The results from the research done in Athens, Salonika and Pirey, published in "Elefterotipia" show that the biggest foreign-political problem in the country is the dispute with Macedonia, whereby the majority respondents would like it to be settled through dialogue.
58.8% of those polled say "Skopje" is the most acute problem of the "Hellenism." This is followed by the relations with the partners in the EU (47.1%), the dispute with Turkey on the Aegean (45.8%), the reduced birth rate (41.4%), the Cyprus question, the Greek-American relations, "Trakia" and "Northern Epir."
The majority citizens of the Athens and Salonika - 52.8% feel that the problems with the neighbors should be settled through dialogue, 20% are also for dialogue, but to a lesser degree, 14.4% are neutral, and 6% are for an "energetic solution." The supporters of PASOK are predominantly for dialogue, as well as the coalition of the left-wing and progress and the Greek Communist Party, while the voters for "Political Spring" are mainly for an "energetic solution." The dispute with Macedonia should be resolved through dialogue, but on the basis of the "big packet," which includes the name, 42.8% feel, while one tenth would leave the name outside negotiations.
Without going into the ways how a "war in the region" could break out, which would "also include Greece," the survey determined that 44.4% would fight "with enthusiasm," mainly New Democracy voters, and another 35.4% because they would not have "any other way out."
Macedonia's Defence Minister Blagoy Handziski yesterday received the chief of the UNPREDEP Mission Mr. Henrik Sokalski and the commander of UNPREDEP for Macedonia in the Republic of Macedonia Brig. Gen. Juha Engstrom.
The meeting focused on the current security situation in the region and the latest developments in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the talks, both sides agreed that the latest developments have a large bearing on the overall situation in the region and therefore have to be permanently and intensively followed and analyzed in such joint meetings.
At the moment, there are 57,000 families in Macedonia on welfare, which already approaches the figure of 60,000 households, planned by the end of the year. At the beginning of last year, 50,000 families were on welfare.
The state budget has set aside 2,824 million denars ($ 76.2 million) for this purpose, however, the money is usually paid a couple of months late, and the cheques for May are in the mail at the moment.
The Managing board of the Privatization Agency has given its consent for the start of the privatization process of three large enterprises: the construction companies "Ilinden," "Beton" and "Jugosurovina" from Skopje. The Privatization Agency has also assented to additional investments in the firm "Maktrans" by "Energy Group A.G. Magiro" from the Marshall Islands.
There is still no solution to question of insuring the savings deposits of the citizens in the banks. Instead of the solution, the National Bank of Macedonia (NBM) submitted a letter to the Ministry of Finance, and a copy of the same to the Banking Association within the Macedonia Commerce Chamber.
According to this letter, the NBM feels that a Fund for the insurance of deposits should be formed in the country, as part of the Bank Association. This fund would make compensations to the depositors in case a bank goes bankrupt and would have the authority to take measures for eventual consolidation of a bank facing serious difficulties in its liquidation.
This isn't a new offer of the NBM, but according to the Finance Ministry, such a solution is illegal, and therefore, in this letter, the NBM is asking for appropriate changes to be made in the Law on banks and savings banks, as well as the Law on the National Bank of Macedonia.
According to NBM, the participation of the banks in this Fund for the insurance of deposits would be compulsory, and only the denar deposits would be insured, to a certain amount. The Fund, according to the information of the NBM, would have to be appropriately financed and backed by the state in a certain form, in case of a crisis in the banking system. The financing would be carried out through the banks by paying insurance premiums, while the NBM would take part in the constitution of the Fund and have its representatives on its managing body. In a more progressive phase of the work of the Fund, the NBM would leave the handling of the Fund to the banks, however, retain the right to supervise the Fund. As for the opinion that such a fund is not necessary and that the insurance of the banks can be done through the existing insurance agencies, such as the Agency for the insurance of property and persons "Makedonija," the NBM feels that this is not an acceptable solution, that the insurance agency do not possess enough capital to cover eventual bank losses, and that, in addition, the insurance agencies would demand the right to supervise the banks, as they would be taking risks, and logically, they would have to have an insight into what they are insuring. That is unacceptable to the NBM, as it would mean it would have to surrender a part of its own jurisdictions to the insurance agencies. Furthermore, the NBM says that no country in the world is practicing such a solution to leave the insurance of the bank deposits to the insurance companies.
According to the latest official information of the Institute for Payment Operations, a considerable increase in investments in capital assets has been noticed in Macedonia in the first six months of this year, totalling a figure of 2,124 million denars ($ 57.3 million). This presents a 2.3 fold increase in comparison with the same period last year.
These investments are mainly made in the field of transport and connections, which accounts for virtually half the investment activities in the country, or 47% - 1,012 million denars ($ 27.3 million).
The overall investments in the economy add up to 1.5 billion denars, of which 181 million denars are invested in the industry and mining, which is 3.8 times more than last year. Of these funds, most are invested in the electric economy - 154 million denars ($ 4.16 million). On the other hand, there is a visible drop in investments in the trade field, of 144 million denars ($ 3.86 million) or 15% less than the same period last year.
A decline in investments is also recorded in material production, where 462 million denars ($ 12.47 million) have been invested, and in the housing-utilities sector, with an investment of 43 million denars ($ 1.16 million). A drop in investments is noticed in the non-economy sector (education, culture, health and administration) as well, where the investments amount to 174 million denars ($ 4.7 million).
In the first six months, the smallest investments were in the field of forestry - 1 million denars ($ 27,000), crafts industry - 5 million denars ($ 135,000), catering and tourism - 7.4 million denars ($ 200,000).
In terms of municipalities, the biggest investments were made in the capital - Skopje, where 92.73% of all the investments were made.