Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-01-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, January 26, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE HELD THE YEAR 2000
[02] PREMIER: EVERY TYPE OF REFORM BRINGS REACTION
[03] IOC PRESIDENT: ATHENS HAS NO INVOLVEMENT IN BRIBERY SCANDAL
[04] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH TEACHERS AGAIN TODAY
[05] MAJORITY IS AGAINST EDUCATIONAL REFORM, ACCORDING TO POLL
[06] STEPHANOS MANOS TO ESTABLISH POLITICAL PARTY
[07] HELLENIC PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S RISTIC
[08] STATE COUNCIL ISSUES TEMPORARY BAN ON HUNTING MIGRATORY BIRDS
[09] TSOCHATZOPOULOS ON THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS ISSUE
[10] REPPAS: THE KOSSOVO PROBLEM CAN BE DEALT WITH ONLY IN A
PEACEFUL MANNER
[11] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT WANTS DIALOGUE FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE
PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION
[12] THE ARSENIS-TEACHERS' UNION MEETING IS UNDERWAY
[13] THE CRISIS IN THE IOC DOES NOT AFFECT ATHENS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] EU GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL: POLITICAL, NOT MILITARY, SOLUTION
IN KOSOVO
[15] RADIO SYMBAN'S LIVE BROADCASTS WITH AUSTRALIA'S GREEKS
[16] BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF GREEKS IN BRITAIN PUBLISHED
[17] ROMANIA: COAL MINERS RETURN TO WORK
[18] EU COMMISSION WISHES REVIVAL OF DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY
[19] KOSOVO: SERBS ALLOW HAGUE PROSECUTOR TO ENTER
[20] 500 DEAD FROM THE EARTHQUAKE IN COLOMBIA
[21] A US COMPANY WILL UNDERTAKE THE MODERNIZATION OF KOZLODUI
[22] THE GREEK BOOK PUBLICATIONS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS WILL BE
PRESENTED IN CAIRO'S BOOK FAIR
[23] NEW PRESSURES BY GREECE FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON
MARBLES
[24] THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN TURKEY PRESENTS A SAD PICTURE
[25] JOINT GREEK-TURKISH FILM PRODUCTION WITH A GREEK ACTRESS IN
THE LEADING ROLE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE HELD THE YEAR 2000
In a televised interview broadcast last night, Prime Minster
Kostas Simitis stated categorically that the country's
parliamentary elections will be held the year 2000, and ruled out
the possibility of having dual elections in June, when the Euro-
parliamentary elections are to be held.
The Premier emphasized his determination to complete his
government's task, that is to lead the country to the Economic and
Monetary Union, and expressed his conviction that the Greek people
will reward this effort by voting PASOK again.
He cited the impressive drop in inflation, which was at 9 per
cent three years ago, had dropped under 4 per cent and it is
expected to decline to 2.5 per cent by the end of the year, which
he called unprecedented for Greece.
In regards to the educational reform, Mr. Simitis stated that
the present educational system is in need of change.
"The education reform is necessary and needs time since it
starts from kindergarten and ends with the university," he said.
[02] PREMIER: EVERY TYPE OF REFORM BRINGS REACTION
Every type of reform is met with reactions, otherwise it
would constitute simple management, stated the Greek Prime minster
Kostas Simitis, during a televised interview, in regards to the
crisis in the education sector.
Furthermore, the Premier ruled out the possibility of dual
elections in June, where the Euro-parliamentary elections will be
held, by stating that he is not about to toy with the country's
accession to the EMU. Furthermore, Mr. Simitis referred to the
founder of PASOK, the late Andreas Papandreou, and said that he
sees himself continuing the policy inaugurated in 1993 by Mr.
Papandreou.
[03] IOC PRESIDENT: ATHENS HAS NO INVOLVEMENT IN BRIBERY SCANDAL
The President of the International Olympic Committee Juan
Antonio Samaranch has stated that Athens is not involved in any
way whatsoever in the recent scandal of corruption surrounding
Salt Lake City's successful bid for the 2002 winter games and, as
it later emerged, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Speaking to an Athens daily, Mr. Samaranch categorically
stated that "the acts of those members who violated the principles
of the Olympic oath do not concern the undertaking of the 2004
Olympic Games by Athens."
Craig Reedie, the chairman of the British Olympic
Association, has also said that there is no evidence linking the
Greek capital and its hosting of the 2004 Olympics with the
bribery scandal.
