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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-06-12

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] LATEST POLL CONFIRMS OLDER ONES
  • [02] KARAMANLIS TWINS "ARRIVED"
  • [03] TWO VICTORIES FOR THE FINALS
  • [04] REGULATION ON REFUGEES FROM FYROM
  • [05] VERELIS: THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING MASS TRANSPORTATION MUST INCREASE
  • [06] MAGRIOTIS IS VISITING EGYPT
  • [07] PROTOPAPAS: THE IMF REPORT CONFIRMS GREECE'S GROWTH
  • [08] GAINS IN THE ASE
  • [09] PROTOPAPAS ON THE US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT
  • [10] NEW MINES' OWNERSHIP MEETS
  • [11] 400,000 FOREIGNERS ARRESTED IN 4 YEARS
  • [12] 6000 PATROL CARS FOR THE SUMMIT
  • [13] THE ISSUE OF THE TURKISH VIOLATIONS WAS RAISED BY MR. PAPANTONIOU
  • [14] BAKOYIANNI-PUTIN MEETING
  • [15] REPPAS: THE MODEL OF WORLD DEVELOPMENT IS UNFAIR
  • [16] SIMITIS-PRODI MEETING

  • [01] LATEST POLL CONFIRMS OLDER ONES

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (09:07 UTC+2)

    A lead of 8.3% was given to New Democracy over PASOK in MRB's latest poll, Trends. In the same company's poll in December the difference was at 6.2%. Karamanlis is also ahead of Simitis as most suitable for Prime Minister. The poll was carried out in a past political time, stated the government, the difference has been consolidated, answered ND.

    [02] KARAMANLIS TWINS "ARRIVED"

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (09:17 UTC+2)

    A little boy and a little girl were brought into the world last night by Natasa Karamanlis, wife of ND Head Costas Karamanlis, during the early morning hours in an Athens hospital. Thank God, all went well, all three of them are fine, stated Mr. Karamanlis upon leaving the hospital.

    [03] TWO VICTORIES FOR THE FINALS

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (09:07 UTC+2)

    Aggelos Charisteas' goal three minutes before the end of the match with Ukraine, in combination with the tie between N. Ireland and Spain, have brought the Greek national football team to first position of its group in the preliminary round of the EURO 2004. If Greece wins the next two games with N. Ireland and Armenia, it will go straight to the final phase for the first time since 1980. The national team has a team spirit, stated coach Otto Rehagel.

    [04] REGULATION ON REFUGEES FROM FYROM

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (12:36 UTC+2)

    An ad hoc legislative regulation that will give political refugees residing in FYROM the opportunity to visit Greece for short periods of time, is being promoted by the Greek Foreign Ministry.

    Foreign Ministry Press Spokesperson Panos Beglitis referred to the humanitarian dimension of the problem, in an interview to Sky radio, and pointed out that the regulation that will give political refugees from FYROM the ability to visit relatives in Macedonia or other regions with a simple visa, will have been materialized within the next two weeks at the latest.

    The refugees, who were in favor of breaking up Macedonia, had not been included in the 1982 law, and had been recorded in special lists and were not allowed to visit Greece.

    The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson stressed that the refugee issue was wrongly connected to the FYROM name issue, and expressed the belief that Greece has nothing to fear from the presence of these people.

    Mr. Beglitis stressed that issues such as the settlement of the refugees in Greece and their property will be looked into later.

    [05] VERELIS: THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING MASS TRANSPORTATION MUST INCREASE

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (19:52 UTC+2)

    The need for more people using mass transportation was underlined by Greek Transportation and Communication Minister Christos Verelis speaking in the Athens Urban Transport Organization, OASA, International Conference on mass transportation: a choice not a necessity.

    Mr. Verelis stated that the use of private cars in Europe increased in the past three decades following almost a geometric progress.

    Based on figures provided by the White Bible on Transportation, private cars in the EU increased from 62 million in 1970 to 175 million in 2000.

    He said that a total of 2.5 million people use mass transportation in Athens on a daily basis and the goal of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is that number to increase to 3.5 million commuters.

    [06] MAGRIOTIS IS VISITING EGYPT

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (19:06 UTC+2)

    Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Yiannis Magriotis will be in Egypt tomorrow for contacts concerning the program Initiative on Alexandria which is a joint initiative undertaken by the Greek community in Alexandria and the Patriarchate of Alexandria.

