Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-04-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE PEOPLE TONIGHT

[02] KARAMANLIS: "WE ARE DOOMED TO SUCCEED" IN THE ORGANIZING OF THE OLYMPIC

[03] EARTHQUAKE SHOOK THE GREEK-ALBANIAN BORDERS

[04] PAPANDREOU: "YES" TO THE ANNAN PLAN

[05] ALOGOSKOUFIS: VERY UNPLEASANT SITUATION IN PUBLIC FINANCES

[06] INFLATION AT 2.7% IN MARCH

[07] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

[08] GREECE'S LETTER TO THE UN

[01] THE CYPRIOT PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE PEOPLE TONIGHT

The scene in Cyprus regarding the stance of the political parties toward the Annan Plan and the April 24 referendum will start clearing up tonight with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos' televised address to the people.

Cypriot President Papadopoulos will announce his positions at 9pm tonight and according to speculation, his response to the Annan Plan will be negative. According to information, in favor of the plan is the majority of the AKEL Political Bureau (10 in favor, 4 against and 3 abstentions) while party general secretary Dimitris Christofias has not expressed his position yet.

The issue will be discussed in the AKEL Central Committee meeting on Holy Friday and in the party congress on April 14.

In favor of the plan is Alekos Markidis, president of the Renewal Movement and former Attorney General.

[02] KARAMANLIS: "WE ARE DOOMED TO SUCCEED" IN THE ORGANIZING OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

With the phrase we are doomed to succeed, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis sends his message on the Olympic Games that will be held in Athens in August in his first interview with the official magazine of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee ATHENS.04.

Even though the timetables are pressing, according to Mr. Karamanlis, he appears optimistic by saying that every time the Greeks decide to cooperate they achieve great things. At the same time, he stresses that Greece guarantees the safety of the Olympic Games.

The Prime Minister tells his view of nine Olympic Gold medallists and responding to the question in which sport he would like to compete as an athlete, he said that he would like to be a member of the coaching team of the Olympic Football Team.

[03] EARTHQUAKE SHOOK THE GREEK-ALBANIAN BORDERS

No damages were recorded as a result of the earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale that was recorded at 4:30am today at the Greek-Albanian borders, 70 kilometers west of the northwestern Greek city of Florina. The quake was felt in the prefectures of Florina and Kastoria alarming the people.

Scientists have to wait for 48 hours before reaching safe conclusions on whether this earthquake was the main one. No aftershocks have been recorded in the region.

Thessaloniki's Aristotle University seismologist Manolis Skordilis stated to MPA that the specific region gives strong earthquakes. He stated that an earthquake of 6.5 on the Richter scale was recorded in 1960, while an earthquake of 6.7 on the Richter scale shook the region of Ochrid in 1911.

[04] PAPANDREOU: "YES" TO THE ANNAN PLAN

Main opposition party of PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou said yes to the Annan Plan this afternoon in statements he made after a long meeting in view of the referendums in Cyprus. In the meeting were present members of the party Executive Bureau, former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, party officials with experience in the areas of foreign affairs and defense and former European Commissioners.

Mr. Papandreou stressed that the Annan Plan cannot be evaluated isolated from its past and it should be judged based on its future in the European Union. Mr. Papandreou acknowledged that the plan includes difficult regulations pointing out, however, that a yes will be a brave, historical and patriotic stance.

In any case, Mr. Papandreou said that PASOK is going to support the Cypriot people regardless of their decision.

He also accused the government of defeatism and underlined that no responsible leadership has the right to be silent.

Mr. Papandreou stated that at the initiative of PASOK the European Socialist Party is going to proceed with the establishment of a special committee in the Euro-Parliament to monitor the implementation of the solution in Cyprus.

[05] ALOGOSKOUFIS: VERY UNPLEASANT SITUATION IN PUBLIC FINANCES

The view that the European Commission report confirms the fact that the previous government left public finances in a very unpleasant shape, was expressed by Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis after the meeting he had with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in the presence of Bank of Greece Governor Nikolaos Garganas.

The head of the government's economic staff added that the New Democracy program for the economic growth of the country, employment and social cohesion is going to be implemented taking under consideration the limitations stemming from the existing situation.

The European Commission in its spring report speculates that Greece will exceed the deficit criterion and therefore, in 2004 it will violate the criterion of stability.

[06] INFLATION AT 2.7% IN MARCH

Inflation was at 2.7% in March compared to 2.5% in February, according to the National Statistics Agency in Greece.

Compared to March 2003, the biggest increases were recorded in the sector of alcoholic beverages and tobacco (+7.2%) because of the increases in cigarette prices, in the sector of hotels-coffee shops-restaurants (+4.7%) and in the sector of health (+4.5%) because of the increase in the prices of medical, dental and paramedic services as well as hospital care.

[07] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.16% at 2419.61 points, while the volume of transactions was at 85.3 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 165 had gains and 105 had losses, while the value of 127 stocks remained unchanged.

[08] GREECE'S LETTER TO THE UN

The Greek ambassador to the UN will deliver the Greek government's letter to the United Nations.

In the letter it will be stated that Greece agrees with the founding settlement that provides for two separate referendums in Cyprus. In the letter it will be mentioned that if the referendums will be positive Greece together with the rest guarantor powers will ratify and sign the settlement for the new situation in Cyprus.

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