|
Enter content here
Conclusions From Macedonia Conflict of 2001 & Future Prospects.
Reality Macedonia
By Pavle Madzirov,
Master of Arts in European Studies and Intercultural Communication
What can one conclude as a result of the armed conflict 2001 in Macedonia? That it was a fight for more human rights, like Ali Ahmeti announced? Bearing in mind the already high standard of human rights in Macedonia before the conflict this seems not to be the right answer. It was not the lack of human rights in Macedonia, it was the lack of implementing these already existing human rights in real life, and this is not possible with weapons. With the armed conflict only the list of the tasks for the government became longer, and will be hard to realize. The constitutionally guaranteed minority rights were not converted all effectively, but a progress is recognizably been nevertheless in all ranges, from education to the military. This is statistically provable. Reasons for the slow, but constant conversion, is the financially difficult situation of the country, since the conversion of minority rights represents always a financial expenditure, which disburses itself however in the future. Nevertheless one must also emphasize that for example the student numbers of the minorities, which rose constantly over the years, are still not on a satisfying level, but they also represent cultural attitudes of the minorities. Female students, members of Albanian minority, are particularly absent from the universities. One could blame the government for that fact, but it just represents the socially specified role of the woman in the Albanian society. It is traditionally on family and children, what makes a higher education, in the eyes of the Albanian minority, not necessary. There are developments and initiatives to change and modernize this view of the role of women, but it will take time till the first results will appear.
The Framework Agreement and the international community
Time will show if the Framework Agreement, with the result of more rights for the Albanian minority, will improve actual situation, or even worsen it.
The international community again made errors at a Balkan crisis. It appears paradoxically if one regards the situation before the conflict and during the conflict. Already after the collapse of Yugoslavia when the question of recognizing new formed states had to be cleared, the examination of all criteria under the criterion democracy, where minority rights were included and at the Yugoslav states of special importance, a commission came to the result that only Macedonia and Slovenia fulfill enough criteria to be recognized by the international communities. Macedonia was called oasis of peace. Then there came the turning point with the conflict 2001. The international community made pressure over the Macedonian government to listen to the armed rebels of the UCK because these were fighting for more rights of the Albanian population. First Macedonia is one of two states which fulfills all democratic criteria to be recognized (actually it was not because of Greece), but during the armed conflict Macedonia is forced to talk to terrorists fighting for more minority rights? This 180 degree of idiom becomes only understandable before the background of the war of NATO against Yugoslavia. During this time there was again and again criticism from all sides, so the media had to develop a picture of the "oppressed" Albanian minority, particularly of the UCK "Freedom-fighters" who fight for a fair thing. This was perhaps the case in the Kosovo, but surely is not in Macedonia. In addition, the more time passes, it seems clear that the situation is Kosovo is not getting better. Organized crime is dominating life in Kosovo and is spilling over to other countries.
During the conflict in Macedonia the international community first placed itself demonstratively on the side of the Macedonian government but with time passing, it tried to find a "peaceful" solution and so became a neutral actor. In order to settle the armed conflict the Macedonian Government was forced not to use full military power against the terrorist and to go into a dialogue with them. The result was that the Macedonian population attacked foreign western embassies. The sign given by the international community was that fighting pays. But they also made pressure over the terrorists and reached an agreement and collected their weapons. The weapons collection can only be treated with symbolic meaning, because there were just old- aged weapons. As a "peaceful" solution to the conflict, the Framework Agreement was presented in Ohrid, which grants the Albanian minority more rights. The conflict ends with it. One could state now in summary that the proceeding of the international community was successful. But the real reasons for the conflict are not eliminated. The reasons for the outbreak of the conflict are much multilayered, and they did not include the legal discrimination of the Albanian minority, but in practice. The FA of Ohrid however improves the situation on the paper, but the social support is missing. Time was needed that the Macedonians could have a chance to complete their way in creating a multicultural society including the Albanians. But now with more tasks given by the FA, this way gets longer and will not get easier. The danger lies in the fact that the situation in everyday life is not improved by the FA, it is worsened, since the gap between Macedonians and Albanians has increased. The FA comes not from inside the society, it is introduced from outside. Societal changes initiated from outside have little chances to be successful. The Macedonian society was not ready for such "improvements" and they were not necessary at that time, because the situation was not a bad one. The time of the conflict was not selected by the Albanian minority in Macedonia. The conflict was imported from Kosovo into the country, from fighters which can be treated as the looser of the Kosovo conflict, because they were not able to get a position in the new system there or were not able to integrate themselves in times of peace into the society, or even had no interest in that.
