members of the Central Committee, while participants in the Executive Office include President of the Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis, Athens-Piraeus Prefect Fofi Gennimata and other significant officials. There are many scenarios concerning the governme nt reshuffling but the Prime Minister's intentions are still unclear.

The Prime Minister has already started studying the new governmental composition, while as was made evident from the last 24 hours, he is prepared to move to radical changes.

According to journalistic sources, a reshuffle is expected to be announced today.

In his speech yesterday, Mr. Simitis made his intentions clear regarding certain sectors and the changes at a governmental and social level. He also referred to MPs who have been in Parliament for 20 years, who have been PASOK Prefecture Council secretar ies for the past 10 years and MPs who have not spoken once in their three years in Parliament, while he underlined that all those who do not believe in unity and victory could stay behind.

Michalis Chrysochoidis was elected Secretary of the Central Committee with 118 for, 50 blank and 9 null votes, in the position of Costas Laliotis, who resigned. The new Executive Office is expected to meet in the next few days in order to map out an acti on plan until the elections.

Meanwhile, former Central Committee Secretary Costas Laliotis, despite agreeing with the Prime Minister's decisions, he disagreed with it being an obstacle in the strategy for victory of and renewal for the party. He also expressed his wish not to run in

the Piraeus II district in the upcoming Parliamentary elections, rather he would like to be on the honorary 12th position of the State ballot, pointing out, however, that he will remain an MP until the next elections and that he would work for a victorio us PASOK.

In his introductory intervention, Mr. Protopapas stressed that the government was reshuffled so that it would be more efficient without wasting any time. "After the Presidency, the government must deal with pending problems swiftly with no adjustment per iod", said Mr. Protopapas, while he made it known that the Prime Minister will refer to the procedures for a more effective promotion of the government's work at the Cabinet Meeting on Monday. The new ministers and deputy ministers will be sworn in at 11a m on Monday. The new government: Minister of Economy and Finance: Nikos Christodoulakis Deputy Ministers: Christos Pachtas, Apostoslos Fotiadis, Nikos Farmakis Foreign Minister: Giorgos Papandreou Alternate Minister: Anastasios Giannitsis Deputy Ministers: Andreas Loverdos, Giannis Magriotis Minister of National Defense: Giannos Papantoniou Deputy Ministers: Thodoros Kotsonis, Lazaros Lotidis Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization: Costas Skandalidis Deputy Ministers: Lambros Papadimas, Nikos Bistis Minister of Development: Akis Tsochatzopoulos Deputy Ministers: Kimon Koulouris, Alexandros Kalafatis, Dimitrios Georgakopoulos Minister of the Environment, Planning and Public Works: Vaso Papandreou Deputy Ministers: Rodoula Zisi, Ioannis Tsaklidis Minister of National Education and Religion: Petros Efthymiou Deputy Minister: Nikos Gesoulis, Georgios Thomas Minister of Labor and Social Welfare: Dimitris Reppas Deputy Ministers: Rovertos Spyropoulos, Eleftherios Jiolas Minister of Healthcare: Costas Stefanis Deputy Ministers: Ector Nasiokas, Elpida Tsouri, Vassilis Kodogiannopoulos Minister of Agriculture: Giorgos Drys Deputy Ministers: Evaggelos Argyris, Fotis Chatzimichalis Minister of Justice: Philipos Petsalnikos Minister of Culture: Evaggelos Venizelos Deputy Ministers: Giorgos Lianis, Athanasios Alevras Minister of Transports and Communications: Christos Verelis Deputy Minister: Manolis Stratakis Minister of Public Order: Giorgos Floridis Deputy Minister: Pantelis Tsertikidis Minister of the Merchant Marine: Giorgos Paschalidis Minister of the Press and the Media: Christos Protopapas Deputy Minister: Tilemachos Chytiris Minister of Macedonia-Thrace: Haris Kastanidis Minister of the Aegean: Nikos Sifounakis Minister of the State: Alexandros Akrivakis

People from Zagorochoria called the Fire Department and stated that the flaming object had landed between the villages of Doliani and Kastanonas.

However, the firemen from the Ioannina Fire Department were unable to trace the object in the region, while there were no reports of a fire. It is believed that it was either a meteorite or a part of a satellite station.

The most characteristic of all was that of former PASOK Central Committee Secretary Kostas Laliotis. Mr. Laliotis avoided to comment on the reshuffle but he commented on the statement made by US ambassador Thomas Miller. Mr. Miller had said that the refe rences, made yesterday by Mr. Laliotis in his speech before PASOK's Central Committee regarding interventions made by him, were ridiculous. Mr. Laliotis commented by saying that what Mr. Miller said is characteristic of him.

In PASOK, several Parliament deputies, who were not given a place in the new government, avoided to make any comments, while most of them pointed out that everything will be judged based on the outcome.

However, many Parliament deputies of the governing party in private talks they had with reporters spoke of a conventional reshuffle that was incommensurate to the changes recorded within the party.

In the camp of the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy, the demand for early elections was repeated, while the reshuffle was characterized as a recycling of failed individuals.

