Tribune Excerpts
The following article appeared in the October 2006 Edition of the Macedonian Tribune
Ambassador Milovanovic: US – Macedonian relations: we continue to
build an ever-stronger partnership
The following remarks were delivered by The Honorable Gillian Milovanovic, US Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia, during the Delegates Meeting of the 85th annual MPO Convention, held over Labor Day weekend in Cleveland.
I arrived in Macedonia just a little over a year ago, on September 1. When my family and I landed in Skopie, the government had just begun the decentralization process, a process mandated by the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement. Under decentralization, the government has transferred to the municipalities responsibilities for managing and maintaining social, educational and select cultural institutions.
The municipalities also have taken on responsibility for fi re services, property tax collection, and urban planning. The transition has not always been easy. Not surprisingly, mayors and city councils often complain of having to implement decentralization without adequate financial and human resources. They complain of having to grapple with high levels of municipal debt.
Over the next several years, we, and our EU and other international partners will continue to work with the new central government, and with local governments, to ensure that decentralization - a key element of framework agreement implementation - succeeds.
We also will continue to urge the new government to make continued progress in ensuring equitable representation of ethnic minorities in the public administration, another key element of framework agreement implementation. Now estimated at just over 20% of all state employees – representation of ethnic minorities in government should continue to increase at a sustainable rate, while the government ensures that only competent, qualified personnel are hired for state jobs.
In the meantime, it is important and encouraging to note that public opinion polls over the past year have shown a steady improvement in inter-ethnic relations, with increasing numbers of members of all ethnic groups holding positive views of other ethnic communities. We are encouraged that the new government has included as a priority the continued improvement of inter-ethnic relations, and that it has stated its commitment to further implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
Not long after my arrival in Skopie, we supported the visit of then-Prime Minister [Vlado] Buckovski to Washington to meet President Bush in the White House, and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the US and the Republic of Macedonia. That visit underscored the strong ties between our two nations, and highlighted the positive role Macedonia is playing in the world.
From the Global War on Terror, in which Macedonia’s troops are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with ours in Iraq and Afghanistan, to its recent contribution to the EU peacekeeping operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia punches above its weight as a contributor to global security. We will encourage the new government to continue those valued contributions. But we will ask the government to do so in a sustainable manner that does not shortchange funding for continued defense reforms that are required for eventual NATO membership.
I cannot fail to mention also Macedonia’s generous contribution of $1 million to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina last year, a gesture of solidarity that further underscored the strong bonds between us.
Nearer to home, Macedonia has played a useful, constructive role in supporting the Kosovo final status process. The opening of a Macedonian commercial office in Pristina, the signing of an interim Free Trade Agreement to expand trade ties, numerous high-level official bilateral contacts, and even the re-opening of the Skopie-Pristina railway service have strengthened ties between Macedonia and it northern neighbor.
Macedonia’s membership in the Adriatic Charter, in partnership with the US, Albania and Croatia, reflects yet another aspect of its positive engagement in the region. The Adriatic Charter countries have worked together to enhance their contributions to global security operations, including the deployment last year of their joint medical team supporting international forces in Afghanistan. We are confident the new government will continue to support the regional cooperation projects characteristic of Adriatic Charter activities.
Macedonia continues to make solid progress in its efforts to be the strongest possible candidate for NATO membership, perhaps at the NATO summit in 2008. Macedonia’s defense reforms to date have been impressive. It is making valuable contributions to international security operations, as I have mentioned. Importantly, the country recently passed an important NATO membership hurdle in conducting parliamentary elections in July that were considered to have largely met international standards despite irregularities, some of them serious, observed at some polling stations.
We will work with the next government to redouble efforts to implement NATO -related judicial reforms essential to strengthening rule of law, and to combat more aggressively and effectively combat corruption, trafficking in persons and organized crime.
