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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 95, 96-05-16

Open Media Research Institute: Daily Digest Directory

From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>

Vol. 2, No. 95, 16 May 1996


CONTENTS

[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA

  • [01] UZBEK-IRANIAN RIFT?
  • [02] SITUATION IN NORTH TAJIKISTAN STABILIZES.

  • [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

  • [03] KARADZIC FIRES HIS MODERATE PRIME MINISTER.
  • [04] COAL MINERS STRIKE IN CENTRAL BOSNIA.
  • [05] RUMP YUGOSLAV BANK GOVERNOR OUSTED.
  • [06] WAR CRIMES OFFICE TO OPEN IN BELGRADE.
  • [07] MAGUREANU WILL QUIT IF ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE INVOLVED IN TELEPHONE BUGGING.
  • [08] MOLDOVA SETS DATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
  • [09] ROMANIA-LINKED FASCIST ORGANIZATION IN MOLDOVA.
  • [10] PRIVATIZATION A SUCCESS IN MOLDOVA.
  • [11] BULGARIAN PREMIER GAINS SHOW OF SUPPORT . . .
  • [12] . . . AS GOVERNMENT SELECTS 64 FIRMS FOR CLOSURE.
  • [13] ALBANIAN ELECTION WRAP-UP.
  • [14] ALBANIA, FRANCE SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT.

  • [A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA

    [01] UZBEK-IRANIAN RIFT?

    Uzbek President Islam Karimov's criticism of Iran at the recent Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) meeting in Ashgabat has elicited a response from that country's conservative daily, the Tehran Times, AFP reported on 15 May. At the meeting, Karimov had threatened to withdraw Uzbekistan from the organization if member states continued to "politicize" it, referring to Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's condemnation of the U.S. and Israel. The Tehran paper reponded that "Uzbekistan should think twice before it acts or speaks," and suggested that the country bring its policies into line with those of other ECO states. Uzbekistan has been trying to improve ties with the U.S. and has cordial relations with Israel. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have expressed support for Karimov's criticisms, calling the "politicization trend" in the ECO unacceptable. -- Roger Kangas

    [02] SITUATION IN NORTH TAJIKISTAN STABILIZES.

    Government officials have made several concessions to thousands of demonstrators in the northern Tajik cities of Khojent and Ura-Tyube, Russian and Western sources report. In Khojent, demonstrations continue, even though the head of the Leninabad regional militia has been relieved of his post as a concession to the protesters, and other officials are expected to lose their jobs in the near future. In Ura-Tyube, order has been restored after a demonstration there turned into a riot. The Tajik Interior Ministry now claims that three people were killed--not five as earlier reported--when troops opened fire on the rioters. Meanwhile, the newly appointed UN special envoy to Tajikistan, Dietrich Merrem, met with Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov on 15 May in an attempt to restart the negotiation process between the government and the United Tajik Opposition, ITAR-TASS reported. -- Bruce Pannier

    [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [03] KARADZIC FIRES HIS MODERATE PRIME MINISTER.

    Bosnian Serb leader and indicted war criminal Radovan Karadzic has dismissed Prime Minister Rajko Kasagic, international and local media reported on 15 May. Kasagic was regarded and promoted by the West as a moderate alternative to Bosnian Serb hard-liners. He recently called on Bosnian Serb leaders to respect all aspects of the Dayton peace agreement, which includes the handover of war criminals. Karadzic said Kasagic was discharged for being "not up to his task," AFP reported. The international community immediately slammed Karadzic for sacking his premier, and NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said the decision was "null and void," adding that he will nevertheless meet with Kasagic in Banja Luka on 16 May as planned. -- Daria Sito Sucic

    [04] COAL MINERS STRIKE IN CENTRAL BOSNIA.

    Thousands of coal miners in the central Bosnian town Kakanj on 14 May went on strike over pay and working conditions, international and local media reported. Management urged them to return to work the next day after their union leaders met with the federal Energy Minister Enver Kreso and agreed to raise salaries. The government promised a 60% salary raise for both April and May, increasing the average salary from 80 German marks ($52) to about 300 marks per month, Oslobodjenje reported on 16 May. The mine is the Kakanj thermal power plant's main coal supplier, but the miners claim the plant has never paid for the coal. Some 6,000 demobilized soldiers are miners in central Bosnia. More problems are expected in this sector. -- Daria Sito Sucic

    [05] RUMP YUGOSLAV BANK GOVERNOR OUSTED.

    Rump Yugoslavia's federal legislature on 15 May dismissed Dragoslav Avramovic as National Bank Governor, Nasa Borba reported on 16 May. Avramovic, who had in recent weeks publicly run afoul of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party of Serbia, left the legislature "teary-eyed" following the decision. Avramovic, who in January 1994 was credited with halting the country's hyperinflation by introducing the so-called "super-dinar" valued at an exchange rate of 1:1 with the German mark, came to openly resist Belgrade's calls for a return to polices that likely would have resulted in renewed inflation. Already on 15 May, Nasa Borba's coverage of the rift between Avramovic and the authorities hinted that Avramovic had reconciled himself to the inevitable, quoting him as saying "if the legislature relieves me of my duties, I'll just take my hat and go." -- Stan Markotich

    [06] WAR CRIMES OFFICE TO OPEN IN BELGRADE.

    The rump Yugoslav government on 15 May announced officially that an office representing the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia will be opened in Belgrade, AFP reported that same day. While details on the office's opening still must be approved by both Belgrade and the Tribunal, Belgrade is on record as saying the office "will be able to receive anyone who wishes to make a declaration relating to war crimes" and that its chief officer will have diplomatic immunity. Rump Yugoslavia's "slowness" in cooperating with the Tribunal compelled Tribunal President Antonio Cassese as recently as last month to call for the re-implementation of sanctions against the country, AFP added. -- Stan Markotich

    [07] MAGUREANU WILL QUIT IF ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE INVOLVED IN TELEPHONE BUGGING.