The Mayor of Thessaloniki called on the international community to realize that such agreements, which in essence recognize FYROM under the name Macedonia, are an insult to the Greek people and create major issues in Greece's relations with other countri es.

Regarding the US-FYROM agreement, he stressed that it is a provocation for every Greek conscience and it is an insult to the Greek history and the efforts of the Greeks living abroad aimed at averting the forging of the name of Macedonia. It is also an i nsult to the UN itself given its known decisions on FYROM.

The issue of the FYROM name is very well-known in the United States as the negotiations within the UN continue "silently". The agreement signed with FYROM proves the weakness of the Greek foreign policy not only in solving the dispute on the FYROM name b ut in affecting developments at an international level as well, said Mr. Papageorgopoulos. The Mayor of Thessaloniki reminded that a few days ago the Greek Prime Minister had met with the US President, under his authority as the European Council President , and the US-FYROM agreement was signed immediately afterwards.

Of the stocks trading today, 163 recorded gains and 148 had losses, while the value of 65 stocks remained unchanged.

junta and the Turkish invasion and occupation of northern Cyprus which continues with US weapons in spite of a US Congress ban. The above were stated by Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, who met with a six-member AHEPA delegation headed by

the organization's Supreme President James Dimitriou.

Mr. Kaklamanis also stated that the cancellation of two AHEPA conferences scheduled to take place in Greece was a mistake, stressing that Greece was the victim of terrorism and of those who exploit it in the US to blackmail Greece and hurt its tourism.

Mr. Kaklamanis explained that Greece wants the US to do something at last for the solution of the Cyprus problem by pressuring the Turkish government, just like it did in the case of the Middle East where it pressures Sharon.

The Greek Parliament President stated that the AHEPANs are a good bridge of friendship and cooperation between the Greek and the American people, between the two countries and their governments.

On his part, Mr. Dimitriou stated that he shares the Greek Parliament President views and briefed him on the organization's reaction to the negative propaganda targeting Greece. He referred to the thousands of AHEPANs who will offer volunteer work in the

Athens 2004 Olympic Games and recognized the true value of an AHEPA Conference held in Greece, while he invited Mr. Kaklamanis to visit the United States.

The statement was made when he was called to comment on the statements made by former PASOK Central Committee Secretary Kostas Laliotis, who spoke about an involvement of the US factor in the party's internal affairs.

Referring to the government reshuffle, Mr. Papandreou stated that the Prime Minister made his choices and hard work is needed to materialize a very significant work in all sectors.

The report was approved by the vast majority of the Plenary session and is essentially a second reading of the position of the European Parliament regarding the common position adopted by the Council of Ministers on the specific issue.

The specific regulation refers to the institution of new laws, common and strict rules for the reimbursement of commercial airline passengers and the provision of assistance to them in three cases: denial to board (due to overbooking), cancellations or l ong delays of flights. The existing regulation (EEC) 295/91 foresees only the possibility of choosing a different flight or having the value of the ticket returned to individuals who were denied boarding. Existing passenger protection was completely inade quate, as it did not foresee the possibility of further monetary reimbursement apart from the ticket price and did not cover cancellations and long flight delays.

Specifically, if a flight has been overbooked, passengers left without a seat will be entitled to: monetary damages, a choice between choosing a different flight and having the value of the ticket repaid to them, assistance while they waits (free meals, hotel lodgings, etc.). Similar options will be available in case a flight is cancelled unless the cancellation was due to conditions that could not be foreseen by the airline. Passengers are also entitled to reimbursement for long delays, depending on how

far they were traveling.

Greek EuroMP for ND Costis Chatzidakis, parliamentary spokesperson for the EPP on transportation issues, stated at the Plenary session: "We have a duty to protect airline passengers from phenomena which we are all unfortunately acquainted with all too we ll. The European Union must at last institute rules satisfying passengers who learn that they cannot travel at the very last moment, even though they have a ticket. It is obvious that only damages or their threat can end the malpractices of the past. This

regulation is an important step in the right directions".

The honorary presidency of the 57th Conference consisted of the Archbishop of America, the Greek Ambassador to the US, Pan. Savvidis, the Metropolite of Boston, the Consul General in Boston, Costas Bikas, as well as other officials and local government f igures from Macedonia and the US.

Transferring the warm greeting of the Greek government to Macedonians in the US, the Greek Ambassador praised the struggles of the Panmacedonian on informing the US political leadership of Greece's national issues, with the latest result being the resolu tion adopted by 11 states in favor of Greek positions on the Macedonian issue and he stressed that the situation created in the Balkans over the last 15 years, has brought Macedonia and Macedonians back to the forefront of works for cultural, financial an d every kind of cooperation with their neighbors.

The conference will be completed tomorrow with the election of a new Supreme Council.

The main issue, for most of the speeches delivered, was the effort concerning the active participation of the young Macedonians in organizations that are members of the Pan-Macedonian Association.

Regarding the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the delegates expressed the certainty that they will be very successful.

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