Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-07-01

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

News in English, 01/07/97

TITLES

• Ethnic-Greek minority candidates put in a strong showing in Albania's elections.
• Anthony Quinn relives Zorba in Crete.
• And, Greece goes four and oh at the European basketball championship tournament.

ALBANIA

The hope is that the elections will end months of chaos and rebellion, which started after thousands of families lost everything in shady investment schemes.

Interest is now focused on whether or not president Sali Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party, will resign.

- There were gunshots of joy throughout Albania after Sunday's election, especially in the south. For many people, the socialist victory signals an end to the corruption and repression of Sali Berisha's Democratic Party.

Estimates Monday had the Socialists winning 65 per cent of the vote. That would give Fatos Nano's party 85 of the 115 parliamentary seats decided in Sunday's voting. Another 40 seats will be decided in a run-off round of voting next Sunday.

Despite the machine gun shots heard around the nation, a mood of relative calm prevailed after the election.

President Sali Berisha acknowledged the Socialists' big victory. He urged his party to work as an opposition party, as the voters want. He added that he will honour his pre-election promises, without however specifying what that meant.

Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano says it SHOULD mean that Berisha will resign as president, as he repeatedly said he would if his party lost the parliamentary contest.

If Berisha goes, Nano doesn't rule out running for the presidential slot himself.

With his victory, he's confident of one thing: "We will rebuild Albania without Berisha as a political factor", he says.

In addition to choosing a new parliament, Albanians also voted in a referendum on what kind of political system they want. They voted against a restoration of the nation's former monarchy, which has close ties to Berisha.

ALBANIA/GR.MAN KILLED/GR.AREA

More on how Greeks in southern Albania did, and the backdrop to the elections, in this report.

For ethnic Greeks, who've often had to fight hard for fundamental minority rights, the elections were a sign of better days to come.

Three ethnic Greeks running on the Human Rights Party ticket won parliamentary seats. Another is expected to be given a seat on the basis of nationwide vote redistribution. And still a fifth seat could come the ethnic-Greek party's way in the run-off elections next week, when 40 seats will be decided.

There were also ethnic-Greeks elected on the Socialist Party ticket, which crushed Berisha's Democratic Pary in the south.

And there was more good political news for the Greek-Albanians. Human Rights Party supporter Theodoros Bezianis is free. He was kidnapped last week in a move to force his daughter - a parliamentary candidate - to withdraw from the elections. She defied the threats, and ran.

Vassilis KromYdas, president of Omonia in the town of ExamEElia, is still being held - he was kidnapped last Wednesday.

There was also tragedy for the Greek minority over the weekend: Christos KollAs, a Greek guard at the Greek consul's house in Argyrokastro was shot dead by armed gunmen late Saturday night.

KollAs's village of Dervitsani was in mourning Monday, as family and friends of the deceased accompanied him to his final resting place.

Giorgos Lambovintiades, president of the ethnic- Greek organisation Omonia, spoke at the funeral. As did the wife of the former Greek consul to Argyrokastro, who knew the young guard.

The Greek government termed the murder of the 28- year-old the cowardly act of a bully.

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos and New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis expressed their grief over the murder, and repugnance for those who committed it.

For people in southern Albania, with its large Greek minority, the drenching of Berisha's party is a message of hope.

The machine guns raged in triumphant celebration in towns and cities throughout the south Sunday and Monday, recalling the first days of rebellion.

Many people who took up arms in March when the government failed to cover them for the money they lost in shady banking deals, now say they'll be willing to lay down their arms, if, as Nano has promised, they get their money back.

For now, they're just happy at what looks like could be the back of Berisha receding on the political horizon.

ALBANIA/GREEK REACTION

Greek deputy foreign minister Iannos Kranidiotis spoke with Socialist Party member Baskim Fino, prime minister in the interim government.

Greek foreign minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is hopeful that the new government in Albania will establish democratic institutions, easing a return to peace and stability.

Tsochatzopoulos said, "Albania has a long and difficult path ahead, it needs support from Europe and the US as it tries to establish democratic institutions. Albania needs national security and financial aid", he added.

Deputy foreign minister Yiannos Krani-diOtis is also confident the elections will lead to a demoratic government being set up in Albania. He thinks the successful elections will make Albania a reliable partner for the international community as it tries to help Albania overcome major problems, like the economy.

EXAMS

Students said the math test was difficult. Students who took the history exam said the questions were difficult, and not clear enough.

Biology candidates emerged with smiles on their faces. They said they had a lot of quesitons on their exam, but that they were easy.

On Tuesday, it's the turn of high school grads who want to study economics and political science to show whether or not they can make the grade, and get into college.

QUINN

Emotions were high as Anthony Quinn met with old friends, residents and cast members from the 1964 film 'Zorba the Greek'.

For Quinn, it was a real homecoming.

Anthony Quinn not only feels like Zorba, he says he feels like a Greek, 8 times over. In Crete to remember, no, to celebate the film he shot 3 decades ago, the actor said he even intends to seek out Greek citizenship for his son.

The locals did all they could to show Quinn he's one of them.

Local officials presented with their Arts and Letters award and gave him a 'LEE-ra', a Cretan musical instrument.

The 80-yaer-old Quinn has made four films about Greece and Greeks. Asked by reporters as to whether or not he would play the lead role in a film on the life of the late premier Andreas Papandreau, he didn't exclude the possibility, but said if he did, he would play him as he saw the man. Quinn has a dream that he's kept alive for three decades. He wants to set up an international art centre on the island of Rhodes.

"I want to bring the world to Rhodes...all over the world".

Quinn says he was given the land to do so decades ago, but the Greek government later refused to acknowledge his rights to it, he says.

He discussed the matter with finance minister Giorgos Dris, who said that he hopes it can be settled to the satisfaction of all parties within a month.

If Quinn's plans go ahead, then we may be seeing many more scenes like this:

BASKETBALL

Greece is 4 and oh after knocking of Lithuania in Spain Sunday night.

Lithuania gave Greece nightmares at the European championship two years ago, and at the Olympics last year. But this time the shoes on the other foot, as Lithuania gets into early foul trouble, and Greece wins it 73-66.

In its six-team second-round group, Greece will also play France, Russia, Turkey and Israel. The top four teams from the group will go on to the quarterfinals.

CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION

Children from around Greece got together and talked about their problems, and their experiences with the Child's Smile.

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, among those awarded, said "We began and will continue this effort to achieve the organisation's goals together".

At the end of the annual event, children and adults promised each other they will do their best to bring smiles to the faces of more children.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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