Six members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will
be temporarily suspended until March, when the recommendation for
their expulsion is put before a special meeting of the IOC general
assembly.
Mr. Samaranch, who has served as the IOC's president for 18
consecutive years, stated that he does not plan to step down.
"I was chosen by the IOC members and not some outsiders," he
stated, adding that he plans to ask for a vote of confidence in
March.
[04] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH TEACHERS AGAIN TODAY
Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis is to hold another
meeting today with the administrative council of the Secondary
Education Teachers' Federation (OLME), in order to finalize his
answers regarding their proposed changes in the beleaguered
academic reforms.
Following last night's four-hour meeting held between Mr.
Arsenis and OLME officials, both sides stated that the talks were
held in a calm and friendly climate. Mr. Arsenis stated that the
school occupations have dwindled remarkably throughout the country
and expects schools to begin operating normally within the next
few days.
[05] MAJORITY IS AGAINST EDUCATIONAL REFORM, ACCORDING TO POLL
A recent poll conducted by the V. PRC agency, revealed that
57.2% of those questioned are opposed to the educational reforms,
while 30.1% view them as positive.
The questionnaire, published today in an Athens daily, also
states that 51.6% of those polled see the reformed system as worse
than the previous one, while 32.1% believe it is an improvement,
and 76,9% asks that the implementation of the reforms be canceled,
whereas 15% want the changes enforced immediately.
In regards to the rallies and school occupations conducted by
students, 54.7% of those polled believe that the students are
acting spontaneously, 27.3% suspect that they are incited by the
political parties and 12.1% believe that they are being led by the
teachers.
[06] STEPHANOS MANOS TO ESTABLISH POLITICAL PARTY
Independent deputy Stephanos Manos, who served as minister of
national economy when the main opposition New Democracy party was
in power, announced yesterday evening that he intends to
establish a political party.
"Our aim is to create a new political force which, during the
upcoming national elections, will seek the Greek people's vote in
order to change Greece and reduce the power and influence of the
parties and mechanisms in the Greek society."
In his address given before an audience in Athens, Mr. Manos
spoke harshly of the recent governments and also exerted intense
criticism against the present policy and tactic followed by New
Democracy.
[07] HELLENIC PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S RISTIC
The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis
received the chief of the Yugoslav Parliament's foreign affairs
committee, Lubise Ristic, in Athens yesterday, with who he
discussed the latest developments in Kosovo.
The Yugoslav official expressed his country's concern over a
possible military intervention in Kosovo by NATO, following the
recent events in Racak.
He said that his country's position is that the problem must
be resolved with political negotiating which will secure the
autonomy of Albanians and all other minorities in Kosovo within
the borders of the Yugoslav state.
In turn, Mr. Kaklamanis said the events taking place since
the dissolution of Yugoslavia to date confirm the rational view of
the two peoples skeptical of the role played by foreign interests
in the Balkan region.
"We must not facilitate this tactic since, as we already
know, the presentation of issues concerning our region by the
international media is not objective but is guided by the big
interests which control them. In any case, the right to each
state's defense should correspond to the extent of a threat," he
said.
[08] STATE COUNCIL ISSUES TEMPORARY BAN ON HUNTING MIGRATORY BIRDS
The state council has issued a decision banning the hunting
of 18 types of
migratory birds from the 1st to the 28th of February.
The fifth department of the Supreme Court of Appeal has
overruled on the Agriculture Ministry's decision (which stipulated
that the hunting period lasts until late February, except for four
species) finding that does not take into consideration the views
of hunting and ecological associations and does not include any
scientific study establishing that these species of birds are not
endangered.
[09] TSOCHATZOPOULOS ON THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS ISSUE
The parliament committee on foreign affairs and defense
unanimously ratified the treaty on the total ban of nuclear tests,
while reservations were expressed on whether the treaty will be
respected by all the countries that have backed it, as in the case
of Turkey which wants to build a nuclear plant in Akkugiu and
according to information, it also examines the likelihood of
building nuclear weapons.
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, speaking before the
parliament committee said that the Greek government watches
closely the issue and has a complete picture of what is going on
in the neighbouring country.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos said that Turkey's strategy is to become
nuclear because it wants the role of the strategically powerful
country and stressed that Greece will never enter this race.
The minister of defense also stated that he does not object
to a discussion on the S-300 missiles that will be held in
parliament before the discussion on the issues included in the
daily agenda.
