Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-09-06
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 6, 1999
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE MINIMUM GRADES NEEDED FOR ADMITTANCE TO HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS HAVE DROPPED
[02] THE PRIME MINISTER WILL MEET WITH PAPANDREOU AND
TSOCHATZOPOULOS
[03] NEW ERA FOR THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
[04] THE POPE'S VISIT TO ATHENS HAS BEEN CANCELED
[05] 61.6% WANTS STEPHANOPOULOS FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
REPUBLIC
[06] BURNS: GREECE IS AN APPEALING TARGET FOR THE US CAPITAL
[07] REPPAS: THERE WILL BE NO MORE BENEFITS AND NO NEW TAXES
[08] CONGRATULATORY LETTER BY CLINTON TO SIMITIS ON THE
ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO TURKEY
[09] THE PRIME MINISTER MET WITH THE GREEK EURO-DEPUTIES
[10] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC ARE ON THE RISE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE EU IS ON THE DECLINE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE MINIMUM GRADES NEEDED FOR ADMITTANCE TO HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS HAVE DROPPED
The minimum grades needed for admittance to higher
education institutions have dropped in the polytechnic,
medical and theoretical schools based on the figures that
were given to publicity by the ministry of education. In the
economic schools the minimum grades were increased up to 218
points.
The deadline for the enrollment of students to
universities and technological institutions will be
announced next week. In the university admittance exams took
part a total of 166.288 students and 71.265 of them passed
the tests namely, 8.976 students more compared to last year.
Those students who have failed in the exams and want to
improve their grades can use the system that was in effect
until last year and take the test again for up to two more
times.
[02] THE PRIME MINISTER WILL MEET WITH PAPANDREOU AND
TSOCHATZOPOULOS
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will have a meeting at
7pm this afternoon with foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou
and minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos.
They will discuss the new situation created regarding
the relations between the European Union and Turkey and
between Greece and Turkey after yesterday's decision reached
by the EU Council of Ministers to offer economic assistance
to Turkey in order to deal with the problems created by the
recent devastating earthquake.
They will also discuss the developments in the Cyprus
issue on the occasion of the new US initiative that gets
underway. Also, they will examine issues concerning the
preparation of the visit of US president Bill Clinton to
Athens in November.
[03] NEW ERA FOR THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS
The Greek-Turkish relations have entered a new
constructive period stated foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou after the decision of the EU Council of Ministers
to grant an emergency aid of 750 million EURO to Turkey to
deal with the damages caused by the earthquake that hit the
north-western part of the country on August 17.
Mr. Papandreou stressed that Greece should take
advantage of all the opportunities that lead to the
improvement of the Greek-Turkish relations and that Turkey
should assume its responsibilities and proceed to
significant changes both domestically and in the way it
deals with its neighbors.
[04] THE POPE'S VISIT TO ATHENS HAS BEEN CANCELED
The visit of Pope John-Paul B' to Athens has been
canceled after the meeting yesterday of his representative,
Cardinal Cassidy with Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and
All of Greece and the explanations given regarding the
reactions expressed within the Church over the visit.
Cardinal Cassidy stated that the Pope had not scheduled
a visit to Athens but simply had expressed a wish to visit
the city, adding, however, that it would have been
impossible for him to change his scheduled visits in the
immediate future due to health reasons.
[05] 61.6% WANTS STEPHANOPOULOS FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
REPUBLIC
The majority of the people want Kostis Stephanopoulos
to be re-elected to the post of the president of the
republic. According to an opinion poll conducted on behalf
of the Thessaloniki newspaper "Angelioforos", 61.6% of those
questioned responded that they want Mr. Stephanopoulos to be
re-elected to the post.
The opinion poll was conducted in Thessaloniki and
Athens after the decision of the opposition party Coalition
of the Left to back Leonidas Kirkos' candidature for the
post. Of those questioned, 17.4% stated that they want
Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos for president, 10.6%
responded that they prefer main opposition right-wing party
of New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis
and 4.3% responded in favor of Leonidas Kirkos.
In favor of Mr. Stephanopoulos are 3 out of 4 governing
socialist party of PASOK voters and 46.1% of the voters of
New Democracy, while the New Democracy voters are divided in
their preferences between Avramopoulos and Mitsotakis.
[06] BURNS: GREECE IS AN APPEALING TARGET FOR THE US CAPITAL
Greece becomes a more and more attractive target for
the US capital, according to US ambassador to Athens
Nicholas Burns.
