Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-03-09

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] BALKAN OFFICIALS IN THE KOKKALIS INSTITUTE SEMINAR

[02] DISCUSSION IN THE GREEK PARLIAMENT ON THE CRISIS IN FYROM AND THE

[03] GREEK ASSISTANCE TO FYROM

[04] THE BID FOR THE 3G MOBILE PHONE PERMITS WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER

[05] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS ON THE LIST OF DONORS OF HUMAN ORGANS

[06] HALF OF THE GIRLS IN GREECE WANT TO BE A STAR

[07] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[08] INFLATION WAS 3.5% IN FEBRUARY

[09] KONSTANTOPOULOS' VISIT TO SKOPJE

[10] THE US AMBASSADOR WILL VISIT NORTHEASTERN GREECE

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER PAPANDREOU WILL BE IN CYPRUS ON SUNDAY

[12] Β.ΚΟΣΤΟΥΝΙΤΣΑ: ΟΙ ΜΕΤΑΡΡΥΘΜΙΣΕΙΣ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΓΙΝΟΥΝ ΧΩΡΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΠΙΕΣΗ ΤΗΣ

[01] BALKAN OFFICIALS IN THE KOKKALIS INSTITUTE SEMINAR

The proceedings of the educational meeting of Balkan officials on the political and economic cooperation and development opened in Harvard University in the United States yesterday organized by the Kokkalis Institute.

Among the 25 Balkan officials taking part in the seminar is FYROM's government spokesman, ministers of the Serb and the Turkish governments, members of the Romanian Senate, Bulgarian president advisers as well as, advisers of the prime ministers of Albania and Greece. Also, present will be many distinguished personalities that occupy important positions in the political and economic life of their countries.

[02] DISCUSSION IN THE GREEK PARLIAMENT ON THE CRISIS IN FYROM AND THE GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS

The view that the aspirations of a small group of Albanians to create the so-called Greater Albania will not end, was expressed by foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou speaking in parliament today.

Mr. Papandreou stated that this is a problem that will appear in front of us in spite of the fact that tension could ease off as a result of the moves made by KFOR and the reduction of the security zone, adding that it is imperative to back the moderate forces.

He also expressed the belief that both the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue will find their way as the Helsinki decisions are binding for Turkey in view of its European course.

On the issue of the Greek-Turkish dialogue, he was categorical pointing out that a dialogue in which Greek sovereign rights will be under negotiation is inconceivable.

[03] GREEK ASSISTANCE TO FYROM

Greek assistance to FYROM, made up of military equipment and medicines, is expected to leave the port of Thessaloniki today and its transport will be completed within the next week, according to Thessaloniki newspaper "Macedonia".

According to the same newspaper report, Greek National Defense General Staff press office director major Tottas confirmed the presence of FYROM army officers in Thessaloniki since last Tuesday, who undertook to inspect the military and medical assistance material kept in the storehouses at Thessaloniki's port and in army depots.

Greece will send to FYROM telecommunication material, ambulances, bulletproof vests, general use trucks and medicines.

According to military sources, the assistance is placed within the framework of the bilateral agreement that was signed last December by the defense ministers of Greece and FYROM.

[04] THE BID FOR THE 3G MOBILE PHONE PERMITS WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER

The bid for the 3rd generation mobile phone operator permits will be completed by this summer, stated minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou in a one-day conference on economic growth organized by the governing socialist party of PASOK in Athens.

Mr. Papantoniou pointed out that the freeing of the telecommunications and energy markets will lead to investments, more job positions and speedy economic growth.

He also reiterated that he expects a growth rate of 5% in the next five-year period and made a special reference to the 3rd Community Framework of Support 17.5 trillion drachmas "package", which will increase the investment percentage from 20% to 25% of the GDP.

[05] THE GREEK PRESIDENT IS ON THE LIST OF DONORS OF HUMAN ORGANS

The name of Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos is on the list of the people who want to donate parts of their body after they die for the treatment of someone else.

In a two-day conference organized by the Greek Association of Kidney Patients in the Association of Athens Daily Newspaper Editors offices in Athens, many well-known Greek citizens, following the example of Mr. Stephanopoulos, signed a statement yesterday expressing their wish to become organ and tissue donors.

The list includes the names of government ministers, parliament deputies local administration officials, athletes, journalists, artists and many others.

[06] HALF OF THE GIRLS IN GREECE WANT TO BE A STAR

The professions that are being promoted most on television are those preferred by one in two girls aged 15-25, while the boys in the same age group want to work in night clubs as barmen or bouncers. These are the results of a research conducted by the Greek Consumer Organization (EKATO) held on a sample of 1.230 youngsters in the cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Kilkis, Florina and Grevena and published today on the Thessaloniki newspaper "Angelioforos".

Most of the girls, 48%, expressed the wish to become models , TV presenters, singers or actresses, while 56% of the boys stated that they would prefer a job at a night club.

Regarding the criteria on which the selection of their profession is based, 65% take under consideration the promotion offered by a job, while 40% are influenced by their families and only 30% by their economic situation.

Also, 73% of them do not want a manual job as they regard that kind of work as inferior and more tiresome, while 36% want a job in which they will not have to think much and only 7% expressed a desire to work in scientific research.

[07] LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Small losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.20% at 3.269,75 points, while the volume of transactions was 270.04 million Euro or 92.01 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 210 recorded gains and 137 had losses, while the value of 23 stocks remained stable.

[08] INFLATION WAS 3.5% IN FEBRUARY

Inflation in Greece in the month of February was 3.5% compared to 3.4% in January.

The announcement was made today by the National Statistics Agency and the inflation increase is attributed to the fuel price hikes.

