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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-07-19
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS COMMEMORATED
[02] GREECE WANTS THESSALONIKI FOR BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION BASE
[03] MEASURES TO CURB CRIME RATE AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
[04] PLANNING FOR NEW 2000 BUDGET BEGINS
[05] LABOUR MINISTRY PROGRAMME FOR THE UNEMPLOYED
[06] DECENTRALISATION OF MINISTRIES PLANNED
[01] 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS COMMEMORATED
Events commemorating tomorrow's 25th anniversary of the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus are taking place in Athens and Cyprus. The memory of
the victims of the attack was honoured yesterday at all the island's
churches. A memorial service was also held yesterday morning at the
Athens cathedral, and wreaths were laid at the monument of the Unknown
Soldier in Syntagma Square, for those killed in the Cyprus tragedy 25
years ago. The Athens mayor and the Cypriot ambassador to Greece
addressed the congregation. In Nicosia, the mothers of Greek Cypriots
missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and members of
the Pan-Cypriot anti-occupation movement staged a hunger strike on the
green line dividing the city, in protest at the continuing occupation
of the island by Turkish troops. Yesterday, during the meeting of the
Cypriot National Assembly, Cypriot president Glafcos Clerides briefed
political party leaders on comments made by the United Nations
secretary-general's special envoy for Cyprus, Ann Hercus. Because of
Turkish inflexibility on the issue, she told the Cypriot president that
the international community was limiting its expectations to the
holding of direct talks between the leaders of the two communities on
the island. Mr. Clerides has clarified that the talks will probably
take place in late October or early November, while Cypriot Foreign
Minister Ioannis Kassoulides said that the Greek-Cypriot side plans to
be co-operative at the talks, but will not make concessions in order
for them to be able to start. Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has
stated that he will participate in the talks only if they are conducted
between two states, since-he claimed-there are two peoples, two
republics, two languages and two separate cultures in Cyprus. In the
meantime, Ankara-in a show of aggression-has sent six warships to
Kerynia port for the Turkish celebrations of the invasion.
[02] GREECE WANTS THESSALONIKI FOR BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION BASE
The EU Council of General Affairs will convene in Brussels today to
examine developments in the Balkans, particularly the issue of the
Headquarters of the Organization for the Reconstruction of the Balkans.
Greece will be represented by foreign minister George Papandreou and
deputy foreign minister Yannos Kranidiotis who will insist on the
implementation of the decision taken in Rio de Janeiro, according to
which the Headquarters of the Organization will be established in
Thessaloniki.
[03] MEASURES TO CURB CRIME RATE AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
The police are continuing their investigations to locate possible
accomplices of the Albanian bus hijacker, Arbin Zoufa, who had entered
Greece in the past, as an illegal immigrant. Meanwhile, the government
plans to implement measures to control the entry of illegal immigrants
into Greece and curb the crime rate, seeking-at the same time-the
broadest possible consensus of all the country's political forces on
the issue. In an interview with the "Sunday Kathimerini" newspaper,
Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysohoidis said that the anti-crime
programme will aim not only at preventing criminals from entering
Greece, but also at restoring citizens' sense of security. He added
that anyone hiring immigrants or renting them rooms will be obliged to
make a relative declaration to the police.
[04] PLANNING FOR NEW 2000 BUDGET BEGINS
The Greek government's economic staff is currently working on the basic
outlines of next year's state budget. The new budget will place
emphasis on curbing inflation, cutting public expenditures and
increasing revenues. In the meantime, Prime Minister Costas Simitis is
scheduled to announce in early September the economic policy on which
the government will base its platform for the upcoming national
elections next year. The measures to be announced by the prime minister
include an increase in the level of untaxed income, abolition of the
controversial objective criteria for the taxation of the self-employed,
a decrease in fuel prices, hiring in the public sector and increases in
pension payments.
[05] LABOUR MINISTRY PROGRAMME FOR THE UNEMPLOYED
A new Labour Ministry programme-to be announced at the end of the
month-will provide subsidised jobs for 1,000 unemployed people, aged 45
to 64. To implement the project, the ministry will make funds of more
than 2.1 billion drachmas available.
[06] DECENTRALISATION OF MINISTRIES PLANNED
By 2002, approximately 10 ministries are expected to have changed their
addresses, in order to relieve congestion in the city centres of Athens
and Piraeus. The budget for this initiative has been estimated at 26.5
billion drachmas.
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