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This gigantic firefighting plane is the most attractive exhibit at the Sky for All International Aviation Festival at the Graf Ignatievo air base near Plovdiv. Pressphoto BTA Photo: Vladimir Yanev
Bulgarian farmers listen during a protest against low prices of new crop wheat, in central Sofia September 5, 2002. Producers say they will go out of business unless the government sets prices of 200 - 250 levs (US $ 100 -150) per ton of high quality wheat ex-farm, up from a current market price of 130 levs. One in four of Bulgaria's eight million people makes a living from farming. REUTERS/Dimitar Dilkoff
NMS MP Dr Aleko Kyurkchiev examines the sea tan of one of the NMS Secretaries on the first working day of the National Assembly. The MPs showed their new hairstyles and collated their sunburn. Photo Stoian Nenov
United States assistant coaches Kelvin Sampson (C) and Gregg Popovich react during their game against Yugoslavia in the quarter-final round of the 2002 World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana September 5, 2002. Yugoslavia won 81-78. At left is Baron Davis. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Yugoslavia's Predrag Stojakovic (C) dunks against United States' Ben Wallace (13) and Antonio Davis (R) during the quarter-final round of the 2002 World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana September 5, 2002. Stojakovic led all scorers with 20 points in Yugoslavia's 81-78 win. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Reggie Miller, front, of the United States makes a pass under pressure from Vlade Divac of Yugoslavia as Antonio Davis, left, looks on in the second quarter of the quarterfinals of the World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Yugoslavia's Vlade Divac celebrates after defeating the United States 81-78 during the quarter-final round of the 2002 World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, September 5, 2002. Divac scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds in the win. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Yugoslavia's Milan Gurovic (L) celebrates along with his team bench after sinking a three-point shot in the final seconds against the United States during quarter-final action at the 2002 World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana September 5, 2002. Yugoslavia defeated the USA 81-78. REUTERS/Mike Blake
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
Shootouts from several types of infantry weapons have been heard overnight which have not been aimed at direct targets, police says.
Early Thursday the intensity of shootouts is almost decreased fully, MIA's correspondent reports.
Volleys of gunshots and sporadic shootouts have been registered overnight from Tetovo Teke, apartment blocks 70 and 82, the area around the textile school centre, "SS. Cyril and Methodius" elementary school, the SEE University, from "Gjorce Petrov" and "Stipska" streets, the area opposite to the buildings of the municipal prison and Interior Department.
Gunshots have been also heard from Mala Recica, Radiovce, Celopek, Zerovjane, Poroj, Dzepciste, Tearce, Prsovce, Otusiste, Odri, Ozormiste, Palatica and Strimnica.
Public order and peace have been violated six times from gunshots of infantry weapons in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region during Wednesday night. The gunshots have been mainly aimed at undefined direction, MIA's corespondent reports.
Army sources say shootouts have been also heard from the villages of Matejce, Lojane, Slupcane, Nikustak, Ropajce and Vistica.
Macedonian Army Patrol Repels Kosovar Attack.
Reality Macedonia
Irina Gelevska
Yesterday at 10:15, an armed group from the territory of Kosovo attacked a border patrol of the Macedonian Army (ARM), at the Bardi Maalo bridge, near the Dolno Blace watchtower.
The attackers used automatic guns. The Macedonian border soldiers returned fire and the terrorist group, wearing black uniforms, retreated run into the woods on Kosovo territory.
No casualties have been reported on Macedonian side. ARM notified KFOR about the incident.
This is the first serious border incident in three months.
CONFERENCE ON MACEDONIA'S MEMBERSHIP IN WTO HELD IN SKOPJE.
On the occasion of the upcoming membership of Macedonia in WTO, conference "Membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)- an Opportunity for Inclusion in the Global Flows of World Economy" is being held in Skopje Thursday.
The final meeting of the working group for Macedonia's accession in WTO will be held on September 17, at which all membership documents should be signed, followed by the verifying of the membership agreement by the WTO Board of Directors on November 11. After the end of this procedure, the Macedonian Parliament should pass a Law on membership of the country in WTO, which would be put into effect a month later, making Macedonia a full fledged member in WTO.
In his address at the conference, Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski expressed satisfaction with Macedonia's membership into WTO, considering the fact "that the admission process has lasted for two hard years."
He gave credit to the national negotiating coordinator, Minister of Economy Besnik Fetai, for his successful work.
He also gave credit to WTO, which has 144 members, for offering equal chance to big and small countries.
"WTO is a certain partner, while the WTO membership guarantees investment security. Therefore, the WTO membership is a challenge for success," Georgievski said.
Welcoming the country's membership into WTO, US Ambassador to Macedonia Lawrence Butler said it was great step for the country, which will take advantage of the WTO benefits in the next year.
The WTO membership would face Macedonia with foreign and domestic competition, thus improving the goods quality and cutting the prices, Butler said.
He gave credit to the Macedonian negotiating team on the country's membership into WTO, led by Minister Fetai.
"From the beginning, the Macedonian Government has considered the country's membership in WTO as an issue of national priority, " Fetai said, adding that the process for Macedonia's admission into WTO was a great obligation and challenge for him as a national coordinator.
"WTO membership is more than a need for our fragile economy. It offers opportunity for larger foreign investments and production, thus creating new jobs by opening of new or restarting of old production facilities, Fetai said.
He explained that Macedonian changed over 30 laws in order to meet the WTO demands for membership.
In that respect, he mentioned cutting of the customs for all raw materials, which are not produced in Macedonia. Lower customs fees are also foreseen for spare parts and equipment for first installation in car, machine tools and electro-industry, as well as for final products, which are not produced in Macedonia.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Supply Marjan Gjorcev, who was part of the negotiating team for Macedonia's entrance in WTO, also spoke at the conference.