[09] KONSTANTOPOULOS' VISIT TO SKOPJE

Leader of the opposition party Coalition of the Left Nikos Konstantopoulos will meet with FYROM president Boris Trajkovski, prime minister Ljupcko Georgievski, parliament president Stojan Antov and political party leaders to discuss the problems that have been created by the armed clashes at the borders of the country with Kosovo threatening the stability in the wider region.

Mr. Konstantopoulos will visit Skopje heading a Coalition of the Left delegation on March 13 and will return to Athens on the next day.

[10] THE US AMBASSADOR WILL VISIT NORTHEASTERN GREECE

US ambassador Nicholas Burns will visit northeastern Greece on March 13 at the invitation of the Association of Industries in the prefecture of Rodopi to discuss the likelihood of investments in the region by US businessmen.

According to information, Mr. Burns will meet with local officials and visit Alan Kuyu, the gypsy neighborhood and the bazaar, the open air-market, in the city of Komotini.

Mr. Burns had expressed the wish to visit the region in the past but he had to postpone it because of the events in the Middle East.

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER PAPANDREOU WILL BE IN CYPRUS ON SUNDAY

Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will arrive in Cyprus on Sunday morning for a three-day visit accompanied by Greek Olympic Medalists and other officials.

During his visit, Mr. Papandreou will meet with Cypriot Republic president Glafkos Clerides, while he will also have meetings with parliament president Spiros Kiprianou and political party leaders. Mr. Papandreou will also have talks with his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Kasoulides.

[12] Β.ΚΟΣΤΟΥΝΙΤΣΑ: ΟΙ ΜΕΤΑΡΡΥΘΜΙΣΕΙΣ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΓΙΝΟΥΝ ΧΩΡΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΠΙΕΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΕΘΝΟΥΣ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΑΣ

Tην ελευθερία και τον αυτοσεβασμό θεωρεί ως αναγκαίες προϋποθέσεις για την ανάκαμψη της χώρας, ο Πρόεδρος της Ομοσπονδιακής Δημοκρατίας Γιουγκοσλαβίας, Βόισλαβ Κοστούνιτσα, ο οποίος σε άρθρο του στο εβδομαδιαίο περιοδικό "ΝΙΝ", υπογραμμίζει ότι η Γιουγκοσλαβία πρέπει να κάνει τις απαραίτητες μεταρρυθμίσεις χωρίς την πίεση της διεθνούς κοινότητας.

Στο άρθρο, τα κύρια σημεία του οποίου δημοσίευσαν στο σύνολό τους οι εφημερίδες του Βελιγραδίου, αναφέρει μεταξύ άλλων ότι "η διεθνής κοινότητα έχει προσχωρήσει σ'αυτούς στους οποίους λείπει ο Σλόμπονταν Μιλόσεβιτς και το αυταρχικό και βαθιά εγκληματικό καθεστώς του", ενώ τονίζει ότι αν και πολλές χώρες έχουν αλλάξει στάση απέναντι στη Γιουγκοσλαβία, εντούτοις "μερικές έχουν περιχαρακωθεί στα προηγούμενα αιτήματά τους και συνεχίζουν να θέτουν όρους".

Ο κ.Κοστούνιτσα επισημαίνει επίσης τη δύσκολη κατάσταση στην οποία βρίσκεται η χώρα σε όλους τους τομείς και προσθέτει ότι σε "όλα αυτά τα προβλήματα στην επίλυση των οποίων η διεθνής κοινότητα περισσότερο μας δυσκολεύει παρά μας διευκολύνει", έρχεται να προστεθεί και το Δικαστήριο της Χάγης και το ότι "θα πρέπει να βιαστούμε γιατί διαφορετικά ο κόσμος δεν θα έχει νέες αποδείξεις των καλών μας προθέσεων".

Ακόμη, κατηγορεί τη διεθνή κοινότητα ότι ζητά από τη Γιουγκοσλαβία να σεβαστεί συμφωνίες που ποτέ δεν έκανε, υπονοώντας την παράδοση του Μιλόσεβιτς έως τις 31 Μαρτίου, αλλά και συμφωνίες που οι άλλοι, όπως λέει, δεν σέβονται (στρατιωτικο-τεχνική συμφωνία του Κουμάνοβο). "Ζητάνε την ανάπτυξη των δημοκρατικών θεσμών, αλλά δείχνουν έλλειψη εμπιστοσύνης και αφαιρούν τη δικαιοδοσία από τα δικαστήριά μας", τονίζει ο κ.Κοστούνιτσα και προσθέτει: "αν δεν υπολογίσουμε τις υποσχέσεις στα λόγια, κανείς δεν ξέρει τι παίρνουμε".

Διερωτάται "τι είναι αυτό που ζητά η διεθνής κοινότητα στα Βαλκάνια;" για να απαντήσει: "Αν ζητά την εφαρμογή της αρχής της κυριαρχίας δικαίου, δηλαδή την ύπαρξη κρατών δικαίου, τότε θα πρέπει να μας αφήσει να ολοκληρώσουμε μόνοι μας, όπως πρέπει, αυτό το τεράστιο έργο της αλλαγής της νομοθεσίας και όχι να μας προτείνει οποιουδήποτε είδους δικές της λύσεις". Κατά τη διαδικασία της αλλαγής των νόμων, η Ομοσπονδιακή Δημοκρατία Γιουγκοσλαβίας θα πρέπει να σεβαστεί τις υπάρχουσες νομικές ρυθμίσεις, υπογραμμίζει καταλήγοντας ο Βόισλαβ Κοστούνιτσα.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article