Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-11-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE GREEK STATE WILL PAY 4.6 BILLION DRACHMAS TO THE FORMER KING

[02] R. PRODI: A EUROPE OF 25 IN MAY 2004

[03] SIMITIS: THE CLAIMS OF THE FORMER MONARCH END TODAY

[04] THE TURKISH CYPRIOT DEMONSTRATION IS POSITIVE

[05] THE PRESENCE OF THE FORMER KING IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS CALLED FOR UNITY ON NATIONAL ISSUES

[08] GREEK PRESIDENCY'S SOCIAL PRIORITIES

[09] VERDICT ON ROYAL ESTATE THIS AFTERNOON

[10] KARAMANLIS MET WITH ROMANO PRODI

[11] 13.7 MILLION EURO PAID TO KONSTANTINOS

[12] QUESTIONS ON EU FINANCING IN OCCUPIED CYPRUS

[13] POWELL FOR A SOLUTION IN CYPRUS

[01] THE GREEK STATE WILL PAY 4.6 BILLION DRACHMAS TO THE FORMER KING

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled that the Greek state will have to compensate former King Konstantinos with the sum of 4.6 billion drachmas or 13.7 million Euro for the so-called royal estate. The decision is final and irrevocable and gives the Greek state three months to comply.

Regarding the rationale of the decision, the European Court ruled with 15 to 2 votes that the Greek state has violated article 1 of the Human Rights Treaty Protocol that guarantees the right to property. The decision mentions that the real estate in the regions of Tatoi, Polidendri and Mon Repos belong to the Greek state and therefore, they were rightfully seized based on the 1994 law for reasons related with the country's system of government. However, the family of the former King had to be compensated.

[02] R. PRODI: A EUROPE OF 25 IN MAY 2004

On May 1, 2004, the new scene in the European Union will have cleared up completely after the enlargement, stated President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, in response to a question of the Macedonian Press Agency, in the framework of yesterday's open discussion on the Internet. Regarding Turkey's course towards accession, he pointed out that it depends on its own efforts alone, and is not connected to other broader issues.

Specifically, to the MPA's question on whether it is possible that the 10 candidate countries will not be dealt with as a package, the President of the European Commission stressed that differentiation is the main characteristic of the enlargement, pointing out that by May 1, 2004, 10 countries must be ready, while Romania and Bulgaria will be incorporated at a later date.

As far as Turkey's progress towards accession is concerned, Mr. Prodi observed that progress has been made in the neighboring country in harmonization with community acquis, a point recognized in the recent progress report of the European Commission, pointing out however that there must be full application of the Copenhagen criteria. He also pointed out that Turkey's candidacy is being judged according to the preparations it is making itself, and not by broader issues.

Commenting on Valery Giscard d' Estaing's statements, who was categorically against any prospect of Turkey's accession to the EU, he expressed his opposite opinion.

On the financing of the enlargement, Mr. Prodi pointed out that its terms were agreed upon in Berlin in 1999, and added that the overall cost on the Union's budget during the 2004-2006 period is approximately 45 million euro.

Regarding the discussion on the EU's borders, the Commission President characteristically stated that we Europeans will decide where our borders are, pointing out that apart from candidate countries, Balkan states must at some point become a part of the Union. We will decide (on a possible further enlargement) after this. The decision, however, will be exclusively ours, he stressed. On the Balkan region specifically, he stressed that there are great developmental prospects.

As far as Europol is concerned, Mr. Prodi pointed out that fighting organized crime is a main priority of the EU, and emphatically denied rumors wanting this force transforming into an FBI type police force.

[03] SIMITIS: THE CLAIMS OF THE FORMER MONARCH END TODAY

The last pending issue between the monarchy and the Greek people is settled today with the European Court of Human Rights decision and the payment of the compensation ruled by the court.

The Prime Minister stated that the sum of 4.6 billion drachmas or 13.7 million Euro the Greek state will have to pay should be compared to the sum of 168 billion drachmas originally demanded by former King Konstantinos. Mr. Simitis said that even though the government does not agree with the decision because it regards the former King as morally and legally responsible for the legalization of the junta, it will pay the compensation because the European organizations' decisions should be respected.