[10] REPPAS: THE KOSSOVO PROBLEM CAN BE DEALT WITH ONLY IN A
PEACEFUL MANNER
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas expressed the
government's satisfaction regarding the European Union plans for
the solution of the problem in Kossovo.
Mr. Reppas said that the positions that are being adopted are
those expressed by the Greek side, adding that it is a balanced
and objective approach. He also characterized as positive the fact
that the "15" have realized that such problems can be dealt with
only in a peaceful manner.
[11] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT WANTS DIALOGUE FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE
PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION
The government has proved that it wants a dialogue and that
the door of the ministry of education is always open, stated Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas calling on all the parties in
the education sector to take advantage of the opportunity for a
dialogue by putting aside the arrogance and the intransigence that
were very intense during the crisis.
Responding to a question on the public opinion poll which
shows that the majority of the Greeks reject the education reform,
Mr. Reppas said that this opinion poll does not reflect the
citizens' opinion and added that all those who have been informed
do not have a negative attitude toward the reform.
[12] THE ARSENIS-TEACHERS' UNION MEETING IS UNDERWAY
The meeting of the minister of education with the teachers'
union presiding board opened at noon today. Mr. Arsenis will
respond to the proposals for changes in the examination system and
the upgrading of the technical education. A delegation of students
from Ioannina is likely to meet today with the leadership of the
ministry of education. Meanwhile, the students continued their
blockades today in main streets causing traffic chaos.
Seven out of 10 citizens believe that the education reform
must be postponed at least for now. A negative view of the reform
is shared by 57.2% of those asked, while 51.6% believe that the
proposed reform is even worse than the previous one.
[13] THE CRISIS IN THE IOC DOES NOT AFFECT ATHENS
The crisis in the International Olympic Committee, due to the
scandal concerning the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the
suspicions on irregularities in Sidney's bid to host the 2000
Olympic Games, that broke out in the past few days does not affect
Athens.
IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch in a statement to an
Athens newspaper stressed that the actions of IOC members who
violated the principles of the Olympic charter does not concern
the 2004 Olympic Games that will be hosted by Athens.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] EU GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL: POLITICAL, NOT MILITARY, SOLUTION
IN KOSOVO
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) who are participating in the verification mission
assigned to Kosovo, have discovered the bodies of five Albanian
rebels, among them two children, in the village of Rokovia is
southwest Kosovo.
The observers have stated that he victims, who seemed to be
family members, were killed with automatic rifles.
Meanwhile, European Union Foreign Ministers, who met in
Brussels yesterday to discuss the Kosovo issue, agreed that the
crisis needs to be resolved through political, not military means.
[15] RADIO SYMBAN'S LIVE BROADCASTS WITH AUSTRALIA'S GREEKS
Sidney's Greek-Australian radio station Symban is to feature
live broadcasts every Thursday morning where the listeners will
have the opportunity to communicate on the air with others in
Greece.
Reporter V.A. Labropoulos and anchorman George Tzarimas will
be in charge of the program.
Radio Symban (FM151615) broadcasts in Sidney and Canberra,
while it will soon begin transmission in Melbourne.
[16] BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF GREEKS IN BRITAIN PUBLISHED
The Press Bureau of the Archbishopric of the British Isles
has published a 900-page book on the history and roots of
Hellenism in Great Britain, titled "The roots of the Hellenes
living in Great Britain".
The book, written in the English language and divided into 29
chapters, refers to Byzantine emperor Manuel the Second
Paleologos' historic visit to London to ask for help from the
then-King of England for the protection of Constantinople which
was threatened by the Ottoman Empire.
[17] ROMANIA: COAL MINERS RETURN TO WORK
About 15,000 Romanian coal miners returned to work today,
following a strike that lasted over two weeks, according to the
country's Industry Ministry.
The coal miners demanded a 35% salary increase and the recall
of a governmental decision to close on non-profitable mines.
Although it has not been publicized what was agreed upon
between the state and the protesters, the coal miners have said
they will march to Bucharest again if the agreement is not
honored.
[18] EU COMMISSION WISHES REVIVAL OF DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY
The European Commission wishes the revival of talks with
Turkey, stated the Commission's Chairman Jacques Santer during the
EU Council meeting yesterday.
As the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported, Mr. Santer
expects the realization of the European Strategy for Turkey, which
was approved by the Cardiff and Vienna Summits during Germany's
term as president of the EU.
