MAK-NEWS 09/01/96 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <[email protected]>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 9 January 1996

[01] INSTITUTIONALIZED ECONOMY RELATIONS WITH SWITZERLAND

[02] MACEDONIAN DELEGATION IN USA

Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski, President of the Parliamentary Foreign Politics Commission, Ilinka Mitreva, and the Director of OHIS, Jorgo Kjuka, are visiting USA on the invitation of the White House and the US Defense Secretariat, on the occasion of 50th Anniversary of 'Marshal's Oath' and 2nd Anniversary of the NATO initiative 'Partnership for Peace'. It is planned for Minister Handziski to meet US Defense Secretary, William Perry, and the delegation should meet the delegation of the US state of Vermont, a sister country to Macedonia.

[03] KOFI ANNAN IN SKOPJE

Mr. Kofi Annan, Under-Secretary General of the UN and Special Representative of the Secretary-General will be visiting Skopje on 10 and 11 January 1996, when he will meet Macedonian political leadership and discuss the current phase of this country's fruitful cooperation with the UN. The role of UNPREDEP in Macedonia in the context of the latest Security Council Resolution will be paid a special attention.

[04] 'TO VIMA' ANTICIPATES THE NAME 'NEW MACEDONIA'

According to 'Makpress', unlike before, there are no speculations and comments either in the Greek media, or by any officials, on the forthcoming round of Macedonian- Greek discussions on the name issue, scheduled for 11 January 1996. The first exception is the article in the paper 'To Vima', saying that there is no unique formula which would satisfy both parties and anticipates that the suggestion for the name 'New Macedonia' ('Nova Makedonija') will be adopted at the end, but not in one word, as Greece required. The article warns about the reserved attitude of USA about this issue, and supports it with the fact there is no need to solve this problem in a rush, as the relations between Skopje and Athens are relatively normal.

The second exception is, according to 'Makfax', the daily 'Elefterotipia', saying the Head of the Greek Liaisons Office in Skopje, Alexander Malias, will take over his position today, adding that two members of the Greek mission, Teodoros Passas and Natalia Karaiogu, already work in the Office.

[05] ALBANIANS WILL REMAIN IN THE GOVERNMENT

Referring to the announcement of the 'Albanian political subject in Macedonia' that they will retreat from Macedonian Parliament and Government, unless the requirements of the Albanians are fulfilled, especially the one on the university education in Albanian, the Kosovo daily 'Rilindja' stated it will not take place, particularly after the meeting of the representatives of PDP with President Gligorov. According to 'Rilindija', Gligorov promised them that current problems, including the university education issue, i.e. 'Tetovo university', will be solved. The daily informs that the other two Albanian Parties in the Parliament, NDP and PDPA, have also changed their attitude concerning leaving this institution.

[06] VASSIL DRVOSHANOV WON MOST OF THE VOTES

The Republic Election Commission officially announced that, on the additional elections in the electoral unit 114 in Skopje, the candidate of the Alliance for Macedonia, Vassil Drvoshanov, won most of the votes - 1 800, while the candidate of PCER, Avdi Bairam, won 56 votes less, and the candidate of PDPA Jemail Baftii won 1 307 votes. The Commission annulled the voting at the polling place NB. 24, explaining the Law was violated there, i.e. one ballot more that the number of voters registered was found. The new voting at this place will be scheduled additionally, and the results are still not definite, due to the 3 days term for submitting objections. The total number of the registered voters was 13540, and 6 363 (46.99%) voted.

[07] CELEBRATION OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS

In Macedonia, Orthodox Christmas was celebrated with Christmas Eve religious and public celebrations, and Macedonian Orthodox Church (MPC) organized the central ceremonies in the cathedral 'St. Kliment Ohridski' in Skopje.

The most important happening was the morning religious service in the cathedral, held by the Head of MPC, Archbishop Mihail, who proved that 'God is with us' by the existence of Macedonia as an independent country. He appealed to the people not to forget the poor, especially hunger strikers in Kumanovo, who ask for their existential needs to be satisfied, and appealed to the Government to prevent their threat that they will burn themselves.

President Kiro Gligorov also attended the service, which was his first public appearance after the assassination attempt, and was greeted by the believers and Archbishop Mihail.

It was also festive in the church 'St. Dimitrii', that marked the 100 Anniversary of its second dedication, where a Betlehem cave was settled, with a Christmas Eve Tree at a central place.

Meanwhile, the book 'Vardar Part of Macedonia Under Jurisdiction of the Serb Orthodox Church from 1919 to 1941' by Archpriest MA Dragi Kostadinovski, was promoted, also as a part of the celebrations.