Mr. Simitis launched an attack on right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy. He said that with the solution ND tried to impose ten years ago, through the 2086/1992 law, the former King would be close to his goal to become the undisputed owner of the property in Tatoi for the first time since 1974.

Mr. Simitis stated that with the moves made by the governments of the Socialist Party of PASOK the real estate in Tatoi, Polidendri and Mon Repos will now be exploited freely based on the thought that the former royal property has to be given back to the Greek people.

[04] THE TURKISH CYPRIOT DEMONSTRATION IS POSITIVE

Acting government spokesman Ministry of Press General Secretary Mrs. Dimitra Spiliopoulou characterized as positive the Turkish Cypriot demonstration, pointing out that it sent a message to Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and the EU under difficult conditions.

The demonstration constitutes a form of pressure on the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaderships to make them solve the existing problems, namely Cyprus' accession into the EU as a single entity and the solution of the Cyprus problem. Such a development, stressed Mrs. Spiliopoulou, will help them overcome their economic and political problems.

She also referred to the response letters by Cypriot President Glefkos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan reminding that the National Council of Cyprus will meet today and its members will express their views. The meeting will continue on Monday in order to reach a complete proposal.

Regarding Turkey, she reiterated that it should make its decisions soon for the procedure to be completed within the timetable set by the Annan Plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[05] THE PRESENCE OF THE FORMER KING IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Acting government spokesman Ministry of Press General Secretary Mrs. Dimitra Spiliopoulou responded to questions by reporters on the likelihood not to be allowed to former King Konstantinos to come to Greece in 2004 as an International Olympic Committee, IOC, member.

Mrs. Spiliopoulou stated there is a lot of time until the Athens Olympic Games for such issues to be settled and added that the former King has the same rights with every Greek and European citizen.

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.59% at 1.880,31 points, while the volume of transactions was at 135.7 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 197 recorded gains and 111 had losses, while the value of 67 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS CALLED FOR UNITY ON NATIONAL ISSUES

The green line in Nicosia keeps Ankara away from Brussels and does not serve Turkey's interests, stated Prime Minister Kostas Simitis to show that the EU decision in Helsinki obligates Turkey to contribute to the effort to find a solution in Cyprus.

He called on Turkey to abolish the green line with actions and not with words or maneuvering and underlined that the solution of the Cyprus issue will open the door to development for the Turkish Cypriots.

In his speech in the joint meeting of the governing Socialist Party of PASOK Central Committee and Parliamentary Group, Mr. Simitis referred in detail to the Cyprus issue.

With the phrase the plan for the solution is not a solution, the Prime Minister made clear the way in which the Greek government sees the plan presented by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. He also clarified that the Greek government's efforts are aimed at the improvement of the plan for a fair, viable and operational solution in Cyprus.

He also called for unity on the national issues because it is an opportunity for Greece to meet the goals it has set for decades.

The Prime Minister stressed that through its economic policy the government changes the prospects especially, for the weaker classes and added that the agriculture funds will be increased by 13% in 2003.

[08] GREEK PRESIDENCY'S SOCIAL PRIORITIES

Full employment and improvement of the quality of work in a competitive, dynamic economy, aiming at strengthening social cohesion, are among the five priorities of the Greek Presidency of the EU in the sector of Employment and Social Welfare.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Dimitris Reppas, had a meeting with employee and employer representatives, whom he informed on the two chapters, the policy on the European strategy for employment and the policy for social cohesion, as well as the initiatives which are to be undertaken in these sectors, during the Greek Presidency of the EU, and asked for their contribution to its success.

Upon analyzing the initiatives priorities the Greek Presidency will develop in the employment and social welfare sector, Mr. Reppas stressed that the axes to be followed will have a three-year horizon.

On their side, the representatives were pleased with the Ministry's initiative and asked that their experts participate in the relevant Ministry committee, while they accepted the Minister's proposal for a meeting after the Brussels Summit, on December 2-3.

