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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-08-21

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, August 21, 2001

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

  • NEWS HEADLINES

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

  • [01] VENIZELOS: "NEW BALKANS"
  • [02] PRIME MINISTER OPEN TO POLICY CHANGES
  • [03] DISCOMFORT ON FYROM NAME & SITUATION
  • [04] SIMITIS' MESSAGE
  • [05] SKARAMAGA SHIPYARD CONFLICT
  • [06] 100 SERBIAN CHILDREN VISIT PRESIDENT OF PARLIAMENT
  • [07] MITSOTAKIS RESIGNATION A MISTAKE, HE CLAIMS
  • [08] THE GOVERNMENT'S GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN BUSINESS ACTIVITY
  • [09] RETAIL SALES IN MAY INCREASED BY 8.1%
  • [10] PROBLEMS IN THE OLYMPIC AIRWAYS BUYOUT
  • [11] BUILDING ACTIVITY INCREASE IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
  • [12] THE FIRST VISITORS TO "ATHENS 2004" COME THROUGH THE INTERNET
  • [13] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
  • [14] WARRANT FOR THE ARREST OF CLUB MED HOTEL EXECUTIVES
  • [15] REPPAS: THE ISSUE OF THE ID CARDS HAS CLOSED
  • [16] THE MATERIALIZATION OF THE GREEK RECONSTRUCTION PLAN SHOULD START FROM THESSALONIKI
  • [17] PERSONALIZED POSTAGE STAMPS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS


    NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] VENIZELOS: "NEW BALKANS"

    Cultural Minister Venizelos referred to the "New Balkans 2001" events during a press conference yesterday. As Mr. Venizelos said this program involves 28 program unities, 28 groups of events, for more than 100 single events which will cover the broader region of Macedonia and Thrace and many of them have an international character, at its base, a Balkan character, but not strictly Balkan.

    It is not a character bound to the stereotypes of the Balkans, through which the West has been raised and through these sometimes deforming lenses, tries to understand, what happens in our region, but understanding is not easy at all, when someone is at the mercy of such stereotypes, he cannot approach a subject with a real interest and deep knowledge on such complicated situations as those of the Balkans", noted Mr. Venizelos

    He continued to say that the term "Balkan" is being insisted upon, so as to change the connotations it had in the past and change the stance all Balkan countries have towards it, shunning it and avoiding connection with it. Greece, having a Western tradition from WWII onwards, can use its Balkan culture as a bridge of peace, a field of understanding, a challenge to overcome coincidences and situations which are extremely painful

    Mr. Venizelos also commented on the matter of the FYROM name, and on the situation in the country, underlining that the government's position on FYROM has not changed.

    The basic political choice of the government is the retention of the state's substance and the integrity of FYROM, stressed the Minister of Culture.

    "The basic issue is that of peace and stability in the broader Southern Balkan area. Unfortunately we have a transposition, a constant shifting of the war's focus", he said, adding that the last focus, that of FYROM, was too close to Greece to ignore.

    "We consider that the existence of the neighboring state is a term of security and peace for the region. We want it to remain as a whole state entity and all social and national groups to coexist with prosperity , development and of course their participation in the happenings which are regional and international as their target. So we support any agreement which , which prevents conflict, prevents war, insures peace and social peace and peace with the interpolitical concept of the word. For us that comes first", he pointed out.

    Mr. Venizelos stressed that the Greek position on the name of FYROM has not changed.

    "This state is a member of the UN with the name Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia. The intermediary agreement of New York is still in effect, both the agreement and its procedural framework", he clarified, adding the priorities the situation itself imposes cannot be ignored.

    "The first priority is to stop warfare, so that this state does not collapse, that the borders in the Balkans are not questioned. the constitutional arrangements in the interior of a state are an issue that concerns that state itself and if that arrangement is one between the political powers of that country we cannot hold an opinion on the content or the terms it uses", he said.

    "We are interested in this issue as an international issue, from the view point of international and regional organizations, that of the UN, NATO, EU, OFSE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), and others.

    On this issue he ended by stressing that there was international intermediation in the framework of a constitutional arrangement and that this did not constitute a change in the Greek position.

    "It was an international intermediation, which did not take the form of a arrangement, but that of a political agreement between parties in view of reviewing their Constitution. In the bottom line, the fact that a procedure of constitutional change might be put into action is something useful, something we need to keep note of, because it may especially useful in the future", he surmised.

