Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 98-01-14
From: The Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada <[email protected]>
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No 1389), January 14, 1998
Greek Press & Information Office
Ottawa, Canada
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
CONTENTS
[01] Suspected terrorist ringleader arrested, investigations continue
[02] Burns says comments on airspace misrepresented
[03] ... Meeting with Constantopoulos
[04] ... Avramopoulos
[05] Gov't condemns repeated Turkish violations of airspace
[06] Britain wants better relations between Greece, Turkey -
ambassador
[07] Stephanopoulos visit to India focuses on expanding bilateral
relations
[08] US Congressional delegation on official visit
[09] Greek Orthodox sexton murdered in Istanbul
[10] PASOK conference on 'Socialism, Democracy in Europe
of the 21st century'
[11] V. Papandreou holds wide-ranging talks with Austrian leadership
[12] V. Papandreou interview to Austrian news agency
[13] Robles emphasizes support for EU's external borders
[14] Algerian ambassador: Algiers needs int'l support
[15] Greece, Poland confer on EU issues
[16] Priceless manuscript returned to Mount Athos monastery
[17] Increased taxes for self-employed professionals
[18] Education co-operation between Greece, Albania decided
[19] Three missing in shoot-out on high seas
[20] Civil war minefield to be cleared
[21] Spraos report on improving public sector unveiled
[22] ... Opposition
[23] Greek stocks rebound as external pressures wane
[24] Parliament committee begins debate on tax bill
[25] Government reviews course of public investments program
[26] Conference to focus on business activity on Cyprus
[27] Briton held, kidnapping charges dropped
[28] Double murder-suicide in Athens suburb
[01] Suspected terrorist ringleader arrested, investigations continue
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Law enforcement officials yesterday expressed guarded optimism
following the announcement that 18 individuals had been detained
for questioning on the suspicion of involvement in terrorist
acts.
Asked whether police had broken up a terrorist organization
after announcing the names of those detained for questioning,
Public Order Minister George Romeos told a press conference that
"the material found is used only in bombs".
The minister refused to be drawn into further speculation on the
details of the findings, saying only that their examination
would take considerable time.
Greek anti-terrorist police initially arrested eight people
following a series of early morning raids on 10 residences in
the greater Athens area.
Mr. Romeos said one of those arrested, Nikos Maziotis, is the
suspected ringleader of the "Militant Guerrilla Formation"
group. He was arrested following a raid on a residence in
Kamatero district, west of downtown Athens. According to police,
the suspect had been sentenced to 40 months imprisonment in the
past for participating in an occupation of the Athens
Polytechnic, and was also involved in the conscientious
objectors movement.
Earlier, police said the findings seized in the homes which had
been raided included 9,740 kilos of explosive material, two
pistols, a handgun, 148 bullets, detonators and four hoods.
Police began closing in on the suspects following the discovery
of a fingerprint - which police traced to Mr. Maziotis - on a
bomb placed at the development ministry on Dec., 6 that had
failed to explode.
Police left the bomb intact then after finding it had been
wrongly assembled and was not dangerous. Responsibility was then
claimed by the so-called "Anarchist Urban Guerrilla"
organization, in protest against the involvement of the Canadian
TVX mining group in a new operation in Halkidiki, northern
Greece. Mr. Maziotis was subsequently placed under surveillance
thereafter.
The text claiming responsibility for placing the bomb, which was
read out to the newspaper "Eleftherotypia" at the time, was
found in the man's home yesterday, police said.
The "Militant Guerrilla Formation" has claimed responsibility
for a number of bomb attacks since its appearance in 1996. It
has planted bombs at the Athens Polytechnic, the Peruvian
embassy, the showroom of Italian car manufacturer Lancia and
outside the Alitalia offices.
Police sources also said Mr. Maziotis is a former member of the
"Revolutionary Popular Struggle" (ELA), which police believe
offers protection, guidance and arms to smaller groups,
including the Militant Guerrilla Formation.
