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MILS: News from the FYROM, 97-07-11Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <[email protected]>CONTENTS
MILS NEWSSkopje, 11 July, 1997[01] OUTCOME FROM CLASHES IN GOSTIVAR - 2 DEAD AND 200 INJURED PEOPLEBlack outcome from the riots, i.e. the clashes between the demonstrates and the police of 2 days ago is 2 dead and 200 injured people. The number of the injured has been counted according reports from medical centres in Gostivar where around 130 people had demanded medical help 2 days ago and 70 more yesterday. according to a report from the Ministry of the Interior among the police members 8 people have been injured one of which with firearms. In the MI announcement it is reported that in the riots in Gostivar besides 2 people being killed, one Albanian citizen is in life danger, 12 people are being hospitalized in Gostivar and Skopje hospitals and 25 people have been heavily injured.The situation in Gostivar and Tetovo according to latest information is stabilized although there still remains the feeling of tension. The police forces are keeping guard of the municipality township buildings, the central areas of the town and the entrances into the two towns. Institutions and organizations are continuing their regular work, as well as the Assembly of the Tetovo municipality which during the activities regarding flags removal has been largely damaged by the police forces. In the centre of Gostivar many shops have ceased their work and in some of them damage reparations are in process. It has been noticed that some of the citizens started piling reserves and supplying the necessary food products, and this is assessed as fear of subsequent unwanted development of events. Today, according to the Macedonian radio, the MI units in Gostivar are being visited by PM Crvenkovski. The media report that the police have arrested approximately 300 to 400 people after the riots had ceased, and the Ministry of the Interior announced that the Interior Administration in Gostivar has pressed charges against 19 people (according to the Macedonian Television the number is 40) while charges are also pressed against the Gostivar mayor, Rufi Osmani, on the grounds of suspicion for criminal acts - non-compliance to a court decision, organizing resistance and generating national, racial and religious hatred, discord and non- tolerance. The A-1 Television reported that Osmanli was under police surveillance in the police station in Gostivar and was undergoing investigation. According to unofficial information from the `Nova Makedonija' charges have been pressed against the Tetovo mayor, Alajdin Demiri, and the chairman of the Municipality Council, Vebi Bedzeti, on ground of not carrying out a court decision. [02] GLIGOROV - STATE SYMBOLS MUST BE RESPECTEDThe Macedonian Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, yesterday expressed his regret regarding the Gostivar events, warning that it is unreasonable to continue resistance and activities towards creating certain parallel government in Macedonia. Expressing his sympathy to the families of the dead and the injured and adding that nothing more painful could have happened both to the police members and the demonstrating Albanians Gligorov pointed out:`Respect toward the state, the citizens' obligations towards the state include inevitable respect toward the state symbols, because represent the territory integrity, the states' independence and the civil rights of the citizens to make decisions on their own destiny. After the decision brought by the Constitutional Court and the passing of the Bill on minority flags in the Parliament, the police action was to be expected but what happened is a strike on international relations. That was an event that will bring positive and negative consequences. Positive, if they present a lesson learned that the attitude towards the state must be equal for all citizens, but they will be negative if they lead to persistent continuation with risky and non-reciprocal attempts to generate a parallel government in the state and to disregard and annul those symbols which represent Macedonia as a state', Gligorov underlined. The President also stated that it would be the best to leave these event in the history of relations i.e. to move towards a peaceful civil living which should be gradually built with joint efforts. [03] GOVERNMENT - NOT TO REACT TO PROVOCATIONThe attitude of the Macedonian Government regarding the events in Gostivar and Tetovo from two days ago was aired yesterday by the Governments spokesman, Zoran Ivanov: `The Government of the Macedonian Republic concordant to the constitutional and legal authorizations and obligations yesterday took actions in favour of protection of the legal and constitutional state order which had been hurt by the no-constitutional hoisting of the minorities flags