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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-01-30Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 22:18 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] ATHENS-THESSALONIKI RAILWAY BLOCKED BY FARMERS IN A SYMBOLIC SIT- INWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Thessaloniki, January 30 (MPA)The farmers from central Greece's Thessaly region performed a symbolic sit- in on the Athens-Thessaloniki railway today.In Thessaloniki yesterday, the farmers from Macedonia blocked the entrance of Thessaloniki's International Fairgrounds, during the inauguration ceremony of the "Agrotica '97" exhibit. Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that all Greek citizens, of course including the farmers, have the right to express their positions, but within the boundaries of the law. A.F. [02] THESSALONIKI OFFICIALLY PRONOUNCED "CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE" TODAYWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Thessaloniki, January 30 (MPA)Thessaloniki will be for three days, beginning from today, the center of festivities and ceremonies that will pronounced it the "Cultural Capital of Europe 1997" and a score of culture ministers from various countries will attend the formal inauguration ceremonies.The artistic events will begin with a recital performed this evening by Greece's famous mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa. On Saturday, the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will officially inaugurate the year's program. A.F. [03] HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS EXTEND STRIKE FOR ANOTHER WEEKWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Athens, January 30 (MPA)Greece's high-school teachers have decided to press on with their protest of the government's economic policy and, as such, will extend their strike to the end of next week.Undersecretary of Education Ministry Yiannis Anthopoulos stressed today that all opportunities for dialogue with the teachers have been exhausted. "Talks for teachers-salary raises have ended," Mr. Anthopoulos said, emphasizing that the government is unable to provide additional benefits. The striking teachers will rally in the center of Athens tomorrow and will then march to the Premier's office. A.F. [04] GREEK PENSIONERS PROTEST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC POLICYWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki 30 January (MPA)Greek pensioners participated in demonstrations across the country protesting against the government economic policy and the low pensions.Today's demonstrations are a continuation of the mobilizations last November and December and are aimed at persuading the government to increase the basic pension to equal 20 wages of an unskilled worker. [05] FORMAL INAUGURATION OF CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE ON SATURDAYWeb Posted: 22:18 GMT+2Athens, January 30 (MPA)The three-day festivities for the formal inauguration of Thessaloniki as Europe's cultural capital for 1997, began today with the meeting of Culture Ministers from the Balkan and Black Sea countries.The Balkan Culture Ministers have accepted a proposal tabled by their Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos, that a Balkan Cultural Network of Cities and Arts be based in Thessaloniki and that a form of cultural visa be established to grant the incoming and outgoing artists with greater freedom in inter-state mobility. The Network will also feature a secretariat, to be housed in Thessaloniki, which will collect information and proposals that will set the organization in motion. "I am very happy that the formal inauguration of 1997's cultural capital is combined with such significant international happenings of cultural policy, which are taking place in Thessaloniki, "Mr. Venizelos stated. When asked to comment on his meeting with FYROM's Culture Minister, Mr. Venizelos responded that it was a brief contact within the framework of New York's interim agreement, and looked into the opportunities to apply such agreement, given that the name issue between the two countries remains open and continues to be discussed. Moreover, when asked on the interest displayed by United States President Bill Clinton in Thessaloniki being the cultural capital of Europe, Mr. Venizelos stated that the U.S. Administration's interest in the city as a center of inter-balkan cultural, investment and financial activities is already known. [06] GOVERNMENT PROMOTES DIALOGUE WITH PROTESTING FARMERSWeb Posted: 22:18 GMT+2Athens, January 30 (MPA)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met with the ruling PASOK party Central Committee's secretary Kostas Skandalides today, and discussed the farmers mobilizations. Following the meeting, Mr. Skandalides advised cool- headedness and emphasized that the government promotes a social dialogue.The farmers, on the other hand, warned that they will take over the toll station in central Greece's region of Thessaly, but will allow the free passage of cars and, as such, the drivers won't have to pay the necessary toll. Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas also advised that calm is maintained, specifically referring to the farmers. Mr. Reppas emphasized that the government disapproves of certain extreme situations, such as the farmers' sit-in at the Athens-Thessaloniki railway today. Nevertheless, Mr. Reppas expressed his conviction that the situation will ease up soon. [B] BALKANS[07] CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES RECEIVES U.N.'S SPECIAL ENVOY HAN SUNG JUWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Nicosia, January 30 (MPA)The President of the Republic of Cyrpus Glafkos Clerides met in Nicosia today with the United Nations Secretary-General's special envoy for Cyprus, Han Sung Ju.Mr. Ju stated that his meeting with President Clerides was "a good start", in light of his contacts in Cyprus, while also stressing his optimism that progress will be noted. However, Mr. Ju pointed out that the "window of opportunity is not very big", noting that careful attention must be granted so as to avoid an impasse. Mr. Ju also forwarded a letter to President Clerides in which the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expresses his interest and concern over the Cyprus issue. This evening Mr. Ju will be received by Turkish-Cyprot leader, Rauf Denktash, in northern Cyprus' occupied territory. A.F. [08] BULGARIA: PRESSING DEMAND FOR EARLY ELECTIONS CONTINUESWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Sofia, January 30 (MPA)A new wave of anti-government rallies has surfaced in Bulgaria, with the demand that early elections be held immediately.President Petar Stoyanov stated that his country is on the verge of economic collapse and, as such, could be forced to postpone payment on its foreign debts. Meanwhile, the country's main opposition party, Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), rejected the proposal tabled yesterday by Premier Nikolai Dobrev who said that talks should be held in order to form a Cabinet that will offer a program of wide acceptance and will pave the road for early elections. The UDF insists on its demand to hold early elections and its leaders have stated that the party will engage in negotiations only when the socialists agree not to accept the mandate to form a cabinet. A.F. [09] THE GREEK BANK OF AGRICULTURE INCREASES ITS ACTIVITIES IN THE BALKANSWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki 30 January (MPA)The Greek Bank of Agriculture will cooperate with Serbia's "Beobanka" seeking to expand its activities in the Balkan region. According to its Director Christos Papathanasiou the first step has been made as there was an appoach with Belgrade's banks and already there was a proposal for the issuing of a bilingual savings book.In a press conference he gave in Thessaloniki, mr.Papathanasiou stated that the problems of the farmers in Serbia are big and efforts will be made to assist those banks based upon the Greek pattern. [10] THE DENKTASH REGIME HAS DESTROYED 500 CHURCHES AND MONASTERIESWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Nicosia 30 January (MPA)Cypriot Education and Culture Minister Kleri Angelidou accuses the Denktash regime in the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus that it has destroyed 500 churches and monasteries.Ms.Angelidou will accuse the occupation regime before UNESCO and other international fora that it intends to turn the Agia Anastasia Church in Lapithos into a hotel. [11] COMPROMISE PROPOSALS BY MILOSEVIC FOR THE EASING OF TENSIONS IN SERBIAWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Belgrade 30 January (MPA)Serb President Slobodan Milosevic is looking for new ways that will help in the efforts toward reaching a compromise with the opposition and also toward restoring Serbia's relations with the international community. Milosevic is expected to change his approach as the ineffective policy he followed so far, aimed at stopping the opposition and student demonstrations that began 70 days ago, is creating political dealock.Milosevic in his meeting with Russian Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov backed the holding of a productive dialogue with the opposition "Zajedno" coalition which calls for the recognition of the November 17 municipal elections results. Within the framework of this dialogue, the Serb President is expected to suggest the holding of new municipal elections soon and the establishment of an inter-party committee which will replace Belgrade's City Council temporarily until the court rulings on the municipal election results are finalized. From its part, the opposition is expected to reject Milosevic's proposals and already one of the coalition leaders, Zoran Djinjic has stated that he backs the original demand that the Serb authorities recognize the election results in the regions where the opposition candidates were the winners. Meanwhile, according to the British newspaper "The Independent" only a civil war in Kosovo would turn attention away from the municipal election results issue giving the opportunity to President Milosevic to save his regime. [12] FYROM APPOINTED A NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE UNWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Skopje 30 January (MPA)FYROM's government issued a presidential decree replacing the country's permanent Ambassador to the UN.According to the radio station in Skopje, mr.Denko Malefski will be replaced by mr.Naste Tsalofski, who until recently was the government's senior adviser. The radio station also pointed out that mr.Malefski was replaced before the end of his term. [13] CUSTOMS OFFICERS IN FYROM DID NOT ALLOW TO THREE SERB ORTHODOX PRIESTS TO ENTER THE COUNTRYWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Skopje 30 January (MPA)FYROM's customs authorities did not allow to a Serb Orthodox Church delegation to enter the country. The delegation had been invited by FYROM's Association of Serbs and Montenegrans on the occasion of the feast of Saint Sava.The above accusation was made by Association President mr.Tomovic in a press conference he gave yesterday. Also, he accused the customs authorities that they have confiscated tens of books donated by Serb associations on the occasion of the feast of Saint Sava which were destined for the Serb students of the school in the town of Kutsevista. The Yugoslav newspaper "Nasa Borba" writes that the customs officers in FYROM asked the Serb priests to take off their cloth in order to be allowed to enter the country and even when they did so they were refused entrance. [14] PROBLEMS WITH ROADBLOCKS AT GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERWeb Posted: 22:18 GMT+2Thessaloniki, January 30 (MPA)A line of lorries remains immobilized on both sides of the Greek-Bulgarian borders at Promahonas, due to the mobilizations of Bulgarian citizens who have blocked the roads leading to the borders, in a sign of protest of their country's economic policy.Over 100 lorries remain at a standstill on the Greek side. [15] TURKEY ACCUSES UNITED NATIONS OF COVERING UP PKKWeb Posted: 22:18 GMT+2Ankara, January 30 (MPA)Ankara has criticised the United Nations for their refusal to the lower UN's flag from a refugee camp whose largest part has been emptied but continues to house displaced individuals.The Turkish government maintains that the Atrush refugee camp, whose administration is managed by the UN Highest Commission for Refugees, was used by the PKK as a recruit center until December 21 when it was vacated. According to the turkish daily "Sabah", Ankara asks that the UN lower its flag so that the turkish military forces can enter the camp and take action against the PKK men who continue to be at the camp. [C] EUROPE[16] GERMAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: CYPRUS WILL ENTER EU BEFORE TURKEYWeb Posted: 15:54 GMT+2Bonn, January 30 (MPA)Germany's deputy Foreign Minister Werner Hoyer stated his conviction that Cyprus is to gain accession to the European Union much earlier than Turkey will, referring to the informal meeting held yesterday in Rome between Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller and her counterparts from five member- countries of the EU, namely, Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Great Britain.Mr. Hoyer characterized Turkey's relations with the EU as "the biggest challenge of 1997" and clarified that the matter of Turkey's accession to the EU is not on the daily agenda. "Such thing would provoke tension between the two sides," Mr. Hoyer said. "Improved cooperation with Turkey presupposes the reduction of tension in the most dangerous spot of crisis, regarding Europe's political developments in the upcoming years, that is, Cyprus. We immediately need a solution for Cyprus, within the framework of the United Nations' initiatives and proposals." Moreover, the German official emphasized that NATO, too, must turn its attention towards this direction, given that both Greece and Turkey are members of the Alliance, while he added that his country could play a key role in achieving a final resolution of the issue. A.F. [17] THE LINGUISTIC EDUCATION OF GREEK IMMIGRANTS IN EUROPEWeb Posted: 16:13 GMT+2Thessaloniki 30 January (MPA)The Greek Language Center, which is based in Thessaloniki, has published a trilingual volume under the title "The linguistic education of Greek immigrants in Europe" in view of Greece's participation in the 15th International Exhibition, "Expolangues", that was inaugurated in Paris yesterday and will be open to the public until February 2.In the book the modern Greek language is being studied in three separate sections: the modern Greek language as mother tongue, the total of modern Greek dialects spoken inside and outside the country and finally, the Greek language immigration varities spoken in countries such as Germany, Australia and others. Greek Language Center Vice-President and Chairman of Aristotle University Literature Department Ioannis Kazazis stated that within the framework of the center's activities are also being studied modern Greek dialects, such as those spoken in the Black Sea region and in South Italy. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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