Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-06-30

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, June 30, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] STEPHANOPOULOS: MACEDONIA IS AND WILL REMAIN GREEK

Macedonia was, is and will remain Greek, underlined Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos, who is on a two-day tour to the northern city of Serres. Mr.Stephanopoulos attended the festivities for the anniversary of the city's liberation and was honoured with its "Golden Key".

[02] STEPHANOPOULOS: THE GREEK-BULGARIAN COOPERATION IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE FOR SECURITY IN THE BALKANS

The Greek-Bulgarian cooperation is of primary importance for security in the Balkans and for positive developments in the region, stated Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos in an interview with the Sofia newspaper "Trud".

In view of the imminent visit of his Bulgarian counterpart Petar Stoyanov to Greece, mr.Stephanopoulos expressed the hope that Athens and Sofia will have the opportunity to present their common will to reach decisions of mutual interest and underlined that Greece is not alarmed about the improvement of the Turkish- Bulgarian relations.

Greece offers its unreserved support to Bulgaria's Euro- Atlantic orientation, stated the Greek President and added that even if Bulgaria is not invited to the Madrid meeting, where decisions will be made for the opening of negotiations regarding the accession of new members into NATO, the Greek side believes that the North Atlantic Alliance must undertake the commitment to include Bulgaria among the countries of the so-called second wave of future members.

[03] THE FORMER EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT MET WITH THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met with former EU Commission President Jacques Delors who is on a visit to Athens and they discussed issues concerning Greece's European prospect.

Mr.Delors will attend a dinner that will be given in his honour by the governing Socialist party of PASOK, while in the afternoon he will speak in an event on Europe organized by the Greek governing party.

Earlier in the day, the European official had met with Minister of Development Vaso Papandreou.

[04] THE ISSUE OF THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MUST BE REGULATED BY THE ALBANIAN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

Greek Minister of the Interior Alekos Papadopoulos underlined today that the issue of the Albanian illegal immigrants entering Greece must be regulated by the Albanian political leadership and stressed that the new government has a difficult task ahead of it.

Mr.Papadopoulos stated that the issue of the Albanian illegal immigrants can not be dealt within the framework of the same legal status that is in effect for other illegal immigrants, coming from countries like, the Phillipines. He also stressed that this will be one of the first issues the Greek government will have to discuss with the new Albanian government.

[05] THE GREEK MINISTER OF DEFENSE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION FOR THE ELECTION RESULTS IN ALBANIA

Greek Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis expressed satisfaction for the election results in Albania after the meeting they had today to discuss NATO issues in view of the new structure of the north Atlantic alliance, that will be examined in the organization's summit meeting next week.

In a telephone conversation mr.Tsochatzopoulos had with Albanian Socialist leader Fatos Nano yesterday was briefed on the election process, while mr.Kranidiotis had a communication with caretaker Prime Minister Baskim Fino.

Mr.Tsochatzopoulos and mr.Kranidiotis speculated that the new facts will lead the country to normalization and pointed out that the role of the multi-national force will be re-examined.

[06] THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT WILL VISIT GREECE

Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides will visit Athens today to meet with President Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Kostas Simitis in view of the direct talks he will have with Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in New York in early July.

According to the Cypriot State Radio and Television Company, President Clerides brings with him a document that includes the positions of the Greek-Cypriot side, based on the National Council decisions, aiming at the better coordination with the Greek government.

[07] THE MPA CONFERENCE OPENED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY

The "heart of information" beats today and tomorrow in Thessaloniki where General Directors and Chief Editors of the 50 largest Balkan mass media have gathered to attend the Inter-Balkan Journalist Conference organized by MPA and co-organized by the Cultural Capital of Europe Organization - Thessaloniki '97.

The topic of the two-day conference is "Peace and Development in southeastern Europe: The role of the mass media". The conference was officially declared open by Minister of Macedonia- Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos, while the opening intervention was made by Minister of Transport and Communications Haris Kastanides.

