H.E. Boris Trajkovski
President
Skopje
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – FYROM

Via Fax: +389 2 112 147

H.E. Ljubco Georgievski
Prime Minister
Skopje
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – FYROM

Via Fax: +389 2 123 425

Vienna, 5 September 2002

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, and its regional affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), are deeply concerned about the threat to the independence of the Macedonian newspaper Vest.

According to the information before SEEMO, the Macedonian Government plans to nationalise the daily newspaper, which was founded in 2000. The controlling shareholder of Vest is the company Fershped, which was privatised in 1995. On 27 August 2002, the Government, by its Decision No.23-3973/2, decided to revise the privatisation of Fershped and declared Decision No.15-230/11 of 24 January 1995, which had privatised Fershped AD Skopje, to be null and void. According to our information, the Government claims there were irregularities in the privatisation procedure.

Due to the reporting of Vest, both Fershped and the newspaper have been under constant pressure by the Government. This pressure, which included frequent visits by State inspectors, intensified after the newspaper published an article entitled “The Castle of Vodno”, which alleged preferential treatment regarding a property deal involving a relative of the Prime Minister’s wife. As a consequence, the Government passed Decision No.23-3973/2, which will enable the State to either take over the newspaper or close it down.

IPI and SEEMO call on Your Excellency to ensure that Decision No.23-3973/2 of 27 August 2002 is reversed and that Vest newspaper is able to continue operating as an independent media outlet. SEEMO finds it troubling that this Decision was brought just a few weeks before the elections in Macedonia and seven years after the privatisation of Fershped. Indeed, with the above in mind, we fear that the re-nationalisation of Fershped is an attempt to silence the critical reporting of Vest.

We therefore also urge Your Excellency to do everything in your power to develop an environment in which journalists and media organisations are allowed to operate without interference and remind you that an independent media is essential for the functioning of any democratic society.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director, IPI

Oliver Vujovic
Secretary General, SEEMO