Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-12-10

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

Last Updated: Thursday, 10-Dec-98 21:22:08

CONTENTS

[01] E.U leaders summit

[02] Education

[03] Thierry Roussel

[04] Papandreou-"1998, Quality Year"

[05] Sports

[01] E.U leaders summit

Simitis will argue that countries like Greece, Portugal, and Spain should not have the amount of money they receive from the EU cut.

But the weaker nations will be up against the likes of German chancellor Schroeder, who is expected to argue that his country is paying out too much.

Simitis is also expected to come under pressure from his European colleagues to lift Greece's objections to Turkey receiving development aid.

That money has been frozen because of Turkey's poor human rights record, poor relations with Greece, and failure to help solve the Cyprus problem.

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis is also in Vienna, where he attended a conference of European conservative party leaders.

Cypriot president Glavcos Clirides was also that conference. He said his country is ready to join the EU. Cyprus is already a membership candidate, and is expected to gain accession within seven years. Related sites: Cyber Thesis (http://cthesis.com)

[02] Education

With students occupying schools around the country, the education minister said changes to the way high school students' performance is assessed will go ahead as planned.

Students are complaining because their admission to university will be based on an expanded high school curriculum; and because they will now have to take exams in the second year of high school that will play an important part in whether or not they can go on to college.

Defending his changes, education minister Gerasimos Arsenis says the high school diploma that's been issued until now is of little value compared to those given out in other European countries, like France and Germany, where graduation criteria are strict, and students are required to have a well rounded education.

"How can we give them an inadequate diploma and expect them to be able to compete with people who have the French baccalaureat tomorrow?" asks the minister.

New Democracy MP Miltiades Evert believes the government is being stubborn in its handling of the education controversy. Meeting with student reps, Evert said Arsenis should start a dialogue with the nation's education community.

Otherwise, he fears, the situation will get out of control and Arsenis will be forced to resign.

Evert, the former leader of New Democracy, says a national education system is needed, one that is not controlled by the dictates of any one party that happens to be in power. He adds that any

education policy will be doomed to fail if the funds allotted to it in the budget.

[03] Thierry Roussel

Thierry Roussel listened stoically as the sentence was handed down Wednesday night.

The court decision is the latest blow in an ongoing battle between Roussel and the Onasis Foundation trustees, responsible for administering Athina's fortune until she turns 18.

Four members of the Onasis Foundation brought the suit after Roussel filed a suit against them for mismanaging the estate left by billionaire Aristotle Onasis.

After the trial, Roussel was clearly angry as he told the press "I've done my duty as a father. I wanted to protect Athina and defend her rights".

He added that he'd brought before the court all the evidence proving his case against the trustees.

Stelios Papadimitriou, chairman of the Onasis Foundation, felt vindicated by the verdict. He says Roussel should now re-examine his position, a position which is leading him and his daughter up a dead end street.

During the trial, Roussel's lawyers argued that their client had never intended to damage the reputation of the Foundation members.

That didn't convince the judges, who were unanimous in finding against the accused on all three counts.

[04] Papandreou-"1998, Quality Year"

Papandreou believes that if the consumer is demanding of quality when it comes to goods and services, the economy as a whole will benefit.

"We want quality to factor into the choices consumers make", she says. "This is about quality of life; it's also about making the providers of goods and service more responsive - consumers demanding quality will translate into producers becoming more competitive".

The development ministry is starting telephone lines for dissatisfied consumers to call in their complaints on. The lines will be up and running in three months.

The ministry is also going to distribute booklets with consumer advice concerning a number of products and services.

[05] Sports

The Piraeus club finished first in its qualifying group by drawing with Croatia in Zagreb Wednesday night.

Olympiakos sees its hopes of a spot in the quarters slipping away as the Croats open the scoring with a shot by Yelisic in the first half.

Those hopes seem dimmer still as the clock keeps ticking away in the second half. Until Stelios Giannakopoulos equalises for the visitors with a shot from outside the box in the 64th minute.

The scoring ends there, and when the official blows the final whistle, the Olympiakos players pile on top of each other on the pitch.

Back home in Greece, the whistle was the signal for the start of a long night of celebrations by the fans. They were out in force in Piraeus, despite the cold weather.

The party moved to Athens international airport Thursday afternoon. Scores of fans were there to welcome the team home.

Panathinaikos will not be going on to the quarterfinals of the European champions' league. Pao's last chance to qualify came at home against Arsenal Wednesday night.

Arsenal goes into the match at Athens Olympic stadium with no hope of a berth in the quarters. But that doesn't stop it from relishing the role of spoiler.

Pao scores an own goal in the 65th minute of the contest, only to draw level nine minutes later. But the English visitors go on to tally two more times, winning what is the last European match of the season for both clubs, 3-1.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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