He was also suspected of being involved in Saturday night's bomb
attacks on the Kallithea taxation bureau and finance ministry
data processing center (KEPYO).
Police sources were saying last night they were examining a
number of cases of bomb attacks in which the group is suspected
of involvement, either by claiming responsibility, or because
the remains of explosive mechanisms fully matched those of the
first category.
[02] Burns says comments on airspace misrepresented
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
US ambassador in Athens Nicholas Burns yesterday denied he had
linked the question of Greek sovereignty in the Aegean with the
country's airspace.
"I was very sorry to see some of the press reports over the
weekend that said I was linking Greek sovereignty in the Aegean
with the issue of airspace limits. I did not say that. That is
not true, we are not linking those issues. We respect Greece's
sovereignty in the Aegean, period. We don't link that with any
other issue," Mr. Burns said, speaking after a meeting with main
opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis
yesterday. He said
Washington wanted to help resolve some of the problems in the
region, if Greece and Turkey wanted, and he maintained that
Washington had mo-ved in this spirit when the Turkish government
decided to carry out a military exercise over the Greek islets
of Kalogeri and near the island of Andros. Asked if the US
accepted the 10 nautical mile-limit for Greece's airspace, he
reiterated that Washington's known position had not changed.
"This has not been an active issue between the US and Greece in
the sense that Greece has had this (the 10-mile limit) since
1931. Greece and the US are NATO allies. We get along very well.
I think it was frankly wrong of the newspapers to link the two
issues, because I never linked them and so it's not an issue
that we argue about," he said, adding:
"Our position is well-known and we have not changed that
position."
"The major issue is this. Greece and Turkey must find a way to
work together to reduce the tension in the region, but obviously
sovereignty must be respected, that is why I thought it
important to say that the Kalogeri islets are Greek," he added.
[03] ... Meeting with Constantopoulos
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Mr. Burns also had a meeting with the leader of the Coalition of
the Left (Synaspismos), Nikos Constantopoulos, who afterwards
expressed concern over the escalation of tension in
Greek-Turkish relations.
Mr. Constantopoulos outlined to the US ambassador his party's
positions on Greece's foreign policy and Greek-American
relations, while he also referred to the need for respect for
human rights on the part of Turkey.
The Synaspismos leader also told Mr. Burns that "when US policy
is becoming supportive to Turkey and pressing Greece in the name
of a super power that imposes itself and controls", then such a
policy was wrong.
The US ambassador told the press that, as he had expected, "we
did not agree on all issues".
However, he described the meeting as excellent, adding that he
will keep an open-minded stance and co-operation" with all Greek
political parties.
[04] ... Avramopoulos
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Finally, issues concerning Greek-US relations as well as
expatriate Greeks living in the US, were the focus of discussion
during a meeting last night between Mr. Burns and Athens Mayor
Demetris Avramopoulos at the Greek capitals' City Hall.
Mr. Avramopoulos congratulated the new ambassador on taking up
his duties in Athens and wished him success and "a closer
co-operation to the benefit of both peoples."
[05] Gov't condemns repeated Turkish violations of airspace
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Government spokesman Demetris Reppas said yesterday that Athens
will take all necessary measures to condemn the recent wave of
airspace violations and infringements by Turkish warplanes over
the Aegean and would brief representatives of European Union
member-states on "the unacceptable activity of the Turkish air
force".
Fourteen Turkish warplanes infringed on Athens Flight
Information Region (FIR) regulations without submitting flight
plans and violated Greek national airspace over three Aegean
islands yesterday.
The violations occurred as National Defense Minister Akis
Tsohatzopoulos arrived on the island of Lesvos on the first leg
of a tour of eastern Aegean islands.
The sources said that several Turkish F-16 and F-4 warplanes
which violated Greek national airspace over the Dodecanese
islands of Rhodes, Kos and Karpathos, were intercepted by
Hellenic Air Force F-16s and Mirage-2000s.