    The goals of the program is the strengthening of the ties between Hellenism and its historic center, the city of Alexandria, through business activities and culture. Also, the revival of the Greek community in Alexandria and in Egypt in general, the preservation of the Greek Quarter in Alexandria, the promotion of Greece's initiatives and the strengthening of economic relations between Greece and Egypt.

    Mr. Magriotis will meet in Alexandria with the city governor, the director of the library of Alexandria and the President of the Greek community.

    He will also visit Cairo to attend the celebration of the Pentecost in the presence of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All of Africa. He will also meet with Greeks living in Egypt and visit important centers of the Greek community in Cairo.

    [07] PROTOPAPAS: THE IMF REPORT CONFIRMS GREECE'S GROWTH

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (17:47 UTC+2)

    The International Monetary Fund, IMF, report confirms the strong economic growth in Greece, predicts a GDP increase of 3.6%, and underlines that the strong growth led for the first time in the past four years to an increase in the employment rate, stressed Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas responding to a relevant question.

    He added that there are certain IMF proposals that are outside the political framework based on which the government deals with social issues (labor relations and social security)

    Regarding social security, he said that the issue has been closed after a detailed dialogue with social organizations, while on the job market issue, certain regulations have been adopted which have created a positive balance in the job market and there is no reason for any hasty moves.

    Mr. Protopapas said that the economic policy of the government will not change, stressing that the Greek people voted the government in power for its economic policy. He said that the necessary structural changes will be made with boldness and determination, the social policies will be strengthened and the employment rate will be increased.

    [08] GAINS IN THE ASE

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (17:25 UTC+2)

    Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.67% at 1.928,19 points, while the volume of transactions was considerable at 202.3 million euros.

    Of the stocks trading today, 270 recorded gains and 58 had losses, while the value of 50 stocks remained unchanged.

    [09] PROTOPAPAS ON THE US STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT

    Athens, 12 June 2003 (17:11 UTC+2)

    Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas characterized as totally unfair the US State Department report, in which Greece is accused of extended human trafficking, expressing the strong protest of the Greek government.

    Responding to relevant questions, Mr. Protopapas stated that these are unacceptable speculations that do not recognize the serious efforts made by the Greek government in order to deal with the issue.

    Specifically, he referred to the special legislative framework that was passed in Parliament after being sponsored by the Justice Ministry, the special measures adopted by the Ministry of Public Order and the cooperation with non governmental organizations to have the contribution of organized society in the efforts to combat the problem.

    [10] NEW MINES' OWNERSHIP MEETS

    Thessaloniki, 12 June 2003 (15:08 UTC+2)

    The first stockholders' meeting of the new joint venture, made up of Greek and foreign businessmen, to succeed TVX in the ownership of the Chalkidiki metal mines, will be held on Tuesday.

    During this meeting, the Greek and foreign investors will discuss details of the agreement such as the exact participation amounts and the management of the mines.

    Although deputy Minister of Finance Christos Pachtas announced the agreement earlier today, he did not give exact information on the names of the companies involved.

    Information so far mentions that the companies involved in the venture include the Greek Larko and Themeliodomi and the Canadian Alpha Group and one Romanian company. The joint venture will be completed by Public Sector bodies and local government.

    As far as the miners who were on strike are concerned, there is no guarantee that all positions will be kept, since the final solution will possibly include a decrease in the number of employees at the mines. However, social protection measures are being discussed for the ones who are to lose their jobs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

    [11] 400,000 FOREIGNERS ARRESTED IN 4 YEARS

    Thessaloniki, 12 June 2003 (13:08 UTC+2)

    More than 400,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in the last four years in Greece, according to a publication of today's Aggelioforos newspaper, while dozens of foreigners die while trying to enter Greece illegally.

    Greece follows Portugal in the highest percentage of immigrants in Western Europe, while it holds first position in illegal immigrants.

    According to the authorities, the point of greatest concentration of illegal immigrants is Istanbul. From there they move to the land boarders of Greece along the Evros river or to the Turkish coastlines and cross over to the Greek islands.

    A report of the Ministry of Public Order mentioned that the main immigration pressure on Greece is coming from citizens of many countries, such as Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Iraq, Afghanistan and African countries.