"The accession of Macedonia in WTO is a project of strategic significance of the country, and an inclusion in the multilateral system of world trade, as well as institutionalization of a modern legal-trade system, stabile and compatible by its characteristics with the dominant world regimes", Gjorcev said.
Regarding the negotiations, Gjorcev presented the agricultural sector, emphasizing that each country that wanted access in WTO was obliged to submit a document that presented the real situation of agriculture support.
According to Gjorcev, "Macedonia used the period between 1998-2000 in the preparation of this document, which contains several kinds of support that the state gives to agriculture, such as the measures from the program for incentive in agriculture development, protective prices, premiums, and export stimulation".
Gjorcev stated "that the agreed base period in the negotiations in the part of agricultural support is 1998-2000, when the average support in agriculture amounted to roughly Euro 16 million".
Gjorcev emphasized that agriculture in Macedonia "is significant from the aspect of foreign-trade exchange abroad". He underlined that agricultural production in 1999 participated with 19% in the total export, while with 15% in 2000.
"The protection of certain agriculture products that are most sensitive for the Republic of Macedonia has been realized through a satisfying customs rate", Gjorcev stated, adding that they moved from 0-35%, except for some products, which are taxed at 60%.
In the agreements, Macedonia is obliged to exercise a 0% customs rate with the WTO accession, except "for lake and river fish and certain seeds".
In the part of legislative, Macedonia accorded its regulative in the fito-sanitary and sanitary-veterinary sphere and quality control. In that direction, Gjorcev emphasized, "Macedonia is continually working on satisfying the strict standards of the international community on the products that need to become competitive at foreign markets".
"Macedonia's accession in WTO will enable placement of Macedonian products at the great world market, which will be an incentive for enhancement of the restructuring of Macedonian economy, and speeding up of the social and economic development of the country", Minister Gjorcev underlined.
In his address, Finance Minister Nikola Gruevski said that the path for the accession process in WTO was opened in 1999, which previously began in 1996.
On the accordance of Macedonia's legislation with the European one, Gruevski stated, "a lot of significant changes have been made in the area of finance in the last 4 years, i.e. a change in the law on banks, securities and foreign currency funds".
Speaking about the reforms in the financial sphere, he stated, "they are directed towards the creation of a healthy, modern and stabile financial system, having in mind that the main base for its existence is a quality legal regulative".
In that direction, Gruevski underlined that the Ministry of Finance undertook significant activities in all segments of the financial system, before all in the area of banking, capital market and foreign currency dealings.
"The new Law on banks is directed towards the strengthening of the security and stability of the banking system, and its accession towards the international standards and directives of the EU", Gruevski stated.
Besides the passing of the Law on banks, the Law on fund for deposit insurance was a big step in the bringing back of the trust of people savers, with which the state fully takes over the responsibility for compensation of clients in the financial institutions-fund members. "This Law urged the return and an increase of deposits of citizens in the banks and savings banks, thus increasing the citizens' bank deposits by 6-7 times", Gruevski informed.
"All ongoing reforms in the financial system and the ones that have already been implemented significantly improve the possibility of our country for inclusion in the world economic flows", Finance Minister said. Because of that, he underlined, "we are waiting for September 17 with great readiness, when Macedonia should become WTO member".
JAVIER SOLANA VISITS MACEDONIA.
MIA
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski met with EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security policy Javier Solana on Thursday.
As announced for the Prime Minister's Cabinet, the meeting focused of the current situation in the country. Prime Minister Georgievski emphasized that the Government had the greatest responsibility at the upcoming elections, adding that it created all conditions for carrying out the elections in a most professional manner.
Pointing out that the opposition had that responsibility too, Prime Minister Georgievski expressed his expectation that the international organizations and observers would provide up-to-date and objective evaluations of the election results.
The Prime Minister also referred to the issue on the kidnapped Macedonians, with a pledge to Solana for his personal engagement in the solution of this painful issue, the announcement reads.
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski received Solana today.
According to the announcement from the President's Cabinet, President Trajkovski informed Solana on the latest developments in the political-security situation, expressing his conviction that in spite of the incidents that occurred, the general situation had improved in comparison to the same period in 2001.
The officials agreed that Macedonia did not ask for the violent acts and crime, especially in this sensitive period of pre-election campaigns, making it necessary for political leaders to publicly condemn violence, and thus isolate the people that want to frighten the citizens with weapons and influence the course of the election process.
Trajkovski asked the international community to support the efforts of the Macedonian institutions in providing conditions for free and democratic elections, especially in the Tetovo region, where most of the incidents occur.
Trajkovski and Solana agreed that the election campaign, along with election day, should go on in a peaceful atmosphere, in which the citizens would vote freely, thus finishing the stabilization process in the country, the announcement reads.
Later, Solana met Macedonian Parliament Speaker Stojan Andov.
Andov thanked Solana for his visit and his interest for the country's stability, and highly estimated the efforts of EU Special Envoy to Macedonia Alain Le Roy.
The two interlocutors exchanged opinions on the current situation in Macedonia, and concluded that a peaceful and democratic pre-election campaign was needed, without any attempts to influence the election process in a violent manner.
Andov and Solana agreed that Albania and the FR Yugoslavia should also sign Stabilization and Association Agreements with EU in order to increase the regional European option.
Andov emphasized that the most important aspect of Macedonia's internal and foreign policy was to strengthen the cooperation and the trust towards EU, for which there was a common political consensus in the country.
After the meetings with Macedonian state officials, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana stated late Thursday that the message he conveyed to the Macedonian political leaders was "simple".
