From mentor at alb-net.com Fri Mar 8 11:38:18 2002 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 11:38:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: [AMCC-News] Macedonia ex-rebels deny ties to slain ''gunmen'' Message-ID: 1. Macedonia ex-rebels deny ties to slain ''gunmen'' 2. Macedonia: Police in shootout with 'suspected terrorists' "It's not true. The UCK is not waging a religious war. We have been against the war in Macedonia. Our efforts have been aimed at respecting dignity, respecting the human rights of Albanians this was the essence of our struggle." ... The former UCK has rejected any connection with the men. The group's former political commander, Ali Ahmeti, in an interview yesterday with the Kosovo daily "Koha Ditore," said "the shootout had nothing at all to do with the UCK." The Albanian-language daily describes the shootout as "a set-up by Boskovski." ... ''There are some questions that should be answered. Firstly we don't know why those people were there and what they were doing, but we hope that a full investigation will clear things up,'' a senior NATO official in Macedonia said. ### 1 ### http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters03-05-094213.asp?reg=EUROPE Macedonia ex-rebels deny ties to slain ''gunmen'' SKOPJE, March 5 - Former ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia denied on Tuesday allegations that they had links with seven suspected gunmen killed in a police shootout on Saturday. ''This is simply false,'' said Gezim Ostreni, a former general of the guerrilla National Liberation Army (NLA) that led last year's six-month insurgency. ''The NLA is in no way connected to this incident.'' Police said the dead men, killed in a suburb of the capital Skopje, were suspected to be ''mujahideen,'' foreign fighters from Muslim countries planning attacks on government officials and foreign embassies. They also said they found uniforms bearing ethnic Albanian rebel insignia on the scene which they said showed they had been working with the former rebels. ''This is absolutely not true,'' Ostreni said. ''The NLA did not conduct a religious war in Macedonia. On the contrary, the fight and the demands of the Albanians were about freedoms and human rights.'' The origin of the dead men remains a mystery as police have not yet identified the bodies or their nationalities. But police say they are certain they were foreigners and believe perhaps two came from Pakistan. Macedonia's government has said ''mujahideen'' fighters were involved in last year's insurgency, which Ostreni also denied. He added that the NLA ceased to exist on September 27 last year, when its fighters handed in arms to a NATO-led peacekeeping force in return for greater civil rights promised in a Western-brokered peace deal that ended fighting in August. Western officials in Macedonia say they are sceptical of nationalist propaganda and cautious about accepting the police version of Saturday's events. ''There are some questions that should be answered. Firstly we don't know why those people were there and what they were doing, but we hope that a full investigation will clear things up,'' a senior NATO official in Macedonia said. He added that international monitors in the country had not been allowed to see the bodies and that the only information they had regarding the shootout was from the interior ministry. Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. ### 2 ### http://ummahnews.com/viewarticle.php?sid=2955 Macedonia: Police in shootout with 'suspected terrorists' 2002-03-05 20:11:00 Jolyon Naegele for Radio Free Europe - Radio Liberty 5 March 2002 Macedonian police over the weekend shot dead seven men whom they suspect were "terrorists" from Pakistan collaborating with ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia. The official version of events is that a four-man Macedonian police patrol observed the seven getting out of a minivan on a dirt road at Rastanski Lozja in the Black Mountains between Skopje and the Kosovo border. The incident happened at about four o'clock Saturday (2 March) morning. Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski later told reporters the seven men were armed and opened fire after the police warned them to surrender. "This group was eliminated. That means the seven were killed. In all likelihood they were foreigners. The autopsies will show this." The police patrol, which was armed with automatic weapons and Kalashnikov rifles, suffered no injuries in the shooting. Boskovski says the police were aware of the existence of the seven after detaining four other suspected terrorists two Jordanians and two Bosnian Muslims two weeks ago near the U.S. ambassador's residence in Skopje. Boskovski called them "mujahedin." Police say computer diskettes seized with the four were found to have 10,000 pages of documents, some of which police say contained evidence of planning for terrorist attacks in the region. The interior minister says the four had plans for terrorist attacks on foreign embassies in Skopje as well as on senior Macedonian government officials, including Albanians. Boskovski says security has been tightened at the U.S., British, and German embassies. However, judging from comments by U.S. and German diplomats, the Macedonian authorities appear not to be sharing their intelligence with these embassies. Boskovski says on 2 March police found four assault rifles in the minivan, eight hand grenades, a variety of rocket launchers, two rockets, two pistols, a field radio, and several uniforms of the ethnic Albanian insurgent National Liberation Army (UCK). They