Two Turkish F-16 aircraft that entered the Athens FIR later in
the day and flew 10,000 feet above a helicopter carrying Mr.
Tsohatzopoulos were intercepted by four Greek fighters,
according to informed sources.
The Turkish planes, flying at a height of 13,000 feet, entered
Athens FIR in the region between the eastern Aegean islands of
Hios and Lesvos.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos was in a helicopter taking him from Lesvos to
the island of Psara.
He later called on Ankara to abide to international law.
Greece "is a peaceful country and wants to live in peace with
its neighbors." added Mr. Tsohatzopoulos from the northeastern
Aegean islet of Panagia.
The defense minister commenting on yesterday's violations of
Greek airspace by Turkish warplanes predicted that Turkey will
maintain an offensive policy toward its neighbors in an effort
to overcome its internal problems for the time being, until it
be comes a member of a major international organization, such as
the European Union.
The Panagia islet is one of 14 of the eastern Aegean that will
be developed into tourism and ecology sites by the Aegean
ministry, an action criticized by Turkey.
Speaking earlier at the Lesvos Officers Club, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos
said that the 1998 expenditures for defense will reach 1.5
trillion dra-chmas, compared to the 500 billion spent in 1997.
While on Lesvos the defense minister also visited army and air
force units.
[06] Britain wants better relations between Greece, Turkey -
ambassador
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
British Ambassador in Athens Sir Michael Llewellyn Smith
yesterday expressed his country's desire to support every effort
by NATO and the US towards de-escalating tension between Greece
and Turkey, although he feared that any effort by the European
Union would not be successful in view of Turkey's reaction to a
decision by last month's EU summit not to include it in the next
wave of candidate member states.
At a press conference to mark the beginning of Britain's six
months at the helm of the European Union, the ambassador said
his government's focus would center on the accession process for
10 candidate states from central and eastern Europe and for
Cyprus, Economic and Monetary Union, employment, crime-fighting
and the environment.
With regard to accession talks for Cyprus, due to begin in
March, Sir Michael said the participation of Turkish Cypriots in
the talks, while desirable, was not linked with the starting
date for negotiations.
In response to a question on Cyprus' purchase of S-300 missiles
from Russia, the ambassador, reiterating Britain's position in
favor of the demilitarization of Cyprus, expressed the view that
the missiles should not be deployed on the island.
[07] Stephanopoulos visit to India focuses on expanding bilateral
relations
New Delhi, 14/01/1998 (ANA - N. Megadoukas)
Greece and India pledged to expand bilateral relations,
particularly in the economic and trade sectors, following talks
between President Kostis Stephanopoulos with India's political
leadership here.
Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, who is accompanying Mr.
Stephanopoulos on his six-day official visit to India, signed a
bilateral agreement for co-operation in the tourism sector with
Indian Tourism Minister Kumar Jhenna.
Mr. Stephanopoulos, the first Greek president to officially
visit India since 1982, met his Indian counterpart K.I.
Narayanan yesterday morning.
After the official reception ceremony, the president laid a
wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi monument.
"It is with great respect that I lay this wreath, in the memory
of the great humanist, political figure and liberator of India.
Gandhi was one of the brightest spirits of mankind," he wrote in
the special visitors' book.
Mr. Stephanopoulos later met Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral,
who also holds the foreign affairs portfolio, accompanied by Mr.
Pangalos and National Economy Under-secretary Alekos Baltas.
Their talks focused on bilateral relations and the international
scene.
Mr. Gujral hosted a lunch in honor of Mr. Stephanopoulos, after
which the Greek president met representatives of Indian
political parties and was briefed on the political situation in
the country as well as next month's elections.
During the official dinner hosted by his Indian counterpart
afterwards, Mr. Stephanopoulos noted that while the bilateral
trade balance was weighted in India's favor, there was a great
deal of leeway for economic co-operation in various sectors,
particularly through encouraging private investment with
appropriate state support.