[08] HUNGER STRIKERS REFUSED THE APPEAL OF THE CHURCH

Metropolitan Kiril, after the service he held in the church 'St. Nikola' in Kumanovo yesterday, visited the workers of 'Chik' who have been on strike for 37 days already. Metropolitan appealed to them to stop the strike and go back to their homes, which the strikers refused, and appealed to the authorities to discuss the issues which brought to the strike today. The strikers accepted the food and money from the Metropolitan, as a gift from the church.

According to Macedonian Television, the strikers were visited by members of various political parties of the country, as well as by representatives of the so-called 'Independent Trade Union of Macedonia'. It is expected that strikers will meet the Bankrupt Board and Manager of the factory 'Chik'.

[09] 50 PERCENT INCREASE OF THE ILLEGAL TRADE

Under-Secretary of the Macedonian Internal Affairs Ministry, Dime Gjurev, on the recently held press conference, said the criminality in Macedonia has decreased for 3 percent compared to 1994, but the illegal trade has increased for 50 percent. Gjurev emphasized the trade with weapons and drugs, and informed on the efforts of the Ministry to discover and prevent such actions.

Gjurev also informed on the investigation of the assassination attempt to President Gligorov, saying that Ministry has organized a special Committee with special operational group of all structures of the Ministry.

The appearance of the illegal inducing of money for protection was also paid attention to, and Gjurev pointed out such registered firms (such as MBI and RMS), as firms that this country does not need, adding that Ministry will take legal actions to stop their activities.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[10] POSSIBLE METASTASES FROM THE DAYTON TUMOR

('Zbor', 1 January 1996)

What is the place of Republic of Macedonia in the context of the Dayton Peace Accord?

It is a fact that we were not actors in Dayton, but also that there were, are and will be consequences in Macedonia from further arrangements. And, it is my opinion, we are the possible new victim.

Dayton Accord legalized the dangerous practice of solving future internal conflicts by dictate from outside.

International intervention becomes a practice of tutorial dictating, according to foreign interests, of internal establishment of the independent countries. This way the independence is reduced to almost a fiction. The Accord also legalized improvised models of federations and confederations which will establish the countries on religious and national bases. The post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina, in case it begins to function, from Macedonian point of view, is an existentially dangerous, widely legalized (threatening) international model for further decisions concerning all regions and countries involved in national conflicts and possible military clashes. A model which, in constellations such as Macedonian one, may encourage the disputes between the nationalities to be solved by military adventures, which would further end by new 'Dayton' agreements. The malignant nature of the 'Dayton tumor', as well as its projection through the metastases outside Bosnia, is more than a threat for us and we must not close our eyes to it.

One of the not mentioned public arrangements is that the continuity of FR Yugoslavia from SFRY (and retrospectively from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians) will be recognized, i.e. legalized.

This will be of vital consequence mostly for Macedonia, and the quick recognition of the continuity (only by Croatia till now) is most dangerous for us. The euphoric reactions in FRY to the 'gesture of Croatia' are an additional proof (and a warning) that it is really a tumor which can, sooner or later, explode.

The interpretation by the Croatian President that the continuity may be divided by separation of the property, i.e. the succession, is a confirmation that Republic of Croatia (led by its selfish interests) recognizes the continuity of FR Yugoslavia from SFRY, an act towards other former Yugoslav republics to which it has no right and deserves to bear the worst qualifications.

If we start form the existence and life of Republic of Macedonia, there must be no discussion of separate right to the continuity from SFRY. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ended, as far as Macedonian people is concerned, in April 1941, with its capitulation. There is no continuity between the Kingdom (a deed of Versailles) and SFR Yugoslavia. Macedonia was not recognized in the Kingdom, and lived through 23 years of national and territorial separation, decades of slavery and severe assimilation that included genocide. As Macedonian territory was annexed and robbed by the Kingdom at the time, any attempt to legalize a continuity between the Kingdom and SFRY, for Macedonia means not only to be given that past status, but it also gives the right to the annexer to restore what was lost by the secession. In case Macedonia would in any way recognize the continuity, it will open the possibility for the second part of the referendum question from 1991 to be realized by 'joined forces'.

SFRY is a result of the liberation uprisings, of the anti- fascist war, of the voluntarily including in a federation of equal republics. None of the republics, however, canceled its right to separate from the federation. The uprisings and the four years long war were led precisely to deny and annul any continuity from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. That is why there is no possibility for an exclusive continuity to be given to only one former republic, as the dissolving of SFRY came as a result of implementing the right to separate from the Federation, stated in all Constitutions of SFRY.

The American insecure opposing to the attempt to manipulate with the continuity, despite the positive side and support, opens a delicate question: If SFRY had dissolved, why did USA treat the former republics irrationally? Why did not they admit the situation as a realistic one at the time when it was possible to affect the war more effective? And why was their attitude in contrast with the present one?

The situation is too dangerous to close the eyes before the possible metastases of the Dayton Accord. And to leave the situation only to USA.

(end)

mils news 9 January 1996