For the entire Macedonian population the conflict was bad. The Macedonians are confirmed in their opinion that the west is on the side of the Albanians, and that these are not loyal to the Macedonian state. The Albanian minority has gained more rights and gets more powerful but it also lost any trust from the Macedonians and surely will feel that in daily life. Society will split or already has into two sides. Living together is not any longer realistic in Macedonia, if there is a future for a united Macedonia, then just with the result of living side by side. The minority politics of the Macedonian government before the conflict were aligned to integration, living with the others. The FA agreement and the armed conflict eliminated this opportunity.
Macedonia could be viewed as a failure for multicultural society on the Balkans. Pessimists or Nationalists could say that even giving minorities a good legal situation, is not enough stopping them starting fighting for more. Time will show where Macedonia will end. In one piece or in many pieces?
November 3 in History.
Standartnews
In 1989 the activists of 'Ecoglasnost' association hold a rally which ends with submitting a petition to the National Assembly - the first civic anti-totalitarian protest.
YURI GABROV-ARRIVAL.
BTA
Yuri Gabrov, Moscow Hostage Drama Survivor, Arrives in Sofia.
Sofia, November 3 (BTA) - Bessarabian Bulgarian Yuri Gabrov (20) who survived the hostage drama in Moscow, arrived in Bulgaria on Sunday.
Gabrov will undergo a detailed medical checkup and extra treatment at the Academy of Military Medicine in Sofia. According to Gabrov doctors in Russia told him the intoxication will have an effect on his health but that it is not known when these effect may manifest itself. Gabrov said he is feeling well at present.
"I remember everything until the moment we were gassed," Gabrov said. He said the Chechen terrorists said they were tired of the war and wanted it to stop as soon as possible.
Gabrov will stay in Bulgaria for another week. He said he has already applied for Bulgarian citizenship and is expecting a meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.
The other Bulgarian to survive the terrorist attack, Vesselin Nedkov, returned from Moscow on November 1 and met Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov and Military Medical Academy Director Prof. Alexandrov on the same day.
Both Nedkov and Gabrov expressed their gratitude to the Bulgarian Government and people. They said they had no contact with Bulgarian-born Austrian citizen Emilia Ouzounova who was also among the hostages but did not survive.
LIBYAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
BTA
Bulgarian, Libyan Medical Associations Sign Cooperation Agreement.
Sofia, November 3 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) and the Libyan Medical Association (LMA) signed an Agreement on Cooperation, Mutual Assistance and Joint Participation in International Health Care Projects, BMA President Dr Andrey Kehayov said.
The Agreement provides for Bulgarian physicians to continue to be employed by Libyan hospitals and for Libyan medics to come to Bulgaria for training.
A large number of Bulgarian medics are currently working in Libya, mostly in the interior of the country where the conditions are more difficult, but neither the BMA nor the LMA know the exact figure.
The infection with AIDS of almost 400 innocent children is the most revolting crime which can be classified as a crime against humanity and its perpetrators should be punished, regardless of their nationality, LMA President Dr Ibrahim Sharf told a news conference on Sunday. He and his colleagues are visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of BMA. The guests visited three hospitals in Sofia.
"My appeal is not to be so sensitive on the trial of the six Bulgarian medics in Libya, there are many suspects in the case, not only Bulgarians," Dr Sharf said in response to a question. "Let us leave the just Libyan Court to do its work, no one who is innocent will be punished," the Libyan doctor said.
