Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-12-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] A. ATHENS FOURTH TENURE AS SAE PRESIDENT

[02] PAPANTONIOU COMPLETES VISIT TO ALBANIA

[03] THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE NEW PRESIDING BOARD OF SAE

[04] THE YUGOSLAV DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARY IS IN ATHENS

[05] PAPANDREOU: ANY TEXT NOT SAFEGUARDING GREECE'S SOVEREIGN RIGHST WILL BE

[06] SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] GREECE HAS ISSUED AN EXTRADITION REQUEST FOR PASSARIS

[08] COALITION OF THE LEFT DELEGATION TO BRUSSELS

[09] THE BULGARIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WILL VISIT THESSALONIKI

[10] THE FARMERS WILL DECIDE ON THE FUTURE OF THEIR MOBILIZATIONS

[11] GRILLAKIS' REVELATIONS CAUSED A SENSATION

[12] COURT SO FAR IN FAVOR PASSIVE SMOKER

[13] TRADE CENTER AT THE GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERS

[14] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS DISCUSSED THE GREEK-DUTCH RELATIONS

[15] GREEK SLAUGHTERHOUSES DON'T MAKE THE GRADE

[16] V. PAPANDREOU- M. BARNIER MEETING

[17] SIMITIS AT THE HAGUE

[01] A. ATHENS FOURTH TENURE AS SAE PRESIDENT

Just ten minutes before midnight, in the presence of deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gr. Niotis, Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad Dimitris Dollis, members of the Special Standing Interparty Committee of the Greek Parliament on Hellenism Abroad, as well as many of the participants of the 4th World SAE, the supervisory committee announced the results of the vote for the new SAE Presidency and the Regional Coordination Councils.

Andrew Athens were re-elected for a fourth tenure with 450 votes, against the 164 of the second candidate, Paschalis Papachristopoulos. The position of alternate President was taken by the until recently SAE Coordinator of Asia and Africa, Stefanos Tamvakis, with 367 votes against the 221 votes of given to the until recently alternate President, Konstantinos Pappas. The third candidate, Panteleimon Tsorbatzoglou, follwed with 34 votes.

[02] PAPANTONIOU COMPLETES VISIT TO ALBANIA

With his visit to Gjirokastre, Minister of Defense Giannos Papantoniou, completed his two-day visit to Albania.

The Minister of National Defense visited Greek soldiers stationed in Duressi, giving Christmas gifts and wishes.

In Gjirokastre, accompanied by his Albanian counterpart, Panteli Majko, he visited a "40-bed" military hospital, which was a donation of the Greek Ministry of Defense, to the Albanian Army and people.

Mr. Papantoniou met with Archbishop of Albania Anastasios in Tirana last night, and promised total support of Athens to this great undertaking of his in Albania.

Whatever develops the country helps the Orthodox Church, and vice versa, when we receive help we share it with others. We do not keep it for our selves. It may be the secret some don't understand, our secret. When you divide what you have amongst others, God multiplies it, stated Mr. Anastasios during his meeting.

[03] THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE NEW PRESIDING BOARD OF SAE

The planned action and the priorities of the new presiding board of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, were presented today by its president and deputy president Mr. Athens and Mr. Tambakis, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Mr. Magriotis, General Secretary for Greeks living Abroad Mr. Dollis and President and 1st vice-president of the special permanent parliamentary committee on the Greeks living abroad Mr. Niotis and Mr. Skadalakis.

All the speakers stressed that the 4th SAE World Assembly was successful and new ideas were presented aimed at the upward course of the World Council for the Greeks Living Abroad through fertile dialogue.

A priority is given to the development of the institutional networks and to the everyday Greek who lives abroad taking seriously into account President Stephanopoulos' call.

The primary goal is the activation of the Greeks of the Diaspora, mainly the young, for the promotion and organizing of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[04] THE YUGOSLAV DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARY IS IN ATHENS

Yugoslav Undersecretary of Defense Svetislav Ristic will be in Athens today within the framework of his three-day formal visit at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Loukas Apostolidis.

Mr. Ristic will visit tomorrow morning the Ministry of Defense for talks with his Greek counterpart followed by a press conference.

