamentary Commission have supported the Radio-Broadcasting Bill, which is on the Agenda of today's meeting. Most of the objections aired by the Legislative Commission during the previous stages have been incorporated into the draft- bill. Thus this body has assessed that there are no further impediments to a positive evaluation by the Members of the Macedonian Parliament.The Commission on Socio-Political Systems was also comprised of representatives of the Macedonian Radio and TV Broadcasting Corporation, of the Association of Local Radio Stations, of the Association of Private TV Stations and other stakeholders in this sector. The Chairperson of the Association of Local Radio Stations, Magdalena Naumovska, used this opportunity once again to regulate the status of local radio stations throughout the country within this act of law. A-1 TV Director Gordana Stoshikj (representing the private TV stations of Macedonia) was interested in finding out why the enactment of this bill is not being linked to the ratification of the bills on public media and on the Macedonian Radio and TV Broadcasting Corporation. In the opinion of MRTV Director Slobodan Trajkovski this bill is to establish order within the radio-broadcasting sector and facilitate the more stabilized funding of the latter. It should be mentioned that prior to the subjecting of this bill to Parliamentary debate, it needs to be approved by one more Parliamentary Commission: the one on Inter- ethnic Relations. MILS SUPPLEMENT[11] `Radio(-Broadcasting) Scrambling'(`Nova Makedonija' - 22nd April 1997)Tomorrow the Macedonian Parliament is to discuss the draft-bill on radio- broadcasting. This act is to offer a framework regulating all issues concerning this domain, though it also contains provisions which may hardly be explained from a logical perspective or as a reflection of democracy in the Republic of Macedonia. The Government, i.e. the Ministry of Transportation and Communications obviously thinks of doing those a favour who fear competition within an open information system in Macedonia, as it proposed the enactment of a resolution by the Parliament which would then become an integral part of the bill. This resolution would, among other things, prohibit working for a radio or TV station to those journalists working for the press. Such an instance of injustice is codified within Article 11 of the draft-bill on radio-broadcasting: `...A person or legal entity employed within the printed media may not organise or conduct radio-broadcasting, whereas a radio-broadcasting facility may not engage in the printed media sector.' To cut a long story short (and simplify it): an enterprise publishing a newspaper is not allowed to establish its own radio or TV station (not even by a journalist of the press as an individual) or broadcast its own radio or TV programme. The same applies to radio and TV stations and their employees, should they play around with the idea of establishing a newspaper on their own or as partners. Thus the draft-bill officially reflects the submission by the Government to emotion, with respect to the fear expressed by a number of electronic media about increasing competition. This hypothesis has even obtained somewhat extreme proportions, by claiming that the clustering of a newspaper, a radio and a TV station into one conglomerate creates a dangerous monopoly on information in the country. It also represented a severe violation of Constitutional provisions on equality. Unfortunately our country happens to be a place where `everything goes', even absurd theses of this kind - discussing the existence of monopolies when there are app. 40 radio and over 15 TV stations in Skopje alone, not even considering those in the rest of the country. What sort of monopoly is being discussed here, and what exactly does this mean in an information system as liberal as ours. Instead of ensuring that through this draft-bill on radio- broadcasting (and in the future with the law on public informing, the law on telecommunications, etc.) that quality became a criterion, that journalistic potential was used to the maximum in terms of completely implementing the material basis, the correspondent network, the staff of all institutions by promoting objectivity, impartiality and truthfulness - everything attributing the denotation of a highly-esteemed component of a democratic society to the media sector - what is happening? We have kickstarted the gigantic shredder, programmed with billions of `don'ts' and `boo-boos' which have not been backed by any substantial principle, but make us think a lot of the proverbial `sour grapes'. Had these `monopolies' been so threatening they would not have existed among the member-states of the Council of Europe (incl. Macedonia), or there would not have been a developed system of newspapers, radio and TV stations owned by one party. England would have been forced to prohibit the working of `Reuters' and in the US the `Chicago Tribune' would not have been allowed to air its own radio programme; Greece would be left without many of its radio and TV stations owned by the country's most renowned papers. The same would have been with Turkey, SR Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic and many other countries throughout Europe and South America. It is clear that these states do not hesitate when it comes to permit journalists to do their job - regardless for which media - as the battle against monopolies is being fought on a more general level within the system: through a legislation encouraging competition and ultimately quality through precisely determined regulations and a code of conduct. Even in Scandinavian countries private radio and TV stations are bidding for the four-year mandate of emitting the `national programme' on equal terms with state media. These are, however, highly democratic achievements. The choice will be indeed unfortunate, should Macedonian MPs opt to vote against journalists who want to pursue a career they `have been trained for' and hand over this right to numerous merchants, grocers, masons, miners, butchers, coffee house visitors, etc. Not that journalists underestimate these professions, but in order to save their money and health (for future turbo-folk bashes) and their repute from accusations that they have entered the `unfamiliar journalistic background' to `wheedle out a couple of quids'. Bearing in mind all this, the inevitable question arises: why does the Government apply double standards with regards to the entire issue? Somebody should explain why it opted to follow countries prohibiting the concentration of media (e.g. Switzerland and Austria) - as this is one of the arguments used by the Government, while it large- mindedly embraced the concept of incl. TV broadcasting fees into the electricity bill (system practiced throughout half of Europe and other countries, whereas it is prohibited in the remaining states). Not any interpretation of the this approach could shed light on the Government's genuine intentions. In the end, where are we to end up by following such a discriminatory and absurd policy? Could it not be the case that one day the cloth factory is proclaimed a monopoly and shut down? Or could it not happen that an agricultural complex is accused of concentrating power, because it started breeding livestock in addition to producing fodder? Will `Macedonian Railways' be left without its busses one day? Does this fear of information monopolies bear any substance in a society largely privatized, in a market economy where the day belongs to the capable, the trained, the organised, the professionals, to those providing quality service concordant to European and global standards - two reference points we uphold in awe. Therefore why should Radio NOMA, or the TV NOMA project be feared... does Article 11 of the radio-broadcasting bill refer to only these two? Who has been threatened by the existence of Radio NOMA over the past four years and why has this been the case? Is this to be ascribed to the ‚lan of around 20 journalistic enthusiasts who adhere to a pattern followed by most of the alternative radio stations in the world: to establish an informative and entertaining programme that offers it services to the open market with only one objective - to provide concise information between six o'clock in the morning and midnight, complemented by selected music and humour, to be at the service of the public. Who could object to that? The vast number of listeners certainly not. (end)mils news 23 April 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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