Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-02-08
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 8, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FARMERS TAKE TRACTORS TO THE STREETS
[02] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY
[03] HOSPITAL DOCTORS EMBARK ON FIVE-DAY STRIKE
[04] CUSTOMS SEIZES ARSENAL-CARRYING TRUCK IN FLORINA STATION
[05] DRIVER OF "ARSENAL ON WHEELS" APREHENDED, CLAIMS IGNORANCE
[06] MEASURES FOR ECONOMICALLY WEAK CLASSES SET FORTH
[07] GLOBALIZATION ADDRESSED AT SERIES OF EVENTS IN THESSALONIKI
[08] REPPAS: OCALAN DID NOT COME TO ATHENS
[09] TSOCHATZOPOULOS COMMENTED ON THE DEFENSE COOPERATION BETWEEN
GREECE AND CYPRUS
[10] TRAFFIC MOVES WITHOUT PROBLEMS IN THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK
[11] THE GREEK ARMY IS REINFORCED WITH GERMAN ARMORED TANKS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT AUSTRIA THIS MONTH
[13] KING HUSSEIN TO BE BURIED TODAY
[14] SERBS AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS CONDEMN BLAST IN PRISHTINA
[15] BORIS YELTSIN TO ATTEND FUNERAL OF HUSSEIN, KING OF JORDAN
[16] GREEK FM: GREECE SUPPORTS ENFORCEMENT OF DAYTON AGREEMENT
[17] PANGALOS: MS. ALBRIGHT ASKED ME NOT TO MEET WITH POPLASEN
[18] PANGALOS: GREECE WILL NOT ACCEPT A CHANGE AT THE BALKAN
BORDERS
[19] PANGALOS IS IN SARAJEVO
[20] GREECE IS LIKE WATER IN THE DESERT FOR THE YOUNG GREEKS
LIVING IN ASIA AND AFRICA
[21] THE TIRANA PROSECUTOR REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM GREECE ON
THE SO-CALLED "CHILDREN OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS"
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK FARMERS TAKE TRACTORS TO THE STREETS
The country's farmers are taking their tractors to the
streets today, blocking the national highway junction at
Biokarpet, Tempi, Mikrotheves and sections in the Peloponnese.
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas attributed
the mobilization to political ulterior motives and warned that no
one will be allowed to obstruct traffic through illegal and anti-
social behavior.
Minster of Public Order Philippos Petsalnikos also stressed
that he is obliged to avert any whatsoever form of occupation or
street blockade. A member of the Pan-Thessaly Farmers'
Coordinating Committee said that the Ministry of Agriculture is
making a mockery of the farmer's plight. Mainly, farmers are
demanding lower debt repayment rates.
[02] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY
Cyprus's Defense Minister Yiannakis Chryssostomos will embark
on a four-day visit to Athens today 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.
[03] HOSPITAL DOCTORS EMBARK ON FIVE-DAY STRIKE
Doctors working at state-owned hospitals throughout the
country are escalating their mobilizations, demanding back pay for
24-hour emergency shifts.
In Thessaloniki, they embarked on a five-day strike as of
today, February 8, and will not perform their emergency duties.
They have also stated that they are determined to claim their
due wages through the courts.
[04] CUSTOMS SEIZES ARSENAL-CARRYING TRUCK IN FLORINA STATION
Customs officials at the Florina border station have seized a
truck loaded with inconspicuously hidden ammunition, reportedly
the largest ever amount smuggled into Greece.
The arsenal consisted of bazookas, anti-tank rockets,
howitzers and thousands of bullets.
The truck driver managed to escape into Albanian
soil while another passenger of the truck, not believed to be
involved in the arms smuggling attempt, also got away.
[05] DRIVER OF "ARSENAL ON WHEELS" APREHENDED, CLAIMS IGNORANCE
The driver of a truck carrying the largest amount of
ammunition ever attempted to be smuggled into the country was
apprehended late last night after he made a dash into Albanian
soil in order to avoid arrest.
Lazai Patriot, 35, is presently being interrogated by Greek
police and has stated that he received the Albanian license plate
truck from a transit company. He claimed ignorance of the arsenal
masterfully hidden inside the truck, which police plan to
dismantle in order to search for more arms.
The truck's passenger, a Greek national, has also been
apprehended, although he claimed that he was simply hitchhiking.
