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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 217, 96-11-08
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 217, 8 November 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] MORE ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT RESIGNATIONS.
[02] TAJIK GOVERNMENT FORCES LAUNCH OFFENSIVE.
[03] KAZAKSTANI TV STATION WRECKED BY VANDALS.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[04] INDICTED WAR CRIMINAL COMPLAINS TO UN POLICE FOR ARREST ATTEMPT.
[05] IZETBEGOVIC: NATO SHOULD STAY IN BOSNIA FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
[06] FEDERATION COURT REJECTS CROAT APPEAL OVER MOSTAR VOTE.
[07] IS SERBIA SHIPPING ARMS TO LIBYA?
[08] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT REMARKS ON MILOSEVIC'S FUTURE.
[09] CROATIAN RULING PARTY RELIEVES OFFICIALS OF DUTIES.
[10] CROATIA REJECTS BALKAN LINKS.
[11] IMF APPROVES $80 MILLION LOAN TO MACEDONIA.
[12] FINAL RESULTS IN ROMANIAN ELECTIONS RELEASED.
[13] ROMANIAN OPPOSITION SIGNS COALITION PACT . . .
[14] . . . WHILE ROMANIAN RULING PARTY LAUNCHES LAST-DITCH ATTACK.
[15] BULGARIAN OPPOSITION WANTS EARLY ELECTIONS.
[16] AZEM HAJDARI STAGES COUP IN ALBANIAN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONS . . .
[17] . . . WHICH MAY BE HIS POLITICAL SUICIDE.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] MORE ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT RESIGNATIONS.
Interior Minister Vano Siradeghyan and Foreign Minister Vahan Papazyan have
resigned, Armenian and Russian media reported on 7 November. The two men are
prominent members of the ruling Armenian Pan-National Movement (HHSh) and are
among the closest figures to President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. Siradeghyan said
he will "soon" be appointed the mayor of Yerevan. Defense Minister Vazgen
Sarkisyan, another HHSh leader, said he will retain his post, RFE/RL reported
on 7 November. According to ITAR-TASS, several ambassadors to foreign
countries are among the candidates to become ministers in the government of
newly appointed Prime Minister Armen Sarkisyan. -- Emil Danielyan
[02] TAJIK GOVERNMENT FORCES LAUNCH OFFENSIVE.
Government forces in the Tavil-Dara area have begun a counterattack to
dislodge the opposition from positions they captured earlier this month,
Reuters and ITAR-TASS reported on 7 November. The current objective of the
government forces is the village of Sagirdasht located about 200 km from the
Tajik capital Dushanbe. The village overlooks the main highway from Dushanbe
to Khorog and has landing areas for helicopters, which prior to its capture,
government forces had used to ferry troops and supplies to combat areas in the
mountainous east. There have been no reports yet on casualties from either
side. -- Bruce Pannier
[03] KAZAKSTANI TV STATION WRECKED BY VANDALS.
Aray TV, an independent TV station in Taldy Kurgan, was vandalized by two
masked men on 6 November, ITAR-TASS reported. The two gained entry to the
station, tied up the operator and proceeded to smash equipment, including a
transmitter, tape recorders and other machinery. Nothing was stolen but the
station is unable to broadcast. The attack came immediately after the station
had aired a program on rising crime in Kazakstan. -- Bruce Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[04] INDICTED WAR CRIMINAL COMPLAINS TO UN POLICE FOR ARREST ATTEMPT.
Bosnian Serb police officer Radovan Stankovic filed a complaint with the
International Police Task Force (IPTF) after federal police shot at his car as
he sped away to avoid detention. The incident took place on 26 August but has
only now come to light amid growing reports that IFOR and the IPTF have a
deliberate policy of not arresting war criminals even as they cross through
IFOR checkpoints (see ). Stankovic has been indicted by the Hague-based
tribunal for crimes against humanity, news agencies noted on 7 November. An
IPTF spokesman said the UN police are under no obligation to detain suspected
war criminals or report their presence to IFOR. -- Patrick Moore
[05] IZETBEGOVIC: NATO SHOULD STAY IN BOSNIA FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
Chairman of the Bosnian Presidency Alija Izetbegovic, together with other two
presidency members, Momcilo Krajisnik and Kresimir Zubak, met on 7 November
with NATO Secretary General Javier Solana in Sarajevo and said an
international peacekeeping force should stay in Bosnia for at least two more
years, Oslobodjenje reported the next day. Izetbegovic said the follow-on
force was needed to ensure conditions for free movement and a return of
refugees, assist in the arrest of indicted war criminals, ensure conditions
for forthcoming municipal elections and disarmament. Solana said that decision
will be made in the next few weeks. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[06] FEDERATION COURT REJECTS CROAT APPEAL OVER MOSTAR VOTE.
