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SUN, 18 NOV 2001 23:54:59 GMT
PRESS REVIEW Oct. 30 - Nov. 2, 2001PRESS IN BELGRADE PRESS IN TIRANA PRESS IN PRISTINA PRESS IN ZAGREB PRESS IN SARAJEVO PRESS IN BANJA LUKA PRESS IN SOFIA
PRESS IN BELGRADE
DANAS, Oct. 30, 2001
Paskal Milo, Minister of European Integrations
LET US LEAVE HISTORY BEHIND
After the changes in Belgrade, chances have increased "for us to leave
history behind, to work on our future relations in joint interest which
is stability, security and peace for the whole region", declared
Minister of European Integrations Paskal Milo. Former head of Albanian
diplomacy said that the plan of Albania's Prime Minister Ilir Meta to
come to Belgrade was a significant message for future relations between
Albania and FRY.
(...) Regional cooperation is also one of the conditions for European
integration. How do you estimate this cooperation in the Balkan?
- Regional cooperation is one of the main preconditions for European
integrations. While I was foreign minister, and also at this post now, I
have seen that the European Union is devoting priority attention to
regional cooperation. The EU wishes countries such as ours to learn to
live together. They cannot join the EU with all their defects known to
us all. That is why the EU is pressuring Balkan countries to start a
dialogue, to resolve controversies in a peaceful way through
institutions, to work together on stabilisation, security and economic
cooperation, to open borders, create free customs zones. This is one of
the objectives of the Stability Pact, too - to bring Balkan countries as
close as possible to the European Union with economic instruments. (...)
(BETA)
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NIN, Nov. 1, 2001
Milosevic vs. the Tribunal
DON'T BOTHER ME
In The Hague Milosevic is evidently trying to incorporate himself in the
current political crisis and strangely enough to present himself again
as an American partner in the Balkan
(...) Milosevic's battle against the Hague Tribunal has the same chances
to succeed as Milosevic's battle against America, NATO and the new world
order. Milosevic in the dock, however, is not an utterly unequal
opponent to British judge Richard May who is investing great effort not
just in order to make the trial fair and just, but also to make it seem
fair and just. (...)
It is ironic that for the first time after October 5 last year, Slobodan
Milosevic's political instinct reawakened in the Hague. In this sense he
has benefitted from the imprisonment in the Hague. In Serbia Milosevic
was no clue nor did he have a clue for any of the current political
problems. In the Hague, however, he has the perfect setting for the only
political identity he has left: that of the opponent and victim of
Madeleine Albright and Wesley Clark. There is no better place than the
Hague for this role. In the Hague Milosevic is evidently trying to
incorporate himself into the modern world political crisis and,
strangely enough, to present himself as an American partner in the
Balkan. In last year's election campaign he "promised" the Serbs the
third world war and American defeat in that war; he is nowadays not only
refraining from gloating over American victims, but he is slinging mud
at "Clinton's administration", seeing himself as the Balkan, "pocket
edition" of George Bush who had "crowed before dawn" when back in 1998
he entered into the showdown with terrorists in Kosovo.
His opponents did not miss the opportunity either to explain the dispute
with Milosevic in the light of the latest developments. While Milosevic
was doing his best to present himself as a modern fighter against
terrorism, on various satellite TV stations, Wesley Clark tirelessly
kept comparing him with Talibans and Osama bin Laden (Milosevic had
tried to unstable Macedonia and overthrow Macedonian government by
sending an avalanche of Albanian refugees to Macedonia - the same as
what bin Laden is trying to do with Pakistan...). (...)
Milosevic's American dream (to become some day an American ally in the
Balkan), the dream that constantly eluded him although it seemed close
at hand, is attracting him again. His struggle against the Hague
Tribunal is to a certain extent beginning to resemble his American
obsession. (...)
Ljiljana Smajlovic
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VREME, Nov. 1, 2001
Slobodan Milosevic for the Third Time in the Courtroom at the Hague
Tribunal
BE QUIET!
