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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-01-26Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, January 26, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] PREMIER: PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE HELD THE YEAR 2000Thessaloniki, January 26 (MPA)In a televised interview broadcast last night, Prime Minster Kostas Simitis stated categorically that the country's parliamentary elections will be held the year 2000, and ruled out the possibility of having dual elections in June, when the Euro-parliamentary elections are to be held.The Premier emphasized his determination to complete his government's task, that is to lead the country to the Economic and Monetary Union, and expressed his conviction that the Greek people will reward this effort by voting PASOK again. He cited the impressive drop in inflation, which was at 9 per cent three years ago, had dropped under 4 per cent and it is expected to decline to 2.5 per cent by the end of the year, which he called unprecedented for Greece. In regards to the educational reform, Mr. Simitis stated that the present educational system is in need of change. "The education reform is necessary and needs time since it starts from kindergarten and ends with the university," he said. A.F. [02] PREMIER: EVERY TYPE OF REFORM BRINGS REACTIONAthens, January 26 (MPA)Every type of reform is met with reactions, otherwise it would constitute simple management, stated the Greek Prime minster Kostas Simitis, during a televised interview, in regards to the crisis in the education sector.Furthermore, the Premier ruled out the possibility of dual elections in June, where the Euro-parliamentary elections will be held, by stating that he is not about to toy with the country's accession to the EMU. Furthermore, Mr. Simitis referred to the founder of PASOK, the late Andreas Papandreou, and said that he sees himself continuing the policy inaugurated in 1993 by Mr. Papandreou. A.F. [03] IOC PRESIDENT: ATHENS HAS NO INVOLVEMENT IN BRIBERY SCANDALAthens, January 26 (MPA)The President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch has stated that Athens is not involved in any way whatsoever in the recent scandal of corruption surrounding Salt Lake City's successful bid for the 2002 winter games and, as it later emerged, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.Speaking to an Athens daily, Mr. Samaranch categorically stated that "the acts of those members who violated the principles of the Olympic oath do not concern the undertaking of the 2004 Olympic Games by Athens." Craig Reedie, the chairman of the British Olympic Association, has also said that there is no evidence linking the Greek capital and its hosting of the 2004 Olympics with the bribery scandal. Six members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be temporarily suspended until March, when the recommendation for their expulsion is put before a special meeting of the IOC general assembly. Mr. Samaranch, who has served as the IOC's president for 18 consecutive years, stated that he does not plan to step down. "I was chosen by the IOC members and not some outsiders," he stated, adding that he plans to ask for a vote of confidence in March. A.F. [04] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH TEACHERS AGAIN TODAYAthens, January 26 (MPA)Education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis is to hold another meeting today with the administrative council of the Secondary Education Teachers' Federation (OLME), in order to finalize his answers regarding their proposed changes in the beleaguered academic reforms.Following last night's four-hour meeting held between Mr. Arsenis and OLME officials, both sides stated that the talks were held in a calm and friendly climate. Mr. Arsenis stated that the school occupations have dwindled remarkably throughout the country and expects schools to begin operating normally within the next few days. A.F. [05] MAJORITY IS AGAINST EDUCATIONAL REFORM, ACCORDING TO POLLThessaloniki, January 26 (MPA)A recent poll conducted by the V. PRC agency, revealed that 57.2% of those questioned are opposed to the educational reforms, while 30.1% view them as positive.The questionnaire, published today in an Athens daily, also states that 51.6% of those polled see the reformed system as worse than the previous one, while 32.1% believe it is an improvement, and 76,9% asks that the implementation of the reforms be canceled, whereas 15% want the changes enforced immediately. In regards to the rallies and school occupations conducted by students, 54.7% of those polled believe that the students are acting spontaneously, 27.3% suspect that they are incited by the political parties and 12.1% believe that they are being led by the teachers. A.F. [06] STEPHANOS MANOS TO ESTABLISH POLITICAL PARTYThessaloniki, January 26 (MPA)Independent deputy Stephanos Manos, who served as minister of national economy when the main opposition New Democracy party was in power, announced yesterday evening that he intends to establish a political party."Our aim is to create a new political force which, during the upcoming national elections, will seek the Greek people's vote in order to change Greece and reduce the power and influence of the parties and mechanisms in the Greek society." In his address given before an audience in Athens, Mr. Manos spoke harshly of the recent governments and also exerted intense criticism against the present policy and tactic followed by New