Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-08-15

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] BALKAN LEADERS TO ATTEND «PRESPES 2000»

[02] DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY OBSERVED TODAY

[03] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON CYPRUS ISSUE

[04] ARCHBISHOP KEEPS TO SERMON WITH NO MENTION OF IDs

[05] 12 PERSONS KILLED, 220 INJURED, IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

[06] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DELEGATION IN MOSCOW

[01] BALKAN LEADERS TO ATTEND «PRESPES 2000»

The annual "Prespes" festival, to be held in Florina, from 25 through 28 August, will feature the attendance of Balkan leaders and several Greek deputies and government officials.

Greece's Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Vasso Papandreou will meet with FYROM's interior and public order minister and Albania's vice president and labor minister on August 26, while National Economy Deputy Minister Yiannis Zapheiropoulos will hold meetings with his FYROM and Albanian counterparts.

Culture Minister and Deputy Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Giorgos Floridis, respectively, will hold separate meetings with their counterparts from Balkan states on 27 August, while later in the day Pangalos will inaugurate the "Prespa Library" at Agios Germanos.

A.F.

[02] DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY OBSERVED TODAY

The Dormition of the Virgin Mary was observed throughout Greece today, where hundreds of thousands of faithful Christians flocked to the island of Tinos, the Panagia Ekatopyliani in Paros and the Panagia Soumela Monastery in order to celebrate the significant Orthodox holiday.

As today also marked the Armed Forces Day, state and political leaders also took part in the festivities; the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos is a the island of Tinos, while National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos attended the church service at the monastery of Panagia Soumela, along with the Miniser of Public Order Michalis Chrysochoides and the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides.

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis observed the Dormition of the Virgin Mary at the island of Sifnos where he is presently on a brief holiday with his wife, Daphne. Main opposition leader, New Democracy's Costas Karamanlis is at the island of Kythnos.

A.F.

[03] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON CYPRUS ISSUE

Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who attended the celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin at the Panagia Soumela Monastery today, stated that the international community will be judged by the stance it shall maintain on the Cyprus issue.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos condemned the second Turkish invasion of Cyprus and stressed that the United Nations have issued a series of resolutions calling for a just and viable solution to the problem.

Moreover, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos referred to relations between Greece and Turkey by stating that they should be characterized by friendship and cooperation.

A.F.

[04] ARCHBISHOP KEEPS TO SERMON WITH NO MENTION OF IDs

Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos was at the Aegean island of Paros this morning where he participated in events marking the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin.

Mr. Christodoulos made no reference to the Church's ongoing fight against the government's decision not to list religion on the new identification cards, although during his Sunday sermon in Athens yesterday he renewed a fighting call to the faithful "not to bend their nape" before the forces of darkness.

A.F.

[05] 12 PERSONS KILLED, 220 INJURED, IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

This year's exodus was again marred with numerous fatal traffic accidents. Twelve persons were killed and 220 injured in 166 traffic accidents throughout the country during the course of this three-day weekend where hundreds of thousands fled the cities to celebrate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

It is estimated that during these past three days, more than 120,000 holiday makers left for the islands from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina.

Traffic was also heavy on the two national highways and it is estimated that more that 130,000 cars passed through the tollgates.

The highway patrol has taken additional measures to facilitate the return of the travelers today and tomorrow.

A.F.

[06] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DELEGATION IN MOSCOW

Archbishop of America Dimitrios is to head a three-member delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate which will attend the officiation services of the Church of the Christ the Savior in Moscow.

The delegation, which will be in Moscow between August 17-29, comprises the Ecumenical Patriarchate Vartholomeos and Metropolites Constantine and Cyrillus.

The inauguration ceremony will be held on August 19 and will be officiated by the Moscow Patriarch Alexius.

The Church of the Christ the Savior, established in 1880, was ruined in 1931 during the Stalin era. Its restoration was completed this year.

Archbishop Demetrios officiated the annual Assumption of the Virgin mass at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Southampton, Long Island today.

A.F.

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