Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-01-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, January 26, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GERMAN TRANSPORT MINISTER IN ATHENS TODAY
[02] CYPRIOT ECONOMY MINISTER IN ATHENS TODAY
[03] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERN GREECE
[04] PRESIDENT GIVES SCOOP TO STUDENTS
[05] TURKISH FM INAUGURATES CARTOON EXHIBITION IN ATHENS
[06] EINSTEIN'S GREEK PROFESSOR COMMEMORATED BY ARISTOTLE U.
[07] A1ST CENTURY BC STATUE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SITE OF DION
[08] LOSSES OF 1.71% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[09] THE NEW PRESIDENT WILL BE ELECTED ON FEBRUARY 8
[10] PAPANTONIOU: INFLATION WILL FOLLOW A DOWNWARD COURSE
[11] THE HOLOCAUST OF THE JEWS IN EASTERN MACEDONIA AND THRACE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] DEFENSE MINISTER TO VISIT CYPRUS
[13] PRODI: STABILITY PACT NEEDS STRENGTHENING
[14] GREECE FAVORITE DESTINATION OF IRISH TOURISTS
[15] THE RED BRIGADES HIT ITALY AGAIN
[16] ROKOFILLOS WRAPS UP HIS VISIT TO SLOVAKIA
[17] INFLATION IN THE EURO-ZONE COUNTRIES IS AT 1.1%
[18] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HOLOCAUST
[19] PAPANDREOU ATTENDED THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON THE HOLOCAUST
[20] EUROPEAN COMMISSION: CHERNOBYL MUST BE SHUT DOWN IN 2000 -
THE WHOLE EUROPE IS IN DANGER
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GERMAN TRANSPORT MINISTER IN ATHENS TODAY
German Transport, Public Works and Housing Minister Reinhard
Klimmt is to arrive in Athens today for a two-day official visit
where he will be received by his Greek counterpart Tasos Mandelis,
and the Ministers of Merchant Marine Stavros Soumakis and
Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Costas Laliotis.
According to an embassy announcement, the talks are to focus
on public transport issues, transport safety and transport of
hazardous cargoes.
The German Minister will also tour the new Athens airport at
Spata and will take a brief ride on the new metro line in central
Syntagma square.
[02] CYPRIOT ECONOMY MINISTER IN ATHENS TODAY
Cyprus' Minister of Economy Takis Clerides is to be received
by Greece's Prime Minster Costas Simitis in Athens today, where he
will hand his host a check of one million dollars as part of the
Cypriot government's relief aid for Athens' earthquake victims.
According to an official announcement, this aid constitutes
the last of a series of relief measures undertaken by the Cypriot
Ministerial Council for the assistance of those who suffered in
the devastating earthquake of September 7.
Mr. Clerides will also be received by his Greek counterpart
Yiannos Papantoniou.
[03] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERN GREECE
A cold snap has gripped northern Greece, where freezing
temperatures and dense snowfall have brought chilling misery to
the region's residents.
Nevrokopi, which customarily has the region's lowest
temperatures, measured minus 19 degrees Celsius this morning,
while a score of villages remain isolated due to heavy snowfall.
Anti-skid chains are required on all automobiles traveling on
provincial roads and the country's mountainous areas.
The extreme cold has also contributed to a jump in heating
oil prices, a world-wide phenomenon.
[04] PRESIDENT GIVES SCOOP TO STUDENTS
In an unexpected - and unprecedented - move, the President of
the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos revealed his views
concerning his re-election during a meeting he had with a group of
elementary school students who visited him at the Presidential
Mansion yesterday.
When asked by one of the youngsters to comment on his re-
election, President Stephanopoulos stated that that which
satisfies every politician is to enjoy a positive response from
the public.
"It is a great satisfaction, and I feel especially vulnerable
to the views expressed," he stated, noting that this also includes
negative views.
The President said that his reelection is mostly due to the
need to avoid driving the country to snap elections.
"We need to be frank," Mr. Stephanopoulos told the students,
"the coincidence of views concerning my future election in due to
certain political conditions, not so much to the affinity
expressed by the parties to my person.
"So, I imagine that my election, which will most likely take
place on February 8, will be endorsed by a larger number of
parliamentarians than before," he added.
When asked to comment on Greek-Turkish relations, Mr.
Stephanopoulos told his young audience that Greece cannot make any
concession on its national rights and interests.
[05] TURKISH FM INAUGURATES CARTOON EXHIBITION IN ATHENS
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Cem is to inaugurate an
international cartoon exhibition in Athens on February 5, an event
that falls within the framework of the Greek and Turkish
journalists and media executives conference which will also be
held in Athens on February 5-6.
The week-long exhibition is to feature a selection of the
best cartoons submitted at the 16th international contest of the
Turkish Institute Idin Doyan.
[06] EINSTEIN'S GREEK PROFESSOR COMMEMORATED BY ARISTOTLE U.
Albert Einstein's Greek professor, Constantine Karatheodoris,
is to be commemorated by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
which will grant his name to the administration building and will
erect a sculptured bust of his likeness on campus.
