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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-02-07Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <[email protected]>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 07 February, 1997[01] MACEDONIAN ECONOMIC POLICY WITHIN BOUNDARIES OF `IMF' ARRANGEMENTSThe Economic policy conducted in Macedonia is within the boundaries of arrangements made with the IMF - which creates possibilities for further agreements and favourable credit lines. This - according to the Macedonian Radio - has been emphasised during yesterday's press conference of the Macedonian Government, represented by Vice-President Ljube Trpevski. The IMF was represented by the Chief-of-Mission for Macedonia Robert Corker.During the one-week stay of the IMF mission in Macedonia, conversations focused on the Government's budgetary policy, payment flow, conditions as regards monetary policy, etc. Within this context it has been assessed that after the successful implementation of the Stand-by arrangement, the subsequent step to be taken is the execution of the three-year-long `ESAF' arrangement worth 56 million in special options to obtain funds with 0.5% in interest rates and a grace period of five years, as all necessary preparations have been taken. Upon stressing that positive verification of this arrangement (supported by the IMF) at the imminent Donors' Conference in Brussels is expected, Vice-President Trpevski said that overall impressions on talks with the IMF mission amounted to the conclusion that Government policy moved within the boundaries of the acceptable. The Head of the IMF mission in Macedonia, Robert Corker, stated that economic stability in Macedonia was being sustained, which could best be seen in the fact that there is no inflation, prices are stable and the GNP (as well as production in `96) had grown by 1 to 2%. As far as the implementation of monetary policy was concerned the mission appears to be content with what has been achieved in concordance to aims outlined in November `96. Corker stated that based on contacts established with Brussels so far there is a high probability that IMF funding for the support of the 1997 economic policy of Macedonia are to be approved. In response to the question on the IMF views as regards the Supreme Court of Macedonia ruling to increase pensions by 8% on a retroactive basis for the past two years., Robert Corker said that the possible payment of these means by the Government (an estimated 130 to 400 million DM) would not at all be compatible to the outlined programme as it would only become feasible by printing more money or increasing tax. [02] FAMILIARISATION WITH COMBAT READINESS OF ARMED FORCESYesterday the President of the Republic of Macedonia and Supreme Commander of the country's Armed Forces Kiro Gligorov paid a visit to the Military Education and Training Centre `Goce Delchev' in Skopje. On this occasion he was accompanied by Parliamentary Chairman Tito Petkovski, Defence Secretary Blagoj Handzhiski and ARM HQ CINC Gen. Trajche Krstevski. The latter two familiarised the Macedonian Head of State with the achieved level of combat readiness, the level of training and access to equipment and the size of the ARM peaceful-condition contingency - as part of the regular annual updating of the President. Talks also delved into the structuring of our Armed Forces according to NATO standards, on activities within the `PFP' Programme, international cooperation within the Defence sector and on priority projects to be implemented in order to achieve required compatibility with NATO forces. MTV reports that President Gligorov commended achieved results in terms of training, educating cadre and the material and technical equipment level of the ARM, while advocating the furthering of systematic and organised defence activities of the country. In this context he also spoke of the effort made by Macedonia's overall policy to preserve peace and security in the country, the region and a more general level.The Supreme Commander has also visited the `General Mihajlo Apostolski' Military Academy and the `Dr. Dzhozef Kruzel' Centre of Training Defence Staff. [03] DISCORD ON COMPLEX NAME`The Greek Government has found itself in a checkmate position - for if it decides to accept the complex name option with respect to its northern neighbour severe internal unrest is bound to arise, reports the Greek conservative paper `Katimerini' in connection to the statement made by Greek Foreign Secretary Theodoros Pangallos according to which the Greek Government appeared to consider this option. `Makpress' reports that the mentioned Greek paper reveals that the Pangallos statement has caused unease throughout the country, and that Greece's foreign policy has remained unchanged since 1991.