[01] POLITICAL PARTIES TO FINALIZE THEIR ELECTORAL TICKETS THIS WEEK

[02] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN VISIT GREECE

[03] US DEMOCRATIC PARTY DELEGATES TO BE BRIEFED ON GREEK NATIONAL MATTERS

[04] US PLAYERS BOOK NORTHERN GREECE'S CASINO FOR 7,000 STAYS NEXT SEASON

NEWS IN DETAIL

[01] POLITICAL PARTIES TO FINALIZE THEIR ELECTORAL TICKETS THIS WEEK

Greece's political parties are moving forward with finalizing their electoral tickets, in light of the month-long election campaign since Prime Minister Kostas Simitis called for early elections last week and the President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos dissolved Parliament on Friday.

The central committee that oversees the ruling party PASOK's election campaign will hold a session today where it will iron out the details of its run. This evening, the Premier will meet with Mimis Androulakis, an ex-MP for the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party, who plans to run with PASOK in Piraeus.

The ruling party has opted for a massive pre-election rally in Athens, while similar gatherings will also be held in all other major citie of the country. Moreover, PASOK is expected to suggest that a televised debate be held between the Premier and Miltiades Evert, the leader of the country's main opposition party New Democracy, in addition to two televised interviews of the Premier in which he will discuss political and economic issues.

On his part, New Democracy's Miltiades Evert has called upon ND officials and members to rally around the party, and has expressed his certainty that ND will win the elections.

New Democracy's parliamentary group and central committee will convene tomorrow, while joint appearances will be made by Miltiades Evert and the Party's honorary president -and ex-premier- Konstantinos Mitsotakis.

Also convening today will be the central committee of the minor opposition party Political Spring whose leader, Antonis Samaras, will embark on seven tours and rallies beginning September 1.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Paparega is expected to present the party's election declaration in a press conference today. Ms. Paparega has appealed to her party's supporters for financial contributions to KKE's campaigns.

Synaspismos leader Nikos Konstantopoulos, speaking yesterday at his party's central committee, proposed that a joint interview be held by all political leaders and appealed to the Greek citizens to bring his party back into parliament. Mr. Konstantopoulos will meet today with Maria Damanaki and will give a press conference on Wednesday.

The President of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) Dimitris Tsovolas has expressed his conviction that his party will constitute the catalyst for the political development to be seen in the upcoming elections while he did not refrain from issuing a stern verbal attack against the Government and, specifically, the Prime Minister.

[02] GREEK-AUSTRALIAN SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN VISIT GREECE

Eighteen Greek-Australian congressmen and senators are currently visitng Greece, following the invitation issued by the alternate foreign minister George Romeos, who is responsible for issues concerning overseas hellenism.

The Australian politicians, representing both state and federal political arenas, are expected to meet with most of Greece's political leaders, in spite of the fact that their visit coincides with the country's pre-election acitivities.

Mr. Romeos undertook the initiative to invite Greek-origin politicians from all over the world to visit Greece in order to establish a network of communication and information exchange among the countries.

The Australian politicians will also visit Cyprus, following the invitation issued by the Cypriot government.

[03] US DEMOCRATIC PARTY DELEGATES TO BE BRIEFED ON GREEK NATIONAL MATTERS

Five-hundred delegates of the United States Democratic Party, who all together hold 25 various nationalities, will be briefed on Greece's national matters by the Greek-American National Council of AHEPA and AHI, in Chicago on August 28.

The briefing session will be held during a luncheon to be hosted by the Greek-American businessman Theodoros Spyropoulos in honor of US President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, given the Democratic Party's congress that began today in Chicago.

The event will feature as main speakers US presidential advisor George Stephanopoulos and senator Geraldine Ferraro.

[04] US PLAYERS BOOK NORTHERN GREECE'S CASINO FOR 7,000 STAYS NEXT SEASON

American high-stake gamblers have booked Northern Greece's Casino Magic in Porto Karras for 7,000 stays during the two-month period of October-November, although it is unclear how many persons will visit the casino and for how long they will stay.

Casino Magic, which worked with a New York-based touring office that specializes in providing attractive gambling opportunities to its clients in sites throughout the world, also expects strong players to arrive from Canada, the Far East, Thailand, Europe, as well as some from Greece's own islands.

According to Casino Magic representatives, this summer season was an exceptional one, as the hotel was booked to capacity every weekend, 60% during the weekdays of June-July and 70-80% in August.

Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/