Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-06-20

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

News in English, 20/06/97

TITLES

• Greek peacekeepers' run-in with drug dealers in Albania.
• The heat is on, as summer pushes the mercury up.
• And, a concert in memory of Manos Hatzidakis.

ALBANIA

As we hear in this report, law and order is thin on the ground just ten days before Albanians go to the polls to elect a new government.

Two Albanians approached the sentry at the Greek camp, offering to sell him drugs. When he refused and told them to go away, they returned to their Mercedes and opened fire. The sentry fired a warning shot into the air. The Albanians continued their assault, and the sentry returned their shots. One of the Albanians, KendiAn FerassAkou was killed. The Albanian authorities say FerassAkou is a known drug dealer.

This may be the most serious episode involving the Greek peacekeepers, but it's not the first. The Greeks are frequently the targets of Albanian gangs, sometimes it's accidental, as the criminals mistake them for someone else; sometimes it's intentional, an attempt to stir up trouble in the run-up to the June 29th elections.

Last Friday, armed men opened fire on a Greek convoy delivering medicine to a hospital in Gramms. When the Greeks took up positions, the bandits retreated, realising they hadn't chosen an easy target.

And shots are fired at the Isberis camp nightly. A few days ago, a grenade was even lobbed into the Greek compound.

Criminals are not shy about operating in the open in Albania, where police authority is often non- existent, especially in the south.

In the southern city of Argyrokastro, a group of 15 armed Albanians surrounded the restaurant where eleven OSCE observers were having lunch. The armed men asked them for money. Romanian peacekeepers stepped in to safely escort the foreigners back to their base.

The Greeks are the most popular of all the foregin peacekeepers in Albania. For that reason, foreign observers prefer Greek escort when venturing out into dangerous territory.

When the peacekeepers aren't around, there aren't always happy endings.

Thirteen people were killed in violent incidents on Wednesday alone; among them a them a five-year-old girl, who was waiting for the bus with her parents in a southern village.

And the whereabouts of a Greek businessman kidnapped in southern Albania on Monday, and being held for ransom, are still unknown.

ANTENNA

The station has sent the men books and video tapes for use at their leisure.

Working with the defence ministry and the reservists' union, Antenna got 2 thousand books and a thousand video cassette's full of the station's programmes to the 600 troops camped at IsberEEs and Vakiar

At the instigation of Antenna president Minos Kyriakou, students studying public relations at the station's journalism school helped in cataloging the books and tapes.

Soldiers in Greece have warm words for their comrades in Albania. One man in uniform who helped load the books and tapes, says soldiers in Albania should be careful, because living and working conditions there are tough.

When the Greek peacekeepers leave Albania, they'll pass the books and tapes on to kids in the country's Greek-speaking villages.

Antenna public relations director Lola Daifa thanked the station's viewers for responding to the donation appeal.

Another 10 thousand books, again donated by people who watch Antenna TV and listen to Antenna radio, are going to be sent to children in remote Greek villages, and to Greek kids in the USA.

FYROM

Fyrom wants to call itself Macedonia. Greece objects, saying that could open the door to claims on its PROVINCE of Macedonia, and amounts to theft of its ancient heritage.

But a UN spokesman says that both sides are interested in finding a compromise solution at their UN-mediated negotiations in New York.

Greek UN ambassador Christos Zach-ar-Akis and Fyrom counterpart Ivan Tos- Evski, expressed a desire to speed things up during their meeting with UN mediator Cyrus Vance Tuesday.

The Greek and Fyrom representatives will meet again in August.

PAPANDREOU/EXHIBIT

More on the events being staged on the anniversary of Papandreou's death in this report.

The Papandreou Foundation exhibit organised by Papandreou's sons includes pictures made public for the first time and documents concerning Papandreou's political career.

There are the texts of lectures Papandreou gave while a professor in the US before returning to Greece in the early 1960s.

There are documents written in exile against the military dictatorship which ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.

There are even transcripts of discussions he had with students while in exile, on a number of subjects, from South Africa, to Japan, to multi- national corporations.

At the official launch of the exhibition, prime minister Kostas Simitis emphasised that Pasok is continuing its founder's work.

"The hisotry of our country over the past 30 years is inseparably bound up with Andreas Papandreou", he said. "His presence shaped developments, and our lives. This exhibition, and all the other commemorative events around the country honour his contribution and keep his memory alive. They also show that he's with us in our attempt to build a strong Greece".