[05] PAPANDREOU: ANY TEXT NOT SAFEGUARDING GREECE'S SOVEREIGN RIGHST WILL BE REJECTED

Greece will reject any text that will not safeguard its sovereign rights, stated Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou while briefing the members of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and defense before his departure for Laaken where the EU Summit meeting will take place during which, the Euro-army will be among the issues of discussion.

The discussion focused on the US-British-Turkish agreement on the Euro-army.

All political parties characterized as unacceptable the British text demanding its rejection and right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy accused the government of delayed reaction.

Mr. Papandreou stated that the negotiation should safeguard the autonomy of the EU decisions on its defense and the sovereign rights of its members, like Greece. If this position is not satisfied Greece will not agree and the issue will be examined in the next summit. Mr. Papandreou also added that Turkey is not an EU member and has no right to affect the EU decisions or participate in the decision making process.

[06] SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN THE ASE

Significant losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -1.54% at 2.565,29 points, while the volume of transactions was at 146.6 million Euro or 50 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, just 29 recorded gains and the overwhelming majority namely, 315 had losses, while the value of 12 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] GREECE HAS ISSUED AN EXTRADITION REQUEST FOR PASSARIS

Appellant Court prosecutor Panagiotis Nikoloudis has forwarded to the Greek Foreign Ministry the Greek authorities' request to Romania for the extradition of Greece's most wanted criminal Kostas Passaris. The request will be forwarded to the responsible Romanian authorities via the diplomatic route, according to Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos.

Also, the Justice Minister announced that 17 new prisons and three drug detoxification centers for inmates, who are drug users, will be built by 2006. The announced project has a budget of 131 billion drachmas.

[08] COALITION OF THE LEFT DELEGATION TO BRUSSELS

A Coalition of the Left delegation headed by party leader Nikos Konstantopoulos will be in Brussels today to attend the events and the mass mobilizations in view of the EU Summit meeting in Laaken.

In statements he made, Mr. Konstantopoulos underlined that the European governments are not close to the people and their needs and added that the Europe of the peoples cannot become a reality without the active participation of society.

[09] THE BULGARIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WILL VISIT THESSALONIKI

The Association of Industries in Northern Greece will hold a formal dinner in Thessaloniki next Thursday, in the presence of Development Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, in which the main speaker will be Bulgarian government deputy Prime Minister Konstantin Paskalev.

The Bulgarian government official will visit Thessaloniki under his identity as Regional Development Minister and will speak about the Greek-Bulgarian business cooperation.

[10] THE FARMERS WILL DECIDE ON THE FUTURE OF THEIR MOBILIZATIONS

The Greek farmers will decide on the future of their mobilizations in a meeting they will have in the city of Farsala on December 19. However, they are not expected to go ahead with road blockades during the Christmas holidays.

Meanwhile, the European Commission approved a program of 120 billion drachmas for the agricultural development of Greece.

Minister of Agriculture Giorgos Dris stated today that a priority will be given to the regions that are disadvantaged namely, mountainous regions and the islands.

[11] GRILLAKIS' REVELATIONS CAUSED A SENSATION

The statement made by former Prime Minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis' former adviser, retired general Nikos Grillakis in an interview he gave to the Athens private television station "Mega" according to which, he had contacted CIA representatives to assist right-wing New Democracy party to win the 1989 elections, has caused a sensation.

When asked by reporters to comment why Mr. Grillakis made those statements, Mr. Mitsotakis responded that they should ask Grillakis himself.

Acting government spokesman Tilemachos Hitiris spoke of guilty silence on behalf of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mitsotakis reacted strongly to today's allegations according to which, he knew that his son-in-law Pavlos Bakoyiannis was the target of the terrorist organization "17 November" three months ahead of the assassination. Mr. Mitsotakis said that the insinuations made are hideous.

US ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller, who met with Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos, stated categorically that he knows nothing about the revelations made by Grillakis.

[12] COURT SO FAR IN FAVOR PASSIVE SMOKER

A victory for non-smokers was marked by the ruling of the Athens Administrative Court, which accepted the appeal of an employee who requested to be transferred to a different office, because her coworkers' smoke bothered her.

The verdict may well be the starting point of segregation between smokers and non-smokers in the workplace.

The Athens Administrative Court accepted the request for insurance measures submitted by 40-year-old Zoe Kourti, an employee of the Vocational Training Organization, who suffered from her coworkers' smoke.

