Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-06-15
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 15, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CHURCH-STATE IN TUG-OF-WAR, THOUSANDS AT RALLY
[02] EU COMMISSION: RELIGION HAS NO BUSINESS ON IDs
[03] PM TO HAVE ROUND OF TALKS WITH PARTY LEADERS
[04] POLICE COMB THROUGH "DEVIL'S TRIANGLE" FOR N17
[05] ROAD SAFETY PLANS GO INTO EFFECT TODAY
[06] ALTERNATE FM: ROYAL ESTATE A SUI GENERIS MATTER
[07] PREMIER TO OPEN ATHENS CONFERENCE ON EMU
[08] GREEK FM: DELINEATE CHURCH-STATE ROLES
[09] PAPANDREOU-BURNS ON TERRORISM
[10] INFLATION IS EXPECTED TO DROP IN THE MONTH OF JUNE
[11] GAINS OF 0.61% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] THE ALLATINI-KATSELI BAKERY PLANT WILL BE IN OPERATION IN
NIGERIA BY THE END OF 2000
[13] "CYPRUS IN MY LIFE": A BOOK ON THE RAPPROCHEMENT OF THE GREEK
CYPRIOTS AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON YESTERDAY'S CHURCH PROTEST
RALLY
[15] REPPAS ON THE EX-KING OF GREECE AND THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM
NAME
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE OPENING IN ROMANIA
[17] A COLLECTION OF ANCIENT GREEK OBJECTS WAS SOLD AT A RECORD
PRICE IN AN AUCTION BY CHRISTIE'S
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] CHURCH-STATE IN TUG-OF-WAR, THOUSANDS AT RALLY
Downtown Thessaloniki was clogged last night by a sea of
Church followers who responded to the Archbishop's salvo to unite
against the government in an identity card dispute.
Addressing a mass demonstration of more than 100,000 people
who flocked from all regions of the country, Archbishop of Athens
and All of Greece Christodoulos delivered an 80-minute speech
where he sharply criticized the government for its decision not to
list religious affiliation on the state-issued identification
cards.
Referring to the government, Mr. Christodoulos said "your
efforts are futile", adding that "the people do not follow you.
You think you will accomplish you plans with the sword of power.
You are mistaken."
The church-state dispute erupted last month when Premier
Costas Simitis said religion will be removed from ID cards to
conform with privacy protection laws, which also call for the
deletion of fingerprints, profession and spouse's name.
However, the Church sees the religious entry as an important
symbol of its role in preserving Greek identity during years of
domination and occupation, further arguing that the government's
decision is opposed by 97 percent of the native-born population
who are baptized into the Greek Orthodox Church.
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that the
church is adopting a political character "not in line with its
role" and stressed that the government will not treat the Church
as "a political interlocutor."
Parliament speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis, calling the rally "a
mob, not the people", stated that "I fear the situation in the
church could spawn great dangers for the future of this country."
Meanwhile, the Church is planning another rally for Athens on
June 21.
[02] EU COMMISSION: RELIGION HAS NO BUSINESS ON IDs
In response to a relevant question tabled by a Greek
Eurodeputy, the European Commission finds that religious
affiliation cannot be considered as an identification tool, even
if the bearer himself wishes to list his religion on the state-
issued cards.
According to the Commission, which replied to Greece's Alekos
Alavanos (PASOK), the listing of one's religion on the state ID
could even be deemed "improper" and not fitting with the card's
purpose. Moreover, the Commission reminded that no such listing
appears on the identification cards issued by other European Union
member-states.
[03] PM TO HAVE ROUND OF TALKS WITH PARTY LEADERS
Prime Minister Costas Simitis will have consecutive meetings
with party leaders tomorrow, in light of the European Union's
summit in Feira, Portugal on June 19-20 that is expected to
approve Greece's entry into the euro zone in January, 2001.
As part of the summit in Feira, the EU's finance ministers
will also meet on June 19, with National Economy and Finance
Minister Yiannos Papantoniou representing Greece.
During his consecutive meetings, the Premier is expected to
also bring up the issue of security and will undertake initiatives
for achieving consensus with other political parties with regard
both to security measures themselves and their means of
implementation.
Especially in light of the Olympic Games that will be held
in Athens in 2004, the government is expected to make security the
central axis of its policy.
[04] POLICE COMB THROUGH "DEVIL'S TRIANGLE" FOR N17
Hoping to discover clues that would lead to the arrest of the
elusive November 17 terrorists, Greece's anti-terrorism squad is
combing the vicinity of what is known as the "devil's triangle" in
Athens, where the group has struck on numerous occasions during
its 25-year course.
The police are searching through Kifissias Avenue at Halandri
and Filothei whose complex road network apparently allows gunmen
to escape quickly through the labyrinthine suburb streets.
According to an article in the Athens daily "Eleftherotypia",
the group had planned the assassination of Brigadier Stephen
Saunders down to the last detail, as, in addition to the
assailants who shot the British diplomats, two other motorcycle-
riding N17 members were nearby.
