The government will stand firm on its commitment to the farmers, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou told Parliament yesterday during a discussion on farming issues tabled at the initiative of the Political Spring party.
Mr. Papandreou lashed out at the opposition, accusing it of "shameless demagoguery" on the issue of the government's reformed tax system. Mr. Papandreou accused main opposition New Democracy party of a "negative, destructive, and merciless policy which the PASOK government is now trying to reform."
The debate came a week after farmers packed away tractors and farm machinery they used to block national roads. They were protesting the government's new "objective criteria" policy, calculating the income tax of non-salaried workers on the basis of objective criteria rather than declared income, formulated to broaden the tax base, and related agricultural issues.
Stressing that the farming sector is going through hard times, the prime minister called on the farmers to co-operate with the government's new tax policy scheme.
Main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert criticised Mr. Papandreou's statements, describing them as "empty words" and accused the government of three errors which have affected the country's agricultural sector: the signing of the GATT agreement, the removal of its veto against an EU-Turkey customs union agreement and the lack of a policy in view of the EU enlargement. Mr. Evert also lashed out against the Political Spring party "for supporting ruling PASOK at the presidential elections."
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras reiterated the party's positions on the issue saying they should form the basis for dialogue with the farmers. Mr. Samaras said the "farmers' riot is simply suspended and the prolongation of current problems could spark a new crisis."
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary-General Aleka Papariga criticised the agricultural policies of both the European Union and the Greek government, saying that "the Common Agricultural Policy, the GATT agreement, and the government's handlings have led the farmers to desperation."
An announcement by the Coalition of the Left and Progress party said that the "the country's agricultural economy is threatened with extinction in the face of new competitive conditions." "The recent mobilisations, the explosive situation which is created in the countryside, express the agony of our farmers for their survival in this new competitive environment," a press conference was told.
A meeting between Panhellenic Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives (PASEGES) President Nikos Liolios and Finance Minister Alexandros Papadopoulos agreed yesterday to extend non-taxable income for pensioners and farmers.
They also agreed to reduce withholding tax on subsidies from 2 per cent to 0.5 per cent for amounts up to five billion drachmas and from 5 per cent to 1 per cent for amounts in excess of five billion drachmas.
This tax will be abolished in 1996. Speaking at a press conference after meeting Mr. Papadopoulos, Mr. Liolios said farmers' income had shrunk radically since 1991, adding that by an increase in the Agricultural Bank of Greece's (ATE) interest rates alone farmers were burdened with 435 billion drachmas.
Referring to the black economy operating in the farm products trade, Mr. Liolios said the state lost 700-800 billion drachmas every year by non-payment of Value Added Tax.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou is to open a meeting of Black Sea Economic Co-operation group foreign ministers in Athens on Friday. Greece currently holds the organisation's rotating presidency.
Representatives from the 17-member group are expected to discuss closer economic co-operation between Black Sea states. Foreign Ministry sources said the weekend summit will be highlighted by several sideline meetings.
Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias is set to hold tripartite talks with his Russian and Bulgarian counterparts. He has also left open the possibility of meeting with his newly-appointed Turkish counterpart, Erdal Inonu. Foreign Ministry sources said the Bosnia crisis and the effects of UN sanctions on the former Yugoslavia will dominate most of the sideline meetings.
The entire spectrum of Greek-US relations are being discussed at the two-day US-Greece High Level Consultative Committee, which began in Rhodes yesterday. National Defence Under-Secretary Nikolaos Kouris is heading the Greek delegation, while the US delegation is led by Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Dr. Joseph Nye.
According to sources, issues concerning Greek-Turkish relations are being discussed during the conference, though no official announcement has been made. The committee is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon at the close of the meeting.
Albania's Foreign Under-Secretary Arian Starova will visit Athens next week to participate in a meeting of a joint Greek-Albanian committee to discuss bilateral issues, Foreign Ministry sources said yesterday. They said the two-day meeting would begin next Tuesday, but did not disclose the agenda of talks. Foreign Ministry General Secretary Constantine Georgiou will head the Greek side, the sources said.
The meeting of the joint Greek-Albanian committee comes less than a month after Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias visited Albania to herald a new chapter of improved relations between the two neighbouring states.
Ruling PASOK party Secretary-General Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday held a meeting with a delegation of Albania's Socialist Party, headed by the party's vice president, Ilir Meta. The meeting focused on developments in the Balkans, relations between the two parties and their contribution to the improvement of relations between the two countries.
The government said yesterday that US President Bill Clinton's letter to Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou contained no reference to the possibility of Greece and Turkey taking confidence-building measures to improve relations. "This issue was not raised even verbally," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said, commenting on press reports claiming the contrary. The letter was handed to Mr. Papandreou by US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Richard Holbrooke during a meeting at the premier's residence on Saturday night.
"Mr. Clinton's letter is one-and-a-half pages long and refers extensively to the role played by Greece for stabilisation in the region. It praises our country for the improvement in Greek-Albanian relations and describes Greece's stance on the issue of the proposed European Union-Turkey customs union as positive," Mr. Venizelos said.