"Many things have already been done in Macedonia in order to fulfill the Framework Agreement, but there are still some elements that need to be implemented after the elections", Solana stated.
He expressed hope that "the elections and the campaign will be conducted in a climate of tolerance. Such free and just elections will open a new page in the Macedonian history".
"The new stabilisation process will enable an economic development and better and closer relations with the European Union", EU representative added.
He informed that he agreed with the Macedonian political leaders on the establishment of night patrols in Tetovo region.
According to Solana, these patrols will be consisted of units of the Macedonian police and OSCE and EU observers. Their objective will be keeping up the peace in all parts of the country during the pre-election process.
Solana also met with the families of the kidnapped Macedonians, and expressed his concern about the destiny of the missing persons to all leaders of the Albanian political block.
"I think that the Macedonian citizens have the opportunity to open a new page in the life of the country, along with the support of the international community, especially the EU", Solana added.
PRIME MINISTER GEORGIEVSKI SETS NEW 'ORKA" FACTORY INTO WORK.
MIA
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski formally set into work Thursday a new factory of the "Orka Holding" company located in Skopje.
Expressing his satisfaction from the construction of the new textile factory, Prime Minister Georgievski said that it brings optimism that the textile industry, which has tradition of over 50 years in Macedonia, will regain its importance.
"Today, 'Orka' is a modern company and is a serious competition for the other textile factories in Europe. This factory also promises development and safe existence to about 1,000 employees," Georgievski said.
This factory, he said, confirms the commitment of the government to support the private initiative and to stimulate the influx of private capital in the textile industry.
Underlining that these days Macedonia would enter in the World Trade Organization and will sign free trade agreements with many countries, Prime Minister Georgievski said that this would provide customs-free trade and vast export market.
"We believe that the conditions provided by the government with these agreements would provide concrete results, and that is the reason why we will continue to support your efforts to expand the company even more and to open new jobs.
Pointing out that the Macedonian textile industry can be revived, Georgievski said that in Stip, the town where this industry was mostly developed, 30 small companies have been born from the collapse of the huge textile enterprises, and today they all work successfully.
"It is not a courage today in Macedonia to find a foreign investor, because they enjoy good protection and they come in the country in huge numbers. It is courage if a domestic investor invests his funds here, and that also means that he believes in the state and its institutions," Georgievski pointed out.
Prime Minister Georgievski expressed hope that "Orka Holding" would soon become main exporter of the Macedonian fashion.
Ilija Kamcev, owner of "Orka Holding" company, said that at the beginning this company had only 30 employees who worked in premises of 200m2, while today this company has two large production facilities, 30 stores and about 1,000 employees.
The new factory covers an area of 13,000 m2. Total of Euro 10 million were invested in its building, of which Euro four million in the equipment.
The equipment was procured with a credit worth Euro 800,000 from Invest Bank granted with facilitation from the government and the Macedonian bank for support of the development and a credit line of Euro 500,000 from England, provided with facilitation from Orka's largest partner, Jeroma from London. The rest of the money were invested by the Orka company.
The new factory opens possibility for successive employment of 800 persons for period of one year.
The annual export of this company amounts Euro seven million.
Envisioning Peace in the Shadow of War:
INTERVIEW Antiwar: Blagojaja Markovski
by Christopher Deliso in Skopje
A unique perspective on issues of Macedonia national security including last year's war, relations with NATO, and trouble from Kosovo is that of Col. Blagoja Markovski, Macedonia's outgoing defense spokesman. Recently, I met with the cheerful colonel in his office in the Ministry of Defense, only a week before he was to pass over his duties to the new spokesman, Zoran Sekulovski. Col. Markovski is leaving his job in order to undergo further training in Bulgaria which may well result in his promotion to general after returning to Macedonia next year. Col. Markovski's insightful views provide an interesting viewpoint, for anyone concerned with the past, present and future of Macedonian security.
Behind NATO's Recent Orders for Disarmament.
CD: NATO has lately been demanding that Macedonia eliminate its arsenal of Ukrainian-bought tanks and planes as a condition of joining the alliance. As we know, from the beginning last year NATO countries demanded that Macedonia discontinue the program. Condoleeza Rice herself went to Kiev to order the Ukrainian president to stop it. Any comments?
BM: As you know, the crisis situation in Macedonia last year forced us to purchase several advanced T-72 tanks, as well as attack and transport helicopters, and 4 Sukhoi SU-25 fighter planes, from Ukraine. This action was done entirely for the defense of the country at our greatest moment of need.
At the very beginning of the crisis, we first asked for help from NATO countries. We pleaded with them to purchase weaponry for Macedonia's defense. But we received no response just silence. They don't admit it, but we were forced to go to Ukraine and Bulgaria after the NATO countries would not help us.
For the help of these countries, and Ukraine especially, we are eternally grateful. They answered our cry for help on the very day that we asked them. In fact, Ukraine gave us helicopters before we had even paid for them. We do not feel guilty about having such great friends in the east.
NATO Stipulations and Jamie Shea.
BM: But in the end we were not allowed to use most of our new weapons. Last year, NATO told us that the T-72 tanks would not be used, because they could cause greater collateral damage, and we did not want that. These tanks are currently in (the southeastern city of) Strumica, while many of the older T-55 tanks which we did use are still in the former crisis region of the west.
The policy now in regard to weaponry purchases is different. The Republic of Macedonia no longer limits itself to purchasing weaponry from the east for the time being, we do not need heavy artillery, but we do need one more battalion of tanks. So here is a call to the NATO countries of the West give us a good offer, with no preconditions attached!
CD: In May, I reported on Antiwar.com that Jamie Shea told students in Brussels that Macedonian tanks should not be relocated from Strumica. Allegedly, he said, "but how would an ethnic Albanian feel at seeing such tanks in his village?"
