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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-02-01
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 1, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SEVERE WEATHER ISOLATES HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES IN N. GREECE
[02] SNOW BLANKETS NORTHERN GREECE, FROSTED, SLIPPERY ROADS
[03] CENTRAL GREECE'S FARMERS TAKE TO THE STREETS TODAY
[04] THESSALONIKI'S SOCCER FANS ECSTATIC OVER PAOK'S VICTORY
[05] CONTEST ANNOUNCED FOR 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES LOGO
[06] MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER: MORE POLICEMEN PATROLING ON FOOT
[07] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REGARD AS USEFUL OCALAN'S
ARRIVAL AND STAY IN GREECE
[08] AN SPD DELEGATION WILL MEET WITH THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER
[09] SIMITIS-SOLANA MEETING ON THURSDAY
[10] HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES ARE CUT OFF BY THE SNOW ACROSS THE
COUNTRY
[11] TEACHERS' UNION PRESIDING BOARD MEETING
[12] REPPAS: THE DROP IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS UNDER OCCUPATION IS
A PROMISING DEVELOPMENT
[13] THE PRESIDENT OF SAE MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER TO VISIT ATHENS NEXT WEEK
[15] HOPES REMAIN FOR KOSOVO, NEGOTIATIONS TO START FEBRUARY 6
[16] US MEDIATOR CHRISTOPHER HILL EXPECTED IN KOSOVO TODAY
[17] AMERICAN HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, FROM THESSALONIKI, WINS
COMPENSATION
[18] THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE PRESSURED TO SIT AT THE NEGOTIATING
TABLE
[19] CYPRUS: TWO ISRAELI SPIES WERE SENTENCED TO 3.5 YEARS IN
PRISON
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] SEVERE WEATHER ISOLATES HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES IN N. GREECE
Over one hundred villages remain inaccessible and isolated in
northern Greece where heavy snowfall has made driving hazardous in
most of the provincial roads, while anti-skid chains are required
for vehicles driven on the national highway.
All schools in western Macedonia were closed today, while
frozen pipes have made water supplies scarce in many areas.
The "Macedonia" airport remained closed this morning as
slippery runways impeded aircraft departures.
[02] SNOW BLANKETS NORTHERN GREECE, FROSTED, SLIPPERY ROADS
Heavy snow continues to fall for the third consecutive day in
northern Greece, while the city of Thessaloniki has been blanketed
by dense snowflakes.
Temperatures have plummeted to below zero in many cities and
frosty roads make driving hazardous. The schools of Thessaloniki
will remain closed today, following an order issued by the city's
Prefect.
Anti-skid chains are required for vehicles traveling on the
national highways and in most of the provincial roads.
According to the National Weather Service, the severe weather
is to continue into the week, and will expand to most of the
country.
[03] CENTRAL GREECE'S FARMERS TAKE TO THE STREETS TODAY
Undaunted by the freezing temperatures and fueled by their
demands, the farmers of central Greece are to take their tractors
to the provincial roads today as a form of protest the state's
economic policy.
The Minister of Agriculture George Anomeritis is to bring
forth the farmers' protests to the cabinet on Friday and will
relay the state's response to them on Saturday.
[04] THESSALONIKI'S SOCCER FANS ECSTATIC OVER PAOK'S VICTORY
Defying the bitter cold, thousands of fans celebrated into
the wee hours of the morning in Thessaloniki, after the local
team, PAOK, won the cup 71-54 in a match with AEK.
This is the second consecutive time a city team earns
the coveted victory as Aris won the state cup last year. The
team's players are expected to arrive in Thessaloniki this
afternoon.
[05] CONTEST ANNOUNCED FOR 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES LOGO
The Organizing Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
have announced a contest for the logo that will become a trademark
symbol for the summer games.
The contest is open to advertising agencies, designers and
other professionals
and companies dealing with "the development of corporate identity,
strategies for image creation, commercial logos or creative
communications.
The deadline for proposals is April 5.