also say they found documents written in Arabic and a small amount of Turkish currency. Boskovski said based on identification documents found with the group, two of the men were Pakistanis with previous fighting experience in Afghanistan and the Balkans. This is not the first time Boskovski has sought to make a link between Islamic terrorists and the UCK. He did so repeatedly without offering any proof during last year's seven-month armed conflict. Macedonia's chief coroner, Aleksej Duma, says autopsies conducted on the seven failed to identify them conclusively. He said, "They were all young, nobody older than 30, all dark-skinned and circumcised." Some of the dead men are reported to have had traces of gunpowder on their hands. Some local news reports have suggested that at least two of the seven men were Albanians. However, this has been rejected by Macedonia's deputy interior minister, Refet Elmazi, in an interview with RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages (SSAL) Service: "According to the pathologists, they are foreigners, not Albanians." The former UCK has rejected any connection with the men. The group's former political commander, Ali Ahmeti, in an interview yesterday with the Kosovo daily "Koha Ditore," said "the shootout had nothing at all to do with the UCK." The Albanian-language daily describes the shootout as "a set-up by Boskovski." Another UCK commander, who goes by the name of "Sokoli" told Kosovo public television (RTK) that he believes the incident was a "set-up" because "you can see the uniforms were brand-new and somewhat different from the ones former UCK soldiers used to wear." The former UCK's military chief of staff, commander Gezim Ostreni, said in an interview with RFE/RL's SSAL Service today that there are reasons to suspect that this latest incident may even be an attempt by Macedonian nationalists to increase tensions so as to prevent parliament from declaring and implementing an amnesty for former UCK insurgents. He too rejects any sort of Albanian connection to the seven. "I think that claims that some of them are Albanians are false. The National Liberation Army (UCK) has not existed since 26 September (when it formally disbanded itself) after reaching agreements with the Macedonian government, NATO, and others. There is no link between these events [on 2 March] and the UCK." Ostreni says former UCK commanders have no idea who the seven men were and that it is up to the Interior Ministry to say what actually happened. He too rejects suggestions the Albanians are waging a religious war. "It's not true. The UCK is not waging a religious war. We have been against the war in Macedonia. Our efforts have been aimed at respecting dignity, respecting the human rights of Albanians this was the essence of our struggle." It's not clear yet when the authorities will offer a fuller explanation of who the seven were and exactly what happened. Copyright 2001. This news item is distributed via Middle East News Online (MiddleEastWire.com). All rights reserved. May not be redistributed, published or used for broadcast without prior written authorisation from Middle East News Online. Copyright ? ummahnews.com 2001 From mentor at alb-net.com Wed Mar 20 13:11:28 2002 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 13:11:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: [AMCC-News] (1) A Network of Minoprity Rights Organisations established in Macedonia; (2) Finance peace in Macedonia, not corruption; (3) Donors pledge $515 mln aid for Macedonia; (4) Opening of ECMI NGO Resource Centres in Tetovo and Bitola, Macedonia Message-ID: 1. A Network of Minority Rights Organizations established in Macedonia 2. Finance peace in Macedonia, not corruption 3. Donors pledge $515 mln aid for Macedonia 4. Opening of ECMI NGO Resource Centres in Tetovo and Bitola, Macedonia ### (1) ### Betreff: [balkanhr] A Network of Minority Rights Organizations established in Macedonia Datum: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 20:29:16 +0200 Von: "albert" (by way of Greek Helsinki Monitor ) Established the Network of Minority Rights Organizations in Macedonia On the 04-07th of march 2002 in Ohrid, a seminar on "Increasing Knowledge on Minority Rights Standards" was organized by the Association for Democratic Initiatives-ADI in cooperation with the Council of Europe's Secretariat of the FCNM in the framework of the Stability Pact project concerning Minorities Acceptance and Implementation of existing standards with a voluntary contribution of the United Kingdom. After a three days intensive meetings, the 34 participating NGO's from all the regions of the country, representing organizations working in the field of minority rights as well as minority based organizations decided to establish a Network of Minority Rights Organizations in Macedonia. The Network decided upon the activity plan for the following two years and it's long term strategy, while two immediate tasks resulted at the end of the seminar. The appeal of the network to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Skopje to submit the State report on the Implementation of the Provisions of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Macedonia, which report was due to be submitted in 1999 by the Government of Macedonia. The network adopted a strategy for an Advocacy Campaign for Ratifying the Charter on Regional and Minority Languages by the Macedonian Parliament. which was signed by the government of Macedonia 6 years ago, but not yet ratified. The report from he seminar with the list of participants and lecturers will be