While judge May is incessantly warning Milosevic to "be quiet", with the
tone and voice one silences one's juniors, with every sentence of his
Milosevic is sending a message to those who are still relying on him to
"be quiet" and wait for his final word
(...) Ever since he arrived in the prison in Scheveningen, Milosevic is
obviously firm in his conviction that he will probably never come out of
prison and that the Hague Tribunal was founded "just in order to put him
on trial some day". This conviction resulted in his unwavering stand
that such a tribunal must not be recognised that was immediately
estimated by many as extremely arrogant, defiant and "typically
Milosevic's" strategy which had in fact brought him to court in which
persons indicted for war crimes are tried... Since his first appearance
in the courtroom, the number is growing of those who believe that with
his intention to attack the credibility of the Tribunal he might have
chosen the best strategy after all... In a normal procedure he would
never have had the opportunity to utter anything about bin Laden, for
example, like he did last Tuesday.
That day Milosevic also attributed to himself the role of a man who is
staying at the Hague prison on a mission - to fight against the Hague
Tribunal as the instrument of great powers. To the final victory. Those
who are concerned that he might kill himself in prison he answered
provocatively not to expect anything of the kind because he does not
want to leave to his children the stamp of a suicide, and the Tribunal
without somebody who will cause it trouble. (...)
Nenad Lj. Stefanovic
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PRESS IN TIRANA
SHEKULLI, Nov. 2, 2001
FYROM, CRISIS BEHIND THE PARLIAMENT DOORS
Those who had expected the end after the signing of the Ohrid agreement
will have to reformulate their stands. In the midst of the chaos that
rules the politics in Skopje, a new cynical crisis can clearly be
discerned waiting behind the doors of Macedonian parliament blocked by
Georgijevski and Andov. It is simply the matter of the realisation of
what the deputies of Slav Macedonians are reluctant to sign: a different
status for about 40 per cent of the population of the country from the
status of the citizens of B category, as they are used to look upon the
Albanians. That this new delicate phase of the process of recognition of
the Albanians in FYROM is a threat is no news. It is as old as political
efforts to resolve the crisis in Macedonian pot that cost several ten
lives and brought a bad reputation to the youngest state in the region.
The signing of the Ohrid agreement was in fact a magic moment of this
aggravated inter-ethnic process in the country ever since the moment the
language of politics had been replaced by the language of arms. At
present, a campaign is going on to force the Albanian parties to accept
a minor "correction" of the text of the agreement. It seems that Western
representatives who have designed and blessed the compromise reached in
Ohrid are closing their eyes to this precedent which might be very
dangerous for the future of political talks. Therefore, it is clear that
in Skopje - its Slav part - it is very difficult to swallow the fact
that within a few weeks implementation of Constitutional and
institutional reforms will have to begin and transform FYROM from an
unstable state endangered by every single interethnic clash into a new
democracy on its way towards equal respect of all its members regardless
of their ethnic origin. This is the only way that does not lead towards
civil war and dismemberment of this country which still does not have
its name.
Although perhaps in just a few hours Macedonian parliament may take its
final vote on this, the day when the rights of the Albanians will find
their place in an environment unburdened by historical prejudice and new
ethnic hatred still seems distant and difficult to attain. in this way,
although induced to take the road towards reforms by international
pressure and having found itself one step ahead of Albania on the road
towards European integrations and under military domination of NATO
troops, the official FYROM seems to find it hard to accept the
philosophy of co-existence that permeates the text of the Ohrid
agreement. This gap could be another trap for all those who believe that
Macedonian dossier is closed after the bang of the wooden hammer marks
the end of the long expected session of the parliament in Skopje.
Perhaps it will begin tomorrow...
Ilir Kamenica
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DITA, Nov. 2, 2001
PARADOX BETWEEN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO
Not a single newspaper or magazine from Kosovo published in Pristina or
other cities is distributed and read in Albania. The same refers to the
press printed in Albania. The flow of books is so slow that it cannot be
compared even with the times before 1999 when Kosovo was fully under
occupation of the Serbs.
