Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou yesterday called on ministers in his new cabinet to give their "best selves" in the government's second-half run-up to national elections.
"We have to improve our work output and make quick corrections which are required," Mr. Papandreou said.
"We must give our best selves to accomplish the work which the people expect us to complete. From this (work) we will be judged by the people at the end of the four-year term," the prime minister said. He made the statements at the first meeting of his new 51-member cabinet which includes 14 new faces.
Mr. Papandreou reshuffled his government last week following the resignation of Costas Simitis from the post of industry and trade minister.
Mr. Papandreou called on his new ministers to display, "decisiveness, boldness and social sensitivity" in carrying out their duties but warned against public criticism of the government's work.
"Public criticism by a minister on the government's policy or against a colleague is not an issue to be considered," Mr. Papandreou said.
Describing the reshuffle as "a new beginning," the prime minister urged the new cabinet members to cooperate between themselves.
"We must work together and protect our colleagues," Mr. Papandreou said, adding that there should be "cooperation and solidarity among government officials, the government and the parliamentary group, the government and the party."
He also emphasized the necessity for open dialogue between the government and society. "Our axis will be to tell the truth," he said. "Not to divert public opinion, not flatter for votes, not to fix our image." He further stressed the need for certain corrective action, but also discussed the positive results of the government's economic policy.
Turning to the government's foreign policy, Mr. Papandreou said its focus was the creation of a climate of cooperation and stability in the region while defending Greek interests. He said Greece's regional policy was characterized by "persistence, realism and boldness," and added that the interim accord with Skopje fell within this framework.
Returning to the issue of the reshuffle, the prime minister said it was a reorganization of forces and expressed optimism over the outcome of the next general elections.
The prime minister's remarks drew a quick response from the main opposition party, New Democracy, which branded them a "confession of the superficial and off-handed" style of government of the ruling socialists.
"In his speech, Mr. Papandreou voiced some rules of good conduct and a few threats. No policy is provided and none of the people's problems are being resolved," said New Democracy press spokesman Vassilis Manginas.
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras fiercely criticized Mr. Papandreou's statements saying he had no right to offer advice for the upgrading of the Parliament when he himself degraded it by refusing "to discuss Greece's national issues, including the (Greece-FYROM) interim accord, in Parliament."
Turning to the government's economic policy, Mr. Samaras accused Mr. Papandreou of "diverting public opinion."
The Coalition of the Left and Progress said it was impossible for the Cabinet to launch "a new beginning" since the government was insistent on a failed and socially unjust policy.
Greece yesterday reiterated that an important difference between Athens and Skopje remained unresolved after the signing of an interim accord with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) but, at the same time, expressed the wish that bilateral relations would develop in a spirit of good neighborliness.
In messages sent yesterday to FYROM President Kiro Gligorov, President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou underlined the importance of the interim accord signed between Greece and FYROM last week at the United Nations.
Mr. Papandreou said in his message: "In light of the recent signing of the interim accord by the foreign affairs ministers of our countries, I would like to extend to you my sincere wishes for the constructive development of our bilateral relations in a spirit of good neighborliness.
"I consider the signed accord as a positive step in efforts to normalize relations between the Hellenic Republic and FYROM and (that it) opens good prospects for the resolution of the remaining important difference concerning the name.
"I also believe that the complete and final settlement of the existing problems in our bilateral relations will not only contribute to the prosperity of our two peoples but also to the stability and progress in the wider region of the Balkans."
President Stephanopoulos' message noted:
"Following all of what has been agreed through the recent interim accord, I would like to inform you that I place great importance on the upgrading of relations between the two countries.
"I must note though that there is still a significant issue pending.
"I hope that an honest discussion on this issue will allow for a final solution so that restoration of relations (between the two countries) will be for the benefit of the two states and the two peoples."
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou yesterday characterized publications attacking Dimitra Liani-Papandreou, his wife, as an indication of the decline in standards in public life. He refused to comment on statements by former minister Evangelos Yiannopoulos concerning Mrs. Liani-Papandreou's political ambitions.
Mr. Yiannopoulos on Monday hinted that Mrs. Liani-Papandreou should abandon her political ambitions, saying he disagreed with her possible candidacy in forthcoming elections. He said however, that he would support Mrs. Liani-Papandreou if she were elected PASOK leader.
Following an interim accord signed in New York last week to normalize relations between Greece and FYROM, Skopje is reportedly planning to introduce procedures to remove the Vergina star, an ancient Greek symbol, from its flag.
According to the daily "Nova Makedonia", the issue will be discussed this week at a parliamentary committee. The discussion is expected to last for 15 days and will be followed by a parliamentary debate.