He also stressed that while Greece and India were the heirs to
great civilizations which have influenced many other peoples,
they have not adequately expanded these bonds of the past.
He also emphasized that the two countries have developed
beneficial co-operation in the political field, based on the
common ideals of peace, friendship between nations, respect for
international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The
Greek president expressed Athens' appreciation for India's
understanding and stand on the Cyprus issue, which constitutes a
violation of the basic principles of international law.
Mr. Stephanopoulos also referred to global environmental issues,
and the problems of starvation and local conflicts affecting
many parts of the planet and threatening peace and security.
"We understand the existing problems in your area, and we
believe in the value of implementing the rules of international
law," he said, stressing the particular influence exercised by
India in international relations.
He invited President Narayanan to visit Greece.
[08] US Congressional delegation on official visit
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A US House of Representatives delegation is visiting Greece
today and tomorrow, headed by Illinois Republican John Edward
Porter, along with four other members of the Congressional
commission on security and co-operation in Europe, known as the
Helsinki Commission.
The aim of the visit is to examine the targets and principles of
the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Greece will be the first stop of the US delegation, which will
then visit Cyprus and Turkey.
In Athens, the delegation will have meetings with US officials,
government officials and representatives of non-governmental
bodies.
[09] Greek Orthodox sexton murdered in Istanbul
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
An ethnic Greek sexton at the Agios Therapontas Church in
Istanbul was found dead in a church well after an unexplained
fire at the church, government spokesman Demetris Reppas
announced yesterday.
Vassilis Haviaropoulos was found dead with a cracked skull after
the fire was extinguished, according to Turkish authorities.
Mr. Reppas expressed the government's condemnation over the fire
as well as other such incidents in Turkey against Ecumenical
Patriarchate staff and property, whose causes have continuously
remained unexplained. He also accused Turkish authorities of in
efficiency.
A bomb exploded at the Ecumenical Patriarchate early last month,
seriously injuring a Greek Orthodox clergyman.
Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Aris
Spiliotopoulos also condemned "in the most absolute and
categorical way" the murder of the sexton.
"We denounce Turkey because indeed in past days one ascertains
that the anti-Greek rage that it has been developing for some
time is intensifying. We call on Ankara to denounce this
barbarism immediately and ensure that the murderers, and at the
same time sacrilegious individuals, are arrested im-mediately
and punished in an exemplary fashion," Mr. Spiliotopoulos said.
[10] PASOK conference on 'Socialism, Democracy in Europe
of the 21st century'
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Prime Minister and PASOK president Costas Simitis along with
several high-ranking party cadres yesterday decided to hold a
national conference on the subject of "Socialism and Democracy
in the Europe of the 21st century."
The conference, which will be held on Feb. 13 and 14, aims to
involve not just PASOK but society as a whole, according to
reports.
The 600 to 700 members of the conference will include PASOK's
central committee, its Parliamentary group, Eurodeputies, its
youth group and independent politicians which took part in
similar events in the past.
Mr. Simitis and PASOK Secretary Costas Skandalidis will be main
speakers of the conference, the results of which will be sent to
party organizations.
[11] V. Papandreou holds wide-ranging talks with Austrian leadership
Vienna, 14/01/1998 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis)
Development Minister Vasso Papandreou held talks here yesterday
with Austrian National Economy Minister Johannes Farnleitner,
who assured the Greek minister that Austria will promote Cyprus'
and the other candidate-nation s' accession negotiations during
Vienna's EU presidency in the second half of 1998.
Ms Papandreou ascertained in her talks with the Austrian
minister that the Kurdish issue, and the situation prevailing in
Turkey, in general, are strongly preoccupying the Austrian
government, which believes that problems of democratic
institutions and respect for human rights exist in Turkey.
In her talks with both Mr. Farnleitner and later with the
president of the influential Austrian Federal Economic Chamber,
Leopold Mantertaner, the political will of both countries to
improve bilateral commercial and economic relations was stressed.
