Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-11-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] MOLOTOVS THROWN AT POLYTECHNIC SCHOOLS

[02] MORE BRITISH TOURISTS IN GREECE IN 2002

[03] 2ND CONFERENCE ON THE BALKAN MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY IN THESSALONIKI

[04] CLARIFICATIONS BY PROTOPAPAS ON THE GOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL DECISIONS

[05] MR. DRIS IN THE EU COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE MINISTERS

[06] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] INCREASE OF 8.3% IN THE BUDGET REVENUES

[08] GREEK FESTIVAL: 241.2% INCREASE IN TICKET SALES

[09] SIMITIS: 1 TRILLION DRACHMAS A YEAR FOR FARM SUBSIDIES

[10] POSTAL WORKER HOLDS RELICS

[11] CYPRIOT STUDENTS MARCH TO TURKISH CONSULATE

[12] THE GREEK AND TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATIONS COSIGNED A PROPOSAL ON EURO

[13] ALBANIAN MAYOR ACCUSED OF RACISM

[01] MOLOTOVS THROWN AT POLYTECHNIC SCHOOLS

Molotov bombs were thrown late last night by groups of young men, at the Polytechnic School in Athens, thankfully, without any damage caused. The police intervened immediately and removed the young men.

[02] MORE BRITISH TOURISTS IN GREECE IN 2002

Along with Spain, Greek tourism, holds the best position in the British tourist market, after the September 11 events. Our country is among the safest destinations, while included in the dangerous destinations are Turkey, Cyprus, the Mediterranean countries of Africa and mainly Egypt.

The September 11th terrorist attack found tourist traffic for Greek destinations rising by 10%, while bookings for 2002 went into a frenzy, increasing by 30%.

[03] 2ND CONFERENCE ON THE BALKAN MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY IN THESSALONIKI

The 2nd Conference of the Balkan Microbiology Society will take place in Thessaloniki on November 22-24.

In the conference will participate Balkan scientists as well as distinguished scientists from other European countries and the United States.

A wide circle of lectures, announcements and open discussions have been scheduled to take place in the three-day conference to cover issues concerning the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infections. Also, the conference participants will discuss the development of collective actions in the effort to adopt a coordinated reaction to infections that could take up the dimensions of an epidemic.

[04] CLARIFICATIONS BY PROTOPAPAS ON THE GOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL DECISIONS

The government will not send troops to Afghanistan and will not participate in military operations, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas today responding to a question made by a reporter and added that in its meeting yesterday the Governmental Council of Foreign Affairs and Defense reached a decision on three more steps that will be taken within the framework of an overall understanding with NATO.

Specifically, it was decided that a surface warship will leave for the region of the Arab Gulf, while 300 soldiers will be sent to Kosovo if it is deemed necessary to replace the soldiers of other NATO countries that will leave the region. Also, it was decided that two or three C-130 transport planes will be used to carry strictly humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

[05] MR. DRIS IN THE EU COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE MINISTERS

Agriculture Minister Giorgos Dris accompanied by the International Relations General Secretary Andreas Korakas and Farm Policy Director Panagiotis Sarros will depart for Brussels to attend the European Union Agriculture Ministers Council that will meet on November 19-20.

Mr. Dris will meet during his stay in Brussels with his counterparts from Spain and Italy, Miguel Arial Canete and Giovanni Allemanno respectively, while he will also meet with European Commissioner Franz Fischler, responsible for farm issues.

[06] SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE ASE

Significant gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +2.05% at 2.763,3 points, while the volume of transactions was 188 million Euro or 64 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 46 recorded losses and 285 had gains, while the value of 32 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] INCREASE OF 8.3% IN THE BUDGET REVENUES

The state budget revenues increased by 8.3% in 2001, compared to the same period in 2000, while the goal set was 7.9%.

In the month of October, the budget's revenues increased by 5.6%, while in the January-October period the budget's revenue surplus was at 30 billion drachmas.

