Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-12-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEW MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY OPERATION CODE

[02] TOUGH NEGOTIATION

[03] THE KING OF JORDAN TO VISIT ATHENS TOMORROW

[04] NEW ATHENS-MADRID FLIGHT BY IBERIA ON JANUARY 9

[05] A TOTAL OF 120 YOUNG EXPATRIATES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS IN GREECE

[06] BSTDB PARTICIPATES IN THE FINANCING OF A MAMMOTH PROJECT IN BULGARIA

[07] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN NORTH GREECE

[08] CONSULTATIONS ON SEVEN SUNDAYS

[01] NEW MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY OPERATION CODE

The governmental committee meets today under the Prime Minister to discuss the municipal and community operation code an issue on which Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was briefed yesterday by Minister of Interior Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Mr. Pavlopoulos will give a press conference on the issue, while the Prime Minister will also meet with Minister of Environment, Land Planning and Public Works Giorgos Souflias.

[02] TOUGH NEGOTIATION

Industrialists attended the first meeting for negotiations with the labour unions yesterday bringing with them the demand to exempt newly hired employees from the protection offered by the National Collective Work Contract in regions with high unemployment rate or in problematic sectors.

Federation of Greek Industries, SEV, President Ulysses Kyriakopoulos, confirmed that the federation has such ideas and will put them on the negotiating table for this year's contract.

Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) President Christos Polizogopoulos stated categorically that the unions will never accept such proposals or rationale.

[03] THE KING OF JORDAN TO VISIT ATHENS TOMORROW

King Abdullah of Jordan and his wife, Queen Rania, will be on a working visit to Greece on Wednesday and Thursday invited by Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias.

The Jordanian monarch will meet with President Papoulias and after a meeting of state delegations from both countries two agreements will be signed one on tourist cooperation (Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos will sign the agreement on behalf of Greece) and a second one, on the protection of investments (to be signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis on behalf of Greece).

President Papoulias will give a working lunch in honor of the Jordanian Royal couple and later in the afternoon, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni will honor King Abdullah with the Gold Medal of the city, while an agreement will be signed by the municipalities of Athens and Amman.

On Thursday, King Abdullah will meet with Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki and later on, with Federation of Greek Industries, SEV, President Ulysses Kyriakopoulos and Greek businessmen.

Before wrapping up his visit to Athens, King Abdullah will have a separate meeting with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis followed by a meeting with main opposition Socialist Party PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou and Communist Party General Secretary Aleka Papariga.

[04] NEW ATHENS-MADRID FLIGHT BY IBERIA ON JANUARY 9

Spain's airline Iberia launches a new direct flight between Athens and Madrid on January 9 using Airbus A320 and A321 passenger planes. The new flight is scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flight number 3885 will be added to the two daily flights linking Athens with Madrid and Barcelona.

The new flight will facilitate the Iberia transit passengers on connecting flights to 34 Spanish, 21 American and 8 African destinations who will be able to take advantage of the company's expanded flight network.

[05] A TOTAL OF 120 YOUNG EXPATRIATES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS IN GREECE

A total of 120 young expatriates between the ages of 18 and 25 from Australia, Africa and Latin America will be the guests in Greece on January 8-29, 2006 within the framework of the Greeks Abroad General Secretariat Greek Language-Culture Program.

The goal of the program materializing under the supervision and care of Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis, responsible for Greeks living abroad issues, is to strengthen the Greek cultural identity and make young expatriates Greece's good ambassadors in their country of residence. During their stay in Greece, the young expatriates will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the Greek society and economy and forge friendship and cooperation relations between them and with local young people.

Special Greek language and literature classes will be held in cooperation with Greek universities, while a series of lectures will be given by scientists specializing in a number of issues within the framework of the educational part of the program which is very successful for a number of years. They will also attend folklore dances, theater and song classes.

The basic part of the program will take place in Athens but they will also have the opportunity to tour many archaeological sites in Nafplio, Mycenae, Mystras, Delphi, Meteora, Tempi, Dion and Thessaloniki. Also, they will visit cultural, student and other associations and agencies.

[06] BSTDB PARTICIPATES IN THE FINANCING OF A MAMMOTH PROJECT IN BULGARIA

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, BSTDB, will participate in the financing of a 600 MW net lignite-fired power plant to be constructed in Bulgaria by Alstom and operated by a special purpose company AES-3C Maritza East I EOOD, an ultimate subsidiary of AES, one of the world's largest power producers. The amount of the BSTDB financing is Euro 18 million provided for a period of 16.5 years.

EBRD, Calyon (Credit Agricole Group), ING and BNP Paribas also participate in the syndicated loan to the company in the amount of EURO 430.5 million, guaranteed by HERMES (Germany) and COFACE (France).

The total cost of the project is about EUR 1.1 billion, which represents the largest new power generation investment in the country. The new plant built to full EU standards will use latest pollution-control technology, and will replace older, less efficient generation and lower the cost of a significant source of domestic electricity, thus benefiting consumers.

The project is a high priority for Bulgaria, utilizing the country's limited domestic fuel source, and supporting the on-going electricity sector privatisation and restructuring process.

So far, BSTDB has financed 12 operations in Bulgaria to the total amount of USD 117 million, supporting energy and manufacturing sectors, as well as SME and foreign trade development.

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Its headquarters is in Thessaloniki, Greece and with an authorized capital of SDR 1 billion (approx. USD 1,45 billion), the Bank supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing financing, guarantees, and equity for projects in the public and private sectors in its member countries.

[07] ARCTIC TEMPERATURES IN NORTH GREECE

Temperature dropped to arctic lows at Nevrokopi, Drama at dawn today to -21 degrees Celsius. In spite of the clear weather, temperature is very low across Greece.

Large parts of the provincial road network have turned into traps for car drivers as a result of the ice on the road surface, while lakes and rivers froze mainly in the mountainous regions of east and west Macedonia.

According to traffic police, vehicles using the provincial road network of Florina-Kastoria, Aetos-Nympheo in Florina, the mountain road network in Chalkidiki, Veria and Naousa as well as the Vermio ski resorts road network need snow chains.

Traffic Police warns drivers to be very careful when driving during the night because of road ice.

In spite of the clear weather, temperature in Thessaloniki was around 0 degrees Celsius all day today while in the early morning hours it dropped to -2. In Florina temperature was -13, in Kozani and Kastoria -9 where large parts of the Kastoria Lake have frozen. Temperature in Serres was -5, Alexandroupolis -4 and Kavala -3 degrees Celsius.

[08] CONSULTATIONS ON SEVEN SUNDAYS

Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas tabled a proposal according to which, retail stores will open seven Sundays a year.

The Sundays in question will be on Christmas, Easter and during end-of-season sales.

The sector's board of directors will present its stance regarding the proposal, stated National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce, ESEE, President Dimitris Armenakis, while the General Confederation of Greek Small Businesses and Trades, GSEVEE, President stated that such a proposal offers no guaranty for negotiations.

The Communist Party stated that this is a government effort to abolish the Sunday off.

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