MAK-NEWS 15/05/95 (M.I.L.S.)
CONTENTS
[01] HANDZISKI MEETS PERRY IN WASHINGTON
[02] VANCE IS OPTIMIST
[03] GOVERNMENT MEETS POLITICAL LEADERS OF ALBANIANS
[04] COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S OBSERVERS TO VISIT SKOPJE
[05] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS
[06] STOP FOR BUSES FROM MACEDONIA
[07] CONFERENCE ON INSOLVENCY
[08] NUMBER OF INSOLVENT COMPANIES GROWING
[09] DELEGATION OF YOUTH COUNCIL VISITS GREECE
[10] REPORTS ONE-SIDED AND GROUNDLESS, GREEK SCIENTIST SAYS
[11] VMRO-SMD ACCUSES SOCIALISTS OF NEO-MACEDONIAN POLICY
[12] "ALMAKO" WINE AWARDED GRAND-PRIX
[13] MAAK HOLDS CONGRESS
[14] GREECE STRICKEN BY STRONG EARTHQUAKE
[15] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: SUMMING UP VICTORIES - PART II (Puls, 12 May 1995)
M I L S N E W S
Skopje, 15 May 1995
[01] HANDZISKI MEETS PERRY IN WASHINGTON
Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski is currently on
a several-day visit to the US. Yesterday, the official part
of his visit began with a reception in Washington, organized
in his honor by Joseph Cruesel, US Assistant Defense
Secretary. The talks with Secretary of Defense William Perry
are scheduled for today and will be attended by Admiral
Owen, Deputy Chief-of-staff of the American Joint Army
Forces, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, and
under-secretary for defense Walter Slocomb. Working groups
of the Macedonian and US defense ministries will negotiate
at the same time on security and military program issues.
The visit is to end with a plenary session, when Handziski,
Slocomb and Holbrooke are expected to give speeches.
[02] VANCE IS OPTIMIST
UN mediator Cyrus Vance and US special envoy in the Greek-
Macedonian dispute, Matthew Nimitz, met last week in Athens
with Miltiades Evert, leader of the Greek opposition. Media
in Greece say Vance voiced optimism for progress in the
negotiations.
Nova Makedonija cites diplomatic sources in Athens as saying
the Macedonian-Greek talks will be finished by the end of
the summer.
[03] GOVERNMENT MEETS POLITICAL LEADERS OF ALBANIANS
In Skopje last week, Macedonian Government officials
(minister of the interior, minister of education and
minister of justice) met with representatives of political
parties of Albanians in Macedonia. The meeting was also
attended by Gert Arens, head of the working group on ethnic
and national minorities of the International Conference for
Former Yugoslavia, and Vladimir Abadjian of the OSCE Mission
in Skopje. Participants discussed nationalistic symbols and
secondary and higher education in local self-governing
municipalities.
[04] COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S OBSERVERS TO VISIT SKOPJE
A three-member delegation of observers to the Council of
Europe is to visit Skopje, May 17-19, for talks regarding
Macedonia's application for a Council membership, Skopje
daily Vecher writes. The final decision is to be made by the
Council's Minister Commission. Observers expect Macedonia
to become a full member by the end of the year, at the
earliest.
[05] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS
- On the occasion of the election of Jacq Chirac a new
president of France, Macedonian President Gligorov sent a
telegram of congratulations.
- President Gligorov received Kurt Spalinger, newly-
appointed ambassador of Austria to Macedonia, who presented
his credentials.
[06] STOP FOR BUSES FROM MACEDONIA
Skopje Vecher writes that the Italian ministries of internal
and foreign affairs banned entry of all buses coming from
Macedonia for an undetermined period of time. The reasons
stated was that Macedonian tourist agencies are suspected of
infiltrating Albanian and ex-Yugoslav emigrants into Italy.
Macedonia and Italy have an agreement on transportation of
passengers. "The decision is unexpected and harmful for both
countries; it is primarily political," said Boris
Chaushevski, Macedonian Deputy Minster of Transportation,
announcing official talks with Italian officials on the
issue.
[07] CONFERENCE ON INSOLVENCY
The company "Delloite Touche Thomatsu International" and
USAID, American International Development Agency, organized
last Friday a conference on "Insolvency and Restructuring in
Central and Eastern Europe", at the Hotel Continental in
Skopje. The conference presented the findings of the large
project of this consulting company, conducted in 13 Central
and East European countries. The focus was on bankruptcy and
related legal regulations along with the effects on the
Macedonian economy of shutting down enterprises.
[08] NUMBER OF INSOLVENT COMPANIES GROWING
18,528 workers from insolvent companies were registered in
Macedonia in March this year (unofficially, their number is
far higher and amounts up to 30,000). The Employment Bureau
provides compensation for a maximum of 24 months. Chances
for reemployment of these workers are remote, as insolvent
companies are reactivated only rarely.