[08] MPA'S CONFERENCE ON PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE, THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA

The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos has expressed his certainty that the InterBalkan conference titled "Peace and Development in Southeastern Europe, the role of the mass media" organized by the Macedonian Press Agency and currently taking place in Thessaloniki, will contribute to the development of initiatives regarding peace, security and economic collaboration in Southeast Europe.

Inaugurating the Conference, Mr. Petsalnikos stated that "the new order of things currently occurring in the Balkans, the cooperation and understanding among the peoples, constitutes an integral prerequisite for peace in the region and for the developments of the Balkan peninsula's countries in the economic, political and social sectors.

"Greece can play a significant role and dynamically contribute to the development of the Balkan markets and economic cooperation."

Moreover, the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace stressed the importance of Greece's leading role in the region given its participation in international organizations which enables her to serve as a mediator between the Balkans and Western Europe.

Mr. Petsalnikos referred to the Ministry's committee for Inter-Balkan cooperation, to the Inter-Balkan Regional Center, and the Black Sea Bank. Moreover, the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, referred to the European Union's offices established in Thessaloniki, as well as to the European Commission's imminent establishment of a satellite office in town.

The Minister of Transportation and Communications Haris Kastanides also addressed the Conference, where he stressed that the role of the mass media in establishing peace is self- explanatory, even though this is not always so.

"Many times, the media equate news with negation and disaster," Mr. Kastanides stated, adding that if this trap was avoided than it would an example to follow, since it would contribute to the development of the peoples.

Moreover, Mr. Kastanides stressed that it would be constructive if the media further promoted the initiatives for cooperation in the Balkans, such the one recently held among Balkan Transportation Ministers for the collaboration of the region's post offices.

The Macedonian Press Agency's General Director Spyros Kouzinopoulos, saluting the conference, stressed that the event is held by the MPA as part of its efforts to further develop inter- Balkan cooperation among the region's mass media so that the obstacles will be done away with in this sensitive sector of information and to establish peace, security and friendship.

"The role of the mass media and the journalists is a very significant one, especially in such difficult era where a lengthy crisis in regards to establishing trust has made the media a fragile means, thereby paving the way to all sorts of manipulation and misinformation," Mr. Kouzinopoulos stated.

The Mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Kosmopoulos saluted the Macedonian Press Agency's contribution to establishing cooperation among the Balkan region's national news agencies and to the efforts in establishing Thessaloniki as an economic, cultural and spiritual center.

"With the full development and complete operation in the Balkan News Bank, which through an initiative undertaken by the MPA and with the creation of a satellite center to link the Balkan news agencies, as well as through the Internet server, the aims to improve information are considerably strengthened," the Mayor of Thessaloniki said.

[09] GREEK STATE RADIO DIRECTOR PROPOSES THAT THE BALKAN JOURNALISTS FORM A PRINCIPLES CHARTER

Distinguished journalists from the Balkan region addressed the Macedonian Press Agency 's two-day Conference titled "Peace and Development in Southeastern Europe, the role of the mass media" which started today in Thessaloniki.

During his address today, Yiannis Tzanetakos, the General Director of the Greek state radio ERA, proposed that the Balkan journalists form a charter outlining the basic and inviolable principles of those who work in the sectors of information and media.

The Conference's organizing committee adopted the proposal and approved the creation of a review committee which will in turn conclude on the guidelines of such chapter.

According to Mr. Tzanetakos, serving the interests of the Balkan peoples, gaining independence from state policies and fortifying freedom, understanding and cooperation should constitute the most basic concern of the mass media and, as such, should represent the charter's founding principles.

Moreover, Mr. Tzanetakos emphasized that if such chapter is established, then this should be signed personally by each journalist and not by the union organizations.

A deputy of Greece's ruling party PASOK, Yiannis Magriotis, applauded Mr. Tzanetakos' proposal, albeit adding that in order for such charter to be complete, it should contain an article that would emphasize the duty of all journalists not to "serve" the owners of media conglomerates.

The proposal was also saluted by the director of the Greek radio station "Flash 9.61", Panos Koliopanos who suggested that the charter should be accompanied by the various initiatives that actually do materialize, such as the current conference organized by the MPA.

