MAK-NEWS 05/01/96 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <[email protected]>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 5 January 1996

[01] DISCUSSIONS ON THE NAME ISSUE ON 11 JANUARY

Greek UN representative, Hristos Zaharakis, and Macedonian UN Ambassador, Ivan Toshevski, will have discussions on the name issue on 11 January this year in New York. According to Sitel Television, this was stated by the Greek Spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Kostas Bikas, who added that the mediator Cyrus Vance will also attend the meeting.

[02] MACEDONIA IS INTERESTED IN IMPROVING THE RELATIONS WITH USA

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov and Ljubica Acevska, Macedonian Ambassador in USA, emphasized the permanent interest of Macedonia to constantly develop the relations and cooperation with USA, in all areas of mutual interest, especially in politics and economy. Gligorov highly estimated the US support to Macedonia in the development of its independence and stability, adding it is a significant contribution for the peace and safety in the region.

[03] COOPERATION BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND CHINA

Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski met yesterday with Li Shuiuan, charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China to Macedonia, when they expressed their mutual satisfaction from the cooperation between the two countries so far, and discussed the possibilities for its further development. In the frames of cooperation in the area of defense, Li Shuiuan invited Macedonian experts to attend the first seminary on military medicine, which is to be held during this year in Peking.

[04] DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAJIKISTAN

Macedonian Ambassador in Turkey, Trajan Petreski, and the Ambassador of Tajikistan, Jakup Selimov, signed a protocol on establishing official diplomatic relations between the two countries yesterday in Ankara, and agreed on further contacts during which possibilities for cooperation will be discussed.

[05] INFORMATION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR THE HEALTH CARE

Liaisons Office of the World Health Organization, Regional Bureau for Europe, was opened in the premises of Macedonian Health Care Institute on 3 January 1996. The main task of the Office will be to continually exchange information important for the health care and health policy between Macedonian Ministry of Health and the Regional Bureau for Europe of the WHO. The Office will also take actions to include Macedonia in international projects and programs to improve the health of Macedonian citizens.

[06] REQUEST TO MILOSHEVICH NOT TO RECOGNIZE MACEDONIA

Leaders of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia and of the Association of Serbs and Montenegrins in Macedonia, in their letter to Slobodan Miloshevich, asked from FR Yugoslavia not to recognize nor establish diplomatic relations with Republic of Macedonia. President of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia, Miletich, explained this request, for Macedonian Radio, as a consequence from the 'false promises given during the last four years by the Macedonian Government that Serbs and Montenegrins will be included in the Constitution of Macedonia'. Miletich added that Serbs and Montenegrins in Macedonia insist on normalizing the relations between Macedonia and FRY, but only after the elementary rights of these minorities are obtained.

[07] MORE A CRISIS IN THE COALITION THAN A CRISIS IN THE GOVERNMENT

On recent speculations in Macedonian media about the disintegration of the coalition Alliance for Macedonia, and the disputes between the Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Liberal Party, the possibility for reconstruction of the Government, announced by the Prime Minister Crvenkovski, stirred the public. In his interview for today's weekly 'Puls', the Premiere said the crisis is not in the Government, but in the coalition, adding that: 'in such periods of great changes, all those who are on most responsible positions in the state are submitted to a constant reelection and have to accept the fact they are 'passing an exam' on their further positions every day.'

About the speculations on the disputes between SDA and the Liberals, as well as the disintegration of the coalition, Crvenkovski said: 'Liberals must decide whether they will be a serious coalition partner and a member of the Alliance for Macedonia, with a respect for all the 'game rules', or they will be a parliamentary opposition. To be a member of the Alliance for Macedonia on a governmental level, and on the other hand, to be in a coalition with VMRO - DPMNE in the City Council of Skopje, is untenable. It is a matter of question what do Liberals stand for in the City Council and how much they have digressed from the program of the Alliance for Macedonia.'

On the possibilities for disintegration of the Social Democratic Alliance, led by the Premiere himself, he said:

'There are no opposite structures in the SDA, and whoever would like to test this are welcome to try. Let them leave the coalition and try to take half of the parliamentary group of SDA with them. I do not need such tests, and in case there are people with different opinions, who are self- confident and certain in their estimations, they should play the game till the end.'

Premiere Crvenkovski, referring to the situation after the assassination attempt on President Gligorov, said that the political processes in Macedonia then went through 'a quick restructuring, new grouping, different lobbing of the political forces', adding that: 'It was too impudent to legalize the combinations about possible successors, new elections for a President, new balance of political power, even new Parliamentary elections that would change the governmental structures. And while they were fighting their battle, President Gligorov was fighting the battle for his life on the Surgery Clinics. He won his battle, and they probably think they are not defeated, but they will continue the battle in some better time. As it became obvious that President was getting much better, 'the trumpets called for a withdrawal', and I must say it was interesting to watch the situation changing for two - three times. Whatever, I find the political situation during the whole period stable, mostly due to the Macedonian citizens.'

[08] DISPUTE ON THE MEETING PLACE

The meeting between the hunger strikers in Kumanovo and representatives of Macedonian Labour and Economy Ministries, scheduled for yesterday, did not take place. According to Macedonian Television, although Assistant Minister of Labour Stojan Trajanov, Director of Macedonian Employing Institute Nikolina Cvetinovska, and Ministry of Law Counselor Milka Ristova, arrived in Kumanovo, they requested from the strikers delegation to come to the Town Hall, which was refused. The hunger strikers from 'Chik', Kumanovo, decided to continue the strike, and to organize a meeting with all workers of bankrupt enterprises, on which they will decide on further actions. Presidency of the Association of Workers of Bankrupt Enterprises, who joined the strikers yesterday, severely criticized the act of the representatives, adding this was the most humiliating act for all such workers in Macedonia. They also informed about their decision to take activities for support of the strikers, adding they will appeal to the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Macedonia to immediately react to the human rights of the bankruptcy workers.

