Dnevnik
By Emil Zafirovski

 

A group of armed people accompanying the policeman from Tetovo, who had been kidnapped in order to be forced into issuing a counterfeit passport, reportedly killed two and wounded another two of the kidnappers in a showdown that took place near the Tetovo village of Dobroshte, Dnevnik daily writes. Police confirmed the incident, but revealed no details of the showdown. The Interior Ministry neither denied nor confirmed that the policeman working in the passport department of the Tetovo Interior Ministry Branch Office took part in the shootout. There is no information on the wounded either. On-site sources say they disappeared once the gun-battle was over.

 

The incident happened late last night at about 2:30 am on the Tetovo-Jazhince road near the Park restaurant between Dobroshte and Odri. A larger group of heavily armed Albanians were reported to have tried to settle scores with the police officer who three days earlier, after being kidnapped and harassed, refused to issue a passport for an escaped convict that took shelter in Italy.

 

Knowing he was about to be attacked for the second time, the officer found himself a group of armed bodyguards. Automatic rifles, heavy machine-gun, pistols and hand grenades were used in the ensuing fierce showdown.

 

When the shooting started, police sources relate, 17 cars were on the Tetovo-Jazince road in the immediate vicinity of the gun-battle site. Their owners left the cars in panic and took to their heels.

 

According to the Interior Ministry, two Albanians were shot to death and other two were heavily wounded. Kjani Idrizi of Nerashte, born in 1966, got killed on the spot, while Blerim Alili of Nerashte, born in 1968, was fatally wounded and succumbed to his injuries on the way to the Emergency Center in Skopje.

 

Representatives of the Interior Ministry, the First Instance Public Prosecution, the First Instance Court in Tetovo and the Operation Amber Fox made an inquiry on the site. Interior Ministry sources said that, in addition to the shells, 50 unfired bullets and one unexploded bomb were found on the spot.

 

As we have already informed, unknown assailants abducted the police officer three days earlier and took him to Mala Rechica. They tried to force him into issuing a passport to a convict having fled to Italy. They beat and tortured the policeman before letting him go. Finally they even fired a shot past him to show how serious they were.

 

 

 

 

(Makfax) "We have no need to delude and play the role of a handsome and moderate, there is no need to deny or disregard the wish of Albanians to have their own ethnic state, ethnic Albania, called by others the Greater Albania," said Menduh Thaqi, the Deputy Head of Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), while making an address to Democratic Youth of Albanians (DPA) conference, held Wednesday in Tetovo.

 

Skopjes Albanian-language daily Flaka quotes Thaqi as saying the Albanians have been blamed for their aspirations to have three states: Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, however, it seems that they have overlooked the fact that Slavs have a number of states spanning from Russia to Macedonia. Thaqi underlined the need for integration of Albanians into the Western values, European Union and NATO. "The Albanians should be integrated into the EU structures as a nation, not as a hamlet or village by village," Thaqi said.

 

"We are not cynical, we have never been two-faced. We could not agree with our political opponents and their old and newly established ties with Crvenkovski (SDSM Chairman), we could not agree that DPA is running a political marketing when pushing for passage of the law on passports and other issues. It is unacceptable that the godfathers share the view with Crvenkovski and SDSM," Thaqi said. "I reiterate once again that DPA is not very much interested in elections, the elections are of minor priority comparing with the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement," Thaqi said. He gave a message to the "Aga" Branko Crvenkovski (expression used for high official in Turkish Empire) to vote in favor of two-language passport. "Once the law on passports is adopted by the parliament, DPA stands ready for elections the very next day," Thaqi said.

 

[According to Utrinski Vesnik the "passport issue" consists of DPA's request to have two passports for citizens of Macedonia: one in Macedonian, English, and French, and the other in these three languages plus in Albanian. The designation in Albanian would have to be printed on the front page.]

 

Dnevnik - Reality Macedonia
By Ivan Blazhevski
Translated by Natenane

 

The president of National Democratic Party (NDP), Kastriot Hadzhiredzha [alb. Haxhirexha], the first president of the Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP) Nevzat Halili and Gafur Adili, person close to paramilitary organization ANA, are three Albanians from Macedonia who the USA government added to its black list as people who arent allowed entrance in that country because they threaten international stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans, said Wednesday American State Department spokesperson.

 

USAs Department of Treasury "determined that these individuals have been actively involved in sponsoring, funding or directing destabilizing acts of violence in the Western Balkans, including Macedonia

 

This step of American State Department is in concord with American president Bushs decision from 26 June 2001, when many leaders of Albanian paramilitary organizations in Macedonia and in Southern Serbia were included in Washingtons black list. Ali Ahmeti was among the first persons whose assets were frozen and his entrance in USA forbidden. USA will use all the means to isolate those groups and to prevent their financing, says State Departments statement.

 

NDPs president Kastriot Hadzhiredzha said for Dnevnik daily Friday that he never acted towards destabilization of this part of the Balkans and that he doesnt feel guilty regarding Washingtons accusations.

 

"I dont feel like member of any organization of that type. Never in my life have I sponsored destabilization of the region and Macedonia as well. I am president of political party and I have never been against Ohrid Agreement, although we were reserved regarding it," he said. NDPs president claims that he doesnt know who supports ANA and he announced that these days he would seek explanation from Embassy of the United States in Skopje concerning State Departments decision. Former president of Party for Democratic Prosperity Nevzat Halili was unavailable to comment American Governments decision.

