Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-04-04
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 4, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER RALLIES IN THESSALONIKI
[02] PASOK LEADER TO RALLY IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[03] GERMAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
[04] BALKAN AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE DEEMED A SUCCESS
[05] SERIES OF BLASTS ROCKS ATHENS, NO VICTIMS, NO SUSPECTS
[06] GERMAN PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN GREECE TODAY
[07] FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY REFUTES PASSPORT REPORT
[08] UKRAINIAN WOMAN DIES FROM COLD WEATHER
[09] THE REGISTERED VOTERS IN GREECE ARE 8.976.135
[10] GREECE WILL BENEFIT FROM THE EU ENLARGEMENT
[11] THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTY RALLIES WILL BE BROADCAST ON MPA
[12] THE BIGGEST JACKPOT IN GREECE WAS WON IN THESSALONIKI'S
REGENCY CASINO
[13] JOINT VENTURE BY THE GREEK MARINOPOULOS GROUP AND THE TURKISH
FIBA
[14] THE GREEK BANKS WERE UPGRADED BY S&P
[15] MARGINAL GAINS OF 0.12% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] THE GERMAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED INDIRECTLY FOR THE NAZI
ATROCITIES
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] U.S. AMBASSADOR: DIASPORA IS A BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP
[18] UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE EURO-ZONE WAS AT 9.5% IN FEBRUARY
[19] INTRACOM UNDERTOOK TO INSTALL THE CARD-PHONES IN SERBIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER RALLIES IN THESSALONIKI
Addressing a sea of supporters in Thessaloniki yesterday, the
leader of the main opposition party, New Democracy's Costas
Karamanlis, gave a rousing speech in the northern port city which
has long been his party's bedrock.
Mr. Karamanlis lashed against the ruling PASOK party,
accusing the government of having resorted to artificial tension,
fanaticism and polarization.
Stressing that his party represents the "middle ground" of
the political spectrum, Mr. Karamanlis stated that New Democracy
expresses social solidarity and liberalism and is equipped with
both will and power.
Outlining New Democracy's priorities, the main opposition
leader said that reforms in public administration are at the top
of his party's list, along with freeing the market from the
state's control.
Mr. Karamanlis pledged that if his party wins Sunday's
parliamentary elections, it will confront the problem of
unemployment, stressing that the widening of inequalities and the
growth of joblessness are Greek society's most serious problems.
He also referred to his party's program for the health
sector, which includes the fortification of the existing
facilities, and to public safety, where he pledged hefty increases
in policemen's salaries.
[02] PASOK LEADER TO RALLY IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
Five days before the country goes to the ballots, Prime
Minister and ruling PASOK party leader Costas Simitis is to hold
his election campaign rally in Thessaloniki's boardwalk near
Aristotelous Square this evening.
Expected to arrive at the "Macedonia Airport" this afternoon,
Mr. Simitis will travel from his hotel to the rally's premises by
boat, accompanied by a large delegation of party officials.
In an address given in Athens yesterday, Mr. Simitis
announced that the state will cover the social security
withholdings for about 270,000 minimum-wage workers, prompting the
leader of the General Confederation of Greek Laborers to state
that this move "contributes to social cohesion and solidarity."
[03] GERMAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
German President Johannes Rau is to visit Thessaloniki
tomorrow, the last stop of his official, three-day visit to
Greece, prior to departing for Turkey.
Visiting at the invitation of the President of the Hellenic
Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, Mr. Rau will meet with the
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Yiannis Magriotis and will also view
the city's Archaeological Museum and the Protestant Community
Center.
President Rau will also visit Thessaloniki's German School.
[04] BALKAN AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE DEEMED A SUCCESS
A Balkan conference on agricultural research and development
held in Thessaloniki over the weekend was deemed a success,
developing the city into an inter-Balkan center of informatics and
research on agricultural development issues.
The conference, held on the initiative of the National
Institute of Agricultural Research (ETHIAGE) and under the
auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, featured the
participation of representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia,
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYROM, Romania, Turkey and
Greece.
Among the decisions drawn during the Conference is the
establishment of a Center of Informatics and Agricultural Research
which will be headquartered in Thessaloniki, as well as a
permanent committee containing representatives of the
aforementioned countries.
[05] SERIES OF BLASTS ROCKS ATHENS, NO VICTIMS, NO SUSPECTS
Makeshift bombs exploded outside an electrical supplies store
in Athens at 3.15 a.m. today, causing extensive material damages
to cars parked near by, followed half an hour later by another
blast when gas canisters exploded at the campaign headquarters of
New Demopcracy deputy Marietta Yiannakou in the capital's suburb
of Abelokipi.