    [12] 6000 PATROL CARS FOR THE SUMMIT

    Thessaloniki, 12 June 2003 (12:58 UTC+2)

    The part of the road from Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki to Neos Marmaras, Chalkidiki, has been turned into a worksite, as technical services' employees are completing the last maintenance works on the road, while hundreds of police officers are moving along the road, over a distance of 125 km, in patrol cars and motorcycles, in order to fine tune the last details of the enormous operation in view of the Summit Meeting.

    The crews will have completed all blacktopping, lining and ditch cleaning works by the end of the week, while the works for three pedestrian crossings are also being competed on part of the road from which the European leaders will pass.

    Meanwhile, hundreds of police officers in patrol cars, motorcycles and undercover vehicles are stationed at various intervals along the way, while kiosks are being set up at intersections along the way, to act as checkpoints.

    According to Greek Police planning, during the works of the Summit Meeting at the Porto Carras hotel complex, more than 6000 patrol cars and motorcycles will be used, as well as hundreds of fire department vehicles, fire engines, ambulances and undercover vehicles.

    [13] THE ISSUE OF THE TURKISH VIOLATIONS WAS RAISED BY MR. PAPANTONIOU

    Brussels, 12 June 2003 (20:43 UTC+2)

    Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou raised the issue of the Turkish violations over the Aegean to his Turkish counterpart Mr. Gonul and to NATO secretary-general Lord Robertson.

    Mr. Papantoniou stated that last night, when he met with his Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of the formal dinner given before the NATO Council meeting in Brussels, raised the issue of the airspace violations over the Aegean. He referred to the increased frequency of the violations and the risks involved for the entire region.

    Mr. Papantoniou also stressed that he asked the Turkish Defense Minister to take Greece's remarks seriously, underlining that they are aimed at securing peace in the sensitive region of southeastern Mediterranean. The Turkish Defense Minister took note of the protest and stated that he will take it under consideration.

    [14] BAKOYIANNI-PUTIN MEETING

    Moscow, 12 June 2003 (18:31 UTC+2)

    Athens Mayor Mrs. Dora Bakoyianni met in Moscow today with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Mrs. Bakoyianni is in Russia heading a municipal delegation on the occasion of the festivities celebrating Independence Day in Russia.

    Mrs. Bakoyianni invited Mr. Putin to Greece to watch the 2004 Olympic Games.

    [15] REPPAS: THE MODEL OF WORLD DEVELOPMENT IS UNFAIR

    Geneva, 12 June 2003 (15:45 UTC+2)

    Greek Labor Minister Dimitris Reppas stated that the economic growth model promoted worldwide is not always in agreement with the principles of sustainable development. The above were stressed by Mr. Reppas in the speech he delivered under his authority as the President of the EU Social Affairs and Labor Ministers' Council within the framework of the 91st Summit of the International Labor Organization taking place in Geneva on June 3-19.

    He pointed out that the summit is held in a crucial period for the world as issues such as, social and environmental responsibility by all social partners, cooperation against poverty and the broadening of social dialogue, occupy a central place in the world political agenda.

    Mr. Reppas stated that international cooperation for economic development is the key for the preservation of peace and stability in the world, while the growth model promoted worldwide is not always in agreement with the principles of sustainable development. This is expressed through the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor and the downgrading of natural resources.

    He stressed that the EU can play a significant role in the effort to deal with this world challenge as the EU backs policies for a stable and sustainable development.

    [16] SIMITIS-PRODI MEETING

    Brussels, 11 June 2003 (21:29 UTC+2)

    Greek Prime Minister and European Council President Kostas Simitis met with European Commission President Romano Prodi in Brussels today and discussed the issues that will be examined in the imminent EU Summit Meeting in Thessaloniki.

    In statements they made after the meeting, they stressed that the main points of the Summit will be the outcome of the Constitutional Convention for the Future of Europe and the Constitution draft, the EU immigration and asylum policy, inter-Atlantic relations, the EU security policy and the EU relations with the countries in western Balkans.

    The Prime Minister also announced that the European Council will discuss a new joint initiative by the Greek EU Presidency, the European Commission and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder aimed at strengthening the European economy.

    Mr. Simitis stressed that in the Summit meeting a decision should be reached on the opening of the inter-governmental conference in October, which will have to be completed by the Euro-elections in 2004.

    On Turkey, Mr. Simitis made it clear that it will have to make the necessary efforts to comply with the political criteria set in Copenhagen and harmonize its legislation with the European standards. Mr. Prodi underlined that each party knows what its obligations are and stressed that the message to Turkey is clear.


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