Nowadays when Kosovo is without Serb police and military authorities, it
is surprising that the void and the chasm between Kosovo and Albania are
so great. Albanian intellectuals in Kosovo and in Albania had much more
information and mutual connections, both spiritual and physical, at the
time when Kosovo was occupied. Liberation of Kosovo caused just the
opposite creating the nonsense of estrangement and lack of
communications between Kosovo and Albania. I do not wish to speak of
state diplomacy of Albania, nor of the caleidoscopic game of political
parties in Albania and Kosovo.
Undeserved estrangement, unprecedented indifference seems to have lifted
between Kosovo and Albania. Indeed, there is occasionally a book fair
here and there like the present one in Tirana. But the links between the
writers, artists, academicians, professors in Albania and Kosovo are
quite cool, formal and disappointing.
The same can be claimed about cultural and intellectual links with the
Albanians in Macedonia or Montenegro or even the Albanians in diaspora.
Who is concerned about this fatal estrangement and interruption of
movement and relations between vital parts of the same nation?
In 1991 I wrote an article that I published in one of my books about a
dissertation of an Albanian student that was defended at an Austrian
university. I will not mention the name of the student.
The dissertation supported the thesis that regardless of the fact that
they were ethnically a single nation, that they had the same Albanian
language, Kosovo and Albania were, due to historical and other reasons
mostly of the world politics, treated as two quite different state
entities in the form of a state duality such as Germany and Austria. I
laughed and criticised such a theory, and still do. However, my
sincerity and conviction are threatened by this very estrangement,
indifference and fatal artificial division. There is not just a vague
concern of the Albanian public opinion in Kosovo and in Albania, but I
also note mutual attacks and all kinds of futile polemics about
"injustice" in the common literary language, all forms of politisation
that instead to unite - separate. I am also concerned because of the
fact that this painful and paradoxical thing does not attract attention
nor is it mentioned in the platforms of Albanian political parties.
Nobody even thinks about this paradox that concerns us all. It seems
that this paradox does not belong only to the Albanians, although it is
without doubt the greatest, the most shameful and the most
incomprehensible paradox of the Albanians.
Moikom ZEQO
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PRESS IN PRISTINA
KOHA DITORE, Oct. 30, 2001
KOSTUNICA'S OBSTRUCTING STRATEGY AND COVIC'S SECOND HALF
Hopefully there is not much doubt left about the true approach of
Belgrade to the participation of the Serbs in Kosovar elections.
Especially not after Hakkaerup's meeting with Kostunica in Belgrade and
after publication of the minutes from the meeting of DOS, and Covic's
interview in Reporter weekly.
This is no news for connoisseurs of Belgrade's policy. There are two
relevant political addresses in Belgrade when participation of the Serbs
in the elections is concerned, just as there are at least three
addresses in Kosovo of different political groups of the local Serbs.
What UNMIK and other Western representatives wished to do from the very
beginning was to apply a unification strategy of all political groups in
order to be able to establish direct dialogue of a single Serb
representative with the international representatives (Covic) and in
order to overcome all barriers to the broader participation of the Serbs
in the elections. This determined the whole strategy that resulted in a
series of tactical concessions: registration under very favourable and
stimulating conditions (170 registered!), acceptance of the
participation of Serbia's political parties in the elections in Kosovo,
acceptance of Belgrade as the direct negotiator on the destiny of Kosovo
Serbs, acceptance of the Belgrade group for monitoring the elections
without its registration with UNMIK, etc.
In what position are some of the politicians from the ranks of Kosovo
Serbs who believed and still do that it is necessary to participate in
the elections and be integrated into Kosovar institutions? Does this
mean that they will be directly confronted with Belgrade and how capable
are they to surmount that challenge? These are the questions the head of
UNMIK should quickly find an answer to. Even if Belgrade agrees in the
last minute that the Serbs should participate in the elections, these
dilemmas and problems will still be in the game. The reason for that is,
as Covic himself explained in his interview, there would be the second
half of the football game. Both the head of UNMIK and especially the
head of OSCE mission for Kosovo have now realised and publicly declared
the one thing that was not clear: that Belgrade wishes to take part in
the authorities in Kosovo together with the international
administration. From this aspect Covic said a very interesting thing for
Serb readers: Resolution 1244 ensures sovereignty of Yugoslavia over
Kosovo, but that Resolution at the same time put that sovereignty on
ice! Therefore, everything is clear. The second half of the game Covic
has promised is this: an effort to thaw that sovereignty.