Earlier in the wee morning hours, another explosion took
place in Perama, Athens, damaging parked vehicles.
[06] GERMAN PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN GREECE TODAY
Following his talks with Prime Minister Costas Simitis,
visiting German President Johannes Rau stated today that
"Turkey has to understand that the European Union is not only a
market, it is also a community of principles."
President Rau referred to Greek-German relations and stated
that Bonn is Greece's largest investor, especially in the sector
of tourism.
In turn, Mr. Simitis stated that cooperation between the two
countries has to be strengthened, while the unique characteristics
of each EU member-state has to be respected.
Presently on an official, three-day visit to Greece at the
invitation of the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos, will visit the town of Kalavryta in southern
Greece and will lay a wreath at the monument of those who died
during the German occupation of Greece. The German President
will visit Thessaloniki tomorrow, the last day of his stay.
[07] FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY REFUTES PASSPORT REPORT
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Grigoris Niotis refuted a
press report that claimed the state is granting passports to
Russians in exchange of a vote for the ruling PASOK party.
In a statement released by his office, Mr. Niotis stated that
"during the course of 1996-98 the state proceeded to the
nationalization of approximately 2,500 Greeks from Pontus (not
Russians) from countries of the former Soviet Republic who live in
Cyprus, following a strict adherence to the procedure.
"The majority of them chose to register with municipalities
in the prefectures of Macedonia-Thrace," he stated, adding that
there are no more than 200 individuals who have the right to vote
in Pireaus' B constituency."
[08] UKRAINIAN WOMAN DIES FROM COLD WEATHER
The body of a Ukrainian woman was found yesterday in the
Belles mountain region of Serres, northern Greece, the victim
apparently having succumbed to the region's low temperatures.
According to the police report, 27-seven-year-old Mariza
Stoukas is thought to have entered the country with other
Ukrainian women last month.
[09] THE REGISTERED VOTERS IN GREECE ARE 8.976.135
Five days are left before the April 9 parliamentary elections
in Greece. The polling stations will be open from 7am to 7pm on
the election day.
The registered voters are 8.976.135, of whom 4.593.955 are
women and 4.382.180 are men. The first-time voters in those
elections are 454.900, while the number of registered voters will
be 63.234 more compared to the Euro-Parliament elections.
The polling stations will be 18.959 and the voters will have
to choose among 26 political parties.
[10] GREECE WILL BENEFIT FROM THE EU ENLARGEMENT
The EU enlargement will bring benefits to the Greek economy.
According to a Greek national economy ministry report, the
benefits beyond those which are purely political, concern the
increase of trade transactions.
Also, an expansion of the Greek investment activity is
expected in the modernization of the banking sector, the taxation
harmonization and the business activities in almost all the EU
candidate states.
[11] THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTY RALLIES WILL BE BROADCAST ON MPA
Macedonian Press Agency broadcasts on the Internet, live and
taped, the main political rallies of the five largest political
parties at the address www.mpa.gr.
The broadcast of the political rallies on the cyberspace
started on Monday, April 3 with the main political rally of the
Democratic and Social Movement in Athens and of New Democracy's in
Thessaloniki and it will continue today with the political rallies
of the Coalition of the Left in Athens and PASOK's in
Thessaloniki.
The broadcast will continue with the main political rallies
of the Communist Party in Athens on April 5, of New Democracy in
Athens on April 6 and of PASOK also in Athens on April 7.
[12] THE BIGGEST JACKPOT IN GREECE WAS WON IN THESSALONIKI'S
REGENCY CASINO
A woman won the sum of 27.318.000 drachmas with just one move
at the slot machines of Thessaloniki's Regency Casino.
Menexia Karafotis won the biggest jackpot ever in Greece by
betting on the casino's MEGAMANIA slot machines.
[13] JOINT VENTURE BY THE GREEK MARINOPOULOS GROUP AND THE TURKISH
FIBA
An agreement, for the establishment of a joint venture that
will be active in the sector of the retail trade in Romania, was
signed by the Greek Marinopoulos Group and the Turkish company
FIBA.
The newly established joint venture company, in which the
Greek group participates with 75% and the Turkish company with
25%, has undertaken action immediately and has already opened the
ready-made clothes stores chain "Marks & Spencers" in Bucharest.
