MAK NEWS 23/02/96 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <[email protected]>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 23 February 1996

[01] GLIGOROV - MILOSHEVIC MEETING IN SKOPJE?

According to unofficial information of 'Makfax' Agency, the mutual recognition of Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia might be announced during the visit of Serbian President Miloshevic to Macedonia. Citing diplomatic sources, A-1 Television informed that FRY Foreign Minister, Milan Milutinovic, will arrive to Macedonia today. According to these sources, the possibility for Slobodan Miloshevic to visit Macedonia is not excluded and he might meet with Macedonian President, Kiro Gligorov, in Skopje till the end of the week, or on Monday.

Spokesman of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Constanitonos Bikas, stated that Athens has no new information on the intentions of Belgrade to recognize Skopje. Bikas stated that it is unnecessary to repeat the well known Greek stands on the information that FRY will recognize Macedonia under its constitutional name with the state continuity from 1944.

Athens daily 'Elefterotipia' wrote yesterday that Miloshevic will pay a visit to Skopje tomorrow, when the Agreement on establishing diplomatic relations between FRY and Macedonia will be signed. According to well informed circles in Athens, this will be followed by the request for giving autonomy to the Albanian minority in Kosovo, which will be the dominating subject on the Agenda of the EU Council of Ministers on 26 February, 1996. This request is considered an additional condition for the normalization of the relations between the EU and Belgrade.

[02] CONTINUATION OF THE GREEK - MACEDONIAN DISCUSSIONS ON THE NAME ISSUE

In accordance with the Interim Accord signed on 13 September 1995 in New York, Greece and Macedonia will continue the discussions on the name issue on 27 February. 'Makfax' Agency informed that the discussions will be conducted by the Ambassadors Hristos Zaharkis and Ivan Toshevski.

However, Athens media informed that, according to official circles, the discussions will be postponed for the second half of this year due to internal problems in both countries.

[03] TANJUG - DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN FRY AND FRANCE

Yugoslav Agency 'Tanjug' informed yesterday that FRY and France established diplomatic relations on the level of ambassadors. As Macedonian Television reported the information, France is the first EU member country to have diplomatic relations with FRY after three years. The new Yugoslav Ambassador to France will be Bogdan Trifunovic, current President of the Constitutional Court of FRY.

[04] CONCRETIZING THE MACEDONIAN COOPERATION WITH NATO

The program for cooperation between NATO and Macedonia, planned with the 'Partnership for Peace' Program, is expected to be concretized by the end of March, Macedonian Radio reported yesterday, according to sources from Brussels. The program is being worked on intensively, and an expert from Brussels should soon come to Skopje to help in the finalizing of the document.

Macedonia is interested in being included in all the activities of the 'Partnership' before the document is signed. This was greeted by General McCane, Deputy Chief Commander of the forces of the Alliance in Europe, during his first official meeting with the Macedonian Ambassador to Belgium, Jovan Tegovski. They officially confirmed the participation of the Macedonian units in the maneuvers which will take place in July in Albania, as well the participation of the Macedonian officers as observers in other maneuvers. The need for more frequent contacts between the two sides was also expressed. It was said that a permanent Macedonian representative will be appointed at the headquarters of the 'Partnership for Peace' Program, soon.

[05] US VISAS IN SKOPJE - FROM THE NEXT MONTH

'Makpress' Agency informed that the US Embassy in Skopje will officially be opened on 23 March 1996. Macedonian citizens will be able to obtain non - emigrant US visas begining 18 March. According to US Information Service in Skopje, that is the term planned for completing the consular section of the Embassy, when it will be able to offer complete services. The 'status' of the US Embassy will be fully completed after the first US Ambassador is appointed to Macedonia.

[06] NEED FOR ECONOMY AGREEMENTS WITH ALBANIA

Macedonian Minister of Transport, Dimitar Buzlevski, met yesterday with Suzanna Paranti, Albanian Minister of Industry, Transport and Trade. The meeting was attended by the Albanian Ambassador to Macedonia, Shaban Muratti. The parties discussed the current bilateral situation in the area of transport and communications, as well as certain aspects of the mutual economy cooperation.

Minister Paranti also met with the President of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce, Dushan Petreski, stresing the need to sign bilateral agreements on trade which would contribute to a long term cooperation.