Ylber HYSA
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ZERI, Nov. 2, 2001
CRUCIAL DAYS
The international concept for resolution of the question of Kosovo that
results from OUN Security Council Resolution 1244 is clear: 1. It is
necessary to create substantial self-administration or democratic
authorities on all levels; 2. The final status of Kosovo remains an open
question.
In negotiations it is conducting with UNMIK, Serbian regime in fact
wishes to revise this concept because it demands the following from
UNMIK: 1. Guarantees that Kosovo will not become an independent state;
2. Parallel authorities in the parts of Kosovo inhabited by the Serbs
and special relations of the Serbs with the authorities in Serbia.
On the other hand UNMIK erroneously entered into the vicious circle of
negotiations on questions that neither can nor should be subject of
negotiations. This is especially wrong now when every possible deadline
for reaching an agreement has passed, but when Serbian regime still
believes that international interest for the participation of the Serbs
is so great that it is ready to make concessions concerning a few key
issues, because mistakes can be made that might later on affect the
finish of the election campaign in Kosovo.
Until now Hans Hakkaerup and UNMIK have adhered to two key principles
that are not changeable: 1. Belgrade regime cannot be a partner in the
development of central authorities in Kosovo; 2. Parallel structures
cannot be tolerated in Kosovo. The whole election process in Kosovo will
slow down if concessions are made concerning these two issues in the
negotiations with Serbian regime.
Blerim SHALA
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PRESS IN ZAGREB
VECERNJI LIST, Oct. 30, 2001
CROATIA, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF THE EU
"This festivity is the wish of a big majority of the citizens of
Croatia", said Croatia's Prime Minister Ivica Racan in Luxembourg
yesterday after the ceremony of the signing of the Agreement on
Stabilisation and Association. A temporary Agreement on Commercial and
Traffic issues was also signed on the occasion, and a joint declaration
on political dialogue was adopted. According to the words of Chris
Patten, foreign policy commissioner of the European Commission, the
Agreement on Stabilisation and Association is the first document with
which Croatia is establishing a contracting relation with the European
Union. In the grand hall of the European Centre in Luxembourg, this
agreement was also signed by all foreign ministers of the European
Union, gathered at the regular meeting of the Ministerial Council. (...)
One of the journalists' questions addressed to the participants of the
ceremony in European Centre was the one put to Chris Patten: Why does
the EU insist on Croatia's cooperation with the other countries in the
region? "We do not wish to create Yugoslavia again", Patten answered,
adding that the geographical position of Croatia need not necessarily be
its destiny. The countries in South-Eastern Europe should act towards
each other like the countries of the European Union act towards each
other, says Patten. (...)
Deana Knezevic
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NACIONAL, Oct. 30, 2001
SZUP NAPOKON OTVARA TAJNE DOSJEE
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR FINAL OPENS SECRET FILES
Sources close to the government confirmed to Nacional that the Ministry
of Internal Affairs would soon open the secret files that resulted from
tapping persons former HDZ regime marked as its political opponents. By
doing this Minister of the interior Sime Lucin finally fulfilled his
promise given at the beginning of his term in office and took the first
step towards elimination of negative and criminal heritage of secret
services since Franjo Turek, head of the service, confessed in writing
on July 10, 2000, that the editorial board of Nacional was illegally
followed and tapped at the time of the rule of HDZ. (...) Sources close
to the government claim that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will
officially announce opening of no less than 650 files on the persons who
were tapped by secret services for political reasons while HDZ was in
power. It is especially interesting that among the files there is, as
claimed, not a single opposition politician prominent at the time. This,
however, does not mean that HDZ did not follow and tap them. Sources
close to the Government claim that these files were stolen and that they
must be in certain "private" collections. (...)
