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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-21Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 21 July, 1997[01] MACEDONIAN-RUSSIAN COLLABORATION WITHOUT MUTUAL CONDITIONINGThe Defense ministries of the Macedonian Republic and the Russian Federation, Lazar Kitanovski and Igor Sergeev in Moscow last Friday signed the treaty on military talks between the 2 ministers and military delegates of both states on bilateral collaboration, as well as on issues regarding European security. According to the statement of Macedonian Defense Minister Kitanovski given after his visit to Russia, the talks encompassed understanding for the Macedonian choice of NATO membership with full civil rights, although Russia stands against enlargement of the Alliance, and the decision to build security within the OSCE frames.The Macedonian side expressed pleasure regarding the recently signed agreement between Russia and NATO and conveyed an attitude on friendly relations with Russia on political, cultural and economic field. In the talks the Macedonian side underlined that its willingness to become a NATO member will not deteriorate the relations with the Russian Federation. In relation with the signed treaty on military collaboration, Minister Kitanovski, as reported the Macedonian Television, indicated that it sets the frameworks for co-operation between the 2 ministries, but no clause sets down any conditions or obligations regarding armament and NATO membership. According to Minister Kitanovski neither in the Treaty nor in the talks was there any mentioning of supply of Russian arms except on supply of spare parts of Russian production which are used by the Macedonian army in the Macedonian infantry armament. Replying to the questions posed by reporters Kitanovski stressed that Macedonia will continue to stand behind the intention not to supply arms from Russia because it is not compatible with the standard arms obligatory for the NATO members. At the end Kitanovski informed that in the talks in Moscow on both sides the issue of UNPREDEP has not been mentioned regarding it as a Macedonian domestic issue in relation with the UN. [02] 35 MILLION DOLLARS CREDIT FROM WORLD BANK FOR ELECTRICAL INDUSTRYThe World Bank, delegates of which stayed Skopje for about 10 days and had talks with the management of the Public firm `Electrical Industry' of Macedonia, will grant a 35 million credit to Macedonia for 3 electric energy projects. The primary objective of the loan, according to James Moose, who headed the World Bank delegates, is renewal of the water power stations in Macedonian - Vrutok, Vrben, Raven, Shpilja and Globochica. This loan will also complete the control system in the energy section and it will partly be used on renewal of the distribution network. Otherwise, according to authorities from the `Electrical Industry' on revitalization of the distribution network in the state additional finance means will have to be demanded because only on revitalization of the network in Skopje about 30 million dollars will be necessary. The loan means from the World Bank are expected to be used in the beginning of next year and in the mean time another 5 million franks are expected from Switzerland as a help for revitalization of the oldest dam on Vrutok.[03] THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THE 40 MILLION ECU LOAN FROM THE EU IN SEPTEMBERThe signing of the EU agreement on a loan for Macedonia amounting up to 40 million ECU is in the last phase and the final decision of the Union should be passed by 22 July stated last Friday the vice-president of the Macedonian government, Zlatka Popovska. According to Popovska the loan that is to be granted is purposed for improvement of the state payment balance and primarily for repayment of the debt towards the European Investment Bank. The loan means ( repayment time limit is 15 years and a grace period of 10 years) should arrive in 2 installments in September and December this year. `Vecher' reports, the head of the European Commission delegates for economic relations, Olivie Boden who has been staying in Skopje these days, stated that the loan in fact is a part of the macro-economic help within the frameworks of the PHARE programme rendered to states in transition.[04] TRADE EXCHANGE BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND YUGOSLAVIA BELOW EXPECTATIONSStarting from the signing of the Treaty of Trading between Macedonia and SR Yugoslavia in September last year, the amount of exchange has been growing, but it is still beyond what has been expected. The reason for this, among other, is in the manner of establishing the contingents of goods in exchange, the goods transport which remains to be under the regime of permits, the long delays on the borders on both sides, the property-legal relations between the physical and legal subjects of the 2 states and similar. So as to solve these issues and all other that will interfere in the economic relations between Macedonia and SR Yugoslavia a joint commission has been formed which will have sessions twice a year while the 5 sub-commission will resolve current issues.