Following his several-day visit to France, Great Britain and Russia, where he took part in the ceremonies commemorating the 50-year anniversary of the victory over fascism, the President of the Republic Kiro Gligorov returned to Skopje yesterday. At the Skopje airport, the President was welcomed by the highest state leadership.
Immediately following his arrival, Gligorov told the press the following: "Macedonia took its place amongst the countries that took part in the Second World War and contributed to the defeat of the biggest evil of mankind. On the other hand, that was a good occasion for meetings, talks. All the talks, not only mine, as I am informed, concentrated on ending the war as soon as possible. The conversationalists were most interested, when it comes to Macedonia, about our relations with Greece, with a wish for direct negotiations to start as soon as possible. In all the talks, I kept expressing our readiness and good will, under equal conditions, as that is our great interest, to come to an agreement as soon as possible. I had to point out that we could not come to an agreement until the embargo was still on and that new demands are being brought up from time to time, which do not help to reach that agreement," said Gligorov.
To the question concerning the talks with the UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali and the Russian President Boris Yeltzin, President Gligorov said that the meeting with Yeltzin was sincere and friendly, with mutual wishes for expansion of our relations and the sooner appointment of an ambassador to Macedonia.
"I met with Boutros Ghali on two occasions, but without any particular discussions, except for the mutually expressed wish to do everything we can to help the negotiations between us and Greece, within the UN, start off successfully."
As for the meeting with the vice-president of the U.S.A. Al Gore in London, President Gligorov said that they discussed the same problems and expressed concern over a possible spreading of the war, in particular to the south.
The OSCE High Commissioner for national minorities Max van der Stoel arrived in the Republic of Macedonia on Tuesday afternoon. He was received by the Speaker of Parliament Stojan Andov and Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, and also met with ministers from the Government.
Van der Stoel had a longer discussion with Stojan Andov. They reviewed issues related to the national relations in the country, whereby it was assessed that they note considerable progress in the overall process of integration of the citizens in RM. The high-ranking guest was interested in the work of the Council for inter-ethnic relations and the questions from the sphere of the educational system.
The minister in the Government Muhamed Halili also met with Van der Stoel. The talks focused on the political situation in Macedonia, whereby it was jointly assessed that there is a period of stabilization of the political trends in Macedonia, although there are still some unsolved problems that could be a source of inter-ethnic misunderstanding. In the meeting, they also discussed the high education in Albanian language in Macedonia.
Mr. Van der Stoel had a meeting Tuesday also with Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski and the Minister of Education Emilija Simovska.
A round table on the theme "Possible alternatives for meeting the educational needs of the Albanian nationality in RM," under the organization of the Center for ethnic studies and the Institute for sociological research, was held in Skopje yesterday.
The rectors of the two universities, in Skopje and in Bitola took part in the round table, as well as the Minister of Education Emilija Simovska, representatives of the initiative for the formation of an university in Albanian language, a number of intellectuals and NGOs. The owner of the foundation "Open Society" George Soros was also present.
In the discussion, there were a number of elaborations on the official concept of settling the problems in this field, defense of the Tetovo initiative, numerous dilemmas surrounding the suggested alternatives. Among all these ideas, the one that seemed most interesting was the one to initiate a legal procedure for the opening of multi-lingual faculties, and which would be financed by foundations and private persons.
Mr. Soros emphasized that he could get involved in the financial on the private educational institutions, however, added that this did not solve the problem. He spoke about overcoming the resistance in relation to the project of the Teachers' College in the languages of the nationalities, and also suggested that the members of the nationalities take their entrance exams in their own mother tongue.
George Soros said he could not support the initiative for the formation of an "university" in Albanian language in Tetovo, but said that the state should not repress it.
Hungary will insist on convincing Macedonia to change the "irredentist articles from the Constitution" - the Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias stated on the return from his two-day visit to Hungary.
"The controversial articles in the Constitution," said Papoulias, "are contrary to the principles of the OSCE and Macedonia should change them, if it wants to be accepted to this organization."