In a press conference in Thessaloniki, Mr. Burns stated
that the economic relations between the two countries are
not at a desirable level yet but the situation changes
quickly and the US investors regard Greece as one of the
most profitable markets for their capital. This is proven by
the big investment made by Hyatt with the creation of the
hotel and casino in Thessaloniki and by the cooperation
agreement between the Greek Weapons Industry and the defense
systems construction companies of Raython and Lockheed.
The most significant achievement in the cooperation
between the two countries is the autonomy of the political
and economic activities.
On the course of the country, he expressed the view
that Greece has made impressive steps of progress in the
past four years and shows a totally different face compared
to the previous decade. He said that Greece is just one step
before the EMU having achieved the improvement of its basic
macro-economic indexes.
On the issue of the visa, the US ambassador stressed
that the Greek side has to settle certain procedural issues
before it is resolved.
[07] REPPAS: THERE WILL BE NO MORE BENEFITS AND NO NEW TAXES
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that
there will be no more benefits for the taxpayers and accused
all those who provoke discussions on a new package of
benefits of trying to limit the value of the measures
announced by prime minister Kostas Simitis.
Responding to a question by a reporter, Mr. Reppas also
stated that no new taxes will be imposed.
[08] CONGRATULATORY LETTER BY CLINTON TO SIMITIS ON THE
ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO TURKEY
Prime minister Kostas Simitis received a letter by US
president Bill Clinton dated September 4.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that
Mr. Clinton congratulates Mr. Simitis for the humanitarian
aid offered to the earthquake stricken Turkish people. In
the letter it is also stressed that there is room for the
improvement of bilateral relations between Greece and
Turkey.
[09] THE PRIME MINISTER MET WITH THE GREEK EURO-DEPUTIES
Prime minister Kostas Simitis met with all the Greek
Euro-deputies today on the occasion of the opening of the
new period in the European parliament.
Mr. Simitis gave a reception in honor of the 25 Greek
Euro-deputies, Greece's European Commissioner Anna
Diamantopoulou, deputy foreign minister Yiannos Kranidiotis,
former foreign ministers and the Greek parliament's European
Affairs Committee president Loukas Apostolidis.
[10] THE GREEK EXPORTS TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC ARE ON THE RISE
The Greek exports to the Czech Republic showed an
increase by 7.5 million US dollars in 1998 compared to 1997,
but in spite this, the trade balance between the two
countries continues to show a deficit for Greece. The volume
of trade transactions between the two countries increases
steadily but it continues to be at a non satisfactory level,
according to Czech Republic ministry of industry and foreign
trade representative and head of the Czech Republic state
participation in Thessaloniki's 64th International Trade
Fair, Mr. Karel Mrocek, who gave a press conference earlier
today.
In 1998, the Greek exports to the Czech Republic
reached 57.6 million dollars compared to 50.7 million
dollars in 1997 and concerned mainly farm products
specifically, cotton, tobacco and citrus fruits. The imports
from the Czech Republic remained stable at 85 million
dollars and were made up mainly of industrial products.
According to the figures provided, 10% of the imports from
the Czech Republic concerned SKODA cars.
The trade transactions between the two countries until
May 1999 reached 60 million dollars and Mr. Mrocek expressed
the hope for further improvement of the bilateral trade
relations. The Czech Republic's participation in
Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair consists of 6
companies active in the sectors of textile, the production
of biological and chemical purification units, boilers,
glass package products and the famous Bohemian crystals.
The Greek investments to the Czech Republic were 10
million dollars in 1998 and were made mostly to the sector
of light industry, according to the country's commercial
attache to Athens. The investments of Czech businessmen made
to Greece in the same period of time were 7 million dollars
and concerned the pharmaceutical sector.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[11] UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE EU IS ON THE DECLINE
Unemployment dropped to 10.2% in the 11 countries of
the EMU zone in the month of July compared to 10.3% in June,
according to a report by the EU statistics agency, EUROSTAT.
In July 1998, the unemployment percentage in those countries
was 10.9%.
About 2 years ago when the EU launched a campaign
against unemployment within the framework of the Summit
meeting in Luxembourg, the unemployed in the EU were
18.000.000 while today their number has dropped to
15.800.000.
The lower unemployment rate of the month of July was
recorded in Luxembourg with 2.8%, followed by Austria with
4.3% and Portugal with 4.5%. The highest unemployment rate
was recorded in Spain with 15.9%, which however is lower
compared to the same month last year when the unemployment
rate was 18.8%.
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