Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-10

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

News in English 10/09/97

TITLES

• The Athen's stock market continues to rise.
• The Italian foreign minister insists there are two government's in Cyprus

  And, singer Alkestis Protopsalti sings her heart out at Athens winning the 2004 Olympics.

STOCKS

Nearly 230 million dollars changed hands in trading, as Monday's surge was followed up by impressive, if more modest gains.

Many investors think the market will continue to rise steadily.

At opening on the Athens stock exchange Tuesday, it looked like it would be a repeat of Monday, when almost all the listed stocks had risen by the one day maximum of 8 per cent minutes after trading started.

On Tuesday, the market rose 7.3 per cent at opening, but settled down therafter, closing the day with a gain of 1.5 per cent. Many investors were pleased to see the injection of restraint throughout the market as a whole, with supply and demand starting to balance out.

Dimitris Karagkounis, president of the small investors, says "This moderate rise was our goal. We want to see the market rise steadily, and not have this trend burn itself out in two, three, or four days".

Broker Antonis Sarris agrees. he thinks a slow, steady rise is the best insurance for investors.

Analysts advise prospective investors to be careful. One man with years of experience recommends that people buy stock in solid firms, with a past and a future, whose shares have wide circulation, and, of course, which deal in Olympics-related activities.

Another investor urges people to buy stock only through official brokerages, and only with the approval of their brokers. The market closed at 1,664 points Tuesday. Investor Georgos Kominatos thinks it'll hit the 2 thousand mark soon.

OLYMPICS

What role she'll play now, with the job of putting the Olympics together ahead, is uncertain. Meeting with her Tuesday, the foreign minister said he hopes she'll play a major part in organising the Athens games.

Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos invited Ianna Angelopoulou Daskalaki and her husband to a congratulatory lunch Tuesday.

The congratulations over, they talked about the task ahead: now that Athens has got the 2004 summer Olympics, they've got to be prepared for.

Asked whether she'll head the Olympic organising committee the government is setting up, Daskalaki replied that's for the government to decide. As far as she's concerned, she added, her mission - geting the games to the Greek capital - has been accomplished".

Though she's been toasted widely for her committee's success in winning the Olympic bid, Daskalaki constantly stresses collectivity. She told reporters Monday that there's work ahead for everyone. "I don't think there's any Greek who doesn't want the games to be a success".

Some sources say that Daskalaki would prefer not to be involved in the day- to-day job of preparing for the games, but would like to take charge of the international organisational aspects of the Olympics.

Antenna's Terence Quick asked Daskalaki point-blank what her plans are now, as far as the Olympics are concerned.

She repeated what she'd said earlier, "My mission is over. We brought the games here. That's a victory for all Greeks. Organising the games is a much different matter from bidding for them. Organisation is a huge task, and it takes a lot of people working hard".

Daskalaki added that she'll help out in any way she can, but as to who's going to head the organising committee, she repeated, that's up to the government. She has no ambitions, and doesn't expect to be handed an important job because of the success in winning the games.

Daskalaki, who gave up her post as parliamentary deputy in 1990, also told Quick she has no interest whatsover in a political career.

Her husband's family is known for its efforts to bring about a rapprochement between Greece and Turkey. Asked if the 2004 games change Greek-Turkish relations, Daskalaki says Greece has already been changed by its winning bid. Athens is a centre of international attention, it's looked on differently. Now, it's up to Greeks to take advantage of the huge opportunity before them.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The area of Acharnon is not one of the most expensive parts of Athens. But the Olympic village is to be built there, and land prices have already doubled.

In the northern suburbs overall, land prices are expected to shoot up 35 per cent because of the Olympics. Realtors say they suddenly have a lot of people taking their land off the market, waiting to see what will happen.

But even in soutwestern Athens, along the coast from Piraeus to Alimos, there's a land boom. Five stadiums and four other sports facilities are to be built there, and land prices have risen by up to a third there already.

PAPOUTSIS

He spoke at a banquet held by the Association of Northern Greek Industries.

Christos Papoutsis said the prospect of a powerful European economy in the 21st century needs to be handled carefully.

Unemployment, he explained, is a major problem in most EU countries, a bomb, threatening to blow social cohesion apart.

It needs to be addressed now.