`Dnevnik' reports that this has been concluded on the two-day long meeting in Skopje of the delegates from the two states headed by Economy Minister from the Macedonian Government, Boris Rikalovski and SRY Government vice- president, Voin Gjukanovich. In these talks the Macedonian side expressed the idea of revocation of the permits on goods transport which are being issued by both states and it also demanded from the Yugoslav part to deduce the taxes and tolls that are being paid while driving through the state. Yugoslav PM, Radoje Kontich gave an assessment while signing the Trade Treaty that the mutual exchange between the two states by the end of this year will reach 1 billion dollars, yet this will be difficult to realized because in the first half it amounts only to 223 million dollars. As imperative it is posed the amount of exchange to be half a billion dollars by the end of next year. [05] TENDER ON MEDICAMENTS SUPPLY FINALLY SIGNEDThe Health Ministry, the producers of medicaments and the pharmacies in Macedonia after two annulments ( after many scandals and the replacement of the Health Minister), in the third attempt signed the tender on medicament supply. Not satisfied with the offered conditions `Replek' (the largest pharmacy in the state) and producers who have largely been presented through `Replek' ( Krka, Lek, Pliva, Hemofarm and Belupo) did not sign the tender. `Vecher' reports, according to the achieved agreement the great-pharmacies from now on will not deliver the medicament to the Central storehouse, but directly to the users.[06] CLIENTS TO SUE GOVERNMENT IN FRONT OF INTERNATIONAL COURTA few thousand clients of the bankrupted savings bank `TAT' last Friday in Bitola held a protest meeting and unanimously disapproved of the Bill on restitution which had been adopted by the Macedonian Parliament on a Government's proposal. The Macedonian radio reports, in all public addresses from the pulpit it has been said that the Bill presents another robbery of the clients because by the amount of 3.000 DM for a period of 6 months the clients can not regain even the minimum means deposited in this bank. The Government and the high state officials were also attacked for allowing this unseen robbery, while the SDSM parliament members have been criticized for voting for such unacceptable restitution of the clients.The Association of `TAT' clients two days ago announced that the adopted Bill on restitution of the clients from the banks `TAT', "Lavci' and `ALFA-S', will be put on re- examination by the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, the Association will continue with its activities on more just restitution of the clients and if the Government and the Assembly do not uphold their demands an international arbitration will be demanded and the Government will be placed in front of the International Court. The leaders of this clients' association also announced that the parliament members will abstain their work in the republic Parliament because they do not accept the adopted restitution mode. The Association of deposit clients (clients blocked since the former SFRY) will start from today to collect signatures on preparation a plea to the International Court because the Macedonian Government refuses to conduct the restitution although they are having over 1,2 billion dollars kept captured in the banks. [07] CRISIS IN THE GOVERNING COALITION - PDP DILEMMA ON FURTHER TAKING PART IN GOVERNMENTThe Central Presidency of the Party for Democratic Prosperity last Friday held a session in which partook ministers and parliament members of this party but so far there are no official information regarding their talks. Quoting unofficial sources, the Macedonian media report that this session covered talks regarding the further participation of the PDP in the Government, the situations in Gostivar and Tetovo, as well as the visit to Albania by the party leader, Abdurahman Aliti. Regarding the `key issue' whether the PDP should leave the coalition ( in a sign of protest due to the police action in Gostivar and Tetovo), `Nova Makedonija' reports that unofficial sources say that the majority attitude was that the activities on realization of the party's demands is to continue within the frameworks of the system institutions and not through street democracy.Several PDP parliament members, according to `Nova Makedonija', have demanded the future participation in the Government to be conditioned by a resignation of the Minister for Domestic Affairs, Tomislav Chokrevski, but no one had taken an initiative for this. The final attitude regarding these issues, according to some members of this party is expected after the information regarding the Tetovo and Gostivar events which is to be given by Minister Chokrevski in front of the Parliament and which might even appear at today's Government session. `Today's `Nova Makedonija' reports that PM Crvenkovski yesterday had an arranged meeting with the party leader, Abdurahman Aliti, and five ministers from the PDP at which they were supposed to talk about the latest crisis of the leading coalition and the information prepared by the Ministry for Domestic Affairs. Last Friday Crvenkovski already had talks on this subject with the President of the