Democracy. A.F. [07] HELLENIC PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S RISTICAthens, January 26 (MPA)The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis received the chief of the Yugoslav Parliament's foreign affairs committee, Lubise Ristic, in Athens yesterday, with who he discussed the latest developments in Kosovo.The Yugoslav official expressed his country's concern over a possible military intervention in Kosovo by NATO, following the recent events in Racak. He said that his country's position is that the problem must be resolved with political negotiating which will secure the autonomy of Albanians and all other minorities in Kosovo within the borders of the Yugoslav state. In turn, Mr. Kaklamanis said the events taking place since the dissolution of Yugoslavia to date confirm the rational view of the two peoples skeptical of the role played by foreign interests in the Balkan region. "We must not facilitate this tactic since, as we already know, the presentation of issues concerning our region by the international media is not objective but is guided by the big interests which control them. In any case, the right to each state's defense should correspond to the extent of a threat," he said. A.F. [08] EU GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL: POLITICAL, NOT MILITARY, SOLUTION IN KOSOVOBrussels, January 26 (MPA)Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who are participating in the verification mission assigned to Kosovo, have discovered the bodies of five Albanian rebels, among them two children, in the village of Rokovia is southwest Kosovo.The observers have stated that he victims, who seemed to be family members, were killed with automatic rifles. Meanwhile, European Union Foreign Ministers, who met in Brussels yesterday to discuss the Kosovo issue, agreed that the crisis needs to be resolved through political, not military means. A.F. [09] RADIO SYMBAN'S LIVE BROADCASTS WITH AUSTRALIA'S GREEKSSidney, January 26 (MPA)Sidney's Greek-Australian radio station Symban is to feature live broadcasts every Thursday morning where the listeners will have the opportunity to communicate on the air with others in Greece.Reporter V.A. Labropoulos and anchorman George Tzarimas will be in charge of the program. Radio Symban (FM151615) broadcasts in Sidney and Canberra, while it will soon begin transmission in Melbourne. A.F. [10] BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF GREEKS IN BRITAIN PUBLISHEDLondon, January 26 (MPA)The Press Bureau of the Archbishopric of the British Isles has published a 900-page book on the history and roots of Hellenism in Great Britain, titled "The roots of the Hellenes living in Great Britain".The book, written in the English language and divided into 29 chapters, refers to Byzantine emperor Manuel the Second Paleologos' historic visit to London to ask for help from the then-King of England for the protection of Constantinople which was threatened by the Ottoman Empire. A.F. [11] STATE COUNCIL ISSUES TEMPORARY BAN ON HUNTING MIGRATORY BIRDSAthens, January 26 (MPA)The state council has issued a decision banning the hunting of 18 types of migratory birds from the 1st to the 28th of February.The fifth department of the Supreme Court of Appeal has overruled on the Agriculture Ministry's decision (which stipulated that the hunting period lasts until late February, except for four species) finding that does not take into consideration the views of hunting and ecological associations and does not include any scientific study establishing that these species of birds are not endangered. A.F. [12] ROMANIA: COAL MINERS RETURN TO WORKBucharest, January 26 (MPA)About 15,000 Romanian coal miners returned to work today, following a strike that lasted over two weeks, according to the country's Industry Ministry.The coal miners demanded a 35% salary increase and the recall of a governmental decision to close on non- profitable mines. Although it has not been publicized what was agreed upon between the state and the protesters, the coal miners have said they will march to Bucharest again if the agreement is not honored. A.F. [13] EU COMMISSION WISHES REVIVAL OF DIALOGUE WITH TURKEYBrussels, January 26 (MPA)The European Commission wishes the revival of talks with Turkey, stated the Commission's Chairman Jacques Santer during the EU Council meeting yesterday.As the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported, Mr. Santer expects the realization of the European Strategy for Turkey, which was approved by the Cardiff and Vienna Summits during Germany's term as president of the EU. The said strategy cannot be implemented since certain EU member-states, among them Greece, stress that Turkey has not met the set requirements. A.F. [14] KOSOVO: SERBS ALLOW HAGUE PROSECUTOR TO ENTERBelgrade, January 26 (MPA)The prosecutor of the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague Louse Arbour will be allowed to travel to Kosovo, but she may not conduct any investigation in the region, according to Yugoslav press reports.The Yugoslav authorities say that the Tribunal has no jurisdiction in Kosovo where Serb police and troops are fighting the rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) and where 90 percent of the population are ethnic Albanians. Ms. Arbour was turned back at the border when she tried to enter Kosovo via FYROM in order to investigate the alleged massacre of 45 Albanians. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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