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MILS NEWS 96-10-04Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <[email protected]>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 04 October, 1996[01] GHALI: UNPREDEP MANDATE SHOULD BE EXTENDEDOn 30 September, the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali submitted a report to the UN Security Council on the Mission of UNPREDEP to Macedonia, that should be a basis for the eventual extension of the mandate after 30 November. The Security Council should examine Ghali's recommendations, based on the evaluation of the global regional situation and on the specific threats to the peace and stability in Macedonia.The report, which UNPREDEP Headquarters yesterday distributed to all Macedonian media, reads that peace and stability of 'FYROM' are still largely dependent on the situation in the region. Estimating that there are still reasons for the UNPREDEP mandate to be extended, Ghali underlines that the role of this Mission should be observed in relation with three factors: the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the bilateral relations of Macedonia with its neighbours and the complex inter-ethnic relations in the country. According to the UN secretary General, new tensions in the inter-ethnic relations in Macedonia have been provoked by the request of Albanians for the 'Tetovo university' to be legalized. Further on, Macedonia is suffering, the report reads, from internal political tensions due to the economic situation. Underlying the request of Macedonian Government presented on 6 August, 1996, for the UNPREDEP mandate to be extended after 30 November for additional six months, Ghali also emphasized the meeting he had with Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov in New York, during which this Mission was estimated as the first example of a successful preventive action. [02] ON MACEDONIAN-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONSThe last day of his stay in New York, Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski had had a meeting with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer and with the Vice President of the American-Jewish Committee David Harris, Macedonian Television reported. In the talks with Minister Dauner, Frchkovski presented the problem with the Constitutional name of Macedonia in details and emphasized the importance of establishing diplomatic relations with Australia. The two officials underlined the importance of the Macedonian Association in Australia for the improvement of bilateral relations.Meanwhile, Macedonian Radio quoted an information of the Australian Radio that Macedonian Assistant Foreign Minister Jordan Veselinov was expected to pay a visit to Australia next week to meet representatives of the Australian Foreign Ministry. It is expected during the visit that an eventual opening of a Macedonian diplomatic office in Canberra would be discussed. [03] PREPARATIONS FOR OPENING AN EMBASSY AND A CONSULATE IN CANADAToday's issue of 'Vecer' daily reads that Assistant Foreign Minister of Macedonia Jordan Veselinov, after his visit to Ottawa and the talks he had had in the Canadian Foreign Ministry, paid a visit to Toronto the day before yesterday and met with Macedonian emigrants there. He informed them on the intentions of Macedonia to open an Embassy in Ottawa and a General Consulate in Toronto.According to the newspaper, emigrants had emphasized their need to have more intensive contacts with Macedonian officials and their wish to intensify the cooperation in general with their fatherland. [04] CONGRATULATIONS FOR GERMAN NATIONAL HOLIDAYOn the occasion of the national holiday of FR Germany - the Day of German Uniting - President of the Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov had sent his congratulations to German President Roman Herzog. Macedonian media reported that in his message, Gligorov had sent his best wishes for a prosperity of Germany and its people and expressed his satisfaction with friendly connections between Macedonia and this country.Similar messages were sent to Chancellor Kohl and to Head of Diplomacy Kunkel by Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski. [05] PHARE AND TACIS PROGRAMMES FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONSCivil society development, democratic principles based on multi-party systems, respecting of human rights and law and economic freedom were the essence of the Programme for Non-Governmental Organizations in Macedonia, promoted by PHARE and TACIS an the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje.Today's issue of 'Dnevnik' daily reports that the Programme is intended to support projects of non- governmental organizations, associations, academic institutions, etc., which would be able to send their proposals till 31 October or till the end of April, 1997. Maximum financial aid anticipated per project is 200,000 ECU. [06] 'PALAIR MACEDONIAN' PLANES LANDEDLocal media reported that airplanes of the 'Palair Macedonian' company had been landed yesterday, due to their debts to the Public Enterprise for Airport Services 'Makedonija'. At the meeting of the company management yesterday, it was decided to be required from the authorities to postpone the decision, and was suggested that they pay the first installment in advance or to provide revolving guarantees equal to a monthly installment.