In another development, Monday, a meeting was held at FYROM's Foreign Ministry focusing on the implementation of the accord, and an accompanying memorandum regarding all the documents which should be harmonized by the authorities of the two countries. The issue has also been discussed in other ministries.
The US-Canadian Pan-Macedonian Union has expressed serious reservations regarding the agreement signed in New York between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), in an announcement sent to the Mayor of Thessaloniki Constantine Kosmopoulos.
The union also said "it was deeply worried that commitments are not secured" concerning the name and that there was no deadline for the resolution of this issue.
The opposition Political Spring party yesterday tabled a censure motion against the government for concluding the recent interim accord with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
The motion accuses the government of ignoring parliament during negotiations, refusing to convene the Political Leaders' Council, violating that Council's 1992 decision to reject the use of the term 'Macedonia' or any of its derivatives, selling out national interests, and refusing to bring before Parliament the accord for ratification.
Earlier, the government had rejected both a New Democracy party demand for a parliamentary debate before the official opening of Parliament on October 2 and a Political Spring call to hold a referendum on the issue.
The censure motion, signed only by the 11 Political Spring party deputies, will probably remain ineffective, being unlikely to muster the required 60 signatures, given New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert's stated disapproval of it.
Mr. Evert reacted sharply to the government's rejection of a debate, saying it had "once again furnished proof of its unacceptable tactics and mentality in bringing the Greek people and Parliament before accomplished facts".
"This, unfortunately, is how the PASOK government perceives of a single national foreign policy," he added.
He further announced that his party would ask for an extraordinary debate, in which case the government "is obliged to bring the issue to parliament within 30 days".
Political Spring party spokesman Notis Martakis accused both the government and the main opposition of hypocrisy in intending to hold a debate after the event.
"It is clear that they wish the debate in Parliament to take place after all is finished, on the orders of the Americans," he said.
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras lashed out against Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and main opposition New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert yesterday, saying their refusal to conduct a referendum and convene a Political Leader's Council on the Athens-Skopje interim accord "shows lack of respect to the principle of popular sovereignty."
"Their attitude shows that they both have accepted US proposals as (their) official policy," Mr. Samaras said.
Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said that the government is not examining holding a referendum on the Skopje issue.
Referring to Mr. Evert's demand for a discussion in parliament on the Skopje issue, Mr. Hytiris said that the discussion will be held when the government deems necessary.
Mr. Hytiris said that such a discussion could only be held once negotiations with Skopje, concerning the name, have also been completed.
Orthodox Archbishop of North and South America Iakovos yesterday welcomed the recently concluded Greece-FYROM interim accord.
"Greek-Americans, whom I can claim to represent to a large extent, feel that the first step towards a final resolution of this issue, which has troubled Greece and all of us here for some time, has been made," he said.
Deans of universities from around the country met at the Polytechnic to discuss action they will take to protest the severe economic problems faced by higher education institutions.
Late Monday evening, the deans decided on the closure of all the institutions from October 16 for one week, in order to give the Education Ministry the opportunity and time to increase credit to the universities and consider a demand for a wage increase for professors.
Meanwhile, main opposition New Democracy party leader Miltiades Evert yesterday said self-sufficiency was a basic and necessary condition for the smooth operation of Greece's tertiary education institutions and that he has committed to allocating five per cent of the Gross Domestic Product to education if ND assumes office.
Political Spring party leader Antonis Samaras called on Education Minister George Papandreou to deal with all the pending debts of the country's tertiary institutions, during their meeting yesterday.
An announcement said that Mr. Samaras also noted during the meeting that education issues should not be entangled in party politics and expediencies but "serve the future of the new generation."
The European Commission is drawing up a questionnaire for the Greek government to provide detailed clarifications on a plan to ensure the viability of the Skaramangas shipyard, submitted by National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Monday.
The plan provides that 49 per cent of shares of the concern be bought by a company to be formed by the 3,025-strong union of workers, at the price of eight billion drachmas, to be paid through deductions in salaries over a 12-year period.
It also envisages that the controlling stake will go to the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETBA) and management will be assigned to a specialized company.
The Commission is reported to be mainly concerned about the likely stand of the workers-shareholders in case the recovery plan proves ineffective, and is to ask for guarantees that they will not pay off their shares by effecting increases in their salaries, as this would be in violation of the 7th Community Directive which prohibits indirect subsidies to the shipbuilding sector.
Competition commissioner Karel Van Miert is expected to brief his colleagues today, and if the Greek government replies promptly to the questionnaire, it is expected that the Commission will be able to adopt its final decision at its meeting on September 27.
A spokesman for Mr. Van Miert said yesterday that the best decision that the Commission can be hoped to adopt on September 27 is to suspend the application of a previous July 26 decision that the shipyards must return 44 billion drachmas of state subsidies and interest of approximately 38 billion drachmas.