    [02] PRIME MINISTER OPEN TO POLICY CHANGES

    "The Prime Minister is open to changes in policy refering to issues that need correcting", stressed the Secretary of PASOK's Central Committee, Kostas Skandalidis, in statements made after a meeting he had yesterday afternoon at the Maximos Mansion with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. At the meeting the preparation for PASOK's Central Committee's session to be held on the 31st of August, took place. The PASOK secretary underlined that at the governing party's congress people's problems, the course and the governing of the country will be put forward.

    Although the Prime Minister is ready to make changes in policy on issue that need correction, PASOK cannot lose sight of its goals, because that would endanger what has been achieved so far, so the best combination must be chosen in order for changes to take place that will accelerate the course of our goals' materialization, he stressed.

    Referring to New Democracy he accused the party for lack of political motivation, characteristically pointing out: "Each citizen understands and hears who proposes something to him, what is proposed to him and what is recommended".

    [03] DISCOMFORT ON FYROM NAME & SITUATION

    "We've been discovering with suspense after last Saturdays developments, that the case of Skopje's name has taken a turn to the worse and is insulting our national dignity but also historical truth. The Greek and European position with its carelessness and its compliance and the de facto recognition of Skopje with the name "Macedonia" discomforts and worries us".

    The above statement was made by the mayor of Thessaloniki, Vasilis Papageorgopoulos, in relation to the issue of the recognition of Skopje as "Macedonia".

    "We call the government to take direct responsibility and to correct the error made with the recent signing by the European Union of the Treaty for Skopje, in contradiction to the UN decrees, which temporarily recognize Skopje as FYROM," he ended.

    Distress on the situation was also expressed by the president of the parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis, and he expressed a hope for a final end to confrontations.

    "It's a situation which anyone can characterize as dramatic. I believe that every measure for the safety of the Greek soldiers will be taken", he underlined.

    "The problem has more to do with the character of any peace force sent there - if there is a final decision to send such a force. If there really is an order for disarmament or if there is a repetition of Kossovo, where, really, the supposed peace keeping force was being used as cover for the smuggling through the guarded - supposedly, I stress once more - by UCK soldiers zone, of arms.

    At this moment in Kossovo, NATO forces are making the conflict situation which has arisen in Skopje easier, which supposedly, with the agreement being made, they wanted to stop or to limit", he stressed.

    [04] SIMITIS' MESSAGE

    Prime Minister Kostas Simitis sent out the following message in view of the 66th TIF:

    "Every September Greece turns its eyes to the Thessaloniki International Fair and appreciates how much the past year has moved forward, making an account of the progress made in commerce, industry and economy in general.

    In the TIF, economic happenings, not just of Greece but worldwide, are suffused. The Fair with its events brings into contact and contributes to the cooperation of productive powers from different regions of the planet. Powers that are not afraid of competition, but through which they pursue to better themselves. The TIF promotes multinational cooperation and creation, it cultivates and educates in values and principals of peaceful coexistence, respect towards what is different, common effort for a better tomorrow for everyone.

    The 66th Fair, finds the Greece a member of the Eurozone. In less than 4 months the drachma will begin to be gradually withdrawn and give its place to the Euro, the common currency of the 12 countries. In this new environment Greek economy will face some of its most important challenges. The aim for real convergence promotes the content and the priorities of economic policy in the years to come.

    The extrovert orientation of Greek economy and the constant and greater interconnection with globalized economy are conscious choices. The creation of a favorable climate for more investments is , also, a conscious choice. That requires stable conditions, but also further deepening of structural changes, the release of the country's productive potential and the strengthening competitive conditions.

    The vivification of enterpreneurship, with motivation for enterpreneural initiatives will allow Greece to realize the developmental leap which will bring her to the same level with the other European countries. In the new international conditions which are being formed, the roles of state and private bodies become counterpart. The state intervenes to secure competition, the eurhythmic function of the markets, but also equal chances for all citizens. At the same time, it limits the inequities created by the market and promoted by social cohesion.

    Today, Greece is carefully laying the foundation for a self sustaining development. From one end of the country to the other projects are under way that make distances smaller, make communication easier, improve the quality of life, upgrade the environment, and strengthen the equal development of the center and the periphery.

    Northern Greece has a strong productive web with an intense export orientation. With works taking place and trails opening to Central and Eastern Europe, the last few years creative powers have been unleashed. In the bipolar postwar world Northern Greece was in the periphery, today it is the crossroads of a region with vast potential for development.

    The vision for a metropolitan-Thessaloniki in the 21st Century is achievable. It needs work and will. It demands the mobilization and coiling of us all.

    I wish good luck to the 66th TIF and I am certain that this year's event will be as successful as any other.

    [05] SKARAMAGA SHIPYARD CONFLICT

    "We must leave the privatization procedure of the Skaramaga shipyards outside political expediencies and confrontations. And we must all hope that the competition for its privatization which is in process will yield results, because otherwise the consequences will be painful and tragic for the country since they concern it's development and defense.".

