OPPOSITION LEADER IS INCAPABLE OF HANDLING NATIONAL ISSUES, SAYS PREMIER Pieria, September 7 (M.P.A.) Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, also President of ruling party PASOK, stated that the main opposition party leader Miltiades Evert is incapable of handling national issues and is busy dispersing a climate of hyperbole and flag-waving. Speaking in Peira, Mr. Simitis criticized Mr. Evert's proposal that Greece hold an all-inclusive dialogue with Turkey, a situation which, according to the Premier, is exactly what Ankara wants. The Premier stated that Mr. Evert does not appear to comprehend the true impact of his proposal and, as such, appears to be ill-equipped to handle national issues. Later, during his speaking engagement in Yiannitsa, Mr. Simitis exhalted the historic significance of the city of Pella being the "cradle of Macedonian culture at an international level." The Premier stated that the government's aim is to heavily promote the region's culture during the upcoming year, coinciding with the "Thessaloniki: Cultural Capital of Europe '97" festivities. OPPOSITION LEADER IS INCAPABLE OF HANDLING NATIONAL ISSUES, SAYS PREMIER Pieria, September 7 (M.P.A.) Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, also President of ruling party PASOK, stated that the main opposition party leader Miltiades Evert is incapable of handling national issues and is busy dispersing a climate of hyperbole and flag-waving. Speaking in Peira, Mr. Simitis criticized Mr. Evert's proposal that Greece hold an all-inclusive dialogue with Turkey, a situation which, according to the Premier, is exactly what Ankara wants. The Premier stated that Mr. Evert does not appear to comprehend the true impact of his proposal and, as such, appears to be ill-equipped to handle national issues. Later, during his speaking engagement in Yiannitsa, Mr. Simitis exhalted the historic significance of the city of Pella being the "cradle of Macedonian culture at an international level." The Premier stated that the government's aim is to heavily promote the region's culture during the upcoming year, coinciding with the "Thessaloniki: Cultural Capital of Europe '97" festivities.

© 1996 Macedonian Press Agency