available at the beginning of April 2002, for any further information, please contact the Association for Democratic Initiatives ADI B. Jovanoski St. 61 1230 Gostivar Macedonia tel: +389 42 22 11 00 fax: +389 42 22 11 02 e-mail: albert at adi.org.mk URL: http://www.adi.org.mk ### (2) ### http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/8357c4d90cd7dd3dc1256b7a004c64c4?OpenDocument Source: International Crisis Group (ICG) Date: 11 Mar 2002 Finance peace in Macedonia, not corruption Skopje/Brussels, 11 March 2002: As EU, U.S. and World Bank officials prepare to meet tomorrow in Brussels at a donors' conference for the Republic of Macedonia, the International Crisis Group urges them to be vigilant on two key issues that threaten the fledgling peace effort: endemic corruption and economic reform. ICG calls for the joint appointment of an anti-corruption adviser to assist the Macedonian government and monitor spending of donor funds. Macedonia's leaders deserve generous support to re-build their country and pay for the costly reforms that were the key to getting Albanian insurgents to lay down arms. However, ICG President Gareth Evans warned: "The target for the aid package is not small, a quarter of a billion dollars, and it should be met. But if donors commit this sum without demanding serious anti-corruption and reform efforts, they will put at risk the investment they have made in peace." Corruption plagues all transition countries, but in Macedonia it threatens the viability of the state. Albanian minority participation in today's government rests on a simple principle: they get one third of the spoils enjoyed by the Macedonian leadership. At the same time both Macedonian and Albanian political leaders flirt cynically with ethnic extremism, deepening communal divisions and corroding the rule of law and public trust in institutions - as they connive at siphoning off national assets. The corruption concerns include reports of kickbacks, customs and licensing rackets, cigarette smuggling and illegal privatisation deals that benefit government insiders. The stories are not - as some politicians claim - simply anecdotes. The Macedonian media is replete with detailed, credible allegations that are privately corroborated by diplomats. The Macedonian leadership is also seeking leniency on important IMF targets. The Prime Minister is reportedly balking at a follow-on IMF credit arrangement that would replace the current, voluntary set of spending criteria. With an election due this year, he seeks more relaxed terms. However delaying reform will only protract economic transition. Where donors need to channel attention is on creating and sustaining jobs for both Macedonians and Albanians, especially in rural areas and regions that were affected by fighting. Applications for emigration by Macedonians have soared, while the unemployment rate for rural Albanians remains alarmingly high. The job base is shrinking as loss-making enterprises close their doors and otherwise profitable private firms lose their credit rating due to bank-perceived "risk". More re-training is needed for laid-off workers, as well as credit incentives for Macedonia's banks to lend to private firms located in these crisis zones. Otherwise, Macedonia risks further ethnic division due to economic circumstances. But these measures will mean little if the international community does not insist that Macedonia tackles corruption. Traditional prescriptions - regulatory reform, conferences, legislation - have had paltry results, as international officials concede. The knowledge that corruption is rampant has eviscerated trust in all levels of government and created cynicism toward "institution building" efforts. Civil society groups like Transparency International show promise, but they depend on a critical mass of citizens who believe their efforts will result in change - something utterly absent in Macedonia. An outside catalyst is needed to demonstrate international seriousness and give ordinary Macedonians confidence that change is possible. ICG therefore recommends that the donors and the Macedonian government jointly ask the European Commission to send an anti-corruption adviser to Macedonia. The adviser's role would be to activate moribund checks against corruption, and stimulate the efforts of government and civil society to develop and implement an anti-corruption strategy. Stonewalling by the authorities should incur the suspension of EU funding. ICG believes that the government could be persuaded to accept such an adviser, if only the international community would insist. ICG also urges donors to fund fully watchdog and oversight mechanisms for the nation's heath fund. Raising the profile and effectiveness of the fight against corruption, and insisting on economic reforms, could reorient politics away from a zero-sum tussle over resources and ethnic rights into a joint struggle against a common opponent. ICG's Macedonia Project Director Edward Joseph said: "Ethnic Macedonians and Albanians alike are fed up with 'the way the game is played' and are eager for the rule of law. But they can't achieve change on their own. As Macedonia seeks generous international support at this donor's conference, now is the ideal time to demand economic reform and serious measures to combat corruption." ### (3) ### http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters03-12-033537.asp?reg=EUROPE Donors pledge $515 mln aid for Macedonia BRUSSELS, March 12 - International donors approved a $515 million aid package for Macedonia on Tuesday, more than double the amount expected, to help it recover from last year's fighting between government forces and ethnic Albanian rebels. The European Commission and the World Bank organized the one-day pledging conference to reward authorities in the tiny ex-Yugoslav republic and ethnic Albanian leaders for respecting a peace deal sealed last August to end seven months of violence. ''This meeting has demonstrated strong and continuing support for Macedonia and gives the country and its people a chance to move forward,'' Reinhard Priebe, a senior official of the EU's executive Commission, told reporters. Monies pledged include $274 million for macroeconomic assistance, support of reconstruction and implementing last August's framework agreement. Donors promised a further $241 million for ''general economic development purposes in 2002,'' the Commission and World Bank said in a joint statement. Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, regarded as one of the hardliners in last year's conflict, welcomed the pledges, which in total would mean every inhabitant of the small land-locked state receiving more than $250 each. LOOKING TO FUTURE ''I am convinced that by virtue of this donors' meeting we will leave behind us political and economic insecurity and turn a new page of economic prosperity and accelerated economic development in our country and the region as a whole,'' he said. The Commission alone contributed 104 million euros and the 15 member states of the European Union a further 103 million euros in total. The World Bank provided $50 million of aid. Some 38 countries and 19 organizations attended the meeting. The aid scheme is to help Macedonia rein in its ballooning budget deficit and huge current account gap, rebuild damaged homes and infrastructure as well as to create institutions needed to maintain a multi-ethnic democracy. Donors stressed the assistance would be conditional on Macedonia implementing last year's peace accord and pushing ahead with economic reforms to create jobs in the private sector and make the state more efficient. Macedonia has already ceded more powers to local government to improve the status of ethnic Albanians, who make up about a third of the country's two million population. Skopje approved an amnesty for the rebels last week in a move hailed by the EU and NATO, which maintains a 700-soldier peacekeeping mission in the country. SCOURGE OF CORRUPTION But many Western politicians and international organizations say there is rampant corruption in Macedonia and strict measures are needed to prevent the aid going into the wrong pockets. ''We will continue to link the delivery of (European) Community assistance to the efficient implementation in good faith of...the peace agreement,'' the Commission's Priebe said. This week, the International Crisis Group (ICG), a respected Brussels-based think-tank, urged the EU to send an anti-corruption adviser to Skopje. ''Corruption plagues all transition countries, but in Macedonia it threatens the viability of the state,'' the ICG said in a statement. ''The corruption concerns include reports of kickbacks, customs and licensing rackets, cigarette smuggling and illegal privatisation deals that benefit government insiders,'' it said. About $165 million of the cash pledged on Tuesday is to help Macedonia reduce its budget deficit, which soared to six percent of gross domestic product last year from a surplus in 2000. The sum is also to be used to lower the current account shortfall, which widened to nearly 11 percent of GDP last year. Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited ### (4) ### Betreff: [balkanhr] [mkakademija] Opening of ECMI NGO Resource Centres in Tetovo and Bitola, Macedonia Datum: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 19:01:00 +0200 Von: office at greekhelsinki.gr Subject: Opening of ECMI NGO Resource Centre Tetovo, Macedonia The ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre opened in Tetovo on Monday 1st March 2002 at 1200 hrs. The Regional Centre is located on Street Ilindenska 97,Tetovo. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of Non-Governmental Sector in Tetovo, Local Government, International NGOs and Inter-Governmental Organizations and Media. Present were also the Chairperson of the Coordinating Body of the ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Macedonia and Members of the Coordinating Body. Mr. Nader Redjepi, Representative of the Tetovo NGOs in the National Coordinating Body of the Network welcomed the guests and introduced the Action Plan of the Tetovo Centre. This was followed by a brief address with an overview of the project by the ECMI Regional Representative Dr. Sunoor Verma. Ms. Suncica Milkovic, Member of the National Coordinating Body of the Network cut the ribbon and declared the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre open. This was followed by cocktail. The Regional Centre has a conference room with a conference table for 20 and 20 chairs, one flip chart board, one bulletin board. The office room has one PC, one laser printer, one fax machine and internet access (telephone connection being activated). Background Information ECMI NGO Network exists to enhance the cooperation of the member NGOs towards the development and improvement of interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among all those living in the Republic of Macedonia. In particular, this NGO Network aims to strengthen the capacities of the participating NGOs to generate joint projects and other initiatives with a strong interethnic dimension and to implement such initiatives (For details please visit the Network Web site www.ecmingonet.org.mk). In the framework of the concept of the ECMI NGO Network for improvement of interethnic relations (Enclosed list of Members) in Macedonia six ECMI Regional NGO Centres will be established and will function in the following cities: Kumanovo, Bitola, Stip, Tetovo, Gostivar and Skopje. These Regional NGO Centres shall serve the aim of improving interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among all communities living in the country. They shall enhance the capacity of member non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subscribing to these aims and facilitate the development and implementation of joint interethnic projects on the basis of locally established priorities. The Regional NGO Centres shall also seek cooperation of local administration, while maintaining full independence in the design and execution of the projects. The Network will also provide a means through which the strong contribution that NGOs can make to the development of civil society in the Republic of Macedonia can be highlighted. This includes joint lobbying for an environment in which NGOs dedicated to the principles of this Network can flourish and effectively deliver their mandates. Sunoor Verma Regional Representative European Centre for Minority Issues Branch Office Skopje Street Dresdenska No. 9, Skopje 1000, Macedonia. Telephone and Fax 00389 2 361 379, 367 688 sunoor at ecmingonet.org.mk www.ecmingonet.org.mk www.ecmi.de Subject: Opening of ECMI NGO Resource Centre in Bitola, Macedonia The ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre opened in Bitola on Thursday 7th March 2002 at 1200 hrs. The Regional Centre is located on Josif Josifovski str. 4/4. (Building- Grozd). The telephone and fax number of the Regional Resource Centre in Bitola is 00 389 47 236 874. The opening ceremony was attended by all members of the Bitola Regional Resource Centre, representatives of Non-Governmental Sector in Bitola, Local Government, Police Authority, University of Bitola, City Library, Social Welfare department, City Hospital, International NGOs and Inter-Governmental Organizations, electronic and print media. Present also were Members of the Coordinating Body of the ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Macedonia. Dr. Dijana Georgievska, Representative of the Bitola NGOs in the National Coordinating Body of the Network welcomed the guests and introduced the Action Plan of the Bitola Centre. This was followed by a brief address with an overview of the project by the ECMI Regional Representative Sunoor Verma. The Mayor of Bitola was represented by his advisor on NGOs Ms. Violeta Nalevska. She assured those present of the full support of the Municipality of Bitola and its Mayor to the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre initiative. Mr. Senat Beqiri, Member of the National Coordinating Body of the Network greeted the Bitola Members on behalf of the National Coordinating Body, then cut the ribbon and declared the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre in Bitola open. This was followed by cocktail. At 1400 Working lunch of the Coordinating Body was held. The dates for the opening of the Gostivar and Shtip Centre were discussed. The two Centers are expected to open between the 15th and 20th March 2002. The Regional Centre has a conference room with a conference table for 20 and 20 chairs, one flip chart board, one bulletin board. There are two office rooms and are furnished with two desks, lockers for members, two PCs (with in-built fax capability), one scanner, one laser printer, and internet access. Background Information on ECMI initiative in Macedonia ECMI NGO Network exists to enhance the cooperation of the member NGOs towards the development and improvement of interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among all those living in the Republic of Macedonia. In particular, this NGO Network aims to strengthen the capacities of the participating NGOs to generate joint projects and other initiatives with a strong interethnic dimension and to implement such initiatives (For details please visit the Network Web site www.ecmingonet.org.mk). In the framework of the concept of the ECMI NGO Network for improvement of interethnic relations (Enclosed list of Members) in Macedonia six ECMI Regional NGO Centres will be established and will function in the following cities: Kumanovo, Bitola, Stip, Tetovo, Gostivar and Skopje. These Regional NGO Centres shall serve the aim of improving interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among all communities living in the country. They shall enhance the capacity of member non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subscribing to these aims and facilitate the development and implementation of joint interethnic projects on the basis of locally established priorities. The Regional NGO Centres shall also seek cooperation of local administration, while maintaining full independence in the design and execution of the projects. The Network will also provide a means through which the strong contribution that NGOs can make to the development of civil society in the Republic of Macedonia can be highlighted. This includes joint lobbying for an environment in which NGOs dedicated to the principles of this Network can flourish and effectively deliver their mandates. Sunoor Verma Regional Representative European Centre for Minority Issues Branch Office Skopje Street Dresdenska No. 9, Skopje 1000, Macedonia. Telephone and Fax 00389 2 361 379, 367 688 sunoor at ecmingonet.org.mk www.ecmingonet.org.mk www.ecmi.de