The Bosnian Federation constitutional court has ruled that disputed June
elections in Mostar were valid, international agencies reported. The ruling
Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) has contested the validity of the Mostar
municipal polls over voting irregularities in Bonn, and appealed to the
federation court. EU spokesman in Mostar Dragan Gasic said the EU hailed the
court's decision, which found the case outside of its jurisdiction and
rejected the Croat appeal. Gasic said the decision would help clarify the
situation in which Croats were continually threatening to boycott the city
council sessions until the court ruled. Meanwhile, the Muslim ruling Party of
Democratic Action said it will not hand over to Croats the post of Bosnian
Federation prime minister (see ), while a compromise might be found for the
federation president post , Oslobodjenje reported. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[07] IS SERBIA SHIPPING ARMS TO LIBYA?
Serbian state-run arms producers are, according to a 7 November New York
Times report, secretly sending arms shipments to Libya, AFP reported that
same day. For their part, Serbian officials have flatly denied partaking in
any arms trading, but the report notes that Western embassies have concluded
that arms have been sent by air to Malta, and from there to Libya, which is
under a UN-imposed weapons ban. Among the first concrete evidence to surface
linking Serbia appeared in August, when a Russian plane crashed at Belgrade's
airport, killing 12 people aboard (see ). That plane is believed to have been
carrying an arms shipment to a transit point in Malta. -- Stan Markotich
[08] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT REMARKS ON MILOSEVIC'S FUTURE.
Momir Bulatovic stated he would support Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic
in his bid to become president of federal Yugoslavia, Nasa Borba reported on
8 November. Milosevic's term as Serbian President ends in late 1997, and while
he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, analysts have
already speculated he may continue to hold power in Belgrade by having
parliament elect him to the federal presidency. Nevertheless, Bulatovic also
alleged that his and presumably his Democratic Socialist Party's support for
Milosevic will not be unconditional. Bulatovic said his support would be
contingent on Milosevic's understanding that the federal presidency is a
"ceremonial" post, and on his willingness as president to protect Montenegro's
rights and existing status within the current federation. -- Stan
Markotich
[09] CROATIAN RULING PARTY RELIEVES OFFICIALS OF DUTIES.
Seven leading members of the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ), together
with 26 junior members, were relieved from their party duties on 7 November
over allegations of corruption, Vecernji List reported the next day. Among
the those relieved are the head of the Zagreb-based bank, Privredna banka, the
head of the Split district, and Marina Matulovic-Dropulic, Franjo Tudjman's
appointed candidate to run Zagreb. No party officials have commented on the
decision yet, but the move may be a concession to popular anger over
widespread corruption and alleged nepotism in Croatia's state-run
privatization process, according to international sources. -- Daria Sito
Sucic
[10] CROATIA REJECTS BALKAN LINKS.
President Franjo Tudjman and Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa stressed again that
Croatia is historically and culturally part of Central Europe and slammed any
attempts to link Croatia to the Balkans. Tudjman argued that the country's
ties to the eastern Orthodox republics of the former Yugoslavia were short-
lived and have no future because Central Europe and the Balkans represent
civilizations alien to each other. Any attempts to force Croatia into a new
regional association with other former Yugoslav republics,--as the EU seems to
favor--would again lead to "tragedy," Vecernji list reported on 7 November.
Matesa told Croatia's Western partners that "Balkan" is associated with high
inflation and a failure to honor agreements or pay back debts. Croatia, he
countered, keeps its word and repays what it owes, Slobodna Dalmacija
reported on 8 November. -- Patrick Moore
[11] IMF APPROVES $80 MILLION LOAN TO MACEDONIA.
The IMF on 7 November approved a $80 million loan to Macedonia, Nova
Makedonija reported. The loan is aimed at stabilizing the country's economy
over the next three years and will be used to help increase GDP, keep
inflation down, stabilize the Macedonian denar, and decrease the trade
deficit. After a 5 1/2-year grace period, Macedonia will have 15 years to
repay the loan. The interest rate is 0.5%.The agreement is expected to be
confirmed by the IMF board of directors in January. -- Stefan Krause
[12] FINAL RESULTS IN ROMANIAN ELECTIONS RELEASED.
Romania's Central Electoral Bureau on 7 November released the final results of
the first round of presidential elections, Radio Bucharest and Reuters
reported. Incumbent President Ion Iliescu ranks first with 32.25%, followed by
Emil Constantinescu from the Democratic Convention of Romania (CDR) with
28.21%, and Petre Roman from the Social Democratic Union (USD) with 20.54%. In
parliamentary elections, only six parties succeeded in passing the 3% hurdle.