[06] MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER: MORE POLICEMEN PATROLING ON FOOT
The Minister of Public Order Philippos Petsalnikos has
announced that he intends to assign more men on foot patrols and
will strengthen the active police units with another 3,000 men
presently assigned to desk jobs.
In an interview with an Athens daily, Mr. Petsalnikos stated
that the citizen wants to feel and notice the police presence
near him and stressed that the added measures will result in
improved crime combat.
Moreover, 1,000 guards will be stationed at the Greek-
Albanian border stations by the end of April. The border guards
will be equipped with jeeps, helicopters and updated technological
facilities.
[07] REPPAS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REGARD AS USEFUL OCALAN'S
ARRIVAL AND STAY IN GREECE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the
Greek side has not received a request to accept the arrival of
Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and characterized as unjustified
rumors the information on his alleged arrival in Greece.
Mr. Reppas reiterated the stance of the Greek government that
it does not regard as useful the arrival and stay of Ocalan in
Greece while he observed that Greece has raised the issue of the
violation of the human rights of the Kurds by Ankara and has
requested its discussion in the European Union institutions.
[08] AN SPD DELEGATION WILL MEET WITH THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER
A German Social-democratic Party, SPD, delegation will meet
in Athens tomorrow with prime minister Kostas Simitis. In the
meeting will be present undersecretaries of foreign affairs
Yiannos Kranidiotis, national economy Alexandros Baltas, labor
Christos Protopapas and the prime minister's office director Nikos
Themelis.
Another meeting will follow with the participation of
minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, undersecretary of
foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis, governing socialist party of
PASOK central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis and prime
minister's office director Mr. Themelis. In the meeting will be
discussed issues concerning the European Socialist Party, the
course to June's Euro-parliament elections and the Greek-German
relations.
[09] SIMITIS-SOLANA MEETING ON THURSDAY
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will meet with NATO secretary-
general Javier Solana in Athens on Thursday.
In the meeting will be present foreign minister Theodoros
Pangalos and minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos.
[10] HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES ARE CUT OFF BY THE SNOW ACROSS THE
COUNTRY
Hundreds of villages remain cut off by the snow, while
serious problems have been created in transportation as cars move
only with non-skid chains in the biggest part of the provincial
and national road network.
In northern Greece and Thessaloniki, the snowfall continues
and over 100 villages have been cut off. In north-western Greece
and Thessaloniki schools remain closed, while the problems in
transportation are serious and cars move only with non-skid chains
and temperature is very low as in all the northern Greek cities it
has dropped several degrees below zero. Specifically, in Florina
temperature has dropped to -11, in Kastoria -10, in Kozani -8, in
Grevena -7 and in Thessaloniki -4.
[11] TEACHERS' UNION PRESIDING BOARD MEETING
The teachers' union presiding board meets today in an effort
to adopt a stance on the examination system. Meanwhile, the
ministry of education leadership meets with substitute teachers'
representatives to discuss the issue of new teaching personnel
appointments.
The students decided on a new escalation of their
mobilizations, while on February 5 new protest rallies will be
held across the country. However, according to the ministry of
education, the number of schools under occupation is dropping.
[12] REPPAS: THE DROP IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS UNDER OCCUPATION IS
A PROMISING DEVELOPMENT
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized the
drop in the number of schools under student occupation as a
promising development.
He also expressed the belief that the end of this problem is
close as well as the wish that the dialogue between minister of
education Gerasimos Arsenis with the teachers' union presiding
board will lead to the total normalization of the situation in the
sector of education.
[13] THE PRESIDENT OF SAE MET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, president Andrew
Athens met in Athens today with prime minister Kostas Simitis.
Mr. Athens briefed Mr. Simitis on the course of the programs
on the Greeks living abroad with an emphasis on the medical aid
program for the Greeks living in the countries of the former
Soviet Union. He also referred to the initiatives of the Greek-
American community aimed at promoting the issues of Greek national
importance.
Also, Mr. Athens presented to the prime minister the
situation within the Greek-American Christian Orthodox Church in
view of the formal visit of Archbishop Spiridon of America to
Athens on February 9.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[14] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER TO VISIT ATHENS NEXT WEEK
Cyprus's Defense Minister Yiannakis Chryssostomos will embark
on a four-day visit to Athens on February 8 where he will be
received by his Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos.