12,826 workers from such companies were registered by the
end of 1994, against 14,051 in January and 15,087 in
February this year.
[09] DELEGATION OF YOUTH COUNCIL VISITS GREECE
On an invitation of the non-governmental organization Pan-
Macedonian Union of Greece, the Youth Council of Macedonia
arrived for a four-day visit to the Greek port of Salonika.
The Macedonian delegation is to meet the mayor of Salonika
and the rector of the city's university and will appear as
guests of the Third Channel of the Greek national
Television.
[10] REPORTS ONE-SIDED AND GROUNDLESS, GREEK SCIENTIST SAYS
A1 Television reports Mr. Karacostanoglou, a scientific
associate at the International Relations Department of the
Athens University, published an article in yesterday's
edition of the daily Kathimerini to attack international
organizations' reports on cases of violation of basic human
rights in Greece. He mainly attacked reports saying, "the
Slav-Macedonian national identity does exist, it has been
historically proven and refers to a relatively numerous and
obvious part of the population of modern Greece..." and that
this Macedonian national minority's basic rights have been
undoubtedly violated ever since the beginning of the
century, and authorities in today's Greece continue with the
same policy and practice. According to Karacostanoglou, such
claims are groundless beause of their methodology of
research and the one-sided recycling of information through
abuse of bibliography. Rights of minorities in Greece indeed
used to be violated, he says, but only back in the times of
the Metaxas dictatorship. He explains the organizations'
attitude by the fact that they have based their reports on
data gathered in Skopje or statements of "certain militant
organizations of refugees living there." His analysis
concludes that the international organizations visited
Aegean Macedonia in 1993 and have only exchanged information
since then.
[11] VMRO-SMD ACCUSES SOCIALISTS OF NEO-MACEDONIAN POLICY
The ruling Socialist Party in Bulgaria is attempting to
impose a neo-Komintern and neo-Macedonian policy, said
Evgeni Ekov, one of the vice-presidents of VMRO-SMD, A1
Television reports. According to him, it is no accident that
the Bulgarian socialists have not had a clear position
toward Macedonia so far and are now deviating from the
national foreign policy, previously directed at recognizing
Macedonia and a potential integration of the two countries.
VMRO-SMD president Krasimir Karakachanov stated similar
views, adding the authorities in Bulgaria demonstrated
tolerance toward OMO "Ilinden" , the Macedonian organization
in Bulgaria , by allowing them to pay respect to the tomb of
Jane Sandanski at the Rozhen monastery.
[12] "ALMAKO" WINE AWARDED GRAND-PRIX
At the First International Zagreb Fair of Wine, held from
April 24 to 28, the Macedonian wine "Almako" was awarded a
grand-prix in the red-wine category, in a competition with
377 different varieties and types of wine. "Almako" is
produced by "Lozar" of Titov Veles and the year of the wine
is 1993.
[13] MAAK HOLDS CONGRESS
The Movement for All-Macedonian Action MAAK held its second
congress in Strumica yesterday. The congress was attended by
196 delegates who adopted a political resolution and several
political declarations regarding problems considered
fundamental for the future activity of the movement, now
operating as a political party. One of them is a declaration
on the prevention of further demographic occupation of
Macedonia by non-Macedonian population. Several participants
stressed MAAK is to struggle for a free, independent and
sovereign Macedonia as a national state of the Macedonian
people, forming a professional Macedonian army, securing the
Macedonian language as the only official language in the
country, ban on political parties on one-nation bases and
scheduling premature elections. They also announced the
possibility of a coalition with opposition parties (VMRO-
DPMNE, the Democrats, Workers Party, etc.) MAAK reelected
president Ante Popovski underlined the need for forming a
Macedonian patriotic front as soon as possible for the
purpose of defending the seriously endangered Macedonian
cause.
[14] GREECE STRICKEN BY STRONG EARTHQUAKE
A strong earthquake of 6.6 degrees on the Richter scale
struck the central part of northern Greece last Saturday. 15
citizens were injured and hundreds of houses destroyed.
Athen News Agency reported that more than 1,000 aftershocks
have been recorded, of which at least 100 have been of an
intensity of 4 Rchter or above, including 4.8 Richter quake
early Sunday. Seismologists belive the post-quake activity
may continue for up to two months, and warned residents not
to enter buildings that have not been previously cleared by
engineers as safe.
The earthquake was felt in the Republic of Macedonia sa
well.
