UN/SUBCOMMISSION ON MINORITIES/MACEDONIA: THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PART CALLS ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO URGE MACEDONIA TO PUT IN LAW AND PRACTICE EQUAL RIGHTS FAR ALL ITS CITIZENS.

Geneva, August 18, 1999. The delegation of the Transnational Radical Party has once again taken the floor yesterday at the UNSubcommission on minorities and delivered a statement concerning the question of interethnic cohabitation in Macedonia.

The statement of the TRP stressed that, despite the engagement of the Government of Prime Minister Georgievski, the question of equal rights for all components of Macedonia remains practically unresolved. Discriminations against the Albanians are still present at every level of the society, from schools and universities to the administration of the State and the army.

"According to the statistics, Albanians constitute one third of the population of Macedonia, however, they represent only 3 per cent of total employment in the public institutions. For example, in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Macedonia, there are 569 Macedonian and only 1 Albanian soldier, the personnel is from 87,8 per cent Macedonian and 3,49 per cent Albanian. Similar situation is in other Ministries and institutions, despite the promises given by Macedonia to the international

community", said Olga Cechurova of the Radical Party.

"We are convinced that the solution, which prevents the conflicts in the multiethnic countries, is the principle of the consensual democracy.

The Transnational Radical Party therefore requests this session of the Sub-Commission to take all the necessary steps to encourage the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to put in law and practice the equal rights of all its citizens" concluded Ms. Cechurova.

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