Papoulias, as Makfaks reports, said that "the patience of the Albanians has still not come to an end," and expressed hope that the two sides would soon sit down at a negotiating table.
Yesterday morning, at around 5.00 hours, the Skopje mayor Goran Nikolovski (32) was killed in a heavy traffic accident, on the road between Tetovo and Skopje.
On the occasion of the tragic death of Nikolovski, the family of the deceased received telegrams with condolences from the President of RM Kiro Gligorov, the Speaker of Parliament Stojan Andov and the mayor of the sister-town with Skopje, Nirnberg Peter Sanlein.
The inflation in April in Macedonia was 0.6%, the Republic Bureau of Statistics informs. The biggest rise in prices is recorded with the agricultural products, namely, 12.9%. The vegetables have gone up 18.3%, and the fruits 4.1%.
The prices of the services have increased 2.9%, and the prices of the drinks - 0.4%.
The biggest drop in price - 23.3%, is noticed with the electric energy, due to the new way of calculating the price.
The living expenses in April increased 0.3%.
According to the latest data of the Government commission in charge of following the Law for restructuring of the "LOSERS," out of 13,122 persons who were supposed to leave their working places, only 10,955 received compensation upon their dismissal. The remaining 2,000 workers who will also be laid off, as technological surplus, are expected to be given financial compensation.
These days, the list of debts of the 25 "losers" to the banks was released, whereby 12 banks and savings banks reported an amount owed to them, to the name of principal part and interest, reaching a total sum of MKD 28.74 billion.
Stopanska banka is asking for the most, and only to the name of principle part, of up to MKD 7.4 billion (US$ 201.6 million), then Komercijalna banka - MKD 4.4. billion (US$ 119.9 million). The Foreign Trade Bank - a total of MKD 8.6 billion (US$ 234.3 million), to the name of principle and interest.
The biggest debtor to Stopanska banka is "Prespateks" - Resen, with over MKD 2 billion (US$ 54.5 million). The same company is also the biggest debtor to the Foreign Trade Bank, with a sum of over MKD 4.4 billion (US$ 119.9 million).
According to the Law for "losers," these debts to the banks have been frozen in the phase of restructuring.
The Agency for transformation of state-owned capital put up another 9 companies for public sale, according to the model management buy- out.
Amongst them is the Skopje cement factory "Usje," which is selling 48.43% of the totally issued 266,385 shares, at a price of DEM 100 per share. The starting price of the capital that is on sale is over 26.6 million DEM.
40.68% of the shares of "Vitaminka" are also going on sale, whereby the starting price of the capital is close to 3.3 million DEM, or one share will be sold at a price of 29.11 DEM. "Vinka" from Vinica will sell capital valued at 1.79 million DEM, i.e. 49.42% of the overall issues shares, at a price of 37 DEM per share.
The stock company "Veteks" from Veles is selling 46.77% of the shares or state-owned capital of over 1.4 million DEM. One share will cost 73.81 DEM.
The Bitola dairy "Mlekara" will also be sold according to the principle management buy-out, which will sell 33.99% of the overall sold stocks or state-owned capital, at a starting price of 369,208 DEM, while the starting price of one share will be 132.2 DEM. The trade company "Elmar" from Shtip is putting up 57.1% of the shares, at a price of 192 DEM per share, or a total capital with a starting price of 1.713 million DEM. The public company for internal and international transport and forwarding "Jugotrans" from Struga is offering 58.01% of the overall shares, at a price of 78.03 DEM per share, or state-owned capital of over 1.3 million DEM.
The companies "Zelop" from Sveti Nikole and "Agroprodukt" from Skopje will be privatized according to the model of sale of an ideal part of the company or 51% and more. The first company is dealing with the dehydration of fruit, and the second with wholesale and retail trade. The starting price of the state-owned capital is 1,311,292 DEM and 121,470, respectively.
: According to announcements, negotiations are supposed to take place in London in the next two days between representatives of the competent ministries of Britain and Macedonia, in relation to the regulation of the air traffic between the two countries. The topic of discussion will be the signing of an agreement for regular air traffic between the two countries, i.e. the air link- up between London and Skopje.
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