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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-06-03
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, June 3, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER: EMU IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR GREECE
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER TRAVELS TO SLOVENIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT
[03] PREMIER TO MEET WITH DEFENSE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS TODAY
[04] IONIAN BANK STRIKERS, STATE ARE MAKING HEADWAY IN ENDING
DISPUTE
[05] COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S ENVIRONMENT COM/TEE TO MEET IN GREECE
TOMORROW
[06] LONDON'S MAYOR IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
[07] THESSALONIKI TO HOST TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
[08] UNDERSEA TUNNEL LINKING GREECE, ALBANIA TO BE READY BY 2000
[09] HELEXPO TO ORGANIZE THE FIRST ONLY-GREEK EXHIBIT IN BELGRADE
[10] TRANSFER FEVER HITS GREEK SOCCER TEAMS
[11] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING AT THE PRIME
MINISTER'S OFFICE
[12] THE PRIME MINISTER WILL BE IN YALTA TOMORROW
[13] CHALKIDIKI WAS ROCKED BY 4 STRONG EARTHQUAKES
[14] PROTOPAPAS IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE IONIAN
BANK
[15] THE GREEK COASTS WERE AWARDED 326 "BLUE FLAGS" BY THE EU
[16] THE MAYOR OF ATHENS WILL BE IN SKOPJE TOMORROW
[17] GREECE IS A FACTOR OF STABILITY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, SAID
THE FORMER GERMAN PRESIDENT
[18] SKANDALIDIS: GREECE SHOULD RESIST THE "TITANIC SYNDROME"
[19] THESSALONIKI'S BAR TO PROCEED TO A JURIDICAL SUPPORT
PROGRAMME FOR THE HELLENES ABROAD
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] TENSION MOUNTS IN KOSSOVO
[21] BOEING TO OPEN BRANCH IN GREECE, WILL MANUFACTURE AIRCRAFT
[22] SWEDISH DEPUTIES RECEIVED BY CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES
[23] LETTER TO THE US PRESIDENT BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GREEK-
AMERICAN COMMUNITY
[24] 38% OF THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE
[25] THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FEARS AN ESCALATION OF THE
TENSION IN KOSOVO
[26] MAJOR RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN GERMANY
[27] THE "MASTERMIND" OF THE ATTACK AGAINST BIRDAL ARRESTED
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] GREEK PREMIER: EMU IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR GREECE
The Economic and Monetary Union is the difficult, yet
necessary step that ensures the fortification of the European
economic and social model before other social models that are now
seen in the world's arena, stated the Prime Minister Kostas
Simitis in his address before Parliament last evening.
Moreover, Mr. Simitis added that any other road taken will
surely lead to instability, joblessness, weakening of the social
state and a myriad of added woes.
The leader of the main opposition party, New Democracy's
Kostas Karamanlis stated that the government's policy has
jeopardized Greece's entry to the EMU's second group of countries
to accede.
[02] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER TRAVELS TO SLOVENIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT
National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is to depart
for a two-day official visit to Slovenia today at the invitation
of his Slovenian counterpart Alojz Krapez.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos is scheduled to meet with Mr. Krapez,
Slovenian Foreign Minister Boris Frlec and President Milan Kucan.
He will also visit several Slovenian military bases and the
Hellenic Navy frigate "Macedonia" which is docked at the port of
Koper.
The Defense Minister's visit is taking place one week after
Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos visited Slovenia where
he signed a bilateral road transport agreement as well as a
protocol of cooperation between the countries' foreign ministries.
Athens supports Slovenia's bid for membership in Euro-
Atlantic organizations, such as NATO and the European Union.
[03] PREMIER TO MEET WITH DEFENSE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS TODAY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to receive today Defense
Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos
and Foreign Undersecretary Yiannos Kranidiotis in order to discuss
the Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue and the government's
armaments program.
The meeting is taking place in view of Mr. Simitis' imminent
participation at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Pact meeting
in Yalta, Mr. Pangalos' participation at an inter-Balkan
conference and Mr. Kranidiotis' meetings in Luxembourg before
Cardiff.
