From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Wed, 20 Apr 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, Parliament opens major tax-bill debate --------------------------------------- Athens, 20/4/1994 (ANA): Interest earnings on repos will be subject to a 15 per cent tax, according to an amendment to the new tax bill Parliament began debating yesterday. Finance Minister Alexandros Papadopoulos announced the amendment, to be incorporated in the tax bill for fiscal 1994, at the opening of a two-day debate in the 300-seat Parliament yesterday. Another amendment raises the overall tax-free ceiling for salary-earners and pensioners to 1.3 million dr. from one million dr. in the original clause of the new bill. The Minister explained that, in addition to the one million dr. tax-free income, an additional 300,000 dr. would be exempt from taxation by including purchase receipts for one million dr. In addition, in the instance of recourse to administrative courts by citizens with "proven extenuating circumstances" (illness, imprisonment, etc.), payment of statutory tax is reduced to 50 per cent pending court ruling. Until now, it was mandatory to pay the whole sum due within specified deadlines regardless of recourse, and any difference arising owing to the court ruling was settled subsequently. Evert: Withdraw bill -------------------- Athens, 20/4/1994 (ANA): Main Opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert called on the government to withdraw the tax bill in order to give it further consideration. Describing the bill as a "colossal moral, social and economic blunder," Mr. Evert told Parliament yesterday it would lead the economy to catastrophe. The leader of the Opposition also blamed the government for forgetting an electoral pledge not to tax interest-earnings on repos. The government should have tabled a development bill prior to a tax bill, Mr. Evert concluded. Finance Minister Alecos Papadopoulos said the tax bill was in line with the government's pre-election policy statements. Mr. Papadopoulos said tax-evation in Greece took the dimensions of "a national tragedy." Civil Servants: amendments only marginal ---------------------------------------- Athens, 20/4/1994 (ANA): A Civil Servants' Union (ADEDY) statement yesterday said amendments brought to the taxation bill debated in Parliament were marginal. "The already meagre incomes earned by those working in the public sector are in danger of bearing an excessive tax-burden, as, despite the small increase in tax credits, the tax scale is not inflation-indexed. Moreover, the measures for fighting tax-evasion are not extended to all types of wealth and all incomes", the statement said. Vartholomeos I appeals for integrating Orthodox peoples in EU -------------------------------------------------------------- Strasbourg, 20/4/1994 (ANA-A. Kourkoulas): Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos I yesterday expressed hope the European Union would expand to include more countries with Orthodox Christian citizens. "Allow us just to express the hope that those peoples will be called soon to participate in the life and institutions of a United Europe," he said addressing a special European Parliament session. Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Patriarchate constitute axes of reference and unity in Europe, unity for which "we have been waging struggles for centuries," he added. The Patriarch referred to major "deadlocks in European life", unemployment and ecology, underlined the "deep roots" of present-day problems suggesting that behind them lay theological doctrines separating Orthodoxy from Western Christian tradition. "Despite universal changes in European history, Old and New Rome (Constantinople) remain as axes of reference and unity for European civilisation," the Patriarch said. "The unification of Europe, to which you have devoted your strength, is a task already known and familiar to the Ecumenical Patriarchate: We have been officiating over a tradition of 17 centuries of care and struggles for the salvation and unity of European civilisation," the Patriarch said. "On the path of Europe and beyond the confines of the present 12-nation European Community, lie other populous nations following in unison, the majority of which uphold Orthodox canon traditions. Allow us just to express the hope that those peoples will be called soon to participate in the life and institutions of a United Europe," the Patriarch added. "It is impressive to note that the profoundly democratic organisation of the Orthodox Church, with its high degree of administrative autonomy and local sovereignty to bishops and Patriarchates of autocephalous Churches, coupled with thanksgiving unity in faith, constitutes already a kind of model, recently initiated by the European Union, in the principle of subsidiarity," he went on. The Patriarch reminded Eurodeputies of the Centre of Orthodoxy's special character and tradition, a tradition which is remote from political and other institutions of power which have been created in the West. "The Ecumenical