"If we imagine hypothetically that the guilt of the Bulgarian medics is proven, then this will be their own guilt and it would be wrong to shift the blame on the entire Bulgarian people and all Bulgarian medics," Dr Sharf said. "If the court proves that the infection was not deliberate, this would be wonderful," he added.
For almost three years now six Bulgarian medics - one doctor and five nurses,
are detained in Libya on charges of infecting Libyan children with HIV.
Parvanov Lit up Candle for All Souls' Day.
Standartnews
President Parvanov and Defense Minister Nikolay Svinarov lit up candles in memory of the deceased Bulgarian soldiers at the Central Sofia Cemetery yesterday. Patriarch Maxim recited a liturgy in front of the Army Mausoleum (Charnel-House). Thousands came to the cemetery yesterday to mark the Michaelmas and All Souls' Day. Parents and relatives of young recruits died in the line of duty commemorated them with wine and traditional frumenty.
RHODOPES-ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE-PROGRAMME.
BTA
Government to Invest 100 Mln Leva in Alternative Agriculture and Infrastructure in the Rhodopes.
Kurdjali (Southern Bulgaria), November 3 (BTA) - Some 6,000 new jobs will be created and 100 million leva will be invested in alternative agriculture and development of infrastructure in the Rhodopes region under a Government programme discussed by the Cabinet in Kurdjali on Sunday. This is the first session the Council of Ministers holds outside the capital.
The Cabinet discussed the programme with Kurdjali Regional Governor Kalin Primov, the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF, a coalition partner of the ruling Simeon II National Movement), Ahmed Dogan, and local mayors. The programme was presented by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mehmed Dikme and his deputy, Boyko Boev.
Dikme said that the programme will be launched on January 1, 2003 and cover a five-year period. Its objective is to transform the Rhodope region from a backward into an extremely attractive part of Bulgaria before this country's accession to the EU. The funds for the project's implementation have been guaranteed, Dikme said.
The programme also provides for the development of ecotourism which will definitely contribute to improving living conditions in the region, Dikme said.
The alternative agriculture programme is yet to be approved at a regular session of the Council of Ministers. Some 48 million leva will be needed for its implementation. It covers the prevailingly mountainous municipalities and the regions of Haskovo, Kurdjali and Smolyan. The programme will also cover the mountainous part of the Plovdiv and Pazardjik regions, the valley of the Mesta River, the municipalities of Gotse Delchev, Razlog, Yakorouda, Velingrad and Belovo.
The programme provides for restoring traditional and establishing new alternative productions in plant breeding. Local people will be encouraged to grow walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, plums, apples, cherries and other fruits. The programme also provides for the growing of herbs and aromatic plants like lavender, garden sage, thyme, summer savoury, oregano and mint.
The programme envisages the growing rye and technical crops like flax and crops for fodder as an alternative to wheat growing. It also provides for breeding cattle, sheep, goats and rabbits in the region.
The implementation of the programme is divided into three stages - a short-term, mid-term and long-term one. The first provides for raising 970,000 leva to cover administrative and technical costs for the programme and the establishment of demonstration farms in plant growing and livestock breeding.
The second, medium-term, stage provides for setting up associations of producers for streamlining the system of production and produce realization. It also envisages the integration of small producers with commercial companies and establishing conditions for crediting their activities.
The third stage provides for planting orchards on a total area of 2,000 hectares, herbs on a total area of 950 hectares, flax on a total area of 600 hectares and rye on a total area of 3,000 hectares.
In the field of livestock breeding, the programme envisages the setting up 160 dairy farms, 80 farms for buffalo-cow milk, and 160 sheep-breeding, goat breeding and rabbit-breeding farms. The final stage of the programme provides for passing a mountain meadows and pastures tenure act.
The programme can be financed by the Agriculture State Fund and under SAPARD as well as by the National Environment Protection Fund with the Environment Ministry. A project for the Rhodope region is being developed within the framework of the German Technical Cooperation Fund and another project is being financed by EU pre-accession funds.
