Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-04

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

News in English, 04/03/97

TITLES

• Greek authorities on the alert as Albania teeters on the brink of civil war.
• The prime minister defends his economic policies in the agricultural heartland.
• And, the carnival continues.

ALBANIA

People who lost everything when investment schemes collapsed six weeks ago have raided military bases and armed themselves. They're demanding the government step down, and they want their money back.

Antenna correspondents have been in a number of towns in southern Albania, where the tension is running highest.

- Following a weekend of growing insurgency in the towns and villages of southern Albania, president Sali Berisha announced martial law. A 7 pm to 8 am curfew in in place, and police have been authorised to shoot to kill without warning when facing unrest.

And the tanks were out on the streets in the town of Argyrokastro Monday afternoon.

Tension mounted over the weekend. Angry crowds raided military bases and police stations, seizing automatic rifles and ammunition.

There were more raids Monday, even after the government announced martial law, and ordered the protestors to give up their weapons. The deadline for the protestors to give up their guns came and went unnoticed in insurgent areas.

Much of the unrest is centred in towns with heavy Greek-minority populations.

In Avlona alone, sources say the civilian population now has over 50 thousand weapons in its possession.

Angry residents have seized control of the town. They raided a local military base for weapons late Sunday night. The police and army are nowhere to be seen. Some of those in uniform have fled to the north; others have joined the rebels.

Shortly after their raid, the locals went on the alert following reports Sunday that the army was being sent down from the north to put down the rising.

One armed Greek-speaking man on patrol told Antenna, "We're protecting ourselves from the police". Asked why he's angry, he replied:

"They've taken our money".

A second man added, "All these weapons belong to Berisha. We're taking it to get rid of the government thieves".

And a third man said, "We'll return the weapons when we get justice".

The government has tried to calm things down by removing prime minister Alexander Mexi.

That delighted 39 students in Avlona who've been on hunger strike for 11 days, demanding the government step down. 19 of the students have been hospitalised in critical condition. But all of their parents lost money in the investment scandal, and they say they'll continue their strike until the money is returned.

One Greek-Speaking hunger-striker said, "We're having health problems, sure, but the Mexi resignation is encouraging.

Nonetheless, the state of emergency that's been declared, and Berisha's reelection as president by parliament Monday has angered people even more. There were reports that 13 people had died in clashes in Himara, where the town hall was burnt.

In Argyrokastro, another town with a large Greek minority, protestors attacked the police station on Saturday night, and set it alight on Sunday, seizing all the weapons inside. Children played in the streets, wearing police helmets and holding police shields.

As in Avlona, banks were looted; so was an auto parts store owned by a Greek. The local offices of Berisha's Democratic Party were burnt, and the demonstrators set fire to the secret service's offices.

The gates of the prison were opened, the inmates freed.

With the southern part of the country dissolving into chaos, the authorities have told foreigners to leave the area, saying their safety cannot be guaranteed. Some observers say that was fair warning of an imminent clash between forces loyal to the state and the rebels.

Everywhere, the protestors say the same thing one Greek speaking man told Antenna in Avlona: "We want no more Berisha and no more Demcoratic Party. They've lied to us for five years".

Another man added, "He killed may brother and sister. Now, we're going to make him tell us what happened to our money".

Angry citizens say they'll lay down their weapons only when Berisha resigns, and early elections called. Some people are even calling for independence from Albania.

The situation in Albania becomes more stable, at least on the surface, as you travel north.

Antenna's correspondents say that even still, there are no police or troops to be seen along the road from Tirane to Avlona.

At one roadblock set up by protestors, Greek- speakers expressed their exasperation.

"We earned some money in Greece", explained one man. "We won't open the road".

Others shouted out, "Berisha's a fascist".

Their faith in their own leaders at zero, many people are appealing to the international community to help.

One boy taking part in a students hunger strike that began three days ago in Argyrokastro, said they want the people of Europe to ask themselves what is to happen to the Albanian people, determined to carry on their struggle until Berisha steps down.

ALBANIA/GREEK REACTION

The Greek prime minister wants the EU to undertake an initiative to help Albania through its crisis.

Kostas Simitis said Greece would be happy to lead an EU initiative to restore peace in Albania. "We're in constant contact with the other EU members", he said Sunday, adding that the Greek government is planning a meeting of EU representatives in Athens, to discuss the problems in Albania.

Alternate foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou called for a meeting in Athens of the foreign ministers of the United States, the EU, Russia, and the Balkan nations, to examine the Albania crisis.

The strife gripping Albania was echoed in Athens Sunday, as angry Albanians protested outside the Albanian embassy. "This is the people's day", shouted one man, "not Berisha's. Berisha is a worse dictator than Pinochet".

Greece is preparing for a possible wave of refugees, should the situation in Albania deteriorate further.

Army and police units along the border are on alert, ready for the worst.

Greek deputy foreign minister Giannos Kranidiotis said Greece is ready to deal with any situation. He added that, so far, there has been no unusual activity at the border. He recommended that the Greek minority in Albania remain calm.

Ferry services from Corfu to Albania have been stopped, as have services from Italy to Albania.

Greek justice minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos said Greece wants to prevent a wave of immigrants heading south, by helping to stabilise the situation in Albania.

SIMITIS THESSALY

The prime minister told gatherings in a number of cities that the government's tight poicies are the building stones of a bright economic future.