`The great blunders of 1991/1992 have not yet disappeared, which is why Athens is now forced to witness how the name Republic of Macedonia is gradually gaining substance throughout the world', the paper states. Within this context `Makpress' further reports the conclusion that unless Greece intervenes `Skopje is most certainly to secure the name Republic of Macedonia for itself'. The above mentioned agency informs that the leadership of Greece's largest opposition party `Nea Demokratia' is of divided opinion on how to address the issue on the name of the `northern neighbour'. Party leader Evert Militiyadis has rejected the option of a complex name containing the reference `Macedonia' at the meeting two days ago. This alternative however is being promoted by Honorary Party President Konstantin Mitsotakis and party-president candidate Yorgos Saphouljas, who is to be elected at the Congress scheduled for mid-1997. It is already common knowledge that the complex name proposal aired by Minister Pangallos has stirred up emotion within the governing PASSOK party. [04] REGULAR AIR TRAFFIC LINK BETWEEN THE NETHERLANDS AND MACEDONIAThe Netherlands and Macedonia have officially established regular air transport yesterday, with the signing of an agreement by H.E.Amb. Henrich Heynen and Transport and Communications Minister Dimitar Buzleski. The paper outlines the introduction of two flight connections from Skopje to Amsterdam and vice versa each week. `MAT' will be the Macedonian carrier, while the Dutch counterpart is not known yet. Another important dimension to the deal is that relations are being regulated officially and the work of airlines is thus being facilitated. Ambassador Heynen indicated that an agreement regulating land traffic should be expected soon.[05] ROADS IN BULGARIA DEBLOCKEDMacedonian media report that after three days of sealing up access roads to Macedonia in Bulgaria, blockades had been removed two days ago. According to information the Sofia-Skopje motorway has been deblocked near the village of Gjushevo and the Macedonian border, thus completely normalising traffic in both directions yesterday. This caused traffic jams at the `Deve Bair' border crossing mainly because of the freight vehicles which had been trapped there for days, awaiting the opening of the border.[06] DECEIVED BANK CLIENTS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE OF `US' EMBASSYYesterday the customers of the bankrupt `ALFA-S', Jugomarket', `Makedonija- Reklam' and `Dzhamadanche' banks / firms continued their protests in front of the Government seat in Skopje. They were also joined by clients of the Skopje office of the `Karich' bank in their continuous effort to make their voices heard. Their demands remaining unchanged, they once again urged the Government to initiate restitution / the return of their deposits, to bring `the main protagonists of this organised crime spectacle' (bank owners and their accomplices) before the qadi. PM Crvenkovski refused to receive the bank clients, unlike representatives of the US Embassy in Macedonia - as revolted demonstrators made this diplomatic mission their next destination. `Vecher' reports that US Embassy officials had promised help within the boundaries of the competency to the Coordination Board of bank customers. Today demonstrations are to focus on the Macedonian Government seat once again.[07] UNEMPLOYED, LAID-OFF WORKERS AND `TECHNOLOGICALLY REDUNDANT' STAFF STAGES PROTEST MARCHThe Coordination Council of the Independent Trade Union Organisation of Unemployed, Laid-Off and Technologically Redundant Workers have decided to stage a protest march over several days which is to end in front of the Macedonian Government building. This has been announced by their representatives at yesterday's press conference. The march is most likely to commence on Monday. The Trade Union Organisations are resorting to this measure as PM Crvenkovski has refused to meet them - in spite of their persevering insistence. `Dnevnik' informs that union representatives denied any connection to ongoing events in neighbouring countries, but rather to the accumulated discontent of the public by the Government's attitude towards their problems.[08] SKOPJE CITY COUNCIL SESSION WITHOUT `SDSM', `SPM', `IMRO- DP' AND `PDP' REPRESENTATIVESThe counsellour factions of the SDSM, SPM, IMRO-DP and PDP will not attend today's session of the Skopje City Council... as it has been stated by the representatives of these parties at a press conference. This decision was justified by the fact that the municipal delegates had not been invited to attend the session - which is violating Article 13 of the Law on Skopje and the authentic interpretation of parliamentary policy which clearly indicates the equal status of all 39 counsellours - and not only of the 25 directly elected ones.City Council Chairman Jove Kekenovski has now addressed an open letter to the SDSM, which states that `only the 25 directly elected counsellours have been asked to attend the second session as the remaining 14 delegates have not been completely appointed yet'. Kekenovski continues that all 14 municipal counsellours would be invited to attend the City Council sessions as soon as all of them have been determined. [09] `PDP' OBJECTIONS TO REPEATED ELECTIONS IN TETOVOThe Municipal Election Commission has overruled the objection of the Tetovo PDP branch concerning elections conducted at polling stations No. 2 and No. 60 in Tetovo.Unofficial information reveal that the Tetovo PDP