Antenna: News in English, 96-11-27

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English, of 27/11/1996

TITLES

• A feud erupts at the top of New Democracy.
• government's major tax drive.
• And, Miss Young 1997.

N.D.

Evert's attack on former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis followed a Mitsotakis magazine interview, in which the honorary party leader accuses Evert of having ridden roughshod over the party after he was made its leader in 1993. That's been New Democracy's problem ever since, maintains Mitsotakis.

Mitsotakis also levels criticism at a man whom Evert identifies with politically: party founder Konstantinos Karamanlis. Mitsotakis says Greece is still paying for the mistakes Karamanlis made as prime minister in the 1970s.

Asked if he would consider becoming party leader again, Mitsotakis says in his interview that he would consider helping the party in any way he can, if asked to do so by party members.

That raises at least the possibility of a Mitsotakis candidacy for the leadership at the party congress, which will take place in February or March.

In response to the Mitsotakis interview, Evert says that the former prime minister is disorienting the Greek people with his comments, and lending assistance to Pasok, at a time when it is implementing tough economic policies. Evert has repeatedly asked his internal critics to stop criticising him, and start taking on the government.

"We won't follow Mr Mitsotakis down his slippery path", says Evert, "because our main task is protecting the people from the tax looting of the government, not internal quarrels".

Evert also says that Mitsotakis is stoking the coals of division, that his remarks are souring the climate in the run-up to the congress.

All that brought renewed fire from Mitsotakis. His office released a statement saying that Evert placed himself under criticism, by resigning as party leader immediately after the party's September national election defeat. Evert said then that he accepted full responsibility for the loss. Now, says Mitsotakis, Evert must accept the criticism coming his way.

The party's honorary leader adds that the only way the congress can solve the leadership problem to everyone's satisfaction is if it is fairly conducted.

Indeed, the feuding at the top of the party carry's over into the preparations for the congress. It has been agreed to enlarge the number of congress delegates, but no one agrees how that should be done. Should they be chosen according to their professional backgrounds, as Iannis Varvitsiotis suggests? Stephanos Manos, like all Evert's opponent, says the additional delegates should be elected.

Varvitsiotis responded, "Even if all 2.5 million party members directly voted at the congress, some people would still be dissatisfied".

The discontent and division seems sure to continue in the party. Giorgos Souflias's response to the Evert-Mitsotakis tiff was to distance himself from both men. Souflias, who's already said he wants to be party leader, says it saddens him that in the run-up to the congress, intentional unhappy episodes aren't being avoided.

ECONOMY

The new taxes include a 7.5 per cent hit on state bond interest, a .2 per cent tax on mutual funds, a property tax, a ten per cent tax on foreign currency loans, and a hike in the tax on profits banks pay, from 35 to 40 per cent.

A number of people, from doctors to people with more than three children, will find themselves with fewer special tax breaks next year.

Not only taxes, but stingy incomes policies are on the way. The country's two largest trade unions have announced a 24-hour strike for Thursday.

The workers say they'll close down the country's main highways at four points in protest.

Welfare minister Kostas Gitonas's response to that is, "We'll oppose their roadblocks by informing everyone of the logic behind our policies".

Pasok MP Ilias Blachopoulos says Pasok must prove that it's going to do what it promised: make the "haves" of society share most of the austerity burden.

TEACHERS

After talking with education minister Gerasimos Arsenis, union rep Grigoris Kalomirs said the teachers won't be satisfied until they get a thousand dollars a month clear.

The teachers have announced strikes for December 9th, 16th, 17th, and 18th.

Deputy education minister Giannis Anthopoulos said after the meeting, "No one disagrees that teachers are important. But neither can anyone ignore the economic reality before us".

MISS YOUNG

Ioanna Kavkopoulou is a high school student who hopes one day to become a doctor. She could be the kid next door: she has brown eyes and black hair, speaks English, and loves dancing and - why not at a height of 6 feet? - basketball.

Ioanna also dabbles in interior design and painting as asides.

The contestants first showed off evening gowns, then bathing suits. The gowns were designed by Thodoros Kranoulis, the same man who designed the gown worn by Irini Skliva the night she won the Miss World contest.

Skliva spoke by phone to the contestants, pageant MC Eleni Menegaki and Antenna public relations director Lola Daifa.

She wished all the young women good luck.

19-year-old RomIna Livadarou was crowned Miss Tourism 1997.

First runner-up for Miss Young was 16-year-old Meni Likoudi. First runner- up for Miss Tourism was 17-year-old Anna-Maria Nikolopoulou.

It was not just an evening of competition, but of entertainment, as singers Angela Dimitriou, Giorgos Alkaios, and Stelios Rokos brought the house down.

©ANT1-Radio 1996

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