Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-04-26

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] LOSSES OF 1.83% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[02] THE ATHENS STOCK MARKET AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE GREEKS

[03] THESSALONIKI'S ECONOMIC ROLE IN THE BALKANS AND THE BLACK SEA REGION

[04] PASCHALIDIS: THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2003 EU SUMMIT MEETING IN

[05] ONE YEAR SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

[06] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH HIS CANADIAN COUNTERPART

[07] PANGALOS WILL MEET WITH IOC MEMBERS AFTER THE EASTER HOLIDAYS

[08] HOUSE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR STRICTER DRUG LAWS

[09] SALONICAS JEWISH COMMUNITY HONORS SHOA VICTIMS

[10] CHERNOBYL DISASTER, FOURTEEN YEARS LATER

[11] ANKARA REACTED STRONGLY TO ISRAEL'S DECISION ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

[12] NEW MEETING OF SPECIALISTS ON THE GREEK HOUSING LOAN TO ALBANIA

[13] FYROM SEEKS THE ABOLITION OF THE VISA FOR THE SUMMER PERIOD

[14] FOREIGN ENVOYS ARRIVE IN CYPRUS IN EARLY MAY

[15] F.R.Y: DIRECTOR OF JAT AIRLINES SHOT AND KILLED

[16] ROMANIA HOSTS FOURTH BSEC MEETING TOMORROW

[17] THE UNITED STATES WARNED THEIR NATIONALS NOT TO TRAVEL TO SERBIA

[01] LOSSES OF 1.83% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Losses of 1.83% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the general index dropped to 4.147,23 points in the shadow of the statements made to the news agency Reuters by a Bundesbank official. The volume of transactions was small at 85 billion drachmas.

Greek brokers president Panagiotis Voilis stated that the Athens Stock Exchange received a blow by the statement made by Hans Reckers, member of BUBA's board of directors, according to which, Greece's entry to the EMU must be delayed for a year because it does not meet the necessary preconditions.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that the German bank executive expressed a personal view that does not change the position expressed formally by the specific institution. He said that the specific executive is one of the 20 members of the board of directors of the Bundesbank and stated that his view could not cause any problems to Greece's EMU accession.

[02] THE ATHENS STOCK MARKET AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE GREEKS

The likelihood of an increase in heart problems because of the fluctuations observed in the Athens Stock Exchange was not ruled out by Greek scientists in a press conference they gave in Thessaloniki yesterday on the occasion of the 15th International Conference on Clinical Cardiology.

In the press conference, it was stressed that the lack of prevention is the basic reason that has led to an increase in the cardio-vascular diseases' related deaths which continue to be the first cause of death around the world. According to the scientists, only 25-30% of those with hypertension deal with their problem with the right drug treatment.

Hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetes are some of the main causes of coronary disease. However, other risk factors have been traced in the past few years such as, the presence of certain substances like proteins that can explain to a degree the fact that heart problems can appear to young people not affected by other risk factors.

[03] THESSALONIKI'S ECONOMIC ROLE IN THE BALKANS AND THE BLACK SEA REGION

New minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis, in a meeting he had with journalists today, referred in detail to the important economic role Thessaloniki is called to play not only in northern Greece and the Balkans but in the whole Black Sea zone.

Mr. Paschalidis stated characteristically that over 100 million people in the wider Balkan region and 300 million in the Black Sea zone want to cooperate with us. He underlined that the international economic role of Thessaloniki must become practice, adding that many international organizations have already been established in the city such as the Organization for the Reconstruction of the Balkans, the Stability Pact secretariat, the CEDEFOP, the Black Sea Bank, the Inter-Balkan Center, etc.

Mr. Paschalidis stated that the city in the next 20 years will be the center of the economy and this development can not happen without the participation of the people of Thessaloniki adding that many businesses open in northern Greece and pointed out that the people living in the city can not have just the role of an observer.

[04] PASCHALIDIS: THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2003 EU SUMMIT MEETING IN THESSALONIKI WILL START IN TIME

The preparations for the 2003 EU summit meeting in Thessaloniki will be launched in time, according to statements made to reporters by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis stating that many government and historical buildings must be restored.