[10] DISTINGUISHED JOURNALISTS ADDRESS MPA'S CONFERENCE

Albania has come a long way from censorship to freedom of press, according to Rudina Xhunga, the Balkan issues editor in chief at the Albanian daily "Koha Jone", who described in a most cogent manner the consequences of her country's lengthy history of censorship, mentioning examples of colleagues of hers who have been persecuted or incarcerated in their effort to free the media from the boundaries of directed journalism.

Ms. Xhunga addressed today the Macedonian Press Agency's two- day Conference titled "Peace and Development in Southeastern Europe, the role of the mass media" which is currently taking place in Thessaloniki. According to Ms. Xhunga, one of these persecuted journalists is a Koha Jone reporter who was thrown in jail after having written a story in Tirana, one day before Albanian President Sali Berisha publicly announced his intent to order the arrests of journalists.

The situation is similar in the television media as well as radio, where a journalist was fired from her job after one of her broadcasts insinuated that Albania's two most popular newspapers are "Koha Jone" and Zeri i Populi", both of which advocate the ideology of the Opposition.

In Bulgaria, the future of newspaper doesn't look so bright, but the nemesis is not political pressure, but, instead, economic. hardship. The print media run a risk of becoming obsolete, firstly due to the galloping rate of inflation, and secondly due to the limited demand, according to Nikolai Steffanov, assistant editor of the daily "Troud", in Sofia.

According to data provided by Mr. .Steffanov, who addressed MPA's conference with a speech titled "The struggle for freedom of Expression in Bulgaria", the largest daily circulation enjoyed by a newspaper today in Bulgaria does not surpass 250,000, while the second paper in line does not manage to sell more than 40,000 copies.

Moreover, according to Mr. Steffanov, due to the overall tendencies that are gradually shaped, the publishers are forced to increase the price of the newspaper, which in turn has a boomerang effect since the would-be readers simply cannot buy them.

"In spite of the vast economic crisis, I do remain optimistic in regards to newspaper publishing in Bulgaria," Mr. Stefanov stated. "At the moment, production remains a large hurdle, which can be overcome by attracting investors," the Bulgarian journalist concluded. In Romania, on the contrary, mass media is on the rebound, being able to claim a large section of the public opinion pie.

Mihaela Matachita, the Foreign News Editor of Romania Libera in Bucharest, stated that in the beginning of the 1990s, Romania witnessed a real media explosion. The basic freedoms, as freedom of speech and press, provided the legal framework in creating alternative media organizations. The monopoly of information was over, according to Ms. Matachita.

"In the first stage, between l990-l992, the print media had its momentum. People began to enjoy hundreds of new private dailies and magazines of different political opinions.

"Today, in Romania, there are more than six national daily newspapers. In every county - and we have 42 counties - there are more than two dailies, not to mention the tabloids and the magazines. As time goes on, the circulation of this publications decreased, inflation and the competitions with the TV stations being the main causes." Nevertheless, according to Ms. Matachita, Romania has now, after seven years of democratic evolution, one of the most developed radio and TV networks in Europe.

"As everybody knows, a fully grown-up media can shape reality by guiding public politics and 'manufacturing' the public opinion.

"By launching a strong campaign against corruption, media showed the real image of political parties and candidates.

"That is why I can say as many people in my country that media influenced the outcome of l996 general elections when the voters threw the ex-communists from power," the Romanian journalist stated. .

The General Director of the Greek weekly "Voria", Aggelos Kolokotronis, expressed his certainty that the mass media can and must play a role in strengthening the climate of peace, welfare and cooperation in southeastern Europe.

"The journalists can finally employ their strength for the realization of an idea that expresses the desires of all humanity. Perhaps the idea that is derived from this conference doesn't 'sell', however it does restore our conscience and grants meaning to our work."