BM: Jamie Shea is not popular in our country. He left Macedonia under pressure of the army, because he comments too much on things over which he has absolutely no authority.
I should make it clear that the tanks the Republic of Macedonia owns are not just for the defense of (ethnic) Macedonians. They are for all the citizens of the republic for the Albanians, Serbs, Roma, Vlachs and the rest. We will use them to defend equally all of our citizens from external and internal threats. Remember, last year's crisis was largely an "import" from Kosovo Albanians. It did not start with our citizens.
We have already been organizing informative meetings with all of the citizens of the crisis region, to discuss our policies and our presence. And since there are a lower percentage of Albanians in the ARM, we are taking measures to increase their numbers.
On the Lack of Albanians in the Army.
CD: That is a laudable goal. Yet the entire July class of Albanian inductees deserted. In light of this, do you realistically expect that the Albanians will ever want to join?
BM: We must distinguish here between recruits and professional soldiers. Yes, there is a great problem with a lack of Albanians in the former. They are the ones who you may have read about in July, who chose not to fulfill their obligations.
If they decide not to answer their national duty for serving the country, there are appropriate punishments by law we have sent a clear message that this is a problem to be worked on.
But in the latter (the professional cadre), Albanians are better represented and even at the highest levels of the ARM's command structure. The third-ranking general is an Albanian, for example. And we have full reason to trust their loyalty to the Republic of Macedonia. Indeed, we had an Albanian sergeant who was killed defending the country in Tetovo.
A few months ago, we counted only 3.5 percent of professional soldiers as being Albanian. We are working on it. We have organized several training courses for them including the reservists. Albanians officially make up 23 percent of the republic's population. Therefore, we would like to represent this percentage proportionally in the make-up of the ARM. We hope to have increased the number of Albanian soldiers significantly by the end of the year, and to reach the full 23 percent by the end of 2005.
It is important to note that we were not ordered to do this. It was our initiative, not NATO's.
On Macedonia's Continuing Instability and the Likelihood of New Violence.
CD: Tell us something about the current security situation in the west of Macedonia. As the September 15th elections near, there seems to be a renewal of violence. And then there is the issue of the so-called "Army of the Republic of Illirida." What can you tell us?
BM: As for the former crisis region, we know that it has largely been stabilized but not yet completely. A lot of weapons still remain, but there are not large-scale direct attacks. Today, the Republic of Macedonia is hopefully near the end of the problems meaning we should concentrate on eliminating these smaller (Albanian) groups who are threatening the peace.
CD: Yet there have been several attacks on border installations, barracks, and the murder of two policemen in Gostivar recently. It would seem that Macedonia is not yet out of the woods. Any comments?
BM: I believe that these are not well-organized attacks, but more sporadic and individual the problem is that these terrorists we have now are connected with those in Kosovo.
CD: Do you have any new evidence about who is organizing these people?
BM: Well, (KFOR) is starting to do a better job of arresting instigators before they act, and so we have a good idea about Kosovo. But there is also the case of Albania itself. We are receiving new intelligence from our sources in Prizren (in Kosovo) that UCK terrorist training camps are currently operating in the inaccessible parts of Central Albania.
CD: Can you tell us specifically where?
BM: (Chuckling) Sorry, no.
On the Likelihood of a Future War.
CD: Given these continuing disruptive elements, do you think there is a possibility of a new war in Macedonia's future?
BM: No, I don't think so. We have reason to be optimistic. Especially what encourages us is that these terrorist groups have very little support from the local population. The average Albanian civilian has realized that this fighting leads nowhere they are as fed up with war as we are. The Albanians here also know that it is high time to commit to a peaceful life. In fact, members of both the Macedonian and Albanian populations (in the crisis region) have been asking for the army's help in taking out these gangs.
A future war is not possible for three reasons. First, as I said, the local population does not want it. Second of all, the ARM is well-trained and well-equipped now. Also, we have improved cooperation with KFOR in Kosovo and NATO here. There is a better exchange of information, and as we can see, they are starting to be more proactive in making arrests.
Yesterday, I sent a message out to the terrorists that the ARM is ready and able, and closely following the situation and that I would not recommend for anyone to challenge it.
The $64 Million Question: Would NATO Allow Macedonia to Defend Itself?
CD: But, in the possibility of war, would NATO allow it? We saw last year how the internationals constantly pressured Macedonia for a "restrained response" whenever the country was threatened. Would it be any different the next time around?
BM: Last year during the crisis, we did not have the Framework Agreement, meaning that the terrorists could act with impunity, and cover their actions with grand speeches about "fighting for human rights." Whether or not you agree with that argument, it is clear that such rhetoric is impossible to justify a future war the Framework Agreement covered all of their demands. Many Macedonians thought the Agreement was a disaster for us, but there is one indisputably good thing to come from it: a red line has now been drawn. Because they got their demands, any future terrorists cannot cross it. If they decide to cross that red line, the ARM will be forced to act.
We have explained to NATO that it is a constitutional right of Macedonia like every other country to defend its sovereignty. No one has the right to prevent us from exercising this right.
Now, NATO has accepted this. Regardless of whether or not another war could occur, NATO knows that we will act if the country's survival is at stake. If the terrorists attack with 100 people, we will have 200. If they fire 20 mortars, we will retaliate with more. There is no chance they would gain any territory or anything else from a new war.
On Yugoslav Cooperation and Border Headaches.
CD: Is the ARM currently doing any exercises or planning with the Yugoslav army?
BM: At present, we are having no joint exercises with the JNA. And this because there are no large, cross-border violations that would warrant such exercises. But we do have great cooperation in military intelligence, because of the sometimes unstable border situation.
