MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-06-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] BILL CLINTON: `MACEDONIA A ROLE-MODEL FOR STABILITY IN EVERY TURBULENT REGION'

[02] ATHENS: `POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON GLIGOROV STATEMENTS'

[03] NEW ROUND OF GREEK-MACEDONIAN NEGOTIATIONS IN AUGUST

[04] BBC: `BULGARIAN-MACEDONIAN ISSUES - ECONOMY-RELATED'

[05] OHRID: `SEMINAR ON SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS'

[06] PM CRVENKOVSKI TO ATTEND `CRAN MONTANA' FORUM ON 26TH JUNE

[07] CHARGES AGAINST FORMER `NBM' VICE-GOVERNOR TOME NENOVSKI

[08] POLICE TO VOTE ON STRIKE

[09] 55% OF PAYMENT FLOW IN MACEDONIA NOT CONDUCTED VIA GIRO ACCOUNTS

[10] FINAL VERDICT ON `AUDI A 3' PROJECT POSSIBLE TODAY

[11] `MAC DONALD'S' OPENS IN SKOPJE AT THE END OF AUGUST

[12] AGRICULTURE PRODUCE MARKET STABILIZED

[13] GOVERNMENT OBLIGED TO ENFORCE COURT ORDER

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[14] `Government Bill Contrary to the Constitution' (`Vecher' - 18th June 1997)

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 19 June, 1997

[01] BILL CLINTON: `MACEDONIA A ROLE-MODEL FOR STABILITY IN EVERY TURBULENT REGION'

Both leaders have analyzed the security conditions in the Balkans and the involvement of Macedonia within the `PFP' Programme - according to the White House press release. The Macedonian Radio reports that talks with top White House officials, representatives of the State Dept. and the Pentagon yielded the confirmation that Macedonia's admission into NATO would not be influenced by relations with Greece. With respect to his meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, President Gligorov revealed to the press that discussions had been open and friendly, concentrating on Macedonia's candidacy for temporary UN Security Council membership, the situation in Albania and minority issues in Macedonia.

According to President Gligorov other thematic focuses were the economic problems of Macedonia - complemented by President Clinton's statement that at present Macedonia was in need of economic assistance above everything. The meeting with WB Chairperson Wolfensson - Gligorov said - was indicative of the considerably high opinion this international financial institution had of restructuring conducted so far - complemented by the persistence with which Macedonia adhered to this course. The WB was aware of the great price the country paid for the execution of these reforms - and of all threats (in the social sector particularly) conducive to their slowing down or being suspended completely, which is why the WB was ready to allocate funds to establish joint financial institutions in Macedonia.

A-1 TV reports from New York that the Macedonian Head of State has also delivered a lecture at the Carnegie Institute yesterday, in addition to meeting the Head of the International Financial Cooperation, members of the US Senate and the editors of `The Washington Post.'

[02] ATHENS: `POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON GLIGOROV STATEMENTS'

[03] NEW ROUND OF GREEK-MACEDONIAN NEGOTIATIONS IN AUGUST

[04] BBC: `BULGARIAN-MACEDONIAN ISSUES - ECONOMY-RELATED'

Concordant to the leader of the Greater-Bulgarian party IMRO, Krasimir Karakachanov, Skopje was sabotaging all contacts to Sofia. In an interview for Sofia periodical `Standard' Karakachanov stated that Skopje was seized by panic at the prospect that democratization processes in Macedonia were just as inevitable as in the remaining SE countries. This, in the opinion of Karakachanov, would mean that the whole house of cards on the Macedonian nation and the Macedonian language would fall apart.

[05] OHRID: `SEMINAR ON SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS'

Ruzhin informed that the Seminar would focus on acquainting those attending the event with regional conditions while placing particular emphasis on events in Macedonia and its perspectives in terms of economy and security. Other tpoics of discussion will include inter-ethnic relations and preventive diplomacy. Nano Ruzhin further reveled to the media that Macedonia would endeavour to establish this Seminar as a regular event.

[06] PM CRVENKOVSKI TO ATTEND `CRAN MONTANA' FORUM ON 26TH JUNE

[07] CHARGES AGAINST FORMER `NBM' VICE-GOVERNOR TOME NENOVSKI

[08] POLICE TO VOTE ON STRIKE

[09] 55% OF PAYMENT FLOW IN MACEDONIA NOT CONDUCTED VIA GIRO ACCOUNTS

In addition to these deficiencies within the payment flow system, Commission members have also approved the data as regards the enforcement of the Payment Flow Act. Besides this the Commission aired a positive evaluation on the returning of the 25-million-dollar, short-term credit granted to Macedonia by the `George Soros Foundation' in 1993. In this context NBM Vice-Governor Gligor Bishev stated that 13 million dollars had been used to procure crude oil and 12 million had been implemented to stimulate export activities. The loans had been issued by `Stopanska Banka' and `Komercijalna Banka'; therefore these two banks are accountable for the repayment of these funds.

[10] FINAL VERDICT ON `AUDI A 3' PROJECT POSSIBLE TODAY

[11] `MAC DONALD'S' OPENS IN SKOPJE AT THE END OF AUGUST

Janevski obtained the development license for Macedonia by the `Mac Donald's' fast food chain, and in his opinion the entire venture will create around 1 000 jobs. In the initial stages some of the raw materials are to be imported from FR Yugoslavia and several other countries. The objective however is to ensure that most of the materials are eventually produced in Macedonia. Thus we should very soon witness the upgrading and improvement of the production of ketchup, buns and beef.

