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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-27
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] 28TH OCTOBER NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS BEGIN IN THESSALONIKI
[02] NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN CYPRUS
[03] MINISTERIAL MEETING ON HOUSING THE HOMELESS
[04] PRIME MINISTER HAS WORKING SESSION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
[05] AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT GREECE FROM 13 TO 15 NOVEMBER
[06] SECOND ROUND OF GREEK-TURKISH TALKS WINDS UP IN ATHENS
[07] GREECE TO ALLOW COUNCIL OF EUROPE INSPECTIONS IN JAILS
[08] 4.4 RICHTER EARTH TREMOR OFF KYLLINI
[09] RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES BROUGHT BEFORE EUROPARLIAMENT PASOK
[10] SALARY INCREASES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
[11] NEW PRIME MINISTER IN ALBANIA
[01] 28TH OCTOBER NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS BEGIN IN THESSALONIKI
The city of Thessaloniki yesterday celebrated the anniversary of its
liberation from Ottoman rule and the feast day of its patron Saint
Dimitrios, in the presence of president of the republic Konstantinos
Stefanopoulos. Tomorrow, a large military parade marking the October
28th National Day will take place, with president Stefanopoulos and the
political leadership taking the salute.
[02] NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN CYPRUS
In Cyprus, the October 28th national day will also be celebrated.
Cypriot president Glafkos Kliridis, speaker of the house of
representatives Spyros Kyprianou and Greek ambassador in Nicosia
Kyriakos Rodousakis will take the salute at the parade, from a stand
outside the Greek embassy. Participating in the parade will be
veterans, students and many organisations.
[03] MINISTERIAL MEETING ON HOUSING THE HOMELESS
At a meeting of ministers yesterday, chaired by prime minister Kostas
Simitis, it was ascertained that the government has met the set time
limits for the transfer of the earthquake-stricken population of Attica
to pre-fabricated homes. Environment, planning and public works
minister Kostas Laliotis gave assurances after the meeting that all the
settlements for the people made homeless by the September 7th
earthquake will have been fully organised by December 20th. Priority
will be given to the worst hit areas, such as Menidi, Ano Liosia and
Zefyri, he said. Meanwhile, the main opposition New Democracy party
accused the government of going back on its initial commitment that it
would complete the housing procedure for the earthquake-hit people in
eight weeks. National economy minister Yannos Papantoniou has stated
that the cost to the state of the September 7th earthquake in Attica
amounts to 500 billion drachmas. He also pointed out that in the next
two weeks, the European Union is expected to take important decisions
to cover half the damage, while the rest of the amount will be covered
through loans from the European Investment Bank and national funds.
[04] PRIME MINISTER HAS WORKING SESSION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
Prime minister Kostas Simitis and foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou
met on Tuesday and discussed Greece's moves at the forthcoming Helsinki
summit. Mr Papandreou will meet in Thessaloniki with his Turkish
counterpart Ismail Cem, on the sidelines of the ministerial conference
of the Organisation of Black Sea Cooperation taking place today.
Meanwhile, Greek-Turkish relations were the focus of talks leader of
the Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress Nikos Konstantopoulos had
with Turkish president Suleyman Demirel in Ankara on Tuesday.
[05] AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT GREECE FROM 13 TO 15 NOVEMBER
American president Bill Clinton is to visit Greece from November 13th
to 15th, according to the agenda of his tour of the Balkans that was
released on Tuesday. After Athens, president Clinton is scheduled to
visit Constantinople to attend the summit of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe. Earlier, Washington denied reports
that American secretary of state Madeleine Albright was planning to
visit Athens prior to Mr Clinton's arrival.
[06] SECOND ROUND OF GREEK-TURKISH TALKS WINDS UP IN ATHENS
Greek and Turkish experts wound up the second round of talks in Athens
on Tuesday and decided that joint committees of experts be set up to
check the contents of Greek and Turkish history, geography and
environment textbooks for primary and secondary schools.
[07] GREECE TO ALLOW COUNCIL OF EUROPE INSPECTIONS IN JAILS
The Greek justice ministry is to open the gates of prisons and mental
institutions so that the Council of Europe can check conditions there.
Justice minister Evangelos Yannopoulos has said overcrowding was the
main problem.
[08] 4.4 RICHTER EARTH TREMOR OFF KYLLINI
An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale, which occurred in the
prefecture of Ilia yesterday with its epicentre in the sea region off
the coast of Kyllini, has caused concern to the inhabitants.
[09] RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES BROUGHT BEFORE EUROPARLIAMENT PASOK
Eurodeputies Katiforis and Efthimiou have brought back before the
European parliament the issue of the return of the Parthenon marbles to
Greece Their initiative followed a recent decision by the British House
of Commons Culture Committee, which called for an inquiry regarding the
return of cultural treasures illegally imported to Britain.
[10] SALARY INCREASES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
Finance undersecretary Nikos Christodoulakis has announced 2.1 to 2.9
percent salary increases for civil servants in the year 2000, at a
meeting he had with the board of the Civil Servants' Union on Tuesday.
[11] NEW PRIME MINISTER IN ALBANIA
Albanian prime minister Pandeli Majko's resignation, 15 days after his
defeat in the elections for the ruling Socialist party's leadership, is
marking a change of the political scene in Albania. Albanian president
Rexhep Mejdani yesterday accepted Mr Majko's resignation, while the
ruling Socialist party appointed deputy premier Ilir Meta to replace
him. President Mejdani asked the outgoing prime minister to remain at
his post until a new government is formed.
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