The five axes the Greek Presidency will follow are the following:

- Modernizing the European Social Model

The Greek Presidency considers, according to the Lisbon strategy, that the modernization of the European Social Model is a necessary and efficient policy. The modernization concerns policies on the reform of the labor market, social protection and welfare, especially in face of the new challenges such as the aging of population, as well as regional inequalities, sex discrimination and issues connected to migratory waves and social inclusion. In fact it is obvious that the non-existence of a social policy creates a serious financial cost.

- Defending the Lisbon goals

The Lisbon Strategy set, among other things, a goal of 70% overall employment in the EU, and 60%for women, by 2010, and at the same time the modernization of the European Social Model and the systems of social protection. The European Council of Stockholm (2001) set intermediate goals on employment percentages by 2005: 67% overall and 57% for women, and a further goal of 50% employment of older people for 2010. During the Greek Presidency it is necessary to confirm the trust and persistence in the Lisbon Strategy, but at the same time strengthen its efficiency, in terms of economic deceleration. Finally, the effectiveness of Lisbon's social axis must be strengthened because it is directly connected to competitiveness.

- Revision of the European Strategy for Employment and the Modernization of Economic Policy and the European Strategy for Employment

Concerning the Revision of the ESE and the Modernization of Economic Policy and the ESE, the Greek Presidency supports the need of autonomy, coordination, and complementarity of the two procedures, with the Council of Employment and Social Affairs and the Council of Economy and Finances playing the major roles in the Employment Policy and Economic Policy respectively, while their coordination is considered necessary in order to improve overall policy cohesion.

The Spring Council during the Greek Presidency will deal with the overall direction of the ESE's Revision. The need to simplify the ESE without weakening its content has been given priority. After taking new challenges such as the aging of the population and the various differentiations that may arise after the enlargement into account, the ESE will have to be applied with triptych of a concentration on the flexibility, quality and security in the workplace, in combination with productivity.

Priority has also been given to the greater mobilization and participation of employee and employer representatives in its planning and application. At the same time reducing the number of guidelines and improving targets and effectiveness, without damaging the broad application field of the ESE, setting medium term programming deadlines, with an annual monitoring, placing emphasis on an application connected to the Lisbon Strategy, is being looked into.

- Social Protection and Social Cohesion: Defending the European Social Model

The Greek Presidency recognizes the need to adopt a Single Procedure for a Policy for Social Protection and Social Cohesion in the EU, which would include all individual policies and goals in developments.

Taking into consideration the need for the axis of social cohesion in the Lisbon procedure to essentially contribute to the encouragement of Competitiveness and Employment in Europe, we believe it is in our best interest to simplify and unify parallel procedures concerning poverty and exclusion, pensions and medical welfare of the aged in a single open coordination method.

The Greek Presidency is prepared to undertake initiatives in the directions of:

Fighting poverty and social exclusion, reaffirming the Barcelona Viability Adequacy Adaptability triptych, continuing and fixing the open coordination method for pensions, accelerating the revision of pension systems, promoting the dialogue for the tracing and specification of common principles of pension systems of the 15 member states, and finally, contributing to the sensitizing and the location and eradication of obstacles for people with disabilities.

- Legislative work

The Greek Presidency has been called to assist in the steady progress of the legislative work of the EU, with the promotion of agreements on a series of issues including:

Work provisions concerning temporary employment, a Regulation Proposal of the European Parliament and the Council on the coordination of social security systems (concerning the disabled and old age and survivors pension, as well as special benefits), the European health card, employee protection from asbestos exposure, the Direction proposal of the European Parliament and the Council on the protection of employees from exposure to electromagnetic fields, the proposal to form a Council on the application of legislature relating to health and safety of the self employed, the decision proposal of the Council for the formation of a Consultation Committee on safety, hygiene, and the protection of health in the workspace, the Direction Proposal concerning equal treatment in sectors other then employment, and the incorporation of sex issues in the rest of the EU's policies as well as in the rest of the Council's structures (Gender mainstreaming, on which the Greek Presidency will propose an annual review of the issues at the Spring Council).

