A.N.A. Bulletin, 01/12/95

From: "Greek Press & Information Office, Ottawa Canada" <grnewsca@sympatico.ca>

Athens News Agency Directory

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN (No. 755), December 1, 1995

Greek Press & Information Office

Ottawa, Canada

E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca

CONTENTS

[1] 1996 budget aims to facilitate EMU participation

Finance Minister Alekos Papadopoulos yesterday unveiled the 1996 state budget which aims at reducing the public sector deficit to facilitate the attainment of targets for Greece's participation in European Monetary Union (EMU) scheduled for January 1999.

The budget provides for an increase in total revenue of 925 billion drachmas, to be achieved through higher taxes on fuel, cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.

More specifically, the budget foresees a 625 billion drachma increase from revenue resulting from GDP growth.

The state hopes to rake in a further 50 billion drachmas from the settlement of outstanding property transfer cases and the implementation of new "objective" property values used for taxation purposes.

Increased taxes on cigarettes, fuel and alcoholic drinks will inject state coffers with an extra 60 billion, 55 billion and 25 billion drachmas respectively.

The remaining 110 billion drachmas will be secured from tax revenue from capital gains and casino profits, the collection of fines and the proceeds from combating tax evasion.

The new budget provides for total revenue of 8,310 billion drachmas, an increase of 15.3 per cent over last year, of which 7,710 billion drachmas is the revenue of the regular state budget and the remaining 600 billion drachmas the revenue of the Public Investments Programme.

Total expenditures will total 10,772 billion drachmas, compared to 9,843 billion drachmas in 1995, marking an increase of 9.4 per cent. Of this amount, 9,572 billion drachmas will be allocated as credits for the regular budget, that is, without the expenditures required for servicing the public debt. Compared to 1995, the regular budget credits are up by 8.2 per cent.

A total of 2,843 billion drachmas is allocated for salaries and pensions, marking an increase of 9.9 per cent over 1995 and accounting for 29.7 per cent of budget spending in 1996, compared with 29.2 per cent this year.

The interest on public debt repayments will swallow up 3,355 billion drachmas, marking an increase of 1.7 per cent over 1995. The interest payments will account for 35.1 per cent of regular budget spending and absorb 43.5 per cent of revenue.

In 1995, interest payments accounted for 37.3 per cent of budget spending and absorbed 48.6 per cent of revenue.

After public debt servicing expenses of 3,771 billion drachmas are added to the interest payments, the total sum of 7,126 billion drachmas will be spent on the public debt in 1996, compared to 6,075 billion drachmas this year.

The sum of 1,284 billion drachmas (a 5.7 per cent increase over 1995) has been set aside for organizations such as the Farmers' Pension Fund, the Social Security Foundation, the Seamen's Pension Fund and the Hellenic Railways Organization. Other items of expenditure include 469.314 billion drachmas (+7.2 per cent) for the payment of sums to third party beneficiaries, 385 billion drachmas (+20.7 per cent) for tax rebates, 20 billion drachmas (+1 per cent) for interest rate subsidies, 180 billion drachmas (+12.5 per cent) for farm subsidies, 592.692 billion drachmas (+12 per cent) and for "sundry" expenditures such as transport, services, commissions etc. Provided the revenue and expenditures of the budget increase at the anticipated rate, it will result in a primary surplus of approximately 893.5 billion drachmas which is equal to 3.2 per cent of GDP.

If this surplus is deducted from the interest payments of 3,355 billion drachmas, the net deficit (net borrowing requirements) will amount to 2,461 billion drachmas or 8.7 per cent of GDP.

In 1996, the sum of 1.2 trillion drachmas (+20 per cent) will be spent on public investments.

Key appropriations include 604.140 billion for defence (+12.4 per cent), 970.975 billion for education (+12.2 per cent), 836.433 billion for health and welfare (+10.1 per cent), 890.600 billion for social insurance (+9.8 per cent) and 372.921 billion for agriculture.

The budget anticipates revenue of 1,932 billion drachmas from income tax (+14.3 per cent), 111.5 billion from property taxes (+28.2 per cent), 371.5 billion from other direct taxes, 2,610 billion from taxes levied on transactions (+14.2 per cent), including VAT, stamp duty, bank business etc., 1,727 billion from the special consumer tax (+17.2 per cent) on domestic and imported goods, cars, fuel, cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, road tax etc. and 129 billion from other indirect taxes.

