Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 03-02-14

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Consumer groups strongly react to interest rates rise

[02] MPs vote 'no' to professional incompatibility bill

[03] Premier briefs cabinet on upcoming EU Summit in Brussels

[04] UN chief Annan invited to emergency EU summit on Iraq

[05] Annan intends to also visit Nicosia, UN chief's spokesman says

[06] Protests should focus on Iraqi embassy and nowhere else, US ambassador says

[07] Bulgarian Socialist leader briefs Greek ambassador on Iraq

[08] UN High Commissioner for Refugees meets Yiannitsis

[09] Simitis to seek reelection for another term, Protopapas says

[10] Cabinet OKs new body to handle emergency services flights

[11] G. Papandreou sends telegrams to Thrace muftis on Curban Bairam

[12] Eurostat: Greece records highest social expenditure rates

[13] Development minister hopes war in Iraq could be averted

[14] Conference on EU's "Future of Employment" in Athens on Thursday

[15] Greek economic growth rises to 4.0 percent in 2002

[16] Greek stocks end flat on Thursday

[17] PM Simitis expresses regret over death of medicopter's four-member crew

[18] European Parliament ratifies report by Greek Eurodeputy on drug addiction

[19] Athens International Airport presents 'Environmental Information Center'

[20] University study shows decrease in traffic accident fatalities in Greece

[21] US embassy closed Monday in observance of Presidents' Day holiday

[22] President Clerides says Annan to visit Cyprus February 26-28

[23] Clerides discusses Cyprus and Iraq with US Ambassador

[01] Consumer groups strongly react to interest rates rise

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The Greek Consumers' Union urged Alpha Bank to withdraw its decision, saying it would lead to a widespread increase in the cost of credit causing turmoil in the domestic market. "A decision to further widen the spread between savings and loan interest rates was irrational," the union said.

The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA), commenting on the news said that in competitive markets there were no dead-ends for consumers and noted that if Greek banks decided to raise their interest rates consumers could also seek lower credit costs in other banks.

An EBEA statement said that the domestic banking system was not entirely responsible for this negative development because it was unable to cut operating costs, but that the government was also to blame for its fiscal and structural policies.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Piraeus said on Thursday it would decided on its credit policy in the next few weeks after a decision by the European Central Bank next Thursday on monetary policy in the eurozone.

Mihalis Sallas, the bank's chairman, speaking to reporters said that current general conditions in financial markets combined with a rigid domestic institutional framework "are imposing a rationalization of interest rate policy by banks".

Mr Sallas stressed that a decision by the government to raise medium-term interest rates through the issuance of so-called "popular" state securities was leading commercial banks to review their interest rate policy.

[02] MPs vote 'no' to professional incompatibility bill

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The 300-member House voted against the 'MP professional incompatibility' bill by 149 votes, with 140 votes for and three abstentions. It was opposed by the entire opposition, three independent MPs and by eight ruling PASOK MPs, among them several former ministers.

Analysts also spoke of 'significant absences' on the ruling party's front, such as that of former minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos who had been instrumental in defeating the bill at Committee, Panagiotis Kritikos and Sifis Valyrakis.

The bill presented by the government was a legislative act executing an article in the Constitution and theoretically establishing 'exceptions' to a ban on MPs working while in office that had been established during the last Constitutional revision.

Speaking after the bill's defeat, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed that the ''Constitution is binding for all'' and said that the government did not intend to prepare and present a new bill in place of the one rejected by MPs. The failure to pass an executing bill meant that the Constitution would automatically go into effect without exceptions, he added.

''The result is simple: the Constitution will apply immediately imposing full and absolute professional incompatibility for MPs in accordance with the will expressed in April 2001 by the present Parliament. The lack of an executing bill means that there will be no exceptions,'' he stressed.

Simitis slammed the opposition for voting against the bill and said it had once more made a strategic error.

''If anyone has suffered a blow today it is the opponents of (the incompatibility bill) and those who proposed flouting the Constitution,'' he said.

Opposition parties: Defeat of bill a 'blow' to government: The defeat of the bill was greeted as a ''heavy blow'' to the government by the opposition parties on Thursday, while many greeted it as the result of the government's ''arrogance''.

