Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-01-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] PAPANDREOU: YESTERDAY'S DECISION WAS HARD

[02] NEW OPINION POLL ON PAPANDREOU AND KARAMANLIS

[03] REACTION BY POLITICAL PARTIES

[04] INTERVENTION BY THE PROSECUTOR ON THE ALLEGATIONS OF FORGED SIGNATURES

[05] BEGLITIS: THE ANNAN PLAN IS A FIRM BASIS FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS

[06] NEW DEMOCRACY IS LEADING PASOK WITH 3.3%

[07] FIDEL CASTRO ASKED THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO SEND BOOKS TO CUBA ON

[01] PAPANDREOU: YESTERDAY'S DECISION WAS HARD

Political developments in the governing Socialist Party of PASOK are rapid. Deputy Finance Minister Christos Pachtas resigned yesterday evening after the noise caused by a rider added to a bill for the expansion of Porto Carras Hotel in Chalkidiki, northern Greece.

After the resignation of Mr. Pachtas, PASOK's Central Committee Secretary Michalis Chrisochoidis announced the party decision to proceed with the removal from the party's ticket of Mr. Pachtas, and parliament deputies Anthopoulos, Vougias, Diamantis, Katsanevas, Kirkos, Kourouplis, Stratilatis, Floros and Chrisanthakopoulos. According to the decision, the parliament deputies who signed the rider hurt the party's prestige with their action.

Foreign Minister and governing Socialist Party of PASOK future president Giorgos Papandreou stated that it was a hard decision, referring to yesterday's resignation of Deputy Finance Minister Christos Pachtas and the removal of nine PASOK Parliament deputies from the party's ticket.

Speaking in Antirio, southern Greece, today Mr. Papandreou stated that he honors the work and contribution of his colleagues underlining that the Greek people demand no gray shadows in political life.

He said that there is a need to have a Parliament that will check and be checked, adding that there is also a need for a government that will allow the citizen to participate.

[02] NEW OPINION POLL ON PAPANDREOU AND KARAMANLIS

Giorgos Papandreou is most popular among women, the young, the wage earners and those with a higher education compared to Kostas Karamanlis, who is most popular among the pensioners and the farmers, according to an opinion poll by polling company Metron Analysis conducted on behalf of the Athens newspaper TA NEA during the period of January 10-14. In the opinion poll, held across the country, participated a total of 1,416 people over the age of 18.

Specifically, women (50.6%) believe that Giorgos Papandreou is most fit for the post of the Prime Minister compared to Kostas Karamanlis (39%), while the support of male voters is almost equally divided between the two. Specifically, Papandreou has 43% and Karamanlis 44.4%.

Responding to the question, who they believe is most fit for the post of the Prime Minister, Papandreou has the support of the voters with higher education (46.8%) compared to Karamanlis' 37.5%.

New Democracy and Karamanlis lead among pensioners and farmers with 49.9% compared to PASOK's 36.9%.

The Metron Analysis opinion poll confirms that PASOK leads over New Democracy in the 18-24 age group with 10 percentage points, while PASOK is also strong in the 35-44 age group compared to New Democracy, which has the support of the over 55 age group.

[03] REACTION BY POLITICAL PARTIES

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos stated that corruption has many faces commenting on the occasion of the resignation of Deputy Finance Minister Christos Pachtas and the removal of other nine governing Socialist Party of PASOK parliament deputies from the party ticket.

Responding to Mr. Pachtas, who made accusations against New Democracy regarding the issue of Porto Carras Hotel, in Chalkidiki northern Greece, Mr. Rousopoulos stressed that New Democracy did its duty when it revealed a political crime and unveiled the extent of corrosion in the country.

The Greek Communist Party accused Giorgos Papandreou of exploiting the Pachtas case to erase his own participation in the anti-popular work of the government.

Speaking in the radio station Sky, Communist Party General Secretary Aleka Papariga stated that everybody in the governing Socialist Party of PASOK are responsible for the scandal in Chalkidiki stating that the article 24 of the Constitution has been approved opening the door to similar situations.

Referring to Chalkidiki, Mrs. Papariga stated that there is a plan for the region to be used as a NATO and tourist area.

The view that the resignation of Deputy Finance Minister Christos Pachtas and the removal of other nine parliament deputies, linked with the scandalous rider included in the bill on the residential exploitation of a forest area in Chalkidiki, will not free PASOK from its responsibilities on the case, was expressed by Coalition of the Left leader Nikos Konstantopoulos referring to the current political developments.

Democratic Social Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas launched an attack against the government and PASOK's Executive Bureau regarding the Pachtas case expressing the view that the 10 parliament deputies, Mr. Pachtas included, should not be allowed to stay in the current Parliament. He added that the 10 continue to be members of the current Parliament because, obviously, their vote is valuable to the government until the final hour.

[04] INTERVENTION BY THE PROSECUTOR ON THE ALLEGATIONS OF FORGED SIGNATURES

The allegations made by certain of the governing Socialist Party of PASOK parliament deputies, who were removed from the party's ticket, according to whom their signatures found below the rider included in a bill concerning the expansion of Porto Carras Hotel in Chalkidiki, northern Greece were forged, caused the intervention of the prosecutor's office.

The prosecutor has asked to receive the relevant television material to be briefed on the case.

[05] BEGLITIS: THE ANNAN PLAN IS A FIRM BASIS FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS PROBLEM

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis, on the occasion of the statement issued by the Turkish National Security Council, expressed the belief that Turkey's National Security Council attempts to place the solution of the Cyprus problem on a different framework than the UN resolutions and the Annan Plan.

The statement issued by the Turkish National Security Council is in conflict with the EU decisions as well, within the framework of the Euro-Turkish relations and Turkey's European course, stated Mr. Beglitis. He added that the UN Secretary General plan continues to be for Greece a firm basis for the continuation of negotiations aimed at a fair, viable and functional solution in Cyprus in compliance with international law and the European standards.

[06] NEW DEMOCRACY IS LEADING PASOK WITH 3.3%

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy is leading the governing Socialist Party of PASOK with 3.3%, according to an opinion poll conducted by the polling company DHMEL in the period January 12-19. The opinion poll is published on today's issue of the Athens newspaper Kosmos tou Ependiti.

Based on the new opinion poll, the distance between the two main political parties in Greece has been reduced from 7.5 percentage points to 3.3 percentage points. On which party the people intend to vote for, New Democracy is leading with 41.4% followed by PASOK with 38.1%, the Greek Communist Party 5.4%, Coalition of the Left 2.7%, Democratic Social Movement 1.4%, LAOS 1.1% and other party 1.2%.

More popular politician is Giorgos Papandreou with 52% followed by Kostas Karamanlis with 45%. The people regard the economy, unemployment, health, education, pension and social security as the major problems faced by the Greek society.

[07] FIDEL CASTRO ASKED THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO SEND BOOKS TO CUBA ON THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY OF MOUNT ATHOS

Cuban leader Fidel Castro asked for the assistance of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos for books on the monastic community of Mount Athos and Christianity to be sent to Cuba during a dinner given in Havana yesterday by Greek-American businessman Yiannis Katsimatidis, the financial sponsor of the church of Saint Nikolaos in the Cuban capital.

Speaking to the Greek reporters covering the formal visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch to Cuba, Fidel Castro said that he would like to visit Greece especially during the Athens Olympic Games but he has no visa.

The main issue of discussion during the dinner was education at a time characterized internationally by a crisis in values.

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