Berislav Jelinic
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JUTARNJI LIST, Oct. 31, 2001
WE UNDERSTAND MESIC BECAUSE HE HAS ALSO LOST 11 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY
IN THE WAR
Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic was welcomed in the presidential
palace of Israel's President Mosha Katsav with the highest state honours
yesterday. In the welcoming speech his host President Katsav said that
the Israeli people, he and his wife were happy because of the arrival of
President Mesic, his wife and Croatian delegation. "We appreciate the
acting of your country and the fact that you are opposed to
anti-Semitism. This is a pledge for the future. Fascism still is not
dead, it is still alive and breathing and we must be careful that it is
not repeated", stressed Israeli President Mosha Katsav. President Mesic
admitted that there had been many omissions in mutual relations. (...)
"I use every opportunity to apologise to all those the Croats have
inflicted evil to, and they are, of course, the Jews in the first place.
As the President of the Republic of Croatia I express deep and sincere
regret because of the crimes committed against the Jews in the Second
World War on the territory of the Independent State of Croatia which was
neither independent nor Croatian", this will be the apology of Croatian
President to the people of Israel in Israeli parliament Knesset. (...)
Helena Puljiz and Davor Pongracic
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PRESS IN SARAJEVO
OSLOBODJENJE, Nov. 1, 2001
SERBS FROM CROATIA IN B&H
When Plunder is not Violation of Human Rights
A book was presented by a Serb refugee from Croatia in which he
describes his unsuccessful efforts to restore his property
On Tuesday in Sarajevo first deputy chairman of the Chamber of the
Peoples of B&H Parliamentary Assembly Nikola Spiric expressed discontent
with the manner in which the Government of the Republic of Croatia is
implementing the policy of the return of Serb refugees. He declared that
it was unacceptable that "majority of abandoned Serb houses in Croatia
were privatised" and he criticised the time limit - the end of the year
- by when refugees have the right to request that their property be
returned to them.
"The problem of the return of refugees rests on the entities. But this
problem cannot be resolved by the entities but only by state authorities
in the talks with the authorities of Croatia", Spiric said. "It is
impossible to expect the return of the Croats and Bosniacs to their
homes in B&H, for as long as Serb refugees from the Republic of Croatia
cannot return to theirs".
On the occasion he also presented the book and compact disk by Petar
Kunic, a Serb refugee from Croatia. Under the title "Is this plunder
under aegis of the court?" Kunic presented a collection of all documents
and newspaper articles concerning his unsuccessful return to Zagorje in
Krnjak municipality. "The collection is the result of my several-year
long effort to return home from B&H where I was as a refugee, and
restore my property in the Republic of Croatia", says Kunic. "In the
effort to practice this right guaranteed by the European Convention on
the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms I encountered
insurmountable barriers in the legal system of the Republic of Croatia
which gave my property to another person to use it temporarily". "The
height of the injustice done to me is the decision of the European Human
Rights Court in Strasbourg which declared my request and appeal
unacceptable because it did not determine that there had been any
violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms", Kunic concludes.
A. P.
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DNEVNI AVAZ, Oct. 31, 2001
CARLA DEL PONTE BROADENS THE INDICTMENT
For Crimes Committed in B&H Milosevic will be Indicted for Genocide?
Next week chief prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal Carla del Ponte will
submit the indictment of Slobodan Milosevic for the crimes committed in
B&H. It is assumed that the indictment will formally be confirmed in the
second half of November after the judges study the documentation of the
prosecutor and establish whether the indictment is founded. Florence
Hartmann, spokeswoman of the prosecution, says for Dnevni avaz that
Chief Prosecutor will submit a request that all three cases against
Milosevic - Kosovo, Croatia and B&H - be merged into one.