Mr. Paschalidis stated that it will be decided in advance where so many important people will stay, while the city must show that it can play the role it is called to play in the region in the 21st century.

[05] ONE YEAR SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

The effects of the ombudsman institution a year after its establishment in Greece were given to publicity today.

A report on the issue was submitted to the prime minister, the parliament president and the minister of the interior by professor Nikiforos Diamantouros. Based on the data provided, the institution received 8.223 complaints submitted by the people. Of them 32.63% concerned the state-citizen relations, 25.15% the quality of life, 27.48% the social protection and 14.74% the human rights.

Of those reports 57.3% were settled, while 32.4% of the cases were found to be groundless.

[06] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH HIS CANADIAN COUNTERPART

Greek parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis met with his Canadian counterpart Gilkegart Palt in Athens.

In statements they made, characterized the bilateral relations as very good while the president of the Canadian parliament referred to the contribution of the Greek immigrants to the economic development of his country.

From his side, Mr. Kaklamanis praised the stance adopted by Canada on the issue of Cyprus.

[07] PANGALOS WILL MEET WITH IOC MEMBERS AFTER THE EASTER HOLIDAYS

Greek minister of culture Theodoros Pangalos will be in Brussels after the Easter Holidays to meet with members of the International Olympic Committee, IOC.

Mr. Pangalos is expected to present to the IOC vice-president the positions and the measures taken by the Greek government regarding the 2004 Olympic Games that will be held in Athens.

[08] HOUSE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR STRICTER DRUG LAWS

In a voluminous report encompassing over two years of study, the Parliamentary Cross-party Committee calls for stricter prosecution of drug dealers through amended legislative measures.

The Committee's report includes data reflecting the extent of drug and substance abuse in Greece according to which the percentage of adults who have engaged in drug use at least once has tripled in the last decade, i.e. from 4% in 1984 to 12.2% in 1999.

Drug use also varies according to sex, where men outnumber women three to one, while age seems to also play a factor with those between 18-35 being most susceptible.

More alarming is the increasing drug use noted among school-age children: the percentage of those who have tried drugs at least one has risen to 13.7% in 1998, significantly higher than 1993's six percent. Boys outnumber girls, 17.9% to 9% respectively, with rising tendencies in accordance to age groups.

The preferred drugs among school-age users are soluble substances, such as glue (13.8%), with cannabis rating second (12.6%).

Cocaine use is also on the rise in Greece, while the number of heroin addicts is also marking a notable increase.

A.F.

[09] SALONICAS JEWISH COMMUNITY HONORS SHOA VICTIMS

Thessaloniki's Jewish Community will honor the memory of the city's 50,000 Jews who were murdered by the Nazis fifty-seven years ago, with a memorial service to be held at the Monastirlis Synagogue on Sunday, May 7.

The events will culminate with the laying of wreaths at the Jewish Holocaust Monument.

In an announcement commemorating the Shoa, the Community states: "Today, as the nightmare of Nazism appears to be re-emerging, we wish that our innocent brothers are the last victims of racial hatred and that love and fellowship forever reign in people's hearts."

A thriving Jewish community before the Holocaust, Thessaloniki was known throughout the Balkans as the "Mother of Israel", less than ten percent of its members presently live in the city.

A.F.

[10] CHERNOBYL DISASTER, FOURTEEN YEARS LATER

Fourteen years have passed since an explosion ripped through Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, causing the world's worst nuclear accident, and health experts are deeply concerned about long-term genetic damage to future generations.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 500 times as much radiation was released by this accident as by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

The countries most affected by the radiation - Ukraine and Belarus - continue to pay the price, although radioactive material has been detected even in Scotland where increased cases of child leukemia were noted after the disaster.

While early official reports claimed that 31 persons were killed from radiation exposure, newer studies reveal that thousands more died later from effects of the accident. According to recent assessments, hundreds of thousands of people suffer today from Chernobyl-related illnesses, not including children still being born with deformities and an array of health problems.

