16.06.99
SECURITY SITUATION
Macedonia respects the territorial sovereignty of FRJ, but will require the demarcation of border, said the foreign minister Aleksandar Dimitrov in yesterday’s press conference. He also said that after the NATO forces left Macedonia and entered Kosovo, 10% of these forces should stay in Macedonia. According to NATO, the number of soldiers for logistic support in Macedonia needs to be 10%, that’s 5.000 soldier. But the Alliance emphases that headquarter of these logistic forces in Macedonia still need to be constituted, because the KFOR units still enters Kosovo.
THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES
According to the Ministry of Interior (MVR), 1.500 refugees cross the Blace borderland and entered Kosovo. The UNHCR says that is still dangerous for returning the refugees, but a part of them leave Macedonia of one’s own free will. But the risk is still present, so two people died in the Blace region as a result of land mine.
CAMPS
In refugee camps until now 600 babies were born, while 100 refugee’s mostly old people have died. Muharem Nexhipi vice-minister of health in yesterday’s press conference said that the health condition in camps is under control. Nexhipi express readiness for giving health service to the NATO soldiers and persons of High commissioner for refugees.
SUPPORT
In yesterday’s press conference of UNHCR, has been confirmed the information that the small number of refugees that came from Kosovo to Macedonia have been beaten from Macedonian police. The humanitarian workers do not know the reasons why they have been beaten, but they also have information that they came without documents. The UNHCR workers began the process of registering the refugees at camps, and the refugees that are settled in houses will be registered later. They think that the half of refugees will be at their homes after three months.
Kosovar gypsies according to all information will stay in Macedonia for a fixed period of time, because there is no tolerance between two groups of entities. Soren Jesen Petersen the assistant of high commissioner for refugees said this in yesterday’s press conference. The commissioner has no information for the real number of gypsy refugees that are settled in Macedonia, but they confirmed the fact that they are forms all part of Yugoslavia and that they are settled from the beginning of war.
The drawing of refugee kids will be exposed from the June 16 at 18 o’clock in places of Youth Cultural Center. The exhibition was organized by the first children embassy Megasi and humanitarian organization Karitas, celebrating the refugee day.
The Red Cross of Republic of China - Tajvan gave to Macedonian Red Cross 500.000 dollars aid for kosovar refugees. The aid is consisting of computers, vehicles, phone systems, copy apparatus etc.