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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-12-11
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 11, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TAXI STRIKE IS OVER, FLAG-FALL ON CAB FARES TO DOUBLE
[02] THESSALONIKI, PIRAEUS PORT WORKERS GO ON STRIKE TODAY
[03] GREEK CUSTOMS SERVICES UPGRADED THROUGH COMPUTER CONTRACT
[04] THESSALONIKI'S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CLOG THE STREES WITH
RALLIES
[05] AWARDS ESTABLISHED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE CENTER
[06] CYPRUS'S GREEK BANK OPENS FIRST BRANCH IN GREECE
[07] EDUCATION MINISTER UNDAUNTED BY PROTESTS, TO VISIT
THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] EUROPEAN UNION'S VIENNA SUMMIT BEGINS TODAY
[09] US SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS THOMAS MILLER IN NICOSIA
[10] GREECE AND BULGARIA SIGN MILITARY ACCORD
[11] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: EUROPE NEEDS TO GIVE PRIORITY TO
EMPLOYMENT
[12] ALBANIAN PREMIER IS AN ADVOCATE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
[13] BULGARIA ABOLISHES DEATH PENALTY
[14] OCALAN WILL STEP DOWN FROM PKK'S LEADERSHIP
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TAXI STRIKE IS OVER, FLAG-FALL ON CAB FARES TO DOUBLE
The Transportation Minister Tasos Madelis announced yesterday
that the flag-fall rate on taxi fares is to increase to GRD500 as
of January 8, 1999.
The present rate is 200 drachmas, making Greek taxi rides
possibly the cheapest in Europe. The cabbies conducted a 24-hour
strike yesterday, calling for tax reliefs in their sector and
increased flag-falling raises.
Moreover, the Ministry is to re-adjust its system of
disciplinary penalties and fines imposed on unruly taxi drivers.
[02] THESSALONIKI, PIRAEUS PORT WORKERS GO ON STRIKE TODAY
Port workers in Thessaloniki and Piraeus embarked on a five-
day strike today, wrecking havoc to import-export activity.
The workers are protesting a proposed sale of the Port
Authorities of both Piraeus and Thessaloniki and are threatening
further mobilizations if their opposition is not adopted by the
state.
[03] GREEK CUSTOMS SERVICES UPGRADED THROUGH COMPUTER CONTRACT
Greece's customs services are to be equipped with a state-of-
the art computer system by September of the year 2000, thanks to a
contract signed between the state and Bull computer hardware
company.
The system is expected to enhance effectiveness by combating
tariff evasion and enforcing better control of substances harmful
to public health. The Athens-based Intrasoft company will provide
the system's software products, while Denmark's Ministry of
Economy is to also participate in the system's set up.
[04] THESSALONIKI'S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CLOG THE STREES WITH
RALLIES
Thessaloniki's high schools students clogged the city's
streets early today when thousands of them marched in a rally
against the proposed educational reforms.
After bringing chaos to transportation for about an hour as
they cut off the city's major artery during this morning's 8:30
rush hour, the chanting students returned to the center of town,
protested some more and then called it a day.
[05] AWARDS ESTABLISHED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE CENTER
The Center of Renewable Sources of Energy has established
three honorary awards in its effort to promote the use of
renewable energy and promote energy conservation.
The awards will concern three categories: private ventures
that utilize renewable sources of energy, local administration
initiatives for the relevant application and innovative projects
conducted by university or college students.
Those interested may submit their candidacies by January 25,
1999.
[06] CYPRUS'S GREEK BANK OPENS FIRST BRANCH IN GREECE
Cyprus's Greek Bank inaugurated its first bank in Greece
yesterday, in a ceremony attended by Greece's Minister of the
Interior Alekos Papadopoulos and Cyprus's Minister of Trade,
Industry and Tourism Nikos Rolandis.
The Bank's president and CEO Panos Galanos stated that, in
addition to the Athens, Kolonaki opening, three more branches are
to be established in Thessaloniki, Piraeus and Athens,
During the inauguration, Mr. Papadopoulos stated that the
Bank's move was done at the ripest time.
"With Greece's accession to the euro zone, a new monetary
environment is created in the country..." he said.
[07] EDUCATION MINISTER UNDAUNTED BY PROTESTS, TO VISIT
THESSALONIKI
The Minister of Education Gerasimos Arsenis is to be in
Thessaloniki during this weekend where he will meet with local
teachers in order to hold talks with them over his proposed (and
much opposed) education reforms.