"If the request about a single case is accepted, the trial to Milosevic
cannot begin on February 12, as announced, but much later. The defence
should be given time to make preparations. The reason why merging of the
indictment will be requested is that we believe that in all three cases
it was the same plan, structure and strategy in different parts of
former Yugoslavia. It is very important that he be tried for one, joined
case", says Hartmann. As we learn from the circles close to the
prosecutor's office of the Tribunal, the indictment against Milosevic
for the crimes committed in B&H will, among other, deal with his control
of the former Yugoslav People's Army, police forces, and coordination
with the former leadership of the Serb Democratic Party. His role was
important from the time he became the president of Serbia in 1990 until
signing of the Dayton accords. Although the Constitution did not permit
it, Milosevic controlled the former JNA, therefore, it is assessed by
the prosecutor's office, he had actual control of the situation in the
field. With the help of his associates he controlled the armament and
blocked the work of Republican Ministry of Internal Affairs of B&H.
(...)
I. CATIC
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DNEVNI AVAZ, Oct. 30, 2001
FROM THE MEETING OF STATE MIXED COMMISSION FOR BORDERS
Croatia offered the proposal for the border crossing in Kostajnica.
Official Zagreb proposes construction of the crossing between the Una
and the Uncica rivers. What B&H promised. Next meeting in Slavonski Brod
on Nov. 8.
Mixed commission for border crossings and border traffic met in
Kostajnica today in order to receive the report on technical data of the
micro-location for the border crossing. "A part of the job was done, and
the meeting, which is according to me especially important, passed in a
truly friendly atmosphere" declared Tomislav Mihalj, director of State
Border Service and member of the mixed Commission for Border Crossings
and Border Traffic. He revealed to us that the Croatian party proposed
and submitted for inspection a draft project of micro-location of the
joint border crossing between the Una and the Uncica rivers.
"By Nov. 5 B&H will send Croatia its draft project of the micro-location
of the future temporary joint border crossing. At the same time we will
also submit a draft final solution for the future border crossing in
Kostajnica", says Mihalj. On the level of the Mixed Commission
everything should be over on Nov. 8 when the meeting is scheduled to
take place in Slavonski Brod.
"We agreed on the proposal for micro-location of the future border
crossing in Kostajnica and we will inform the authorities in the two
states about our proposal and send them all the necessary documentation
to sign", Mihalj stresses.
(...) The hosts of the members of the Mixed Commission for Border
Crossings and Traffic were the heads of municipalities of both
Kostajnicas, and Svetozar Mihajlovic, Minister of Civilian Affairs and
Communications in B&H Council of Ministers, was present at a part of the
meeting.
H. ORAHOVAC
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PRESS IN BANJA LUKA
NEZAVISNE NOVINE, Oct. 10, 2001
MEDIA DEVIATIONS
The unwanted child of the Croat policy, or more precisely of the Croat
Democratic Community (HDZ), and the Bosniac, or rather of the Party of
Democratic Action (SDA), after a long "pregnancy" and even harder
labour, was born on Saturday, at 19.30 h. With the broadcast of central
news show, the Federal Television station started operation. In the
beginning of its creation neither HDZ nor SDA wanted it, and all things
considered, nor did the current authorities, because on this TV nobody
could have absolute domination in the political sense.
Josip Blazevic
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NEZAVISNE NOVINE, Oct. 30, 2001
OIL ON THE FIRE
Conflicts between SDS and PDP over managerial posts are intensifying so
that not even the joint meetings of the groups of deputies can resolve
their mutual intolerance. (...) The example of smuggling of heating oil
in Republika Srpska also speaks of the corruption of the authorities.
Although the Government of RS has passed a decree on the turnover of
heating oil, the latest inspection of the work of 20 oil stations showed
that 17 of them did not implement it. One of them is ZZ Milka gas
station from Laktasi owned by Vukasin Vojinovic, a deputy of SDS in the
People's Assembly.