[12] AGRICULTURE PRODUCE MARKET STABILIZED

During yesterday's press conference Topuzovski further revealed that the transformation of agriculture cooperatives was nearly completed, in spite of the fact that the WB recommendation to break up large complexes is not being adhered to. He also informed that it has been agreed to set up a mutual risk fund with the WB, business banks and the Ministry of Agriculture in order to implement the 18-million-dollar loan granted by the WB for this sector. This fund is to embody a guarantee for all loans, and the Ministry is to procure its share through budget means and donations.

[13] GOVERNMENT OBLIGED TO ENFORCE COURT ORDER

Concordant to Nedkov it is the Constitutional duty of the Government to comply with the ruling of this court, without room for any discussiona on deadlines or modalities. The same had been indicated to Gostivar Mayor Rufi Osmani. `Thus there is a divergence between statements made by the PM and the Secretary of Justice - an issue which has to be resolved by the former as this is not within the competency of the Constitutional Court. the latter is merely concerned with / about the enforcement of its ruling by the Government', says Constitutional Court Chairman Milan Nedkov.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[14] `Government Bill Contrary to the Constitution'

(`Vecher' - 18th June 1997)

In spite of being carefully compiled in order to prevent any possibility of opposing the Constitution, the proposed bill regulating the use of minority flags nevertheless is contrary to the Constitution. This may be attributed to the fact that its provisions - which in practice will entail the legalization of foreign national flags in our country - are on a collision course with Constitutional articles regarding the sovereignty of those symbols expressing the territorial integrity of the Republic of Macedonia.

The bill, however, is also contradictory to all binding international conventions referring to the use of foreign national flags. `I think that a rather contentious thesis has been pushed through; the thesis establishing flags as a national symbol. In their essence flags have always been a state symbol denoting the affiliation to a particular state. Thus the present proposal is countering both theory and practice as - I am stressing this once more - flags do not embody a nationality but a state. The flag of Albania for instance is not merely a symbol of all Albanians - but of all citizens of Albania regardless of their ethnic affiliation. Thus it represents the Greeks, Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians living there. As this simple illustration reveals that a flag symbolizes a state rather than a nation, the notion of minority flags becomes even more odd.

Thus the draft-bill does not consider the factual state of affairs. It does not solve the debated issue either as the issue will re- surface, only in a different shape. It appears of key relevance to proclaim the flag of another country as the symbol of a certain ethnicity, which would question the integrity of the Republic of Macedonia to a certain extent. Whenever the interests of the state and issues of this scope are concerned, there cannot be room for any inter-party compromises. One more thought on this subject: why does the change of a state/political system entail the change of the flag? Were the latter a national symbol there would be nothing to change, as the system within the state is being altered', states university reader Ljubomir Cuculovski. Those with expert knowledge of constitutional provisions (the foundation of any legal order) claim that the right of minorities to use their own flags may be deduced on the basis of Article 48 which states that they `possess the right to freely express, nurture and develop their own identity and national traits.'

The catch to the entire matter however, lies in the fact that the flag `chosen or utilized to express identity and national traits' happens to be the flag of another country. This - experts claim - cannot but be contrary to those Constitutional provisions clarifying that `the seal, flag and anthem are symbols of this state' expressing its sovereignty and territorial integrity. `What will practically occur is the expanding of one state's sovereignty on account of the territory of another. In such a context it does not make a difference that the side proposing the bill has not determined the look of this flag but leaves it to the ethnicities - as the flag (already) chosen is that of another country. The law would be upheld only in the case when the selected flag were not identical to that of another state.

In contrast to this - experts point out - the questioning of the proposed draft-bill may also be induced by the fact that it is contrary to the binding provisions on using the flags of other countries in conditions such as ours. Domestic law does not contain precise regulations outlining the exhibiting of foreign flags, i.e. it is not stated when and how they may be used. In such a case international conventions, inherited during the old federal system, become the valid guideline. Part of them, such as the Vienna Convention of 1961, allow the use of foreign flags on the grounds of a diplomatic mission, the residence of the chief-of-mission and her/his vehicle.

Other conventions make provisions for the use of foreign flags on vessels in international waters or during the visit of a foreign head of state. The hoisting of foreign flags in front of local government institutions represents an expansion and transgression of regulations given within such treaties. Another apple of discord emerges in the shape of an article within this draft-bill concordant to which these flags may be used `on other occasions' as well. `The greatest deficiency of this draft-bill in my opinion is the fact that it will practically allow the use of a foreign flag . I consider this unacceptable as it ignores the sovereignty of this state, or introduces a dual sovereignty. It should not be tolerated that a foreign flag is simultaneously used to express the identity of an ethnic minority.' says historian Mihajlo Minovski, while adding that `every legal state codifies regulations determining the symbols used on its territory. In this sense it may decide to allow the use of flags as a symbol of the identity of an ethnic minority, while precisely defining the time and conditions of such occasions. I think that even in cases of private use of such symbols - during, for example, cultural manifestations, festivities,etc. there should be detailed provisions.'

(end)

mils news 19 June, 1997

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