CD: Any word on the situation in Presevo? Some predicted that a new flare-up of violence would soon be occurring there.
BM: There is no information to speak of regarding Presevo. It is relatively quiet now.
However, regarding Albania, I can tell you that the border is still unsecured. From the Macedonian side, we make our best efforts to police the border, and I believe we are generally successful. However, the security forces of the Republic of Albania have failed to secure their side of the border. It is a big problem.
CD: Do you think that the war last year would have happened, had the Yugoslav army still been operating in Kosovo?
BM: During 2001, KFOR did not secure the border as it should have. Article 9 of the Kumanovo Agreement, which ended the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, deals with this subject. According to it, KFOR had the obligation to vigilantly guard our border with Kosovo. But they claimed that they were not responsible for it, because they took a different interpretation of Article 9, and therefore did not act as strongly as they could have.
It is interesting to note that the height of the illegal weapon trade was during that period, 1999-2001. Now, however, the situation has changed. But getting back to your question, if the Yugoslav army had been in Kosovo, I believe that the illegal trade of weapons would have been much more contained. It is clear that the war of 2001 was an imported crisis, from ex-members of the UCK and KPC (Kosovo Protection Corps). So the blame must fall on KFOR as well.
On the Upcoming Elections and the Future of the ARM.
CD: What effect will the upcoming elections have on the command structure and makeup of the ARM?
BM: The commander in chief of the ARM is the president Boris Trajkovski. The ranking of the army comes from him. Since these elections are for the parliament members, not for the president, the government has little effect except for in who will be appointed minister of defense.
Still, however, the minister does not command the president does, along with the chief of the general staff.
But also, you should know that the ARM budget comes from the ministry of finance. So whoever is appointed finance minister will have the power to decide how much money to give us. If he decides not to respect what has been agreed, there could be some detrimental changes but in general, we do not expect great changes within the army command structure. We are separate from the political structures, and therefore enjoy support from all of them.
CD: What do you see for the future of Macedonia?
BM: Macedonia has survived for centuries, throughout all kinds of occupations and against all odds, and it will continue to survive in the future. This is not only my opinion, but the opinion of all who love this country. PRIME MINISTER-MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT-MEETING.
BTA
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Meets Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski.
Sofia, September 5 (BTA) - Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha received Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski in his home, the Vrana Residence. The Macedonian state leader was returning from the Johannesburg Summit via Sofia and travelled by President Georgi Purvanov's plane.
Trajkovski and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha discussed the development of bilateral relations and possible ways to invigorate them, the Government Information and PR Directorate said.
The conversation focused on the importance to both countries of the construction of Corridor VIII. They stressed the importance of the Stability Pact to the region.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha emphasized that he sets great store by the good neighbourly relations and cooperation between Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Trajkovski talked about his impressions of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Later on Trajkovski left for Skopje.
JOHANNESBURG-ASSESSMENT.
BTA
Georgi Purvanov Calls Johannesburg Summit, Bulgarian participation "Successful"
Sofia, September 5 (BTA) - President Georgi Purvanov called the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development successful.
Returning to Sofia on Thursday, Purvanov stressed that the Bulgarian delegation always stood up for and participated in the formulation of the European position at the forum, including the meeting of the EU presidency with the applicant countries, which he attended.
Contrary to expectations and despite the escalation of tension, the forum managed to adopt a political declaration which largely reflects the participants' disparate claims, and to approve a plan, mechanisms and control of the implementation of the principles enshrined in the declaration, Purvanov told the press.
The President highlighted the importance for Bulgaria of the participation in the Francophone meeting, the meeting of the representatives of the Carpathian and the Danubian countries, and the meeting on sustainable development in local government jointly organized with Turkey.
The delegation held dozens of informal meetings. In addition to his officially scheduled meetings, Purvanov exchanged views with all presidents of Central and East European countries participating in the forum. "We also had contacts with countries with which, unfortunately, Sofia has not been in regular dialogue in the last ten years and our relations, economic relations included, have lost impetus," Purvanov said. He sought marked economization of foreign policy in his conversations with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Venezuela.
There are investment opportunities in construction in Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and Nigeria have joint ventures, and Venezuela offers opportunities for cooperation in the manufacture of farming machinery, Purvanov said.
Purvanov thanked the representatives of central and local government on the delegation for their good work at the forum and during the meetings. He recalled that following his media statement, politicians urged him to take his share of responsibility to the government. Defending the common Bulgarian position in Johannesburg with specific proposals was precisely such a fulfilment of his responsibility, he said.
PRESIDENT-COPENHAGEN EUROPEAN COUNCIL-STATEMENT.
BTA
Purvanov: Bulgaria Insists on Getting Clear Schedule from Copenhagen European Council.
Sofia, September 5 (BTA) - Before the Copenhagen European Council, Bulgaria has the same level of preparedness for EU membership as the ten applicant countries had before the Laeken European Council, President Georgi Purvanov said on his return from Johannesburg on Thursday.
Purvanov discussed Bulgaria's bid for EU membership with European Commission President Romano Prodi while in South Africa. The Bulgarian President expressed surprise at the position, or rather the lack of sufficient clarity in the EU's and the Commission's views on Bulgaria's future.
"We want Bulgaria to be assessed on the strength of its own contribution and readiness for EU membership; each country should have its own roadmap, its own schedule and time frame," Purvanov said. He stressed that Bulgaria adopted and was implementing a programme to accelerate negotiations, which was described as unique progress by Commissioner Guenter Verheugen.
Bulgaria insists that it should get a clear schedule in Copenhagen, and that the same approach and principles should be applied as in Laeken, the President said. If there are no double standards, Bulgaria should be given an accession date.
