02.06.99

The government of the Republic of Macedonia to days ago discussed the newest request for additional 14.000 NATO-soldiers in Macedonia. They requested form Brussels their request to be in a written form, and then they will discus again about it. The government insists the troops to be peaceful and the financial arrangement to be precise.

According to the Ministry of Interior (MVR), in the last 24 hours, 335 refugees entered Macedonia. Also 123 illegal entries were registered. The total number of refugees in Macedonia now is 279.958, while 146.490 of them have the status of humanitarian cared people. 103.468 refugees have been settled in camps. Most of refugees, 49.873 are settled in Skopje, 40.309 in Tetovo, 19.757 in Gostivar, 12.205 in Kumanvo and so on.

Yesterday, 1.107 refugees were transferred to third countries using airlift. Up to now, 77.274 refugees left Macedonia using airlift.

The Minister of Health, Dr Dragan Danilovski, in yesterdays press conference said that epidemiological situation is not favorable. There are a lot of people with different diseases among refugees, but there are no epidemics. At most, refugees get sick of respiratory infections and intestine diseases. There is no reason for panic, but we should be careful, considering high temperatures in the days that are coming.

According to the daily newspaper Dnevnik, vice-minister of interior Dragi Grozdanovski in yesterdays press conference said that security situation in camps is under control. He said that few cases of prostitution and drug smuggling were registered in their first forms, but the situation is not alarming.

According to the daily newspaper Nova Makedonija, in initiative of Humanitarian protection, today from Thesaloniki, in Macedonia, first conveyance with humanitarian aid for refugees settled in Macedonia will arrive. The humanitarian aid is consisted of three tones of food, one tone of water in bottles, more than 4 tones of clothes, 600 kilograms of diapers for babies and 3.2 tones of old clothes.

According to the daily newspapers Flaka and Fakti, UNICEF few days ago started with the second phase of vaccination of refugee kids smaller than 4-years old, which are settled in families. Motto of this action is: Vaccine your child, protect his health.

According to the daily newspaper Flaka, Monday night, a humanitarian concert was organized in Theater of Albanian Drama in Skopje. All the money will be used to surpass difficult situation of refugees in Macedonia.