Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-09-11

From: Macedonian Press Agency <[email protected]>

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, September 11, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] THE NEW US COORDINATOR MEETS TODAY WITH GREEK MINISTER OF DEFENSE

The new US State Department special coordinator for Cyprus mr.Thomas Miller, who is in Greece after completing his visit to Ankara, will meet today with Minister of Defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos in Athens.

In his statements, mr.Miller appeared satisfied with the contacts he had with Turkish officials in Ankara and expressed the US government�s support to the continuation of the efforts aimed at finding peaceful solutions.

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Jim Folley expressed the satisfaction of the United States regarding the prospects for a Simitis-Yilmaz meeting in November and the promotion of dialogue and solutions through negotiations.

[02] INCREASES IN TAXES AND THE OBJECTIVE VALUE OF REAL ESTATE

The real estate taxes are expected to increase after January 1 as well as, the objective value of real estate estimated to reach 30%, while is being examined the option of imposing taxes on interest-bearing bills and state bonds, according to government economic circles.

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will determine the policy that will be implemented in view of the 1998 budget in meetings he will have with economic ministers.

[03] THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR STARTS WITH PROBLEMS

The new school year for 1,5 million primary and secondary school students opened today with many problems due to the shortage of teachers and school classes.

The Ministry of Education is aware of the problems in the sector and continues to support the gradual reforms included in the draft bill that promotes significant changes in spite of the strong reactions that come from the teachers.

[04] THE LEADER OF THE COALITION OF THE LEFT PARTY VISITS THESSALONIKI

Leader of the party Coalition of the Left mr.Nikos Konstantopoulos visited the offices of MPA and later gave a press conference, within the framework of his two-day visit to Thessaloniki.

This afternoon, he will tour the region of Sindos and in the evening he will speak in a party gathering organized by the local party office in Thessaloniki. Yesterday, the Coalition of the Left leader visited the 62nd Thessaloniki International Trade fair as well as, the city of Kilkis where he met with representatives of the local administration and the prefecture�s Association of Industries.

[05] PUBLIC REVENUES FROM THE EUROPEAN LOTTERY ARE ESTIMATED TO REACH 750 MILLION DRACHMAS

The public revenues from the European Lottery that is being sold in Greece starting today are estimated to be 750 million drachmas

Each lottery ticket costs 1.000 drachmas and the draw will take place in Athens on October 11.

[06] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL WELCOME THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH IN THESSALONIKI ON SEPTEMBER 28

Thessaloniki and the political leadership of Greece as a whole will welcome Patriarch Vartholomeos, with honors reserved for heads of states, in a formal ceremony scheduled to take place on September 28 in Aristotelous Square at the center of Thessaloniki.

The Head of the Orthodox Church, as well as Patriarch of Romania Theoktistos, Patriarch of Bulgaria Maximos and Patriarch of Georgia Elias will be welcomed by President Kostis Stephanopoulos, and also by a delegation of government ministers, Metropolite of Thessaloniki Panteleimon, Prefect Kostas Papadopoulos, Mayor of Thessaloniki and President of the Organization Cultural Capital of Europe - Thessaloniki �97 Konstantinos Kosmopoulos, other local authorities and many people.

It is the first time after 35 years that an Ecumenical Patriarch is visiting Thessaloniki. The Head of the Christian Orthodox Church will come to the city at the invitation of the Cultural Capital of Europe Organization. The visit will take place after the end of the international symposium �Religion and Environment� that is being held on board a ship that visits all the Black Sea ports. The symposium is held under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and EU Commission President Jacques Santer.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] HALBROOKE: CYPRUS MUST BECOME AN EU MEMBER

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrisostomos met in New York yesterday with US Presidential envoy to Cyprus Richard Halbrooke and they discussed issues concerning the respect of human rights.

The Archbishop stressed that the respect of human rights in Cyprus will mean that there will be an end to the partition of the island.

Mr.Halbrooke stated that he is expected to visit the island by the end of the year, while referring to its accession into the EU he said that Cyprus must become an EU member as it has been stated numerous times.

The Archbishop will meet today with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, with the leadership of the US Congress and with former US Presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos.

[08] SYMPOSIUM IN STRASBOURG ON THE INTERACTION OF RELIGION AND POLITICS

Symposiun on the Interaction of Religion and Politics in the European Structure will be held in Strasbourg on September 17.

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos has been invited to attend the symposium which is held within the framework of events on the occasion of the completion of 1.600 years since the death of St.Ambrosios, who was the Bishop of Milan.

[09] THE MASS MEDIA AND THE RESPECT OF THE PRIVATE LIVES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE EURO-PARLIAMENT

An extraordinary discussion on the relationship between the private life of the individual and the mass media will be held in the Plenary Session of the European Parliament. The discussion will open in Strasbourg next Monday on the occasion of the recent tragic death of Princess Diana.

The responsible parliamentary committee also decided to ask for the drawing up of a study regarding the legislation of the EU member-states that protects the private lives of individuals from the intrusion of the mass media. It is also possible that a European code of behavior will be adopted to be applied on the mass media.

[10] SPECIAL EVENT WILL BE HELD IN PARIS FOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF MARIA KALLAS

A great artistic event will be held this evening at the Paris City Hall on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of Maria Kallas on September 16, 1977.

In the event will participate many theater and opera artists and dancers.

The events in memory of Maria Kallas in Paris will be completed with an exhibition under the title : �Eternal Maria Kallas, a woman, a voice, a myth� that will be held in the spring of 1998.

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/