For the Good of Macedonia

EnBW

In March, the Austrian EVN AG (Energy Supply Lower Austria) bought, for approximately 225 million Euros, a 90-Percent-majority of the Macedonian monopoly power supplier, Elektrostopanstvo na Makedonija (ESM). This was preceded - in autumn 2005 - by the signing of an agreement, in which seven Southeast European states (among them Macedonia) obligated themselves to a complete opening of their energy markets to foreign companies.[1] This sellout is being supervised by a Vienna based "European" authority - based, of all places, in the country of the speculative Austrian energy purchaser. So far, the EVN AG owns two Bulgarian electro-power suppliers and is shareholder in a subsidiary in the water sector of twelve East and Southeast European nations. The EVN AG hopes that, from the takeover in Macedonia, it will be in a better position for further expansion, in the gas and water industries of those countries on the verge of selling out. This expanding enterprise is owned, to 30 percent, by the German EnBW (energy Baden-Wuerttemberg AG) and figures in the plans of the company in Karlsruhe for its expansion to East and Southeast Europe.

Usually Far Under Valued

The sale of ESM provoked weeks of protests in Macedonia. The Macedonian monopoly owned not only extensive net assets, such as convalescent homes and hotels, it also possessed eleven hydro-electric power plants, to which an important economic potential is attributed. Contrary to earlier privatization deals, which were sold "usually far under valued", this time, Skopje was able to negotiate a reasonable price, writes the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. But now "Macedonia's board silver is slowly running out".[2] Not unnoticed in the Macedonian capital, is that certain German development assistance funds sent to the country, now benefit the EVN AG and thus EnBW: Berlin had supported the integration of Macedonia to the European electric power grid as well as the stabilization of the electrical grid of the country, with funds from the budget of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ). The money can now be transferred from Berlin directly to Karlsruhe.

From Two to Thirty

Following the sale of ESM, the Macedonian public is particularly fearful of layoffs and a rise in the price of electricity. Since the former Yugoslav republic declared its secession, in 1991, with German support, unemployment has continuously risen and reaches at present approximately 40 Percent.[3] Two per cent of the population lived in poverty in 1990, today the proportion living in poverty is at 30 percent.[4] 170,000 households must make ends meet on less than 200 Euros per month. German enterprises, that use the country as a site for cheap labor, profit from poverty in Macedonia.[5] Macedonians work for German companies as economical risk personnel in theaters of war. More than 1,000 Macedonians are currently working for the German company, Ecolog, in Iraq and Afghanistan [6]; four of them were recently assassinated.[7] They took the lethal jobs because of the luring pay level, which amounts to seven times the Macedonian average wage - in Germany it amounts to a moderate remuneration.

Humiliated

The evisceration of the Macedonian economy, by the EU core states, is being accompanied by substantial restrictions on the freedom of travel of Macedonian citizens, when they attempt to travel into the EU. Because of high visa fees, only one per cent, for example, of the country's students have had an opportunity to visit an EU country, it was learned in the capital. Besides, Macedonian citizens, awaiting their visas in diplomatic missions of EU states, have been mishandled and humiliated.[8] A comprehensive facilitation of the allocation of visas had been rejected by an EU delegation just a few days ago. Condition was that Skopje should take wide-ranging measures for the defense against migration.

Closed Borders

These measures would include Macedonia's fulfillment of the EU's expectations of a more consistent application of the so-called readmission agreement and the conclusion of these contracts with all EU states. Germany had already concluded a readmission agreement with Macedonia four years ago. It has been in effect since May 1, 2004 and provides for Skopje's unconditional acceptance of the deportation to Macedonia of anyone without a valid residence permit. For relaxation of visa requirements, the EU requires the Macedonian government to make the means available for the fortification of its borders. Among the measures demanded is the issuance of new passports. The Romanian government has, in a comparable situation, accordingly placed an order to a German company.[9] It has been reported from Brussels, that in addition, Macedonia must electronically monitor its border traffic. The appropriate equipment are usually kept in stock at German companies, who earn billions on deliveries to contracting states of the EU.[10]

Pseudo

Under western pressure, the Skopje government's scope of possibilities for action tends toward zero, in a country that since 1991, has designated itself as being independent. The next henchman's service will be performed in mid-April by the prime minister of the country. He will sign a treaty acknowledging the demarcation of the border separating South Serbia (Kosovo) and Macedonia. His counterpart, at the signing will not be the legal representatives of Serbian sovereignty in Belgrade, but the EU's proconsul of Kosovo, Agim Ceku. This is how the EU and USA are attempting to upgrade the regime of the Kosovo province and lend it an international pseudo legitimacy under international law.

War

Indictments are out against Ceku, for suspected war crimes committed in 1993 and 1995, when he was active in the Croatian army, along with his being made responsible for war atrocities, as former chief of staff of the UCK, during the course of the NATO aggression on Yugoslavia. Ceku is also said to have supported the UCK war against Macedonia in 2001.[11] With his signing of the common border treaty, the Macedonian prime minister de facto recognizes, internationally, his former Kosovo war adversary, as head of a sovereign state.

Conspicuous

The occupancy of the posts of "advisors" and the "advisory boards" is indicative for discerning the link between the German policy of secession and war, on the one hand, with interests of major German energy enterprises, on the other. The former German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel (FDP) is active at EnBW, which has successfully established itself in Macedonia. Kinkel played a prominent role in the breakup of Yugoslavia. The former German Finance Minister, Theo Waigel (CSU), also works for EnBW. Likewise active with EnBW is Thomas Oppermann (SPD), who meets there with Rezzo Schlauch (The Greens) the former parliamentary undersecretary of state. Whereas the Christian Democrats openly endorsed the assault on Belgrade, it was the SPD and the Greens, who ensured the skeptical segment of German public opinion for the war course. As particularly conspicuous are the activities on the EnBW "Advisory Board" of Matthias Wissmann and Dr. Rolf Linkohr: Wissmann (CDU) is chairman of the parliamentary committee for EU Affairs, Linkohr (SPD) calls himself the "special advisor to the EU Commissioner for Energy Questions" and has attained the post of director of the "Centre for European Energy Strategy" (C.E.R.E.S) - surely for the good of Macedonian energy supply.

[1] see also Kriegsrendite
[2], [3] Mazedonien im März/April 2006; Länderbericht der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 03.04.2006
[4] see also Entweder - Oder
[5] Im Länderbericht des Auswärtigen Amtes heißt es etwa: "Wichtigstes deutsches Exportprodukt ist mit einem Anteil von 20 Prozent Textilgewebe, während bei den mazedonischen Exporten mit einem Anteil von ca. 60 Prozent Textilfertigprodukte vorherrschen."
[6] Mazedonien im März/April 2006; Länderbericht der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 03.04.2006
[7] see also Hundert Prozent
[8] Mazedonien wünscht sich Visa-Erleichterungen; DW-Radio Mazedonisch 29.03.2006
[9] see also Türöffner
[10] see also Industrielle Gesamtrationalisierung
[11] Held für die Albaner, rotes Tuch für Serben. Früherer UCK-Chef soll Premier des Kosovo werden; Berliner Zeitung 03.03.2006