Antenna News in English 020796

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: [email protected]

News in English, of 02/07/1996

TITLES

• The prime minister takes over at the helm of Pasok.
• Serb kids say farewell to Greece.
• And, a ballet in aid of cancer victims.

SIMITIS

Pasok's fourth congress turned a page in party history, electing prime minister Kostas Simitis party president, just 8 days after the death of party founder Andreas Papandreou.

Mr Simitis pulled in 2,732, or 53.8 per cent, of the votes. His only challenger, interior minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, received 2,324, or 45.7 per cent of the votes. 55 of the ballots cast were invalid or blank.

Mr Simitis's victory came after a hard fought contest. The prime minister threatened to resign if the congress didn't make him party leader. He claimed that the party and the govenrment must be united under one leader, otherwise the prime minister's authority would be open to question.

Tsochatzopoulos, always close to Andreas Papandreou, countered, saying that after Andreas Papandreou, there must be collective leadership at the top.

The election brought to an end months of speculation about how Pasok's leadership puzzle would be solved, and about whether or not Pasok could weather the congress in tact.

Following his victory, Mr Simitis said the party had held together. He said he and Tsochatzopoulos had "imposed unity on polarisation. The existence of a a unified Pasok", he continued, "is a pre-condition for political stability in the country. Comrade Tsochatzopoulos and I weren't combatants, even though some liked to portray us as such. That's not our politics".

In his speech after the results had been announced, Tsochatzopoulos also put a premium on unity, but said that unity will be preserved through collective leadership.

Though the congress put Mr Simitis in charge, it also passed resolutions calling for a decentralisation of the power structure within the party. Mr Simitis will now be expected to implement those resolutions.

Other centres of power in Pasok are now also under Mr Simitis's sway. Around three quarters of the new central committee members, also elected at the congress, are in his camp.

Which means he'll also dominate the executive bureau, which the central committee will choose.

The top vote-getter in the committee elections was George Papandreou, son of the late Andreas Papandreou. He was followed by Kostas Laliotis, Vaso Papandreou, and Kostas Skandalides. Theodoros Pangalos finished 6th, and Gerasimos Arsenis, 10th. Tsochatzopoulos is also on the new central committee, since he ran for party president.

ND REACTION

In his written message, Miltiades Evert added that the country's problems are huge, and that despite their differences, the main parties need to make a national effort to solve them.

Evert chaired a meeting of leading New Democracy members Monday. The assessment of the political situation following Mr Simitis's triumph within Pasok was that the ruling party's unity isn't secure, and that there will be elections in the autumn.

MP Giorgos Souflias said, "After a long, stormy process that divided Pasok, they've come together. After creating a lot of problems in Pasok, the pending leadership issue was resolved. But the government can't solve the country's problems. We should have national elections".

MP Stephanos Manos said despite his election victory, Mr Simitis is still hostage to the trade unions that back Pasok, and their belief in big government. "To confront the country's problems, we have to restrict the state and state monopolies", he explained.

MP Fani Pali-Petralia said Pasok is in a state of civil war and near a split.

MARKETS/PRESS REACT

Iason Stratos, president of the Confederation of Greek industry, says the main thing is for the government to hold steady with policies designed to get Greece ready for further European Union integration.

Businessmen say it's great that Pasok avoided a governmental crisis by making the prime minister its leader. But they also say there's no room for complacency.

Yannis Papathanasiou is president of the industrial and commercial chamber of commerce. He says that with Andreas Papandreou's hospitalisation over the winter, and the preparations for the congress, a lot of time was lost. Now that the congress is over, he adds, the government has got to get going on solving economic problems.

For the business community, the economy will be a major test of Mr Simtis's ability to run the country.

The British press also commented on Mr Simitis's victory. The Times of London said his resignation threat had been a gambit that paid off.

The Independent said that his victory will give him greater control over the party and the government, but doesn't guarantee party unity.

And the Financial times believes there will be national elections this autumn.

CEMETERY

His widow, Dimitra Liani Papandreou, was accompanied to the grave by her late husband's children.

A number of ordinary people who also attended the service commiserated with Mrs Papandreou afterwards. At the show of affection and concern, she could no longer hold back the tears, and broke down.

Prime minister Kostas Simitis and a number of his ministers also visited the grave Monday, leaving bouquets of flowers in honour of their political mentor and friend.

SERB KIDS

At the train station in Athens, the kids said goodbye to the Greek families that had taken them in for seven months.

It was a send off with love and the Greek national anthem.

One of the Greek women who played mother to the Serb and Muslim children said, "We hope they draw strength from what we've given them, and that they will have a better life when they get home".

The kiks are taking a piece of Greece, and the Greek hearts they touched, with them.

One little girl bound for Bania Luka said "love" is the most important thing she got out of her stay in Greece.

Wherever they're going - whether it's to Bania Luka or Sarajevo, to Serbia or Bosnia, the children will forever remember their Greek friends. One boy said, "I love Yiota and Stamatis. I'm coming back here next Christmas".

The feelings run both ways.

One woman says, "I gave the little girl I hosted the key of my house. I feel like her mother. My home is her home".

Life will be tough for the kids when they get to their home towns, devestated by war. One of the visitors told the other children not to cry.

Back home, at these kids' war torn cities and villages, life will be tough for them. Little Miranda, whose doesn't know that her mother is dead, puts on a brave face, telling the other children not to cry.

They all have a terrible burden to bear.

ELPIDA

The English National Ballet danced in aid of the charity at the Irodio in Athens, to the sounds of "Swan Lake", performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Sophia.

It was pure pleasure for the audience, which included Antenna president Minos Kyriakou.

Marianna Vardinoyianni, president of Elpida said, "Three things were combined in this event: the concert beneath the Acropolis, the famous magic of the ballet, and love for the children".

The proceeds from the performance will be used to provide rooms in a hostel for family members of children hospitalised with cancer for months.

That will allow even people from out of town to be close to their hospitalised young ones.

TOURISM PAGEANT

Eleni Pliatsika was one of the five finalists who dazzled the judges eyes during the pageant. And she's pleased with her number two finish.

Arriving back in Athens, she said many bright and beautiful young women competed for the crown. With such stiff competition, finishing second is great.

Greek women have won the world title twice in the past.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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