Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-10-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES

[02] REFORMS WILL CONTINUE

[03] "KOSMIMA 2005": 10% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRADE VISITORS

[04] GREEK DOCTORS IN HIMARA

[05] GREECE SINCERELY SUPPORTS THE EUROPEAN COURSE OF THE BALKANS

[06] HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EXERCISE "DOLPHIN-2005"

[07] WINTER TIME ON SUNDAY

[01] THESSALONIKI CELEBRATES

The events on the occasion of the threefold celebration in Thessaloniki for the patron Saint Dimitrios feast day, the city liberation in 1912 anniversary and the October 28 national holiday got underway today with the formal doxology at St. Dimitrios church in the presence of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and main opposition Socialist Party leader Giorgos Papandreou.

At noon today, the Prime Minister will depart for London to attend the informal EU Summit meeting this afternoon.

The priceless icon of Saint Dimitrios from the museum of Sassoferrato in Italy will be for a month in the church of St. Dimitrios.

A student parade will take place tomorrow morning and earlier student representatives will lay wreaths at the 3rd Army Corps monument.

The military parade will be held on Friday October 28, while Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias will lay a wreath at the 3rd Army Corps monument and a moment of silence will be observed in the city.

[02] REFORMS WILL CONTINUE

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in statements he made after the formal doxology at the church of St. Dimitrios in Thessaloniki today stressed that the morbid climate cultivated by certain circles will not stop the efforts underway and declared that the government will proceed with the reforms it has announced.

He stressed that the cries of those who want things to remain as they used to be will not have an intimidating or disorientating effect while he noted that the people condemn the practice of bulldozing everything.

Main opposition Socialist Party President Giorgos Papandreou stated that the people feel that Greece is stagnant in the rationale of political party interests, cliental relations, lack of transparency and vision.

[03] "KOSMIMA 2005": 10% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRADE VISITORS

Trade visitors in the 20th KOSMIMA International Exhibition for Jewelry - Clocks & Watches - Precious Stones - Machinery and Equipment reached 5,400, a number that corresponds to a 10% increase compared to last year's event, according to organizer HELEXPO.

The exhibition held at Thessaloniki's International Exhibition Center on October 21-24 became international this year and attracted foreign trade visitors from a total of 16 countries, Australia, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, United States, India, Spain, Israel, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, Holland, Portugal, FYROM and Turkey.

[04] GREEK DOCTORS IN HIMARA

Medical doctors from the University of Ioannina, northwest Greece, offered a hope of life to the people in Himara, south Albania, within the framework of a medical assistance program in cooperation with the Archbishopric of Albania and the Association of Himarans in Athens.

A twelve-member team from the University of Ioannina Gynecology Clinic visited for the first time last week the Albanian city with a population of 2,000 people, the majority of them ethnic Greeks.

The volunteers, doctors and nurses, offered gynecological examinations to 50 women of Greek and non Greek origin.

In statements to ANA-MPA, clinic director Evangelos Paraskevaidis characterized as tragic the fact that women between the ages of 25 and 60 never had a gynaecological examination in the past and pledged that from now on such visits will take place every two or three months even though access to Himara is difficult.

The medical team also visited the clinic operated by the Archbishopric of Albania at Georgusates (near the borders with Greece).

Mr. Paraskevaidis is the founder and president of the Institute of SE Europe for Public Health, an Ioannina-based non governmental organization aimed at protecting and improving public health in the Balkan region.

Since it was founded about three years ago, the Institute is active in Albania and recently in FYROM in the region of Bitola, while there is cooperation between the Medical Schools of the Universities of Ioannina and Skopje.

The visits are being made with the Institute's mobile gynecology unit acquired through the INTERREG program.

[05] GREECE SINCERELY SUPPORTS THE EUROPEAN COURSE OF THE BALKANS

Greece sincerely supports the European prospect of the Balkan countries, stated Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias, while he also referred to the serious developments expected in Kosovo in the following period speaking in a formal lunch today given in his honor by Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis in Thessaloniki.

President Papoulias stated that Greece's neighborhood was never quiet. But Greece always wanted peace, harmonious cooperation and coexistence based on international law and the principle of reciprocity, said Mr. Papoulias, adding that Greece is a sincere supporter of the European prospect of the Balkan countries for greater stability and security in a very sensitive region. However, the future of southeast Europe should be based on historical truth, clear rules and obligations and international law, stated Mr. Papoulias.

On the developments in Kosovo, he expressed the wish that international law principles and the UN Charter will remain in effect and the rights of all populations and the Orthodox cultural heritage will be totally respected while the solution that will be found will be based on the European principles and values. He also said that negotiations on the final status of Kosovo will not be easy or painless.

Greeting the President, Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis stressed that Greece sends out in a tangible way the message that understanding and cooperation are more effective than disagreement and confrontation and solidarity and trust are preferable to suspiciousness and intolerance. He also said that Greece supports its neighbors' European course. He said that Greece respects the history of other nations and wants them to respect its own history as well stressing that it is self-evident that no concession will be made on the history, the symbols and the civilization of our ancestors.

[06] HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EXERCISE "DOLPHIN-2005"

The Greek National Defense General Staff announced that Greece together with 6 Mediterranean Dialogue countries (Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Israel, Morocco and Tunisia) will hold a joint Humanitarian Aid, Research and Rescue Exercise.

The exercise DOLPHIN-2005 will take place on October 30-November 1 in the sea region south of the island of Crete with the participation of sea, land and airborne forces from all seven countries.

A total of 1,100 persons will train together in the exercise with the participation of Navy units, C130 military transport planes and helicopters.

[07] WINTER TIME ON SUNDAY

Clocks in Greece will be switched an hour backwards at 4 am to show 3 am on Sunday, October 30.

The measure is in effect for all European Union countries.

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