According to formal figures provided by the Finance Ministry, surplus at the end of October was limited at 30 billion drachmas when at the end of September it was 54 billion drachmas.

[08] GREEK FESTIVAL: 241.2% INCREASE IN TICKET SALES

The Greek Festival profits from ticket sales increased by 241.2% this year, compared to 1999, in spite of the fact that ticket prices dropped by 20%, while there was an increase of 49.2% compared to 2000.

According to figures provided by the Greek Festival, 250.000 people watched its events in 2001 and the revenues were over 1 billion drachmas.

The Greek Festival organizers had decided to cut ticket prices by 20% in order to give the opportunity to financially weaker groups to watch even its most expensive productions, while it also adopted a 50% discount for young people, students, pensioners, parents with more than three children and soldiers.

[09] SIMITIS: 1 TRILLION DRACHMAS A YEAR FOR FARM SUBSIDIES

The farm sector policy is in progress and the prospects are positive, underlined prime minister Kostas Simitis in parliament, responding to right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy former leader Miltiadis Evert.

Mr. Simitis stated that the government cares about the farmers and this is obvious by the fact that since 1981 their income increased by 20%, while funds of a 1 trillion drachmas have been secured for subsidies until 2006.

He also said that in the difficult period 1995-2001 the farmers' income increased by 2%. On the farmers' protests, Mr. Simitis stated that they are caused by the fact that this is an adjustment phase. In addition he gave assurances that the government will take all necessary measures so that the farm sector will not be in any danger.

[10] POSTAL WORKER HOLDS RELICS

A postal worker was arrested and is being held by Veria authorities, charged with possession of ancient artifacts and weapons.

52-year-old Dimitris Lazaridis, who was arrested by officers of the illicit trade of antiquities department of Veria authorities, after a search performed on his house in Edessa.

As announced by the Police Direction of Imathia, police officers found and confiscated a large number of ancient coins of which 145 of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine times a marble piece of a table-holder (possibly of the Hellenistic era), a marble hemispherical object on a flat surface of the Roman times, a useful Steyer rifle with 5 bayonets and bullets.

He will be taken to the district attorney.

[11] CYPRIOT STUDENTS MARCH TO TURKISH CONSULATE

The three-day events condemning the declaration of Denktash's false-state, ended with a march to the Turkish Consulate organized by the National Student Union of Cypriots in Thessaloniki.

The march, which was especially lively and vibrant, consisted of 500 students, who held Greek and Cypriot flags. Slogans such as Attilas out of Cyprus, Cyprus is Greek and Cypriot students on the front, to drive out Attila, the conqueror were used, while there were also patriotic songs.

Two police vans blocked the way to the consulate, which was being guarded by strong police forces. The protest ended with the posting of a resolution on the Consulate door.

[12] THE GREEK AND TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATIONS COSIGNED A PROPOSAL ON EURO 2008

The Football Federations of Greece and Turkey cosigned a joint candidature proposal in Istanbul today aimed at undertaking the organizing of the 2008 European Football Championship.

This morning, the Greek delegation, headed by Greek Football Federation president Vasilis Gagatsis, discussed with the Turkish delegation the last details on the joint candidature and afterwards they put their signatures on the relevant documents.

[13] ALBANIAN MAYOR ACCUSED OF RACISM

EuroMPs of New Democracy Stavros Xarhakos and Christos Zacharakis accused the new socialist Mayor of Himarra, Albania, in a question they put to the European Commission, pointing out that he selectively tore down buildings belonging to Greek residents of the city.

In their question, the EuroMPs underlined that the houses, taverns, coffee houses, Greek organization offices and the Greek cramming school, which will start being torn down on November 22, had been previously seized by the Hoja regime, but were recently restored to their rightful owners, after the unfair arbitrariness of taking the property from its Greek owners was recognized.

Mr. Zacharakis and Xarchakos asked the Committee if the racist tactics of the Albanian Police towards Greeks, agrees with the European Union, and ask for direct measures to be taken so that this decision freezes, and persecution against the members of the internationally recognized, even by Albania itself Greek national minority.

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