[07] STATE ELECTORAL COMMISSION DECISIONS ACCEPTEDMacedonian MPs, at yesterday's continued 54th Parliament session, decided to establish and educate a State Commission for Electoral Lists, following the Law on Electoral Lists and Electoral IDs. It would consist of a President and four members and their deputies. Also, the Decision for equal media representation at the local elections was unanimously passed.Pre-electoral campaign will start on 17 October and will end on 14 November at midnight. A commercial or TV spot can not last longer than 1 minute and 30 seconds and they must not be emitted in educational programmes or in those intended for children. Prior to the discussion on the Draft Law on Lawsuit, Minister for Justice Vlado Popovski informed the MPs that the Law had been designed for a long time and in a cooperation with domestic and foreign experts, and had been submitted to an expertise at the Council of Europe. The Austrian Law on Lawsuit had been used as its basis, Popovski had underlined. PDP member Hisein Ramadani asked for the Law to be withdrawn due to Article 6, which reads that lawsuits would be carried out in Macedonian language and with Cyrillic alphabet, and that national minorities members would be provided with an interpreter in case they do not understand the language. He claimed that in aspect of that the Law had been in a clash with the Constitution. Mersim Biljali, Gazmend Ajderaga and Ismet Ramadani had similar stands. Ismet Ramadani repeated the request for 'their mother tongue (Albanian) to be given a better status both in this Law and in the legislation in general'. Many MPs of Albanian nationality had expressed their suspicion that the Law had not even been approved by the Council of Europe. Minister Popovski replied that the Council of Europe Chart read that lawsuits should be carried out in a language understandable for the minorities, and that in case they would not understand the official language, they would be provided an interpreter. The session had been postponed later due to a lack of quorum. [08] REQUESTS TO THE GOVERNMENTMacedonian Association of those previously employed at the 25 enterprises with greatest losses, and currently regarded as a surplus manpower, held a meeting yesterday, on which they concluded that the social aid given to them as currently unemployed must not be less than 5,000 denars a month. One of the 12 requests addressed to the Government was the one for receiving payment difference between the paid and calculated salaries. According to Macedonian Television, they had wondered why there were no representatives of the Government at the meeting, besides those of the Pensions Fund and of the Trade Unions. The Association notified that they would organize a protest meeting in case the Government failed to send an answer to their requests within five days.[09] DRAFT LAW ON ECOLOGY PRESENTEDDraft Law on Environment Protection and Improvement, accepted by the Macedonian Government at its latest session, had been presented yesterday. Jorgo Shundovski, the Minister for Civil Engineering, Works and Ecology, reported that the Law was in accordance with the Article 68 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and it would replace the other facultative regulations for this field. The environment protection would refer to preventive measures and to rehabilitation measures.According to Macedonian Radio, Shundovski had stressed that this new Law anticipated institutional strengthening and an establishing of a new Ministry of Ecology. It is planned an ECO-fund to be established, to which the polluters would make their tax payments, and to which money from vehicle registration, from investments in industry, energy and traffic would be also paid. The Law also gives wider competencies to inspection administrations, as well as to the police, which would have the right to react against violations of nature and environment. Further on, industrial capacities and potential polluters will be given 5 years (or 10 years in exclusive cases) to harmonize their equipment with the regulations stated, after which, in case they fail to do so, severe restrictive measures would be taken. [10] SIGNS OF 'DANGEROUS POISONS' IN SOME SCHOOLS IN TETOVO AREAPrimary school 'Avdilj Frasheri' in the village of Bogovinje near Tetovo did not work today, because of the poisoning of the pupils that took place four days ago.Macedonian Television reported claims of teachers that they could still feel the poisons they felt that day inside the school. The work in the school of 'Lirija' in Tetovo was also disturbed yesterday due to an unusual smell in one of the classrooms. The Principle had banned the pupils to enter three classrooms, because of which the work had continued in the gymnasium. 