in front of the units of local self- management in Tetovo and Gostivar. This action in Gostivar generated a violent reaction on part of the citizens and lead to a clash with the police.During this many police officers and citizens have been hurt and 2 people have lost their lives. The Government of the Macedonian Republic expresses its deep regret for the killed citizens and sympathizes with their families. The Government addresses all nationals in the Macedonian Republic not to react to any provocation, and any miss- information whose aim is spreading hatred and creating resistance against the actions of the state institutions which are to continue concordant to their authorizations and obligations. [04] PROTEST NOTE OF ALBANIAN GOVERNMENTA protest note from the Albanian Republic was directed yesterday from the Head of Albanian Diplomacy, Arian Starova, to the Macedonian ambassador in Tirana. The note handed to ambassador Nikola Todorchevski in the Albanian Foreign Ministry cites that the Albanian Government severely criticizes the violence executed by the Macedonian police forces over the Albanians in Tetovo and Gostivar. The Government of Bashkim Fino demanded from Macedonian authorities never to repeat such a violence execution towards the Albanians, to fully respect their rights and create appropriate living conditions. All this is particularly important because it is directly connected to the stability in the region today, it is cited in the report.Regarding the events in tetovo and Gostivar there was a severe reaction on part of the Albanian President, Sali Berisha. Expressing great concern, Berisha assessed that equality, respect towards the European standards of the national symbols and their history are the only manner of solving the problems between the Albanians and the Macedonians in their mutual state. `If not, prevention form national symbols usage and use of armed police forces as well as expression of violence over a nation present a risk which might increase the tension in this neighbouring country and a real threat to the whole region', Berisha points out in the announcement. He also called on the Macedonian state authorities to show moderation and to restrain themselves from use of force i.e. to turn towards a political solution of the problems of the Albanians. He also expressed his trust that with consolidation of the Albanian rights in equal relationship with the others would be the best contribution to unity and consolidation of Macedonia itself. According to Albanian media, yesterday the Socialist Party of the Albanians has reacted and assessed the events in Tetovo and Gostivar as a heavy provocation while according to the Democratic Party these events are an act of the extremist part of the Macedonian police. [05] AMERICAN ATTITUDE - PROBLEM SOLUTION THROUGH LEGAL MECHANISMSYesterday the American Government expressed deep sympathy regarding the victims and injured resulting from the events in Gostivar. On this occasion, the Embassy refers in the report to the statement of the American State department spokesman dating from 19 March this year saying that the US strongly upholds the territory integrity and democratic development of the FYROM which present the basic stability elements in the region. `We call on all citizens and political parties to perform within the existing legal and political structures and to solve mutual interest issues through peaceful and democratic means', it is said in yesterday's report from the American Embassy in Skopje regarding the latest events in Gostivar and Tetovo.[06] PDP ABSTAINS FROM PARLIAMENT IN A SIGN OF PROTESTThe parliament group of the Albanian Party for Democratic Prosperity will not attend the work of the Parliament until a detailed and objective analysis of the events in Tetovo and Gostivar have been made at an assembly session. The PDP group passed this decision at yesterday's session as a sign of protest regarding the 2 days ago events in Gostivar and Tetovo, as well as due to the dissatisfaction and `the superficial and utterly unserious information' of the Interior Secretary Minister regarding the current events and actions of the police. The Macedonian Television reports, leaders of the PDP stated that the Parliament abandoning is done as a protest against the expressed brutality of the police during these events in Gostivar. On part of the PDP leadership surprise has been expressed regarding the police activities subsequent to the adoption of the Bill on minority flags in the Parliament, i.e. because they have not consulted anyone and waited to see whether the bill will be adhered or not.