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Athens News Agency: News in English, 96-12-23

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.forthnet.gr/ape>


NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 23/12/1996 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

  • Premier to meet farmers today as roadblocks lifted
  • Parliament approves 1997 budget
  • New Democracy extraordinary congress for February-March
  • Christmas wishes to expatriate Greeks
  • Tsovolas predicts New Democracy split

    NEWS IN DETAIL

    Premier to meet with farmers today as last roadblocks lifted

    Greece started moving again yesterday as the last of the road blocks on the nation's highways and rail links were lifted by farmers, ending a 24-day protest that had brought the country to a virtual standstill and dealt a crippling blow to the economy.

    But farmers warned they would resume their blockades in mid-January if the government did not review their demands.

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis is scheduled to meet with the leadership of the three main agricultural groups today.

    The final dismantling of the long army of 10,000 tractors parked on roads and railway tracks came after the Pan-Thessaly farmer's committee voted to lift the barricades in a gesture of Christmas good will. "We have a deep religious feeling and it never occured to us that we would cause trouble to the Greek citizen these days since Christmas is one of the greatest feasts of Christiandom," a representative of the farmers' coordinating committee said.

    But as public clean-up crews moved in to clear the roads in various regions, the representative warned that the farmers had not abandoned their demands and would review the situation after the Christmas holidays.

    "Our stance will depend on the government," the representative said.

    The farmers want lower fuel prices, higher price support, lower Value Added Tax (VAT) on equipment and the rescheduling of $1.3 billion in debts.

    Mr. Simitis had stood firm in his position that he would not meet with farmers' representatives as long as the barricades were in place and had made clear that he would rather "go home" instead of bowing to the farmers' demands.

    Parliament approves, 1997 budget

    Parliament approved in the early hours yesterday the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) government's budget for the year 1997, designed to bring Greece closer to fulfilling EU Maastricht criteria.

    The budget was passed with 160 votes in favour and 136 against. Four deputies were absent from the vote.

    Main opposition New Democracy party and Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) party deputies, however, voted in favour of the national defence ministry's budget. Closing a five-day parliamentary debate on the government's economic plans for 1997, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said that the government's budget was the "only conclusive proposition" to the economic problems of the country.

    "Participation in Economic and Monetary Union is a matter of national survival, development and security," the premier said stressing that Greece is last on the list of EU member-states to qualify for EMU membership.

    "The dilemma is clear," he said. "Either Greece will play the ostrich, raising protective walls to international competition, a road amounting to national catastrophe ... or it will get on the road for international competition."

    Stressing that the proposals put forward by the opposition parties would lead nowhere but, rather, would worsen problems, the premier reiterated that "all Greeks should contribute accordingly to the national effort... in order to strengthen those weaker financially."

    "Greece is one of the very few EU countries to give real increases in incomes while also increasing social policy funds," the premier said.

    Accusing the opposition of being overwhelmed by "an atmosphere of misery and barren reaction," the prime minister said that since ruling PASOK took office, inflation has fallen to 7.7 per cent from 12.3 per cent while the deficit came down to 7.6 per cent from 14.2 per cent. He admitted, however, that problems do exist, but expressing the conviction that a huge step towards resolving them will be made in 1997.

    Main opposition New Democracy party leader, Miltiades Evert, described the budget as "a document of political deceit" and a "monument of non- credibility" and "inconsistency."

    Mr. Evert said the government's economic measures were "cruel" and "unfair, " adding that "the low inflation target forecast by the budget is to deceive employees regarding the government's income policy and limit pay increases and pensions."

    "This," Mr. Evert said,"is political deceit."

    New Democracy extraordinary congress for February-March

    The New Democracy party Executive Committee yesterday formally approved leader Miltiades Evert's recommendation for the holding of an extraordinary congress, with most likely dates February 28 or March 2.

    The Committee rejected two proposals by leadership contender George Souflias for discussion and agreement in the party's Political Council on enlarging the representation at the congress from the party base.

    Christmas wishes to expatriate Greeks

    Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis has addressed a message on the occasion of Christmas and the New Year holiday to expatriate Greeks, stressing that their compatriots back home continue to view their achievements with pride.

    "Your compatriots, relatives and all Greeks are proudly mindful of your achievements, because, indeed, with your spiritual and material progress, you do justice to the name of Greece everywhere," he said.

    Tsovolas predicts New Democracy split

    Social Democratic Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas has forecast a break up of the New Democracy party in the life of the present parliament, which will also have repercussions in the ruling PASOK party.

    Speaking in Thessaloniki on the first anniversary of his party's founding yesterday, he said DHKKI must form a broad social-developmental front with the forces of labour and production, which would have to be activated in the framework of a new Europea n progressive movement.

    WEATHER

    Cloudy with local rainfall in western Greece. Rest of the country will be partly cloudy with possible rain at night. Southwestern winds getting stronger in the western regions and the Ionian islands and the eastern parts. Athens partly cloudy with sunny spells and temperatures ranging from 10-18C. Same for Thessaloniki with temperatures between 6-14C.

    SPORTS

    Weekend results of the Greek First Division soccer championship
    Xanthi - Panathinaikos 1 - 3
    Edessa - OFI           1 - 2
    AEK - Veria            3 - 1
    Kavala - Ionikos       2 - 0
    Panahaiki - Heraklis   0 - 0
    Aris - Kastoria        2 - 0
    Athinaikos - Kalamata  1 - 1
    Olympiakos - PAOK      1 - 0
    

    Pyrogos-Apollon match to be played today.

    Standings (points)

    Olympiakos    32
    Panathinaikos 29
    OFI           29
    AEK           26
    Kavala        22
    Pyrgos        21
    Panahaiki     20
    Veria         19
    Kalamata      18
    PAOK          15
    Ionikos       15
    Xanthi        13
    Aris          13
    

    FOREIGN EXCHANGE

    Closing rates - buying U.S. dlr. 245.351 Can. dlr. 179.373 Australian dlr. 195.300 Pound sterling 409.478 Irish punt 407.117 Cyprus pd 519.598 French franc 46.721 Swiss franc 183.837 Belgian franc 7.657 German mark 157.867 Finnish mark 52.969 Dutch guilder 140.695 Danish Kr. 41.291 Swedish Kr. 35.940 Norwegian Kr. 37.976 Austrian Sh. 22.439 Italian lira (100) 16.072 Yen (100) 215.076 Spanish Peseta 1.875 Portuguese Escudo 1.564

    (C.E.)


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