The Greek police are working closely with the United
Kingdom's Scotland Yard.
[05] ROAD SAFETY PLANS GO INTO EFFECT TODAY
In an effort to tackle Greece's high rate of fatal road
accidents, the government has launched a campaign to bolster the
traffic police and monitor dangerous stretches of the national
road network, setting surveillance radar into effect at four sites
along the highways as of today.
Other measures include the installation of extensive
monitoring equipment and granting greater autonomy to regional
police headquarters.
Trucks are also banned from traveling on sections of the
national highways every Friday between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. and
Sundays between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., as of this weekend until
September 30.
Outgoing trucks will be not be allowed on the Thessaloniki-
Kavala highway from the 11th kilometer to the Strymonas bridge,
and the Thessaloniki-Neon Moudanion road from the Rysio bridge to
the 34th kilometer .
On both the new and the old Athens-Corinth highways between
the Kifissos Avenue intersection and the new Tripoli turnoff or on
the new Athens-Lamia highway from the Tatoi to the Bralos
intersections.
[06] ALTERNATE FM: ROYAL ESTATE A SUI GENERIS MATTER
Greece's deposed king Constantine has sought recourse with
the European Court of Human Rights, claiming 168.7 billion
drachmas in compensation from Greece for property expropriated by
the Greek state.
While the deposed King maintains that the expropriation of
his estate violates the right to property as protected by the
European Treaty for Human Rights, the Greek authorities respond
that the property claimed was never the former royal family's
property, but was merely assigned to the royals during their term
in power.
Alternate Foreign Minister Elizabeth Papazoi said that
Greece's lawyers will argue that the so-called royal property is a
particular form of ownership (sui generis) and that the estate at
Tatoi in particular cannot be considered a private estate.
[07] PREMIER TO OPEN ATHENS CONFERENCE ON EMU
Prime Minister Costas Simitis will be the keynote speaker
during today's conference titled "EMU: Greece in Europe, the
Beginning of a New Challenge".
The Athens-held conference is organized by the National Bank
and is one of numerous events held in honor of Greece's historic
accession to the Economic and Monetary Union.
The conference will be opened with an address by the Minister
of National Economy and Finance Yiannos Papantoniou, while the
National Bank governor Theodoros Karatzas and Labor Minister Tasos
Yiannitsis are among the speakers.
The European Union's summit in Feira, Portugal on June 19-20
that is expected to approve Greece's entry into the euro zone in
January, 2001.
As part of the summit in Feira, the EU's finance ministers
will also meet on June 19.
[08] GREEK FM: DELINEATE CHURCH-STATE ROLES
Foreign Minister George Papandreou reiterated today that
one's religious affiliation cannot be a criterion for servicing
the citizen, while he criticized the Church of operating as a
party, rather than focusing on its social task.
Mr. Papandreou also stated that relations between church and
state should be delineated.
Meanwhile, Metropolite Theoklitos, who is the representative
of the Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos, said
that yesterday's massive rally in Thessaloniki surpassed the
church's expectations. He called on the government to participate
in a "fertile dialogue" and declared that the protests are to
intensify.
[09] PAPANDREOU-BURNS ON TERRORISM
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou had a one-hour
meeting in Athens with US ambassador Nicholas Burns to discuss
terrorism.
The meeting is in continuation of the telephone communication
Mr. Papandreou had with US secretary of state Madeleine Albright.
According to information, Mr. Burns reiterated that no travel
advise or other sanctions will be issued and stated that the US
side will continue the cooperation it had with Athens.
Mr. Burns stated according to the same information that the
United States government does not adopt the views expressed in the
US Congress report.
[10] INFLATION IS EXPECTED TO DROP IN THE MONTH OF JUNE
Inflation in Greece is expected to move at lower levels this
month compared to May, partly because of the strengthening of the
Euro to the US dollar. According to political analysts, the drop
in inflation this month will be just under May's 2.9%.
It must be noted that an anti-inflation climate is being
favored by the drop in the value of the US dollar and the course
of the liquid fuel prices.
At the same time, the de-escalation of the inflationary
pressures intensifies as a result of the ministry of development
effort to control the fuel prices, while within the framework of
this effort undersecretary of development Milena Apostolaki has
managed to achieve the freezing of prices in the dairy and olive
oil sectors until the end of the year.
[11] GAINS OF 0.61% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Small gains of 0.61% were recorded in the Athens Stock
Exchange today and the general index was at 4.393,08 points, while
the volume of transactions was satisfactory compared to the
previous sessions this week as it was over 159.9 billion drachmas.
Market circles characterized today's session as "good",
stressing that it will contribute greatly to the restoration of
the investors' confidence. Of the stocks trading today 237
recorded gains and 96 had losses.