Otherwise the result may be demotivation of those directly involved in preparing Bulgaria on the chapters of the acquis and of a considerable part of the public. This may serve as a catalyst for Euroscepticism. Purvanov believes in the positive spirit of the Copenhagen decisions.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS-PROTESTS.
BTA
Agricultural Producers Demand Higher Purchase Prices, Agriculture Minister Says He Will Not Yield to Pressure.
Sofia, September 5 (BTA) - Agricultural producers protested in Sofia Thursday demanding higher purchase prices. Agriculture Minister Mehmed Dikme said he will not yield to pressure.
The protesters came out with a declaration stating that purchasers offer them 120 leva/t of wheat while the average production costs for a yield of 3,000 kg/ha exceed 145-150 leva.
The purchase prices of milk, vegetables, grapes and fruit in general are also humiliatingly low," the Declaration says. The protesters demand urgent legislative amendments and import and export regulations defending the interests of Bulgarian agricultural producers. They insist on the adoption of mechanisms for monitoring, controlling and regulating the correlation between purchase prices and production costs, guaranteed foreign markets and encouragement of farm produce exports. The protestors also demand a special law rescheduling agricultural producers' debts to the State, the building of an efficient system for credits and subsidies and liberalization of the requirements of the Agriculture State Fund for funding registered agricultural producers.
The protestors also demand that the State purchase wheat for the state contingency reserve in September at 200-250 leva for wheat of breed improving quality and 170-175 leva/t for bread wheat before VAT.
Agriculture Minister Mehmed Dikme said the Government will not yield to the pressure of agricultural producers. "It is not possible to set minimum purchase prices because this country is in a currency board arrangement and this contradicts market principles," Dikme said.
According to Dikme, this is the first time in 12 years that the Government responds to protests with concrete measures. According to him, producers are raising additional demands. After the Government decided to purchase 200,000 tonnes of grain, producers started demanding that the amount be increased to 500,000 tonnes. The purchase price of wheat for the state contingency reserve was set at 160 leva/t. According to the Agriculture Minister, at this price producers will make a small profit. After a decision was reached on their demands, producers started coming out with declarations demanding purchase prices of 200 and even 300 leva/t, Dikme said. He described these demands as absurd and instigated by sectoral organizations.
Dikme recalled that the Government recently introduced protective customs duty on imported vegetables to protect Bulgarian producers.
Dikme stated categorically that this year the State will subsidize and purchase grain only from registered producers. The Agriculture Ministry puts an end to the practice of receiving subsidies and loans upon presentation of fictitious invoices which are later invalidated, he said.
In a year the Government has extended more funds for encouraging agricultural producers than any other cabinet throughout its whole term since 1990, the Agriculture Minister said.
A total of 67.6 million leva have been allocated for autumn sowing. This year most of the funds will go for seeds and fertilizers. The state subsidy will cover 40 per cent of the costs for seeds.
Funds have also been allocated for putting 500,000 ha under wheat and 2,500 ha under wheat for seed production.
Ignat Ganev, representative of the protestors, said after meeting National Assembly Chairman Ognyan Gerdjikov that the latter had assured them there will be a firm price for wheat meeting the standards.
The Government has not done enough for Bulgarian agriculture, the measures it has undertaken are partial and of a temporary nature, Georgi Bozhinov of the Coalition for Bulgaria parliamentary group said.
According to the left-wing, the Government is not to blame for the depth and scope of the crisis in agriculture but it is expected to pursue a much more active and large-scale long-term policy in agriculture and to respond promptly to its needs. The discontent of agricultural producers and today's protests are the result of problems which the Government neglected or failed to see, Bozhinov said.
The responsibility for the present crisis lies entirely with the ruling Simeon II National Movement and its coalition partner - the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), former agriculture minister Ventsislav Vurbanov told journalists Thursday. According to him, the protests are the result of the "incumbents' ignorant carelessness in their attitude to agriculture." It is inadmissible for grain to be sold below its production cost and for an Agriculture Minister to announce in the presence of large grain exporters that the quality of Bulgarian wheat is poor and therefore it cannot fetch a good price, Vurbanov also said. According to the former agriculture minister, the crisis in farming will deepen and some producers will go bankrupt. He described allegations that 200,000 ha more have been put under wheat this year as a lie and reports of record high yields as not corresponding to the truth.
BULGARIA - EU.
BTA
Bulgaria Seeks National Quota for Steel Export.
Brussels, September 5 (BTA) - Bulgaria will be negotiating a national quota for duty-free export of steel to the European Union, said Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Nikolay Vassilev, quoted by the Ministry of Economy in a press release. At present Bulgaria has part of the common quota of the countries exporting steel to the EU. The exact amount of the national quota will be clear by September 28. As from that date, the EU will introduce permanent protective measures against steel imports. Overall, a little over 3 million t of steel will be admitted into the EU market duty-free until the end of 2005.
Vassilev is visiting Brussels for consultations on the preparation of the Regular Report from the European Commission on Bulgaria's Progress towards Accession. On Thursday he conferred with EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and thanked him for lobbying the International Monetary Fund which has thus agreed to allow Bulgaria to postpone a reduction of its customs duties on goods imported from most favoured nation countries. Initially, the IMF insisted on a 11 to 6 per cent drop of protective duties by 2007.
"Bulgaria will continue to be the top achiever in terms of conclusion of trade agreements in the Balkans," Vassilev stressed. He recalled that Bulgaria is to conclude a trade agreement with Yugoslavia within three months, and agreements with Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be signed in early 2003.