Inflows from the European Union are expected to total 1,496 billion drachmas in 1996, marking an increase of 24.3 per cent over 1995.

In addition, the state will collect approximately 684 billion drachmas from the so-called "non-tax revenue" such as profits, royalties and other sources of public revenue. With respect to VAT, where tax evasion is rampant, the budget provides for re venue of 2,202 billion drachmas, an increase of 14 per cent over the current year.

This increase is expected to result from a resurgence of economic activity, improvements in the tax-collection mechanism, the completion of the process of computerization at the country's public revenue departments, the stepping up of both regular and s pot tax inspections and the establishment of a special force to combat financial crimes.

Increased revenue is also anticipated from the anticipated increase in demand for homes due to the lowering of interest rates on housing loans, the extending of the system of "objective" property values for taxation purposes and the settlement of outstanding property transfer cases.

[2] Convergence programme must be followed 'unswervingly'

Presenting the budget to reporters after tabling it in Parliament, Mr. Papadopoulos said that if the country is to survive, implementation of the public finances policy must continue and be completed. "The abandonment of the present policy will be painful not only for the economy but for the country's position internationally," he said. Mr. Papadopoulos reiterated that the government's economic convergence programme would continue to be implemented '"unswervingly" because it was the only way forward, adding that the government was determined to ensure that the budget tabled today was executed.

Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said it had been "proven that the government's economic policy is yielding results and for this reason it will continue to be implemented."

Mr. Hytiris underlined that the two preceding state budgets were implemented with "great success" and predicted that the same would apply with regard to the 1996 budget.

The spokesman stressed that the new budget was "necessary for the success of the economic convergence programme and development."

Speaking to reporters after the tabling of the budget in Parliament, main opposition New Democracy rapporteur Constantine Karamanlis said that "the budget... constitutes tangible denial of the hopes of the Greek people who are subjected to continuous sacrifices without any prospect of improvement."

"The bleeding dry of the man in the street continues, since the increase in taxes amounts to 17 per cent, the income of salaried persons is shrinking and the consumer expenditures of the wasteful state continue to be uncontrolled, with the public sector debt reaching 31 trillion drachmas in 1995, that is, 121 per cent of GDP," Mr. Karamanlis said.

The ND deputy claimed that EU funds destined for development works were not being absorbed, unemployment was steadily rising and "the market is in a state of asphyxiation."

Asserting that the budget left no margin for the development of the Greek economy, Mr. Karamanlis termed it a "budget of divergence rather than the desired convergence with the European Union."

Calling for a new economic strategy, Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras described the budget as "confirmation of the failure of (the government's) development policy."

"'The new budget imposes austerity with low salaries and pensions and a reduction of workers' real income in the public and private sectors, as well as the continuation of market recession and stagnation," Mr. Samaras said.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said the budget was permeated by "the logic of the assault against working people's meager incomes and rights".

The Coalition of the Left charged that the budget was the continuation of "a failed, one-sided, stabilization policy, which compressed people's living standards, increased unemployment and disorganized the economy".

General Confederation of Workers of Greece president Christos Protopapas said the budget was "trapped in the hunt of the numbers of the convergence programme".

[3] Premier's condition stable, doctors report

Medical bulletins issued by the Onassion Cardiology Centre on Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou's health yesterday said he was in stable condition, but being supported by a respirator machine and undergoing periodic dialysis.

Top heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub, who performed open-heart surgery on the prime minister in London in 1988, flew into Athens early yesterday morning and was at his former patient's bedside a few hours later. Mr. Yacoub, who flew into Athens on a government jet accompanied by an anesthesiologist and a kidney specialist, called on Mr. Papandreou at the Onassion, where the premier has been hospitalized since November 20.

Reading the midday bulletin to reporters, Onassion deputy director Grigorios Skalkeas said that Mr. Papandreou was responding to treatment "without any further complications."

Mr. Skalkeas said that Dr. Yacoub and anesthesiologist Gavin Wright, who took part in the medical council which unanimously signed the bulletin, "fully agreed" with the treatment administered to date as well as that to follow.