Afterwards, Ms Papandreou said Austria is interested in
co-operation with Balkan and Black Sea countries where Greece
maintains political and economic co-operation at a higher level
than Austria. On its part, Athens is interested in co-operation
with countries in central and eastern Europe with which Austria
has better connections.
In addition, a Greek-Austrian research and technology agreement
will be signed very soon at government level, details of which
were discussed yesterday.
The invitation extended by Ms Papandreou for Greece to host the
Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Industry, canceled in Morocco
last year, during the Austrian EU presidency will also be
reviewed positively by Vienna.
Ms Papandreou was also briefed on issues which Austria will
promote during its presidency, such as Economic and Monetary
Union, energy policy and small- and medium-sized enterprises.
[12] V. Papandreou interview to Austrian news agency
Vienna, 14/01/1998 (ANA - D. Dimitrakoudis)
In an interview with the Austrian News Agency yesterday,
Development Minister Vasso Pa-pandreou stressed the need for
pressures to be exerted on Turkey by the European Union
regarding the Kurdish issue.
Ms Papandreou, who completed a two-day official visit to Vienna
yesterday, said that instead of pretending that no problem
exists, the EU must pressure Ankara to respect the rights of all
peoples, regardless of their nationality and origin.
She also criticized the policy of the United States and European
countries for their support of Turkey's generals on the pretext
of blocking militant Islamism in the country, a policy she said
is not effective.
Instead, she added, Turkey must be supported to improve
democratic institutions and human rights which would help a
rapprochement with the EU.
"Turkey must respect international law first to enable its
participation in the EU," she said.
Ms Papandreou said Greece will fulfill criteria for accession to
Economic and Monetary Union as of 2001. Referring to bilateral
Greek-Austrian economic relations, She said they are at a very
low level but the political volition exists to widen them.
She said that possibilities of expanding bilateral co-operation
also exists in the tourism sector, since the main season for
tourism to Austria is in the winter and for Greece in the summer.
[13] Robles emphasizes support for EU's external borders
Strasbourg, 14/01/1998 (ANA - C. Haralambopoulos)
Responding yesterday to a question on Greek-Turkish relations,
European Parliament President Gil Robles said it is clear that
the European Union is in favor of respect for external borders
and in this sense it stands by the side of Greece on the issue
of its borders being questioned by Turkey.
Mr. Robles, who will pay an official visit to Greece on January
28 at the invitation of Parliament President Apostolos
Kaklamanis, said he would not want to take a specific position
on Greek-Turkish differences since such a thing could create
more tension. However, he expressed the wish that in the future
relations between Greece and Turkey will be characterized by
more co-operation.
Referring to his visit to Athens, Mr. Robles said he will seek a
briefing on the status of national deputies, the issue of a
unified election process in the EU, the issue of relations
between national Parliaments and the European Parliament and the
course of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary dialogue which
started about a year ago at the initiative of Athens.
Mr. Robles said that during his contacts in Athens he will
stress the necessity of the Euro-Mediterranean Forum operating
in 1998, adding that Greece constitutes a privileged observation
center for the EU towards the Near and Middle East.
[14] Algerian ambassador: Algiers needs int'l support
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Algeria is determined to "continue without respite the battle
against the plague of terrorism" until it is entirely
eradicated, Algiers' new ambassador in Athens stressed in a
statement yesterday.
Kamel Houhou expressed his deep regret at the latest wave of
massacres against isolated village populations in his country,
whom he termed as "the victims of a blind and blood-thirsty
terrorism".
He appealed to the international community to invest more into
effecting an "honest co-operation", with no hidden motives, in
order to face up to this challenge, saying that the "battle
against terrorism was everybody's responsibility".
According to the Algerian ambassador, a proposed inquiry into
terrorism in Algeria was unnecessary since, as he said, it would
not serve any purpose but would probably help "maintain disorder
and encourage terrorism becoming even more fierce".