[07] PARTY RESPONSES TO EVENTS IN TETOVO AND GOSTIVARThe events in Tetovo and Gostivar were the reason for yesterday's reactions of the parties which air their attitudes regarding the actions of the police as well as the reaction of the citizens from Albanian nationality. VMRO-DPMNE principally upholds the MI action in Tetovo and Gostivar as a right and successful defense of the state's sovereignty, and if necessary it will give specific support.According to the leader of the party, Ljupcho Georgievski, the culprit of the events is not only the PDA party because the PDP people had been the promoters of similar ideas even seven ago and now they have become ministers and ambassadors. The main culprit in this worrying situation is seen by Georgievski in the `senile politics of the President Kiro Gligorov and the politics carried out by the SDSM based on the principle - another day has passed'. The legal action of the Macedonian institutions, the DPA has countered with an organized rebellion with fire arms, indicated yesterday the leader of the VMRO-Democratic Party, Vladimir Golubovski. The leaders, as Golubovski assesses, must be arrested regarding the publicly promoted programme by which they conspire formation of an Albanian state inside the Macedonian state, and DRA should not be registered. VMRO-DPMNE at the press conference aired an attitude that the MI action is only an advertising move, underlined Golubovski yesterday, indicating that Macedonia on the pleasure of the Macedonian people has shown that it can alone solve its sovereign issues. For the Democratic Union of the Albanians in Macedonia the legal vacuum has left possibility certain extremist groups on part of the Albanians to attempt instrumentalization of the Albanian national flag for its own political destructive purposes. The Democratic Party of the Turks has assessed that the Macedonian Government with its leisure attitude has entailed escalation of the situations which might have been overcome with no disturbance of the public order, peace and safety. MAAK-CP has demanded the state bodies to immediately deprive from one citizenship all subjects that have dual citizenship and had come from other states and have aggressively acted against the police. The Civil-Liberal Party of Macedonia appeals to all citizens regardless of their nationality not to allow to be lead by cheap provocation. [08] POSSIBLE CHANCES MACEDONIA TO BECOME NATO MEMBER IN 2 YEARSThe Macedonian Republic stands real chance to become a NATO member in two years, stated yesterday Macedonian Head of State, Kiro Gligorov, on returning from the NATO summit in Madrid. The Macedonian Television reports, Gligorov at yesterday's press conference stated that at the summit which promoted the new Euro-Atlantic partnership Council, Macedonia has reaffirmed the permanent and long-lasting interest for the NATO membership. Greeting the Alliance extension Gligorov pointed out the necessity of NATO's turning towards the South-East of Europe.Informing on the meeting with the NATO General Secretary, Javier Solana Gligorov has stated that Solana had informed him that the political dialogue regarding the possible entering of the Macedonian Republic in the Alliance has been completed. Yet Macedonia remains alone to work on the military plan and to further the economical and other prerequisites for membership in this association. Regarding the meeting with the French President, Jacques Chiraque, Gligorov stated that it presents a sequel to the continuous dialogue expressing the mutual respect of both presidents and the positive development of relations. [09] PARLIAMENT ADOPTS PROPOSAL ON SALARY FREEZINGThe Macedonian Parliament yesterday in an urgent procedure adopted the proposed changes in the Bill on salaries by which the salaries of the employed in the public sector and in the firms that have not yet been privatized are to be frozen till 31st December this year. In favour of this change in the bill voted 53 parliament members, one was against, while 12 abstained from voting.[10] FIRST EFFECTS OF DENAR DEVALUATIONAfter the denar devaluation that happened 2 days ago and the economic measures taken by the Macedonian Government, the Skopje Refinery `OKTA' has informed that form the open letter of credits on paying off the already planned amounts of import oil a loss of about 5 million dollars has already emerged. Regarding this, A-1 Television reports, `OKTA' has assessed that the only way out would be to change the structure of the oil derivatives price in benefit of the Refinery and thus avoid increase in the retail prices. To the price of the gasoline are connected many strategic products such as the wheat, the bread, but also the electricity and the public services. The millers and merchants, according to A-1 Television, point out that the price of the bread is possible to be increased if the petrol price does as well. Authorities from the Electrical Industry have stated that by the end of this year there should be no increase in the price of the electricity.The media yesterday reported that starting from yesterday the price increase is being performed. The merchants point out that