Radomir Neskovic
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NEZAVISNE NOVINE, Nov. 2, 2001
THE PRICE OF WAR DAMAGE
Unfortunately, war was waged in this country without taking into
consideration the damage, court and justice. Everybody was demolishing,
plundering, snatching away and looting. Supreme commands were trading
more than they were waging war, and local commanders were levying all
kinds of tributes, in cash or in kind, according to their own estimates.
Branko Peric
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PRESS IN SOFIA
MONITOR, Oct. 28, 2001
WAZ SETTLING IN MACEDONIA
German media group WAZ is among the companies that wish to buy
Macedonian Nova Makedonija newspaper. This was announced by Director
General of this publishing company and the Editor-in-Chief of the
newspaper, Nikola Tasev. However, he denied the allegations of
Macedonian media that WAZ had already purchased the newspaper. The news
about the purchase was broadcast two days ago by Sitel independent TV
channel from Skopje. In the Balkan WAZ already possesses newspapers in
Bulgaria and Croatia. In Bulgarian market this media group has a
monopoly which is tolerated even by the Commission for Protection of
Competition.
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SEGA, Oct. 31, 2001
PRESIDENT MEIDANI BANISHED FORMER BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR – EMIGRANT IN
TIRANA
President Rexhep Meidani deprived former Bulgarian ambassador in Tirana
Stefan Naumov of Albanian citizenship, Deutsche Welle reports. Naumov
who had been the ambassador in Albania for seven years, was granted
Albanian citizenship by the then president and his friend Sali Berisha
in 1997 when his term in office expired. Meidani deprived Naumov of his
citizenship because the former ambassador had procured a forged court
document. Naumov was warned to leave the country... Naumov had acquired
a bad reputation in Bulgaria after the employees of the embassy had
complained to the Foreign Ministry in a letter saying that the
ambassador was physically threatening them, insulting them and that they
were afraid to work with him. They also claimed in their letter that
they had received threats from unknown “security agents” that they would
be murdered, that “their bones would be scattered in the rugged ground
and none of them would cross the border of Albania alive". Some time
before that, illegally issued diplomatic passports of Stefan and Lilija
Naumov had been found in the luggage of an Albanian citizen.
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SEGA, Nov. 1, 2001
OMO: BULGARIANS AND ALBANIANS WORKING AGAINST MACEDONIA
Bulgarian journalists have turned OMO Ilinden into a monster which led
to a negative disposition of the public towards OMO, as president of
this organisation Jordan Kostadinov accused them. “Both the Albanians
and the Bulgarians are working against Macedonia – the former with arms
and the latter with words”, Kostadinov also said. He added that for as
long as the Government continued to violate their rights he would
consider Bulgaria a “racist state”. Kostadinov declared something
similar recently about foreign media. Members of OMO convened a press
conference in order to remind how we had been convicted in Strasbourg
and in order to inform the public how Bulgaria had violated their
rights. In 1990 and 1991 their court registration was rejected because
of advocating ethnic hatred and because it was a threat to territorial
integrity of the country. On Oct. 2 this year, the European Court ruled
that the state had violated their right to free association and ordered
Bulgaria to pay OMO Ilinden more than 10 thousand dollars of
compensation and expenses. OMO initiated new criminal proceedings in
Strasbourg because their request to be registered as a party had been
rejected.
Ivanka Kondova
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SEGA, Nov. 1, 2001
VMRO: IN SPRING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WILL FLARE UP AGAIN
The conflict in Macedonia will re-escalate in spring because the
Albanians are waiting for the winter to pass. This is the forecast of
the leader of VMRO Krasimir Karakacanov. The recent incidents in Kosovo
indicate this. “The Albanians have just transported the armament to
Kosovo and taken off their uniforms, but their formations have been
preserved. It is hard to believe that they were disarmed after they had
handed in three thousand old automatic rifles”, leader of VMRO thinks.
According to him, the Albanians have an enormous arsenal or arms in
Macedonia and that this will become evident in spring. “These
half-measures imposed by the Americans will hardly resolve ethnic
problems, problems will indeed intensify over there”, Karakacanov
concludes.
end
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