Press Release / Transnational Radical Parti
Comuniqué de Presse / Parti Radical transnational
Comunicato Stampa / Partito Radicale Transnazionale

MACEDONIA/THE DEMIRI, OSMANI, DAUTI AND BEXHETI CASE: THE MACEDONIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS AMNESTY LAWS.

Rome, 30 December 1998 - The Macedonian Parliament adopted yesterday, with a large majority, amnesty laws regarding Mr. Demiri, Mr. Osmani, Mr. Dauti and Mr. Bexheti, Mayors and citycounellors of Gostivar and Tetevo and all members of the Radical Party. The politicians, members of the Albanian minority of Macedonia, had been sentenced in February and May 1997 to several years in prison for their demonstrations against the prohibition to use the Albanian flag in public. Last 17 December, the European Parliament adopted with a large majority an important resolution in which it urged the new Government to face the question inherited from the old administration.

Declaration of Olivier Dupuis, Secretary of the Radical Party and MEP:

"With this courageous and prompt decision, the new Government majority of Macedonia, and in particular its Prime Minister Georgievsky, demonstrate that they can keep their promises and, at the same time, that they can face concretely, and without prejudices, delicate questions - the cohabitation of Macedonians and Albanians - which are at the very basis of the future development of that Country.

Another important reason to support Macedonia, help it recuperate the time wasted in the past years for its european integration, and invite it to submit, without further delay, the formal request to become full member of the European Union.

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