Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-04-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] N.D. AHEAD OF PASOK BY 8.4%

[02] LUCAS PAPADIMOS ELECTED VP OF EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

[03] SUPPORT CONCERT FOR PALESTINIANS IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

[04] IN MEMORY OF THE HOLOCAUST

[05] ASIA-AFRICA SAE PRESIDENT MESSAGE TO GREEKS IN PALESTINE-ISRAEL

[01] N.D. AHEAD OF PASOK BY 8.4%

New Democracy appears to be 8.4% ahead of PASOK, according to a panhellenic survey conducted by MRB, for New Democracy.

In vote intent, PASOK concentrates 27.6% and ND concentrates 36%. The Greek Communist Party (KKE) has 5%,the Coalition of the Left has 3.2%, DIKKI has 2.4% and the KEP has 4.3%.

In probability of winning the elections, meaning which party the people believe would win the elections if they were to take place next Sunday, the percentages are 50.8% for ND and 30.6% for PASOK.

The President of New Democracy, Kostas Karamanlis, is ahead of Prime Minister Simitis by 3.2%. On who is more competent to be Prime Minister, Mr. Karamanlis received a 40.1% and Mr. Simitis got 36.9%, while 20.6% answered that neither was competent enough.

The Opposition is also ahead as far as qualitative issues are concerned, since those asked believe it is more reliable than PASOK in battling crime, resolving health and education problems, confronting unemployment and on foreign policy issues. The governing party is considered reliable in organizing the 2004 Olympics and issues revolving around Greece's position in the EMU.

The survey took place from March 6 to March 19 2002, for New Democracy in a total of 2002 people throughout Greece.

[02] LUCAS PAPADIMOS ELECTED VP OF EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

The Director of the Bank of Greece Lucas Papadimas, was elected new Vice President of the European Central Bank by the Ministers of Economy and Finance of the EU, in the framework of the meeting taking place in Oviedo Spain.

It is one of the greatest distinctions of Greeks in the history of the European Union.

Mr. Papadimos was elected almost unanimously by the Council of Finance Ministers.

Greek Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Christodoulakis characterized this choice as very important for Greece and Greek economy, and noted that Mr. Papadimos had been selected in 1994 by Prime Minister, at the time, Andreas Papandreou and Minister of National Economy Giannos Papantoniou, for the position of Director of the Bank of Greece.

[03] SUPPORT CONCERT FOR PALESTINIANS IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW

A large support concert for the Palestinian people is being organized in Thessaloniki tomorrow at 7pm, in Aristotelous square.

Participants in the Committee of Thessaloniki Bodies for Solidarity to the Palestinian people, which is organizing the concert, include the Workers' Center of Thessaloniki, EDOTh, EDYETh, KEDE, the Thessaloniki Prefecture, the Palestinian Community of Thessaloniki and the General Union of Palestinian University Students.

Among the artist who responded to the call of the Thessaloniki Bodies Committee and who will participate in the concert, are: Paschalis Terzis, Panagiotis Karadimitris, Dimitris Nikoloudis, Anthi Tatsiouli, Manolis Androulidakis, Kostas Pratsinakis, Vasilis Pratsinakis, B. Theocharidis, Maria Fotiou, Christos Roidis, Nikos Katsikas, Panagiotis Koutsouras, and the rock bands Dytikes Synikies and Antitheses.

[04] IN MEMORY OF THE HOLOCAUST

The memory of the 50,000 Jews of Thessaloniki who were killed in nazi concentration camps was honored today at an event held today at the Thessaloniki Synagogue, with Ministers of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos, Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis, MPs Panagiotis Psomiadis, Tasos Spiliotopoulos, Giorgos Orfanos and Mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos present.

After the ceremony, the Mayor of Thessaloniki spoke of the honor due to the Jews of the city, since their presence through the centuries is parallel to the history of Thessaloniki. The Jewish population sealed the history of the city, he said, and made a short reference to the holocaust of the 50,000 Jews.

Drawing on the crisis in the Middle East, Mr. Papageorgopoulos noted that Israel still cannot live peacefully and creatively and asked for threats from forms of violence and terrorism to end. He called all people to show solidarity and support to the Israeli people and pointed out the element of coexistence of Israelis and Arabs in Israel and other places in the world, and he observed: All our hearts are in the Middle East. Our wish accompanies all efforts for true and eternal peace.

[05] ASIA-AFRICA SAE PRESIDENT MESSAGE TO GREEKS IN PALESTINE-ISRAEL

His worries about the latest unfortunate developments in the Middle East were expressed by the President of Asia-Africa SAE, Vasilis Magdalinos, pointing out that a war is always difficult, but this development creates many and various sentiments.

The death of innocent civilians and especially women and children shocks us all, stressed Mr. Magdalinos.

Violence never solved anything, instead it makes things harder and pushes any positive prospect back.

Thought, love, prayers and wishes of Greek communities in countries of Asia and Africa as well as my own, are with you at this moment. You must stay united, strong around Hellenism and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem and never hesitate to ask for our assistance. We are at your disposal and will help with all our power.

I hope good sense and a spirit of reconciliation prevail among all responsible parties, and that finally peace wins in this much afflicted region. With these few and poor words I want to wish you all once more courage and strength, and promise you that I will visit you soon.

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