Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 97-11-15

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From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <[email protected]>

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1341), November 15, 1997

Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: [email protected]

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis announces measures to assist young people

[02] US can do more on Cyprus, Pangalos says

[03] ... Karamanlis criticism

[04] Upgraded submarine official launched

[05] Simitis, Tsohatzopoulos confer

[06] Draft resolution urges US to recognize Greek sovereignty of Imia

[07] Burns appointment

[08] Bulgarian deputy PM Bakurdjiev to visit Greece

[09] EU ambassadors return to Tehran

[10] Five-nation PfP exercise in northern Greece

[11] Calls for Greek-Turkish friendship group in Greek Parliament

[12] Aegean environment on agenda of Greek-Turkish meeting

[13] PASOK, ADEDY statements in light of Polytechnic commemoration

[14] Jerimiah elected as Council of European Churches president

[15] Damanaki calls for an end to deadlock over her mayoral candidacy

[16] Papandreou raises Olympic truce idea with UNESCO

[17] Left-wing parties to gather in Athens

[18] Doctors urge more information to increase organ donors

[19] High demand for civil state exams

[20] Scientists voice concerns over water quality

[21] SEB praises '98 budget

[22] Alpha Credit Bank hikes loan, deposit rates

[23] Greek stocks drop on rising interest rates

[24] Greek investment firms show drop in market cap in October

[25] Hoteliers issue new English tourist guide

[26] Tzoumakas at Brussels conference on revising CAP

[27] Islam-Christian Orthodox conference in Athens

[28] Music industry asks Greece's help to stop Bulgarian CD piracy

[01] Simitis announces measures to assist young people

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Addressing a special conference on youth held by the ruling PASOK party's central committee, Mr. Simitis referred at length to the problems facing today's youth, problems which he said included education, military service and unemployment.

Observing that the percentage of the Greek workforce who were self-employed (51 per cent) was the highest in Europe, the prime minister stressed the importance of supporting business ventures by young people through flexible funding programs.

He announced that from 1998-2000, all unemployed would be able to join three-year subsidization programs. These provided 50,000 people with daily allowances of 4,000 drachmas for 18 months. Another 20,000 would be able to register at vocational training centers and those run by the state employment organization (OAED). A total of 200,000 unemployed young adults would be able to take advantage of these programs, Mr. Simitis said.

Meanwhile, the creation of 1,500 new day nurseries would benefit more working mothers, while the government was planning assistance for young farmers in the form of tax breaks, funding, leasing and other facilities in order to encourage more of the country's youth to remain on the land.

He also urged all young people to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, which he said required the participation of all young people. At the same time he referred to the government's initiatives to support young athletes around the country.

The problem of drug addiction, meanwhile, although not as widespread as in other European Union member-states, was on the rise and required a comprehensive solution including support for rehabilitation centers, prevention, voluntary workers and cooperation within the EU.

The country's youth, he said, was the generation that could "reconcile democracy with the market, growth with justice and politics with culture".

Referring to other matters, the prime minister clarified that there was presently no issue of changing the status of PASOK's Youth organization by placing it under the party mechanism as called for by Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos in an executive bureau session.

On his part, Mr. Pangalos said that the PASOK youth organization should cease existence as an autonomous group and be included in the party.

Labor Minister Miltiades Papaioannou called for the organizational inclusion of the youth organization within the party, before detailing the government's measures for increasing employment among young people.

Commenting on the same issue, PASOK Youth Secretary Tonia Antoniou said that the existence of a political youth organization could not be an organizational mechanism or a mechanism for manipulating youth.

"A political youth organization is needed as a malleable tool for liberating social forces, popular imagination and the authenticity of young thought. Not as a photocopy of the 'party of elders'," she said.

Referring to particular problems of youth, Ms Antoniou cited a number of issues on which the government should focus its attention, including:

- A safeguarding of the public and free character of education at all levels

- Securing consensus among all those involved in the educational process without submitting to parochial trade unionist demands.

- Acceleration and implementation of educational reform with a bold increase in resources as well as strong political will.

- A gradual adoption of the 35-hour working week, and finally,

- Career advice as key in the planning of employment, education and training.