Mr. Houhou asserted that instead of an international inquiry,
his country was in need of security and peace, and of support
and solidarity.
He added that Algeria was a sovereign state which rejected all
sorts of interference in its domestic affairs, but at the same
time called on the international community to assist in the
battle against terrorism through appropriate mechanisms.
[15] Greece, Poland confer on EU issues
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou held talks
yesterday with Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrej Ananicz
on Poland's aspirations to become a member of the European Union.
Poland is one of the countries included in the EU's first wave
of enlargement, decided at the Luxembourg summit in December.
The two men decided to step up the level of contacts between the
two sides on a political and technocratic level, with Greece
promising to aid Poland's accession efforts with briefings on
the institutional and economic EU issues.
Some 30 Greek and joint Greek-Polish enterprises are active in
Poland, primarily in commerce and the fur, marble and farming
goods sectors. Poland is home to a 5,000-strong Greek community
while Greece is home to a sizable Polish community.
[16] Priceless manuscript returned to Mount Athos monastery
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A ceremony at Mount Athos' administrative capital of Karyes
yesterday heralded the return by Bulgarian officials of a
236-year-old manuscript to the autonomous monastic community,
following a decision by Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov.
The ceremony was delayed for three hours after Bulgarian
officials insisted on handing over the 61-page manuscript
directly to the Zografos Monastery's abbot, who is of Bulgarian
origin.
The 61-page manuscript, a history of the Slavo-Bulgarian nation
written by the monk Paisios in 1762 at the Zografos monastery,
was stolen from Mount Athos in 1985, subsequently turning up
last year at Sofia's National History Museum.
Mr. Stoyanov decided to return the manuscript despite opposition
in Bulgaria. Specifically, 75 per cent of respondents polled by
the Bulgarian state radio station "Horizon" expressed their
opposition to the decision. Eventually, the manuscript was
handed over to a Mount Athos official who was then accompanied
to the Zografos Monastery by both Greek and Bulgarian
delegations.
[17] Increased taxes for self-employed professionals
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A broad range of self-employed professionals will be called upon
to pay increased taxes for incomes earned in 1997, on the basis
of a decision by Finance Under-secretary George Drys and
released yesterday.
Specifically, the professional fees used as a criterion for
assessing the minimum income earned by doctors, lawyers,
consultants and artists, among others, are increased by nine per
cent, while the minimum income owners of taxis and transport
vehicles will have to declare goes up by 8.2 per cent.
[18] Education co-operation between Greece, Albania decided
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
The education ministry termed co-operation between Greece and
Albania in the education sector a historic mandate for the two
countries.
Education Minister Gerassimos Arsenis and his Albanian
counterpart Ethem Ruka met last night and decided to co-operate
in all sectors and at all levels with the purpose of maintaining
the orientation of education on democratic principles and the
adjustment of training to the needs and requirements of modern
technology and economy.
An announcement by the education ministry said that, among
others, the following will be pursued in this context:
Co-operation between establishments of third stage university
and technological education in the two countries and the
possibility will be examined of the Albanian language being
taught at a university in Athens.
Co-operation at all levels of first stage and second stage
education, including pre-school training. A coordinated
development of initiatives will be pursued for the promotion of
Balkan co-operation, as well as participation in European and
international programs.
Greece will help in modernizing the educational system of
Albania, maintaining and equipping school buildings as well as
in vocational education and training.
Coordinated care will be taken for upgrading education provided
for the ethnic Greek minority, as well as bilateral co-operation
for the mutual knowledge and understanding of the two people's
history and culture through school programs.
[19] Three missing in shoot-out on high seas
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Three Albanian drug smugglers were missing when their boat went
up in flames during a shoot-out with the Greek coast guard off
the northwestern Greek port city of Igoumenitsa, police said
yesterday.
Harbor authorities told the ANA that the crew of an Albanian
speedboat opened fire on two Greek coast guard patrol boats when
asked to stop for a check.