Their talks are expected to focus on the transport and
installation of the Russian S-300 missiles on the island of Crete.
[15] HOPES REMAIN FOR KOSOVO, NEGOTIATIONS TO START FEBRUARY 6
The international community continues its mediation efforts
in finding a peaceful solution to the fermenting Kosovo crisis.
There are hopes that the two conflicting sides will make some
progress during their negotiations set to start on February 6 in
France.
The talks will be mediated by France's and Great Britain's
Foreign Minister and will also have the direct involvement of the
Contact Group.
[16] US MEDIATOR CHRISTOPHER HILL EXPECTED IN KOSOVO TODAY
United States mediator Christopher Hill is expected to arrive
in Kosovo today in order to make an attempt at convincing the two
conflicting sides to sit at the negotiations table at the end of
this week.
NATO has threatened that it will take military action if the
negotiations don't get off the ground.
Sandi Berger, national security advisor to US President Bill
Clinton said that "this is the last opportunity offered to the
Serbs for reaching a solution through negotiations."
[17] AMERICAN HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, FROM THESSALONIKI, WINS
COMPENSATION
Two Holocaust survivors, both United States citizens at the
time they were incarcerated in WWII Nazi camps, are now entitled
to a multimillion dollar settlement share after a recent court
battle overruled the German compensation laws which purposely
excluded American-born Jews from making claims.
According to South Florida's daily Sun Sentinel, Solomon Roza
of Delray Beach, and Jessie Homonnai, of Hollywood, both living in
Florida, are to split $2.1 million in compensation which follows
a court victory in 1995, when a very determined Jewish-American in
New Jersey, Hugo Princz, won settlement of his 40-year legal fight
for compensation.
He and 10 other Americans split $2.1 million, which opened
the floodgates of compensation.
Mr. Roza and Mrs. Homonnai, are among a second group of
almost 250 Jewish-Americans who will share a settlement that could
reach $25 million, depending on the final terms of the deal
reached between the U.S. State Department and the German
government.
Mrs. Homonnai was born in 1911 in Pennsylvania. She was three
years old when her mother returned to the family homeland of
Hungary after her father died.
By 1944, when Germany invaded Hungary, she had been deported to
the Bergen-Belson concentration camp.
Mr. Roza was 2 years old in 1919 when his family left New
York for Thessaloniki, where his paternal grandfather needed help
with the family metal
business.
By the age of 22, Mr. Roza was taken from his home in
Thessaloniki, a large prosperous Jewish community, and eventually
forced by cattle car to the concentration camp in Auschwitz,
Poland. He was there for two years, working, starving, taking
beatings.
Mr. Roza said he returned to his homeland only once, in 1969.
"I was disappointed ... The old memories. The house we lived
in, gentile people were living there. The business is gone, the
streets, the neighborhoods," he
said. "Everyday, I used to cry. "I missed what we had there. Now
it's gone."
[18] THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE PRESSURED TO SIT AT THE NEGOTIATING
TABLE
The ethnic Albanian leadership in Kosovo is strongly
pressured to put all differences aside and sit at the negotiating
table with the Serbs at the end of the week.
US envoy Christopher Hill is expected in Pristina today in an
effort to persuade the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army to
participate in the negotiations on Ibrahim Rugova's side. It
should be noted that the Serb side has not responded yet on
whether it will enter the negotiations that will be held in
France.
[19] CYPRUS: TWO ISRAELI SPIES WERE SENTENCED TO 3.5 YEARS IN
PRISON
A court in Larnaca, Cyprus sentenced two Israeli spies to 3
years in prison for entering an off limits territory during a
military operation, according to the French news agency, AFP.
Also the two Israelis, who had been arrested on November 9,
1998, were sentenced to 6 months in jail for illegal possession of
high-tech wire tapping equipment, while the spy charges were
dropped by the prosecutor's office after the two admitted their
guilt.
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