    With these words, from the podium of the parliament, the Minister of Development, Nikolaos Christodoulakis, defended yesterday evening the relating bill which has undergone harsh criticisms and disputes from the opposition.

    New Democracy, the Greek Communist Party and the Coalition spoke of shady procedures in the government's approach towards the workers and the selling out of the shipyards.

    These criticisms were caused due to one of the three proposals being turned down because it did not observe one of the terms and prerequisites of the competition, while the other two were under close, detailed and transparent evaluation.

    "The government's first and major priority is the immediate privatization of the Skaramaga shipyards under very specific circumstances and with such criteria as to gain the place they deserve in the European shipyard market", stressed Mr. Christodoulakis characteristically.

    With this issue as a reason, the main opposition party proceeded to an attack on all fronts against the government.

    The president of New Democracy, Kostas Karamanlis, spoke in Parliament of criminal responsibility in relation to the privatization of the shipyards and appealed the constitutionalness in an article of the specific bill on Renewable Energy Sources, thus putting into full effect the aggressive strategy he had mapped out earlier.

    In a meeting over which he presided, upon returning from his vacation, on the position New Democracy should have on the government's policy on privatization, and during that meeting the decision to vote against the bills on the permits of renewable power source and the Skaramagas shipyards was made. "New Democracy will vote against the privatization of the Skaramagas shipyards, even though it is for such an action, because we disagree with the terms under which it is being done. They are surrendering instead of privatizing, they are selling out instead of selling", stated Mr. Karamanlis after the meeting.

    On his side the Parliamentary spokesperson for New Democracy , Prokopis Pavlopoulos, stated that in the case of the Skaramaga shipyards their is an attempt to legalize irregular offers, a fact which has other consequences such as criminal, while the spokesman of New Democracy on this issue, Mr. Karampinas, stressed that the adjustments constitute a flagrant violation of criminal law since they favor one claimant, while the competition is in progress and he spoke of a breach of trust against the public sector.

    [06] 100 SERBIAN CHILDREN VISIT PRESIDENT OF PARLIAMENT

    100 children form Serbia, which are being sheltered for the past few weeks in a summer camp in our country, visited the Greek Parliament yesterday and met with the President of the Parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis.

    Mr. Kaklamanis greeted the children with warm words and stressed that they must be strong and contribute in the next years to the progress of their country.

    "You young people, children, who in the years of carefreeness and playing, for any child, had the misfortune to face responsibilities, obligations and harsh consequences, have already accumulated the experience which must guide you, not sooner or later into this inexhaustible cycle of violence and bloodshed, but to efforts for peace and communication between all young people and all people of the world, which will result in the escape from this vicious circle of violence and blood and the progress of the entire region", underlined the President of the Parliament.

    [07] MITSOTAKIS RESIGNATION A MISTAKE, HE CLAIMS

    The statements of the honorary President of the President of New Democracy, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, during his visit to the mountain village in the Prefecture of Chania, Palia Roumata to meet old friends, caused surprise.

    Mr. Mitsotakis says he was wrong in abandoning the leadership of New Democract after the elections of '93 and that, if he had stayed, he would have become Prime Minister again.

    "In my political life I never fooled anyone. I spoke the truth clearly. What I said I did. When I said that when I would lose the elections I would leave, I left. Looking back now, I judge that if I had stayed, I would have most probably become Prime Minister in 2 years", he said.

    Speaking of the developments in FYROM, Mr. Mitsotakis characterized them as discomforting. "I had foreseen it in time. But there is always a chance to face them", he stressed.

    [08] THE GOVERNMENT'S GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN BUSINESS ACTIVITY

    The strengthening of business activity in the country is the new target set by the Greek government within the framework of the economic policy for the year 2002. This priority and the already expressed position concerning the strengthening of social policy will be reflected in the new state budget, the basic parts of which will be finalized today in an economic staff meeting held under finance minister Yiannos Papantoniou.

    The strengthening of business activity is expected to be underlined both by prime minister Kostas Simitis in his opening speech in Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair next month and the responsible government staff. Already, the ministry of finance is getting ready to table a draft bill in parliament offering taxation incentives to real estate investment companies, overseas shipping and business mergers.

    [09] RETAIL SALES IN MAY INCREASED BY 8.1%

    An increase of 8.1% in retail sales was recorded in Greece in the month of May, according to figures provided by the National Statistics Agency. Retail sales in the month of April had an increase of 7.7%.

    The retail sales in retail department stores increased by 10%, while the food, drink and tobacco sales increased by 8.9%.

