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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 96-12-05Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, December 5, 1996TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK PREMIER ADDRESSES LETTER TO EU ALLIES OVER DUBLIN'S IMMINENT SUMMITAthens, December 5 (MPA)In a letter forwarded to the European Union's state leaders, in light of the upcoming EU Summit -to be held in Dublin on December 12 through 14-, Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis stated that solidarity, joint action and unity are the starting points towards consolidating the EU's 15 member states.In all, the Greek Premier writes that the European peoples must understand that steps are being taken towards strengthening the ties among the EU member-states, a necessary process of the European completion. Stressing Greece's support for the enlargement of the EU, Mr. Simitis wrote that the further strengthening of the principle of solidarity and the common positions on matters concerning foreign policy must display the idea of completion as materializing gradually on crucial areas. A.F. [02] GREECE'S PROTESTING FARMERS DEMAND MEETING WITH PREMIERThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)Greece's protesting farmers are demanding a tete-a-tete meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis today and warn that they will intensify their road blockades that have sliced the country in half for eight days in a row.Yesterday's talks between Agriculture Minister Stephanos Tzoumakas and farmers' representatives collapsed after the protesters rejected the Government's proposals. Mr. Tzoumakas told the farmers that the Government is unable to meet their one- trillion-drachma demands. The farmers' representatives countered that the cost of meeting their basic demands does not surpass 100 billion drachmas. Meanwhile, the rallying is continued throughout Greece, while fresh food supplies are also greatly affected. In Thessaloniki, access to "Macedonia" airport is possible only via side roads as the farmers have blocked off the main road. A.F. [03] MPA'S INTERBALKAN SYMPOSIUM BEGINS IN THESSALONIKI THIS EVENINGThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)The Macedonian Press Agency's Interbalkan Symposium titled "Eleftherios Venizelos and Alexandros Papanastasiou, 60 Years Later: The Idea of Interbalkan Cooperation" will begin this evening, in spite of the obstacles some of the participants faced during their arrival.Participating Balkan historians, journalists and directors of Balkan national news agencies, who began arriving in Thessaloniki during today's early morning hours, were able to circumvent the protesting farmers' roadblocks although troubles were faced by the Bulgarian delegates who, when faced with the blocked Greek- Bulgarian border in Promahonas, had to return towards Sofia and reroute their journey to Greece through FYROM. Also, the Albanian News Agency's (ATA) General Director and Albanian professor Paschal Milo, had to wait for hours to overcome the farmers' roadblocks on their route from Edessa to Thessaloniki. Nevertheless, the Symposium will take place as scheduled, as most of the delegates are arriving by airplane. The event is hailed by most as opening new frontiers in interbalkan cooperation. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's alternate Foreign Minister has saluted the event in a letter addressed to MPA. The two-day Symposium will start today in HELEXPO at 6 p.m. A.F. [04] NEW TAX BILL SUBMITTED IN PARLIAMENTAthens, December 5 (MPA)The Government's new tax bill was submitted to Parliament today, containing new taxes and abolishing or modifying over 200 tax exemptions.The bill foresees new taxes to be levied on high-value real estate, state bonds, treasury bills, bank profits, as well as foreign exchange deposits made by permanent residents of Greece. Moreover, the draft bill includes changes on the current objective criteria and an increase on the criteria used for private cars and pleasure craft. The objective criteria serve the Greek tax authorities as an indicator of income, declared or undeclared. A.F. [05] GREEK MUSEUMS CLOSED TODAY, EMPLOYEES ON THREE-HOUR WORK STOPPAGEThessaloniki, December 5 (MPA)Greece's museums will remain closed today as the sector's employees held a three-hour work stoppage this afternoon.The country's arhaeologists, museum guards, administrative staff and the Culture Ministry's employees have mostly financial claims and ask for a Sunday-work bonus which is normally given to those employed in other sectors. The President of the Antiquities Guards Union, Konstantinos Kasides, told the Macedonian Press Agency that today's work stoppage is a warning-one, "expressing our dissatisfaction over the fact that the new (Culture) Minister will not meet with us in order to discuss the solidarity bonus that we are due." A.F. [06] AUSTRALIAN PREMIER TO VISIT GREECE IN 1997Melbourne, December 5 (MPA)Australia's federal Premier John Howard will visit Greece during 199, a stop in a series of formal visits he will embark on next year.Among the countries he will visit are Malaysia, China and Singapore, followed by the United States, and in turn he will be in Greece and then Italy. A.F. [07] UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS TO ARRIVE IN NICOSIA ON TUESDAYNicosia, December 5 (MPA)The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Cypriot issue Han Sung Ju, is expected to arrive in Nicosia next Tuesday, December 10, where he will hold talks with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides and the self-called leader of the occupying regime in northern Cyprus Rauf Denktash.In turn, the UN official, who will be accompanied by the UN's alternate special enoy for Cyprus Gustav Feischel, will travel to Athens and Ankara for talks with the respective countries' governments. A.F. 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/Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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