Papoutsis said there are many opportunities for Greece stemming from its EU integration.

Greece should try to play a leading role in the EU's efforts to forge economic and political ties with the nations of the Balkans, the Black Sea coast, and the Mediterranean.

EU members have to meet stringent fiscal requirements before they can participate in the EU's monetary union. For Papou-tsEEs, it's important that Greece make the grade immediately, so it can be included in the first round.

CYPRUS

This time, he made the statement during a visit to Washington.

As we hear in this report, Dini's remarks conflict with the policies of the UN and the European Union.

Greek deputy foreign minister Iannos Kranidiotis questioned Dini's motive for renewing his insistence that the Turkish occupation authorities in northern Cyprus constitute a legal government, even though they are recognised by no one but Turkey.

When Dini made his initial comments two weeks ago, Greece protested, and the Italian prime minister quickly distanced himself from his foreign secretary.

After Dini's latest comments to the same effect, Kranidiotis called him incorrigible. He added that his views are inconsistent with the European Union's decision to start EU admission talks with the government of the Republic of Cyprus next year.

Dini said two weeks ago that because there are two legal government in Cyprus, the EU should negotiate with both of them. The EU has no intention of doing so.

But the Italian minister's comments have Greek officials wondering. Kranidiotis says there may be an ulterior motive behind them.

What Greece dislikes, and will not abide, is the attempt to legitimise the Turkish military occupation of northern Cyprus.

NEW DEMOCRACY

The group of shadow ministers includes seven high- profile party members, most of them in the forty- something set. The opposition cabinet reflects all political tendencies in the party.

Party leader Kostas Karamanlis will be responsible for foreign and defence policy himself.

Stefanos Manos will handle education and culture. Dora Bakoyianni is taking on development matters. Giorgos Alogoskoufis is the shadow finance minister.

Prokopis Pavlopoulos is taking on public administration; Vangelis Memarakis is responsible for the party's position on large infrastructure projects; and Savas Tsitouridis will deal with health issues.

Reactions to the shadow cabinet composition were largely favourable within the party. Bakoyianni called it a new beginning for New Democracy. "What's important is that we work collectively, everyone in the party together", she said.

One leading party member not in the cabinet is Giorgos Souflias, who ran against Karamanlis for the party leadership several months ago. Sources close to Sou-flias say he disagrees with Karamanlis on a number of organisation and policy matters.

MISS EUROPE

The phone rang off the hook Tuesday morning, and the floral arrivals kept her running to answer the door.

When she finally managed to leave the house, she was surprised by a bouquet by the woman working at her local newspaper shop.

The success hasn't gone to her head. She says she thinks most of her family and friends. And she found time to go thank those at the modelling agency who gave her her professional start.

Darra believes this rendition of Rahmanonoff won over the hearts of the jury in Kiev.

But she also gives credit to her dressmaker, who let her keep one of the gowns he made for her. "I received compliments on all my dresses", she says.

She also impressed with her custom-made jewellery. Despite being the centre of attention, Isavella found time on her first day home to go to the gym for her normal workout. Life doesn't stop when you reach the top, especially when you're 19.

SCHOOL

For their parents, it will be a lesson in juggling finances. With prices 10 percent higher than last year, families will be counting their drachmas when it comes time to purchasing necessary school items such as notebook paper, gym clothes and new school bags.

The cost of a school bag, pencil case, athletic shoes and gym clothes is around 130 dollars.

And, According to recent studies, 65 percent of school students attend private schools for supplementary studies while 30 percent of their classmates take private lessons.

The costs of supplimentary education range anywhere from 870 dollars a year for a Junior high student to two thousand four hundred dollars for a high school student.

CONCERT

Monday evening, the suburb of Maroussi in northern Athens, site of the 2004 Olympic stadium, ended its celebrations by filling the cool September sky with the rich, robust voice of famed singer Al-ki-stis Protopsalti.

A Myriad of people gathered to enjoy the festivities, and to sing along with Proto-psAlti.

Maroussi also had another reason to celebrate apart from the Olympics. Marathon runner Spyros Louis was born in this suburb. Louis won the Marathon in the first modern Olympics held in Athens in 1896, covering the 26 mile route from Marathon to Athens.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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