[09] 'VECER' - THE WOMAN ON THE SQUARE DELIBERATELY WOUNDED

According to daily 'Vecer', the 27 years old woman from Skopje, Violeta Taseva, who was shot during the New Year celebration on 'Macedonia' square in Skopje, is a victim of a deliberate shooting with a gun, with an intention to provoke an incident, fear and chaos during the New Yer's selebration at the square. The wound shows that the bullet came from above, i.e. the shooter must have been on a higher position, maybe on some roof near by, which means that Taseva was not hit by a bullet shot in the air, but deliberately. Ballistic experts and police investigation will, however, have the final word.

[10] MACEDONIAN CUSTOMS OFFICERS CONFISCATED 80 KILOS HEROIN

According to A-1 Television, Macedonian customs officers confiscated 80 kilos smuggled heroin during the last year.

The following year is expected to be more successful, due to the technical help which is expected to arrive from USA soon. American and British customs officers trained 15 of their Macedonian colleagues in discovering smuggled narcotics.

[11] SECOND ELECTORAL ROUND IN THE 114 UNIT ON SUNDAY

State Electoral Commission announced yesterday that everything is ready for the second electoral round in the electoral unit 114 in Skopje to be successfully held on Sunday, 7 January. The candidates on the list are: Dzemail Baftii of PDPA, Avdi Bajram of PCER, Vladimir Golubovski of VMRO - Democratic Party, Krste Jankovski of the coalition of Labour Party, Macedonian National Party and VMRO - MNDS, Vasil Drvoshanov of the Alliance for Macedonia, and Todor Petrov, an independent candidate. Yesterday at midnight the pre-election silence began.

[12] PROTEST ON DISCREDITING VLADIMIR GOLUBOVSKI

VMRO - Democratic Party and its candidate Vladimir Golubovski protested against 'the insinuations and slanders, intended to discredit their candidate for the forthcoming second round of the elections in 114' on the press conference yesterday. They informed that at least two unidentified groups visited the voters in the local communities 'Nikola Karev', 'Dame Gruev' and 'Jane Sandanski', spreading false news about the withdrawal of Golubovski form the second voting round.

[13] PAIRS FOR THE FOOTBALL QUARTER - FINAL KNOWN

Pairs for the football 'Macedonia Cup Competition' were drawn out yesterday. Most interesting game is expected to be between 'Macedonia' and 'Vardar', while the team of Ljuboten will be a host to Shkendija from Arachinovo, Pelister to FCU, and Bregalnica from Shtip to Sloga - Jugomagnat. The first games are scheduled for 3 March, and return games for 20 March 1996.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[14] REVISION OF TAXES IN PROSPECT

('Vecer', 4 January 1996)

The VAT regulations for the following year are still not known, but it is positive they will differ from the present ones. Unofficially, the most important project which is being created is the Profit Tax Law, with special attention on the tax rates.

The regulations will also be influenced by the forthcoming reexamination of the current tax system by competent experts. It is almost certain that the aim will be to locate the weak spots of the system, which became obvious during the last two years. There are many proofs for this, such as, for example, changes which were made in the Trade Tax Law last May, to avoid the collapse of the budget.

The tax system needs also to be revised to conform with the ones in the free market economy countries. Profit tax of the corporations, public enterprises and similar companies will be introduced, while the others will be obliged to pay personal income taxes.

There are two opinions considering tax regulations: the first one is that the effectiveness of the tax system is measured by the possibility for the planned budget to be realized, and the second that the full budget must not be the only standard, as the real tax potential is unknown. In a situation when the tax payments are secretly avoided, the real fiscal potential can not be established, which could result in an inadequate taxation.

This can be supported by the profit taxation. Those who can not avoid to pay the tax - the employees in the public sector and end users - are in the least favourable situation. The first ones because they can not avoid the payment as the ones employed in the private sector, which means that they have to pay the real level personal tax. End users, on the other hand, are obliged to pay the full trade tax, no matter whether the sellers pay it further to the Government or not.

On the other hand, the irregular settlement of the profit tax puts the economy and professional subjects in the most favourable position. Due to the possibilities to forge the income and the expenses, plus some stimulation (such as sponsoring of sport teams, estimated by the experts as a very good way to avoid tax payments), means that the obliged ones pay much less that the legally established 30 percent of the profit. The comparison, therefore, between those who pay 28.6 percent personal tax and the owners of private enterprises, who usually avoid this payment, is obvious.

For all the above mentioned reasons, it is dubious whether the 'blind' establishing of the tax rates is justified. The system of collecting money for the budget can work only in case it is consistent, in case it is comparable with the other systems, in case it is realized by a technically and professionally equipped administration, and, most of all, in case it is autonomous in its actions.

Therefore, larger reducing of the profit tax rates can not be justified, except maybe 5 percent decrease, only if based on objective estimation of the situation, i.e. only after the function of the tax regulations are carefully examined.

(end)

mils news 5 January 1996

MILS WISHES YOU A HAPPY ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS

Due to Orthodox Christmas holiday MILS shall continue its service on January 9