He underlined that there was no problem with the prime minister's heart and that Dr. Yacoub had visited Mr. Papandreou at the request of his family.

Mr. Skalkeas refused to be tied on when Mr. Papandreou would be taken off the respirator but expressed hope that the premier would recover, given that his heart was functioning well and his lungs and kidneys were responding to treatment.

Asked if the premier's condition could be described as critical, Mr. Skalkeas said, "I wouldn't use the word particularly. He is in a slightly less than critical condition, if you like".

In a medical bulletin signed by Mr. Yacoub and Mr. Wright, the two physicians said that "the prime minister's condition remains stable for the present".

"Despite the fact that there are many problems which are being tackled, none of these (problems) are irreversible. Therefore there is no reason for not hoping for an improvement. "We are impressed by the high quality of medical care which has been given to the prime minister and believe that it constitutes a certificate of merit for the group of doctors caring for him. Lengthy discussions with his doctors resulted in the taking of decisions concerning the prime minister's present and future treatment," the bulletin said.

[4] Hytiris

Replying earlier to reporters' questions on the repercussions of Mr. Papandreou's condition for the political life of the country, government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said that "there is no change in the political scene but the present time is a sensitive one."

Mr. Hytiris said that Mr. Papandreou could not speak because of the respirator but was communicating with gestures.

"Today I saw him through the glass window. I smiled at him and he greeted me with a wave of his hand. I also saw the doctors and they appeared more optimistic than in recent days," Mr. Hytiris said.

Mr. Hytiris said that US President Bill Clinton had sent the premier a "get-well" telegram, as had Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

He also said President Kostis Stephanopoulos and a number of political figures had phoned to wish Mr. Papandreou well on his name day - November 30th is the feast day of St. Andreas.

Mr. Hytiris said wishes had also been phoned in by former president Constantine Karamanlis.

[5] Stephanopoulos receives key to city of Patras

President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos yesterday received the key to the city of Patras, his hometown, at a special ceremony marking the city's celebration of its patron saint, St. Andreas.

The ceremony was attended by Education Minister George Papandreou as government representative, leading opposition New Democracy party Vice President Ioannis Varvitsiotis and the mayors of Athens, Patra and Kalavrita.

At the ceremony, Mr. Stephanopoulos said the celebrations were overshadowed by the prime minister's illness and expressed his certainty that all Greeks were following Mr. Papandreou's health with compassion and sympathy.

In his speech, Mr. Stephanopoulos noted that Greece appeared at present to be facing many problems. "It is not the country's fault. It is more our fault and the fault of those who, as politicians, lead the rest, and that of the rest who follow," he said.

"We all have our responsibilities. We all have our faults. And we must all consider that the homeland cannot develop as we wish. It cannot hold the position we hope for if we do not help it."

"Differences, whether ideological or political, do not hinder us from exchanging views and from being influenced by the other side's arguments," he added.

The president advised all citizens to respect the laws, the environment, conscription and the language, and to fulfill their obligations to the state. "We have the responsibility to agree on certain subjects, such as education, which is an important sector for Greece's survival," he added. "Greece needs a national strategy which will be carved by the common will of all."

Later yesterday, the president also received a gold medallion from the University of Patras on the occasion of the institution's 30th anniversary.

[6] Andreas Papandreou and wife receive Italian distinctions

Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro has bestowed honorable distinctions upon Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and his wife Dimitra Liani-Papandreou.

Mr. Papandreou received the Grand Cross of the Italian Republic, while Mrs. Liani-Papandreou received the Commander of the Order medal.

The presidential decree was published yesterday in the Italian government gazette.

The Grand Cross decoration is awarded every year by the Italian head of state to international political personalities, usually including leaders he has met during official trips.

[7] Tsohatzopoulos to attend Madrid summit

Government spokesman Telemahos Hytiris said yesterday that Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos would most probably represent Greece at the forthcoming EU summit in Madrid.

Mr. Hytiris said after an examination of the matter, it had been concluded that the person who would take part in the summit had to represent the executive branch of government.

[8] Vartholomeos says Uniates issue still not addressed

Addressing a Vatican delegation at the Phanar yesterday, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos focused on the special importance of unity among Christian Churches and problems in relations between the Vatican and Orthodox churches.