At the talks, the sides expressed satisfaction with Bulgaria's active role in the World Trade Organization. "In 2002 my country was one of the few with an active policy in this sphere. Bulgarian yoghurt, white cheese and dry sausages were protected in this way. In this activity, Bulgaria enjoys the support of most EU Member States," Vassilev said.
Later in the afternoon, the Deputy PM will confer with Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pedro Sobles Mira. They will discuss Bulgaria's progress in meeting the economic membership criteria.
SERB TV-FILM.
BTA
Shoumen, September 5 (BTA) - A TV crew of Serbian State Television is shooting a film about the region of Shoumen (Northeastern Bulgaria) which will be aired on Channel 2 and 3 of Serbian State Television, the Shoumen town hall said in a press release.
The TV film is being made with the assistance of Bulgarian Ambassador in Belgrade Yani Milchakov and the Economic Counsellor of the Bulgarian Embassy, Plamen Mateev.
The idea for shooting a film about Bulgaria, focusing on the tourist industry, the food industry and the cultural and historical heritage of the Shoumen region, belongs to Plamen Mateev and journalist Svetlana Zrilic who is host of the popular "Ove e Serbia" (This is Serbia) show on RTS-1.
The first ten-minute report on the stay of the crew in Bulgaria will be aired on Saturday. The film itself will be about two hours long, the TV crew said.
The film will show the Shoumensko Pivo brewery recently purchased by Carlsberg giant, the Shoumen branch of Domaine Boyar and the Kabiyuk stud farm as well as historical monuments such as the Madara Horseman and the Monument to the Founders of the Bulgarian State.
It Is Natural to Come Back to Bulgaria.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Stoyan Ganev
Velislava Krasteva
I do not communicate with MPs, I receive information about Bulgaria from Internet, says the former Chef de Cabinet of the PM.
After keeping silence for five months Stoyan Ganev spoke out. Ganev returned to Bulgaria on April 27, 2001 at the personal request of the PM. On August 21, 2001 he was appointed as the Chef de Cabinet. Surprisingly, several months later Ganev was fired. He resides in New York. He was the Foreign Minister in the first UDF cabinet, led by Filip Dimitrov.
- Mr Ganev, are you still working for Bulgaria?
- It is something natural to work for my own country.
- In what way do you get yourself informed about what is going on in this country?
- The way everybody does while being away. For example, I read your newspaper "Standartnews" on the Internet.
- Then, you are familiarized with the rumours about cabinet reshuffles?
- As for these unnecessary questions about personnel changes in the cabinet, I want to say that the prime-minister should be left alone . He knows what he is doing. And I do wish him to achieve the things he is willing to.
- Do you communicate with MPs?
- No, I don't.
(Ab)
Illusions of Truth and Justice.
Antiwar
Nebojsa Malic
The Hague Inquisitions Factory of Lies.
After a month-long hiatus, Slobodan Milosevics show trial before the Hague Inquisition reopened last week. As expected, no one looked back on the prosecutions fiasco just before the recess, when their star witness turned around and exonerated Milosevic. Rade Markovic, former head of Serbian State Security, also accused the new Belgrade authorities of abuse and suborning perjury.
But there was no talk of forced testimonies when the "trial" resumed. Markovic was disappeared down the memory hole, and no one in officialdom seems concerned about his fate. Yet that would be a legitimate concern, given the propensity of Inquisitions prisoners to end up dead or worse.
Having failed to bully Markovic into fingering his former president, the Inquisition finds itself running both out of time and out of lies. With only a week or so remaining for the Kosovo stage of the process, they have opted to recycle old, debunked accusations in a last-ditch effort to sling enough mud so some of it would stick.
The Impossible Prison Massacre.
Much of last weeks proceedings revolved around the allegation, brought forward by two KLA members, that Serbian police massacred the inmates of Dubrava prison near Istok, just after NATO bombed the penitentiary. The media had a field day with this. Not only did they describe Musa Krasniqi, the first KLA witness, as a "physics teacher" and buried the references to his KLA membership elsewhere in their dispatches, they also presented his allegations as factual. Similar treatment was given the other witness, Gani Beqaj, though his peacetime profession was never mentioned. Perhaps it lacked that "instant credibility" of teaching physics
According to Krasniqi and Beqaj, the prisoners were rounded up in the courtyard, then machine-gunned. Those who escaped (how?) were hunted down with hand grenades for two days. Yet both of them, and many other prisoners, stayed alive and unharmed. They were later transferred to other prisons and "told to say all prisoners were killed by NATO."
One can be forgiven for thinking this story somewhat less than plausible, and its obvious as to why. Even the dumbest criminal out there would never tell his intended victims they were about to be killed as part of a frame-up, then leave many of them alive and unharmed. And Milosevic is accused of being a criminal mastermind who "covered up his crimes" so well that the Inquisition cant find any evidence of it!
Wisdom of the BBC.
The triumphant Inquisitors next referred to a Human Rights Watch report about the incident. The report was, naturally, based on interviews with "NATO and former Dubrava inmates," and not those evil, deceptive Serbs, so it must be true, right?
The highlight of the show was Jackie Rowland of the BBC, who volunteered to testify even as many of her colleagues were protesting the decision to subpoena (Western) journalists against their will. In a passionate recounting of her testimony for the Guardian, Rowland reveals her arrogance and ignorance. She mistook sarcasm for praise, proudly spouted inaccurate "history," and provided the entire sordid affair with a delightfully quotable but utterly meaningless "expert opinion":
"If I look at you now, Mr Milosevic, I can see that you have both your arms. I can see the features on your face. I can see that your body is intact. If however, you were hit by a bomb heaven forbid I think I would be able to tell by looking at your body whether that was the manner of your death."