The worst health consequences for millions of people may be yet to come. According to the United Nations, the full number of those likely to develop serious medical conditions will not be known until 2016, at the earliest, because of delayed reactions to radiation exposure.

A.F.

[11] ANKARA REACTED STRONGLY TO ISRAEL'S DECISION ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Israeli education ministry decision to include the Armenian genocide in the teaching material used in the Israeli schools caused an uproar in Turkey.

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the Turkish foreign ministry protested on the issue to the Israeli ambassador to Ankara.

A Turkish foreign ministry official stated that it was stressed to the Israeli ambassador that he must convey Ankara's reaction and expectations to the Israeli authorities as soon as possible.

[12] NEW MEETING OF SPECIALISTS ON THE GREEK HOUSING LOAN TO ALBANIA

The procedural issues concerning the housing loan granted to Albania by Greece will be discussed in mid May.

According to the Albanian newspaper "Zeri i Populit", the responsible committees from both countries will meet in Tirana on May 17 to discuss the necessary procedures that have to be followed before the Greek housing loan of 5 billion drachmas gets to Albania.

Undersecretary of finance Andriana Berberi stated that the Albanian side will present to the Greek committee specific plans for the absorption of the housing loan, according to the newspaper.

[13] FYROM SEEKS THE ABOLITION OF THE VISA FOR THE SUMMER PERIOD

Proposals aimed at making things easier for the travelers from FYROM, who want to visit Greece especially in the summer months, were allegedly made by FYROM to the Greek government, according to the Skopje newspaper "Dnevnik".

Based on information cited by the newspaper, the FYROM government called on Greece to abolish the visa requirement during the summer months in order to facilitate the travelers from FYROM. As an alternative solution the FYROM government suggested that the issuing of visas take place at the Greek-FYROM borders to avoid the crowds that usually gather at the Liaison Office in Skopje.

However, the newspaper mentions that FYROM foreign minister Alexander Dimitrov has stated that he has no knowledge of the matter.

[14] FOREIGN ENVOYS ARRIVE IN CYPRUS IN EARLY MAY

Foreign envoys dealing with the Cyprus issue on are expected on the island in the first week of May in an effort to move the peace process forward.

The United Nations special advisor for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and Britain's envoy Sir David Hannay will hold talks with the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Sir David will arrive on May 4 for a brief stay during which he will be received by the President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides, while he will also meet with Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Mr. de Soto will arrive on May 8, when he is scheduled to have meetings with the President and the Turkish Cypriot leader.

A.F.

[15] F.R.Y: DIRECTOR OF JAT AIRLINES SHOT AND KILLED

Unknown assailants shot and killed the director of Yugoslavia's state-owned JAT Airlines Zika Petrovic in Belgrade last night.

According to eyewitness reports, the two assailants, armed with automatic weapons, confronted the victim in front of his apartment building, shot him four times and then fled the scene.

Belgrade police has characterized the attack as "a terrorist act against a high-ranking member of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's business community."

Director of JAT since 1992, the 62-year-old Petrovic was an ally of President Slobodan Milosevic.

A.F.

[16] ROMANIA HOSTS FOURTH BSEC MEETING TOMORROW

The fourth meeting among the member-states of the Organization of Economic Cooperation in the Black Sea (BSEC) is to be held in Romania on April 27-28, according to the host country's ministry of the interior.

The meeting will feature the participation of Interior Ministers from Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Romania, which presently holds the organization's six-month rotating presidency.

Romania's Minister of the Interior Constantin Dudu Ionescu stated that the participants will review the results of the terrorism-combat agreement signed during the BSEC's previous meeting.

A.F.

[17] THE UNITED STATES WARNED THEIR NATIONALS NOT TO TRAVEL TO SERBIA

The United States warned their nationals not to travel to Yugoslavia and especially to the borders of Serbia and Montenegro.

The US State Department in a directive it has issued underlined that it is dangerous for the American citizens to travel to Montenegro and Kosovo and added that the US embassy in Belgrade is not in operation.

The US State Department also pointed out that there is a hostile climate in Serbia against the Americans, coming both from officials and the people, while there are other dangers as well such as, bombs that have not exploded and destroyed infrastructure.

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