Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-03-09
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 9, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PASOK LEADS BY 2.1% IN THE ELECTION RACE, ACCORDING TO V.PRC
[02] THE GREEK APPLICATION TO JOIN THE EMU IS WELCOMED, STATES THE
EU
[03] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[04] MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER RADIO INTERVIEW
[05] THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE GREEKS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE GENETICALLY MADE FOOD
[06] THE GREEK CAR INDUSTRY SIGNED A 28.5 BILLION DRACHMAS DEAL
WITH THE ARMED FORCES
[07] 1.000 WOMEN ARTISTS WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] PAPANDREOU TOURS THE GHIROKASTRA REGION
[09] CLINTON: FEDERATION SOLUTION IN CYPRUS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PASOK LEADS BY 2.1% IN THE ELECTION RACE, ACCORDING TO V.PRC
PASOK leads by 2.1% in an opinion poll conducted by the
polling company V.PRC in the period of February 14 to March 5 and
its results were published on the Athens newspaper "TA NEA".
Specifically, the governing socialist party of PASOK gets 37%
and right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy 34.9%, the
Communist Party 5.1%, Coalition of the Left 4.4%, the Democratic
Social Movement 4.5%, Political Spring 0.6% and the Liberals 0.3%,
while the undecided voters are 3.5%. Of those questioned, 57.2%
believe that PASOK will be the winner in the elections and 25.1%
believe that the winner will be New Democracy.
Regarding the young voters, 7 out of 10 state that they are
certain or almost certain about which party they will vote for and
PASOK is leading again by 2.1% compared to New Democracy.
[02] THE GREEK APPLICATION TO JOIN THE EMU IS WELCOMED, STATES THE
EU
The Greek economy made a historic step today with the formal
filing of its application for the accession into the EMU in a
special ceremony in Zappion building in Athens.
European Commission president Romano Prodi and responsible EU
Commissioner Pentro Sobles welcomed the application, stressing
that any expansion of the Euro is a positive message. However, the
big challenge for the economic staff of the Greek government is to
keep inflation at low levels, especially now that the
international oil prices have risen sharply.
Presenting the Greek candidature file, prime minister Kostas
Simitis stressed that this is a historic moment for the country as
its application to join the EMU signals a new historic circle and
opens a new era of security, stability, development and
prosperity. The prime minister also referred to Konstantinos
Karamanlis' initiative to make Greece a member of the then EEC and
to Andreas Papandreou's implementation of the necessary adjustment
mechanisms in the Greek economy.
Mr. Simitis stressed that the country needs a strong
government on April 10 with a clear mandate in order to be able to
get the most out of the negotiations that will take place.
Minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou stated that
it is a historic day and stressed that Greece will join the EMU
because it deserves it.
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the
Greek application for EMU membership concentrates the efforts made
by the Greek people and reflects the progress of the Greek
economy.
Meanwhile, Bank of Greece governor Loukas Papadimos called
for additional measures aimed at keeping inflation at low levels
among them, limited wage increases.
[03] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
The nervousness among investors continued today in the Athens
Stock Exchange in spite of the fact that Greece submitted its
application for EMU membership.
The general index dropped to 4.865,63 points recording losses
of 0.05%. The volume of transactions was at 190 billion drachmas
and of the stocks trading today 142 recorded gains, 192 had losses
and 28 remained stable.
[04] MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER RADIO INTERVIEW
Minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis gave an
interview to Athens radio station "Flash" and among others he
pointed out that specific orders have been given for the policing
of the rural areas and the Athens region aimed at putting under
control the activities of the Albanian illegal immigrants, tens of
whom are deported on a daily basis.
The minister of public order stated that there will be a
restructuring of police stations throughout Greece in order to be
more effective and underlined that the traffic accidents were
reduced for the first time in 15 years as a result of the better
policing. He also stated that the police squad telephone center
received 4.500.000 emergency calls in 1999.
[05] THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE GREEKS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE GENETICALLY MADE FOOD
The consequences the genetically produced food could have on
public health worry 93% of the Greeks, according to a research
conducted by the Greek Consumers' Institute.
Furthermore, 86% express concern over the existence of
dioxins in food, while 85% believe that the food products are
contaminated with pesticides. The presence of hormones in food
also concerns consumers (77%), while the "mad cow" disease worries
71% of those questioned.
It should be reminded, that March 15 is the World Consumer
Day and this year it is dedicated to food safety and specifically,
to the dietary safety of children.
[06] THE GREEK CAR INDUSTRY SIGNED A 28.5 BILLION DRACHMAS DEAL
WITH THE ARMED FORCES
A deal for the supply of vehicles that will cover the needs
of the Greek armed forces was signed by the defense ministry
armaments general director Yiannis Sbokos and Greek Car Industry
chairman Likourgos Sakellaris in the presence of defense minister
Akis Tsochatzopoulos.
The 28.5 billion drachmas deal provides for the supply of the
Greek armed forces with 583 vehicles of different types and
functions. Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that after the elections and
in the first half of the year 2000 decisions will be reached on
the purchase of the "Centaur" armored tanks.
Speaking before the Greek Car Industry employees, Mr.
Tsochatzopoulos referred to the issue of its privatization and
pointed out that the political will is for 51% of the industry to
remain under state control, while the strategic investor will get
up to 49% of the stocks and the industry's management.
[07] 1.000 WOMEN ARTISTS WILL BE IN THESSALONIKI
One thousand women artists from 30 Mediterranean and the
Black Sea countries will meet in Thessaloniki on September 22-27
on the occasion of the 2nd festival on women creators from the two
seas, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea organized to promote the
multi-cultural character of the region and the continuous efforts
for peace.
The festival is placed within the 15 events undertaken by
UNESCO on the occasion of the celebrations of the year 2000.
The event is organized by UNESCO, Thessaloniki's municipal
authorities, the association of women inter-Balkan cooperation
societies and the European Union.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[08] PAPANDREOU TOURS THE GHIROKASTRA REGION
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, who took part in
the tripartite meeting with his counterparts from Albania and
FYROM in Korce yesterday, tours the Greek minority villages in
Albania today.
Mr. Papandreou will visit Ghirokastra where according to a
statement by the Greek minority organization OMONIA, he will meet
with Albanian prime minister Ilir Meta as well as with local
authorities and the OMONIA leadership. He will also go to
Dervitsani to inaugurate a cultural center and he will be present
in the opening of a Greek painters' exhibition. Mr. Papandreou
will visit the cemetery of Vouliarates and he will lay a wreath in
memory of the Greek soldiers killed on Albanian territory during
WWII.
According to the Albanian press, Mr. Papandreou will announce
the Greek government's decision to fund infrastructure projects in
the regions where the Greek minority lives. The spokesman of the
Greek foreign ministry stated, according to the Albanian press,
that the infrastructure projects will be selected in cooperation
with representatives of the Greek minority and the Albanian
government.
[09] CLINTON: FEDERATION SOLUTION IN CYPRUS
US president Bill Clinton is in favor of a federation
solution in Cyprus in the bimonthly White House report that covers
the period from December 1999 to January 2000 and has already been
sent to the US Congress.
In the same report, president Clinton makes a special
reference to the position of UN secretary-general Kofi Annan
according to which, the two parties showed seriousness in dealing
with all the aspects of the problem.
At the same time, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's
statement that 1.619 people missing since the Turkish invasion of
Cyprus have been massacred, has caused shock. The revelation was
made by film director Michalis Kakoyiannis in the inauguration of
the foreign ministry's film archives.
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