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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-05-30Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 08:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPE[D] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] THE GREEK MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER BLAMED THE ALBANIAN POLICE FOR THE TRAGIC TURN OF EVENTSWeb Posted: 16:01 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 29/05/1999 (MPA) Greek minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis blamed the Albanian police for the tragic turn of events in the hostage taking situation with Albanian Antoni Flambur, 25, who was living in Greece under assumed name. The Albanian perpetrator, who had hijacked a bus outside Thessaloniki was killed together with a Greek passenger identified as Giorgos Koulouris, 28, from Scholari, Thessaloniki when Albanian police stormed the bus near the city of Elbasan south of the Albanian capital of Tirana. A woman Maria Golfopoulou was wounded in the legs, while another woman, Eleni Tsolaka suffered a nervous breakdown. The two women were taken by helicopter to the hospital of Ioannina, in northern Greece, while the rest will arrive in Thessaloniki from Tirana by plane.The tragic events began on Friday morning outside Thessaloniki, when Flambur hijacked a local bus and held nine passengers, all Greek citizens, as hostages. Armed with a Kalashnikov assault riffle and a hand grenade the Albanian forced the bus toward the Greek-Albanian border during the night after receiving 50 million drachmas as ransom for the release of the hostages. When the bus crossed the borders it was escorted by Albanian special police forces. Mr. Chrisochoidis spoke of irresponsibility on behalf of the Albanian police forces and of disregard toward human lives. He said that the Greek authorities had contacted the Albanians and got the assurance that the Albanian side would follow the same approach with that followed by the Greek police while the bus was in Greece. According to the Greek ministry of public order, in the early morning hours today, when the bus was outside Elbasan, the Albanian police blocked the road with two trucks and the young bus hijacker became irritated and started shooting at them. The Albanian police returned the fire killing the perpetrator and one of the hostages. Mr. Chrisochoidis made it clear that the Greek police forces that were following the bus from a distance had no involvement whatsoever in this tragic turn of events. [B] BALKANS[02] THE BIGGEST PART OF YUGOSLAVIA PLUNGED AGAIN INTO DARKNESSWeb Posted: 16:01 GMT+2Belgrade, 29/05/1999 (MPA) One more time Belgrade, as many other cities in Yugoslavia such as Novi Sad and Pancevo were plunged into darkness when NATO aircraft bombed two significant electricity production plants.According to the Yugoslav news agency "Tanjug", the Yugoslav Navy in the Adriatic was also attacked and explosions were heard at the airport of Batanica near Belgrade. [03] ิวล ALBANIAN HOSTAGE TAKER AND A BUS PASSENGER WERE SHOT DEAD IN ALBANIAWeb Posted: 16:01 GMT+2Tirana, 29/05/1999 (MPA) The ordeal of the bus passengers that were taken hostage by an armed Albanian had a tragic end. Albanian Antoni Flambur and a passenger were killed when the Albanian special police forces stormed the seized bus, near the Albanian city of Elbasan without informing the Greek police in advance.According to the Greek ministry of public order, just after 7am this morning and while the bus was already very close to the perpetrator's home- village, where he intended to free the hostages and leave with the 50 million drachmas ransom and his guns, suddenly something happened between himself and the Albanian special police forces. Flambur became irritated and he fired his gun seriously wounding one of the hostages. The Albanian police returned the fire killing the perpetrator and one of the hostages. [C] EUROPE[04] CHERNOMYRDIN IS SATISFIED WITH THE TALKS HE HAD WITH MILOSEVICWeb Posted: 16:01 GMT+2Moscow, 29/05/1999 (MPA) Russian mediator Victor Chernomyrdin returned to Moscow after the talks he had in Belgrade last night with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.Today, Mr. Chernomyrdin will brief Russian president Boris Yeltsin on the results of the talks. Mr. Chernomyrdin stated that he is satisfied with the results of his contacts with the Yugoslav president. Belgrade agrees with the adoption of a UN Security Council decision within the framework of the G-8 peace plan principles. [D] WORLD[05] US SENATORS CALL FOR AN END TO THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGNWeb Posted: 16:01 GMT+2Washington, 29/05/1999 (MPA) Thirty US Senators made a written appeal to US president Bill Clinton calling for the immediate end of the bombing campaign in Yugoslavia to create more favorable conditions for the diplomatic efforts aimed at the solution of the Yugoslav crisis.Democrat Senators mentioned in a letter addressed to president Clinton that the time has come for NATO to open the door for a peaceful solution to the issue of Kossovo. Last week, 17 Republican Senators appealed to justice maintaining that the US president undermined their prestige and their rights when he decided to start the war without the approval of the US Congress. 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/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |