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20 March Latest News
Panic Among Depositors in Croatia's
Third Largest Bank
ZAGREB, Croatia -- Customers are lining up to withdraw their
savings from Rijecka bank, Croatia's third largest financial institution,
following word that Germany's Bayerische Landesbank is returning its 60 per cent
stake in the bank to the government. The run on assets began late last week,
when police arrested Rijecka’s chief foreign exchange trader Eduard Nodilo for
fraudulent transactions. The government initially downplayed the losses, but on
Tuesday (19 March) Deputy Prime Minister Slavko Linic admitted the bank may have
lost $80m-$100m. Officials have repeatedly tried to reassure the public that a
collapse is not imminent, but with little success. Tuesday, the central bank
announced it would loan Rijecka some 100m euros to secure deposits as the
government searches for a new foreign investor. (Vesnik, Vecernji List -
20/03/02; AFP, AP, FIMA - 19/03/02; AP - 15/03/02)
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Macedonian Delegation Briefs NATO About
Skopje's New Defence Strategy
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Macedonia's draft defence strategy is
nearly complete, according to Defence Minister Vlado Popovski, who met Tuesday
(19 March) with NATO Secretary General George Robertson in Brussels. Popovski
says the new strategy is based on new global security priorities such as
fighting terrorism and organised crime. The goal is to create a force capable of
defending the country against such threats while preparing it for the
responsibilities that would accompany eventual membership in NATO. Robertson and
the NATO ambassadors praised Skopje’s efforts in several areas yet urged the
government to disband the controversial rapid reaction force known as "The
Lions".
NATO officials also reportedly criticised recent action by the
interior ministry related to alleged terrorist threats. At a news conference
Tuesday, State Secretary for Interior Affairs Venko Kalacoski defended the
moves, citing what he called serious evidence of terrorism links. (A1 TV, Vest,
Nova Makedonija, Utrinski Vesnik, Dnevnik - 20/03/02; MIA, A1 TV - 19/03/02)
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UNMIK Rejects Serbian Proposal for Extra
Ministry in Kosovo Cabinet
PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- The UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and
the Kosovo Serb coalition Return failed Tuesday (19 March) to agree on Serbian
participation in the Kosovo cabinet. UNMIK head Michael Steiner stressed that
under the power-sharing agreement among the ethnic Albanian parties, Return
could not get more than one ministerial position. Gojko Savic, a senior Return
official, said he proposed that the Kosovo Serbs take one ministry but get a
position as adviser to the prime minister on refugees. Return has yet to decide
whether to join the cabinet. (FoNet - 20/03/02; BBC, B92 - 19/03/02)
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Montenegro's Government Losing Support
PODGORICA, Yugoslavia -- The Social Democratic Party (SDP),
one of the two parties that form Montenegro's minority government, has decided
to join the opposition. SDP leader Ranko Krivokapic said Tuesday (19 March) that
his party will leave its alliance with the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS)
and join the opposition Liberal Alliance of Montenegro (LSCG). Both SDP and LSCG,
which had supported the government -- though in opposition -- are disappointed
with the agreement signed between Serbia and Montenegro redefining the Yugoslav
federation. President Milo Djukanovic and Prime Minister Filip Vujanovic, who
struck the agreement, are members of DPS. (FoNet - 20/03/02; BBC, B92 -
19/03/02)
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SFOR Encouraged by Bosnia Weapons
Collection Effort
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- The NATO-led
Stabilisation Force SFOR said Tuesday (19 March) it was satisfied with the
results of a voluntary weapons collection effort in the Bosnian Serb entity,
adding that residents of Prijedor surrendered an unexpectedly large amount. An
SFOR spokesman says international peacekeepers had collected mortars, anti-tank
rockets, a howitzer, several hundred mortar shells, rifles, guns, grenades and
ammunition. The effort was part of a joint operation between SFOR and local
authorities.
Elsewhere Tuesday, Bosnian police raided the Sarajevo and
Zenica offices of the Islamic charity Benevolentia International Foundation.
They reportedly seized documents and interrogated staff to determine if the
charity channels money to terrorists. The homes of six employees were also
searched. The US embassy in Sarajevo meanwhile announced it is tightening
security, in response to terrorist threats. (AP, AFP - 19/03/02)
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Croatia’s Budisa Agrees to Co-operation
With UN Tribunal
ZAGREB, Croatia -- Drazen Budisa, tapped this month to become
deputy prime minister, says he will honour the agreement by the ruling coalition
to co-operate with the UN war crimes tribunal. In an interview published Tuesday
(19 March) in Nacional, Budisa noted that he would respect all such
decisions by the Croatian court. Last year, he opposed the court’s decision to
hand over two Croatian generals indicted of war crimes during the 1991-1995 war.
His new stand may be aimed at critics who argue his entry into the cabinet could
damage Croatia’s relations with The Hague.
On Monday, meanwhile, parliament adopted government-sponsored
legislation on national security and defence strategies. The new defence law is
designed to harmonise Croatia’s military sector with those of NATO members.
Zagreb also plans sharp cuts in military personnel by September.
Parliament Tuesday also approved privatisation strategies for
the two largest companies in the energy sector, the oil and gas monopoly INA and
the electricity network HEP. (HINA, Nacional, HRT, Infoinvest, FIMA - 19/03/02)
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Bulgaria to Request Military Equipment in
Exchange for SS-23 Decommissioning
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Bulgaria wants compensation in the form of
military equipment rather than financial assistance for the decommissioning of
its SS-23 missiles complex, says Gen Miho Mihov. The chief of general staff
noted Tuesday (19 March) that it would be most advantageous if Sofia were to
receive a Multiple Launch Rocket System, helicopters and ships. Bulgaria is the
last post-communist country to destroy its SS-23 missile complex, which it has
pledged to do by October. (Dnevnik. Standart - 20/03/02)
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Romania's Government Asks Parliament to
Support Law on Accelerating Privatisation
BUCHAREST, Romania -- The government Wednesday (20 March) will
urge parliament to back a law aimed at speeding the privatisation process. One
of the most important stipulations of the bill is the opportunity to sell ailing
state enterprises "for 1 euro". The bill aims to create a more
business-friendly environment and attract more foreign investors.
Tuesday, meanwhile, former King Michael I announced he will
begin visiting Western European countries to promote Romania's bid for NATO
membership. The tour will begin in April and end in October. He will also press
for integration into the EU. (Mediafax, Rompres - 19/03/02)
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Macedonian Workers Stage More Protests
SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Some 2,000 employees of Macedonia's
money-losing companies staged another general strike Tuesday (19 March).
Following hours of protest in Skopje, a delegation of the trade unions met
representatives of Macedonia's parliamentary parties and the government. The
workers reiterated their main demands and insisted on participation in the
process of re-structuring and privatisation, so that full transparency is
guaranteed. Party officials promised to devote a special session of parliament
to the issue on 27 March. (Utrinski Vesnik, Nova Makedonija - 20/03/02; MIA -
19/03/02)
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