''The results of the vote were a dire political defeat for the government and, among other repercussions, one more example of its establishment mentality, sloppiness and its provocative lack of respect for the Constitution,'' main opposition New Democracy's (ND) parliamentary spokesman Prokopis Pavlopoulos said after the vote.

Reactions also focused on the announcement by Prime Minister Simitis that the article of the Constitution in question would automatically come into force despite the bill's defeat and that the government did not intend to present a new bill to replace the one rejected by MPs.

ND Honorary President Constantine Mitsotakis said that Simitis' ''stubbornness and intractability would lead more quickly to PASOK's collapse'' and concurred that the bill's defeat was a heavy blow, though not enough to raise a question of confidence in the present government.

He also disputed that the Constitution mandated passing an executing law ''once and for all'' and pointed out that Evangelos Venizelos, who acted as mediator for the revision of the Constitution for the government, had shared this view.

''The bill would have passed and New Democracy would not have created any problems,'' he added, blaming the bill's defeat on Interior Minister Costas Skandalidis who brought it to Parliament.

Following the government's refusal to bring a new bill, he added, the only option was for an executing bill to be tabled in Parliament by MPs themselves.

The view that the government could have saved itself the embarrassment of a defeat was also expressed by PASOK MP for Athens Gerassimos Arsenis, one of the MPs that voted against the bill.

''We could have arrived at a very broad agreement if my proposal to the House on Wednesday - which was supported by MPs from all parties - to set up a working group ...to formulate a text based on the report by Parliament's scientific committee and other MPs had been accepted,'' he said.

''Unfortunately, the government did not even have the sensitivity to answer my proposal,'' he added.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) MP Antonis Skyllakos said the bill's defeat was a 'blow to governmental arrogance', while he slammed the government's insistence that the ban on jobs for MPs would apply regardless.

''This is an arbitrary interpretation of the Constitutional article in question that fully conflicts with the opinion of the majority in Parliament, which is the only organ (apart from justice) that can rightfully interpret the Constitution and judge whether bills are Constitutional or not,'' he said.

''Constitutional order is also violated by the statement that the government will not propose a new executing bill as it is obliged to do. I think it is now obvious who is flouting the dictates of the Constitution,'' he concluded.

The prime minister's view was also echoed by Skandalidis, who reiterated that the government did not intend to bring another bill on this issue to the present Parliament.

''Instead, in a few weeks we will table a bill that concerns the insurance and pension rights of MPs,'' he noted.

Asked if the 'nay' vote was a defeat for the government, the minister said the government did not consider that it was expressing some form of political will through a piece of legislation executing the Constitution.

Gov't insists that ban on MPs holding jobs is now in force: The 'professional incompatibility' clause that banned MPs from simultaneously holding other jobs was not imposed by the government but dictated by the Constitution, government spokesman Christos Protopapas stressed on Thursday.

''The matter is closed, absolute incompatibility has come into force based on the Constitution,'' he added.

He said the issue was not among the government's priorities and that no issue of party discipline had been raised.

The spokesman was responding to questions about the embarrassing defeat in Parliament earlier in the day of a government bill executing an article in the revised Constitution that established the 'incompatibility' clause.

The spokesman noted, meanwhile, that main opposition New Democracy MP Yiannis Varvitsiotis had been absent during the vote and that the bill had originally been signed by 40 main opposition MPs.

The bill was ''solely about MPs dedication to their office'', Protopapas underlined and the big losers were those that revealed to the Greek public that the spat was all about ''protecting their own personal interests.''

The issue was an astounding example of an institutional non sequitor, he added, while noting that ''we do not have New Democracy's view''.

This was the first time that a government bill had been defeated in Parliament.

The 300-member House voted against the bill by 149 votes, with 140 votes for and three abstentions. It was opposed by the entire opposition, three independent MPs and by eight ruling PASOK MPs, among them several former ministers.

Analysts also spoke of 'significant absences' on the ruling party's front, such as that of former minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos who had been instrumental in defeating the bill at Committee, Panagiotis Kritikos and Sifis Valyrakis.