 

"All three have provided leadership or material support to armed insurgents in the Western Balkans. These insurgents, especially the so-called Albanian National Army, directly undermine regional stability and pose a threat to U.S. military forces currently deployed in the region," said Wednesday Richard Boucher, State Departments spokesperson.

 

The third person, Gafur Adili, who lives in Swizerland, is known as one of the founders of illegal Albanian revolutionary party, which acts in Western Europe and stands behind the "National Committee for Deliverance and Defense of Albanian lands." People from that committee are directly connected with paramilitary ANA which took the responsibility for several attacks against Macedonian security forces during the last years conflict, including the attack against Macedonian Army convoy at Krivolak in which 10 soldiers died.

 

Three months ago, ANA units, which claim that Ohrid Agreement is void, attacked Ahmetis headquarters at Mala Rechica, and several people died.

 

Sources from Albanian political block in the country consider that Washingtons move could create serious obstacles for announced merge of NDP and Ahmetis party, while others claim that Ahmeti was aware of USA intentions for a long time.

 

"I think that Hadzhiredzha has nothing to do with Ana and I dont see what are the bases for his inclusion in the list," said for Dnevnik daily Agron Budzhaku [Buxhaku], spokesperson of Ahmetis Government. According to him, NDP conversations for merge with Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) continue on the request of Hadzhiredzhas party.

 

"We should take into account this challenge as well," says Budzhaku.

 

Black list of George Bush and EU contains the names of Ali Ahmeti, Musa Dzhaferi [Xhaferi], Gzim Ostreni, Fazli Veliu, Emrush Dzhemajli [Xhemaili], Hisni Shakiri [Shaqiri], Dzhezair Shakiri-Hodzha [Hoxha], as well as people from Kosovo: Shefkjet Musliu, Tahir Dalipi, Gafur Elshani, Sabit Gashi, Skender Habibi, Daut Haradinaj, Ramiz Ladrovichi, Sami Lushtaku, Jonuz Musliu, Rustem Mustava, and other commanders and military leaders of Southern Serbia.

 

 

Minister of Culture Ganka Samoilovska - Cvetanova and Minister of Education and Science Nenad Novkovski, Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia H.H. Stefan, Metropolitan of Polog - Kumanovo Archbishopric Kiril and Chairman of the Committee on Relations with the Religious Communities Gjorgji Naumov attended the promotion.

 

The monograph published both in Macedonian and English language is rich with photographs by Vlaho Brangjolica from five Macedonian monasteries St. Leontie in Vodoca village, St. Bogorodica Eleusa in Veljusa village, St. Naum, St. Jovan Bigorski and St. Joakim Osogovski.

 

Minister Samoilovska - Cvetanova said, "the tourism and the culture-related industries have a key-position in the goals and the priorities of the Macedonian strategy for culture."

 

"Following the positive experience of many European countries, the Culture Ministry has decided for a first time to prepare a promotional material for Macedonia, which will not be used only for tourist promotion, but also for educational purposes," Culture Minister said, adding that "the monograph's approach is both popular and serious in order to present the cultural and spiritual inheritance."

 

Grozdanov said that book included brief history of the monasteries and information about the architecture, paintings, iconostasis and the visual art, adding that many elements from the history of monks' activities were missing.

The second promoter Prior Metodij Zlatanov spoke of the history of the monastery life. He said that the monasteries were not antipodes of the city, and the monk's life "was a way of understanding the life and the world."

 

According to Archbishop H.H. Stefan "the promotion was respond to all those that ask us what the purpose of the monasteries and monkshood was."

 

Metropolitan Kiril presented to Minister Samoilovska - Cvetanova a medallion with the image of St. Kliment, as a sign of gratitude for "the unseen progress in the past three-four years." He emphasized that with her concern "several sacral sanctuaries from the Middle Ages regained their full glory," pointing out the consecration of the cathedral temple St. Sofia and the reconstruction of Plaosnik.

 

 

Bulgarian PM Meets Macedonian President in Riga.

 

Riga, July 5 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski discussed Friday NATO integration and joint infrastructure projects, the Government's Information and PR directorate told BTA.

 

The two conferred within the Summit of NATO applicants of the Vilnius Group in Riga July 5 through 6.

 

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha informed the Macedonian president that Bulgaria believes its stands good chances to be invited for NATO membership at the Prague Summit, adding that the country will persevere in its efforts in the reform.

 

Trajkovski said that Macedonia is happy with Bulgaria's success on the road to NATO integration. He voiced hope that the two countries will continue to work together after the Prague Summit, and that the spirit of solidarity of the Vilnius Group will continue to yield results after the Summit. Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg-Gotha assured him that he shares fully this stand.

 

The infrastructure projects for Corridor VIII and the Sofia-Skopje railway line featured high on the agenda of the talks. The Bulgarian prime minister stressed that there exist a wide range of opportunities for the implementation of joint infrastructure projects.

 

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha told Trajkovski that during the Crans Montana business forum he had discussed a series of proposals for infrastructure projects and ways in which the Stability Pact can be made more efficient.

 

The Bulgarian prime minister and the Macedonian president were unanimous in their assessment of bilateral relations asvery good.

 

Later on Friday, BTA's special correspondent to Riga reported that Saxe-Coburg-Gotha met with US Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns, with whom he discussed Bulgaria's preparation for NATO membership and the reform in the command structure of the Alliance.