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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-09-04
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 4, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ANTIWAR RALLIES FOR PRIME MINISTER'S WELCOME
[02] MINISTERS' COMMENTS ON LALIOTIS FOR SECRETARY
[03] SIMITIS WILL ANNOUNCE 1,2 TRILLION PACKAGE - PROTESTS,
RALLIES AND ND ABSENT FROM THE TIF
[04] TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS DROPPED BY 14.1% IN THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF
2001
[05] RHODES WILL HONOR CHRISTIAN BARNARD
[06] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH WILL VISIT CHANIA
[07] KARAMANLIS CALLED ON THE PRIME MINISTER TO ENTER A PUBLIC
DIALOGUE
[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE
[09] THE BLACK SEA BANK IS CLOSER TO THE EU
[10] INCREASE OF 40% IN SOCIAL SPENDING IN 2001-2004
[11] THE CHURCH IS FIRM IN ITS POSITIONS ON THE ID CARDS ISSUE
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK CHIEF OF STAFF IN ROMANIA
[13] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN MONUMENT IN MELBOURNE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] ANTIWAR RALLIES FOR PRIME MINISTER'S WELCOME
With an antiwar rally that will take place on Friday at 8
p.m., outside the former Kodra Military Camp in Karabournaki, the
Antiwar Committee of Thessaloniki, the Committee for International
Abatement and Peace of Thessaloniki and the Youth Action for Peace
will welcome the Prime Minister. It is noted that Prime Minister
Kostas Simitis will pass outside the camp about 2 hours later, in
order to be present at the event organized by the Minister of
Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, on account of the opening
of the 66th TIF, in the nearby government house.
In an announcement the organizers of the rally point out that
the Prime Minister and the government share a great part of the
responsibility of "the dirty 78 day war that was played on the
Yugoslavian people", the toxic and radioactive pollution of the
Balkans and the involvement in the "dangerous participation of our
country in the latest NATO intervention in FYROM".
[02] MINISTERS' COMMENTS ON LALIOTIS FOR SECRETARY
Minister of Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos, characterized the
candidacy of Kostas Laliotis for the Secretary position of the
PASOK Central Committee as a positive step.
"When staff members that have proven their worth in PASOK are
candidates to become party Secretaries, it is an upgrading of the
role, the importance, and the action of PASOK", he noted and
expressed the hope that the candidacy of Mr. Laliotis be
accordingly accepted at the congress.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stated that one cannot disagree with the
possibility of new faces gaining leading positions in PASOK,
because democracy enforces renewal, and renewal enforces
empowerment, broadening and collectiveness.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Philippos Petsalnikos,
characterized the event as "interesting".
During the unveiling of the Papandreou statue in
Thessaloniki, Mr. Petsalnikos pointed out that the Laliotis
candidacy means that and on anything involving PASOK functions is
at a high level of interest for a new beginning.
"The time of Laliotis is a time of responsibility", stated
PASOK MP, Giorgos Lianis, commenting on the Minister of the
Environment Physical and Public Works that he would run for the
position of Secretary of the Central Commission.
"I think he made the right move. At least after this I am
much calmer about everything."
On his side the Minister of Trade Shipping, Christos
Papoutsis, stated that on his side Kostas Laliotis is a special
member of the movement, in the "line of fire" of the struggle for
many years and pointed out his close cooperation and friendliness
with the Minister.
"His readiness to take on the position of Secretary of the
Central Committee is in itself an important issue. It installs
different dynamics, it gives a different tone to political
coincidences, but also to the perspectives of PASOK", stressed the
Minister of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos.
Theodoros Pagalos, MP of PASOK, characterized the action of
the Minister and the PASOK MP as very positive. "We all observed
with interest and are dealing with it in a very positive way", he
added.
PASOK MP Evaggelos Giannopoulos, said that Mr. Laliotis has
offered a lot to PASOK and its history.
[03] SIMITIS WILL ANNOUNCE 1,2 TRILLION PACKAGE - PROTESTS,
RALLIES AND ND ABSENT FROM THE TIF
A social package of 1,2 billion drs for the 2002-2004 period
, will be announced on the coming Saturday by the Prime Minister
during the opening of the Thessaloniki International Fair.
According to exclusive statements of the Minister of National
Economy, Giannos Papantoniou, in the "Imerisia" newspaper, the
social services will be financed exclusively by surplus funds
which are created by the decrease in the percentage of the public
debt in the GDP.
