Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-05-27

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] CHANGES AND REFORMS

[02] IN SEARCH OF A FORMULA FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A VICAR

[03] COSMOTE TO ACQUIRE 70% OF THE ROMANIAN COSMOROM

[04] NANOGEESE FROM SCANDINAVIA IN EVROS

[05] ZERO TOLERANCE

[01] CHANGES AND REFORMS

This year will be a year of changes and reforms, stressed Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis addressing the Association of Greek Industries general assembly yesterday. Mr. Karamanlis pointed out that organized interests cannot be allowed to stand in the way, while the gray propaganda, the constant dispute and equalization will not prevail.

The Prime Minister welcomed the agreement reached between the Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE, management and its employees characterizing it as proof of the consensus in the economy.

The Prime Minister presented the main axes of the new economic policy among them, the fiscal reform, characterizing it as a precondition for the survival of the economy, the liberalization of the markets and the end of state monopolies with a new generation of privatizations. He specifically referred to the liberalization of the electric energy market and the natural gas market.

On the 4th Community Support Framework funds, the Prime Minister stated that they will be used for the construction of regional projects and underlined that the infrastructure projects in the energy sector make Greece a regional energy center referring to the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the Greece-Turkey and Greece-Italy natural gas pipelines.

Meanwhile, main opposition Socialist Party of PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou issued an invitation to industrialists and social partners for cooperation to form together specific proposals on the economy, health, education and the problem of state control.

Association of Greek Industries President Mr. Kiriakopoulos pointed out the need to adopt radical structural measures in many sectors of the government work.

US daily Washington Post writes about a new Greece with speedy growth rate that is optimistic about its future in Europe.

[02] IN SEARCH OF A FORMULA FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A VICAR

The three-member committee temporarily in charge of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem considers today the appointment of a vicar.

No agreement on the issue regarding the appointment of a vicar to oversee the election of a new Patriarch was reached yesterday in the first meeting of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem Holy Synod held after the removal of Patriarch Irenaeus.

The appointment of a vicar follows the decision reached in the Pan-Orthodox Synod in the Ecumenical Patriarchate to remove the name of Patriarch Irenaeus from the diptychs of the Christian Orthodox Church and stop mentioning his name in the Holy Liturgy.

The Greek government has not ruled out the likelihood to take away the diplomatic passport and the police guard of Mr. Irenaeus.

[03] COSMOTE TO ACQUIRE 70% OF THE ROMANIAN COSMOROM

The board of directors of the OTE group mobile phone company COSMOTE gave yesterday the green light to the contract signed by COSMOTE, ROMTELECOM and COSMOROM regarding the acquisition of 70% of COSMOROM by COSMOTE. The acquisition will take place through the participation of COSMOTE in COSMOROM's share capital increase.

Within the framework of the agreement, COSMOTE will participate in the increase of COSMOROM's share capital with 120 million euros. After the transaction is complete, COSMOTE will own 70% of COSMOROM's share capital, while ROMTELECOM will keep 30%.

[04] NANOGEESE FROM SCANDINAVIA IN EVROS

A total of 45-50 nanogeese, the total naturally reproduced European population of this endangered species, which reproduces in Scandinavia, spend the winter in the Western Delta of Evros River, south of Drana in the Dimitriadis region.

The discovery was made accidentally during the materialization of the LIFE program the results of which were presented today in a scientific work meeting on environmental issues.

Andreas Athanasiadis, in charge of the materialization of the program, told MPA that the estimated 45-50 nanogeese come to the region in October following a route across Central Europe toward Lake Kerkini in Serres, northeastern Greece. There, they make their first stop and about a month later they continue their trip to the Evros River Delta where they stay for 3-4 months until early March when they return to Scandinavia to reproduce. This is a proof of the great value of Evros Delta for many bird species, stated Mr. Athanasiadis.

[05] ZERO TOLERANCE

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, speaking in the event for the 10th anniversary of the National School of Judges in Thessaloniki, referred to the great role and work of the institution, which contributes to the upgrading of the administration of Justice, forms a scientific and empirical basis that supports judges in their work and trains justice servants to be in the service of Justice, Democracy and the people.

The Prime Minister also referred to the new legislation to be passed in Parliament in two days, which is placed among the new measures taken by the government to upgrade the Justice sector.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that it will be displayed zero tolerance to corruption and referred to the reform work undertaken by the Justice Ministry as well as the legislative interventions promoted by the government.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article