[04] IONIAN BANK STRIKERS, STATE ARE MAKING HEADWAY IN ENDING
DISPUTE
The government has made headway towards ending almost a month-
long strike at Ionian Bank, by offering job security to employees
who oppose plans to privatize the bank.
"The (bank's) new owner will inherit the existing labor
policy,'' National Economy and Finance minister Yiannos
Papantoniou stated yesterday after meeting with union leaders.
"It is a new proposal in so far as it offers higher job
security relative to our earlier provisions," he added.
The union leaders have agreed to study the proposal, which
guarantees job security for two years after the privatization and
imposes sizable compensation in case of lay-offs.
[05] COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S ENVIRONMENT COM/TEE TO MEET IN GREECE
TOMORROW
The Committee of Environment, City Planning and Local
Administration of the Council of Europe's parliamentary Assembly
is to convene tomorrow at the island of Lesbos, in order to
examine environmental issues concerning the Mediterranean region.
The three-day conference is to feature the participation of
deputies from 40 countries and a number of studies will be
presented on the Mediterranean basin, the Aegean, waste
management and sea pollution.
Among those to salute the conference are the Minister of the
Aegean Elisabeth Papazoi, the undersecretary of Environment, City
Planning and Public Works Th. Koliopanos and the vice-president of
the Hellenic Parliament P. Sgourides.
[06] LONDON'S MAYOR IN THESSALONIKI TOMORROW
London's preparation for the arrival of the European Union's
common currency, the Euro, is to be the topic of a speech to be
delivered by the British capital's mayor Alderman Richard Nickols,
during his visit to Thessaloniki.
The British mayor is to visit Thessaloniki on the invitation
of the Hellenic-British Chamber of Commerce whose office in
northern Greece will host a dinner on his honor.
The event will be held tomorrow evening.
[07] THESSALONIKI TO HOST TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
Thessaloniki is to host the Conference of Multimodal
Transport and Transit Trade in Southeast Europe from June 4-6, an
event organized by HELEXPO, the organizer of the Thessaloniki
International Fair, in cooperation with the Department of
Communications Technology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The event is to address legal and administrative issues
pertaining to difficulties encountered in crossing borders,
methods and practices associated with multimodal transport in
light of new technology and the use of logistics, multimodal
transport corridors and infrastructure (terminals and junctions),
networks, services and international cooperation.
Among those participating in the conference will be senior
officials and representatives of European Union directorates, the
ministries of transport and communications, of environment, town
planning and public works, of finance, of merchant marine,
universities, cultural foundations of Austria, Bulgaria, Germany
and other countries and transport organizations.
[08] UNDERSEA TUNNEL LINKING GREECE, ALBANIA TO BE READY BY 2000
An undersea tunnel -currently under construction- in western
Greece, which will facilitate transport to Albania and the
Dalmatian coast, will be open to traffic in October 1999,
according to Greece's Public Works Minister Kostas Laliotis.
"This major project will help to promote both the region and
the country,"Mr. Laliotis stated yesterday in a ceremony to
launch the project's second phase, adding that it is part of a
transport link in the west connecting Albania and the Dalmatian
coast with the city of Kalamata in the Peloponnese.
Around 75 percent of the Aktio-Preveza link has been built
and the project is keeping within its timescale, Mr. Laliotis
said.
The project has a total length of 4,710 meters, comprising an
undersea tunnel of 1,570 meters with an internal width of 10.6
meters and height of 6.40 meters. The tunnel will have two lanes
for traffic with a total width of eight meters and walkways on
both sides.
[09] HELEXPO TO ORGANIZE THE FIRST ONLY-GREEK EXHIBIT IN BELGRADE
Helexpo, the organizer of Thessaloniki's annual international
trade fair, is to organize the first-ever exhibition of
exclusively Greek enterprises in Belgrade, to be held between
October 6-9.
Belgrade was the first choice of Greek business people,
following results of a relevant Helexpo questionnaire last year,
while Skopje was the first runner-up.
