Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-25

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

News in English, 24/03/97

TITLES

• New Democracy's new leader meets with the party founder.
• School children celebrate independence day.
• And, Greek-Albanians living in fear of anarchy.

ND/KARAMANLIS

The younger Karamanlis was elected the sixth president of the party last Friday.

The meeting had a symbolic character as well as political significance. Apart from the family bonds between the two men, the younger Karamanlis is committed to take the party forward while respecting its founding principles.

After meeting with his uncle, Karamanlis said, "I paid my respects to the party founder as was my obligation. He congratulated me on my election and wished me success".

The elder Karamanlis had one piece of advice for his nephew: don't expect advice to help you, advice doesn't make policies.

Over the next week, the new leader of the party plans to meet with all its former presidents, and possibly with the Greek president.

ND/CONGRESS/KE

Another relatively young party member was the top vote-getter in the election of the party's central committee. MP Dora Bakoyianni, daughter of former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis, pulled in 663 delegate votes.

Dora Bakoyianni received more votes than any other person elected to the central committee. Finishing right behind her were Stavros Dimas, Vassilis Michaloliakos, and Achilleas Karamanlis.

Commenting on Bakoyianni's first-place finish, Michaloliakos said, "Dora's competence is unquestionable, she adds strength to our ability to wage our struggle to regenerate the party. Her election is also a smile of optimism for the Greek people".

Apart from electing new party officials, the congress also ratified the party charter.

It was a democratic process, in the broadest sense: representatives of the country's other political parties also addressed the delegates.

Pasok secretary Kostas Skandalides said, "Our views are greatly different, but there is also common ground, and that's allowing real change in the country's political landscape to take place".

But does Pasok consider Kostas Karamanlis an easy or a tough opponent? Skandalides answered, only time will provide the answer. He also wished the new opposition party leader all the best in his difficult new job.

Left Coalition and communist party representatives thanked New Democracy for inviting them to address the delegates.

Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras sent his congratulations to the newly-elected New Democracy leader.

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos said that he will be beside Karmanlis as he takes on the difficult job of setting the party on a new course.

PARADE

On Monday, school children paraded in central Athens and Thessaloniki, remembering the start of the revolutionary war of 1821.

The youth of Greece remembered the strength and courage of their forefathers, who rose up against 400 years of Turkish rule in 1821, leading the country to independence.

Sixty torch-bearers from Kalavryta and Nafplio led the parade in Athens, carrying the flame of the revolution and lighting the Olympic altar.

Education minister Gerasimos Arsenis laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and then watched the paraded.

The marching rhythm was provided by the Athens Philharmonic Orchestra, and students from Tripoli, Crete and Lamia added colour with their folk dress.

For the first time, students from Cyprus participated in the parade. One girl said, "We hope Greece will always be by our side, especially in these difficult times for Cyprus".

A schoolboy added, "We hope that next year's parade is in Kyrinia, Cyprus".

On the occasion of the anniversary, Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos said, "We must all give these children a more modern, a stronger, and a prouder Greece".

In Thessaloniki, the Independence Day celebration started with students laying wreathes at the tomb of the Third Army Corps.

One boy said, "The people we honour today fought against the Turks so we could be free today".

One girl added, "I'm proud to be holding the Greek flag because our people won with courage and pride".

Kyriakos Spiriounis, a retired general and MP Pasok, said the feeling of 1821 must get back into the blood of Greeks today.

ALBANIA

Antenna's correspondent in southern Albania discussed the problems of law and order with a member of the Greek-minority organisation Omonia.

Because they are a minority that has been targeted in the past, ethnic Greeks feel perhaps especially vulnerable during these days of lawlessness in Albania.

The home of the prefect of the village of Divris, in the mountains near the city of Saranta, was burnt with gasoline over the weekend.

Socrates Kaltsounis had feared for his life and the life of his family for some time. The destruction of his house showed his fears were justified.

One Greek-speaking man told Antenna: "We don't bother the Albanians, they bother us".

The 500 plus residents of the village believe the torching to be the work of extremists who want to take advantage of the general chaos and frighten them.

And afraid is exactly what this elderly woman says she is.

There are also the ongoing instances of looting and robbery. Eleven armed men surrounded and then raided a seaside hotel near Saranta, belong to ethnic Greek Zois Festas. His elderly father was in the hotel at the time of the midnight attack.

"They set upon the place, firing in the air", he says. They took everything: money, a passport, clothes...even the tires off a Mercedes parked outside.

Thomas Mitsiou is a member of the ethnic Greek organisation Omonia, and a member of the Albanian parliament.

He tells Antenna's Vassilis Hitos, "There is a total lack of government, of control. People with guns control everything, and there are the daily instances of robbery and terrorism. The people are disappointed in the way things have turned out: they didn't rise up to get this anarchy, this chaos. They wanted their economic demands met. Now, everyone wants life to get back to normal, and for peace and calm to reign again".

Putting an end to the lawlessness is what prime minister Baskim Fino is trying to do. He has announced his intention to meet with rebel leaders in the south several times over the past week, but has postponed his visit each time, because of the anarchy.

Like Fino and the Greek minority, Greece hopes the anarchy and the crisis will end soon.

Albanian Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano, now out of prison and given a pardon by the Albanian government, spent the weekend in Thessaloniki visiting his two children, who live there.

Nano discussed the crisis in Albania with Greek defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, and deputy foreign minister Iannos Kranidiotis.

PANGALOS

Greece has been waiting 22 years for Turkey to get its troops OUT of northern Cyprus.

The Greek foreign minister wants the line dividing Cyprus into free and Turkish-occupied zones, wiped away.

In an interview with a Turkish newspaper, Theodoros Pangalos says Cypriot citizens should be allowed free movement around the island, even if only on the weekends.

Allowing people to move freely, he adds, could help overcome the bitterness created by the bloody Turkish invasion and the years of occupation.

In his interview, Pangalos also says that Greece has documents proving that Turkey has expansionist plans against Greece in the Aegean.

MEMORIAL

His widow and other family members held memorial services in his memory over the weekend.

On Sunday morning, Papandreou's children, Sofia, Giorgos and Nikos, his grandchildren, and others wishing to honour his memory attended a service at his graveside, and leaving flowers.

Sunday afternoon, Papandreou's widow, Dimitra Liani- Papandreou went with a bouquet of white roses to attend another memorial service. Tears in her eyes, she made no statements, but spoke to some of the dozens of people there to express their condolences.

SOCCER

Panathinaikos is in third place, just a point behind Aek, after beating Veria with an 8th-minute goal.

Ofi gets two first-half goals in stopping Kalamata.

Paok and Kavala are tied for a distant fifth, Paok a weekend loser, and Kavala playing to a draw.

Elsewhere, Paniliakos thumps Iraklis; Xanthi wins a goalfest; and Kastoria and Apollon, no score in that one.

BASKETBALL

On the floor over the weekend, Olympiakos survives on the road against Paok, always tough on its home court. Olympiakos gettin 14 points from Panagiotis Fasoulas, wins it, 62-58.

Elsewhere, Aek wins its last game of the regular season without too much sweat. Pao finishes in third despite its bowing to fourth-place Peristeri. Aris ends up in fifth place after being surprised by lowly Piraikos. And Sporting, Larisa, and Papagou are also winners.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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