Speaking after the bill's defeat, Prime Minister Costas Simitis stressed that the ''Constitution is binding for all'' and said that the government did not intend to prepare and present a new bill in place of the one rejected by MPs. The failure to pass an executing bill meant that the Constitution would automatically go into effect without exceptions, he added.

[03] Premier briefs cabinet on upcoming EU Summit in Brussels

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

''The non-discussion does not protect the EU, to the contrary it exposes it to the criticism of the peoples,'' Simitis added.

Speaking on the subject, government spokesman Christos Protopapas underlined that Simitis also said that even if a common position is not achieved ''because some would not like for a common position to be forged, the discussion itself would be to our benefit.''

According to Protopapas, Simitis noted that the Greek EU presidency has drafted several proposals of compromise solutions, which it will present during the course of discussions, adding that Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis stressed that the Greek presidency's initiative for Monday's Summit ''was welcomed unanimously by the Europarliament''.

Protopapas also noted that Simitis had a telephone conversation with French President Jacques Chirac and would call, during the day, British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The government spokesman said that during the conversation, Chirac expressed to Simitis his doubt on whether an application would be submitted to the United Nations Security Council for approval of a resolution on Iraq.

On this issue, Simitis commented to the government cabinet that a ''battle tactic'' would unfold during the meeting of the Security Council, as the United States wish for the reaffirmation of the Security Council's decision that Iraq is not cooperating, while France, Germany, Russia and China wish for more time to inspect the compliance or non-compliance of Iraq.

''During this circumstance, it seems that everyone is hesitant to undertake the responsibility of exercising their veto power,'' Simitis said, Protopapas said.

Responding to questions by the press, Protopapas said that the ''conditions that will be formulated in the Security Council meeting would influence everybody. And the people would judge. Thus the leaders can not but take into account the opinions of the citizens''.

[04] UN chief Annan invited to emergency EU summit on Iraq

BRUSSELS 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The same sources said Annan has accepted the invitation in principle. The emergency meeting of European leaders, called by the Greek EU Presidency, will convene three days after UN weapons inspectors report to the UN Security Council on their latest contacts and mission in Baghdad to eliminate Iraq's suspected weapons of mass destruction.

In Athens, Prime Minister Costas Simitis� diplomatic office announced that the UN Secretary General accepted an invitation by Simitis, in his capacity as President of the European Council, to take part in the meeting for about one hour.

[05] Annan intends to also visit Nicosia, UN chief's spokesman says

NEW YORK 14/02/2003 (ANA - P. Panagiotou)

Spokesman Fred Eckhard did not disclose the exact date of the UN chief's visit to Cyprus, but according to diplomatic sources he will be in Ankara on February 24, in Athens the following day and in Nicosia on the 26th of the month.

Annan's special adviser Alvaro de Soto communicated by telephone on Thursday with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and informed them of the secretary-general's intentions.

The UN Secretary-General will meet Greek Prime Minister and European Council President Costas Simitis in Brussels on Monday where an emergency EU summit will be held focusing on the Iraq crisis, Eckhard said.

Annan met at the UN headquarters on Thursday with the Cyprus envoys of Britain and the US, Lord David Hannay and Ambassador Thomas Weston. Also present at the meeting were de Soto, UN Undersecretary for political affairs Sir Kieran Prendergast and other senior officials.

No statements were made after the meeting, but according to diplomatic circles the meeting reviewed the situation in Cyprus and examined the prospects of a political settlement within the deadline of February 28 Annan has set out in a peace plan he put forward to the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides last year.

[06] Protests should focus on Iraqi embassy and nowhere else, US ambassador says

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

Speaking after his meeting with main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, whom he briefed on the U.S. positions on Iraq, Miller called excessive the scenarios for an attack over the next few days, while he stressed that it is important for the international community to speak with one voice, underlining that efforts should focus on this issue over this period.

Miller also said that the problem is not whether there will be more inspectors or if there will be a second decision by the security council, but whether we all agree that the regime of Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction which, according to United Nations Security Council resolution 1441 and according to all the international community, are considered dangerous.