[11] MPA'S CONFERENCE WARMLY SALUTED BY ALL

Addressing the Macedonian Press Agency's two-day Conference titled "Peace and Development in Southeastern Europe, the role of the mass media" which started today in Thessaloniki, the director of the Greek state Radio ERA's first program Thanassis Georgakopoulos proposed that a Balkan conference be held in 1998, the year that marks the 200th .anniversary since the death of Rigas Fereos, the man who inspired Greece's freedom from the Turkish yoke in 1821.

We can talk," Mr. Georgakopoulos said, " not only exchange points of view, but also discuss more practical matters, such as the exchange of news and cultural, educational and musical broadcasts, establish ways to get to know another, etc."

Taking the podium in turn, Natasa Bogovic, the editor in chief of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's "Danas" newspaper, stated that if it hadn't been for the mass media, maybe there wouldn't have been a war in former Yugoslavia.

"The former Yugoslavia was believed to be the country of Bosnians in Bosnia, Serbs in Serbia and Croats in Croatia," Ms. Bogovic stated, adding that this was an ideal picture of a multinational community with a variety of languages, religions and cultures.

"The media brainwashing started by telling these people that their fellow citizens' national rights were endangered and that it could happen to them too."

The motto was 'whoever is not with us is against us'," Ms. Bogovic said, "and the ones who questioned 'what was the war for?' were to be wiped out."

Stephanos Loukas, publisher of the newspaper "Rizospastis" in Greece, stressed in his address that "the formation of multinational companies in the sensitive sector of information, which tend to expand throughout the world, want to become the only collaborators for the workers, through the provision of their goods. "The imperialist process is accompanied by an imperialist communication which threatens to become an integral part of our peoples' lives," Mr.Loukas said.

The director of Albania's "Zeri i Populi" Alfred Dalipi, spoke on "the Media Facing Pressures and Politics" stated that his country's media is in such a malfunctioning state, that has resulted in mistrust and lack of confidentiality.

"An indignant role in the destruction of these references, has played the lack, purposeful, for a long period of time, of the legislation for the electronic private media," Mr. Dalipi stated quoting a saying of the well -known Turkish writer Jeshar Qemal: "As long as there is poverty, politics will have a massive and popular profession."

Radu Bogdan, the director of Romania's dailies "Nine o'Clock and "Bucharest Matin" referred extensively to his country's newly- elected authorities, which, according to the Romanian journalist" have proved on numerous occasions that Romania is interested in developing relations of friendship and cooperation with all the Balkan states, including the states within former Yugoslavia, and is working to speed up the process of reaching the European and Euro-Atlantic standards in the region."

Moreover, Mr. Bogdan stressed that Romania supports all the direct or indirect initiatives aiming at strengthening peace, security and cooperation in the Balkan geographical zone, such as the Central European Initiative (CEI) Black Sea Economic cooperation (BSEC) or the Initiative of Cooperation in southeast Europe, adding "to say nothing of the pact of stability and good neighborhood in the southeast of Europe, known as the Royaumont Process."

Mr. Bogdan saluted the MPA-held Conference and concluded that "we are open to any kind of mutually-advantageous cooperation in promoting the noble goal of creating a climate of peace, welfare and coop[cooperation in everyone's living area." Yiannis Liapis, the director of the Greek daily "Eleftherotypia" (northern Greece's branch) spoke on "The anti-infiltration in the Balkans" and proposed a series of ideas concerning cooperation among the Balkan news agencies, such as recognition and awareness of the dangers, self-knowledge and knowing our neighbors, honorable journalism practices, respect of tradition, history humanity and environment.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[12] SWEEPING VICTORY OF THE ALBANIAN SOCIALISTS IN YESTERDAY'S ELECTIONS

The Socialists and the center-left parties in Albania achieved a big victory in yesterday's parliamentary elections, according to the first official results. The Socialists call for President Berisha's resignation, while their leader Fatos Nano stated that the victory is so extensive that his deputies will control 2/3 of the Parliament after the second round of voting next Sunday.

Specifically, according to information coming from the Socialists, they will control 60 of the 115 seats in the new Parliament.