[12] THE ALLATINI-KATSELI BAKERY PLANT WILL BE IN OPERATION IN
NIGERIA BY THE END OF 2000
The bakery plant that is being created by the Carnac Ltd
company in Nigeria and it is the fruit of cooperation between
Allatini SA and Katseli Bros is expected to be in operation before
the end of the year.
The two companies participate with a 50% share each in the
Carnac Ltd that has already launched the materialization of the
800 million drachmas investment in Nigeria in cooperation with the
Leventi Group this way getting access to a market of 110 million
people.
As it was made known in the Allatini SA annual general
assembly meeting, Carnac Ltd which is based in Cyprus, is
considering to undertake further business initiatives in west
African states.
[13] "CYPRUS IN MY LIFE": A BOOK ON THE RAPPROCHEMENT OF THE GREEK
CYPRIOTS AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS
The need for the rapprochement of the two communities in
Cyprus in view of the new round of the proximity talks that opens
in New York on July 5, was expressed by foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou, who presented the book of Turkish Cypriot author and
former ambassador Ozdemir Ozkiur under the title "Cyprus in my
life" in an event held in Athens. Mr. Papandreou added that he is
a voice that will contribute to the efforts made to remove the
last wall dividing a European capital, stressing that Mr.
Papandreou is a personality with open horizons and had a
successful course as a diplomat.
Especially on the remarks of the Turkish Cypriot author on
Cyprus, Mr. Papandreou reiterated the statements made by the
author himself after borrowing the words of a former UN secretary-
general, who had said that "the Cyprus issue is like a labyrinth.
Every promising path leads backwards".
Very praising comments both on the book and the author
himself were made by former Cypriot foreign minister Giorgos
Iakovou, who said that it is the autobiography and a personal
testimony by a brave man, who has a special place in the Cyprus
affairs because he ignored the discipline of the herd. He also
used praising comments regarding the Greek foreign minister for
his efforts on the issue of the rapprochement.
From his side, Mr. Ozkiur stated that he wrote the book
mostly because he wanted the new generations to know how things
were in the past when the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were
living together in harmony, adding that this can be done again. He
also said that most of all he wrote the book "for those who are
calling us traitors" and that he wanted to send the message that
people must learn from their mistakes. Mr. Ozkiur stated that he
is against every side that does not keep its word, like the
Turkish Cypriot side does now.
[14] THE GREEK GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON YESTERDAY'S CHURCH PROTEST
RALLY
The events organized by the Church aim at claiming for it a
role that is not related with its tradition and mission, stated
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas commenting on
yesterday's massive protest rally organized by the Church at the
center of Thessaloniki.
Mr. Reppas stated that there is no conflict between the state
and the Church, pointing out that the state is open to a dialogue
with the Church and that the road of dialogue must be followed by
the Church as well. Mr. Reppas said that the issue of the state-
issued identity cards will not be included in this dialogue
because it is an exclusively state matter. However, the two sides
can discuss issues concerning Church justice and education as well
as, the projects for the development of the Church.
Responding to a question by a reporter, Mr. Reppas stated
that the government has no intention to remove the cross from the
Greek flag, adding that there is no such issue as to impose the
mandatory civil marriage, while he reminded that articles 3 and 13
that concern the state-Church relations are not included in the
under revision parts of the constitution.
[15] REPPAS ON THE EX-KING OF GREECE AND THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM
NAME
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a
question by a reporter ruled out the likelihood of a dialogue
between the government and the ex-King of Greece on the alleged
royal property issue.
Also, he said that there is no development whatsoever on the
issue of the name that will be used by FYROM. He said that it is a
process in progress in the United Nations and takes place with the
participation of special negotiator Matthew Nimitz.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[16] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE OPENING IN ROMANIA
The National Bank of Greece is prepared to make an opening in
the Romanian market, according to Bucharest's financial newspaper
Ziarul Finaciar which pointed out that the Greek bank is trying to
get the control of a Romanian bank which most likely is the Banca
Comerciala Romana.
The newspaper refers to statements made by Katerina
Karageorgiou president of the National Bank of Greece branch in
Bucharest, who admitted that there are plans for the expansion of
the bank's activities in Romania but clarified that no decision
has been taken on the likelihood to purchase a Romanian bank. Ms.
Karageorgiou also left open the likelihood for the bank to open
more branches in Romania pointing out, however, that for the
moment there is no specific development strategy.
[17] A COLLECTION OF ANCIENT GREEK OBJECTS WAS SOLD AT A RECORD
PRICE IN AN AUCTION BY CHRISTIE'S
A collection of 157 ancient Greek objects was sold at the
record price of 5.5 billion drachmas in an auction by Christie's,
according to the international press agency Associated Press.
Among the objects were a 30centimeter tall vessel dated back
to 480BC which was sold at the record price of 653.5 million
drachmas, while a world record was broken by a statue of the Greek
muse Erato dated back to the Hellenistic period that was sold for
740 million drachmas.
The collection of the ancient Greek objects belonged to Dr.
Eli Borovski and is regarded as the largest and the best of its
kind.
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