But neither Milosevic, nor anyone in the Serbian government, ever claimed that each and every prisoner at Dubrava was killed by a direct hit of a NATO bomb. Fewer people are killed by direct bomb hits than by lightning. When a building is bombed, people are killed by debris, shockwave, shrapnel, even airburst. Rowland was making a dumb statement and being snooty about it.
Absent Men and Albanian Songs.
The process continued this week with a witness who claimed only Albanian houses in his town were burned. Behar Haxhiavdija told a sordid tale of arson in his home town, but no one seemed to correct his geography: "Gjakova," the town mentioned in agency reports, is the Albanian name for occupied Djakovica. Language aside, one glaring inconsistency found its way to an AP report of Haxhiavdijas tale:
"Most of the victims were dragged from the basement and shot, but his 5-year-old son was put in a cupboard and burned alive, said a witness who was hiding in a house nearby." [emphasis added]
Was this Haxhiavdija speaking, or another witness? The indefinite article suggests him quoting someone else, i.e. hearsay evidence. If he was present, how did he survive? Such questions are not expected to come up, given the shocking image of a 5-year-old burning in a cupboard.
Another testimony featured a bereaved Lirij Imeraj, who claimed Serb soldiers "singing in Serb-Croat language and Albanian," came to her house in March 1999, and shot her husband and six children. Imeraj and her three children survived and ran off to Montenegro (part of Yugoslavia).
Why would soldiers on a murder spree spare a woman and three children, but kill her husband and the other six? More to it, why would they be singing in Albanian? Milosevic asked the same question, but Imeraj said it was "impossible, not at all possible" that the killers were KLA. She claims the murderers were Serbs, and that she knew them yet she named no names, at least none that appeared in the AP story covering the testimony.
The Incredibly Elusive Fridge Trucks.
Finally, this Tuesday, the prosecutors resurrected the accusation used to abduct Milosevic and send him to The Hague: refrigerator trucks filled with Albanians' bodies.
One Caslav Golubovic, whose position in the Serbian police hierarchy agency reports never properly clarified, said a truck with 30 bodies was pulled out of the Danube river in April 1999 (during the bombing). Golubovic claimed the truck was blown up and the bodies removed under orders from Vlajko Stojiljkovic, Serbias Interior Minister. He also said the orders came to him through General Vlastimir Djordjevic.
There are several problems with Golubovics story. It conveniently blames people who cant be questioned: Djordjevic has disappeared, and Stojiljkovic publicly committed suicide in April. Then there is an exhaustive study by an American scholar, showing that the "refrigerator truck" story was never more than a malicious, unsubstantiated rumor: there has been no evidence to it whatsoever.
But the Inquisition certainly doesnt care. Lack of evidence is by itself evidence of Milosevics criminal mastermind, right? As long as they can find some patsy to say the lines, they dont need no stinkin evidence!
Perhaps one shouldnt be so harsh on Golubovic. Its hard to tell what he actually said, given the agencies habit of printing out-of-context snippets in a sea of drivel. But that doesnt change the fact that the refrigerator truck story is bogus.
Burden of Proof.
In a recent interview with a pro-NATO journalist and a leader of the International Committee to Defend Milosevic (ICDSM), a BBC journalist claimed the war crimes have been "proven." But where is the evidence? All the world has heard so far have been the testimonies of dozens of coached Albanian villagers, KLA leaders and sympathizers, NATO officials, pro-NATO diplomats and journalists, and the Inquisitions own "experts". The "evidence" they produced would have been thrown out of any American court any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Systematic Crimes.
Now no one even remotely sane would dispute that the Yugoslav Succession Wars (1991-95) and the conflict in Kosovo were rife with atrocities. The real question is, were those atrocities systematic?
It is obvious from the Inquisitions indictments that the "international community" (the Empire and its allies) believes that Serb atrocities were systematic, while others were random. Only Serb government leaders, in Bosnia as well as Serbia, stand accused of war crimes. Only Serbs are charged with genocide by definition, a systematic crime. Only Serbs are accused of a "joint criminal enterprise."
Methods employed, or allegedly employed, by Milosevics government or the Bosnian Serbs are routinely deemed genocidal and criminal, but when employed by NATO, there is "no need for investigation." Same with the U.S., Croatians, Bosnian Muslims or the KLA.
This makes sense only if seen through the logic of total war, where the "righteous" can employ any means necessary to defeat the "evil." Naturally, the definition of "righteous" and "evil" depends on who has more bombs and better press coverage.
Monsters Ball.
Of course, the state itself is a criminal institution, using coercion to deprive its residents of their liberty, property and life (when it fights wars, as most states do). So essentially, every head of state is a criminal. From that standpoint, Slobodan Milosevic is clearly guilty of being head of state, and doing what any head of state would do in his place. And those persecuting him are no less guilty, of the same infractions and then some. Yet they claim absolute innocence and the right to judge others, as some sort of über-government.
Milosevics regime at least prosecuted several hundred soldiers and militia who were accused of looting, murder, arson and other atrocities. The world is yet to see any Imperial troops answer for their deeds: not because there werent any for there were, and plenty but because the Empire considers itself above the law. The Hague may be a monsters ball, but the monster is not Milosevic.
A Factory of Lies.
Power needs no justification to act as it wishes, just as its "courts" need no evidence to proclaim guilt. It does need, however, to manufacture consent for its continued survival by creating perceptions of righteousness and legitimacy.
An amazing number of people still misguidedly believe that the Hague Inquisition is a legitimate court, staffed by impartial prosecutors and judges, which seeks to punish perpetrators of war crimes for the sake of peace, justice and individualized guilt.
But as real, not manufactured, evidence shows each day the charade continues, the so-called "court" in the Netherlands is nothing more than Empires vicious factory of lies.
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