Following his talks with representatives of private school
teachers, Mr. Arsenis stated that the current dialogue is
positive and substantial and added that the private school
teachers' views are being taken into consideration.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] EUROPEAN UNION'S VIENNA SUMMIT BEGINS TODAY
Employment and the contribution of wealthier states into the
EU's budget are to be the main issues to be tackled by the 15
heads of state and government leaders who are to convene today and
tomorrow at Vienna for the EU Summit Conference.
Within the framework of the EU's enlargement, the
participants are to discuss EU-Turkey relations, Cyprus' accession
and the "Agenda 2000" reform program.
Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is presently in
Austria, accompanied by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and
the National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou.
Yesterday, the Greek Premier attended a summit of leaders of
the European Socialist Party (ESP), along with the other 10
socialist and social-democrat prime ministers of the EU. Main
opposition leader Kostas Karamanlis is also in Vienna where he is
to attend the European People's Party Summit.
[09] US SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS THOMAS MILLER IN NICOSIA
The United States special envoy for the Cyprus issue Thomas
Miller is continuing his contacts in Nicosia, part of an effort to
diffuse tension on the island.
While in Nicosia, Mr. Miller will meet with the UN secretary
general's envoy Dame Ann Herckus and the US ambassador to Nicosia
Kenneth Brill.
[10] GREECE AND BULGARIA SIGN MILITARY ACCORD
Greece and Bulgaria have signed a military accord which
foresees joint military exercises and bilateral meetings among
military officials.
This 1999 defense cooperation accord was signed in the city
of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, by the General Army Staff leaders of both
Greece and Bulgaria, Miho Mihov and Manousos Paragioudakis,
respectively. Mr. Paragioudakis expressed his certainty that the
accord will contribute to the maintenance of peace and security in
the region.
[11] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: EUROPE NEEDS TO GIVE PRIORITY TO
EMPLOYMENT
The European Union's foremost priority should be employment,
according to the leader of Greece's main opposition party, New
Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, who is presently in Vienna for the
European People's Party conference.
Mr. Karamanlis stated that the two main priorities to be
discussed are the EU budget and employment, adding that "in order
to achieve European fulfillment, the budget needs to be increased,
or at least be frozen."
Furthermore, Mr. Karamanlis stated that "the European
government need to at last bow their heads to the issue of
unemployment and hammer out productive courses of action that will
address this modern day plague." He added that this especially
concerns Greece, since, according to European employment
statistics, the actual unemployment rate in Greece is over 13
percent."
[12] ALBANIAN PREMIER IS AN ADVOCATE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Although his country signed in 1995 an accord with the
Council of Europe calling for the abolition of the death penalty,
an agreement required by Albania in order to enter the C of E,
Albanian Premier Padeli Majko has stated that he advocates capital
punishment.
The issue resurfaced after the arrest of two persons
suspected of involvement in the murder of a police officer,
committed in a Tirana-Athens route bus.
After having convened on the case with the Ministers of
Public Order, Justice and Defense, Mr.Majko stated "crime offers
bullets, and the state, as well, offers bullets", adding that the
government will give a harsh yet correct response to the criminals
who endanger the country's and its citizen's security."
Furthermore, while he acknowledged that his country is bound
by its death penalty-abolition accord with the C of E, he did say
that as a citizen, he is in favor of capital punishment.
"When a police officer is killed in cold blood, mere days
after the ratification of the Constitution, it's like killing the
state itself," he added.
According to local press reports, the majority of Albanians
also favor capital punishment.
[13] BULGARIA ABOLISHES DEATH PENALTY
Capital punishment has been abolished in Bulgaria, following
a parliamentary debate where 96 deputies voted for the abolition,
22 against and three abstained.
As such, the severest penalty will be a life imprisonment
sentence, without parole. Those exempt form life imprisonment will
be persons younger than 20 ears of age and women who were pregnant
when the crime was committed. The exception also stands for
soldiers under the age of 18.
There are presently 11 convicts on Bulgaria's death row.
[14] OCALAN WILL STEP DOWN FROM PKK'S LEADERSHIP
Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan announced today that he
intends to step down from the leadership of the Kurdish Peoples
Party (PKK), in order to carry out a personal role at a an
international level.
Mr. Ocalan further stated that the party's line and role are
in need of radical changes and that from now on the responsibility
for the struggle in the course of the fight will lie with the
remaining leaders of PKK.
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