[06] MEASURES FOR ECONOMICALLY WEAK CLASSES SET FORTH
The Minster of Finance and National Economy Yiannos
Papantoniou has announced a package of measures aimed at
alleviating the tax burdens from the economically weaker taxes.
The said measures call for upping the ceiling of tax-exempt
income, improvement of the tax scale and additional tax breaks for
parents.
In an interview with an Athens daily, Mr. Papantoniou
commended on the upcoming PASOK party congress and expressed
concern that some "fringe elements" will provoke tension.
[07] GLOBALIZATION ADDRESSED AT SERIES OF EVENTS IN THESSALONIKI
A series of events addressing the "social and Political
Challenges of Globalization" is to begin in Thessaloniki on
February 23, organized by CEDEFOP, the British Council the Goethe
Institute, the Italian Institute, the Institute Francais and the
Center for Business and Political Development.
The first event's featured speaker will be professor Ricardo
Petrella, who is the former director of the European Commission's
FAST research program and is presently professor of economics in
Belgium.
[08] REPPAS: OCALAN DID NOT COME TO ATHENS
Abdullah Ocalan did not come to Greece, stated Greek
government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
Responding to a question by reporters on whether the Kurdish
leader has requested from the Greek government to undertake the
initiative to organize an international conference, Mr. Reppas
said that the Greek government follows a foreign policy of
principles and has already raised the Kurdish problem adding that
pressures and requests were not necessary to do that.
[09] TSOCHATZOPOULOS COMMENTED ON THE DEFENSE COOPERATION BETWEEN
GREECE AND CYPRUS
Minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos will meet with his
Cypriot counterpart in Athens today to discuss issues concerning
the strengthening of the military and defense relations between
the two countries.
Just before his departure from Thessaloniki, Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos stressed that Greece and Cyprus have based their
joint defense toward the Turkish threat on the non negotiable
alliance of the joint defense doctrine, adding that they have a
responsibility to materialize this strategy through specific
policies and decisions.
[10] TRAFFIC MOVES WITHOUT PROBLEMS IN THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK
Cars move without problems in the national road network as
despite of their threats the Greek farmers have not blocked the
roads yet. A number of tractors have appeared, however, in
provincial roads and villages in Thessaly, central Greece. Fifty
farmers in a symbolic move blocked the entrance of the Bank of
Agriculture in the town of Egion for an hour.
Akis Tsochatzopoulos stressed that the blockades do not solve
the problems of farmers adding that what is needed is a honest
dialogue. The minister of agriculture has also stated that he is
in favor of the dialogue. Mr. Anomeritis stated that since 1993
the farmers' debts have been settled 19 times.
Yiannis Pattakis, member of the farmers' committee in
Thessaly, maintained that the government threatens to use public
prosecutors and special police forces in order to bend the
farmers' resistance.
[11] THE GREEK ARMY IS REINFORCED WITH GERMAN ARMORED TANKS
The Greek army is reinforced with twenty five German-made
"Leopard 1A5" armored tanks, while 17 more are on their way to
Greece and the last ones out of a total order of 170 armored tanks
are expected to arrive by the end of the year.
The ceremony for the delivery of the 25 armored tanks was
held this morning at the military camp of Assiros in the presence
of minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos and the General Army
Staff chief Manousos Paragioudakis. They are used armored tanks
and are regarded as the most updated of the Greek army with a
total value of 19 billion drachmas.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC TO VISIT AUSTRIA THIS MONTH
The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos
will conduct an official visit to Austria between February 15 and
17, this being the first visit by a Greek head of state to the
Austrian capital.
President Stephanopoulos will be accompanied by Alternate
Foreign Minister George Papandreou and National Economy Deputy
Minister Alekos Baltas.
Mr. Stephanopoulos will hold talks with his Austrian
counterpart Thomas Klestil, and Chancellor Viktor Klima, while he
will also meet Austrian parliament president Heinz Fischer.
[13] KING HUSSEIN TO BE BURIED TODAY
State and political leaders throughout the world, among the
United States President Bill Clinton, are to attend today's
burial of Jordan's King Hussein, who died
Israeli Premier Benjamin Netaniahu is to be accompanied by
opposition party leaders. Iraq is to be represented by a high-
ranking officials of the ruling council.
[14] SERBS AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS CONDEMN BLAST IN PRISHTINA
The delegations of Serbs and the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo,
who are participating in the presently-held negotiations at
Rambouillet, France, have condemned the terrorist act in
Prishtina, where three Albanians were killed on Saturday evening,
according to Russian news agency Itar-Tass.