Patriarchate does not bring to this centre of European Unity prospects of political power, economic efficiency or ideological demands," he said. "Political unity, kept separate from civilisation, namely the concept of human relations, cannot possibly lead to the achievement of a united Europe," the Patriarch added. Referring to present-day civilisation, he underlined two major problems: unemployment and ecology. "It is obvious that neither moral admonitions nor fragmentary fiscal policy measures are adequate to cope with unemployment," the Patriarch said, adding that "from the beginning we should place under critique manifest priorities in our civilisation, the priority of the so-called growth conceived only in terms of 'economic magnitudes'," he said. "We are enclaved by a tyrannical necessity to increase production continuously and, consequently, by the continuous creation of new and more consumer needs," he added. Commenting on the world ecological problem, the Patriarch said it "requires radical revision of our sense of the universe, a different interpretation of matter and the world and attitude toward nature by people, a different interpretation of the concept and use of material goods." "A lack of theological tenets lies behind present-day stalemates in European life," the Patriarch said. Deploring fanaticism and the use of force in the modern world, the Patriarch made special reference to the situation in Gorazde, Bosnia. The relevant extracts from his speech were applauded by various sections of the European Parliament, including those which had raised objections to the idea of inviting the Head of the Orthodox Church to a European Parliament plenary session. European Commission President Jacques Delors had a brief private meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch shortly before the session began and sat through his address. The Patriarch offered Mr. Delors an icon portraying Saint Jacob. After the Patriarch's address, European Parliament President Egon Klepsch said: "By his inspired speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch has shown the way to peace and reconciliation of peoples, and solidarity which should be displayed in every direction." On his arrival, the Patriarch was greeted by Mr. Klepsch and Foreign Under-secretary George Papandreou, who flew to Strasbourg yesterday to attend the special session. Apart from holding talks with President Klepsch, the Patriarch had private meetings with the Parliament's Deputy Presidents and gave commemorative patriarchal diplomas to all members of the House. EU lobbies for "yes" vote in crucial enlargement poll ------------------------------------------------------- Luxembourg, 20/4/1994 (AFP/ANA): European Union officials are furiously lobbying Euro-MPs to head off a European Parliament veto of an agreement to expand the EU, European Affairs Minister Theodoros Pangalos said here yesterday. Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Mr. Pangalos warned that the Euro-parliament might not muster the 260 "yes" votes needed to bring Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden into the EU on schedule on January 1 next year. The 518-seat parliament is due to vote on the enlargement on May 5, during its last session before it breaks up for European-wide elections in June. Mr. Pangalos, chairman of the EU council of foreign ministers, said there was a considerable risk that not enough Euro-MPs would turn up to ensure the 260-vote absolute majority needed to ratify the enlargement agreements. So, the Greek minister told a press conference, he intended to offer the Euro-MPs a bribe in the form of more influence in EU affairs. In the event of a "no" vote, it is almost certain that the four applicants will miss their politically important target to join the EU on January 1. A "no" result would also send a negative signal to voters in Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden who will be asked to ratify EU membership in referendums before the year-end. A Euro-assembly "no" might fuel the anti-EU lobby in those countries, torpedo the first attempt to enlarge the EU since 1986 and make EU membership even more distant for other applicants from eastern Europe. "The situation in the European Parliament is not good. We have to make a gesture to the parliament," Mr. Pangalos said. The Euro-assembly, the EU's only elected body, is also the least powerful of the union's institutions, living permanently in the shadow of the powerful executive European Commission and the decision-making ministerial councils. So, Mr. Pangalos said he would be offering the main parties in the parliament a shade more influence if they can induce their members to turn out and vote "yes" on May 5. He offered two promises - that the advice of the Euro-Mps would be more assiduously sought on foreign policy issues, and that they would be given a bigger role at a 1996 conference to change the EU's operating rules. One EU diplomat added another inducement - that Euro-MPs would be offered a lot of lunches over the next three weeks. EU wants equal rights for