The bilateral cooperation will proceed with other joint
business moves in the Balkans mainly in the sectors of trade and
distribution of food and other wide consumption products.
[14] THE GREEK BANKS WERE UPGRADED BY S&P
The increased confidence of the international investment
circles in the capabilities of the Greek banking system and the
prospects of the Greek economy was confirmed by the Standard &
Poor's decision to upgrade the credit ability of the three biggest
Greek banks namely, the National Bank of Greece, Credit Bank and
Eurobank.
The upgrading, according to the financial newspaper
"Chrimatistirio", contributes to the improvement of the investment
climate and adds "points" to the banking sector stocks in general.
Based on the US brokerage house, the banking sector appears to be
more dynamic reflecting the overall course of the Greek economy
after its restructuring.
According to stock market circles, the S&P move can boost the
interest of the institutional portfolios in the bank blue chips
which play a significant role in the formation of the general
index in the Athens Stock Exchange.
[15] MARGINAL GAINS OF 0.12% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The Athens Stock Exchange had marginal gains of 0.12% today
at 4.813,37 points, while the volume of transactions was over 138
billion drachmas compared to yesterday's 100 billion drachmas.
Most of the pressure was exerted on the parallel market and
its secondary index recorded losses.
[16] THE GERMAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED INDIRECTLY FOR THE NAZI
ATROCITIES
German president Johannes Rau, who visited Kalavrita in
southern Greece together with Greek president Kostis
Stephanopoulos and laid a wreath at the monument of the Greeks
massacred in 1943, apologized indirectly for the atrocities
committed by the Nazi forces in WWII.
Mr. Rau stated characteristically that he feels deep sorrow
and shame and added that only those who are aware of their past
and accept it can find their way to a better future, while he
thanked president Stephanopoulos and the mayor of Kalavrita for
accompanying him to the place where they have also lost friends
and relatives.
From his side, Mr. Stephanopoulos raised the issue of the
German war reparations pointing out that Mr. Rau as the president
of the German federation did what his conscience told him to do
but the German state can do more. Mr. Stephanopoulos stated that
this way Germany will be able to balance the consequences of that
horrible massacre and lessen its effects and the feelings that
were caused which can not be compensated.
Later, the presidents of Greece and Germany visited the
village of the Agia Lavra Monastery and the events commemorating
the anniversary of the holocaust were completed with a speech by
the mayor of Kalavrita.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] U.S. AMBASSADOR: DIASPORA IS A BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP
The Greek-American Community is a bridge of friendship that
unites the United States with Greece, the U.S. Ambassador to
Athens Nicholas Burns told the Macedonian Press Agency's
correspondent during his visit to Boston, his hometown, where he
officiated the Greek Independence Day parade on Sunday.
Mr. Burns stated that, as his country's ambassador to Athens,
"I feel that the Greek community is a bridge that unties the
United States and Greece and I am very proud of that."
Referring to the celebrations of Greece's national holiday,
commemorating the country's liberation from the Turks in 1821, Mr.
Burns stated that March 25 "is a day we Americans should remember
and honor those fellow Americans who fought at the side of the
Greeks for their independence."
When asked to comment on Greece's imminent elections, the US
diplomat stated that "I as Ambassador, and all foreigners residing
in Greece, should remain neutral on this matter."
[18] UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE EURO-ZONE WAS AT 9.5% IN FEBRUARY
The unemployment rate was steady at 9.5% in the Euro-zone
countries in the month of February compared to the revised
unemployment percentage in January, according to the European
Union statistics agency, Eurostat.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in all EU member-states was
at 8.8% in February, while last year the unemployment rate in all
15 EU member-states was at 10.3% and in the 11 Euro-zone countries
was at 9.5%.
Luxembourg had the smallest unemployment rate at 2.2%,
followed by Holland at 2.7%, Austria 3.5% and Denmark 4.9%, while
the biggest unemployment rate was recorded in Spain at 15.2%.
[19] INTRACOM UNDERTOOK TO INSTALL THE CARD-PHONES IN SERBIA
The Greek telecommunications company INTRACOM undertook to
install the new card-phones in Serbia, according to "Telecom
Srbija" general director Milos Nesovic, who stated to the Yugoslav
news agency Tanjug that the Greek company's bid was the best that
was submitted in an international competition.
He said that the phone-card that will be used in the Serb
public phones will be the same with that used in Greece, Bulgaria,
Romania and Cyprus and after the necessary agreements are signed
it will be possible to be used in the card-phones of the countries
mentioned above as well.
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