In a joint statement, the two sides expressed their
indignation over the explosion in the center of Prishtina and
stressed that the two sides of the conflict demand the immediate
arrest and punishment of the blast culprits. This was the
first joint statement of the delegations.
[15] BORIS YELTSIN TO ATTEND FUNERAL OF HUSSEIN, KING OF JORDAN
Russian President Boris Yeltsin has traveled to Amman,
Jordan, in order to attend the funeral of King Hussein, according
to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.
Upon his arrival, President Yeltsin stated that he came to
Jordan in oprder to offer his sincere condolences to the people of
Jordan.
[16] GREEK FM: GREECE SUPPORTS ENFORCEMENT OF DAYTON AGREEMENT
"Greece fully supports the enforcement of the Dayton
Agreement and participates with a military unit," stated Foreign
Minster Theodoros Pangalos during a joint interview he gave with
his Bosnia counterpart Mr. Prilic, immediately following their
talks.
In addition to the Dayton Agreement, the two officials
discussed the future of Bosnia-Herzegovina and its participation
in the Council of Europe, supported by Greece, and the country's
European orientation.
Mr. Pangalos also stated that he and Mr. Prilic agreed to
facilitate further contact among the political directors of both
foreign ministries, as well as the development of economic ties
between the two countries.
"Greece is FYROM's second trade ally in the Balkans and is
Albania's first," Mr. Pangalos stated, adding that Greek ventures
rank first in investment in Albania, FYROM, Romania and Serbia,
while they rank second in Bulgaria.
He stressed that similar opportunities exist in Bosnia as
well.
[17] PANGALOS: MS. ALBRIGHT ASKED ME NOT TO MEET WITH POPLASEN
The flight of Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos to
Banja Luka is expected to be canceled due to the continued bad
weather in the region.
Mr. Pangalos, speaking to reporters at the Sarajevo Airport,
revealed that the US Secretary of State Ms. Albright had sent him
a letter on the Balkan issues asking him not to meet with Serb
Republic president Nikola Poplasen in Banja Luka.
[18] PANGALOS: GREECE WILL NOT ACCEPT A CHANGE AT THE BALKAN
BORDERS
Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos stated immediately
after his meeting with his Bosnian counterpart Mr. Prilic and the
Bosnian deputy foreign ministers that Greece will not accept any
change at the Balkan borders under no circumstances.
It should also be stressed that the two government ministers
agreed on the position that the issue of Kossovo must end through
political means with an agreement backed by the parties involved.
[19] PANGALOS IS IN SARAJEVO
Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos is in Sarajevo where he
met with his Bosnian counterpart Mr. Prilic. Mr. Pangalos stated
that Greece backs fully the implementation of the Dayton peace
accord and participates with a military unit.
They also discussed the international prospects for Bosnia-
Herzegovina, its participation in the Council of Europe and the
country's European prospect. Mr. Pangalos stressed that it was
agreed that a meeting should be held for the development of the
economic relations between the two countries.
[20] GREECE IS LIKE WATER IN THE DESERT FOR THE YOUNG GREEKS
LIVING IN ASIA AND AFRICA
Greece is like a glass of water in the middle of the desert
and it is kept like a priceless treasure in the hearts of the
young Greeks living abroad who are meeting in Alexandria, Egypt
within the framework of the three-day founding conference which
was attended by delegates from 15 countries.
The nine-member coordinating committee of the Young Greeks
World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE of Asia-Africa presented
their immediate goals in a press conference after the end of the
conference.
The members of the coordinating committee stated that in the
period that will follow they will brief the young Greeks in the
countries from where they come from and they will coordinate their
efforts in order to give strong roots to the initiative that
started in Alexandria.
[21] THE TIRANA PROSECUTOR REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM GREECE ON
THE SO-CALLED "CHILDREN OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS"
Albania's general prosecutor Arben Pakipi made an official
request to the responsible Greek agencies requesting information
on the under aged Albanian children who are forced by Albanian
Mafia members to beg for money under the traffic lights of the
Greek cities or to perform different illegal acts.
The Greek side has responded positively to the request,
according to the Albanian newspaper "Zei i Populit" and based on
information at the newspaper's disposal, over 2.000 children have
left the country in the past few years of which 800 are begging
for money on the streets of the big Italian cities.
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