The U.S. ambassador also noted that U.S. President George Bush stated that he wanted to work for a second resolution by the Security Council, but stressed that he did not want to use the term precondition for an intervention in Iraq.

[07] Bulgarian Socialist leader briefs Greek ambassador on Iraq

SOFIA 14/02/2003 (ANA - B. Borisov)

The Bulgarian Socialist Party president briefed Greek Ambassador Prokopis Matzouranis, in light of Greece's EU presidency and the ambassadors of the United States and France on the basic arguments on the position of his party.

The Socialist Party or Bulgaria stood against the Bulgarian parliament decision to allow facilities for US and other allied military forces in the country, in the event of a war against Iraq.

[08] UN High Commissioner for Refugees meets Yiannitsis

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The UN High Commission for Refugees estimates that a possible war on Iraq will result to creating a large wave of refugees of up to 600,000 people. Lubbers said the HC was preparing to deal with the situation, if a war in Iraq eventually breaks out. He noted the two aspects of the refugee problem, which are the economic dimension and the issue relating to their reception in neighboring countries.

However, the UN High Commissioner said he hoped that the war was averted and any refugee problem be dealt with in international cooperation and solidarity, not only in the case of Iraq but for all refugees around the world. He added he also hoped that next Monday�s special EU summit in Brussels would arrive at a positive decision that would assist in averting a war.

Yiannitsis referred to the pressures that Greece and the rest of Europe may face as a result of a refugee wave from Iraq. He noted that similar problems arose in the past as a result of the wars in the Balkans.

He further explained that Greece, as the current EU Presidency, was working towards peacefully resolving the Iraq crisis, as well as averting possible refugee implications.

[09] Simitis to seek reelection for another term, Protopapas says

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

"We can not forbid the production of imaginary scenarios. Mr. Simitis will be the leader of PASOK and as such will seek victory in the next elections," Protopapas said, to the press responding to a relevant question.

[10] Cabinet OKs new body to handle emergency services flights

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The decision followed the third accident involving an EKAB helicopter over the Aegean, which crashed early on Tuesday while making its approach to the island of Ikaria to pick up a patient.

The search is still on for the four people on board the helicopter at the time of the crash, which included a two-man crew, a doctor and a paramedic, though there are now minimal hopes that they will be found alive.

The proposal to set up a single body was presented by Transport Minister Christos Verelis and unanimously approved by the cabinet, which gathered on Thursday to discuss the state of the health sector. It was decided that the new body would operate out of the Greek defense ministry.

Verelis also proposed an immediate meeting of the ministers involved to work out the details of setting up the new body.

[11] G. Papandreou sends telegrams to Thrace muftis on Curban Bairam

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

''In light of the holy Islamic celebration of Bairam, I would like to express to you and to the faithful of your flock, my warmest wishes for health, peace, prosperity and long life,'' the telegram stated.

The telegram was sent to Mufti Metso Tzemali of Rodopi prefecture, Mufti Memet Damatoglou of Evros Prefecture and Emin Sinikoglou of Xanthi prefecture.

[12] Eurostat: Greece records highest social expenditure rates

BRUSSELS 14/02/2003 (ANA-V.Demiris)

Specifically for the period 1995-2000, Eurostat data show that while the EU average increase in social expenditure is 8.7%, in Greece social protection expenditure was up 42.6%.

Over the period 1995-2000, per capita social protection expenditure increased in real terms in all Member States except Finland (-0.1%). The sharpest rises were in Greece (+42.6%), followed by Portugal (+27.1%) and Ireland (+21.4%). The lowest increases were in Denmark (+1.8%), Sweden (+5.2%) and Belgium (+6.7%).

In the EU as a whole, per capita social benefits increased by 8.9% in real terms between 1995 and 2000, but the rates of change varied from function to function. The steepest rise in per capita terms was in ''family/children'' benefits (+17.2% between 1995 and 2000) along with ''housing/social exclusion'' (+13.1%) and ''old age/survivors'' (+12.1%). Increases in ''sickness'' (+9.5%) and ''disability'' (+8.7%) were around the average, whilst ''unemployment'' benefits fell by 14.5% owing to the gradual improvement in the economic situation and changes in the benefits system in a number of countries.