[02] US can do more on Cyprus, Pangalos says

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Speaking after briefing President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on recent foreign policy developments, he said that Mr. Holbrooke's initiative was "important" in as far as the US undertook to use "all the means at its disposal to pressure Turkey .

"There have been plenty of proposals in the past, with the best of intentions, and similar initiatives have been undertaken," he observed.

Mr. Holbrooke visited Nicosia and Ankara earlier this week and later briefed Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Under-secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis in Brussels on his talks in the two capitals.

He did not visit Athens as Prime Minister Costas Simitis was busy with the tabling of the budget, while Mr. Pangalos himself was in Madrid this week.

Mr. Pangalos said that the US could exert pressure by means of the military supplies it gave Turkey and which were used in Cyprus.

He suggested that the US could limit those supplies or enforce a ban on their use on the Aegean coast or in Cyprus.

He also noted that Turkey was economically dependent on the US. Responding to criticism by the US envoy that the European Union had not undertaken any initiatives on the Cyprus issue, Mr. Pangalos said:

"Any effort by the EU to find a solution does not require an American mediator. We can do this by ourselves."

In addition, Mr. Pangalos said a plan for a tri-zonal solution attributed to Mr. Holbrooke and published in yesterday's issue of "Kathimerini" was "unworthy of denial or comment", adding that a similar plan had been recently published in a Turkish Cypriot publication.

"I am not aware of such a proposal by Mr. Holbrooke," said the foreign minister.

Government spokesman Demetris Reppas later categorically rejected Kathimerini's front-page report, saying it was "completely wrong".

[03] ... Karamanlis criticism

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The ND leader also accused the government for lacking on the issues of regional development and infrastructure works.

"Our foreign policy must exit the vicious circle of passivism and submissiveness. Because I believe that Greece must show and defend its just causes, its national interests and its sovereign rights with resoluteness, something which means a strong and nationally dignified foreign policy. Resoluteness and clear messages distance the dangers and discourage provocations," he said.

Replying to Mr. Karamanlis' statement, government spokesman Demetris Reppas reminded him that the premier visited Cyprus at a time of crisis, while the government went ahead with joint military exercises between Greece and Cyprus within the framework of the joint defense doctrine.

Mr. Reppas said that at the same time the government succeeded in having Turkey's relations with the European Union defined by Greek-Turkish relations and its position on the Cyprus issue.

Lastly, he accused ND of doing nothing in the past and of lacking a policy at present.

[04] Upgraded submarine official launched

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The "Neptune" upgrading program for Hellenic Navy submarines began in 1989 with the signing of two contracts with a German consortium, which also included the provision of technical know-how.

Defense Under-secretary Demetris Apostolakis, who attended the launching ceremony, said the 'Glafkos'-type submarine was upgraded in a shorter time span than envisaged, while the cost was eight billion drachmas lower than the one of the first, a 'Proteus'-type submarine which was upgraded in Kiel, Germany, when the program was launched.

"Such healthy bases, which promote reliability and contribute to cost-trimming, must constitute a model for another course and ideas in the sector of our defense industry, with consistency and competitiveness as the main orientations," Mr. Apostolakis said.

This program, he added, in combination with the program for the MEKO 200 frigates, which is in progress and being accelerated, and the other armament programs of the armed forces, are changing the balance in the domain of naval development.

"Our philosophy is not excessive armaments and an indiscriminate arms race with Turkey, but implementation of the required armaments programs in the context of the capabilities of the national economy," he said.

[05] Simitis, Tsohatzopoulos confer

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

According to informed sources, Mr. Simitis asked the defense minister to present the bill to Cabinet after a dialogue on the issue had been held.

In addition, it was reported that the prime minister is to chair a meeting of the Government Council for Foreign Policy and Defense within the next ten days.

[06] Draft resolution urges US to recognize Greek sovereignty of Imia

Washington, 15/11/1997 (ANA - T. Ellis)

The draft resolution was introduced by Greek-American Representative Mike Papas, a Congressman from New Jersey.

"Congress feels that the Imia islets in the Aegean Sea comprise a sovereign part of Greece according to international law," Mr. Papas proposal reads, which was signed by another 20 Congressmen. The draft resolution was tabled in the foreign affairs committee.

In the draft resolution mention is made of Turkey's dispute of Greece's sovereignty over the isles, which Athens maintains are part of its territory based on the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, an Italian-Turkish agreement in 1932 and the Paris Treaty of 1 947.

In addition, a Europarliament decision on Feb. 15, 1996 also backing the delineation of the sea borders of the two countries based on the aforementioned is mentioned.

[07] Burns appointment

Washington, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

[08] Bulgarian deputy PM Bakurdjiev to visit Greece

Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development and Public Works Minister Evgenii Bakurdjiev will visit Greece November 17-19 at the invitation of Greek Development Minister Vasso Papandreou, according to a BTA dispatch from Sofia.

Mr. Bakurdjiev received the invitation on Thursday from Greek Ambassador in Sofia Panayotis Karakasis and discussed the agenda of the visit with him.

While in Greece, Mr. Bakurdjiev will meet Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis.

The two sides will discuss co-operation in the energy industry and natural gas and the construction and operation of the Bourgas-Alexadroupolis oil pipeline.

[09] EU ambassadors return to Tehran

Ambassadors of 11 European countries returned to Tehran yesterday morning, ending their six month absence from the Iranian capital.

Their return to Tehran was at the recommendation of Luxembourg's foreign minister and the rotating president of the European Union Jacques Poos. German and French ambassadors are to return to Tehran later on.

The group of European ambassadors who returned to Tehran Friday were from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Spain, the UK, Ireland and Greece.

The Greek ambassador had not been officially recalled by the Greek foreign ministry.

[10] Five-nation PfP exercise in northern Greece

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The exercise is being organized within the framework of the "Partnership for Peace" initiative and will be attended, on the part of NATO members, by Greek and Dutch forces and on the part of "Partnership" countries by Armenian, Bulgarian and Albanian forces.

The purpose of the exercise is training in conducting missions concerning the planning and implementation of peace plans, area relief from natural disasters, supervising assigned regions, protecting strategic positions, providing medical assistance, removing minefields, escorting convoys of vehicles carrying humanitarian aid and guarding vital installations.

The exercise has been planned by the commander of the First Army Corps, Lt.-Gen. Demetris Dimou, and will be directed by the commander of the second mechanized infantry division, Maj.-Gen. Demetris Lakafosis.

[11] Calls for Greek-Turkish friendship group in Greek Parliament

Ankara, 15/11/1997 (ANA - A. Abatzis)

Mr. Tartan is president of the Turkish-Greek friendship group formed a few months ago by 60 Turkish deputies.

He stresses the importance of the "first step" taken by the Turkish parliament, adding that a similar Greek group would "open a new window" for the two countries.

[12] Aegean environment on agenda of Greek-Turkish meeting

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

In their ninth such meeting since the establishment of the Association of Municipalities of the Aegean, 94 academics from 16 universities in Greece and Turkey and high-ranking local government officials from the two countries are meeting to discuss problems to the environment caused by the operation of factories on the Aegean coasts.

Greek environmentalists are also expected to raise the issue of a nuclear power plant purportedly to be constructed in Turkey with equipment and capital from Canada.

Turkey's ministers for the environment and shipping, Imren Aikut and Burhan Kaya, will also be attending.

[13] PASOK, ADEDY statements in light of Polytechnic commemoration

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

In another statement on the anniversary, the civil servants' union (ADEDY) refers to the need for "a policy of development which will secure the terms of social solidarity," to "struggle for upgrading the status of public servants, public and free education, medical care for everyone," and to the demand for "an undivided and sovereign Cyprus, peace and co-operation among nations in the area".

Police have stepped up patrols in the area of the Athens Polytechnic in downtown Athens and other school buildings as students prepare to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the uprising against the military junta.

Security has been tightened at all tertiary institutions around the city to avert any recurrence of vandalism or violence that has plagued past anniversaries of the occasion. The three days of celebrations have often been marred by pitched street battles between police and masked youths, many of whom are self-styled anarchists.

Polytechnic authorities have fortified the historic school buildings against possible vandalism by youths who take refuge from police in the school grounds, which police are barred from entering. One of the buildings burned down during the anniversary six years ago and has now been almost completely restored.

Earlier this month, a parliament session was held between Education Minister Gerassimos Arsenis, Public Order Minister George Romeos and Polytechnic authorities, with discussion focusing on ways to avert incidents during the celebration.

University officials said yesterday they would be in constant contact with the public order and education ministries during the weekend's celebrations to coordinate activity.

Students and teachers have organized their own patrols of school buildings to prevent any vandalism to property.

Events will culminate with a rally on Monday, the actual anniversary of the uprising.

[14] Jerimiah elected as Council of European Churches president

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The organization was created in 1959 and is headquartered in Geneva. Members include 123 European churches of all major Christian denominations, sans the Roman Catholic Church.

[15] Damanaki calls for an end to deadlock over her mayoral candidacy

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

However, she said her final decision will be made once she has met with the leaders of PASOK, the Left Coalition, the Democratic Socialist party, Political Spring and the Communist Party of Greece, although the latter is unlikely to agree to a meeting.

Ms. Damanaki, a former Coalition leader, said she had decided to go ahead after repeated stalling in meetings with PASOK and the Coalition over procedural details and party tactics.

She said that now was the time for positive initiatives and for attention to focus on the problems faced by the city and its inhabitants.

Ms. Damanaki said she was willing to assume the responsibility of her candidacy herself, and urged the parties to assume their own responsibilities and to clarify their stance.

The Coalition leadership was not previously informed of Ms. Damanaki's intention to hold a press conference. The Coalition deputy said she respected party procedures in both her own party and PASOK but said her initiative had been aimed at a "disengagement".

It was later announced that Ms. Damanaki had had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Costas Simitis shortly before her press conference. The call had been initiated by Ms. Damanaki.

Asked to comment, government spokesman Demetris Reppas said Ms Damanaki could meet with the prime minister when she requested a meeting.

[16] Papandreou raises Olympic truce idea with UNESCO

PARIS, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The Greek delegation briefed Mr. Mayor on its contacts with the International Olympic Committee as well as Greece's decision to co-sponsor the draft UN resolution on the observance of the truce during the Winter Olympics in Japan in 1998.

Also discussed was the use of ancient Olympia as a site for international meetings and confidence building on peace-related issues.

[17] Left-wing parties to gather in Athens

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The delegates, from Europe, Mediterranean countries, the US and Russia, will discuss issues relating to a Euro-Mediterranean co-operation and developments in the European Union.

[18] Doctors urge more information to increase organ donors

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Professor I. Papadimitriou blamed the problem on a lack of information and poor organizations.

Onassis Cardiology Center clinic director Dr. P. Alivizatos said that while over 500,000 successful organ and tissue transplants had been held world-wide, less than ten people received donor organs in Greece annually, yet there was a need for almost 100.

Although Greece held the European record for deaths in road accidents, only one heart was made available per million citizens.

The lack of donors had led to alternative solutions, whereby American surgeons were experimenting with some success in transplanting into children with pulmonary failure parts of their parents' lungs.

It was also noted that in order to meet the requirements of the current waiting list of 3,000 patients with renal failure, at least 500 kidney transplants per year were needed.

[19] High demand for civil state exams

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Up to 500 people queued at the interior ministry's special kiosk in Klafthmonos Square in central Athens yesterday morning to receive the forms.

The government has said it will employ only 2,353 people following the written examinations on February 21-22.

The successful applicants will take up positions in the education field, the finance ministry, regional and local government, the capital market commission and the Agricultural Bank of Greece.

The deadline to submit applications to participate in the examination will begin on November 20 and end on December 9.

[20] Scientists voice concerns over water quality

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The ions, found in areas that have been intensively farmed, are suspected of being responsible for certain forms of cancer.

Contained in agricultural fertilizers, they are absorbed into the water table.