Of course, the deficit will continue to drop, as it is
observed in the Stability Agreement. Mr. Papantoniou will remain
at the helm of economic policy, something which he himself
particularly wishes to keep doing.
Mr. Papantoniou is firstly optimistic on the faithful
execution of this year's budget and as he said he believes that
the government will achieve its goals, since it was able to secure
the 200 billion drs surplus in the budget and drew the capital
needed from privatization. Along with the 5th publication of OTE
shares, the income from which was substantial, these facts will
allow decrease of the debt to 98,9% of the GDP by the end of the
year.
The Minister of National economy sees a bright 2002 and the
public debt will be reduced to 96% of the GDP and at the same time
there will be a surplus in the budget of 1,5% of the DGP (as
foreseen by the Stability Agreement).
It is noteworthy that as the Deputy Minister of National
Economy, Giorgos Drys, stated recently, Mr. Papantoniou admitted
that there is a chance the surplus is not exactly 1,5%, as there
is a small margin for error. The exact level will depend on the
pace at which Greece develops but also on national economy.
However not everyone is as happy as Mr. Papantoniou. MPs
Giorgos Alogoskoufis and Giorgos Salagoudis will be the only
representatives of New Democracy at the opening of the 66th TIF
and the speech of Mr. Simitis, as the rest of the party's
Thessaloniki MPs and the President of their Executive Committee,
Nikos Vakalis, will not be present, expressing their protest for
the abandoning of Thessaloniki by the government. Party members
explained that in this way the institution of the Fair is
supported and at the same time there is a protest on government
policy.
On Friday at 8 p.m outside the former Kodra Military Camp in
Karabournaki, the Antiwar Committee of Thessaloniki, the Committee
for International Abatement and Peace of Thessaloniki and the
Youth Action for Peace will "welcome" the Prime Minister with an
antiwar rally. The Prime Minister must pass outside the camp in
order to reach the event organized by the Minister of Macedonia-
Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, for the opening of the 66th TIF.
Also upon the arrival of Mr. Simitis there is a protest
scheduled at "Macedonia" airport, on Friday afternoon, by 300
regular employees of Olympic Airways in Thessaloniki.
[04] TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS DROPPED BY 14.1% IN THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF
2001
Traffic accidents dropped by 14.1% in Greece in the first 8
months of the current year, compared to the same period in 2000.
In the same period, the number of victims dropped by 13.9%
compared to the year 2000, according to the public order ministry.
Specifically, the deadly accidents were 78 less, while the
people who lost their lives were 112 less in January-August 2001
compared to the same period last year.
However, speeding violations increased by 101.7%, the
violations concerning the use of safety belts and helmets
increased by 64% and 103% respectively, while traffic police
inspections to cut down drunken driving increased by 126.2%.
[05] RHODES WILL HONOR CHRISTIAN BARNARD
A street or a square in the southeastern Aegean island of
Rhodes will be named after the late heart surgeon Christian
Barnard, who became honorary citizen of Rhodes in 1978.
The decision was made unanimously by the Rhodes City Council.
[06] THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH WILL VISIT CHANIA
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will visit the city of
Chania in the southern Aegean island of Crete on September 17-23,
according to the official program of his visit that was announced
by the Metropolis of Chania.
During his stay in Chania he will visit the island of Gavdos
and many villages of the prefecture, while on September 22 he will
be declared honorary citizen of Chania in a special ceremony that
will take place in the City Hall.
[07] KARAMANLIS CALLED ON THE PRIME MINISTER TO ENTER A PUBLIC
DIALOGUE
Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader
Kostas Karamanlis called on prime minister Kostas Simitis to enter
a comprehensive public dialogue.
Mr. Karamanlis accused the prime minister of insisting to
maintain polarity and fanaticism, adding that he shows no respect
to the people because he refuses dialogue. Mr. Karamanlis also
said that the government has become a confederation of independent
dukedoms, while on the occasion of the social measures that will
be announced by the prime minister in Thessaloniki's International
Trade Fair, he said that the government promises to do things that
it has an obligation to do anyway.
[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE
Losses were recorded again today in the Athens Stock
Exchange. The general index dropped to -0.56% at 2.717,88 points,
while the volume of transactions was 107.83 million Euro or 36.473
billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 93 recorded gains and 224 had
losses, while the value of 60 stocks remained stable.
