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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-02-20
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, February 20, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[�] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BALKAN CONFERENCE OF EDUCATORS
[02] A LEADING MAFIA MAN WILL BE EXTRADITED TO ITALY
[03] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS BRIEFED PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS
[04] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[05] THE GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE DROP OF INFLATION
[06] AN INVESTIGATION WAS ORDERED ON THE DEATHS OF FOUR NEWBORNS
[07] THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEKS LIVING ABROAD TO THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES
[08] MEMBERS OF A TELEVISION CREW WERE INJURED IN A HELICOPTER CRASH
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF EASTERN CANADA EXPRESSED
CONCERN REGARDING THE FYROM NAME
[10] BULGARIA: A THRACIAN TOMB WITH A GREEK INSCRIPTION IS KEPT IN A MUSEUM
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BALKAN CONFERENCE OF EDUCATORS
The training of educators in the Balkan countries will be
examined in a conference organized by Thessaloniki's Aristotle
University in cooperation with the Balkan Society of Pedagogy and
Education to take place on February 23-24.
In the conference will participate scientists and researchers
from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, FRY, FYROM, Romania and Turkey and
they will examine the role of the school institution in the
creation or the revival of the Balkan understanding within the
framework of the inter-cultural or multi-cultural education.
[02] A LEADING MAFIA MAN WILL BE EXTRADITED TO ITALY
The Greek justice ministry approved the extradition to Italy
of leading Mafia man Francesco Prudentino. The 52yearold, who is
held at Diavata Prison outside Thessaloniki, will be extradited to
Italy within days where he faces charges for murder, blackmail and
illegal cigarette trade.
The alleged member of the so-called "Sakra Korona Unita"
Mafia was arrested in Thessaloniki last December during a joint
operation by the Greek and Italian police based on a pending
international warrant.
Prudentino agreed to be extradited to his country after a
visit to Diavata Prison by two Italian anti-Mafia prosecutors.
[03] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS BRIEFED PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS
Prime minister Kostas Simitis briefed president Kostis
Stephanopoulos today on all the issues of domestic and foreign
policy.
In the dialogue they had before the television cameras, Mr.
Simitis expressed the belief that the Inter-Balkan Conference that
will take place in Skopje in a few days will ease the tension in
the Balkans.
In statements he made after the meeting, Mr. Simitis
underlined that the firm goal of the government is the solution of
the Cyprus problem, while the improvement of relations with Turkey
and the rest neighboring countries is being promoted. The prime
minister said that those actions aim at consolidating lasting
peace and cooperation in the Balkans.
Regarding economy, he said that steady steps are being made
and stressed that the trust in the Greek economy is proved by the
interest shown by private investors for the production of
electricity and the construction of hotels.
[04] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index rose by 0.94% at 3.271,14 points, while the volume
of transactions was very satisfactory at 303.8 million Euro or
103.5 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 136 recorded gains and 214 had
losses, while the value of 20 stocks remained stable.
[05] THE GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED WITH THE DROP OF INFLATION
Minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou met with
prime minister Kostas Simitis and they discussed the course of the
economy. Both expressed satisfaction for the drop of inflation to
3.4% in January, while they characterized as good the course of
tax revenues.
Mr. Papantoniou stressed that the growth rate of the European
economy will be 3% in the current year and this will allow the
Greek economy to adopt a satisfactory growth rate.
[06] AN INVESTIGATION WAS ORDERED ON THE DEATHS OF FOUR NEWBORNS
The sudden death of four newborns in Thessaloniki's
Hippokration Hospital obstetrics clinic, that was attributed to a
hospital infection, has triggered the intervention of judicial
authorities in order to determine if there were any omissions by
the doctors and medical staff.
According to the results of an investigation that was
conducted, the infection was caused by a virus that has been
identified and isolated. The rest of the newborns are safe and are
in no danger whatsoever.
[07] THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREEKS LIVING ABROAD TO THE 2004
OLYMPIC GAMES
World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, president Andrew
Athens stated to MPA that he hopes that the decisions of SAE's
meeting will be good for Greece. He also stated that he is happy
to be in Thessaloniki again to take part in the SAE meeting that
will open today and will last until February 24.
He stressed that the young Greeks abroad can contribute to
the 2004 Olympic Games as volunteers and this issue will be
discussed in detail in the meeting, adding that "Athens 2004"
Organization president Ms. Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalakis is
invited as well.
General secretary for the Greeks living abroad Dimitris
Dollis stated that the basic qualification shared by the Greeks
living abroad is that they speak at least one foreign language and
can operate as a link between Greece and the country where they
live.
[08] MEMBERS OF A TELEVISION CREW WERE INJURED IN A HELICOPTER
CRASH
Four people among them, a reporter and a cameraman, were
slightly injured when their helicopter made an emergency landing
near the region of Limenaria in the northern Aegean island of
Thasos.
The accident happened late at noon when a Hellas Service
helicopter, chartered by television station "Antenna", lost
altitude and made an emergency landing in Thasos while 8 force
winds were blowing in the region.
According to initial information, slightly injured were
cameraman Angelos Misirlis, correspondent Christos Nikolaidis and
the two helicopter pilots.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[09] THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF EASTERN CANADA EXPRESSED
CONCERN REGARDING THE FYROM NAME
The Pan-Macedonian Association of eastern Canada with a
letter addressed to prime minister Kostas Simitis and foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou expressed its opposition to an
agreement that will give the opportunity to FYROM to use the names
"Macedonia" and "Macedonians" at an international level.
In the letter that was signed by the association's governor
it is stressed that if such a name is used by FYROM then this
state will be able to continue its irredentism toward the Greek
Macedonia and promote worldwide the allegation that a so-called
SMacedonian" nation exists.
[10] BULGARIA: A THRACIAN TOMB WITH A GREEK INSCRIPTION IS KEPT IN
A MUSEUM
A Thracian tomb with a Greek inscription dated back to the
4th or 6th century BC is now kept in the Museum of History in the
city of Sumen, in northeastern Bulgaria, as it was moved from the
site where it was discovered, near the city of Smiantovo. The tomb
weighs 12 tons and it is the only one of its kind that has been
moved to a museum.
The tomb was discovered during excavations and was part of a
necropolis. It is believed that it was built for the wife of
general Seuth, who served under Thracian leader Dromihet.
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