all Cypriots -------------------------------------- Luxembourg, 20/4/1994 (ANA/ P. Pantelis): "The European Union supports equal rights for all Cypriots, as those applying to all EU citizens", President of the EU Foreign Ministers' Council Theodoros Pangalos stated yesterday, referring to Monday's session of the EU-Cyprus Association Council. "The Association Council achieved significant success and common positions of the Twelve on Cyprus are positive. It was found that Cyprus has adopted all measures for the Customs Union and is essentially in full trade contact with United Europe. Very few details remain to be taken care of. Besides, Cyprus has adapted its legislation to the acquis communautaire and has trained a large number of civil servants in EU practices. Cyprus is ready for EU accession", said Mr Pangalos. "If various speeds are to be adopted in the application of the EMU in accordance with criteria of the Maastricht Treaty, then Cyprus is in "top speed" together with Luxembourg, and they are, perhaps, the only such countries", he added. With reference to Cyprus' political problem, Mr Pangalos said the Twelve had reaffirmed their solidarity with Cyprus and their political volition to contribute to the search for a solution on the basis of UN resolutions. PM arrives in Washington ------------------------ Washington, 20/4/1994 (ANA/ D. Dimas): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou arrived here at 21:45 Greek time last night, for crucial talks with President Bill Clinton. Mr. Papandreou is accompanied by a large team of ministers and Greek businessmen. Greece is viewed in Washington as capable of playing an important role in the broader Balkan region, a facet which adds a note of special significance to the visit. Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias will have separate meetings today with Secretary of State Warren Christopher at the State Department, President Clinton's special envoy on the FYROM issue Matthew Nimetz and National Security adviser Anthony Lake. The meetings will form the context of the talks the Premier will have with President Clinton at the White House Friday. Tomorrow, Mr. Papandreou is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders. Ghali, Papoulias to meet on FYROM --------------------------------- Athens, 20/4/1994 (ANA): The government confirmed yesterday that Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias will meet with UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali in New York. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said talks will focus primarily on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Asked whether or not the Cyprus issue would also be discussed, Mr. Venizelos said the Cyprus question was at a crucial and delicate phase, adding "I do not know what possible meaning a discussion on the issue might have at this moment." Greek-Albanian team to probe recent shooting -------------------------------------------- Athens, 20/4/1994 (ANA): A joint commission of Greek and Albanian Police officials will meet in Yiannina today, to probe the recent attack against a conscript training centre at Episcopi, Albania on April 10 which caused tension in relations between the two Balkan neighbouring countries. The Greek delegation will be headed by Brigadier Angelopoulos, Chief of State Security. Earlier Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos stressed that the Greek government totally rejected the idea of an international or CSCE committee being formed to look into the April 10 incident. Albania has accused Greece of instigating the attack in which, according to Albanian television, two soldiers were killed and three others wounded. Greece has flatly rejected Albania's claims as completely unacceptable. The incident resulted in tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions. Mr. Venizelos called on the Albanian government to show respect for principles of international law, saying Greece had proved such respect by hosting thousands of Albanians, many of whom were illegal residents. Albania launches mass arrests of ethnic Greeks ---------------------------------------------- Tirana, 20/4/1994 (ANA/ M. Zarkadis): Albanian authorities are resorting to mass arrests of ethnic Greeks in various parts of the country. At least 15 Greeks had been arrested by noon yesterday, and there were fears that mass arrests would continue through the night. In Gyrokastr, police broke into the regional offices of the "Omonoia" Greek minority party without search warrants, confiscating files, and arresting the chairman and three members. "Omonoia" officials have also been arrested in other towns in the southern part of the country (Northern Epirus). Meanwhile, reports say an ethnic Greek conscript, serving near the Episkopi camp where two Albanian recruits died in an attack by an unidentified group April 10, was arrested Saturday and taken to Tirana. No reasons was given for the arrest, which is thought to be part of a plan by the Albanian government to blame the Episkopi incident on a certain group within "Omonoia".