Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-05-02-Speech-3-123"
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"en.20010502.9.3-123"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I could actually say that Johannes Swoboda has said it all. I could say exactly that. However, perhaps I can highlight some slightly different points. The speed with which we are acting is also due to the fact that we simply want to show that Parliament is backing this country, Macedonia, and we also want to help it to overcome the current crisis as quickly as possible. Of course we are also pleased that in Macedonia this House has totally subscribed to the European ideal and given its assent to this agreement. This demonstrates whom Parliament has decided in favour of.
However, we must also make it clear in Macedonia that this Union is a Union of values. We do not always observe them all, but these values include a high level of tolerance, a high level of respect for others and a great commitment to protecting minorities. That is why I believe that in Macedonia it is necessary to work together, across party political lines, taking account of this tolerance threshold. We need to fight together against criminality. I deeply regret, in particular, the death of four Macedonian soldiers in the last few days. So we need to fight together against criminals and agitators. Everyone should distance themselves from these actions and condemn them, work towards a climate of tolerance, and do everything to promote it, in all the media as well as in the Macedonian Parliament and in Macedonian society.
Albanian terrorism must be condemned, but Slav-Macedonian nationalism is not an appropriate response to it. I think Johannes Swoboda said that too, but perhaps he did not say it as emphatically as I have done. Reason must make its entry on the Macedonian stage and that is why I believe it is the duty of all politicians to sweep aside any grounds for such actions, be they perceived or genuine.
It is true that the Albanian population is nowhere near having had appropriate access to public office and has not had a public presence which would enable it, with justification, to reject any attack on the fragile inter-ethnic balance. This is partly a legacy of the communist past, but it is also partly attributable to the fact that in recent years insufficient efforts have been made to enhance this inter-ethnic balance. In my conversations with former President Kligorov he repeatedly told me that he recognised this and was seeking to take action.
I must also say, however, that the former government did not necessarily pay sufficient heed to these appeals. So it is all the more incomprehensible that after the admirable way the Kosovo crisis was handled, when the entire Macedonian people, both Slavic Macedonians and Albanians, genuinely accepted the refugees in a truly commendable way, that just at this moment when Albanians are occupying key ministerial posts, when the law on higher education has been passed, when the fate of the University of Tetovo has been resolved with assistance from us and with the help of other states through additional funding, and the academic year can actually start, that just at this moment an explosive situation should arise. I believe that this is happening not so much for genuine political and rational reasons, but rather to keep a real trouble spot alive so that terrorists can strengthen their hand.
I very much hope that all reasonable politicians in Macedonia will, in view of the new European window of opportunity opened up by this agreement, jointly launch yet more initiatives to achieve a functioning Macedonian society. But I would also like to appeal to the international community, to UNMIK and to KFOR, to do everything possible to help Macedonia by pursuing a better and more consistent policy in Kosovo, because the dissatisfaction there is releasing ever more terrorist potential.
There are many areas of policy in Macedonia where assistance is needed. We should help them in the field of criminal jurisdiction, with their problems of corruption and also of trafficking in human beings, which is also a major problem throughout the region. I particularly welcome the fact that the border agreement with Yugoslavia was the first to be concluded in the region. I would also, amongst other things, like to see media representatives being trained so that they are worthy of that name and do not unnecessarily pour oil on the fire. I would also like to see the politicians who are here today and their colleagues doing everything in their power to ensure that their youth can in future stay in their country, because it is their future. But they need jobs and they need prospects. That is why we very much welcome the fact that the five regional Enterprise Promotion Centres
have been set up, and I hope they will be a success.
The most important thing, however, is political stability, because only if that exists will companies move there. Under our new agreement, it will be possible for the European Union to provide them with the necessary support. I am sure that in conjunction with the Commission we will do everything to achieve this."@en1
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