In the request the employee turned in calling on medical testimonials and affidavits, she mentions that her coworkers' smoking affected her health, consequently worsening her asthma and causing her constant headaches, coughing, nose and tear running. At the same time as her lawsuit, which has not been decided upon yet, she is also contending a 50 million drs. compensation from the state, because her employers took no actions to protect her health.

The court of first instance with an unprecedented decision ruling, called the administration of the Vocational Training Organization, where she works, to create a special work areas for non-smokers.

[13] TRADE CENTER AT THE GREEK-BULGARIAN BORDERS

Greek embassy in Sofia economic and commercial affairs adviser Mr. Parnassos stated in a press conference in Sofia that the International Trade Center in the northern Greek city of Serres, built 200 meters away from the Greek-Bulgarian borders at Koulata, will open by mid January 2002.

Mr. Parnassos stated that the International Trade Center will develop new business activities for Bulgaria as Bulgarian producers will be able to sale their products to buyers from all over the world.

[14] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS DISCUSSED THE GREEK-DUTCH RELATIONS

The course of the Greek-Dutch relations, issues concerning the Laaken EU Summit meeting and especially, the issue of the European defense as well as, the issue of the two Dutch citizens, who were arrested a month ago in Greece accused of spying and were released last Wednesday with other 12 British citizens also arrested under the same charges, were the main issues that were discussed by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and his Dutch counterpart Vim Kok.

Earlier, Mr. Simitis was received by Dutch Queen Beatrice.

In statements made by Mr. Simitis and Mr. Kok the excellent bilateral relations were underlined, while the Dutch Prime Minister pointed out that the Greek-Dutch relations have made a big progress both at an economic and a political level.

Referring to the issues that were discussed, the Dutch Prime Minister pointed out that they were the issues of the Laaken EU Summit meeting, the Middle East, the developments in Afghanistan and the Balkans. They also discussed issues concerning international terrorism and the measures that need to be taken by the EU. Mr. Kok also referred to the significance the Greek EU presidency, in the first half of 2003, will have for the European unification and economy.

[15] GREEK SLAUGHTERHOUSES DON'T MAKE THE GRADE

Only 47 out of 350 Greek slaughterhouses meet the requirements for the export of meat to the EU, stressed Euro Commissioner on Health Issues and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, answering a question put forth by the Euro MP of New Democracy, Kostis Chatzidakis.

Specifically, Mr. Byrne mentioned that only 47 of the slaughterhouses function according to the directive of the Council 64/443, and have been found competent to export meat to the EU market, while the meat of the rest can only be sold on the Greek market.

Furthermore, he underlined that the inspections performed by the foods and veterinary issues office, revealed a serious lack in the way the examinations are carried out by the responsible authorities. He also added that the European Committee repeatedly raised the issue with the Greek authorities in 2001, but the results so far are not at all satisfactory, and the Committee is still rather worried about the situation in the slaughterhouses.

[16] V. PAPANDREOU- M. BARNIER MEETING

Euro Commissioner Michelle Barnier will meet with Minister of the Environment Vasso Papandreou in Brussels today, to discuss the issue of the National Land Registry.

Greece is accused of bad managing of funds for the registry, and it is likely a fine will be imposed. The Commission is asking Greece for 19.5 billion drs, and the final decision will be made on December 20.

[17] SIMITIS AT THE HAGUE

Prime Minister Simitis is at the Hague on a working trip, after an invitation extended by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Wim Kok.

The Prime Minister was accepted by Queen Beatrice and then had a private dinner with Mr. Kok, discussing the agenda of the upcoming Summit Meeting of EU leaders, to take place on December 14 and 15 in the Laaken Palace, Brussels.

The future of the EU, the enlargement, common foreign and defense policies, were the issues that dominated the discussion between Mr. Simitis and Mr. Kok, since the composing of a rapid response force is an issue to be discussed extensively at the Summit Meeting.

Prime Minister Simitis stressed that there are problems, which need to be discussed, in the text presented by the Belgian Presidency. We are having discussions with the Belgian Presidency and with Mr. Solana, and I hope a solution is found. It is necessary for a solution to be found so that the procedure moves forward, he stated.

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