Greek Euro-deputy Yiannis Roubatis, who was an observer in yesterday's elections, pointed out that the Socialists have a wide lead even in the city of Durres.

Meanwhile, according to statements made by Vasilis Melos, President of the Union of Human Rights, which represents the Greek minority, his party has elected 5 deputies to the new Parliament.

[13] ALBANIA SLOWLY ENTERS A NORMALIZATION COURSE

Albania slowly enters a normalization course after yesterday's elections and the emerging victory of the Socialists of Fatos Nano.

The Socialist party leader himself has stated that his party deputies will control 2/3 of the Albanian Parliament and called on President Sali Berisha to resign. Based on facts provided by the Socialists, they will control 60 of the 115 seats in Parliament, while the final election results will be issued on Wednesday.

In the Albanian south tensions appear to have defused and no shots are being heard. The burning issue for the region is the return of the weapons seized during the popular uprising as well as, the issue of the life savings lost by the Albanian citizens after the collapse of the illegal banking schemes.

Meanwhile, according to information, a new bloody incident took place in the city of Vlore, where one person was killed in an attack by gunmen.

Greek Ministry of Press General Secretary and acting government spokesman mr.Yiannis Nikolaou stated that the Greek government is interested in the normalization of political life in Albania and the operation of the country's institutions, while he expressed the Greek government's satisfaction for the developments in the neighbouring country.

[14] YILMAZ PRESENTED THE MEMBERS OF HIS CABINET TO THE TURKISH PRESIDENT

Turkey's Prime Minister designate Mesut Yilmaz presented the members of his cabinet to President Suleiman Demirel.

The new cabinet is made up of 38 members. The Foreign Ministry was given to Democratic Left deputy Ismail Gem, while the new Minister of Defense is Ismet Sezgin deputy of the Democratic Turkey Party.

Yilmaz's "Motherland" Party will take 21 government ministries, Bulent Etsevit's Democratic Left 10 and the Party of Democratic Turkey 5.

Vice-President of the new coalition government will be Bulent Etsevit and a vote of confidence will take place in Parliament on July 13.

The developments of the last few days with the continuing resignations of "True Path" and "Welfare" Party deputies lead to the conclusion that Yilmaz will be able to get a vote of confidence in the Turkish National Assembly. Another deputy from Ciller's party resigned today and the True Path Party now controls 103 seats in Parliament. Yilmaz has the support of 279 deputies, while the Erbakan-Ciller alliance has 268 Parliament seats.

[15] THE OBSESSION OF IMAGE IN THE ROMANIAN PRESS - Andreea BRATOSIN

The journalists from all former communist countries have confronted themselves with the same problems: the censorship by the authorities, the total lack of freedom of speech and, the worst, the obligation to write comfortable lies about the way of life in their countries.

They created a total false image of their society - image in which many of their readers (and, sometimes, the journalists themselves) began to believe. After years of mystification, the way many people perceive reality has altered. This has become a sort of disease - a insidious disease of communism, which needs many years to cure.

After the great opening from '89, the healing couldn't come immediately. Now, we have all the freedom we need to communicate, but don't always succeed to do it. Our civil societies have entered in a slow recovery phase, but we are still stroke, from time to time, by some old symptoms. We, the Romanian journalists, for example, are permanently dominated by the need to know exactly how the world - especially the West, became our point of reference -sees and understand the evolution of our society. To a certain point, this need is normal, and connecting to the international network of information is essential for our work.

But in the context of the sustained efforts made by our country during the last years toward the Euro-Atlantic integration, this need has become, for many of us, a genuine obsession. Every day, some Romanian newspapers publish translation of foreign articles and, sometimes, even the transcriptions of TV comments about our country, about the stage of reform and our chances to adapt to the Western standards. The articles of our foreign colleagues became for us not only a source of information but major judgments of values. We forget that these are opinions, comments, not sentences, and that people who had formulated them are journalists like us. My opinion is that this obsession of image is a sign of insufficient maturity of some representatives of our press. Probably this "symptom'" of transition will pass with the time going, with the growing up of the Romanian civil society.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/