Cooperation between the two nations' exhibition organizations
will be finalized with the signing of an agreement.
[10] TRANSFER FEVER HITS GREEK SOCCER TEAMS
In light of the new season cropping up, Greece's soccer teams
have been struck by transfer fever, albeit with some unexpected
turns taking place at the eleventh hour.
��� superstar Demis Nikolaidis, who was a hair's breadth away
from joining Belgium's Anderlecht, is not going to leave afterall,
since the Belgian team failed to cough up the money, or, enough
money.
Also, Aris has entered the transfer craze dynamically, in
light of its return to the A national ranks, signing defender
Kostas Vakirtzis. The former lead player of Kavala signed a three-
year contract for the sum of 60 million drachmas.
Vasilis Damianos from Australia, who played for Melbourne's
Hellas, also signed with Xanthi for a five year term that will
cost the northern Greek team a whooping 200 million drachmas.
[11] REPPAS COMMENTED ON THE HIGH-LEVEL MEETING AT THE PRIME
MINISTER'S OFFICE
The Cyprus issue, the relations of Greece with Turkey, the
armaments program and the new structure of NATO were discussed in
the meeting of prime minister Kostas Simitis with minister of
foreign affairs Theodoros Pangalos and minister of defense Akis
Tsochatzopoulos, said Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas.
When asked to comment if among the issues discussed in the
meeting was the issue of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles,
Mr. Reppas stated that it is an issue placed within the framework
of the Greek-Cypriot cooperation and the Greek positions remain
the same.
[12] THE PRIME MINISTER WILL BE IN YALTA TOMORROW
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will attend the Summit meeting
of the Black Sea economic cooperation pact heads of states and
governments that will be open in Yalta tomorrow and on the
sidelines of the summit he will meet with Turkish president
Suleiman Demirel.
Greek undersecretary of foreign affairs Yiannos Kranidiotis stated
to the Greek state-run television channel NET that the Madrid
declaration is still in effect and Turkey continues to violate it.
A charter for the strengthening of cooperation among the 11
Black Sea countries will be signed in the Summit and Mr.
Kranidiotis pointed out the significance of this cooperation,
stressing that Greece has historical and traditional relations
with the countries of the region, while it has also developed
strong economic and trade relations with them. He added that the
Greek presence is notable in the region and was always an
important bridge linking Greece with the countries of the Black
Sea.
[13] CHALKIDIKI WAS ROCKED BY 4 STRONG EARTHQUAKES
Local residents were alarmed by the four strong earthquakes
that rocked Chalkidiki, northern Greece from 11:30am to 12:00 at
noon today. The epicenter of the tremors was located at the sea
region, south of the Sithonia Peninsula.
The earthquakes measured 5.2, 4.8, 4.7 and 4.5 on the Richter
scale and were felt in many regions of north-central Greece.
Seismologists at Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki
Geophysics Laboratory are cautious and do not rule out the
likelihood of a stronger earthquake in the next 48 hours. No
damages were reported by the Poligiros police department.
[14] PROTOPAPAS IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE IONIAN
BANK
Greek undersecretary of labor Christos Protopapas
characterized as very important the meeting with Bank Employees'
Union (OTOE), General Confederation of Labor and Ionian Bank
employees representatives.
The undersecretary of labor stated that the government
decision for the privatization of the bank is final and is already
in progress, adding that based on the outcome of yesterday's
meeting the job positions of the Ionian Bank employees will be
safeguarded. The undersecretary added in his speech in
Thessaloniki that nobody is at risk of losing their job.
[15] THE GREEK COASTS WERE AWARDED 326 "BLUE FLAGS" BY THE EU
Greece was awarded 326 "Blue Flags" by the European Union, 15
more than last year in recognition for its clean coasts and
waters.
The announcement was made by minister of environment, land
planning and public works Kostas Laliotis, who stressed that a
coastal line of 879 kilometers was cleaned last year and 17.000
tons of garbage were removed.