They said that the three men on board the Albanian speedboat
opened fire on the patrol boats with Kalashnikov machine guns,
forcing the coast guard to return the fire.
As a result, the Albanian boat caught fire and the three men
jumped into the sea and disappeared.
The speedboat, loaded with several sacks of narcotics, was towed
to Igoumenitsa harbor, while a search is being conducted for its
three-member crew. Most of the drugs were destroyed in the fire,
the harbor authorities said.
[20] Civil war minefield to be cleared
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Thousands of land mines dating from the Greek civil war fifty
years ago will be cleared to make the Grammos mountain region on
Greece's northern border into a tourist destination,
Macedonia-Thrace Minister Philippos Petsalnikos said yesterday.
Funds from the Third Community Support Framework and Greek
national defense ministry have already been allocated for the
costly and time-consuming project, which is expected to begin
within the year.
"We had placed a study with a foreign company to detect and
record the mines in the minefield by aerial photography but the
cost of the project came to over five billion drachmas, an
amount we did not have then", Mr. Petsalnikos said. "Now, with
the Third Community Support Framework, we do".
The project has received the support of Prime Minister Costas
Simitis, who was approached by local authorities when he visited
the prefecture of Kastoria in Western Macedonia late last year.
The Grammos, Vitsi and Murgana mountains in the Pindos mountain
range saw the bulk of fighting during the vicious 1947-1949
civil war between communist-backed resistance fighters and
Allied-backed troops.
At the end of the war, resistance fighters fled north to
Soviet-bloc countries, leaving no documentation of where mines
had been placed. Thousands are estimated to be hidden deep in
the forest.
Dozens of unsuspecting hunters and farmers were killed in the
years immediately after the war and many more injured.
[21] Spraos report on improving public sector unveiled
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A long-anticipated report on the qualitative improvement of
Greece's massive public sector administration was unveiled
yesterday by Prof. Ioannis Spraos, the prime minister's economic
adviser.
Prof. Spraos stressed that such an improvement was of tremendous
significance for the economy, with the proposals aiming to
regain what he called the "lost time" for Greece, saying the
country missed out on two major revolutions in the field of
public administration. He said these two "revolutions" concern
the public sector's proper and efficient functioning.
Discounting earlier fears of a proposal favoring the lifting of
the permanent employment status of civil servants, Mr. Spraos
and his assistant, interior and public administration ministry
official Aliki Koutsoumari, reiterated that what was required
was a redefinition of the concept that would make civil servants
efficient and friendly to the public.
The report contains five sets of proposals. The first refers to
the introduction of result-measurement indicators, respect for
charters of citizens' rights, and efficiency controls of public
services.
The second proposal concerns the planning and evaluation of
employment positions in the public sector, while the third
envisages the setting up of a committee of experts that will
examine the relevance and impact of legislative regulations.
The fourth and fifth proposals are related to the establishment
of two bodies, one of administration economists and the other of
a department of high-ranking executives with special skills and
qualifications.
Public Administration Under-secretary Stavros Benos stated later
that the proposals of the Spraos report were in a very positive
direction, and assured that the government had no intention of
watering down the permanent employment status of civil servants.
[22] ... Opposition
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Meanwhile, the main opposition New Democracy party's head of the
public administration affairs later accused the government of
"amateurism, ignorance of reality, and of being at a loss of
what to do."
"The decisions that must be adopted for public administration
concern the trimming of the state, a reduction in its costs, and
the proper utilization of its human resources. However, the
government, being a prisoner of fixed ideas of the past and the
concept of political cost, is unable to adopt them," he said.
[23] Greek stocks rebound as external pressures wane
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Greek equities yesterday recovered a small part of Monday's
sharp losses on the Athens Stock Exchange with market sentiment
encouraged by a rebound in international markets.
Traders said that a fragile stability in the domestic money
markets also encouraged some bargain hunting and other
speculative buying of stocks.
