Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-06-26
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 26, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TERRORIST ORGANIZATION "17 NOVEMBER" LEAFLET
[02] THE NUMBER OF TEENAGE DRUG USERS INCREASES
[03] BIG LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[04] MPA- CENTRAL MACEDONIA REGION COOPERATION
[05] REPPAS: THE GREEK ECONOMY HAS A GOOD COURSE
[06] FORMER US PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH IN SAMOTHRACE
[07] THE CRISIS IN FYROM WILL BE DEFUSED
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] TERRORIST ORGANIZATION "17 NOVEMBER" LEAFLET
Terrorist organization "17 November" in a propaganda leaflet
sent to the Athens newspaper "Eleftherotipia" refers to the bomb
attack against right-wing opposition party of New Democracy
parliament deputy Vasilis Michaloliakos that took place outside
his apartment building in Piraeus six months ago, and fingers as
perpetrators the US secret services. It is stressed that the
attack was used as a means to exert pressure on the Greek
government to pass the anti-terrorist law in the Greek parliament.
In its propaganda leaflet "17 November" stresses that the law
against terrorism and organized crime in effect tears up the Greek
constitution. The terrorist organization maintains that there is
no evidence against it, launches an attack against the minister of
public order and denies that it is a nationalist organization.
[02] THE NUMBER OF TEENAGE DRUG USERS INCREASES
The number of teenage drug users is on the rise, while the
drug-related deaths are also on the increase.
Today, the World Day Against Drugs, there is a lot of concern
over the fact that the number of drug-users between the ages of 13
and 15 is on the rise. A research conducted by the Addicted
Individuals Treatment Center on a sample of 7.450 people showed
that the number of teenage cannabis users has increased
considerably. Specifically, five years ago 10.4% of the teenagers
smoked cannabis but in the past year increased to 21.5%.
The only optimistic fact is that in the five-year period of
1995-2000 the number of young addicts seeking help in special
centers increased by 655%, while the number of girls seeking help
is more than double compared to boys.
Also, in the last five years the number of drug-related
deaths in Greece increased by 81.5%. According to the annual
report by the European Drug and Drug-addiction Watch Center,
Greece together with Ireland and Portugal are among the EU states
where there is a notable increase in the drug-related deaths,
while in Spain, France, Italy and Germany the number of drug-
deaths has decreased or stabilized.
According to official figures, one in seven Greek teenagers
between the ages of 13 and 18 has inhaled substances like gasoline
and glue that can be found easily on the market.
The number of heroin users in Greece is on the decline and
from 83% dropped to 73.7% in a period of five years, while the
cocaine users are just 2.6% compared to other drug-users.
[03] BIG LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The big losses continue in the Athens Stock Exchange. The
general index dropped to -2.37% at 2.638,27 points, while the
volume of transactions was at 180.64 million Euro or 61.56 billion
drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 81 recorded gains and 252 had
losses, while the value of 48 stocks remained stable.
[04] MPA- CENTRAL MACEDONIA REGION COOPERATION
A systematic cooperation for better access to information for
the Greeks of the Diaspora concerning the loans for the Greeks
abroad, and the naturalization of immigrants and repatriated
Greeks will be launched between MPA and the office of the Central
Macedonia Region (CMR), according to a statement made to reporters
by CMR general secretary Vasilis Valasopoulos. The statement was
made today on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony for 60
Greeks from the former Soviet Union countries who received the
Greek citizenship.
Mr. Valasopoulos pointed out that one of the most important
activities within the framework of the CMR cooperation with MPA is
the publication of printed material in Greek, Albanian, Russian,
and Bulgarian that will include the institutional framework
concerning issues like citizenship, immigrants and loans. This
printed material will be distributed to every municipality in CMR
and in the consulates abroad for the better information of those
interested.
Bilateral cooperation between MPA and CMR will also focus on
the dissemination of local and regional news to the whole country
and the Greek communities abroad.
[05] REPPAS: THE GREEK ECONOMY HAS A GOOD COURSE
Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas refrained from any
comment on the operation of the Greek stock market, stating that
he did not want to be regarded as an intervention.
However, responding to the question on whether the way the
market operates today is due to the government uncertainty, he
said that the party congress of the socialist governing party of
PASOK that will take place in October will be a party congress of
unity and clarified that there should not be a talk about
uncertainty and fluidity.
He said that the course of the Greek economy is good and it
is placed among the strongest in the world, while the Greek stock
market has been upgraded and now it is in a transitional period
waiting for the mature markets' investors to express interest.
[06] FORMER US PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH IN SAMOTHRACE
Former US president George Bush Sr. continued his cruise of
the Aegean islands on board the yacht "Alexandros" and today he
visited the island of Samothrace in northern Aegean.
He said that he will tell to his fellow Americans that Greece
is the place for their vacations and added that he liked
Samothrace very much, stressing that he liked every Aegean island
he visited.
Referring to the local people, he said that they are very
friendly and added that it is very nice to ask you "How are you
Mr. President?" and "Are you having a good time in Greece?"
[07] THE CRISIS IN FYROM WILL BE DEFUSED
There is no reason for the Greek armed forces to be in a
heightened state of preparedness, stressed government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas commenting on the situation in the neighboring
FYROM.
Mr. Reppas stated that the crisis does not affect Greece in
such a degree to cause concern and added that the government
believes that the crisis will be defused.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
|