In the letter, the spokesman added, President Clinton also expresses the will of the US for the continuation of the mediation efforts of Richard Beattie on the Cyprus problem and Matthew Nimetz on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
"On the Skopje issue," Mr. Venizelos said, "Greece had not asked for pressure to be exerted on (FYROM President Kiro) Gligorov". He noted however that Greece had reiterated its known position that the crux of the problem is the intransigence of the neighbouring state and therefore anyone wishing to contribute to a solution of the problem should turn in that direction to try and bend Skopjan intransigence.
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued an announcement yesterday saying Mr. Holbrooke's visit to Greece signalled a fresh escalation of US pressures (on Greece) to settle NATO issues.
"The US policy has no connection to the need of de-escalation of tension in the Aegean," the announcement said. "On the contrary, it aims exclusively on US and NATO sovereignty in the region." The KKE called on the government to reject and protest such actions.
Greece said yesterday it was not prepared to make any concessions to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) before the start of direct talks in the framework of an initiative by UN mediator on the issue Cyrus Vance.
The categorical refusal came from Alternate Foreign Minister George Mangakis, who met with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel yesterday on the sidelines of a EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg. Direct talks scheduled to begin last week were postponed when Skopje failed to reply to an invitation by Mr. Vance to participate. Greece has said it would attend the talks.
Mr. Kinkel is due in Skopje today for consultations with President Kiro Gligorov and Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski. He had formally asked the Greek government to brief him on its positions on the issue and had asked what the Greek government could do to facilitate the beginning of direct talks with Skopje.
Mr. Mangakis briefed Mr. Kinkel fully on Greece's positions and reiterated that Mr. Gligorov's demand that trade sanctions imposed by Greece on Skopje be lifted before talks begin would not be satisfied. He said Mr. Gligorov's request revealed "a great disinclination to co-operate for the finding of a mutually acceptable solution".
"It is not possible for Greece to abandon its positions beforehand," Mr. Mangakis said. He said Mr. Gligorov's refusal to come to the negotiating table because Greece would not remove one of the items in dispute and up for negotiation (the sanctions) was "unorthodox".
Mr. Kinkel is reported to have understood Greece's disposition for talks and not dialogue with prior unilateral concessions.
A diplomatic source at the German Foreign Ministry yesterday reaffirmed that Germany would do all in its power to find a compromise solution between Greece and FYROM. Mr. Kinkel will hold talks with Mr. Gligorov, Prime Minister Branco Crvenkovski and Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski in FYROM and is expected to urge acceptance by FYROM of the so-called "mini package", while at the same time he has reportedly notified Greece that "suspension of the embargo is essential, even temporarily, to facilitate negotiations."
Francis Jacobs, legal adviser to the European Union's Court of Justice in Luxembourg said last Thursday that Greece's trade sanctions against FYROM did not violate European Union law. "The legal adviser's opinion in no way affects the minister's visit since it was scheduled," the source said, adding that the legal opinion "is not a decision."
Diplomatic sources reaffirmed that Mr. Kinkel's visit to FYROM did not initially aim at "mediating" for the finding of a compromise with Athens. The issue of the Albanian-speaking population and "preventive measures" averting the Yugoslav crisis from spreading southwards, both from Kosovo and Albania, were probably of greater interest to the German Foreign Ministry's political leadership.
In Skopje meanwhile, in an interview with state radio on the occasion of the second anniversary of FYROM's accession to the UN, Mr. Gligorov said that from the very first day his country had proposed and was ready, if necessary, to sign an agreement wit h Greece on the inviolability of borders as well as with other neighbouring countries.
He also claimed that the inviolability of borders was anticipated by FYROM's very constitution and "the signing of such an agreement would pose no obstacle to resolving conflicts with Greece."
Greek Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis said yesterday Ankara's bid to promote ties with the European Union minimised Turkish threats against Greece. "Turkey's European orientation significantly diminishes (Turkish) threats against Hellenism," Mr. Arsenis said.
Speaking at the International Relations Department at the Pantion University, Mr. Arsenis strongly praised the government for its decision to waive objections to a landmark customs union deal between Turkey and the European Union.
"Waiving reservations on Turkey's entry to a customs union pact with the EU was a significant step. By dismissing such reservations our negotiating capabilities in the EU and NATO on issues of vital national interest are upgraded," Mr. Arsenis said. The minister urged Greece to take on a stronger role in the Balkans and the southern Mediterranean in an effort to establish the image of "a state with a credible force to deter external threats".
In doing so, he said, Greece must engage in close co-operation with neighbouring states, actively participate in Western fora, and press ahead with economic development. "The best defence for our country is development. We can not successfully negotiate issues relating to vital national matters if we lack a stable economic surrounding," Mr. Arsenis said. "But for this to succeed, we need to first implement a policy of open horizons bearing no elements of introversion and national isolationism," he said.