After the session the cabinet met with members of the Public in Kurdjali.
"The main problem over the past 12 years was lack of investment and the disadvantaged position you were in," Dikme told the Kurdjali public. He says he is proud to be member of the first Cabinet to pay attention to the development of the Rhodopes region.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
BTA
Kurdjali (Southern Bulgaria), November 3 (BTA) - The Makaza border checkpoint between Bulgaria and Greece will be opened by 2005 at the latest, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said Sunday at a meeting with the public of Kurdjali. Earlier on Sunday the Government held its first session outside the capital in Kurdjali to discuss an "Alternative Agriculture in the Rhodopes" Programme.
The issue of opening new border checkpoints along the Bulgarian-Greek border was discussed by the Prime Minister during his working visit to Greece on October 31-November 1. "We expect the Drama-Gotse Delchev" border checkpoint to be ready by June 2004 before the opening of the Olympic Games in Athens.
At the meeting with representatives of the public in Kurdjali the Prime Minister was asked about the delay in the implementation of the Gorna Arda cascade project.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said that the issue will soon be discussed by a Bulgarian-Turkish commission. He said he expects progress to be made on the issue after the elections in Turkey. The Prime Minister recalled that a private Turkish investor is taking part in the project.
Most of the problems raised by the participants in the meeting referred to land ownership restoration, the closing of schools in the region, infrastructure projects and health care.
Tobacco Capital Will Sell Off Bulgartabac Bit by Bit.
INTERVIEW Daric radio - Standartnews: Todor Batkov
Todor Batkov is the lawyer of Metatabac consortium, which has dropped out from the bidding for Bulgartabac. Yesterday on Daric radio, Mr Batkov commented on the court ruling to override the chosen buyer - Tobacco Capital Partners. Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev has been invited for the same talk show, yet he refused to come.
- Mr Batkov, will Metatabac contest the court ruling?
- Most likely we won't challenge the decision, but not because we're feeling vulnerable. I may say how the Bulgartabac scenario would proceed should Tobacco Capital become the winner. Within a year, the available tobacco stock will be sold out, as well as three or four of the best factories, those in Blagoevgrad, Sofia, Stara Zagora and 'Yurii Gagarin' - Plovdiv'
- The Privatization Agency's key argument in case of a contest will be that the whole information on the finance status of the holding had been available before it was summarized in line with the international accounting standards, so it was made available to all bidders. Is there any chance such an argument to sustain before the 5-member jury of the Supreme Administrative Court?
- I could hardly make any prognosis. It is true that each candidate-buyer had access to the information room for a 10-day period and extra 10 days were given for visiting each factory. But it's not true, though, that the information was available.
- Will Metatabac bid in a new tender if the current one is suspended?
- No, it won't, as far as I know the shareholders in the consortium and Mr. Mikhail Chernoy. To me, he has finally closed the Bulgartabac chapter.
(Abr.) Theodora: A Woman Will Head the State.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Theodora Stefanova
Isaac Gozes
Ministers' heads will roll, communists craving for power. In Prague Bulgaria will get invitation to NATO, the clairvoyant maintains.
Theodora Stefanova, a Bulgarian who became famous in Italy as a personal clairvoyant of Premier Berlusconi, decided to donate to an orphanage part of her fee for a photo-session in Playboy. Some two years ago she predicted the start of terror onslaught.
- Do you like your pictures in Playboy? And who will get the money you had promised to donate for charity?
- The Playboy team proved to be real professionals. Part of my fee will go to orphaned children.
- Will Bulgaria get an invitation to NATO in Prague?
- My answer is "yes". France will give us a strong backup.
- What can we expect in the domain of politics?
- The government will not carry out the whole mandate. BSP is gaining potential and will rise to power within a couple of years. It may happen that a woman will have to head the state.
- Will there be any reshuffles in the cabinet?
- Yes, at least three ministers will be relieved of their posts.
/abr/ |
