According to information published in the "Imerisia" newspaper, top PASOK officials are proposing that the Prime Minister does not replace the two deputy Ministers before the municipal elections, but to act afterwards, to absorb both the aftershock of a defeat and mark a new beginning.

The election of Mr. Kourakis is considered certain, especially if there is an understanding with some of the "guerrillas", even in the second round, while according to surveys, Mr. Sp. Vougias, may give Mr. Papageorgopoulos a run for his money, especiall y if he achieves a "2nd round strategy" with Left parties. It should be noted however, that the Prime Minister's initial intent was for the two deputy Ministers to resign in August, while ND is expected to press for their immediate replacement.

In any case, before departing for his Easter vacation, the Prime Minister is expected to meet with top staff members, with whom apart from discussing the government's work they will also discuss political developments, while the Joint Communications Cent er meeting chaired by him, will prove especially interesting.

with the team of the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce. He also added that the meetings he has had during the past few days concern potential business collaborations.

He made it clear however, that it is not his role to direct investments in the specific region, adding however, that "commencing a procedure" is an important part of his visit. He stressed that "this has already happened, there has been communication wit h the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce and the commercial department of the US Consulate in Thessaloniki. Making business connections is a long process", noted Mr. Miller, and he added that what he can do is address US investors saying that "Thrace i s a region worth the effort".

This is because, as he said, there are five positive points in the region: The business motives, the university, creating an educated workforce, the calm environment which the residents live in, the fact that Greece's relations with it's neighbors, Bulga ria and Turkey, are better than ever, and finally, in the transports sector, that when he left in 1997 Egnatia was still just an idea, while today it exists, although it "may not be complete". "I will try to convince investors to look into the region" und erlined Mr. Miller. Answering other questions concerning his term as Ambassador to Greece, he said that tries not to make predictions but do his best every day.

The improvement of competitiveness should be one of the main priorities of the government, stressed the departing Director of the Bank of Greece, who foresees a rise in labor cost per unit produced between 3% and 3.5%, in contrast to 2.9% in 2001 (while the corresponding rate in the rest of the euro-zone will be 1.8% in contrast to 2.4% of 2001).

At the same time average annual inflation for Greece will be 3.5%, a level non-compatible with price stability. "The rise and deviation from the euro-zone's inflation will limit international competitiveness of the economy", pointed out Mr. Papadimas, an d he added: "If such deviations take on a more permanent character, their accumulative consequence on competitiveness will be serious with negative consequences on real income and employment".

Furthermore, the Bank of Greece estimates that Greek economy will have a development rate of 3.5%, slower than the 3.8% expected by the government. According to Mr. Papadimas, factors such as the 3rd Communal Support Framework and the Olympics will suppo rt the economy in the short run, but their favorable effect will "evaporate" within five years.

Consequently, in order to secure a more permanent situation as far as development rates are concerned, it is crucial that necessary structural changes are made, such as the social security and tax reforms and the control of primary costs, the modernizati on of public administration and the improvement of the labor market.

The image being formed in tourist traffic due to interior and exterior reasons, seriously downgrades the advantage Greece had concerning the 2004 Olympics.

The business plan on tourism which was to plan and materialize actions to help Greek tourism escape the crisis and develop at an institutional and investment level is absent, giving its place to fragmentary actions covering but not dealing with today's t ourism policy dead end.

In this first stage participants include the Greek Communist Party, DIKKI, the Communist Renewal, the EDYETh, The Citizens' Movement, the Anti-war Committee, the Balkan Anti-NATO Center and the construction workers' and bottled drinks workers' unions, wh ile an appeal is being made to political and social bodies to participate.

At a press conference held at the Workers' Center of Thessaloniki, the spokesperson of the initiative, Kostas Droutsas, stressed that their goal is to give an fighting answer the leaders of the EU, who are imposing anti-popular measures in the new world order of wars and social insensibility. Thus the initiative is calling for a lasting struggle against the policies functioning at the expense of the people of the EU and the broader region, and is aiming at an anti-imperialist consolidation and solidarity . The protests will be a continuation of those expressed in Genoa and Barcelona. The aim of the "Action" is to hold peaceful protest events, and not to cause incidents that may result in the destruction of private property.

The events will begin shortly and will last until and reach their climax in June 2003, with marches, concerts and rallies. The declaration has already been prepared and a panhellenic conference has been programmed for May in Thessaloniki. A delegation of

the "Action" will participate in the works of the European Social Forum in Vienna, on May 11 and 12.