[07] CREDIT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The implementation of the European Bank credit of 40 million DM, intended for the development of the private sector in Macedonia, should start soon, informed A-1 Television yesterday. Interested Macedonian enterprises, that have already submitted their applications, will be able to obtain the credit from the 'Macedonian Bank'. The applications received are mostly from the production area and export. The credit is given with a payment term of 5 years and a grace period of 18 months.

[08] NEW OIL TANKER FOR MACEDONIA

New 65 000 tones of oil, supplied by 'OCTA - Oil Refinery' from Skopje, were unloaded at the port of Thessaloniki yesterday. These quantities will ensure further continuity in the oil supplies for the needs of the country.

[09] CONTRASTED OPINIONS

About thirty members of the Parliament participated in the discussion on the proposal for the new Government of Premiere Crvenkovski yesterday, and around 15 of them will present their stands today.

Social Democrats find the reconstruction more than necessary, and they claim the new Government will not abandon the election platform of the Alliance for Macedonia.

They repeated their attitude that they would not accept calculated changes and that they are determined to bear a clear political responsibility. The members of the Socialist Party had similar stands.

Ljubomir Popovski accused the Liberals of trying to distance from the worsened situation in the economy, but that they successfully adopted the positive results of the work of the Government. He estimated it as a good marketing move, especially before the local elections. According to Nikola Popovski, the Liberals neglected the fact that they are the second partner in the Alliance, and not an equal one. He appealed to the SDSM and the Liberals not to 'destroy all the bridges between them'. He said the new Government should be given a support, but that it should fight for gaining confidence during the realization of its program.

Blagoja Filipovski said the frequent connecting of the Liberals with the authority of President Gligorov was an improper thing to do, and shows that they do not respect his will not to arbitrate between the Coalition members.

Blagoja Siljanovski said Macedonia is finally experiencing a Parliament. He said 'there must not be too much bitterness expressed, as the apprentice can not teach the master'.

PDP deputies, besides paying greatest attention to the rights of the Albanians in Macedonia, also replied to the attacks of their colleagues from PDPA. They said the accusations expressed by PDPA for the participation of PDP in the Government, was a reaction provoked by their inability to do the same. Mevljanin Tari said the membership in the European institutions is good, but asked how will the obligations stated in the documents be fulfilled.

The discussion of Sali Ramadani again provoked many reactions. He said the Alliance is dead and there is no Government, and as far as he is concerned, there is no Parliament, adding that 'the people know everything, except for the politics, which is good, as there are no excuses in the politics and the politics is a lie.' In his discussion that lasted longer than an hour, Ramadani said that 'in this country, if you have became rich by corruption or robbery, you are given a position in the police or in the diplomacy'.

Liberals repeated their stands presented yesterday: They are for early elections, presented their accusations against Ministers Frchkovski and Miljoski, and required an explanation why was Minister Sabriu released from duty.

Panche Minov suggested early elections and appealed to the citizens to support this initiative, and proposed a change to be made in the Constitution, namely the President of Macedonia to be given the right to disband the Parliament.

Minov said the true intentions of the new Government are obtaining an absolute power of SDSM, and that its ideological determinations are left-radical and extreme.

Slobodan Danevski asked what is, in fact, a political responsibility, adding that the elections were won due to the credibility of President Gligorov, who was a creator of the platform of the Alliance for Macedonia. The Mandator was free to choose, he said, but did not present his criteria, whether they were of an ethic, expert or Party character.

Danevski repeated the question if the new Government has a visa from Gligorov.

Nake Stojanovski from SDSM insisted on ending the session tomorrow and suggested voting, but President of the Parliament, Stojan Andov said it is not necessary and not in accordance with the statute. He added that the discussions should be performed normally, without any rush, as it is a regular session.

[10] INTEREST IN OPENING POSSIBILITIES FOR WIDER COOPERATION

Macedonian President, Kiro Gligorov, received yesterday the President of the Montenegrin Parliament, Svetozar Marovic, and discussed the mutual interest in the normalization of the relations between Macedonia and FRY. It was said that would open possibilities for wider cooperation between Macedonia and Montenegro.

Marovic also met with the President of the Macedonian Parliament, Stojan Andov, when they exchanged experiences of the parliamentary democracies in the two countries, as well as of the privatization process. President Andov was invited to pay an official visit to Montenegro.

(end)

mils news 23 February 1996