the reason for this is the fact that many of the products are imported so it id natural that they should become more expensive with the rise of the Deutsch Mark and other currencies exchange rate. The first changes have been noticed with the sugar, the medicaments (for 25%), the furniture, electric gadgets etc..... The price of vegetable and fruit in the green markets remain unchanged by now in relation to the previous days. The overall flow in the Foreign currency market, according to information from the Macedonian national bank yesterday moved around 6 million DM which means that it remained at the same level achieved the days prior to the devaluation. In the private exchange offices after the doing up of the DM exchange rate to 35 denars, it has fallen down to 33 denars ( the MNB exchange rate - 31 denar per 1DM). In the exchange offices, according to the A-1 Television, foreign currencies are sold rather than purchased, and a complete stabilization of the exchange rate is expected in about 1 week. [11] WORLD BANK - A LITTLE LATE NECESSARY MEASURESThe issued plans of the Macedonian Government on adaptation to the macro-economic frameworks - which encompass monetary objectives, as well as the nominal foreign currency exchange rate are necessary but maybe a little late. Unless the appropriate discipline is kept regarding the salaries and the prices these adaptations would help stimulation in the investments and the export oriented world and this should result in a necessary generation of new jobs. `Vecher' reports that all the above has been stated by Elen Goldstein, a permanent representative of the World Bank in Macedonia, Goldstain has also greeted the courage of the Government regarding the undertaken necessary adaptations and has again underlined the support by the World bank regarding increase its investments, generation of new jobs and social protection.[12] VMRO-DPMNE- MACEDONIAN CITIZENS BECOMING POORER FOR 30%According to the VMRO-DPMNE the devaluation of the denar for 16% is a direct admitting of the failure in the economic policy lead by the Government of the SDSM. The devaluation would have a positive effect only if a responsible Government exists. This devaluation has come too late and was extorted and together with the Bill on freezing the salaries will result in into making the Macedonian citizens poorer for 30%. By these measures Macedonia gets closer to last year's Bulgarian winter which `obviously must come when we are being lead by people lacking economic strategy', stated yesterday the leader of the VMRO-DPMNE, Ljupcho Georgievski.[13] SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS WARN - PROPOSED DEMANDS ARE THE SOLE ALTERNATIVEUnless the proposed demands on the restitution mode of the robbed clients of the bankrupted savings banks `TAT', `ALFA-S', `Lavci' standing behind the three savings banks are accepted by the Macedonian Government in the following week, the savings associations will suspend all further negotiations with the state authorities and the problem will be solved by street democracy. For all possible consequences resulting from that the responsibility will be put on the Government.`Nova Makedonija' reports, this was announced at yesterday's press conference by representatives from the clients' associations of the above mentioned banks. The proposal which is considered by the clients as maximally realistic and just, implies the Government to take over the complete assets of the banks to add to that the promised 20 million DM and the clients to be compensated with foreign currency bonds within a time term of 3 years with decreased principal and interest for 25%. Regarding the third expert examination of `TAT' the clients yesterday stated that it is not at all needed and it would entail another prolonging of the problem solution. [14] TALKS ON TRANSPORT CORRIDOR IN SOFIAIn Sofia today a meeting of diplomatic representatives from Italy, Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia is due within the frames of the Central-European initiative, reports the Bulgarian agency BTA. According to this agency the Deputy- ministers for Foreign Affairs from these states at the meeting will lead discussions regarding regional collaboration, placing particular interest on the construction of a transport corridor which will connect the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea. The customs administrations of Macedonia and Bulgaria are expected soon to sign a treaty on collaboration, reported yesterday the Bulgarian paper. The treaty is expected to be signed during the following two weeks. Among other this treaty forecasts a more severe goods transit control on part of both customs administrations the objective of which is decrease of illegal trading.(end)mils news 11 July, 1997Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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