party, Abdurahman Aliti, the coordinator of the party group, Ismet Ramadani and the Government vice-president, Naser Ziberi. [08] DZELADIN MURATI - ALBANIANS DO NOT AGREE WITH ATTITUDE THAT THEY ARE MINORITY IN MACEDONIAVice-President of Macedonian Parliament, Dzeladin Murati, in the interview for `Voice of America' stated that the Albanians in Macedonian have always tried to improve their position through dialogue, and that non of their political parties agrees with the attitude that they present a minority in Macedonia. Murati, according to `Dnevnik', stated that the Albanian parliament members will not partake in the functions of the Macedonian Parliament until the Government informs regarding the situation in Gostivar, Tetovo and other towns in Macedonia where `event fatal to the Albanian people in Macedonia' took part. Assessing the international relations as fairly tense Murati said that this was influenced by Albanian political subjects, adding that further endeavors will be directed towards reestablishing the inter-ethnic stability in the Macedonian republic.[09] ARBEN DZAFERI - DPA DOES NOT GIVE UP ITS DEMANDSThe Democratic Party of the Albanians will never give up its realization of legal rights for the Albanians in the FYROM. `There is no turning back, regardless of the endeavors of the Skopje regime to label them as extreme attitudes and promote them as such on the international scene', this was reported by Radio Tirana as a statement given by the DPA leader, Arben Dzaferi, at the meeting he had with the President of the `Kosovo Republic', Bijar Bukoshi. As Bukoshi has stated at the meeting, the ongoing happenings striking the Albanians in Macedonia are identical to the events of 1991 when Serbia commenced a vandal adventure entailing the falling apart of the Yugoslav federation. Bukoshi also stressed that `Kosovo and the people living there will give whatever is necessary to help their brothers in Macedonia'. Radio Tirana, otherwise, reported that both collocutors have agreed that for defending of the national symbols issue a complete national mobilization is necessary.[10] DPA CALLS ON INTEGRATIONThe Democratic Party of the Albanians have lately had intensive negotiations with the Republican Party for National Union, lead by Nevzat Halili (former PDP president), regarding their uniting, reports `Nova Makedonija'. According to this daily on the same subject the DPA leader also negotiate with the Democratic Party- Muslim Way lead by Kjenan Mazlami, thus an enlargement of the block of Albanian parties estimated as radical is possible.[11] CELEBRATION OF MOC AUTOCEPHALY`After exactly 200 years of being abolished, on 17 July 1967 in Ohrid by a decision of the Ohrid-People's Synod the overall autocephaly of the Ohrid Achbishopy, i.e. the Macedonian Orthodox Church has been renewed. This year we celebrate a 30 years jubilee since that important church- national event and we may conclude that with the renewed autocephaly the people's prayers have been fulfilled and the tears and sorrow have turned into overall joy. Our Macedonian Orthodox Church is a people's church and that's why certain negation attitudes towards its autochepaly are based on political and anti-Macedonian motives. We believe that soon its autochepaly will be affirmed, the Christian love will be confirmed and all hindrances will be overcome and a liturgy and canon unity will be accomplished with all orthodox churches'.This among other was said by the head of the MOC, the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonian reverend Mihail last Saturday in the speech on the occasion of the 30th anniversary celebration of the renewal of the autochepaly of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopy in the form of its heir - the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Within the scope of the celebration in Ohrid last Saturday a praying and bowing were performed before the relics of MOC patron, St. Clement, in the Sv. Sofia church a religious academy was conducted and in Sunday in the same church the Holy Divine liturgy was performed. Regards on the occasion of the jubilee were send to the MOC head, reverend Mihail and all believers by the Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, Parliament President, Tito Petkovski and the president and under-president of the Republic Association for religious communities, Vladimir Naumovski and Slave Nikolovski. MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] `Politics Created 123 Municipalities'(`Nova Makedonija' , 17 July 1997)In the assembly procedure there are new proposals on alterations in the Bill on territory division of the Macedonian Republic, while in the Justice Ministry the pile of such demands is getting bigger and bigger. Among such are demands on enlargement of certain municipalities and such demands insisting on setting up new smaller municipalities. All this comes after a few months' living in the new territory division of the state where a former number of 34 municipalities has been multiplied into 123, adding the city of Skopje. This also comes in a time when those municipalities, meanwhile gaining local government, have not yet really begun to quicken because the first prerequisite