Aside from being one of Einstein's professors, Constantine
Karatheodotis was among those who pioneered the establishment of
the Aristotle University where he later also taught.
Born in 1873 at Berlin where his father served as the Turkish
ambassador, the distinguished mathematician died in 1950 at
Munich.
[07] A1ST CENTURY BC STATUE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SITE OF DION
A marble headless statue of a man wearing a long robe dated
back to the 1st century BC was discovered a few days ago at the
archaeological site of Dion, Vergina not by the archaeological
excavations but as a result of the recent floods in the region.
According to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki archaeology
professor Dimitris Pantermanlis, the finding was discovered during
a cleaning up operation for the removal of the flood waters that
had covered the archaeological site.
[08] LOSSES OF 1.71% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
New losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today
in spite of the interest rate cuts announced by the Bank of
Greece.
The general price index closed at 4.936,69 recording losses
of 1.71%, while the volume of transactions reached 171 billion
drachmas.
The downward trend recorded today was attributed to the lack
of purchasing interest and the negative psychological state of
investors.
[09] THE NEW PRESIDENT WILL BE ELECTED ON FEBRUARY 8
The Greek parliament will convene on February 8 to elect the
new president of the Hellenic Republic, according to a statement
made by parliament speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis after his meeting
with current president Kostis Stephanopoulos whom he briefed on
the procedures provided by the constitution regarding the election
of the new president.
Mr. Kaklamanis stated that according to all indications Mr.
Stephanopoulos will be re-elected to the post and the swearing-in
ceremony will be held on March 11.
[10] PAPANTONIOU: INFLATION WILL FOLLOW A DOWNWARD COURSE
The certainty that inflation will follow a downward course
was expressed by minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou
in statements he made after the meeting with prime minister Kostas
Simitis. In the meeting which was held with the participation of
minister of development Evangelos Venizelos was also examined the
course of the cost-of-living index after the new increases in the
fuel prices.
Mr. Papantoniou pointed out that the de-escalation of
inflation has a big importance for Greece's entry to the EMU. He
also stressed that today's interest rate cuts will signal a circle
of interest rate cuts by the commercial banks.
On the Athens Stock Exchange, the minister of national
economy pointed out that it follows its own course but it can not
remain indifferent to the positive developments in the Greek
economy. He also stated that the Greek economy will give good news
in the next few months.
Mr. Papantoniou stated that on January 31 the ECOFIN council
will discuss the Greek economy's convergence plan which is up for
approval.
Minister of development Evangelos Venizelos referring to the
fuel price increases stated that it is a problem that concerns not
only the Greek government but all the western governments,
pointing out that the fuel price increase affects inflation in all
the European Union states.
[11] THE HOLOCAUST OF THE JEWS IN EASTERN MACEDONIA AND THRACE
Thessaloniki's Jewish Community is opposed to the demand
expressed by Bulgaria requesting to be rewarded because it saved
the Jews during WWII.
Bulgaria, said the Jewish Community president Andreas Sefiha,
maintains that it saved the Jews living on its territory but it
conceals the fact that it handed over to the Germans 96-99% of the
Jews living in the regions of eastern Macedonia and Thrace which
were held by the Bulgarians who were collaborators of the nazis.
According to figures provided by the Jewish community, the
Bulgarians handed over 5.151 Jews to the Germans. Specifically,
the Jewish population before WWII was 2.100 in Kavala, 1.200 in
Drama, 600 in Serres, 819 in Komotini and 550 in Xanthi. After the
war the Jews left were 42 in Kavala with a decline of 98%, 39 in
Drama (-97%), 3 in Serres (-99%), 28 in Komotini (-96%) and 6 in
Xanthi (-99%).
The Greek delegation that will attend the international
conference on the Holocaust which opens in Stockholm today will
also express its opposition to Bulgaria's demand.
Mr. Sefiha stated that Bulgaria can not be compared for
example to Denmark that saved the Jews and its King was the first
to wear the Star of David. He said that Thessaloniki's Jewish
community shares the same position with the Greek foreign ministry
and is opposed to the rewarding of Bulgaria.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] DEFENSE MINISTER TO VISIT CYPRUS
Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is to conduct an
official two-day visit to Cyprus on January 27-28, where he will
address the "Economist" conference on the economy of Cyprus.
In addition to meeting with the President of the Republic of
Cyprus Glafcos Clerides, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will also be received
by Archbishop Chrisostomos, his Cypriot counterpart Socrates
Hasikos and other political party leaders.
[13] PRODI: STABILITY PACT NEEDS STRENGTHENING
The Stability Pact for the Balkan region is in need of
organizations to be established in the countries it affects,
according to the European Commission president Romano Prodi.
Mr. Prodi's aforementioned view was in response to a question
tabled by a FYROM deputy who had inquired on the possibility of
establishing Pact organizations in non-EU countries.