The general index ended at 1,426.14 points, up 1.48 percent
after showing gains as much as 3.0 percent during the session.
Most sector indices scored gains. Banks fell 0.49 percent,
Insurance rose 0.92 percent, Leasing dropped 0.89 percent,
Investment ended 1.22 percent higher, Construction increased
1.95 percent, Industrials jumped 2.24 percent, Miscellaneous
surged 3.61 percent and Holding rose 1.63 percent.
The parallel market index for small cap companies ended 2.57
percent up, while the FTSE/ASE index closed 1.09 percent up at
794.89 points.
Trading was heavy with turnover at 19 billion drachmas.
Broadly, advancers led decliners by 143 to 57 with another 26
issues unchanged.
Sysware, Singular, Intrasoft and Desmos scored the biggest
percentage gains at the day's upper limit of 8.0 percent, while
Balkan Export, Levenderis and Fintexport suffered the heaviest
losses.
National Bank of Greece ended at 21,500 drachmas, Ergobank at
13,345, Alpha Credit Bank at 14,700, Delta Dairy at 2,905, Titan
Cement at 13,435, Intracom at 14,100 and Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization at 5,700.
[24] Parliament committee begins debate on tax bill
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
Greece's political parties clashed over procedural issues and
contents of a new tax bill during debate yesterday by a
parliament's budget committee.
Finance Under-secretary George Drys withdrew a regulation
calling for an in person submission of tax statements after
strong protests by most political parties.
The governing PASOK party deputies stressed that the new tax
bill did not impose new taxes and that it was simply
implementing 1998's state budget provisions.
Deputies from opposition parties criticized the government's tax
proposals as unfair and inefficient.
[25] Government reviews course of public investments program
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A government committee chaired by Prime Minister Costas Simitis
yesterday reviewed the course of smaller projects under way or
scheduled around the country.
National Economy Under-secretary Christos Pachtas told reporters
after the meeting that the premier was briefed over the course
of the public investments program in smaller projects at
prefectural and local authority levels.
Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization
Under-secretary Lambros Papadimas, and Environment, Town
Planning and Public Works Under-secretary Christos Verelis also
attended the meeting.
[26] Conference to focus on business activity on Cyprus
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
The International Economic Relations Institute will organize a
conference entitled "The Possibilities of Business Activity in
the Republic of Cyprus" on Tuesday, in co-operation with the
Cypriot Commercial Center of Athens.
The conference will focus on issues concerning the course of the
economy of Cyprus and its accession course towards the European
Union, the status of foreign investments and offshore companies,
commercial relations between Greece and Cyprus etc.
The issues will be set out by the commercial adviser of the
Cyprus embassy in Athens, A. Nikolaou, and other officials.
[27] Briton held, kidnapping charges dropped
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A 45-year-old British car mechanic was remanded in custody
yesterday on charges of receiving stolen goods and for debts to
social security funds.
An investigating magistrate in Serres ordered that John Mercer
of South Shields, northeastern England, be remanded in custody
for the two offenses but dropped charges of abduction of his
three-year-old son.
Mercer was arrested on January 9 at the port of Igoumenitsa, on
his return from England, following charges by his companion
Elisavet Keskinidou of abducting their son Anastasios.
The boy was later returned to his mother, who dropped the
charges. Police said that they were investigating allegations
that Mercer, who ran a used-car lot in the Serres village of
Lefkona, was dismantling stolen cars and selling them as spare
parts.
[28] Double murder-suicide in Athens suburb
Athens, 14/01/1998 (ANA)
A 50-year-old man shot and killed his wife and son and then
committed suicide in the Athens northern residential suburb of
Aghia Paraskevi yesterday, police said.
The man, Antonis Tambakakis, after a family argument, took his
shotgun and shot his 48-year old wife in the head and chest and
his 30-year-old son Michalis in the head. He then shot himself
in the head.
End of English language section.
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