    [10] PROBLEMS IN THE OLYMPIC AIRWAYS BUYOUT

    The Olympic Airways buyout faces serious problems. According to the Athens newspaper "Express", the executives of the adviser company Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) came to this conclusion after the first round of negotiations held between representatives of the Greek state and the Axon Airlines Group.

    The same sources pointed out that the demands of the prospective buyer cannot be met without overturning the terms set for the buyout.

    The deadlock has caused strong concern to the government and it has not been clarified yet if the prime minister will refer to the Olympic Airways privatization in his speech in Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair next month.

    [11] BUILDING ACTIVITY INCREASE IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

    The number of building construction permits showed an increase of 8.7% in the two-month period of January-February 2001 compared to the same period last year. The surface corresponding to those permits increased by 25.6%, while the volume increase was 32.6%.

    The biggest increases were recorded in the regions of Athens, eastern Macedonia and Thrace, central Greece and Crete.

    [12] THE FIRST VISITORS TO "ATHENS 2004" COME THROUGH THE INTERNET

    The visitors of the "Athens 2004" site on the Internet reached 2 million in the first two years of the www.athens.olympic.org web site which was launched in July 1999.

    The visitors came from 40 countries and mainly from the United States (about 700.000), Britain (75.000), Australia (70.000), Canada (40.000), Japan (30.000), Mexico (10.000) and New Zealand (10.000). The Greek visitors reached 170.000 and 55% preferred the Greek pages, while 45% opted for the English pages.

    The average visit lasted 8.5 minutes, which is a long time taking under consideration that there are three years left before the Athens Olympic Games. The average visit in Sydney's pages lasted 10 minutes but this was recorded in the last six-month period before the opening of the Olympic Games.

    [13] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

    Marginal gains of 0.02% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the general index rose to 2.687,51 points, while the volume of transactions was at 98.2 million Euro or 33.46 billion drachmas.

    Of the stocks trading today, 197 recorded gains, while 116 had losses and the value of 65 stocks remained stable.

    [14] WARRANT FOR THE ARREST OF CLUB MED HOTEL EXECUTIVES

    The Athens prosecutor will issue a warrant for the arrest of the French executives of the Club Med Hotel in Marathonas, Athens where a freak accident happened last Saturday involving a 7yearold French tourist, who was sucked in by the pool's automatic water recycling system and was killed in a tragic and painful way. The warrant will be issued in case the two will not appear to testify.

    Criminal charges have been filed against the two hotel company representatives, who have not appeared before the authorities yet and against the person responsible for the pool maintenance.

    [15] REPPAS: THE ISSUE OF THE ID CARDS HAS CLOSED

    Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responded to Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All of Greece, who called on the prime minister to review his tactic on the issue of the state-issued identity cards.

    In a written response, Mr. Reppas reiterated that the issue of the ID cards has closed after the decisions issued by the State Council and underlined that the people elect the governments and the Church of Greece has a spiritual and not a political role.

    [16] THE MATERIALIZATION OF THE GREEK RECONSTRUCTION PLAN SHOULD START FROM THESSALONIKI

    The immediate materialization of the Greek Plan for the Reconstruction of the Balkans is imperative to start from Thessaloniki under the coordination of the Ministry of Macedonia- Thrace. The above were stressed by Association of Industries in Northern Greece president Dimitris Simeonidis after the meetings he had in Athens today with prime minister Kostas Simitis and right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis.

    Specifically, Mr. Simeonidis stated that such an important Greek initiative in the Balkans should not be a field of conflict for the ministries of national economy and foreign affairs and function as an opportunity for the cooperation and coordination of the public and private sector.

    Within this framework, proposals were tabled determining the responsibilities of the independent office for the economic cooperation in southeastern Europe, while it was proposed that the coordination of the EU initiative INTERREG III should be undertaken by the ministry of Macedonia-Thrace.

    In addition, it was also requested that the clothing sector participate in the Greek Plan for the Economic Reconstruction of the Balkans as it is a widely shared belief that it has undertaken a greater activity in the region compared to any other sector and at the same time, it meets all preconditions necessary to be included in the Plan.

    [17] PERSONALIZED POSTAGE STAMPS

    The so-called personalized postage stamp will appear in Greece in early September. The new stamps are unique as senders can have their picture printed on them or the picture of any other person. The personalized stamps will have the emblem of the Greek Postal Service printed on their left side, while the picture of the sender will be on its right side.

    Speaking to the Athens newspaper "TA NEA", Greek Postal Service director Andeas Taprantzis stated that an effort is being made to boost traditional correspondence in an electronic era in which Internet dominates.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS


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