[09] THE BLACK SEA BANK IS CLOSER TO THE EU
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is closer to the
decision-making center of the European Union as it gradually gains
access to Brussels and plans to claim part of the management of
the EU sums allocated for the development of the Black Sea
countries.
The first formal rapprochement of the EU, the Black Sea Bank,
and the businessmen active in the wider region will take place on
the occasion of Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair on
September 10.
Greek Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou will be present in the
meeting in which the results of the latest EU study on the
economic prospects of the Black Sea region will be presented.
It is the first time that the EU chooses Greece to present
one of its studies on regional development. The study will be
presented by Mr. Dreve of the European Commission REGIO general
directorate.
[10] INCREASE OF 40% IN SOCIAL SPENDING IN 2001-2004
The social policy measures that will be implemented in the
next three years until 2004 were presented by prime minister
Kostas Simitis after the governmental meeting today.
Mr. Simitis stressed that in the period 2001-2004 social
spending will be increased by 40%, from 10 trillion in 2000 to
14.3 trillion in 2004. He underlined that the sums that will be
allocated for the government's social policy will come from the
public debt drop and the postponement of the armaments program
spending. He pointed out that the two basic axes of the government
policy are development and social cohesion and stressed that the
government's priority is quality of life through the creation of
new job positions.
The prime minister announced tax incentives for businesses
and the reform of the tax system aimed at the fairer distribution
of taxes. He said that the government will proceed without a delay
with the structural changes that concern, among others, the State
Electricity Company, the Hellenic Petroleum, the Natural Gas State
Company, the Greek Telecommunications Organization, Olympic
Airways, the Industrial Development Bank and other state-run
companies. Mr. Simitis also predicted a growth rate of 4.5-5% in
the next three year period.
Specifically, the public employees pensions will be increased
by 36% and from 5 trillion drachmas in 2000 they will be 6.8
trillion in 2004. Other spending on social protection (e.g.
illness, unemployment, disability, housing, family and children)
will be increased by 41% from 5.1 trillion to 7.3 trillion
drachmas.
In addition, the sum of 480 billion drachmas will be
allocated to combat unemployment, promote business activities,
support sensitive groups, the longtime unemployed and the socially
isolated. Also, the sum of 220 billion drachmas will be allocated
to earthquake stricken citizens, social welfare, the repatriated
Greeks and Gypsies.
[11] THE CHURCH IS FIRM IN ITS POSITIONS ON THE ID CARDS ISSUE
The Church of Greece is firm in its positions on the identity
cards issue, as it is mentioned in a statement issued by the Holy
Synod that met today. In the statement it is pointed out that the
legal obstacle cited by some, who maintain that the state-issued
identity cards issue has closed, does not exist. According to the
Holy Synod, this fact alone displays the ignorance of those who
argue that.
The Holy Synod spokesman Metropolite Anthimos of
Alexandroupolis stressed that the three million signatures of the
people, who want a referendum on the optional listing of the
identity card holder's religion, are always in the minds of the
members of the Holy Synod. He also clarified that there can be no
meeting of the prime minister with the Archbishop if the identity
cards issue is not included in the agenda.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREEK CHIEF OF STAFF IN ROMANIA
The Greek Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios
Antonakopoulos, met with his Romanian counterpart, Michail Popesku
in Bucharest, in the framework of his programmed visit which took
place after an invitation from the Romanian Chief of Staff of the
Army, Lieutenant General Eujen Badalan.
The issues discussed were mainly on the stabilization and the
development of the military relations of the two countries and how
the Greek forces can support the entrance of Romania to NATO.
At the meeting, amongst other things, the political and
military situation in the region of Yugoslavia was discussed.
[13] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN MONUMENT IN MELBOURNE
On Sunday the inauguration of the Greek-Australian monument,
in the presence of national, political, military and Greek living
abroad spokespersons.
Unfortunately from the ceremony, as the Greek living abroad
newspaper "Neos Kosmos" reports, the Church of Australia was not
present, something commented on harshly by the Australians
present.
In the absence of the Church, the Holy Water Rites were
performed by the Anglican Bishop and veteran of WWII, Father
Bayton, who was invited by the Association of Old Victoria
Soldiers.
The unveiling of the Monument were performed by the Minister
of Australian Veterans, Bruce Scott, and Lieutenant General
Christos Tzaferos, members of the Presidential Guard and the
Australian Armed Forces paid military tribute to fallen.
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