'Makfax' and other FYROM press on the Macedonian issue

[Tsontos]

This thread is reserved for english articles from 'Makfax', the Skopjian news agency and other FYROM news agencies as well.

There is a constant stream of news articles from 'Makfax Independent News Agency' about the name issue. Makfax is basically the only online Skopjian news agency with articles in English. Probably more articles come from then than any other news agency on the internet on the Macedonian naming dispute. As 'independent' as Makfax proposes it is, its undeniable that often it simply acts as a mouth peice for official FYROM/ Skopjian and nationalist stances on the issue. Sometimes the articles are things already known which are disguised as news (the constant reitteration of U.S support for FYROM's NATO accession for example).

Other times 'Makfax' distorts the truth in a more serious and openly deceitful way. Case in point:

Recently Nicolas Sarcozy, the French President, held a press conference where he gave perhaps on of the strongest message of support to Greece regarding the Macedonian naming dispute from the leader of a influential European country in a long time. The following article from a non-Greek source demonstrates that, directly quoting Mr. Sarcozy on the 14th of March:

France Backs Greece In Macedonia Row

14 March 2008 Brussels

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has confirmed he backs Greece in the row over Macedonia’s name.

On the margins of the European Union summit, Sarkozy said it was “the right impression” to conclude that that Paris is on Greek side in the “name” dispute.

He also confirmed the issue is always raised during various meetings with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

“I always stressed that we support the Greek position in the name issue. Greeks are our friends,” Sarkozy said.

“I am confirming to you that we are in solidarity with the position of our Greek friends,” the French president said.

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/8630/


Nonetheless 'Makfax' decided to outright lie and produce misinformation on the very same day (March 14th) by neglecting to report this development and by actually inluding France in a list of countries supposedly supporting FYROM's NATO bid!!

from 'Makfax':

Support to Macedonia's NATO bid

Skopje /14/03/ 12:27

Several heads of state and ministers of NATO members pledged their support for Macedonia's admission to NATO, says a statement released in Skopje.

A number of countries hailed Macedonia's NATO membership, including France, Italy, Romania, Netherlands and United Kingdom. They pledged their support in return letters to Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski. Crvenkovski wrote letters to presidents of all NATO member-states asking them to support Macedonia's NATO bid.

"My country is strongly engaged to ensure that all three candidate-countries receive NATO membership invitations at Bucharest summit," Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said in his letter.

London also stressed its support to Macedonia.

"Great Britain is a strong supporter of Macedonia's aspirations to join the Euro-Atlantic community," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a letter sent on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

Romanian President Traian Basescu is confident that further NATO enlargement, which would include the three candidate-countries, will bring benefit not only to the invited countries but also to the regional and Euro-Atlantic security.

"I believe that the progress that has been made by your country in terms of domestic reform and democratic transformation, including the country's contribution to the international peace, qualify Macedonia to take a deserved place in NATO family," the letter says.

So as to be aware that makfax news articles (not opinion peices) cannot in every instance be assumed to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, they can be posted in this thread and analysed here. I'm not saying that 'Makfax' has no news value at all or that Greek press are completely free of bias but 'Makfax' is an example of what I see as often being a mouthpeice for official FYROM propaganda.

[Truth Bearer]

Well done Tsontos great idea on how to expose their lies...Look at the new macedonia issue also how they mislead their public.

[Foti66]

Good job Tsontos! I agree with you and like the idea of this thread.

[Tsontos]

Vasiliye if you see this thread, please give us your opinion on what sort of news outlet makfax is. WHat sort of reputation does it have in FYROM?

This thread should also include analysis of macedoniaonline.eu articles. It's a new nationalist site coming out of the Skopjian diaspora in Canada which makes its own news articles and has managed to get into google news on occasion.

[Tsontos]

From Makfax:

New round of negotiations on name scheduled for 24 March

Athens /18/03/ 16:25

The new meeting dedicated to the differences on the name between Athens and Skopje will take place on 24 March in New York, Greek Radio Sky reported, citing unofficial information.

Greek and Macedonian negotiators Adamantios Vassilakis and Nikola Dimitrov will take part at the meeting hosted by the mediator Matthew Nimetz.

After yesterday's meeting in Vienna, Nimetz said that he was more optimistic now, adding that he expected from the both sides to acknowledge the risks that might arise from failure to reach a solution

[Astoria]

Dnevnik: Nikola Gruevski starts name consultations with political leaders



19 March 2008 | 08:51 | FOCUS News Agency



Skopje. Macedonia’s Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will summon for consultations the leaders of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, Democratic Party of Albanians and Democratic Union for Integration in relation to the most recent proposal by the mediator in the negotiations Matthew Nimitz, the Macedonian Dnevnik newspaper writes, citing government sources.
Late on Wednesday evening PM Gruevski will meet with President Branko Crvenkovski and Macedonian negotiator Nikola Dimitrov.
Neither of Nimitz’s proposals is a reasonable ground or a possible solution to the name dispute. All of them turned out to be old and unsuccessful and were rejected at least once by either of the parties in the talks. This, however, does not mean that the negotiations on the name will not go on, the newspaper’s sources add.