"Unfortunately the problem of the Uniate Church cannot be considered as having been handled satisfactorily," Patriarch Vartholomeos told Cardinal Idris Cassidy.

The Patriarch stressed the great significance of his visit to Rome last July and efforts being made to confront problems. He also referred to his personal intervention at the Inter-Orthodox Committee discussing the Uniate issue and dialogue with the Vatican.

The Uniates are a controversial eastern-rite sect - found mainly in Ukraine, Transylvania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia - which recognizes the supremacy of the Pope.

[9] News in Brief

Speaking at a New Democracy party sponsored one-day conference on handicapped people yesterday, leader Miltiades Evert said a country's civilization and strength was measured in terms of the importance its society gave to those of its fellow men who suffered, and whom, nevertheless, it still needed. He said the school system and the media had to deal with such issues in a way that cultivated the public's sensitivities.

"It is a crime not to try to limit human injustice. We cannot limit the injustices of nature, but we can relieve it," he said.

[10] School students hold protest rally

High school students rallied outside the university at noon yesterday, shouting slogans for increased expenditure in education and then marching to the Education Ministry.

Representatives of the students met Alternate Education Minister Philippos Petsalnikos who said the new state budget contained increased funds for education. The students also want vocational training institutes (IEK) abolished and private universities not to be allowed to function.

The representatives said they were not satisfied by the minister's answers, adding that they were determined to continue their mobilization with school takeovers and protest marches.

[11] News in Brief

A series of lectures by university instructors on the topic of ancient and modern Greece are being organized in Strasbourg for philology students in the last two years of high school as well as students at the Louis Pasteur College. According to a local newspaper, the lectures are being organized in order to fund a students' trip to Greece next year.

[12] Inaugural World Council of Overseas Hellenism conference begins today

Representatives of 3,000 expatriate Greek organizations from around the world were officially greeted by Macedonia-Thrace Minister Costas Triaridis, Foreign Under-secretary for Overseas Greek Affairs and president of the organizing committee Grigoris Niotis and Secretary-General for Overseas Greeks Nikos Dimas yesterday at the start of inaugural World Council of Overseas Hellenism conference.

The working sessions of the conference will officially begin today.

Thessaloniki Metropolitan Panteleimon, Thessaloniki prefect Konstandinos Papadopoulos, Mayor Constantine Kosmopoulos and representatives of political parties were also on hand to greet the participants.

Mr. Niotis referred to the very important role played by expatriate Greeks in creating a bridge of friendship and co-operation in the countries in which they live and work. He also stressed the new opportunities being created through this first conference for closer ties between Greece and the millions of Greeks living all over the world.

Aside from the actual conference, photography, art and book exhibitions on the lives of overseas Greeks will be held. These include "Hellenism of the former Soviet Union" and "Greek Communities".

The two-day Expatriate Investors Conference also begins this morning with the participation of over 100 expatriate Greek businessmen from 13 countries. Most of the participants have come from the US, Cyprus, Holland, France, the UK, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Mexico and Guatemala.

According to the organizers, the interests of expatriate businessmen are concentrated primarily in industrial sector investments, followed by tourism and real estate, telecommunications and transport services and the stock exchange.

During the conference, ministers and high-ranking government officials will brief the businessmen on the Greek investment environment, government policy on attracting investors and developmental motives among other things.

Meanwhile, journalists working in expatriate Greek media, representatives of press unions in Greece and Cyprus, Greek reporters and academics will be taking part in the 1st Forum of Expatriate Journalists, which starts today at the Ioannis Vellides convention centre in Thessaloniki.

The forum aims at the coordination and co-operation of the Greek and expatriate Greek press through the broadcasting of Greek television programmes by satellite to as many centers of Greek activity as possible, amongst other things.

Some of the working sessions of the forum, to be discussed tomorrow, include: Cyprus' telecommunications policy; the promotion of (Greek) national issues abroad; national issues in the daily press and in magazines; and television and national issues.

Tomorrow night also marks the official opening of the Expatriate Press Exhibition, at the Commercial Bank's pavilion at Helexpo. The exhibition will run through December 7 and showcases historical copies of newspapers and magazines that have circulated over the last 100 years among Greek communities all over the world.

