MPA NEWS IN BRIEF (01/07/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency Brief News in English Directory

BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY

Thessaloniki, July 1, 1996

TITLES

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] PREMIER KOSTAS SIMITIS TRIUMPHANT, ELECTED TO BE PASOK PRESIDENT

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis was elected PASOK party President yesterday, being the socialist movement's second president in its 25-year life after its founder, Andreas Papandreou, died last Sunday at the age of 77.

Mr. Simitis, 60 years old, received 2,732 (53.45 per cent) of the votes cast by the 5,111 PASOK delegates who participated in the party's fourth congress, out of a 98 per cent total. The post's other top contender, Interior Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, 57, received 2,324 votes (46.55 per cent), marking a narrow difference of 408 votes. Twenty-eight ballots were blank and 27 invalid.

During the four-day congress, Mr. Simitis had proposed that the party president and the prime minister should be the same person, insisting on the "necessity of uniform expression between the government and the party." He had threatened to resign from the premiership if he would not be elected as president.

On the other end, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos was in favor of a separation of roles, advocating one person holding the prarty's presidency and another the premiership.

The new President, who was jubillantly welcomed by his supporters, saluted the delegates from the congress' podium and thanked all for their support and joint effort in completing the congress democratically.

"We proved once more that we have the political maturity to govern the country and hold a high sense of duty to the Greek people," Mr. Simitis stated.

"It was a hard feat to accomplish," the President added, "but we were able to turn a page in history."

In an emotional reference to his predecessor, the PASOK President stated that the late Andreas Papandreou would have been proud of the congress and stated that the PASOK founder had been honored throughout the four-day session.

"The congress proved that the after-Papandreou era is not necessarily a passage into an after-PASOK era," continued Mr. Simitis. He asked the delegates to turn their thoughts to their former president, whereupon, in unisom, the 5,111 members began chanting "Andreas you live, you're giving us the lead."

Moreover, the PASOK President called the delegates to turn their attention to the turkish provocations and, emphasizing the importance of cohesion in the party, sans divisive, inter-party juxtapositions, asked the party members to stay united for the creation of a strong Greece.

"History has brought together two friends, through a common path and struggle. Comrade Tsohatzopoulos and I were not duellists, even though some would have preferred it that way. There is no winner, there is no loser," Mr. Simitis said, "we stand united."

Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, who had also closely vied Mr. Simitis for the Premiership post in January when the then-Premier Andreas Papadnreou resigned due to an illness, wished success upon the new President and emphasized that all decisions drawn by the congress are to be fully respected in the name of unity.

"I believe that we have taken a big step forward for the political emancipation of PASOK. Following the loss of our great leader Andreas Papandreou, it is imperative that we stand united now," Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stated in his concession speech, adding that "the party will pass from the hands of its charismatic leader Andreas Papandreou, to the virtues of collective leadership."

Mr. Simitis is now expected to proceed to a government reshuffle and, yet, it remains to be seen whether prominent members of the party who did not support him will hold on to their seats in the new Cabinet.

[02] VOTES ARE IN FOR THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF PASOK

Votes for the election of members to PASOK's Central Committee were counted early this morning, and the top ten seats are given to: George Papandreou, Minister of Education, Kostas Laliotis, Minister of Environment, Public Works and City Planning, Vasso Papandreou, Minister of Development, Kostas Skandalides, Paraskevas Avgerinos europarliamentarian, Miltiades Papaioannou MP, Theodoros Pangalos Foreign Minister, Michalis Haralampides, Apostolos Kaklamanis, Speaker of Parliam,ent and Gerasimos Arsenis defense Minister.

Elected at the new Central Commmittee are 150 regular members. Minister of Interior Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who was the Premier's rival in the party's presidential race, is also a member by law.

[03] NATIONAL COUNCIL OF HELLENISM PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES MR. SIMITIS

The president of the National Council of Hellenism Theodoros Spyropoulos has forwarded a congratulatory telegraph to Prime Minister and newly- elected PASOK President Kostas Simitis.

In his telegraph, Mr. Spyropulos also conveys the wishes of all officers in the National Council as well as those of the presidents of the Federation. "We wish to give you our warmest wishes for success in your difficult and crucial work. We assure you that the Greek community living in the United States will always be on your and the government's side for the achievement of the nation's aims and visions."

[04] CYPRIOT POLITICAL LEADERS SALUTE NEW PASOK PRESIDENT

With the hope that Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis' election to the presidency seat of PASOK Greece's policy and support of the Cyprus issue will not change, all of the cypriot political party leaders saluted the new president.

Also, Mr. Simitis' election to the party presidency was featured in the front page of most cypriot newspapers.

[05] FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE NOTED IN FYROM, EMERGENCY MEASURES TAKEN AT BORDER

Emergency measures have been taken at the Greek- Skopjan border where the importation of any animal product from FYROM is stricktly forbidden, following reports of foot and mouth disease cases in the southwestern part of FYROM.

The director of the veterinary clinic in Kilkis Anna Rakou, stated to the Macedonian Press Agency that aside from the importation restriction imposed on FYROM, all vehicles entering Greece from Skopje have to immerse their tires in a trench filed with a disinfecting chemical substance.

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