In the EU, the share of social protection expenditure in GDP fell from 27.5% in 1999 to 27.3% in 2000. It has been falling steadily since 1996, when it was 28.4%.

The relative importance of social protection varies considerably from one Member State to another. In 2000, the lowest shares of GDP attributable to social protection were in Ireland (14.1%) and Spain (20.1%). The figure was highest in Sweden (32.3%), France (29.7%) and Germany (29.5%). Per capita expenditure also varies noticeably from one country to another when expressed in PPS2 (purchasing power standards). In 2000, it was 60% of the EU average in Spain and Portugal, but 150% in Luxembourg and 125% in Denmark.

To some extent, these differences reflect differences in living standards, but they are also indicative of the diversity of national social protection systems and of the demographic, economic, social and institutional structures specific to each country.

In 2000, EU expenditure by function broke down as follows: old age and survivors: 46.4% (Greece 49.4%), sickness and health care: 27.3% (Greece 26.6%), family and children: 8.2% (Greece 7.4%), disability: 8.1% (Greece 5.1%), unemployment: 6.3% (Greece 6.2%) and housing and social exclusion: 3.7% (Greece 5.4%).

[13] Development minister hopes war in Iraq could be averted

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

Addressing a European conference on "The Business Future of Europe" in Thessaloniki with an audience of European Com-mission's officials and representatives of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises' unions, Mr Tsohatzopoulos criticized the stance of some European countries in supporting a war in Iraq. He referred to "geopolitical strategies followed by certain countries aiming to benefit a region's geopolitical interests, a redistribution of a world balance, security and energy, both in Eurasia and the Middle East".

The Greek minister expressed the hope that a war could be averted that stressed that "the majority of European citizens demand it".

Referring to the purpose of the conference, Mr Tsohatzopoulos said that any conclusions would be discussed during an informal EU ministers' council on Friday in Thessaloniki before a final decision by a Spring European Summit in March.

"Despite external influences, we must be able to achieve high growth rates and set security conditions for both businesses and workers," Mr Tsohatzopoulos said. The Greek minister said that the percentage of self-employed people totalled 14 percent of the workforce in the United States compared with a 4.5 percent in Europe, while the rate exceeded 20 percent in Greece.

"Our aim is the European economy to become the most competitive and more open economy in the world by 2010," Tsohatzopoulos said.

[14] Conference on EU's "Future of Employment" in Athens on Thursday

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

Reppas insisted on the prospect of total employment and underlined two points of the European Employment Strategy, the continual education and the management of immigration entries.

On her part, European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou spoke of the European contribution to the future of employment, underlining that a new European Employment Strategy is necessary for 2010, one that will be composed of employment, social cohesion and the society of knowledge.

American academic Jeremy Rifkin also addressed the conference via teleconferencing stressing that the US economic and social methods should not be a model for the European Union.

[15] Greek economic growth rises to 4.0 percent in 2002

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

NSS said that final consumption rose 3.1 percent in 2002 from 2.7 percent the previous year, investments increased by 7.4 percent compared with a 6.9 percent rise in 2001, exports eased 0.5 percent in 2002 from a fall of 1.3 percent in 2001, while imports rose 0.5 percent from a decline of 1.9 percent over the same period.

[16] Greek stocks end flat on Thursday

Athens, 14/02/2003 (ANA)

The general index eased 0.08 percent to end at 1,676.05 points, with turnover a low 46.4 million euros.

The Industrial, Holding and Construction sectors scored gains (0.47 percent, 0.38 percent and 0.32 percent, respectively), while the Publication, IT Solution and Cement sectors suffered the biggest percentage losses of the day (1.66 percent, 1.57 percent and 1.37 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks eased 0.40 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 0.06 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 0.08 percent.

The wider FTSE/ASE 140 index ended 0.08 percent higher. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 159 to 118 with another 77 issues unchanged.

Derivatives Market Close: Turnover at 34.6 mln euros Thursday

Equity Index Futures: