From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Mon, 24 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 24, 1994 ---------------------------------------------- * PASOK heading for victory in most prefectures, as Avramopoulos wins Athens mayorship * Prime Minister * Evert * Rain havoc: PM postpones Syria visit, 9 die, untold damage in Attica * State of emergency in suburbs * Corinth Canal closed to navigation * Ecumenical patriarch continues Dodecannese tour PASOK heading for victory in most prefectures, as Avramopoulos wins Athens mayorship ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): With more than 50 per cent of votes counted in run-off local elections yesterday, candidates supported by the ruling socialist PASOK party were set to win 27 of the 37 prefectures undecided in last Sunday's (October 16) first round. Candidates supported by the main opposition New Democracy party were ahead in seven prefectures. Nine PASOK-supported prefects and five New Democracy prefects were elected last Sunday, October 16. Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said that the runoff results were "a guarantee for continuing and a creative four-year term" for his ruling PASOK party, which he described as the "unchallenged leader". In runoff municipal elections, Interior Ministry results from 1,377 of 1,435 polling stations in Athens showed that New Democracy backed candidate Dimitris Avramopoulos led his PASOK rival Theodoros Pangalos with 54.46 per cent against 45.54 per cent respectively. In the October 16 polls, Mr. Avramopoulos led with 43.91 per cent compared with 32.60 per cent for Mr. Pangalos. In the port city of Piraeus, with votes in from 286 out of 474 polling stations, the Interior Ministry said that incumbent Stelios Logothetis, backed by PASOK and the Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos), led with 52.12 per cent of votes against 47.88 per cent for his rival Charalambos Kefalas, supported by New Democracy and Political Spring. For the prefecture of Thessaloniki, PASOK-backed candidate Costas Papadopoulos was well ahead of his New Democracy-supported rival, Panagiotis Dentsoras, with 55.52 per cent against 44.48 of votes in 1,347 out of 1,350 polling stations. While the prefecture of Athens-Piraeus was being closely fought by independent Theodoros Katrivanos, backed by New Democracy and Political Spring, with 50.30 per cent and PASOK-supported Evangelos Kouloumbis with 49.70 per cent of the votes counted at 3,199 out of 5,192 polling stations. Certain of his victory, Mr. Avramopoulos said that "today's (yesterday's) election result ushers in a new era for Athens. A period of four years of effort, hard work and co-operation." He called on his rival candidates to co-operate closely with him "both in and outside the Municipality of Athens". Mr. Avramopoulos pledged "to fight along with all the mayors and community heads of the country in a spirit of co-operation, in order to strengthen and upgrade local government as a linchpin for the development of our country." Conceding early defeat, Mr. Pangalos expressed regret that one out of three Athenians did not vote, which he attributed to "a wider disapproval of (political) party reality". "It is a very serious message which should be taken into consideration by the country's political leadership," Mr. Pangalos said. He indirectly criticised the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) for calling on its supporters to cast blank or void ballots "thereby neutralising part of the Athenian electorate". "Mr. Avramopoulos has been elected with a positive vote of approximately one in three Athenians. He should remember this and, if he forgets it, we shall remind him of it," Mr. Pangalos said. Early results showed a low turnout and a high percentage of blank and void ballots, estimated as high as 35 per cent. Prime Minister -------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said that runoff results were "a guarantee for continuing and a creative four-year term" for his ruling PASOK party, which he described as the "unchallenged leader". "The unchallenged lead of PASOK by such a large margin guarantees stability and continuation for a creative four-year term," Mr. Papandreou said. "It is a day of great victory for progressive tickets, of tickets which were supported by PASOK," he added. In a veiled reference to the result in the Municipality of Athens, Mr. Papandreou said that "a tree does not hide a forest". "Second-stage local administration is setting out now with the best of omens. For real decentralisation, development, democracy and the citizen's participation," he added. "Today's (yesterday's) result ensures a better future for local government in Greece," the Premier said, after Greeks for the first time yesterday directly voted for candidates to fill the top local government post of prefect. PASOK Central Committee Secretary Akis Tsohatzopoulos described the results as "a great victory for the progressive forces which stabilises today's political scene". Mr. Tsohatzopoulos