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Enter content here A Gypsy woman passes by police patrol in Stolipinovo suburb in the town of Plovdiv, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Sofia on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002. Police in Bulgaria's second largest city stepped up patrols in Gypsy slums on Wednesday after people rioted for a second consecutive night over the cutoff of their electricity supply. (AP Photo/Dimitar Kyosemarliev)
Gypsy boys look through the broken window of a food-store in Stolipinovo suburb in the town of Plovdiv, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Sofia on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002. Police in Bulgaria's second largest city stepped up patrols in Gypsy slums on Wednesday after people rioted for a second consecutive night over the cutoff of their electricity supply. In a riot late Monday a crowd broke into and looted two stores, smashed buses and cars and putup roadblocks of garbage cans. (AP Photo/Dimitar Kyosemarliev)
UNMIK DOES NOT RECOGNIZE MACEDONIAN BORDER WITH KOSOVO.
MILS NEWSSkopje
UN Administration on Kosovo - UNMIK does not recognize the agreement closed between the governments of Macedonia and FRY concerning the description and demarcation of the border line , until the status of the province has been finally resolved, said UNMIK Spokesman Andrea Angeli referring to UN Resolution 1244 from June 10, 1999. As clearly stated in this Resolution, Kosovo territory cannot be governed by any state including FRY until UN Security Council finally resolves the status of this province", writes "Utrinski Vesnik". "Once UNMIK has finished its mandate in Kosovo and the status of this province has been resolved, Skopje and Belgrade can resolve their issues as they please. In the meantime, they need an approval from UN Security Council . So far , we have not received any official notification from the Security Council concerning the demarcation line agreement , hence UNMIK will continue its activities in Kosovo based on the UN Resolution 1244. Authorities in Skopje should stay out from the area and refrain from entering areas mentioned in the agreement", said Andzeli adding that this refers only to small part of the area ( several hundred meters of Kosovo have remained on Macedonian territory).
This stance , according to "Utrinski Vesnik" follows a recent statement of a US KFOR General Kate Huber, who said that if necessary his soldiers would enter Macedonian territory in order to allow Kosovo villagers to cultivate their fields there. This statement came after villagers complained to KFOR that Macedonian security forces would not allow them to cultivate their fields on Macedonian territory. In regards to this issue, Macedonian Army Spokesman Colonel Blagoja Markovski said that Macedonia can be entered only via legal border crossings. Until inter-state agreements have been signed for regulation of border regime , all other attempts for crossing the state border will be considered illegal.
Macedonian Ambassador to UN Srgan Kerim said this is probably case of rough interpretation of the border line agreement between Skopje and Belgrade. "This agreement has been orderly forwarded to UN on March 15, 2001 and registered immediately afterwards. On March 7, 2001, UN Security Council commended this agreement and called both sides to abide by its stipulations", added Kerim.
Macedonian Ministry of foreign affairs is yet to issue an official statement regarding this matter. MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT SHOCKED BY US GENERAL HUBER STATEMENT ON MACEDONIA-FRY BORDER.
MIA
Macedonian Government is shocked by the statement of the US Brigadier General Keith Huber and the allegations reported in it and an explanation from the UN is already requested, Macedonian Government Spokesperson Gjorgji Trendafilov stated Wednesday for MIA.
He stressed that "such statements are only supported by those that have caused the armed conflicts in Macedonia in order to continue with the incidents."
Brigadier General Keith Huber, the KFOR Commander of the Multinational Brigade East, stated on the press conference in Gnjilane last week that the agreement between Skopje and Belgrade for correction and re-defining of the border is "illegal." The General added that the UN Secretary-General has also confirmed this. According to Fakti daily on Albanian language, which has reported Huber's statement, the US General was concerned that the agriculturists from Kosovo have land from the Macedonian side of the border and were not able to cultivated it. In the statement for the Kosovo media he said that he will send his troops to secure the agriculturists.
The Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also finds the statements of some KFOR and UNMIK officials in regard to the Macedonian-Yugoslav Agreement on Border Delineation as unacceptable and ungrounded.
In a press release on Wednesday, the Ministry says it is an agreement, signed by two sovereign countries-the UN members, and is based on the Agreement for Regulating and Upgrading of the Macedonian-Yugoslav relations of April 8, 1996, in compliance with the UN Charter, respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independency. According to the final provisions, the Agreement officially entered into force on June 16, 2001, i.e. thirty days after exchanging of the ratification instruments.
The negotiations, starting in 1996, were completed by signing of the Border Delineation Agreement on February 23, 2001, in Skopje. The document was welcomed in the final document of the Skopje Summit of Heads of State and Government of the member countries of SEE Cooperation Process, also attended by the NATO Secretary General, the Euro-Commissioner for External Relations and the Stability Pact Coordinator.