Pasok is setting up ANOTHER Papandreou foundation, which will deal mainly with the Pasok founder's historical archives. Papandreou's sons say BOTH foundations will have a cultural, not a political character. And they don't rule out the two institutions merging at some point.

The late premier's eldest son, deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou says, "Everyone from family members, friends, to close associates of my father must cooperate in the new foundation's efforts. Everybody has a role to play".

At a locally-organised tribute to Papandreou in Crete Wednesday, which was open to the public, Andreas Papandreou's widow, Dimitra Papandreou, appeared to insinuate that Pasok's OFFICIAL commemoration at the Athens Symphony Hall, closed to the public, was a snub to her late husband's memory.

At a press conference later, the three Papandreou sons, who did not attend the Crete event, were asked to comment on what looked like a very political appearance by Dimitra Papandreou in Crete.

Mrs Papandreou refused to say in Crete whether or not she has any political ambitions.

Asked their opinion, all three Papandreou sons appeared indifferent to the issue. Nikos said it doesn't concern him; Giorgos said he doesn't know; Andrikos said he thinks she does.

ARAMANLIS

Kostas Simitis was pleased, because the EU members recognised all member states' borders as EU borders.

That statement of solidarity is considered important to Greece, given Turkey's aggression in the Aegean.

Simitis was also happy that European monetary union is going ahead as planned, and that steps will be taken to combat unemployment.

But Kostas Karamanlis says no REAL progress was made at the summit in areas of concern to Greece.

Addressing party trade unionists, Karamanlis charged that the government hasn't understood that times have changed. He added that Pasok shows contempt for the Greek people.

The country is in the grips of a deep economic crisis, he continued, and previous Pasok governments are to blame. They've wasted EU funds, putting the party's interests above those of the nation.

The leader of New Democracy also said that Greece passes through a deep economic crisis for which are blamed the Pasok governments up to now. He added that EU funds are often wasted in personal interests of Pasok.

PARLIAMENT

Teenage parliament, is a four-day program that gives teens get the opportunity to express their thoughts on important issues in parliament.

The students will be welcomed by president Kostis Stephanopoulos and other political leaders.

Teenage MPs will discuss their ideas on important issues and floor proposals, before parliament's permanent committees on Sunday and Monday. They will then give their opinions on important issues concerning Greece in parliament's plenary session on Tuesday.

69% of the teenagers attending will be female.

HEATWAVE

Keeping many people off the streets, or at the beach.

Most Athenians avoided the downtown area. Those who ventured out, spent considerable time seeking out shady spots and water fountains in the city's parks.

Air-conditioned local administration services remained open all day long for those seeking refuge from the heat.

In central Greece, the high was 102. In Larisa, people who couldn't get to the beach used anything on hand, from hats to bags, to fans, to beat the heat.

Temperatures should start to drop by Saturday.

HATZIDAKIS

The Orchestra of Colours, which he created held a concert in his memory at the Athens Symphony Hall Wednesday night.

Music lovers had the chance to listen to Ha- tzi-dA-kis's work, but also the work of Mozart and Vivaldi, who were strong sources of inspiration to the Greek composer.

The concert also featured a first-ever stage performance of the soundtrack Ha-tzi-dA-kis composed for the Hollywood movie "Blue".

SPORTS/MEDITERRAN

Italy leads the standings, followed by France and Turkey.

Greece's track and field athletes returned to Athens beaming over their success, and optimistic about the future.

Greece's 19 medals in the track and field events - including seven gold - confirm that it is an up- and-coming international force. Also encouraging is the fact that many Greek records were broken in Italy.

SEAL/PAOLA

She was treated then, after Antenna sent out an SOS. Pachi was spotted days later in the Saronic Gulf. She was given antibiotics, and the eye trouble seems to be going away.

She spent the day convalescing on a beach, before swimming out once agin into the blue waters of the Aegean.

And there was more good news for troubled sea creatures: the turtle Paola, lost to man for several days, despite having been fitted with a tracking device by scientists wanting to chart her movements, has been found.

Paola was found off the coast of the island of Kea, in a spot of trouble. The curious turtle had become entangld in a fisherman's nets. The fisherman - Iannis - got her out of the jam, and released her, noticing however that she was wearing a broken transmitter.

Iannis had seen Antenna's report on the lost turtle Monday, and informed the Mediterranean Turtle Protection Society. Medaset thanked him for assisting the animal in distress. It also thanked Antenna, for its role in helping protect the turtle.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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