[09] VERDICT ON ROYAL ESTATE THIS AFTERNOON

The European Court of Human Rights will announce its ruling on the damages the Greek state is to pay to former king of Greece, Konstantinos, concerning the confiscation of the so-called royal estate, today at 16:00.

Sources mention that the court will obligate the Greek state to pay approximately 102 million euro to the former king. It should be noted that the initial demand of Konstantinos Glixbourg was almost 500 million euro.

[10] KARAMANLIS MET WITH ROMANO PRODI

The position of right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy for Cyprus' unconditional EU accession, was presented by party leader Kostas Karamanlis in the meeting he had today with European Commission President Romano Prodi while at the same time he backed the European prospect of Turkey.

Mr. Karamanlis expressed the belief that the accession of 10 new members into the EU should lead to the strengthening and not the weakening of the EU.

He said that he had the opportunity to express New Democracy's support to Turkey's European prospect, adding that Turkey's pace toward Europe depends mostly on Turkey itself.

[11] 13.7 MILLION EURO PAID TO KONSTANTINOS

The European Court of Human Rights estimated the value of the royal estate and the damages the Greek state will have to pay to former king of Greece Konstantinos Gixbourg at 13.7 million euro (4.6 bn drachmas). The former royal family was deposed in 1974 and the its estates were expropriated by the Greek government and they asked 161 billion drachmas for it..

[12] QUESTIONS ON EU FINANCING IN OCCUPIED CYPRUS

A new aspect of the attempts to resolve the Cyprus issue was pointed out by New Democracy EuroMP Rodi Kratsa, regarding the recent decision of the European Council in Brussels (24-25 October, 2002) to form a special funding programme of 206 million euro for the 2004-2006 period, for the island's northern part, in view of the materialization of a political settlement.

Specifically, the EuroMP addressed a question to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission asking whether preparations for such a programme have begun and with what priorities. She also asked if and what the control mechanisms of this programme would be, and whether they will continue if no solution is achieved.

Mrs. Kratsa stated that the problem of N. Cyprus' occupation is painful and clearly complicated, however she underlined that the efforts being made by European bodies for the development of the whole island must be transparent and connected to the community acquis and community practices. It must, in fact, be connected to the reunification of the island, as was expressed in the European Council of Seville (21 and 22 June, 2002).

[13] POWELL FOR A SOLUTION IN CYPRUS

The Cyprus issue and Turkey's relations with the EU were the main points of discussion at the meeting between Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and his US counterpart Colin Powell.

In statements after their meeting, Mr. Papandreou expressed his hope that with the help of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan a solution will be found for the Cyprus issue. The Foreign Minister stressed that Cyprus' accession will be decided on at the Copenhagen Summit, regardless of whether a solution has been found or the messages sent to Ankara. He also added that Greece wishes to press for a date to begin Turkey's accession negotiations.

Mr. Papandreou characterized the statements of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on the Annan plan, a request for negotiations before the negotiations. He stressed however that the Denktash statements could be seen in a positive light, as the first step from the Turkish Cypriot side. Let us hope that Mr. Denktash will realize that the historic time to stop playing games, to get serious and see that the peoples of Greece and Turkey have a common destiny, has come, he mentioned.

Mr. Powell made mention of a historic opportunity to resolve the long standing Cyprus problem, however he left the possibility of not achieving an agreement by the Copenhagen Summit open.

He added that he discussed the possibility of setting a date for Turkey's accession negotiations with Mr. Papandreou, a possibility Washington is seriously looking into.

At the same time, he expressed his satisfaction with Greece's successes in dealing with terrorism.

As far as Kofi Annan's proposal is concerned, the two Ministers expressed the view that the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides must deal with it positively.

According to information, Mr. Powell expressed the dissatisfaction of the US on Mr. Denktash's position in relation to the Annan proposal. At the same time he pointed out to Mr. Papandreou that if there is no solution by Copenhagen, the procedure must not hit a dead end, but on the contrary the dynamics to achieve a solution must be retained. However, he noted that Washington is pressuring towards finding a solution by the Copenhagen Summit.

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