The following are the winners with their respective percentages for the Senate
and Chamber of Deputies: the CDR: 30.70%, 30.17%; the Party of Social
Democracy in Romania: 23.08%, 21.52%; the USD: 13.16%, 12.93%; the Hungarian
Democratic Federation of Romania: 6.81%, 6.64%; the Greater Romania Party,
4.54%, 4.46%; and the Party of Romanian National Unity, 4.22%, 4.36%. -- Dan
Ionescu
[13] ROMANIAN OPPOSITION SIGNS COALITION PACT . . .
The Democratic Convention of Romania (CDR), winner in the parliamentary
elections, and the Social Democratic Union (USD) on 7 November signed a
coalition pact, Romanian and international media reported. The pact, signed by
the leaders of the two political alliances, Emil Constantinescu and Petre
Roman, gives key support to Constantinescu in the run-off presidential
elections on 17 November. The accord also outlines a power-sharing formula,
with the CDR getting the prime minister's office, while USD will name the
foreign minister and the head of the Senate. Constantinescu called the signing
of the pact a "historic moment" and said the alliance heralded an era of
"truly democratic government." Roman, third in the first round of the
presidential race, with 21% of the votes, said he would back Constantinescu in
order to "put an end to the Iliescu regime." -- Zsolt Mato
[14] . . . WHILE ROMANIAN RULING PARTY LAUNCHES LAST-DITCH ATTACK.
Miron Mitrea, secretary general of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania,
on 7 November sharply criticized the opposition's efforts to set up a ruling
coalition, Radio Bucharest reported. Mitrea warned that a possible alliance
between the Democratic Convention of Romania (CDR) and the Hungarian
Democratic Federation of Romania would pose a threat to Romania's national
security. He accused the CDR of aspiring to take full control at any price,
including concessions to the Hungarian minority in Romania. Meanwhile,
President Ion Iliescu, while campaigning in Ialomita and Braila counties,
appealed to the electorate to "vote for a president able to defend the many
against the offensive of the Right in Romania." He added that his opponent
"does not deserve the electorate's confidence" because of his "frequent
[political] stammering." -- Dan Ionescu and Zsolt Mato
[15] BULGARIAN OPPOSITION WANTS EARLY ELECTIONS.
Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) Chairman Ivan Kostov on 7 November said the
SDS will start working toward early parliamentary elections, Reuters reported.
Kostov said the fact that Petar Stoyanov won almost 60% in the presidential
election proves that the government of Prime Minister Zhan Videnov has lost
the confidence of the electorate. Videnov in Duma on 8 November responded to
his critics within the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), admitting differences
over which economic policy the government should pursue, but calling most
problems the result of the "fatal inertia" in politics during the past seven
years. Meanwhile, Standart cited an "excellently informed source" as saying
that all ministers handed in their resignations after a secret cabinet meeting
on 5 November. Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski reportedly suggested the move
in order to force the BSP Supreme Council and parliamentary faction to
state whether they still support Videnov. -- Stefan Krause
[16] AZEM HAJDARI STAGES COUP IN ALBANIAN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONS . . .
Azem Hajdari, a Democratic Party legislator, was elected president of the
Union of the Independent Trade Unions (BSPSH) at a dubious emergency
conference in Durres on 5 November, Dita Informacion reported. Fatmir Musaku,
a former deputy leader of the BSPSH who left the organization in 1995, was
elected general secretary. Hajdari, who is also the head of the parliamentary
control commission for the post-communist secret service, charged BSPSH leader
Valer Xheka of spying for the communist-era secret service and of corruption,
saying he would investigate the trade union's budget, Republika reported on
7 November. A minor brawl developed between trade unionists and Hajdari
supporters on 7 November when the latter tried to take over the chair at the
BSPSH headquarters. One was injured before police moved in and Hajdari
withdrew. -- Fabian Schmidt
[17] . . . WHICH MAY BE HIS POLITICAL SUICIDE.
The BSPSH steering council, meanwhile, called Hajdari's election illegal and
said the Durres conference had no mandate. BSPSH chairmen came only from
Llezha, Lushnja, Skrapari and Mati, ATSH reported. Opposition politicians
called the Durres conference a "game to weaken the role of the trade unions"
and called Hajdari a "Trojan Horse," Gazeta Shqiptare reported on 7
November. President Sali Berisha the same day met with Valer Xheka and other
BSPSH leaders, assuring them of his support and praising their work as
"constructive." Koha Jone said on 8 November that Berisha seems to have
abandoned Hajdari, who was his close ally in the anti-communist student
movement in 1990 and the first Democratic Party leader. An overall trade union
congress will take place on 9 November. -- Fabian Schmidt
Compiled by Steve Kettle and Valentina Huber
News and information as of 1200 CET
This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media
Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in
Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on OMRI publications please write to [email protected].
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