on normal municipality functioning - the division balance - has neither been completed yet nor is there any chance to be finished by the end of the year. Is it possible in a situation like this to assess the successfulness of the division done and are those new demands for corrections signals that a large number of mistakes have been done and disregarded? Regarding all this we talk with professor Mitko Panov, geography and demography expert, a man who has worked on the preparations of the draft-bill and has created the first municipalities scheme. `I have begun with 74 municipalities, says professor Panov, but then political factors got involved, municipality and state factors as well, and alterations had been made regarding municipality number and location, and in this process certain local interests and views appeared as well. In the Parliament in the first phase 111 municipalities were suggested, and in the second phase, not conducted with the presence of an expertise group, 123 municipalities had been suggested and made legal. In the process some smaller and larger mistakes have been made having different consequences which are visible now. Unfortunately, in the final decision on municipalities formation large concessions were done in regard to the agreed criteria.' According to professor Panov some of those criteria were: the natural completeness, the natural resources and comfort, the size of the area, the number of inhabitants, the land structure, the infrastructure situation, particular economic characteristics... And among the mistakes that have been done he mentions the errors in the survey map done by the Ministry for Urbanism, many errors in the names of the inhabited localities, errors in denoted cadastre limits, inappropriate arrangement of settlements in particular municipalities. Then follow, wrongly chosen localities for certain municipalities, he pointed out Staravina and Vraneshtica, wrongly created (under pressure) municipalities such as Kondovo, Mesheishta, Zzitoshe, Murtino and non-acceptance of certain municipalities that should have been formed such as Ljubojno and Ropotovo. It is still early to talk in regard of municipality development plans because favourable working, legal, economic and finance conditions must be created firstly. And it is also necessary to equip and hire experts and qualified staff and create the division balance of the former municipalities. `However, what bothers me the most, and probably the citizens too, is the fact that great and irresponsible influence is allowed to be made by political factors and the ethnic problems are over stressed. When I agreed on helping the municipalities creation, above all, I had in mind to balance the relations between nature and human kind, I regarded the human influence in improving the organisation of the living space, regardless of the national and political belonging of the population, although I had counted on the political factor as a serious and objective regulator of such relations. However, the present practise in some municipalities proves the opposite. Mistakes are being made due to diversity of political and party interests among the municipalities and also within them - in the municipality councils, says the professor. It is obvious that certain political subjects regard the municipalities as their political domes for creating personal careers. This destructively influences the primal objectives of the municipalities creation. Another thing that he underlined was that when he had started working on the municipalities creation he had no idea that certain local self-management communities and units existed and that they are also called a fourth authority. According to him, these appear toady in a negative context, mainly with political and national applications. While a municipality has to carry the overall living and development of a certain area and have wider legal and economic authorisations, and not allow domination of only political subjects such as the local self-management which has shown its sharp teeth and proven to be against mutual existence of humans in one living area, says Panov. He considers that alterations should be done in the Bill on territory division and has some ideas regarding future development of municipalities. In favour of this is his idea on placing the accent on special conceptual accesses suitable for each municipality separately. He advocates the idea on creating conditions for organising regional, municipality communities which should not be understood as political or ethnic regionalization, but rather as communities having mutual social and economic interests, especially for conducting the macro-economic policy. Further on, municipalities should co-ordinate with the area planning of the state or the regional planning. Special studies for each municipality should be made regarding the natural, demographic and economic conditions and potentials and long-term and objective developing plans should be prepared, and of course, a continuing and systematic consultation with science and experts is obligatory as well. (end)mils news 21 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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