30.06.99

SECURITY SITUATION

The president of Republic of Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov, these days got a letter from the Secretary general of NATO, Chavier Solana, where he express his thanks and respect for all that has been achieved together, duering the Kosovo crisis. In the letter, Solana alsosays that Alliance is aware of big economical and social burden for Macedonia, that was result of Kosovo crisis, but during all the time of that crise, Macedonia showed a lot of spirit of cooperation. This fact, says Solana, was determinant factor for the succes of NATO’s air-strike campaign.

NUMBER OF REFUGEES

With buses of AD "Proleter", yesterday for Pristina and Urosevac were transported another 322 refugees from camps Stenkovec 1 and 2, Cegrane, Bojane and Radusha. About 6.500 refugees at the same time were self-organized and went to Kosovo, through the borderland Blace and Jazince, informed UNHCR spokesman, Goran Momirovski.

Process of organized returning back of refugees will continue and today will be transported about 280 refugees from Macedonian camps.

According to the yesterday’s information from UNHCR 163,255 refugees left Macedonia and went to Kosovo. Now in Macedonia are still 58.800 refugees. 24.300 of them are in camps and the others are in families.

Using airlift, these days to third countries could go just some specific cases such are people with health problems, or those who’s families are already there. Exceptance is USA, which’s governemnt anounced that during the next 7 days they willaccept another 1.200 refugees from Macedonia.

SUPPORT

UNHCR spokesman, informed that because of bad conditions of life in Kosovo, expescially in destrotyed cities, such as Pec, UNHCR will sent there 16.000 tents, so refugees can be teporarily settled.

According to the daily newspaper Dnevnik, Macedonian and Albanian governments are continuing talks for establishing of corridore for evacuation of refugees from Albania, through Macedonia to Kosovo.

Macedonia civil constructors will work together in Kosovo, using the name "Macedonian civil construction operative".

According to the daily newpsaper Fakti, the kosovar refugees are paying, even 200 DM, for five family members, to taxi-drivers to bring them home in Kosovo. But some others are doing this job voluntary and they don’t take money from refugees.

The mayor of Athens, Diomitris Avramopulos, who yesterday visited Skopje, gave humanitarian aid to the kosovar refugees that are still in camp Stenkovec. This humanitarian aid was gift from citizens of Greek Capital City.