Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou reiterated yesterday the need for party unity, stressing that unity and a clear political identity of political parties are essential prerequisites for democratic credibility and legality, which safeguard against disastrous developments for the nation. The premier and ruling PASOK party leader made the comments in the aftermath of PASOK's organisational conference, which ended Saturday.
In an article in yesterday's "To Vima," entitled "Historical memory and politics," the premier expressed the conviction that historical experience has made this message well understood in Greece, noting that "politics without collective organisation, continuity and tradition, without parties honouring the mandate of the electoral body and exercising or contesting power stubbornly, does not exist."
In his closing statement at the conference, the party's central committee secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos stressed that the conference confirmed PASOK's unity, saying this unity was based on ideological principles and concerned unity in aims and the content of initiatives which the party had to undertake. He said the issue of the leadership succession was non-existent and that the authenticity of the relevant procedure, whenever the issue arose, was guaranteed by the leader and the party's base.
Referring to organisational aspects of the conference, and on the basis of the discussions which took place, he said the conference consensus rejected PASOK's conversion into a federal party and confirmed its organisational and interventionist character. He said the party was in a position to assume responsibility of leading the country in a progressive direction, stressing it should be in a position to assert its policy on every minister, prefect and mayor, because its policy was not the sum total of personal policies.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos rejected proposals for an early conference next year, stressing this would create introvert tendencies that would hinder its ability to apply policies comfortably. He also drew attention to the need for an intensification of efforts until the next election, so the government's work would increase and the people would see tangible results. He noted the year ahead was a critical one, saying PASOK must make the best use of the time so as to win the next elections.
Speaking at the conference, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis launched an attack against the mass media and their owners, accusing them of undermining the political system because they wanted to impose their will on all parties and every government. He said this posed a great danger, but as far as PASOK was concerned, he warned they would not meet with any success. Mr. Kaklamanis said he was himself indifferent about any personal political cost. Referring to PASOK's work in government, he called on members not to belittle the achievements of the first two terms during the 1980s, but instead to promote them.
Interior Minister Costas Skandalides stressed the need for PASOK to be renewed as a party of principles "here and now." He said a single political direction was required on the basis of an agreement on three points. Firstly, that PASOK was being outpace d by reality, and that a new party would involve all members. Secondly, that the renewal of politics would not arise through a splintering of the larger parties, and thirdly, the delineation of political practices. He called on party members to speak a "language of truth," as PASOK was present everywhere as a sum of individual members, but not as a collective organ.
Executive Bureau member Stephanos Tzoumakas centred his attention on "the day after," considering this was the most crucial issue for the movement. He said three elements had to dominate the party after the conference. The first was political unity of the members who wished to assume leading roles in the future. Secondly, the acquisition of a political direction, and thirdly, that a political direction ought to be acquired by the government itself, whose policy had altered the character of the movement - with the prime minister among those bearing responsibility. Finally, he stressed that PASOK has had a unity problem since 1975, because the currents forming it had different principles and views, warning that if an agreement between the leadership and the party base was not obtained, events would deteriorate.
UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali arrived in Athens yesterday on a three-day visit during which he will receive an Onassis Foundation prize awarded earlier this year, as well as hold talks with the Greek government. Mr. Ghali, greeted at the airport by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, told reporters the purpose of his visit is to strengthen relations between the United Nations and Greece.
Today he'll hold talks with President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias on subjects ranging from recent developments on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the crisis in former Yugoslavia and Turkish threats against Greece.
Later in the day, the UN chief will be awarded the Gold Medal of the City of Athens in a special ceremony at the old city hall by Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. He will be presented with the Onassis Award by President Stephanopoulos at a special ceremony tomorrow on historical Pnyx Hill near the Acropolis.
Last night Mr. Boutros-Ghali attended a dinner given in his honour by former premier Constantinos Mitsotakis. Former Foreign Minister Michalis Papaconstantinou and Greece's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Christos Zacharakis, attended the dinner.
Mr. Ghali was named as one of the winners of the biannual Onassis International Awards in April. He was awarded the "Onassis Prize for International Understanding and Social Achievement" for contributing "to the initiation of certain solutions to a number of international problems concerning the wider area of the Mediterranean." Each of the awards of the Alexandros S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation are accompanied by a sum of $250,000.
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party leader Nicos Constantopoulos predicted Saturday that the nation's political scene will soon be "reshuffled." The reshuffling of Greece's political landscape is being "pondered and prepared by many," Mr. Constantopoulos said in addressing his party's central committee.
"Political figures and alliances which in the past played a leading role in creating major (political) deadness and to a vulgarisation of politics will again attempt to play a protagonist role in the new phase, and in the controlled evolution of the political scene," he added. Mr. Constantopoulos referred to the current situation within the government and the ruling PASOK party, underlining that a crisis of succession (within PASOK) and what he called an "organisational and political weakness of PASOK" constitute a government crisis whose effects are shouldered by society. PASOK cannot change its course of decline, he said, adding: "for this reason its members are condemned to follow a decay of immobility."
The ministry of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works and the National Economy Ministry have provided a 6.2 billion drachmas credit for continuation of new port construction in the northern Greek city of Kavala, according to an announcement. The project will be tendered in 10 days using a pre-selection procedure.
Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Under-Secretary Ioannis Tsaklides said 4.6 billion drachmas are for construction of a 680-metre breakwater section and a 170-metre-long pier for cargo vessels. The remaining 1.6 billion will be used for construction of port installations and machinery.
Formation of a permanent forum for European-Mediterranean co-operation was the consensus opinion of a European Union symposium entitled "Euro-Mediterranean co-operation in the energy sector," held in Athens and attended by representatives from 25 countries.
The meeting was attended by EU officials and representatives from Mediterranean nations, including non-EU members Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Malta, Palestinian self-ruled territories, Tunisia and Turkey, as well as EU member-states Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Britain, Italy and Greece. The symposium was organised by the European Commission's General Directorate for Energy, within the framework of the Synergy Programme and with assistance from a research group for energy policy at Athens' Metsovion Polytechnic University (co-ordinated by Prof. I.E. Samouilides).
An action programme concerning the creation of an institutional framework which includes oil, coal, gas, electricity, energy-saving, renewal of energy sources, energy and environmental protection was also decided on during the meeting.
The Federation of Trades and Craft Industries warned yesterday that up to 30,000 small- and- medium-size businesses would close during the next five years and called on the government to change its economic policy.
Speaking at the federation's general assembly, representatives said dozens of small businesses are closing daily because they're not able to cope with "enormous economic problems." Federation president Dimitris Korfiatis said bad checks currently in circulation totalled more than one trillion drachmas, while for every 10 newly established businesses, seven existing ones close.
According to the federation, by the end of the decade 40 per cent of small- and medium-size enterprises (SME) - approximately 300,000 businesses - will have ceased operation. Federation Vice-President Kostas Skordinis said "more than 200,000 businesses are currently at the limit of their endurance."