The said strategy cannot be implemented since certain EU
member-states, among them Greece, stress that Turkey has not met
the set requirements.
[19] KOSOVO: SERBS ALLOW HAGUE PROSECUTOR TO ENTER
The prosecutor of the International War Crimes Tribunal at
The Hague Louse Arbour will be allowed to travel to Kosovo, but
she may not conduct any investigation in the region, according to
Yugoslav press reports.
The Yugoslav authorities say that the Tribunal has no
jurisdiction in Kosovo where Serb police and troops are fighting
the rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) and where 90
percent of the population are ethnic Albanians.
Ms. Arbour was turned back at the border when she tried to
enter Kosovo via FYROM in order to investigate the alleged
massacre of 45 Albanians.
[20] 500 DEAD FROM THE EARTHQUAKE IN COLOMBIA
Five hundred people were killed and over a thousand were
injured from the powerful earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter
scale that rocked western Colombia. Thousands of people have been
left homeless, while the hospitals are without running water and
electricity.
The quake's epicenter was the city of Ueloa which according
to information, has been totally destroyed. The International Red
Cross issued an appeal to all the countries to help the people of
western Colombia.
[21] A US COMPANY WILL UNDERTAKE THE MODERNIZATION OF KOZLODUI
The state-run Electricity Company of Bulgaria selected the US
company "Parsons" to undertake the modernization and upgrading of
the electricity production plant in Kozlodui, according to a BBC
report from Washington.
It should be noted that the US company is based in Pasadena,
California and it has announced from its branch in Houston, that
company specialists will work for the modernization of nuclear
reactors 5 and 6 in Kozlodui.
The BBC also reported that the modernization of the Bulgarian
nuclear plant will last until 2006.
[22] THE GREEK BOOK PUBLICATIONS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS WILL BE
PRESENTED IN CAIRO'S BOOK FAIR
The Greek book publications of the past two years will be
presented in the 31st International Book Fair of the Middle East
that opens in Cairo today and will last until February 13.
This exhibition is regarded as one of the most significant
cultural events in Egypt and the Arab world and comes second only
to the Frankfurt Book Fair in terms of international
participation.
The Greek participation is being organized for a 6th year by
the Greek Culture Institute. The publications of educational
institutions will be presented for the first time this year
together with the books of different publishing houses in Greece
bringing the Greek participation to 450 book titles compared to
last year's 270.
[23] NEW PRESSURES BY GREECE FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON
MARBLES
The four-day inter-governmental meeting of the UNESCO
committee for the return of cultural goods continues today in
Paris.
Greece, through its representative, called for the
examination of the Parthenon Marbles, which are kept in the
British Museum, by a special committee to determine the state they
are in, while it also called for the opening of a dialogue for the
return of the marbles to Greece.
Greece's two demands will be conveyed by UNESCO to the
British government as recommendations.
[24] THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN TURKEY PRESENTS A SAD PICTURE
The human rights situation in Turkey presents a sad picture,
according to a report by the Human Rights Association. One hundred
and ninety-two people were killed by unidentified persons in 1998,
other 1.718 were killed in clashes, while 91 lost their lives in
actions against civilians. Also, 128 people were executed while in
police custody or during torture.
According to the report, 42.991 people were arrested in 1998,
3.659 were held in police custody temporarily, and 919 were
assaulted, pressured and threatened. The number of people who are
in prison for expressing their opinion are 132.
Thirty villages were evacuated and burnt down, 140 areas were
bombed and burned, while 152 non governmental organizations,
political organizations and mass media organizations were shut
down. In December 1998, 117 people lost their lives of which 25
were murdered, 25 were killed during torture and 67 in armed
clashes.
[25] JOINT GREEK-TURKISH FILM PRODUCTION WITH A GREEK ACTRESS IN
THE LEADING ROLE
The filming of the Greek-Turkish co-production "My Dear
Istanbul" which will take place with the participation of Bulgaria
as well will start in March. The story of the film is based on a
book under the same title written by Turkish author Nedim Gursel
and according to information, the leading role will be given to
Greek actress Kariofillia Karabeti. The music of the film will be
composed by Nikos Kipourgos and its director will be Setskin
Yassar.
The film presents the story of Irini, a Greek woman who left
Istanbul at the age of 8 and went to live in Athens with her
family. At some point in her life Irini decides to return to
Istanbul with her Turkish boyfriend with whom they met during a
journalist conference in order to visit the city about which her
father spoke very often.
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