[16] THE MAYOR OF ATHENS WILL BE IN SKOPJE TOMORROW
Mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos will be on a two-day
visit to FYROM tomorrow at the invitation of mayor of Skopje Riso
Penov.
The two men will exchange views on the way the local
administration operates and on certain programs concerning the two
cities.
According to the Skopje radio station, Mr. Avramopoulos is
also scheduled to meet with FYROM president Kiro Gligorov.
[17] GREECE IS A FACTOR OF STABILITY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, SAID
THE FORMER GERMAN PRESIDENT
Greece is a factor of stability in the Mediterranean,
underlined in his lecture in the Megaron Concert Hall of Athens,
former president of the German Republic Richard von Weicheker, who
is Athens at the invitation of the Lambrakis Studies Foundation.
In his speech, the former German president stressed that the
Greek demand for the solution of the Greek-Turkish disputes
through the legal route is absolutely acceptable.
He also praised Greece's contribution to the development of
the European Union and stated that Greece plays a responsible role
in forming the new European reality.
Mr. Weicheker cited excerpts from Plato and Apostle Paul and
stated that the free market system will be successful only if a
civilized capitalism is implemented in the course to a united
Europe.
[18] SKANDALIDIS: GREECE SHOULD RESIST THE "TITANIC SYNDROME"
The secretary of the Central Committee of the governing party
of PASOK Kostas Skandalidis, in the speech he addressed during a
conference titled "PASOK: New Era.
New Path. Boundaries-Reversals-Perspectives", stressed that
the country goes through a crucial period in its history fighting
to recover and underlined that, with PASOK leading it, it has the
chance to succeed.
However, mr Skandalidis warned that Greece should resist the
"Titanic syndrome". Referring to the alleged "inside-the-party
opposition", mr Skandalidis, also, warned that if the party
dissolved, there would be no survivors among its political
tendencies.
[19] THESSALONIKI'S BAR TO PROCEED TO A JURIDICAL SUPPORT
PROGRAMME FOR THE HELLENES ABROAD
Thessaloniki's Bar Association decided to proceed to the
establishment of a juridical support programme for the Hellenes in
countries of the former Soviet Union, which will offer them more
information concerning their rights as well as better defence in
courts.
The president of the Bar, mr Ignatiadis and the secretary
general of the Youth State Secretariat, mr Sfinakis, will make the
official announcement of the programme, the aim of which is to
help the Hellenes abroad adjust to the Greek society and combat
crime, which, due to lack of knowledge on Greek laws, is
particularly increased within their communities.
The programme will include new lawyers who will give legal advice
and defend the Hellenes abroad over crimes related to their
quality as citizens of the Greek society.
The programme will be funded by the General Secretariat of
the Youth Organization while the lawyers offering their services
will be given the minimum salary provided by the juridical code.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] TENSION MOUNTS IN KOSSOVO
Tensions have flared once again in Kossovo between ethnic-
Albanians and the Serbian police, which have cracked down to crush
militant separatist sentiment in recent months.
According to press reports, 45 ethnic Albanians and two Serb
policemen were killed as the Serbs bombed ethnic-Albanian villages
near the Albanian border.
Hundreds of Albanians have reportedly fled their homes as a
result of the attacks.
The latest fighting is the most serious since some 80 ethnic
Albanians were killed in Serbian assaults on their villages in
Drenica in late February and early March.
[21] BOEING TO OPEN BRANCH IN GREECE, WILL MANUFACTURE AIRCRAFT
The Seattle-based aircraft maker Boeing is to expand its
branches to Greece in the near future, as the American
conglomerate wants to promote its passenger andf military
aircraft, as well as -in the long term- to facilitate the exchange
of technical information through satellites.
Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Boeing General
Manager and PR chief Clark Little said that the US aircraft maker
is interested in developing long-term ties with Greek businessmen,
which is why it participated -for the first time this year- at h
the Greek trade show "Hermes Expo'98", held in Atlantic City, New
Jersey.