[Tsontos]

'Focus' News Agency is Bulgarian. Ill copy your post to the foreign press news thread here, Astoria: http://www.macedoniaontheweb.com/for...ian-issue.html

[Vasiliye]

"Makfax" is a private news agency, with de facto emphasise on brief, up-to -the minute raport-styled news, without or at least minimal journalist comment, simillar like "Tanjug" in Serbia, "Iter-Tass" in Russia, "AP" and alike etc.

While being by far the most prominent organization of such kind in FYROM, FYROMian media which do develop primary news raports into various journalist genres, do not particulary relly on them when it comes about news from abroad, not even inside.FYROM is very "Skopljecentric" and Makfax does not have a very extensive network ouside the city, which is already independently covered by major local media and by the possibility to obtain a quick access to the place of event due to the country's tiny size.

[dellux]

Name for Greece and for international organizations

Athens /19/03/ 15:28

Athens is concerned ahead of the new round of negotiations because of the intention of the mediator and of USA to impose a solution for name of Macedonia that would be valid for communication with Greece and the international organizations only.

Greek daily Ta Nea wrote this in today's edition in an article dedicated to the developments in the talks on the name differences between Macedonia and Greece, which are due to resume in New York on Monday.

Citing diplomatic sources, Eleftheros Typos says that there is an organized plan for solving of the name issue, which is executed "step by step."

According to the paper, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis informed the Cabinet that the pressure for making compromise, which is currently applied on official Skopje only, is likely to shift toward official Athens soon.

Citing reliable sources, To Vima daily writes that the name New Macedonia, along with its derivatives, is in the focus, while the other proposals put forward by the mediator Matthew Nimetz at the Vienna meeting were merely "play-acting". /end/

http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=105648&NrIssue=612&NrSection=10

Do you believe me now that there is an organized plan by USA for Macedonia to enter Nato? Do you believe me that there is not going to be Veto? You are reading the newspapers and watching TV. This diplomatic sources Greek newspaper quotes today, in Macedonia we announced some days ago. There is a good plan for Macedonia to enter Nato without changing the name. You will be aware of this with every passed day. The difference is that we knew this before you and i told you, but you dont believe me. You'll see for yourself and you'll be sure in the next 10 days.
The sooner you realize the real situation the better you will accept the reality that Macedonia will enter Nato and there willl be no VETO.

[Tsontos]

The "Macedonian Information Agency" claims Taci, the Albanian leader in FYROM, rejects the Nimitz proposals:

Taci: Nimetz's latest proposals are outdated and have been long rejected by Macedonia



Skopje, March 19 (MIA) - The latest proposals by mediator Matthew Nimetz are outdated and have been rejected several times by Macedonia. I hope we will all work together in this process in order to have a good ending. Strong negotiations are approaching, stated DPA leader Menduh Taci after Wednesday's meeting with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in the Government.

When asked what was DPA's current position in the Government, Taci said his party has left the Government only politically.

- Now we're focusing on the incident caused by the statement of Vice PM Imer Aliu. I think that advantage should be given to dialogue and talks, while decisions should be brought afterwards, said Taci.

According to him, it was still early to say which of the open issues have been settled between DPA and the Government.

- No blackmails and threats are in question, it is only a political process. I've already said that we're not urging things to be completed in two or three day; it's impossible. There are things that can be agreed in three days, but others require political process that may last at least a year, noted Taci.

He failed to confirm whether he was to visit Kosovo on March 20, upon an invitation by country's president Fatmir Sejdiu.

- Perhaps Sejdiu expect tomorrow's talks to focus on the recognition of Kosovo by Macedonia. However, what Sejdiu an Taci are requiring to happen tomorrow in Pristina is cheap, impermissible political point-scoring. Kosovo's recognition should happen in Skopje, not in Pristina, DPA's leader stressed.

Taci said he knew the date when Macedonia would recognize Kosovo, unlike Hasim Thaci.

- Hasim Thaci thinks he's the prime minister of Macedonia. The Kosovo authorities have given impermissibly false statements that stirred problems here, Taci stated.

According to him, Kosovo's deputy PM has also given a false statement considering the border demarcation towards Macedonia.

- This situation will be resolved in couple of days, because on March 20 or 21 - according to my findings - the demarcation commissions will meet in order to settle the issue, he said.

Following the meeting with Gruevski, Taci is due to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Gillian Milovanovic.

The meeting between PM Gruevski and DUI leader Ali Ahmeti is underway in the Government, where the PM will convey the Government's position regarding the new proposals by UN mediator in the name dispute with Greece, Matthew Nimetz.

After meeting Ahmeti, Gruevski will hold consultations with SDSM president Radmila Sekerinska, whereas later in the day he is scheduled to meet with President Branko Crvenkovski.

http://www.mia.com.mk/portal/page?_pageid=113,166290&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&VestID=39088611&prikaz=3