Balkans: May 8, 2003

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The Montenegrin government said it has to improve civilian control of police and security troops. Proposed reform legislation for running the police is modeled on western European law. Wiretaps and bugging by police and security troops would require Montenegrin Supreme Court approval. Political activity by security service personnel would be forbidden. Another aim is that civil service standards will help counter corruption.

Both EU and NATO spokesmen said that partition ideas floated by Macedonian nationalists were unacceptable (ie, partition of Macedonia into Slav and Albanian regions). The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (VMRO-DPMNE, a Slav oriented party) and The Democratic Party of the Albanians (PDSH, obviously an Albanian oriented party) had discussed this option in late April. Macedonias current prime minister, Branko Crvenkovski, opposes ethnic partition.