Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-05-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] A FRAMEWORK FOR A NEW EUROPE

[02] A JERUSALEM DELEGATION TO THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

[03] GREEN LIGHT FOR THE BUYOUT OF THE BULGARIAN EUROBANK BY THE BANK OF

[04] A GREEK CONTRACTOR UNDERTAKES THE BULGARIAN RAILWAY PROJECT

[05] THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT MEETING

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT MEETING

[01] A FRAMEWORK FOR A NEW EUROPE

The Council of Europe Summit Meeting takes place today and tomorrow in Warsaw, a city of symbolic importance for the history of Europe, with the participation of state and government leaders from the 46 countries-members of the Council of Europe among them, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

The Summit will record the Council's role in the new European and world environment and reconfirm commitment to the protection of human rights.

On the sidelines of the Summit, the Prime Minister will meet with the Ukrainian President and the Prime Ministers of Slovenia and Portugal.

A meeting of Cypriot Republic President Tassos Papadopoulos with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not been confirmed.

A special emphasis is expected to be given in the Summit to the crime of human trafficking, money laundering, corruption, organized crime, violence targeting children, terrorism, the protection of ethnic minorities, the use of Internet, the free movement of European citizens across the European continent, and the situation of immigrants and the displaced.

[02] A JERUSALEM DELEGATION TO THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem has allegedly sent his personal friends and close associates Metropolitan Bishop Kyriakos of Nazareth and Archimandrite Irenaeus to the Ecumenical Patriarchate where Patriarch Irenaeus was invited to go himself.

According to information from Istanbul, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expects the arrival of Patriarch Irenaeus today. A final decision on the issue will be reached tomorrow in the Patriarchate's Synod meeting.

Meanwhile, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem hierarchs wait for the formal statement of the Jordanian monarch ratifying the dethronement of Patriarch Irenaeus before launching the procedures for the election of a vicar.

[03] GREEN LIGHT FOR THE BUYOUT OF THE BULGARIAN EUROBANK BY THE BANK OF PIRAEUS

The 50-million euro buyout agreement concerning 99.66% of the Bulgarian Eurobank by the Greek Bank of Piraeus was effectively sealed with the approval of the buyout by the Central Bank of Bulgaria.

After the Eurobank buyout, the Bank of Piraeus will have a 3.6% share in the Bulgarian banking market. For the record, the Greek bank had a significance presence in Bulgaria since 1993 but it had repeatedly expressed its intention to further expand in the market of the neighboring country.

[04] A GREEK CONTRACTOR UNDERTAKES THE BULGARIAN RAILWAY PROJECT

The Greek contractor company TERNA Ltd took over the 340-million-euro project concerning the upgrading and electrification of the Bulgarian railway network linking Plovdiv with Svilegrad.

However, the Bulgarian Minister of Finance has clarified that negotiations will take place with the contractor before the final agreement is signed.

The modernized railway network will mean that trains will move with a speed of 120kms/hour. It is the largest project in Bulgaria that is being financed by European community funds. The project will be completed in 3-4 years.

[05] THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT MEETING

One of the government's main priorities is to combat corruption, stressed Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis speaking in the Council of Europe 3rd Summit Meeting of the heads of states and governments taking place in Warsaw. Mr. Karamanlis welcomed the Council's efforts to jointly face the challenges set by corruption, organized crime and drug trafficking.

Mr. Karamanlis pointed out that in the 21st century the battle against terrorism has become a top priority. He stressed that the Council of Europe has already entered the international effort to counter terrorism but the work toward this direction will have to intensify keeping in mind the importance of human rights, fundamental freedoms, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

He underlined that the Council of Europe, born from the ashes of WWII, undertook the task to protect human rights in an effective way and continue to preserve its usefulness in the 21st century but it will have to be reformed to be in the position to respond effectively to the new challenges of our time and the reunited European continent.

The organization's foundations which are based on Democracy, Human Rights and the State of Law are strong and firm but they need improvement, he said, pointing out that he is convinced that one of the most effective ways to achieve that is to strengthen the European Court for Human Rights.

Mr. Karamanlis underlined the need to shield the European Court for Human Rights, which has evolved into the most functional and effective means for the protection of human rights in Europe. He added that a big step toward this direction is the agreement on the final text of Protocol 14 during the 114th Ministerial Meeting in Strasburg. Greece has already begun the ratification process and Mr. Karamanlis called on all partners to do the same.

He also mentioned that the new, still emerging European architecture demands close cooperation between the Council of Europe and other institutions such as, the European Union, the OSCE and the United Nations.

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT MEETING

The future goals and priorities of the Council of Europe are being examined in the Summit Meeting that takes place in Warsaw, points out Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

In a statement, he underlined that the main objectives of the Council is to deal with terrorism, protect minorities, combat organized crime and corruption, and discuss the issue of immigration and mainly, the protection of human rights through the reform of the European Court for Human Rights.

Mr. Karamanlis also referred to the fact that the court's decisions are not being observed as well as, to the two-year suspension of the decision on the Loizidou case putting at risk the credibility of the court decisions and human rights in Europe.

On the sidelines of the Summit Meeting, the Prime Minister met with his counterparts from Slovenia and Portugal and the President of Ukraine.

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