Prime minister Kostas Simitis said in a speech in Larisa Saturday that the only way to make Greece strong and capable of defending itself, is to ensure that it continues to stay on equal footing with the stronger members of the European Union. And that can only be achieved if Greece builds a strong economy.

Kostas Simitis spoke to people in an area that not long ago was the centre of farmers' unrest. He said that if the government caved in to the farmers' demands for larger subsidies, Greece's efforts to meet the demands of EU economic convergence would be jeopardised.

"No one says it's easy, or that there are no sacrifices", he said. "We're aware of people's difficulties, but it's the result that interests us".

The prime minister promised that everyone will enjoy the benefits of today's sacrifices in a few years. "We're already seeing some positive results", he added. "Inflation's at the lowest point it's been since 1973. The state debt is down, meaning more money is there for education and welfare programmes. And investments have grown, creating 150 thousand jobs in three years".

Simitis said the government's achieved its economic targets without hoisting new taxes on all working people, and without making big cuts in state spending.

The message that sacrifice now will mean good times later is not one everyone believes in. Striking teachers held protest rallies a few times at place Simitis was visiting. And then, there's the unhappy farmers.

In Killeler, the site of an historic farmers uprising, Simitis laid a wreathe at a commemorative monument. Again he appealed to the farmers to accept his policies. Explaining why he'll stick to his tough policies, he said his goal is winning a better world for future generations, not the next elections.

In Karditsa, he said he wants the farmers to march forward with the rest of the country, which is why there must be a national approach to economic issues, not one of favouritism to certain groups.

In Volos, the prime minister referred to the farmers protests yet again, saying protests by groups wanting special treatment can only hurt the country. To move ahead, Greece must get its economy in shape for EU unificiation. Simitis said the yardstick must be not maintaining what we had in the past, but what we need to stay in Europe.

SIMITIS TURKEY

Calling Turkey the biggest threat to stability in the region, the Greek leader said it would be best for Turkish leaders NOT allow what he called their ahistorical dreams of restoring the Ottoman Empire to control their foreign policy-making.

Reviewing the troops, Kostas Simitis told the men in uniform that Greece's national sovereignty cannot be an object of negotiation. "Greece has told Turkey to take any claims it has on our sovereign rights to the international court", said Simitis, "there can be no Greek-Turkish dialogue where our sovereignty is concerned".

The Greek prime minister repeated that Greece makes no claims on anyone, but neither will it allow anyone to make claims against it. Greece will defend itself, he warned, making any move against it very costly.

ND

All four of the candidates for the New Democracy leadership said they want unity more than anything else.

Current party leader Miltiades Evert told the conference that whatever the congress decides must be accepted by all sides in the party. "There can be no grey areas for us", he said. "If we ourselves doubt our programme and leader, we're undermining oursleves".

He defended his party's ideology, adding that the party shouldn't move to the right, because it would be giving Pasok the vital centre section of the votign spectrum.

Evert said there should be a synthesis of different ideas.

He proposed the four candidates meet before the congress, to work out common proposals for changes to the party charter at the congress.

That, he said, would prevent divisions after the congress.

Evert's opponent, MP Giorgos Souflias agreed to Evert's proposal, but added that the congress will decide the changes the party needs.

Another candidate, MP Kostas Karamanlis, also agreed. He said the different wings of the party are united by more than what divides them.

Karmanalis also attacked the current and past party leadership. "After 15 years of decline", he said, "it's time to move ahead". Criticising Evert and former party leader Constantinos Mitsotakis, who for years have rivaled each other, Karmanlis asked, "What are we telling people if we try to undermine each other?"

The other candidate, MP Vyorn Polydoras, said, like Karamanlis, that the party has a leadership crisis.

What all the candidates are waiting to find out, is who the congress delegates will choose to lead pary on March 21st. Their attention will focus on the selection of 1509 delegates over the next couple of days, because they know much will be decided by the delegates selected.

STOCK MARKET

After two months of record-breaking rises, the market went into reverse last Thursday and Friday, with listed shares losing 10 per cent of their value.

BYZANTIUM

The exhibition aims to bring viewers not only the treasures of Byzantium, many of them borrowed from Greek monasteries, but an understanding of the influence of Byzantium on other civilisations.

Visitors to the museum will be able to see treasures from the famous monastery on the island of Patmos, which houses Orthodoxy's most impressive library. They will also be able to see items from the monasteries of Mount Athos, the holy area in northern Greece.

SOCCER

Olympiakos gets its first goal against visiting Athinaikos just two minutes into their match. The home team gets two more before half-time, and rolls to a 4-nil victory.

Elsewhwere, second place Panathainaikos wins at home. Third-place Aek does it on the road. Number four Ofi is triumphant.

Paok and Iraklis are also victorious. And Veria and Kalamata draw at home.

BASKETBALL

With Aek leading by two, visiting Olympiakos gets the ball into big man Dragan Tarlach, who's fouled on a shot from under the basket with four seconds left. Olympiakos says there was a goal tend on the play, and they're right, but the refs don't see it that way. Tarlach hits one of two free throws, and Aek wins it 70-69.

Third-place Peristeri is two games behind Aek after its win. Winners Aris and Pao are tied for fourth. Paok stops Iraklis. Apollon makes short work of Vao. And Panionios beats Papagou.

CARNIVAL

Here's some of the sights and sounds from Sunday'S merry-making.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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