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OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 198, 11 October 1995

From: "Steve Iatrou" <siatrou@cdsp.neu.edu>

Open Media Research Institute Directory

CONTENTS

  • [1] ALLIES CLOSE IN ON BANJA LUKA.

  • [2] CROATS FIND MASS GRAVE IN KRAJINA.

  • [3] YASUSHI AKASHI RESIGNS.

  • [4] CROATIAN OPPOSITION BLASTS GOVERNMENT TV.

  • [5] SLOVENIAN-ITALIAN COMPROMISE.

  • [6] ROMANIAN NATIONALIST GENERAL DISMISSED FROM ARMY.

  • [7] UPDATE ON ILIESCU CONFLICT WITH EXTREME NATIONALISTS.

  • [8] SZUROS ON HUNGARIAN MINORITY IN ROMANIA.

  • [9] MOLDOVAN STUDENTS TO RESUME STRIKE.

  • [10] HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT IN BULGARIA.

  • [11] EU GIVES ALBANIA $22 MILLION GRANT.

  • [12] GREECE TO LIFT EMBARGO ON MACEDONIA ON WEEKEND.

  • [13] TURKISH PREMIER-DESIGNATE PRESENTS GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.


  • OMRI DAILY DIGEST

    No. 198, Part II, 11 October 1995

    SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [1] ALLIES CLOSE IN ON BANJA LUKA.

    Reuters on 11 October reported that the allied forces of the Bosnian government, the Bosnian Croats, and Croatia have taken two key western Bosnian towns. With the fall of Mrkonjic Grad and Sanski Most, the way again appears open for a thrust toward the Bosnian Serb stronghold of Banja Luka. Novi list quoted the chief of the Bosnian general staff, General Ferid Buljubasic, as praising the effectiveness of the cooperation between the three allies. Meanwhile in Sarajevo, water and power have been or are being restored, as demanded by the government. The Bosnian Serbs on 10 October said they were ready to implement the ceasefire at one minute after midnight on that day or the next but had no authorization to accept the government's offer of implementation on 12 October. Clarification is expected soon. -- Patrick Moore

    [2] CROATS FIND MASS GRAVE IN KRAJINA.

    The BBC on 10 October quoted UN officials as saying they fear that the Serbs in western Bosnia will now panic and flee as they did in Krajina in early August, setting off another mass exodus. Novi list on 11 October cited remarks by UN spokesman Chris Jankowski about his concern that many Muslim and Croatian men in northern Bosnia have been killed by Serbian units under the command of internationally wanted war criminal Zeljko Raznatovic "Arkan." Reuters the previous day said that Croatian officials have unearthed the mass grave of up to 50 elderly Croats, killed by the Serbs in 1991. Two eye-witnesses of the massacre were present at the exhumation in Petrinja. -- Patrick Moore

    [3] YASUSHI AKASHI RESIGNS.

    The latest UN special negotiator for the former Yugoslavia has taken his hat, telling the BBC that he and the UN have been made scapegoats for the intractable nature of the conflict. Akashi will be replaced by another prominent UN official who has dealt with the region, Ghana's Kofi Annan. The Bosnian government welcomed Akashi's departure, telling Reuters on 10 October: "Akashi's replacement can only bring a change for the better, and it could be the beginning of a new phase of better relations between the Bosnian government and the UN. Given Akashi's past record, especially his persistence in equating the victim and aggressor, one can understand why the Bosnian government welcomes this decision." -- Patrick Moore

    [4] CROATIAN OPPOSITION BLASTS GOVERNMENT TV.

    The election coalition of five opposition parties held a press conference on 8 October to protest the decision by Croatian Television (HRTV) to treat them as a coalition, rather than five separate parties. They are now entitled to only one bloc of free air-time. Election Commission President Krunislav Olujic said that since they have not been legally registered as a coalition, the opposition parties have the right to present themselves individually in the electronic media, Slobodna Dalmacija reported on 11 October. The leading opposition Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) also protested HRTV's ban on its video clips, which TV officials called "meaningless," HINA reported on 11 October. The HSLS's clips have also been banned by the company that owns most movie theaters. -- Daria Sito Sucic

    [5] SLOVENIAN-ITALIAN COMPROMISE.

    Slovenian Foreign Minister Zoran Thaler said on Slovenian TV that the contents of a Slovenian-Italian compromise proposal could lead to improved bilateral relations, BETA reported on 10 October. For his part, Thaler remarked that Slovenia was prepared to "return to Italy" some 40 housing units that had belonged to ethnic Italians forced to leave Slovenia in the wake of World War II. He added that a full resolution of all outstanding questions was bound to the issue of the status of Italy's ethnic Slovenian minority. -- Stan Markotich

    [6] ROMANIAN NATIONALIST GENERAL DISMISSED FROM ARMY.

    Paul Cheler, commander of the Fourth Transylvanian Army, has been dismissed and placed on reserve, Romanian media reported on 10-11October. Cheler is well known for his extreme nationalist, particularly anti-Hungarian, views. At a press conference in Cluj on 9 October (which in itself is a breach of the military code), Cheler protested his dismissal and attacked the reforms under way in the Romanian army. His remarks were reminiscent of a letter published last summer by 300 military in the weekly of the extreme nationalist Greater Romania Party. The letter, which some media speculate was inspired by Cheler, was considered to be an instigation to revolt against President Ion Iliescu, whom the signatories accused of undermining the Romanian army. Cheler threatened to sue those responsible for his dismissal for allegedly failing to observe army regulations that generals placed on reserve must be announced six month ahead of their retirement. -- Michael Shafir

    [7] UPDATE ON ILIESCU CONFLICT WITH EXTREME NATIONALISTS.

    Evenimentul zilei on 11 October reported that the Prosecutor-General's office has opened an investigation into articles published in Romania mare and Politica by Corneliu Vadim Tudor, the leader of the Greater Romania Party (PRM). The office is to decide whether to recommend to lift Tudor's parliamentary immunity, making possible his prosecution for having offended President Ion Iliescu. Curierul national reports that Oliviu Gherman, chairman of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania, and Ion Solcanu, a vice chairman of the party, are in favor of ending the alliance with the PRM. -- Michael Shafir

    [8] SZUROS ON HUNGARIAN MINORITY IN ROMANIA.

    Matyas Szuros, Hungary's first post-communist president and currently leader of the Hungarian parliamentary delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Bucharest, said the 2 million ethnic Hungarians are fighting for their survival in Romania, Radio Bucharest reported on 10 October. He noted that Romania's new education law discriminated against ethnic Hungarians and was a step backward in comparison with previous laws. He went on to say that the "historic reconciliation" between Hungary and Romania "is inconceivable as long as there is no reconciliation between the Romanian majority and ethnic Hungarians." Interviewed by Reuters, Szuros spoke of ethnic Hungarians' collective rights and recommended the creation of "enclaves" in eastern Transylvania, where Hungarians form a compact majority. -- Matyas Szabo

    [9] MOLDOVAN STUDENTS TO RESUME STRIKE.

    Moldovan students and teachers are to resume their strike on 18 October to demand the government's dismissal, strike chairman Anatol Petrencu told Infotag on 10 October. The student strike began last spring, with the initial demand to rename the official language from "Moldovan" to Romanian; later, economic and social claims were made. After President Mircea Snegur submitted to the parliament his initiative on renaming the official language, the students suspended their strike. The moratorium on protest actions introduced in the spring cannot continue because the government is ignoring the strikers' economic demands, Petrencu said. -- Matyas Szabo

    [10] HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT IN BULGARIA.

    Arpad Goncz arrived in Sofia on 9 October for an official three-day visit, Bulgarian and Hungarian media reported the following day. "Both Bulgaria and Hungary wish to participate in the post-war reconstruction of the former Yugoslavia," Goncz and his Bulgarian counterpart, Zhelyu Zhelev, said following the first day of talks aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. During discussions on EU membership, Goncz said Hungary would share with Bulgaria its experience in negotiating with European organizations and could assist in Bulgaria's admission to CEFTA and other European organizations. Zhelev said that, instead of competing, the two countries must help each other to achieve integration into European structures. -- Zsofia Szilagyi and Stefan Krause

    [11] EU GIVES ALBANIA $22 MILLION GRANT.

    The European Union has approved 17.5 million ecu ($22 million) grant to Albania as part of the PHARE regional development program. It will be used, among other things, to improve economic and social conditions. Meanwhile, President Sali Berisha said his government has to step up the pace of economic reform to ensure success for the Democratic Party in the spring 1996 parliamentary elections. Reuters the previous day quoted him as praising "great economic changes in Albania, especially the resolution of foreign debt, rises in average salaries, privatization and production." -- Fabian Schmidt

    [12] GREECE TO LIFT EMBARGO ON MACEDONIA ON WEEKEND.

    Greek government spokesman Tylemachos Hytiris has announced that Athens will lift its blockade on Macedonia on 15 October, Reuters reported on 10 October. Talks in Skopje between Greek and Macedonian officials on measures regarding trade and the movement of citizens "are being completed," he said. Greece has sent police officers to Macedonia to help investigate the assassination attempt on Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov. Gligorov's condition, according to Nova Makedonija on 11 October, continues to improve and an operation on his right eye went "according to plan." He remains in intensive care, however. Meanwhile, the country's Security Council issued a statement saying the country is stable and its politics remain on course--under tightened security. -- Stefan Krause

    [13] TURKISH PREMIER-DESIGNATE PRESENTS GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.

    Tansu Ciller on 10 October presented her minority government's program to the parliament, Turkish and international media reported the same day. The five principle aims are a new election law, democratization, the revision of Article 8 of the constitution (which bans separatist propaganda), privatization, and anti-corruption measures. Ciller also wants to conclude Turkey's customs union deal with the EU. She said her government was committed to a comprehensive dialogue with Greece to resolve outstanding problems. Meanwhile, the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is) rejected Ciller's latest pay raise offer and called a rally to coincide with the vote of confidence in the premier- designate on October 15. -- Lowell Bezanis

    This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in Prague, Czech Republic.
    For more information on OMRI publications please write to info@omri.cz

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