termed Mr. Logothetis' anticipated re-election as "a major victory", adding that Mr. Pangalos had put up an impressive fight "in adverse political and social conditions in Athens". Evert ----- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): Interpreting the results, New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert said that his party was "a government in waiting". "PASOK has lost the battle of Athens where it picked perhaps its best party cadre as candidate," Mr. Evert said, adding that "the message sent by the Athenian people to New Democracy is that we should proceed with the modernisation of society through a peaceful revolution." Mr. Evert added his party was determined to free local administration from partisan embrace, adding that was one of the reasons the country's Constitution should be amended. "Only a year after parliamentary elections were held in '93, New Democracy has polled a percentage reaching 42 per cent, while PASOK has lost over 6 per cent of its electoral strength," Mr. Evert said, adding that being aware of the large fall in its electoral strength "PASOK had been obliged to conceal it through co-operation with other parties, whereas wherever it fielded independent candidates, the battle had been won by ND and local administration. "We are preparing ourselves and coming, both strong and determined. We are a government in waiting," Mr. Evert added. Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos said "the steadfast upward course of Synaspismos shows that it can be a force influencing political developments." He said his party's tactic was "successful and effective" and, as a result, it had increased its influence both in cases where it had fielded independent candidates or co-operated with PASOK. "However, elections are over and remaining problems deteriorate. Thus, the credibility, reliability and effectiveness of all will be put to the test as of tomorrow ," he said. Mr. Constantopoulos said abstention from the elections together with blank and disfigured ballots expressed the electorate's dissatisfaction and anxious quest for solutions. Rain havoc: PM postpones Syria visit, 9 die, untold damage in Attica ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou Saturday postponed an official visit to Syria due to start today, to chair an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet on problems caused by flash floods in Athens and other parts of Greece that caused nine deaths over the weekend. "The Prime Minister's visit to Syria is postponed due to extraordinary circumstances ," an official statement said. Mr. Papandreou will chair today a meeting grouping ministers of National Defence, Finance, Public Order and Environment, Town Planning and Public Works to " discuss problems caused by bad weather," the statement added. Nine persons were either drowned or killed in flash floods that swept Athens and nearby townships late Friday, police said Saturday. Most of the streets in the capital and the port city of Piraeus turned into violent torrents flooding hundreds of basement apartments and shops, disrupting communications and sweeping scores of cars off roads. State of emergency in suburbs ----------------------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): The Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency in seven Athens suburbs worst hit by non-stop torrential rain. Army units joined rescue operations, personally supervised by National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis. Worst hit areas include Nea Ionia, Nea Philadelphia, Chalkidona, Perissos, Kalogreza, Rentis, Ano Liosia, Marousi and Chalandri where dozens of homes and stores were flooded, and scores of cars were seriously damaged as they were swept along by gushing floods into gullies. Television showed cars building up into piles, as others were swept into open shafts at work sites. The building housing Communist Party of Greece (KKE) headquarters suffered extensive damage, while the printing machinery of 'Rizospastis', the party newspaper, was destroyed. Extensive flooding occurred at Tavros, Moschato and Neo Phalero, when waters swelling the Kifissos River overflowed. Meanwhile, reports said the body of a man in his forties was found floating in the sea off Salamina, but it has not been established if his death was caused by the floods. Early fatalities reported included Petros Petrou, 82, who died while trying to rescue his bed-ridden 35-year-old son, Antonis, in a basement flat in Nea Ionia. Both drowned. A woman was found dead with serious head injuries in Papagos, reportedly after being swept away by a flood. In the seaside resort of Loutraki, near Corinth, a 85-year-old woman drowned when her boarding house flooded. A 35-year-old man and 40-year-old woman were found dead in a car swept away by a flash flood in Livadia, central Greece, while the body of a woman was found in the sea off Megara, 40 kilometres west of Athens. Police said others reported missing include Mihalis Rodopoulos, a man named Hamos and shipowner Costas Livanos, whose car was found in a shaft at the Kifissos and Aghias Annis crossing. Main opposition New Democracy Party Vice President Ioannis Varvitsiotis accused the government of inefficiency and slackness, demanding a prompt estimate of damage and compensation to flood victims. "This is no time for partisan conflict but for tackling problems," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos replied in Thessaloniki. Political Spring (Pol.An) party leader Antonis Samaras said that instead of intervening decisively, the state behaved as a mere onlooker. He added co-operation was necessary among ministry services, local administration, the Chamber of Technology and civilians to redraft emergency plans. Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga told a press conference damage to the "Home of the People" had been estimated at two billion dr. She said responsibility for results of the downpour was political, since the building had been flooded because of delay in widening Podoniftis River. An announcement by the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) said the price had been paid for unauthorised building, trespassing public forest-land, covering up rivulets and using them as building sites. Meanwhile, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos who arrived on Rhodes on Saturday, referred to floods on the island and in the Attica region. He expressed sympathy for the families of flood victims, and others endangered by the floods saying "may God protect us from natural disasters, earthquakes and floods." Fresh downpours yesterday morning caused further damage on the island, especially in Lemesou Street, downtown Rhodes. Many basements were flooded by water to a depth of two metres, while the Fire Department received hundreds of calls throughout the day to pump off water. Extensive damage was reported in the Faliraki, Afantou and Archangelos areas where a fresh storm caused Thursday flood problems to deteriorate. Hundreds of homes and occupational premises seriously damaged. Prefect Christos Mahairidis told reporters everything possible was being made to restore damage caused on Rhodes. Yesterday's torrential rain also caused damage on the island of Kasos where many houses collapsed, cars were swept away and hundreds of goats and sheep drowned. Military transport aircraft are airlifting food to Kasos which is isolated with no other means of access. South Aegean regional governor Nikos Sarantis left for Kasos late in the afternoon to supervise relief operations. Corinth Canal closed to navigation ---------------------------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): Sailing through the Corinth Canal has been suspended indefinitely, a Merchant Marine statement said. Massive rubble, thick mud and gravel swept by torrential rain into the waterway has built up into a navigation hazard, making dredging operations imperative, the statement added. Ecumenical patriarch continues Dodecannese tour ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 24/10/1994 (ANA): Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos was due to leave Rhodes yesterday for Castellorizo, the next leg of his tour of the Dodecannese. Earlier, the Patriarch had met with Dodecannese Metropolitans at the Rhodes Metropolitan Apostolou's residence, where he chaired a meeting on church problems in the region. Discussion included elaboration by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of fresh canon legislation on administering the Orthodox Church in the Dodecannese. The Patriarch arrived in Rhodes Saturday morning. He was greeted by Foreign Under-Secretary Grigoris Niotis, municipal authorities and the Turkish consul on Rhodes. Addressing the Patriarch at the city centre, Mr. Niotis said the government would spare no effort to enhance the Ecumenical Patriarchate's role. Patriarch Vartholomeos recalled the Ecumenical Patriarchate was the centre of Orthodox unity. "We are struggling for peaceful coexistence among peoples and religions," he said. The Patriarch also expressed sympathy to the families of flood victims in Rhodes and Attica. "May God protect us from natural disasters, earthquakes and floods," he said. Local groups performed traditional folk dances, as a crowd of thousands defied rain and thronged streets to greet the supreme head of the Orthodox Church. Patriarch Vartholomeos attended a special service at the Theotokos Cathedral and, later, a special event held in his honour by the island's youth. In the evening, he met with Turkey's consul Mr. Adali who paid tribute to the Patriarch's "historic role." The Patriarch replied that he had visited the consul out of courtesy, as a Turkish citizen, as a token of regard for Mr. Adali and the country he represents in Rhodes. Patriarch Vartholomeos stressed he was in favour of peace and co-operation between Greece and Turkey, and referred to a book by Athina Molyviati in which she wrote: "when I know that beside me stands someone, a neighbour, that is my paradise. Why should I live in hatred and hostility?"