[15] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: SUMMING UP VICTORIES - PART II
(Puls, 12 May 1995)
Under a title "Strategy for Quicker Reforms", the Skopje
daily Vecher published an article earlier this month,
interpreting the interview with Dr. Gordana Siljanovska, ex-
minister and a member of the Liberal leadership. "What is
needed now is that this government come up with a strategy
and convince us all that it will first of all regulate its
reform course by appropriate legislation and only then get
down to carrying the reforms out." According to her, "the
period of the transition to come has to be specifically
determined and the actions to be undertaken must convince
the ordinary citizen, regardless of their economic status,
that, if not today, then at least in five years, the
strategy will result in changes." When determining the new
direction, the Liberals will insist on placing the focus on
privatization, ways of trade union organization, electoral
laws, judiciary and local self-government. Does this imply
an official demand of Liberals to their coalition partners?,
was the question discussed with Ace Kocevski, Liberal Party
secretary. During the latest parliament debates on police
laws and reforms in the ministry of the interior, he
apparently announced the need of a common platform of all
coalition partners. The priorities themselves are not
disputable, nor is the pace of the privatization process.
Yet, there is a dilemma as to what exactly is the political
motive of the cabinet. Should the government have two
platforms, one common for all coalition partners and
another one, solely for the use of the prime minister? The
abstinence of Liberals from voting on the current
Crvenkovski administration should be taken into serious
consideration when dealing with this dilemma. The need of a
government platform has not yet been made official by any
Liberal organ, the secretary assures. The attempts to
present obstacles for the Alliance for Macedonia in its bid
to win power are more dangerous and uncontrollable trends,
Kocevski says. Two viewpoints of top Liberals were evident
during the election with regard to the question of whether
parties constituting the Alliance will preserve their
separate identity. Vice-president of the Liberal Party Stevo
Crvenkovski said on one occasion that his party would play a
role of a "problem opposition" when its comes to certain
issues. The party's newspaper "Democracy" reminded last
month of this statement by Crvenkovski, adding that the
Liberal parliament group "occasionally plays a role of a
program Macedonian national opposition." The second
viewpoint was that of the then spokesman Tito Petkovski, who
said the parties in the Alliance have a right to act
independently and to preserve their programs and principles.
Immediately after this, he was accused by the Liberals of
directly attacking the unity of the Alliance for Macedonia.
The newly appointed SDSM Secretary General Ljupco Popovski
confirms that the standpoint of Siljanovska is to be
understood only as a Liberal view and not as part of an
official platform to be voted on by SDSM or the prime
minister. Such a platform, in his opinion, is to be expected
during preparations for the coming third annual summit of
the Liberal Party in July, when the party is likely to
become more active in promoting new ideas for reforms of the
administration's structure and the political system.
One of the key issues related to the possibility of
establishing a platform common for all coalition partners is
also the position held by PDP. Differences between the
Albanian and Macedonian political factions in Macedonia,
which Abdurahman Aliti recently said could be resolved only
"through the institutions of the system", remain distinct
on the political scene. In a recent interview, Liberal
leader Stojan Andov said, "The only chance left for
Albanians in Macedonia is a persistent and hard struggle for
the constitutional concept." The party paper Liberal, on the
other hand, writes, "no anti-constitutional activity can go
unpunished and anyone attempting to suspend or change the
constitution through anarchic undertakings is doomed to
lose."
The idea for a common platform came after the latest SDSM
congress at which, according to the secretary general, the
delegates never opened the issue of relations with the
coalition partners. The only statement remotely related to
the issue was the narcissistic bragging of the SDSM leader
who said Macedonia is succeeding thanks to the Social
Democrats. This could be interpreted as an answer to the
Liberals' motto saying the able will succeed with them. The
rivalry between Crvenkovski and Andov (evident in their
attempts to demonstrate power by emphasizing their party
cohesion on the one hand and their elite and massive
concepts on the other) does not seem to affect the
distribution of obligations and tasks within the cabinet for
the time being. What is more, it can be freely said that
Jane Miljovski and Risto Ivanov are among the most
influential ministers in terms of the their duties and
obligations. The former is a favorite of the prime minister
and the latter a direct and confidential associate of the
parliament president. Yet, regardless of relations between
government members, the need for a common platform was
openly publicized by the prime minister himself at
parliament, when he presented cabinet's course in the field
of economy and the ongoing stabilization. "In order to carry
out such wide and important reforms, we have to have a
determined and efficient executive authority. We also need a
far wider consensus, a complete mutual exchange of
information and coordination of all institutions and
subjects in the state. The success of the reforms directly
depends on the degree of support it will receive."
The course of the reforms itself is not brought into
question; the pace of realization of certain legal projects
and the necessary critical analyses of their implementation
in the practice, however, are far from sufficient to cause a
positive reaction and trust among citizens. This may have a
direct impact on voters' during the coming local elections.
To add legitimacy to the democratic character of the current
government, the latter has to issue a package of laws to
regulate the local self-government. Dr. Siljanovska
particularly insists on this, warning that this package of
laws must be implemented also because of the existing
vacuum, until a political authority is fully established.
The risk in losing a part of the already gained trust
because of the neglect of the state administration in
initiating these laws, may well turn into one of the motives
for coalition partners to create political excuses for the
discrepancies between campaign promises and their
realization.
(end)
mils-news 15 May '95
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