'Dnevnik' daily reads that the smell had come from a spray used by a pupil in a 'childish game', to which the police had immediately reacted and identified him. Meanwhile, of the total number of 150 pupils and teachers poisoned from the school 'Avdilj Frasheri' from Bogovinje, 30 were hospitalized in Tetovo medical center. According to Macedonian Television, the number was constantly changed, since some of those dismissed were returning to the hospital. The doctors had said that they were no cases of serious health damage, but that the reason for poisoning was still unknown. [11] ANONYMOUS CALLS ABOUT BOMBS INSIDE FACULTIES IN SKOPJE'Exactly a year after the assassination attempt on Macedonian President Gligorov, yesterday several Faculties in Skopje had received anonymous calls about bombs put inside those buildings, which would be activated at certain times,' A-1 Television reported yesterday. As alleged, it was said that bombs had been put in buildings of the Chemistry Institute of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, at the Faculty of Medicine and at the Faculty of Law. Students and professors at the Chemistry Institute had left the premises and called the police, which did not find anything. The work at the Faculties of Medicine and Law was carried out normally.Macedonian Internal Affairs Ministry did not confirm the unofficial information of A-1 Television. [12] EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY ON 'ISAR MARVINCI' LOCATIONOwners of the antiquity shop 'Aminta' in Skopje recently gave to the Republic of Macedonia a rare suit of armor of a Macedonian foot soldier 24 centuries old. The armor is a bronze one and is the second of this type discovered ever in the world. The first one had belonged to Philip the Second. 'Dnevnik' daily read that Ministry of Culture was planning to organize an official promotion of this rare archeological example after it is restored.Macedonian scientists had estimated this discovery, dating from the 4th century BC, at the location of 'Isar Marvinci', as one enriching the whole Mediterranean cultural treasury, and one revealing new aspects of the history of Ancient Macedonia and of the enormous cultural heritage of current Macedonia. MILS SUPPLEMENT[13] 'We Buy A Lot, We Sell Very Little'('Vecer', 03 October, 1996)Macedonian export decreased for 30% during the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year. As for the import, it decreased for only 2.8%. Even if we consider those data indefinite, due to problems of statistical evidence, the fact remains that trade deficit had increased for 132% and reached the annual level equal to that in 1981-1990! The total goods exchange of $1.2 billion is 15% lower than the last year's one, and the negative balance has reached over the figure of $311 billion. The data also show that restricted import structure has been aggravating. The most radical structural changes have been made in the regional directing of exchange with foreign countries. The countries dominating Macedonian foreign exchange are FR Yugoslavia and Germany, followed by Russia, Slovenia, Italy, etc. However, our balance is positive only in the one with FR Yugoslavia, while the exchange with traditional partners such as Bulgaria and Turkey has been significantly reduced. For example, our export to Bulgaria in the first six months this year reduced for almost 90% compared to that in the first six months of the last year. During the same period, the import decreased for over 62%. The export with Turkey has been 37% lower, and the import has been 25% lower in the above mentioned period of time. The most worrying issue is the rapidly decreased of Macedonian export to the strategic markets of our future development and of our wish to associate in the European Union as soon as possible. Macedonian export to Germany had reduced for 23%, to Italy for 64%, to France for 74.5%, to Great Britain for 48.5%, to Switzerland for 35.5%, etc. Dimitar Vlahov, a Counselor in the Executive Board of Macedonian Economic Chamber, gave the following explanation: 'The current tendency of the external economic relations is a change from the organized work of a relatively small number of economic subjects both in production and trade to a de-centralized working of a great number of private companies. The formerly great and powerful firms (such as 'Tehnometal-Vardar', 'Interimpex', 'Buchim', etc.) kept their positions inside and outside the country and are continuing with their specialized activities. Regarding the new companies, one can see that they lack organization of their staff, experience and information, although some of them manage to overcome those problems successfully. On the other hand, the trade and economic cooperation with foreign countries is greatly influenced by the fact that banking Macedonian system is still in a phase of reorganization and rehabilitation.' Vlahov also pointed out that our country still lacks an economic development strategy which would include foreign trade projects, raw and reproduction materials supplying, goods marketing, transport, banking and insurance. The economic strategy is being prepared by the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, but without consulting the economic subjects for the time being, which would probably negatively influence the final result of this project. All this made the Economic Chamber to require an immediate preparing of a consistent strategy for the economic connections out of the country, by which export increase would be treated as a strategic development performance. However, the current problem of export decrease brings to the need of intervention measures to be immediately taken, which would significantly support export activities. (end)mils news 04 October, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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