21.05.99

According to the daily newspaper Vecer, there are a lot of speculations about who is responsible for the yesterdays bomb explosion in Skopje. Indicative is that in the car near where the bomb was placed, before explosions were wives of anti-NATO terrorists from Kumanovo. Also an Audi with for men was noticed around. Up to now, there is nothing official, but inquiry is going on.

According to the daily newspaper Dnevnik, Tetovo police, in a routine traffic control, yesterday about 20.30 o’clock in tractor-trailer found hidden arms, ammunition, drugs and groceries. There were 7 persons in the tractor, while 5 of them had status of humanitarian cared person.

According to Ministry of Interior (MVR), in the last 24 hours, 1.860 refugees entered Macedonia, while 1.604 of them entered in borderland Bllace. The total number of refugees in Macedonia now is 227.393, while 132.375 of them have the status of humanitarian cared person. 79.588 refugees have been settled in camps so there are about 15.000 to 20.000 vacant places. 119.117 refugees have been settled in families.

Yesterday, until 15 o’clock, 1.878 refugees were transferred to third countries using airlift. Up to now, 60.165 refugees left Macedonia using airlift.

According to the daily newspaper Dnevnik, leaders of Medical Chamber of Macedonia in yesterday’s press conference said that conditions in which doctors are working in the camps are unbearable. They also said that foreign doctors have no licenses to work in Macedonia and they are not consulting with Macedonian doctors. According to them, in the Crisis stuff of Macedonian government should be established Stuff for health-epidemiological support for refugees, with special commander.

UNHCR will not accept recommendation of Amnesty International to abandon the program of reevacuation of refugees to Albania, but they will continue to transport them with their own will. Also, UNHCR spokesman in Skopje, Ron Redmond, said that financial situation of this organization was improved and that European Union gave guarantee for 20 million euros.

According to the daily newspaper Dnevnik, one kosovar women (78 years old) died yesterday from infarct in the plain that transported refugees from Macedonia to USA. There were three doctors in the plain and they tried to save her life but unsuccessfully.

According to the daily newspaper Nova Makedonija, The secretary of state of German Ministry of Defense, Walter Callbow, yesterday visited camp in Cegrane and gave humanitarian aid which included two special vehicles for excrement transport, one special vehicle - water cistern and three jeeps. This is just a part of humanitarian aid valuable to one million German marks that Germany will gave to Macedonia.

In a report of the daily newspaper Makedonija Denes form camp Bojane, was stressed that in the lunchtime there are a lot of people moving around - all they are going to the kitchen where they get hot portion. Camp in Bojane is the only camp that has this kind of kitchen. After that, they go back to their tents with some pieces of bread in their hands. About 200.000 packages with bread are distributed every day to the camps.

According to the daily newspaper Makedonija Denes, after the speculations that UNHCR co-operators have been corrupted and that they have made manipulations with refugees who wanted to go to third countries, UNHCR officials from Geneva will made a control in camps. According to Anki Ericsson, UNHCR competent for evacuation of refugees to third countries using airlift, relatives and guaranties form relatives are not the most important criteria for transporting of refugees to third countries but will be transported those refugees that fulfill conditions for that.

According to the daily newspaper Flaka, in the "stores" near to the camp Stenkovec there are elementary groceries, materials for hygiene and clothes, and in alternation form the beginning of the crisis, now the prices are acceptable.

According to the daily newspaper Flaka, HO "Mother Teresa" just in the last month distributed 729.579 kilograms of groceries, materials for hygiene, clothes etc.