    Virgil Magureanu, director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), told journalists on 15 May that he will resign if the involvement of the SRI in the telephone-bugging scandal is proved by the investigation now underway, Romanian media reported on 15-16 May. He said he would be "the one to blame" in this case, since telephone tapping requires his personal approval. One day earlier, however, SRI spokesman Nicolae Ulieru said the tapping had been legal, which seems to contradict Magureanu's assertion. Magureanu also said that the SRI captain who had revealed the existence of the tapes had been dismissed from the service. -- Michael Shafir

    [08] MOLDOVA SETS DATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

    The Moldovan parliament on 15 May decided that the presidential elections will be held on 17 November, Moldovan agencies reported. According to the draft election law, the Constitutional Court will have to confirm the results of the elections on the last Saturday of November, or third Saturday of December if a second round of voting is needed on 1 December. The parliament also decided that presidential candidates must be Moldovan citizens not younger than 35, who speak the "Moldovan language" and have lived in Moldova no less than 10 years. The president will be elected for a four-year term and cannot hold office for more than two terms. President Mircea Snegur's term expires on 15 January 1997. His most likely challengers are Parliament Speaker Petru Lucinschi and Prime Minister Andrei Sangheli. -- Matyas Szabo

    [09] ROMANIA-LINKED FASCIST ORGANIZATION IN MOLDOVA.

    The Moldovan National Security Ministry has taken unspecified measures against "a fascist group which intended to stage extremist actions," BASA-press reported on 15 May. Reference was made to a "nest" of the fascist Legionary movement, better known as the Iron Guard. In interwar Romania, the "nests" were the fascist organization's basic cells and the one active in Chisinau is called "The Captain" after the Legion's leader, Corneliu Zelea Codreanu. In his 1995 report to the Romanian parliament, SRI Director Virgil Magureanu mentioned the "nest" in Chisinau and other cells set up in Romania by Serban Suru, a high school teacher involved in attempts to rehabilitate the Legion. The Moldovan report links the "nest" in Chisinau to the Moldovan Student League, which was active in organizing last year's student strike. The league is also known to have ties with the Movement for Romania, another extremist Romanian organization modeled after the Legion. -- Michael Shafir

    [10] PRIVATIZATION A SUCCESS IN MOLDOVA.

    Ceslau Ciobanu, the Moldovan Minister of Privatization, said at a conference in Prague that "we lost three years in political debate" over how to implement the privatization law adopted in July 1991. However, a Czech-style scheme was eventually selected, and "national patrimony" bonds issued, which 3.1 million citizens have used to buy shares or their apartments. Beginning in July 1994, 1,200 companies were sold in 15 auctions, with assets worth 10 billion lei ($2.5 billion), about one-third of the state's former property. The private sector now generates some 60% of the GDP, and 14,000 private farms have been established. -- Peter Rutland

    [11] BULGARIAN PREMIER GAINS SHOW OF SUPPORT . . .

    Bulgaria's severe financial crisis has forced the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) to show unity and demonstrate support for Zhan Videnov, premier and BSP party leader, Reuters reported on 15 May. Kontinent had published a report saying that factions within the BSP were working to remove Videnov from his party and government posts for his low competence and ineffectiveness as a manager, which Videnov later said was false. Even some of Videnov's open critics are now demonstrating support for him. Independent trade union leader Konstantin Trenchev, for instance, told Trud on 15 May that Videnov is rightly seen as a "guarantee of reform." -- Stan Markotich

    [12] . . . AS GOVERNMENT SELECTS 64 FIRMS FOR CLOSURE.

    In a bid to satisfy conditions laid down by the IMF for receiving new credits, the Bulgarian government on 15 May produced a list of 64 enterprises slated for liquidation, Bulgarian and international media reported. The list perplexed trade union officials and enterprise managers, who noted that some of the firms were profitable and that others had already been privatized, leading them to suspect that the closures would enrich businessmen close to the ruling Socialists. Another 70 companies are to be cut off from state-owned bank loans and given one year to devise restructuring plans. An official of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions noted that the list was compiled without consulting the unions, 25,383 jobs would be lost, and no provision was made for settlement of wage arrears going back as far as 1993. -- Michael Wyzan

    [13] ALBANIAN ELECTION WRAP-UP.

    A car taking Democratic Alliance leader Neritan Ceka to a public party meeting in Divjake was stopped on 15 May by Democratic Party supporters near Rrogozhine. They forced the car open, searched it while threatening violence, and stole a camera and party posters, Koha Jone reported. Meanwhile, the electoral commission announced that about 400 election observers--including 33 OSCE monitors, 35 EU monitors, and over 100 observers from various European leftist parties--will oversee the ballot on 26 May as requested by the Socialists, Reuters reported on 15 May. -- Fabian Schmidt

    [14] ALBANIA, FRANCE SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT.

    Albanian Defense Minister Safet Zhulali and his French counterpart, Charles Millon, signed a military cooperation agreement on 14 May at the end of Zhulali's three-day visit to Paris. The agreement calls for training Albanian soldiers in France, exchange programs, joint maneuvers, and French equipment supplies to Albania. France is one of the last major European powers to sign military agreements with Albania, but Millon attributed this to internal developments in France, ATSH reported. Millon praised Albania's careful policy towards the Yugoslav war and the Kosovo conflict. He added that France supports autonomy for Kosovo. -- Fabian Schmidt

    Compiled by Victor Gomez and Deborah Michaels
    News and information as of 1200 CET


    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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