Moreover, Mr. Prodi stated that the Stability's Pact's
organizational structure needs to be decentralized in order to
ensure its local application.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament has stated that the
Thessaloniki-based bureau of the Balkan Reconstruction
Organization should carry out a stronger role in terms of the
overall Pact, as opposed to the reconstruction of Kosovo.
Concurrently, the European Parliament is reviewing the
possibility of founding an EU-Balkans bureau in FYROM.
[14] GREECE FAVORITE DESTINATION OF IRISH TOURISTS
A large number of Irish tourists are expected to choose
Greece for their summer holidays this year, according to the
results of a three-day tourism exhibition held in Dublin.
The event, titled "Holiday World", featured the participation
of 700 exhibitors from around the world.
According to Irish press reports, the Mediterranean region is
the most popular tourism destination for the Irish, with Greece,
Madera and Majorca leading the way.
[15] THE RED BRIGADES HIT ITALY AGAIN
The terrorist organization Red Brigades claimed
responsibility for the attack on a Milan city council member,
according to the BBC British television network.
Emilio Santomauro, member of an Italian far-right party, was
attacked by unidentified gunmen, who shot him on the leg while
leaving his office. According to the available information, his
condition is not serious.
A man, who maintained that he is a member of the Red
Brigades, made an anonymous call to a Milan newspaper and claimed
the responsibility of the attack. The Red Brigades are responsible
for a number of bloody attacks in the 70's and 80's, while last
year claimed responsibility for the murder of a senior adviser to
the Italian government.
[16] ROKOFILLOS WRAPS UP HIS VISIT TO SLOVAKIA
Deputy foreign minister Christos Rokofillos wraps up his
visit to Slovakia, after meeting with foreign minister Eduard
Kukan and prime minister Mikulas Jurinda.
They discussed the prospects for the further development of
bilateral cooperation, the situation in the Balkans, the Greek-
Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue.
Also, they examined Slovakia's relations with the European
Union and the prospects for the country's EU accession after the
positive decisions reached in the Helsinki EU summit meeting.
[17] INFLATION IN THE EURO-ZONE COUNTRIES IS AT 1.1%
Inflation remained stable at 1.1% in the 11 Euro-zone
countries in 1999 compared to 1998, according to data provided by
the European Union statistics agency Eurostat which were published
today.
On the contrary, in all 15 EU states there was a decrease of
0.1% and as a result inflation from 1.3% in 1998 dropped to 1.2%
in 1999. It should be noted that according to the monthly figures
provided, consumer prices increased twice as fast in the Euro-zone
countries compared to December 1998.
Last month, inflation was higher in Ireland 3.9%, Denmark
3.1% and Spain 2.8%, while the lowest inflation rate was recorded
in Britain and Sweden with 1.2% and France and Germany with 1.4%.
[18] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HOLOCAUST
A three-day international conference on the Holocaust and the
persecution of the Jews in WWII opens in Stockholm today at the
initiative of Swedish prime minister Goran Persson with the
participation of over 20 state leaders, scientists, historians and
researchers.
The decision to organize the conference that will last until
January 28 was made after a research conducted in the Swedish
schools. Based on its results, students know very little about the
issue and many of them even dispute the facts. Also, the research
has showed a rise in the phenomena of neo-fascism recorded in
schools.
Among the targets of the conference is to keep the holocaust
alive in the memory of the next generations, while it will also
examine the rise in the popularity of the far-right in certain
European states.
Meanwhile, according to the BBC radio, the German cabinet
will approve today the draft bill that will open the way for
reparations of US$ 5 billion to the victims of forced labor camps
during the nazi period.
The reparations will be paid by the government and the German
industry.
[19] PAPANDREOU ATTENDED THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON THE HOLOCAUST
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, speaking in the
three-day international conference on the Jewish Holocaust and
persecution taking place in Stockholm, Sweden, referred to the
situation in the Balkans and to the efforts made for the creation
of a co-existence framework for all people regardless of their
religion and nationality.
Mr. Papandreou, who heads the Greek delegation, stated that
at the dawn of the 21st century the governments and people are
faced with the challenge to deal and solve crisis in order for
humanity to avoid reliving a tragedy like that of the Jews.
The Greek foreign minister, referring to the efforts made by
the Greek government, stressed that Greece works hard for the
solution of the problem of Cyprus and is expecting the backing of
the international community.
In the conference important facts will be presented by the
Greek ministries of foreign affairs and education, Thessaloniki's
Jewish Community, the Jewish Museum of Greece and the "Giorgos
Papandreou" Institute.
[20] EUROPEAN COMMISSION: CHERNOBYL MUST BE SHUT DOWN IN 2000 -
THE WHOLE EUROPE IS IN DANGER
European Commissioner responsible for environmental issues,
Ms. Walstrom pointed out in her response to the written question
of PASOK Euro-deputy Meni Malliori that the whole Europe is at
risk of being contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the
Ukraine.
The continuing operation of the Chernobyl nuclear plant is a
threat for the whole Europe as it is possible to be contaminated
by radiation that could leak from the plant.
The European Commissioner reiterated the Commission's firm
position that Chernobyl must close definitely before the end of
the year.
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