EVERYBODY IN MACEDONIA TALKS ABOUT A DIALOGUE - BUT THERE IS NONE

AIM Skopje, 3 October, 1997

For the second time in almost three months, Max Van der Stoel, OSCE high commissioner for ethnic minorities, paid a visit to Macedonia from 29 September until 1 October. Both times the reason for his visit was concern about interethnic relations which have in the past period reached the lowest level since Macedonia became independent six years ago. Interethnic critical situations have occurred before, even with bloody consequences, but what happened on 9 July in Gostivar (city with Albanian majority in western Macedonia), when three ethnic Albanians were killed and hundreds of them were wounded or arrested by the Macedonian police, undoubtedly sounded the alarm for the international community indicating that it was high time to do something specific in order to avoid having a new Bosnia in southern Balkans. The joint evaluation of all international observers was that Macedonia needs a more active dialogue among ethnic communities, especially between the Macedonians and the Albanians as the two greatest communities which form together more than 90 per cent of the population of Macedonia.

The already difficult situation in this respect had become even more difficult after the local elections of the end of last year, which caused serious changes on the political map of the country. This was even more significant for interethnic relations due to large modifications in the parts of the country "covered" by the Albanian political parties. Relative victory of the opposition within this block

• of the Democratic Party of the Albanians (DPA) over the Party of Democratic Prosperity (PDP) which participates in the government coalition, although just relative and only on the local level, had significant effects on interethnic dialogue which had previously almost completely died out. Faint or just apparent attempts to organize a dialogue between the "new representatives" of the Albanians and the Macedonian government with no exception ended as a failure, and the climax of such situation was reached on 9 July in Gostivar.

The latest visit of the OSCE high commissioner for ethnic minorities was primarily aimed to attempt to re-establish interethnic dialogue which the Macedonian government is not interested in any more as it used to be when it was still awaiting reception in various international organizations. On the other hand, prospects for a dialogue were even more limited because the DPA insisted on a dialogue which would have as its ultimate goal the "historic agreement" between the Macedonians and the Albanians about the future of Macedonia and especially relations of the two communities. Mr. Van der Stoel was expected to assist in moving this process from the standstill, and initiate a dialogue in which neither party would feel forced to accept something it was fundamentally opposed to. After numerous meetings with all relevant political parties in the country and representatives of the government, Van der Stoel declared that "all kinds of dialogue are possible and important", without specifying whether he meant direct dialogue which would probably be accepted by the government or a dialogue in the presence of a third party which would suit the Albanains better because of guarantees that everything agreed would actually be implemented.

The greatest cynism of all is that although almost everybody is talking about a dialogue as a necessity for stability in the country, there is practically no actual readiness for a dialogue. Conditionally speaking, both parties, the Macedonians and the Albanians, for the time being seem to be a long way from abandoning any of their stands or even from showing readiness to possibly abandon any of their positions which were reason for controversies.

What seems to be more essential than anything is the fact that due to absence of a real dialogue, interethnic relations are sinking deeper and deeper into the crisis and it is just a question of time when it will become impossible to count on a peaceful dialogue. The question of Tetovo university in Albanian language which was the reason for a frontal conflict between the Macedonian police with the Albanians, as well as the murder of a citizen of Albanian ethnic origin has not been resolved yet. Hundreds of young people will soon acquire the first university degrees, and nobody knows what will become of them. The "dialogue" concerning this issue started in the parliament when the first phase of the discussion about the future law on university education had (unsuccessfully) at the same time begun and ended. According to the conception of the Macedonians, this law would not be able to resolve the question of Tetovo university not even as a privately-owned institution. The question of ethnic symbols which was the reason for the murder of three ethnic Albanians, seems to be as far from being resolved as adoption of the law on the use of these symbols. The dialogue has practically not even started concerning the third big issue, the official use of Albanian language. The clutch concerning which it got "stuck" were rules of procedure of the parliament which regulate the question of the use of language. Deputies of Macedonian ethnic origin refuse the very niotion of introducing the right to use Albanian language in the new, "pluralist" rules of procedure, although it was in official use during the single-party parliament. On the other hand, deputies of the Albanian ethnic group, regardless of whether from the opposition or not, have announced that they would leave the parliament if the new rules of procedure did not introduce the right to use the Albanian language. This "stalemate" position is the main reason why the Macedonian parliament is stil operating pursuant the old rules of procedure.

Postponement of the mentioned dialogue which everybody is allegedly advocating, without doubt is the best "food" for development of possible pivots of interethnic conflicts. The OSCE commissioner testified about severity of interethnic tensions and declared to the domestic media that interethnic relations were of "extraordinary importance for this country", concluding at the same time that there were clear "indications of intolerance on both sides, which grieves me". He, nevertheless, tried to console his hosts by claiming the following: "I also know that a large number of the Macedonians and the Albanians wish to have good relations and I hope that they will manage on their own to establish a good atmosphere between the two ethnic groups".

But, taking into consideration the mentality of the people concerned, it can hardly be expected that "they will on their own establish a good atmospheer". Especially after everything that has happened in the past few months, starting from the demonstrations of the Macedonian students against introduction of teaching in Albanian language in March this year, all the way to the tragic events concerning the Albanian flag. There is no doubt that the drastic punishment of mayor of Gostivar, Rufi Osmani (13 years and 8 months in prison) practically due to his political activities, had greatly contributed to such climate.

The high commissioner ended his three-day visit without specific results in the sense of re-establishment of the inter-ethnic dialogue with mediation of a third party which was interrupted at the moment the mandate of the international conference on former Yugoslavia headed by Gerd Ahrens expired. Accoring to the declaration of the personages Mr. Van der Stoel talked to, possibility exists that he will organize a round table where the manner for re-establishment of inter-ethnic dialoge would be discussed. However, the attitude of the government will be crucial, and it seems that it experiences the question of the dialogue as a specific limitation of its power, and even as a confession that it has made a mistake somewhere.

AIM SKOPJE

IBRAHIM MEHMETI