Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-03

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] VPRC opinion poll sees ND lead over PASOK

[02] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates: Friday

[01] VPRC opinion poll sees ND lead over PASOK

An opinion poll conducted by VPRC appearing in an Athens daily on Friday showed main opposition New Democracy party (ND) leading by 7.7 percentage points over the ruling PASOK party.

According to the poll, appearing in Friday's issue of Kathimerini newspaper, ND was ahead with 37.4 percent against 29.7 percent for PASOK. In a similar poll conducted by VPRC last May, ND was ahead of PASOK with 8.8 percentage points.

In another poll question on who was the most suited for prime minister, PASOK leader and current premier Costas Simitis was leading with 38.1 percent against 36.8 percent for ND leader Costas Karamanlis.

Also, 56.5 percent of respondents believed ND would win the general elections, against 28.7 percent who believed PASOK would emerge the winner.

Further, Karamanlis polled as the most popular political leader (among the party voters), with 52.8 percent, followed by Simitis with 47.2 percent, SYN leader Nikos Constantopoulos with 44.7 percent, DHKKI leader Dimitris Tsovolas with 38.3 percent, KKE leader Aleka Papariga with 22.5 percent, and LAOS leader George Karatzaferis with 21.6 percent.

Respondents felt that the most important problem facing the country was unemployment, with 34.2 percent, followed by the economy, with 17.1 percent, and inflation-high costs with 10.3 percent.

In addition, 13.5 percent of respondents who declared themselves PASOK voters said they intended to vote for ND in the elections, while, conversely, 2.4 percent of declared ND voters said they would vote for PASOK.

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas, responding to press questions at a regular briefing, declined comment on the VPRC poll results.

"I do not comment on 'refrigerator' polls which were conducted at the same time as the previous ones that have already been made public," Protopapas said.

ND honourary president, MP and former premier Constantine Mitsotakis said that ND's lead over PASOK was ''irreversible''.

''PASOK has lost the elections,'' Mitsotakis said, adding that the question remained of why, despite that, Simitis persisted in harming the country by perpetuating a pre-electoral period that did not benefit him in any way.

[02] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

All parts of the country will see sunshine. Winds northerly, light to moderate, turning strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 12C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland from 15C to 30C; and in the Aegean islands from 19C to 27C. Temperatures in Athens between 16C and 30C; and in Thessaloniki from 13C to 28C.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates: Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.178

Pound sterling 0.707

Danish kroner 7.487

Swedish kroner 9.059

Japanese yen 130.7

Swiss franc 1.553

Norwegian kroner 8.246

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.591

Australian dollar 1.726

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