office has appealed the decision at the Skopje Court of Appeals. [10] NOVA MAKEDONIJA: `DANGEROUS GAMES IN FOOD IMPORT'`Nova Makedonija' reports that 93 tons of salt are being `guarded' by Macedonian inspectorial services as not even a gram of this contingency may be sold, due to detected surplus amounts of iodine, traces of sand and other substances which should by no means be found in this widely-used product.National sanitary and inspection services - as the paper informs - have also recently returned 435 tons of this health-damaging kind of salt to Greece and Belorussia, which had been imported by the Strumica-based commercial firms `Biskomerc' and `Pincharci' - as well as by `Ivkompani' of Radovish. Appropriate charges have been filed against the company owners, who may expect fines up to 14 500 DM - in comparison to the 20 denars of the past (money which would not suffice for even a kilo of salt). According to the Annual Report of the National Sanitary Inspection, published by `Vecher', 59 transports i.e. 742.7 tons of food have not been admitted to Macedonia last year, as they failed to meet standards outlined in legal acts on the quality of food products. These transports include 15 tons of frozen poultry from Bulgaria, 36 of the same product from Italy, 26 tons of meat produce from France and Belgium and 4.1 of the same from Slovenia, 21 tons of canned fish from Croatia, 57 tons of sunflower oil from Bulgaria, 134 tons of citrus fruits from Turkey, Israel, Greece and Spain... `Vecher' reveals that this only represents 0.36% of all inspected products arriving at the customs terminals. MILS SUPPLEMENT[11] `Police Statistics'(`Puls' - 31st January 1997)According to official data released by the Ministry of the Interior, last year 323 new drug addicts have been registered in Macedonia; of these 90% are addicted to heroin. `As a result of continuous activities and introduced measures, the Ministry of the Interior has detected 117 (compared the 119 in 1995) crimes concerning the `illegal production and trafficking of narcotic, psychotropic substances and precursors'. This resulted in the charging of 176 (in 1995: 171) offenders, and the confiscating of 29 kilos of heroin, 131 kilos of marihuana, 2.5 kilos of seeds of the `cannabis sativa', 14 kilos of cocaine, 2 kilos of unrefined opium and 65 tablets of synthetic drugs (most often the `ecstasy' amphetamine) found in their possession. In case of all detected crimes involving heroin offenders (Macedonian citizens with connections in Bulgaria or Turkey), the drug is most often procured in Turkey in order to place it throughout the Republic of Macedonia or West Europe via the so-called `Balkan route'. It should be mentioned that drugs are usually imported into Macedonia via Bulgaria, i.e. across the `Deve Bair' checkpoint. Last year app. 20 kilos of heroin were confiscated at this border crossing. Another characteristic trait of 1996 is the vast increase of illegal marihuana trafficking and abuse. It is also interesting that part of the confiscated marihuana has obviously been cultivated in our country, usually by those who are addicted to it. One more thing discovered is the fact that our country serves as a transit station for transporting marihuana from Bulgaria and Albania into other neighbouring countries. A case worth mentioning in this context revolves around the discovering of 78 kilos of marihuana intended for the Greek market with 6 individuals (2 Macedonians and 4 Albanian citizens) in Gevgelija. Cocaine originating from Venezuela has also emerged in our country in one instance, on its journey to its final destination: SR Yugoslavia. The trafficking of synthetic drugs - an almost non- existent phenomenon in the past few years - has been registered this year as well. In most cases (except one) addicts have attempted to import the drugs (usually `ecstasy') for their own use. The one instance of trafficking of 42 `ecstasy' tablets traced the drugs back to Bulgaria. In addition to this there have been 18 (in comparison to 33 in 1995) drug- related crimes, committed by 20 (in contrast to 40 in 1995) offenders who had smaller amounts of drugs and their `user's kit' with them. The majority of addicts engaging in drug-related crimes are Albanians (74), followed by Macedonians (71), foreign nationals (13), etc. Besides launching and implementing a national strategy, the Ministry of the Interior has also actively integrated itself into INTERPOL's `Pro-Balkan' Programme which has resulted in the solving of three cases: one in Italy, one in Slovenia and one in Austria and the detecting of 68 kilos of heroin. Throughout 1996 the Ministry has registered drug addicts, so that by 31st December 1996 a total of 1 700 had been identified - of which 323 were `rookies' i.e. unregistered before. Most drug addicts are resident in Skopje, followed by Kumanovo, Tetovo, etc. The majority of new drug addicts (app. 90%) are using heroin, and what is particularly worrisome is the fact that in most cases the drug is being injected. (end)mils news 07 February 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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