The activity of Boeing in Athens will expand on a variety of
sectors which will concern all the types of aircraft (military
among them) and the branch's establishment it is only a matter of
time.
[22] SWEDISH DEPUTIES RECEIVED BY CYPRIOT PRESIDENT CLERIDES
A two-member parliamentary delegation from Sweden was
received by Cypriot President Glafkos Clerides in Nicosia today,
who briefed them on current developments and the island's course
for accession to the European Union.
The visiting MPs are the president of the parliamentary
consultative committee on European Union matters, Berit Loefstedt
and committee vice president Lars Tobisson. The Swedish officials
also met with the President of the Parliament of Cyprus Spyros
Kyprianou.
[23] LETTER TO THE US PRESIDENT BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GREEK-
AMERICAN COMMUNITY
The leadership of the Greek-American community in a letter to
US president Bill Clinton, stresses that the statements made by
certain US officials silently encourage the Turkish aggressiveness
and calls for Mr. Clinton's intervention.
In the letter it is stressed that the stance of US officials,
who criticize Cyprus for its wish to defend itself instead of
condemning Turkey for its threatening military flights, its
illegal occupation of the northern part of the island and its
threats for an attack, vindicates Turkey's aggressive policy.
The Greek-American leadership calls on president Clinton to
intervene in order to put an end to this policy and not wait for
another expression of the Turkish aggressiveness, like in the case
of Imia.
The letter is signed by the presidents of the World Council
of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) Andrew Athens, the Cypriot Struggle World
Coordinating Committee Philip Christopher and the National
Coordinating Effort Andrew Manatos.
[24] 38% OF THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE
According to the Sofia newspaper "Pari", 38% of the Bulgarian
people live below the poverty line, as the average and lowest wage
in the country is 94 and 27 US dollars respectively, when a person
must receive a monthly wage of at least 122 dollars in order to
survive. The data published by the newspaper were included in
statements made by Confederation of Independent Unions president
Zeliazko Christov.
Based on a research conducted last summer by the Bulgarian
Academy of Sciences Sociology Institute, 22-25% of the Bulgarian
people belong to the middle class. According to the sociologists,
the largest percentage of those, who make up the Bulgarian middle
class, managed to make a fortune through illegal economic
activities.
[25] THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FEARS AN ESCALATION OF THE
TENSION IN KOSOVO
The international community expressed fears that the clashes
in Kosovo will escalate. A German delegation is expected to arrive
in Pristina at any moment. Washington is concerned over ethnic
cleansing and warned Belgrade of a resumption of economic
sanctions.
Meanwhile, a large protest rally will be held in Pristina
tomorrow organized by the political parties of the ethnic
Albanians.
[26] MAJOR RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN GERMANY
The major railway accident, maybe the worst that ever
happened in Germany, which took place close to the city of
Hannover, has claimed the lives of about 80 people while 200
passengers were injured.
However, the exact number of victims could not be verified,
since many of the injured passengers, who were taken to the
hospitals of the area, have succumbed to their wounds.
Moreover, the exact cause of the accident was not verified,
either, and German authorities investigate several scenarios.
Most of the victims were not recognized while it is not known
yet if among them, there are Greek emigrants.
According to one of the scenarios, which appears to be the
prevalent one, the train's derailment was caused by a car that
suddenly stopped on the rails after a car accident on the bridge
the train was crossing.
[27] THE "MASTERMIND" OF THE ATTACK AGAINST BIRDAL ARRESTED
According to reports published by the turkish newspapers
"Hurriyet" and "Zaman", Semih Tufan Gulaltay, who was wanted as
the organizer of the assassination attempt against the president
of the Human Rights Association in Turkey, Akim Birdal, was
arrested yesterday.
Mr Birdal was hospitalized in a critical condition after
being shot by two gunmen, who opened fire at him while he was at
his office on May, 12.
The attack aroused international repel and was attributed to
ultra-nationalist groups. So far, five people, alleged to be
involved in the case, were arrested while mr Birdal recognized
the two gunmen who shot him.
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/
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