Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski said in an Athens interview that he opposed efforts by certain countries to give a "political character" to the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC) group.
In an exclusive interview with ANA editor-in-chief Gerasimos Zarkadis, Mr. Pirinski said the BSEC co-operation should be European-oriented. Mr. Pirinski said that in the second stage of co-operation, which was inaugurated with a fifth meeting of BSEC foreign ministers last week in Athens, implementation of specific plans and programmes should begin.
"Efforts have been made by various sides to give a political character to the BSEC, which is not very productive in my opinion because it is an effort to give the BSEC a character it did not have to begin with, thus obstructing the practical side of co-operation," Mr. Pirinski said. He said it was his firm belief that the BSEC co-operation had a future.
"There is serious interest and a desire to pass onto a second stage in the co-operation," he said, adding that 14 working groups had drawn up numerous studies, covering issues ranging from agro-industry to ecology to transports and energy.
Stressing the importance of the BSEC's European orientation, Mr. Pirinski noted that the EU had recently shown interest in co-operation with the Mediterranean as well as the Black Sea regions. He said an effort should be made to link the European networks -- in infrastructure, energy, transports, for example -- with development plans for the Black Sea area. For example, he said the plan for construction of a road network around the Black Sea should be linked with the European road network.
Mr. Pirinski said in the second stage of co-operation the BSEC countries should begin implementing some of their plans and programmes. Because this would entail studies, capital and serious enterprises, it is important the governments of the region, despite the problems, should lend their support to the realisation of the plans, he said.
Within that context, he welcomed a Romanian proposal for a BSEC summit meeting in Bucharest in late June, which he said would give greater momentum to the BSEC provided it focused on assessing priorities within the context of economic co-operation.
Turning to Greek-Bulgarian relations, Mr. Pirinski said agreement had been reached to overcome stagnation and slackening in bilateral relations due to recent elections in Bulgaria. Trade relations between the two countries have developed strongly, he said, and now reached $500 million.
"We also decided to help businessmen of the two countries by facilitating visas and simplifying bureaucratic procedures. We have an ambitious programme for cross-border co-operation that will be signed in the near future and plans to link the road networks as well as co-operation in the energy sector," Mr. Pirinski added.
He said contacts would be continued at all levels for exchange of views and proposals, while both sides agreed that bilateral co-operation should be conducted in the framework of the European integration process. Mr. Pirinski called on Greece as a full member of the European Union to help Bulgaria, which is an associate member, to gain full membership.
In addition, he said an agreement was reached for co-operation in the defence sector during National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis' recent visit to Bulgaria, adding that other high-ranking visits will follow on both sides -- including an Athens visit by Bulgarian Prime Minister Jean Videnov in late June.
Mr. Pirinski said the main issues on the agenda of Greek-Bulgarian talks included exploitation of the Nestos River waters, more border stations and a proposed petroleum pipeline.
Commenting on the Trans-Balkan pipeline that would transport Russian crude oil from the Urals to Alexandroupolis, in northern Greece, via the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas, Mr. Pirinski said the project depended on the Russian government regarding what direction it wanted to develop its pipeline and how it wished to market its oil.
During a meeting with his Greek and Russian counterparts on the sidelines of the BSEC conference it was decided to convene a meeting of experts in Moscow in the immediate future, Mr. Pirinski said. "I believe this is a realistic approach to the issue since, if the meeting is well organised, it will enable an objective appraisal of the prospects of the pipeline in relation to other options," he said.
Mr. Pirinski described the tripartite meeting as significant because although the convening of an experts meeting had been expected for some time now, there was no commitment. "But now, there is a commitment from (Russian Foreign Minister Andrei) Kozyrev to hold such a meeting."
Referring to the new Bulgarian government's foreign policy, Mr. Pirinski said it was trying to maintain "the necessary continuity" because it believed many issues should be maintained as they were, such as Bulgaria's European orientation and its aspiration for full EU membership as well as the stabilising role played by his country in the Balkans in recent years.
A new element the Bulgarian government would like to introduce is a "more evenly balanced activity in the different directions of our foreign policy." "We want to maintain our new relations with the United States, which in recent years have developed very rapidly and need constant support and working on as they are widespread, and at the same time upgrade relations with the countries from central and eastern European areas which in recent years were a bit passive."
He said Bulgaria also wanted to become more active in the Balkan and southern central European region. "Again in the stabilising function, but seeking more actively to promote positive co-operation and not only passively trying to prevent tension." Such a goal could be accomplished through "a much more active economic exchange and through initiatives for bringing in investment, infrastructural investment, trans-border co-operation and regional projects", Mr. Pirinski said.
He rejected an article on the Bulgarian government's policy appearing recently in "Newsweek" magazine as "factually misleading" and having an "incorrect" general slant. Mr. Pirinski said his government was trying to develop its policies internally and its foreign policy "as a good European member," while it was also an active participant in Nato's "Partnership for Peace" programme and had undertaken to develop its legislation in harmony with that of the EU.
On the crisis in former Yugoslavia, Mr. Pirinski pointed out that he and his counterparts from Greece, Moldova, the Ukraine and Romania met on the sidelines of the BSEC conference to discuss economic problems created for them by the UN-imposed sanctions against Serbia.
He said they decided to address a letter to the UN Security Council on the matter and expressed a belief that countries on the other geographic side of the conflict, such as Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria and the Czech Republic, "might join the collective approach."
Concerning the crisis itself, he commented: "we believe it is necessary to move in both toward pacifying the situation, stopping the fighting, getting negotiations underway, finding the proper agreement for mutual recognition and a final, stable politic al solution and in parallel with that, suspension, then partial lifting and finally a total lifting of the sanctions. "And we feel that if a sufficiently balanced formula is put on the table, this is perfectly possible," Mr. Pirinski concluded.
The Transport Ministry yesterday announced that strict measures will be taken to ensure the safety of travellers over the Easter holidays along national highways and other main roadways. The Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Ministry's technical services, the road assistance firm Express Service and ambulances will be on call to provide help during the holiday period, according to a ministry announcement.
Some of the measures include: added traffic lanes on the Athens to Corinth and Athens to Lamia highways; heightened police vigilance concerning traffic code observance and the stationing of ambulances and mobile surgical units along major routes.
Thirty-four people died and 217 were wounded, 57 seriously, in 157 road accidents from Friday afternoon until the early morning hours yesterday.
A joint Greek-Bulgarian committee of economic experts is meeting in Athens to iron-out final details on a string of economic co-operation protocols, Greek National Economy Ministry sources said yesterday.
They said the protocols would be signed by the heads of the respective delegations today. The agreements focus on co-operation in the fields of industry, energy, telecommunications, transport, tourism and social insurance plans, ministry sources added.
Albanian Foreign Under-Secretary Arian Starova expressed optimism yesterday on the future of relations between his country and Greece. Mr. Starova is heading Albania's delegation in today's meeting of a Joint Greek-Albanian Committee.
In an interview with the Albanian News Agency's (ATA) newspaper, Mr. Starova underscored the existence of "a good atmosphere and a favourable climate for the speediest possible improvement in bilateral relations." He added both countries have already expressed a political will to find ways of co-operation with an aim of upgrading relations.
Commenting on a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu who said he expected Greece to initiate a meeting with his counterpart Karolos Papoulias on the sidelines of last week's Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC) meeting in Athens, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said the fact that such a meeting had not taken place held its own significance.
He added such meetings are meaningful when they have substance and are prepared correctly, stressing that the climate in the international community has been unfavourable for Turkey in recent weeks due to the continuous violation of human rights.
Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis will leave for Paris today to attend a conference of the 15 European Union parliament presidents after an initiative by French Parliament President Philippe Schengen.
The conference, which begins tomorrow, will focus on national parliaments' participation in preparing the EU's institutional reforms. Mr. Kaklamanis will hold talks with his counterparts from other national parliaments during conference intervals.
A high-level Culture Ministry delegation left for Moscow yesterday to study the ancient treasure of legendary King Priam of Troy at the Pushkin Museum. The delegation is comprised by Giannis Tzedakis, the director of the ministry's antiquities department; Katerina Dimakopoulos, the director of the national museum and Prof. George Korres, a expert on Heinrich Schliemann, the German merchant turned archaeologist who unearthed the Trojan treasure in 1873, according to a ministry announcement.
This visit follows an agreement reached on March 28 in Athens between Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos and Irina Antonova, the director of the Pushkin Museum. To date, only one German delegation and an archaeologist in charge of the Troy excavations have been able to examine the artifacts that Soviet forces shipped to Russia from Germany after the fall of Berlin during the last stages of World War II.
Greece wants to be the first country in the world to hold the exhibition of the treasure outside Russia, a desire complying with a promise by Russia President Boris Yeltsin during his Athens visit in June 1993. Given that technical and legal problems are settled, the exhibition could take place in 1997.
Archbishop of Tirana and all of Albania Anastasios will spend Easter in Albania, but will return to Evangelismos Hospital in Athens shortly after the holidays. The archbishop was admitted to the hospital on March 30 because of severe respiratory problems.
Under-Secretary of Health, Welfare and Social Security Manolis Skoulakis told a press conference yesterday he was determined to close down, immediately after Easter, 40 unlicensed private retirement homes where recent checks revealed serious maltreatment of the elderly.
He said the investigation discovered cases of naked pensioners, strapped to their beds or locked to their rooms, some even left dead for several hours next to their roommates. Living conditions were severe in almost all cases, he added, often without h eating or hot water. Mr. Skoulakis also threatened heavy fines against licensed homes found not up to standard.
National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou held talks with small and medium enterprise representatives yesterday who said afterwards they left with "empty hands," and reiterated their determination to close their shops May 10-11.
Among other claims, the representatives requested suspension of the "objective criteria" tax system and a reduction in the 35 per cent tax rate. Both requests were rejected by the government and Mr. Papantoniou said he would take measures of a structural nature after a dialogue with the small and medium enterprise representatives.
Mr. Papantoniou said small and medium-size enterprises faced problems classified into two categories: those due to recession and those related to structural changes in the world economy. He said problems included in the first category were already being overcome through a recovery of the Greek economy, which he said had already started.
Referring to problems falling under the second category, Mr. Papantoniou said they could only be resolved through structural measures to be taken after a dialogue, adding any measures to be taken would be in the framework of a fiscal policy. The meeting was attended by Mr. Papantoniou, Finance Minister Alexandros Papadopoulos, Commerce Minister Costas Simitis, Alternate National Economy Minister George Romaios and Commerce Under-Secretary Mr. M. Chrysochoidis.
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA) President Yiannis Papathanasiou called for a continuation of the fiscal restructuring effort with emphasis being placed on development. He said incentives should be provided for the amalgamation of enterprises, a decrease in the cost of the money supply and funds from European Union resources should be promoted as much as possible.
Meanwhile, Political Spring (Pol.An) party leader Antonis Samaras said he would lodge an official question in Parliament calling for an explanation on why 300 billion drachmas from Community funds, to support small and medium-size enterprises, remained blocked.
The Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) also criticised the government of failing to realise intensifying problems faced by professionals.