The Agreement, as real contribution to building of friendly neighborly relations, peace, security, stability and cooperation in the Southeastern Europe, was also welcomed by statements of the UN Security Council and of the EU Presidency.
All of the UN member countries, particularly the UN missions, are obliged to respect the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which, among other things, confirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the FR Yugoslavia and of other countries in the region, in compliance with the OSCE Helsinki document on respect of the existing borders.
The Resolution, which is also an obligatory document for the UN missions, does not consist provisions that grant a right to the KFOR and UNMIK official in Kosovo to interpret resolutions in a manner that raise new tensions in the region, endangering the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries-the UN members.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers that such ungrounded statements are harmful, because they are not in compliance with the missions' mandate, and do not contribute to establishing of lasting stability in the region. All of the UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions on developments in SEE, affirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region.
Today, the Ministry called on UNMIK, KFOR, NATO and US representatives to present their explanation for those statements, asking the UN and NATO Ambassadors to Macedonia to send letters of protest to those organizations.
Tihomir Ilievski, Ambassador at the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nano Ruzin, Macedonian Ambassador to NATO, met today in Brussels with Daniel Spechard, Assistant NATO Secretary General for political affairs.
On behalf of the Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilievski and Ruzin filed a protest regarding the statements of US KFOR General Keith Hubert and UNMIK spokesman Andrea Angeli on challenging of the legitimacy of the Macedonian-Yugoslav border, on the Kosovo.
Ilievski said that the statements of those KFOR and UNMIK representatives were not a reflection of the real situation regarding this issue, i.e. they are not in accordance with the Agreement on the Macedonian-Yugoslav Border Delineation, signed in February 2001. Such statements do not contribute to stabilizing of Macedonia, and are not in the spirit of the official positions of the UN, EU, NATO and other relevant international factors, which welcomed the signed agreement between Macedonia and the FR Yugoslavia.
Ilievski underlined the sensitivity of the Macedonian politicians and common citizens regarding those statements, which may be considered as an opposition to clearly declared positions on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia. Iliveski said he expected for NATO to publicly present its position on inviolability of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Macedonia, as well as of the Macedonian-Yugoslav border.
Spechard expressed readiness for investigating of this matter, saying that according to the NATO policy, representatives of the Alliance should not make any statements that will have unfavorable effect upon calming of the situation in Macedonia.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFIARS - PRESS RELASE.
MIA
Skopje, February 20 (MIA) - The Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs finds the statements of some KFOR and UNMIK officials in regard to the Macedonian-Yugoslav Agreement on Border Delineation as unacceptable and ungrounded.
In a press release on Wednesday, the Ministry says it is an agreement, signed by two sovereign countries-the UN members, and is based on the Agreement for Regulating and Upgrading of the Macedonian-Yugoslav relations of April 8, 1996, in compliance with the UN Charter, respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independency. According to the final provisions, the Agreement officially entered into force on June 16, 2001, i.e. thirty days after exchanging of the ratification instruments.
The negotiations, starting in 1996, were completed by signing of the Border Delineation Agreement on February 23, 2001, in Skopje. The document was welcomed in the final document of the Skopje Summit of Heads of State and Government of the member countries of SEE Cooperation Process, also attended by the NATO Secretary General, the Euro-Commissioner for External Relations and the Stability Pact Coordinator.
The Agreement, as real contribution to building of friendly neighborly relations, peace, security, stability and cooperation in the Southeastern Europe, was also welcomed by statements of the UN Security Council and of the EU Presidency.
All of the UN member countries, particularly the UN missions, are obliged to respect the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which, among other things, confirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the FR Yugoslavia and of other countries in the region, in compliance with the OSCE Helsinki document on respect of the existing borders.
The Resolution, which is also an obligatory document for the UN missions, does not consist provisions that grant a right to the KFOR and UNMIK official in Kosovo to interpret resolutions in a manner that raise new tensions in the region, endangering the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries-the UN members.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers that such ungrounded statements are harmful, because they are not in compliance with the missions' mandate, and do not contribute to establishing of lasting stability in the region. All of the UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions on developments in SEE, affirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region.
Today, the Ministry called on UNMIK, KFOR, NATO and US representatives to present their explanation for those statements, asking the UN and NATO Ambassadors to Macedonia to send letters of protest to those organizations.
MACEDONIAN OFFICIALS FILE PROTEST TO NATO.
MIA
Skopje, February 20 (MIA) - Tihomir Ilievski, Ambassador at the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nano Ruzin, Macedonian Ambassador to NATO, met Wednesday in Brussels with Daniel Spechard, Assistant NATO Secretary General for political affairs.
On behalf of the Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilievski and Ruzin filed a protest regarding the statements of US KFOR General Keith Hubert and UNMIK spokesman Andrea Angeli on challenging of the legitimacy of the Macedonian-Yugoslav border, on the Kosovo.
Ilievski said that the statements of those KFOR and UNMIK representatives were not a reflection of the real situation regarding this issue, i.e. they are not in accordance with the Agreement on the Macedonian-Yugoslav Border Delineation, signed in February 2001. Such statements do not contribute to stabilizing of Macedonia, and are not in the spirit of the official positions of the UN, EU, NATO and other relevant international factors, which welcomed the signed agreement between Macedonia and the FR Yugoslavia.
Ilievski underlined the sensitivity of the Macedonian politicians and common citizens regarding those statements, which may be considered as an opposition to clearly declared positions on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia. Iliveski said he expected for NATO to publicly present its position on inviolability of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Macedonia, as well as of the Macedonian-Yugoslav border.
Spechard expressed readiness for investigating of this matter, saying that according to the NATO policy, representatives of the Alliance should not make any statements that will have unfavorable effect upon calming of the situation in Macedonia.
Power cuts spark Roma riot.
SofiaEcho
By Ivan Vatahov
Angry Roma rioted in Stolipinovo and other suburbs in Bulgarias second largest city of Plovdiv after their electricity was cut off for non-payment.
The power supply utility disconnected the whole neighbourhood on Monday after unpaid bills, dating back several years, reached the multi-million leva mark.
The riot was one of several triggered by poverty and unemployment among the 35,000 Roma who live in Stolipinovo.
The crowd stoned policemen and beat a bus driver in Plovdiv late Monday, after the power was cut off.
Police authorities responsible for the suburb of Stolipinovo urged Roma leaders to meet with power officials to draw up a compromise payment plan. Police stepped up patrols and the city workers pledged to deliver firewood to brace against the low temperatures.
The Roma say the real problem is unemployment, which is at 70 per cent in their community, compared to the around 18 percent national unemployment rate.
The cuts have caused resentment among those not of Roma descent.
About 300 non-Roma families in Stolipinovo are urging the local government to give them houses elsewhere, arguing that the bill question has led to constant power outages.
We cant stand this torture any more, said Diana Ilieva, quoted by the Associated Press (AP). We pay our bills regularly but we get no electricity because of the Roma. They brought us back to the 18th century, Ilieva said.
Trouble began at about 7 p.m. on Monday when the lights failed to go on.
Outraged consumers erected roadblocks with garbage cans and started to stone cars passing by. Police sealed off the area, but did not intervene to quell the riot. The crowd broke into stores and smashed the windows of cars and buses before tiring and going home around midnight.
Plovdiv Mayor Ivan Chomakov said the problem with the unpaid electricity bills had existed for years and was unlikely to be solved by force.
Regional governor Gyoka Hadjipetrov said all sides, including the Government, should try reach a reasonable solution but the authorities should by no means give in to the pressure of local people because hardly anyone pays his electricity and water bills while they all get substantial welfare benefits.
Roumen Dimitrov, a spokes-person for the local electricity distribution company, said the company would not bow to pressure and the only solution was for people to start paying their bills.
Unrest in Stolipinovo and the other suburbs continued on Tuesday. Crowds of people blocked streets in Stolipinovo and the road access to the Trakia motorway, and motor traffic from Plovdiv to the international road had to be detoured. Despite the assembled people and the makeshift barricades, local police had the situation in the suburbs under control.
Colonel Ilian Yordanov confirmed that he had talked to Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Boiko Borissov and with the chiefs of the specialised police services which were ready to provide assistance if necessary. He denied that heavy special-purpose vehicles had entered the Roma suburbs and urged the protesters to behave reasonably.
In a special declaration, Mayor Chomakov said he categorically denies support to the riotous actions which threaten to turn the country into a state of lawlessness and called on citizens to show reason and composure.
Conferring Tuesday afternoon, the Mayor, the Regional Governor, the police chief, power distribution company executives, and representatives of the protesting Roma reached an agreement by which the power supply debtors in the Roma suburbs should pay 10 per cent of the amount due for January, which is 299,000 leva ($134,000). For the purpose, six temporary bill payment offices were opened in the Roma suburbs.
According to Plovdiv Electricity Distribution Company Executive Director Vassil Kirchev, if the agreement is honoured and the sum agreed is paid, the company is prepared to restore power supply in the suburbs immediately.
Bulgaria has a Gypsy minority of about 300,000. Government efforts to integrate the community into the larger society have failed.
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