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will meet with Cyprus' National Council, the country's top advisory body on foreign issues, on May 4, Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and his Cypriot counterpart, Alecos Michaelides, announced yesterday. The National Council is presided over by President Glafcos Clerides and is composed of the leaders of the four parliamentary parties.
Mr. Papoulias met with Mr. Michaelides earlier to discuss developments in the Cyprus issue and to be briefed on the results of his talks in Europe. Following the meeting, both ministers told the press that the meeting between the Greek prime minister and the National Council will be fruitful in the framework of persistent efforts by both sides to reach a solution. Both ministers expressed the hope the May meeting would be productive in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
Mr. Papoulias said his talks with Mr. Michaelides reaffirmed the united front between Cyprus and Greece to work towards a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus. Mr. Michaelides stressed that the two countries have co-operated closely in the past two years on national issues.
"This perfect co-operation between the two governments has led to a great success concerning Cyprus's accession to the European Union," Mr. Michaelides said, referring to the EU commitment to begin pre-accession talks with Cyprus six months after the 1996 intergovernmental summit.
Mr. Michaelides said the next meeting between the two governments will take place in Nicosia with Alternate Foreign Minister George Mangakis and will focus on Cyprus's accession to the EU. Both ministers described as "very positive", a statement by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke that "the Cyprus issue affects Greek-Turkish relations."
Mr. Papoulias said Mr. Holbrooke had realised that "a solution to the Cyprus problem is the key to improvement in relations between Athens and Ankara." Mr. Michaelides said the US official's statement "is very important, it expresses the truth, it constitutes a positive political step and should be interpreted in similar activities by those wishing the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations and a contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem."
"It is not possible that Greece should be urged or encouraged to improve relations with Turkey as long as the 20-year-long occupation of a part of Cyprus by Turkey continues," Mr. Michaelides added.
While in Athens, Mr. Michaelides also met with National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis who briefed him on his talks in Brussels with Western European Union Secretary General Jose Cutilheiro. Cyprus has indicated that it would welcome closer links with the WEU. Mr. Arsenis expressed the hope that Cypriot co-operation with the WEU "would be dealt with in a satisfactory manner before the Union ministerial conference on May 15". Mr. Michaelides was due to return to Cyprus last night.
EU foreign ministers meeting here yesterday unanimously endorsed a fresh statement calling for the "complete" withdrawal of Turkish troops from northern Iraq "without delay". Greek Alternate Foreign Minister George Mangakis said, however, that although a second statement was "proper," it could not deal with the core of the problem, the Kurdish issue.
"If we don't seek a solution to the Kurdish problem, we run the risk of having to realise, a few years later, that we have committed the same mistakes we made when we would not recognise the just demands of the Palestinians," he said.
A six-billion-drachma pilot programme banning cars, taxis and motorbikes in the historic centre of Athens began yesterday as part of efforts to alleviate the city's serious pollution and ease traffic congestion.
The programme was inaugurated by Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis and Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos who cut a blue ribbon running across a road leading into the unusually quiet commercial heart of the city.
"Today is a different day, a better day for Athens and Athenians," Mr. Laliotis said, underlining that similar programmes would be implemented in other cities.
Mr. Avramopoulos said that "a new era" was beginning for the capital. Representatives of trade associations also expressed satisfaction over the programme.
Shoppers in the car-free zone covering one square mile will be served by five bus routes and three new mini-bus services. Deliveries to shops in the zone will be restricted to between 6 pm and 10 am. A few roads within the zone will remain open to afford access to parking lots, while taxis will use special routes to meet the needs of handicapped persons and take customers to hotels. Drivers contravening the ban will be fined 22,500 drachmas.
A branch of the Greek Cultural Foundation was inaugurated here yesterday by president of the foundation, Professor Michalis Sakellariou, with an exhibition of original drawings entitled "From Pendeli to the Parthenon" by architect Manolis Korres.
The branch, housed on the fourth floor of a central Berlin building, will function as a cultural centre and has an exhibition hall and a Greek library containing some 3,500 books. The Foundation plans to offer Greek lessons and to set up a lending library.
The inauguration was attended by Greek Foreign Under-Secretary for Overseas Greeks Grigoris Niotis and representatives of political, cultural and scientific life in Berlin. "The centre is a meeting point for all those who know and love Greece and wish to closely examine Greek culture," a German official said.
In the context of renewal of its satellite strategy, ERT S.A. has mo-ved its satellite programme from Satellite Eutelsat F-4, which bro-adcasts at 7 eastern, to satellite Eutelsat II-F2 at 10 eastern. The switch, which went into effect as of Saturday, April 8, will have the following results:
1.) The power of the broadcasting signal is multiplied. In this way, the quality of the picture as well as the geographical latitude of the screening are improved.
2.) The programme from the new satellite can be accessed by Greeks abroad with the use of satellite antennas of a significantly smaller diameter than needed previously, and, as a result, of a lesser buying cost.
3.) A catalogue containing the basic elements of the new satellite and the requisite satellite antennas' diameter per area will follow.