One of the studies mentioned at the conference referred to the area between Varybobi and Aharnes, near Athens, where high concentrations of the ions were recorded in forty wells and drill-holes. A similar problem was recorded in areas of the Peloponnese such as Argolida, Messinia, as well as in Thessaly and central Macedonia, where fertilizers are widely used.

One of the experts that carried out analyses in the Peloponnese, L. Tiniakos, said the problem was being studied by both Athens and Patras Universities.

The experts warned against the uncontrolled use of pesticides and other chemicals and proposed the use of cultivation methods that were more environmentally friendly.

[21] SEB praises '98 budget

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

"The harmonization of public finances with targets set in the convergence program is aimed at with the budget for 1998 and the stabilization effort is continuing. This is positive because whatever relaxation would substantively undermine prospects for accession to economic and monetary union," said an announcement issued by SEB yesterday, on the occasion of the budget's publication.

The announcement said that the budget's central target (convergence-stabilization) is being pursued in an extractual way and not with an integrated effort aimed at substantive fiscal adjustment with a decrease in the state's presence and restructuring the Taxation system. "The means being used follow the beaten track. They are of doubtful effectiveness now and certainly they will also have grave negative consequences," it added.

Referring to the specific measures anticipated by the new budget, SEB stresses, among other, that again an increase in revenues is being sought primarily through the imposition of more taxes on those already being taxed and not by widening the taxation base.

Secondly, the taxation status anticipated by the budget for businesses changes for the worst every year.

Thirdly, it said the budget makes a positive but very hesitant step in the expenditures sector which does not constitute a substantive change of course in fiscal policy, since emphasis remains in the revenues sector.

[22] Alpha Credit Bank hikes loan, deposit rates

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Rates on savings deposits will rise to 10 percent and 10.5 percent on two different accounts. Working capital and corporate loans will both jump to 16 percent.

Alpha Credit is the first major bank to announce hikes in the wake of monetary turmoil that drove up interbank rates before subsiding.

Analysts are waiting to see if state banks will follow suit.

[23] Greek stocks drop on rising interest rates

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The general index closed 1.7 percent lower at 1,384.73 points to show a net loss of 8.46 percent on the week. The index was 22.82 percent down from its all-time high of 1,794.14 on October 8.

Traders said the market performed relatively well for most of the session following a substantial rebound on Thursday but retreated on selling pressure by the close.

Trading remained heavy with turnover at 21.3 billion drachmas.

The week's turnover totaled 118.06 billion drachmas for an average daily 23.6 billion, down from 31.5 billion the previous week.

Sector indices ended with losses. Banks fell 0.62 percent, Insurance was 2.44 percent off, Leasing dropped 1.18 percent, Investment eased 2.49 percent, Construction was 2.89 percent down, Industrials fell 2.34 percent, Miscellaneous eased 2.96 percent and Holding was 2.20 percent off.

The parallel market index for small cap companies eased 1.83 percent. The FTSE/ASE index ended 1.33 percent lower at 803.69 points, showing a net loss of 9.14 percent on the week.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 184 to 42 with another 12 issues unchanged.

Heliofin, European Credit and Macedonian Plastics scored the biggest percentage gains at the upper daily volatility limit of 8.0 percent, while Bank of Athens, Avax, Altec, Dane and Lambropoulos suffered the heaviest losses.

National Bank of Greece ended at 26,490 drachmas, Ergobank at 14,240, Alpha Credit Bank at 16,500, Delta Dairy at 3,400, Titan Cement at 12,000, Intracom at 11,550 and Hellenic Telecommunications Organization at 5,120.

[24] Greek investment firms show drop in market cap in October

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Net asset value fell to 166.2 billion drachmas from 184.9 billion in September, while the sector reported a discount of 1.8 percent in October, down from 2.0 percent the previous month.

Equities accounted for 80.6 percent of total Greek investment fund portfolios, followed by bonds with an 11.1 percent share and floating assets with 7.7 percent. Gov't defends release of tax evaders' names : Government spokesman Demetris Reppas yesterday defended the government's practice of releasing a list of names of tax evaders, saying no vested interests were involved.

Under Greek law, the presentation of a new budget is accompanied by the names of tax evaders in the previous year compiled by the finance ministry.

[25] Hoteliers issue new English tourist guide

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Speaking at an event to launch the guide yesterday, the Union's president Gerassimos Fokas reiterated that the current 558 hotels in the greater Athens area more than sufficed to meet the needs of the 2004 Olympiad. However, increased requirements expected to arise from the construction of a large conference center in Athens is likely to lead the union to reconsider its opposition to additional hotels opening, he said.

At the moment, Athens has 57, 618 hotel beds, or 11% of the country's total capacity.

Mr. Fokas called for more incentives within the development law to modernize existing facilities in Athens. He said not enough was being done to market the capital as a tourist destination, something which was chiefly due to the non-existent coordination between prefectures within Attica.

He particularly criticized the prefecture of Athens for not doing anything to promote tourism.

[26] Tzoumakas at Brussels conference on revising CAP

Brussels, 15/11/1997 (ANA - P. Pantelis)

The conference was held here at the initiative of the Parliamentary group and the European Socialist Party.

Mr. Tzoumakas said the status of national subsidies in agriculture must not return because it will not be to the benefit of member-states lacking funds and farmers and agriculture in these countries.

"We cannot place the cost for the adjustment of European agriculture in the new international environment solely on farmers. It is necessary for political adjustments to be exercised in such a way that changes will not harm farmers who will have to face the new reality," he said.

The two-day conference concluded yesterday and was attended by five socialist agriculture ministers and the Luxembourg president of the Council of Agriculture Ministers. It recognized and adopted a proposal for a unified discussion and funding at all the common market organizations for all products together.

[27] Islam-Christian Orthodox conference in Athens

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

The event, organized by the Greek-Iranian Friendship Association in co-operation with the Iranian Cultural Center in Athens and sponsored by the culture ministry, was the fourth such conference held since the initiation of a constructive dialogue in 1990 for the promotion of religious understanding and tolerance between Muslims and Christian Orthodox faithful.

Twenty-four papers were presented in the conference, which studied the family from the social, religious and philosophical aspect.

The 24 Greek and Iranian clerics, university professors, students and scholars who attended issued a resolution declaring that the family is a sacred institution "to which the Almighty God has paid tribute and hence the servants of God should also highly value it."

In his closing remarks, Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Khamenei, the head of a 12-member Iranian delegation to the conference said ties based on love, knowledge and religion between the Greek and Iranian peoples have never been cut and will never be cut.

[28] Music industry asks Greece's help to stop Bulgarian CD piracy

Athens, 15/11/1997 (ANA)

Accompanied by Greek singer and European Parliament deputy Nana Mouskouri, music company heads asked Greece to step up border controls and political pressure to stem the flow of pirated CDs from its northern Balkan neighbor.

"The really bad guys are Bulgaria, who are flooding the market with pirated products," Nic Garnett, director general of the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI), told a news conference. Industry heads met with two ministers to push for stricter measures to fight Greece's piracy rate, which has risen by 50 percent to 1.5 million pirated units sold in Greece -- but not manufactured there -- in two years.

Greece has the EU's highest illegally copied music sales rate of 25 percent. Italy comes a close second with 22 percent of its CDs cribbed, officials said.

Officials and executives told the news conference Bulgaria had the capacity to produce up to 45 million CDs annually and was a major contributor to a worldwide $5 billion a year industry in poached CDs.

"I have long been aware of the problem since I am one of the most pirated artists in Greece," Ms Mouskouri said. "Greece has a duty to itself, to the EU and to its artists to adopt tough anti-piracy policies." Greece was asked to take practical steps, such as improving border checks and processing quickly those charged with piracy through its usually slow legal system.

"We've asked the government to be stricter in applying the law, especially since it shares such a long border with Bulgaria," said Rick Dobbis, Polygram's president for continental Europe.

Officials also asked Athens to put political pressure on Sofia to stop the problem at its source by bringing up the issue at bilateral meetings. "Greece is one of Bulgaria's main links with the EU. It could have a major influence on Bulgaria's government to act to abolish the problem," Mr. Garnett said.

End of English language section.

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