Among other cultural events organized with the framework of the conference, George Dalaras, Dionysis Savvopoulos and 107-year-old 'rembete' George Katsaros will headline acts at a concert on Sunday.

Participants include Greek singers and dancing and singing troupes from the Caucasus, Cyprus and the world.

[13] Damaskinos to represent Phanar

An Ecumenical Patriarchate Synod has selected the Metropolitan of Switzerland Damaskinos to represent the Phanar during the inaugural World Council of Overseas Hellenism conference in Thessaloniki.

In addition, members of the Holy Synod said Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will leave for an official visit Saturday for meetings with Anglican Church officials.

The Patriarch has sent a special message to delegates in Thessaloniki.

[14] Cohesion Fund moneys for Thessaloniki water supply project approved

The European Commission recently approved funds amounting to about 189.2 million ECU (58 billion drachmas) from the Cohesion Fund to finance infrastructure projects in Greece. A large part (80 million ECU) will cover 85 per cent of the total cost of building the water supply project for Thessaloniki.

The Cohesion Fund will finance the project for supporting and maintaining the Mornos water supply pipe with 11 million ECU, aimed at reducing leaks by 25 per cent.

A total of 26.7 million ECU will also be provided for sewage treatment plants and drainage works in Agrinio, Thiva, Pirgos and Yiannitsa.

[15] Torture conference begins in Thessaloniki today

Representatives from Amnesty International and torture victim rehabilitation centers across Europe and the Balkans are in Thessaloniki to attend the three-day conference on torture, beginning today.

Fifteen out of 18 Balkan and Mediterranean countries and 16 European countries have been accused of practicing torture on civilians, with the worst records being held by Turkey, Israel and Egypt.

The conference has been organized by the psychology department of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki and the Torture Victim Rehabilitation Centre.

The centre, operating from Athens, has dealt with over 700 people, mostly Kurdish, Iraqi and Turkish refugees.

[16] FYROM, Greece discuss details on liaison offices

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) foreign ministry yesterday announced that the Greek foreign ministry's first adviser at the Balkan department Alexandros Mallias, who concluded his visit to the country yesterday, met FYROM Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski on Wednesday for talks on the opening of a Greek liaison office in FYROM and a FYROM liaison office in Athens, according to a press report in the Skopje daily, "Nova Makedonia".

According to the announcement, it was mutually ascertained that the opening of the offices will contribute towards strengthening co-operation and confidence between the two countries.

Mr. Mallias also held talks with FYROM foreign ministry officials on practical issues regarding the interim agreement signed in New York.

[17] Greece, Cyprus pushing 'full steam ahead' for EU accession

Greece and Cyprus were pushing full steam ahead for the island republic's accession to the European Union, senior officials from both countries said yesterday.

"The course we have forged will continue until Cyprus accedes the EU," visiting Cyprus Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides said yesterday after a three-hour meeting with Greece's Alternate Foreign Minister George Romeos.

"We have positive developments in that direction and the structured dialogue (with the EU) has advanced. In a few days we will be in Madrid (for the December 15-16 EU summit), and we exchanged views on this matter," he added.

Mr. Romeos said after the one-hour meeting that "the course that has been forged for Cyprus' EU membership is proceeding at great speed."

[18] Greece, Bosnia establish relations

Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina established diplomatic relations yesterday in a signing ceremony in Sarajevo between Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias and his Bosnian counterpart Muhamed Sacirbey.

The signing of the co-operation protocol took place in the presence of Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati.

Foreign ministers from Greece, Bosnia and Iran have regularly met in the past year to further the peace process in the war-torn former Yugoslav republic, a goal that on paper, at least, was achieved last week with an agreed peace accord in Dayton, Ohio.

Besides talks with the Iranian and Bosnian foreign ministers, Mr. Papoulias also met with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, delivering a message from President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, in which the Greek head of state conveyed his congratulations for the signing of the peace agreement.

No official reaction on the ceremony was made in Belgrade.

However, according to a Belgrade radio station, political analysts in the Yugoslav capital believe Mr. Papoulias' visit to Sarajevo may have been as an intermediary, requesting assurances from the predominately Moslem Bosnian government on the safety of ethnic Serbs living in Serb-held districts of Sarajevo.

Those areas are due to fall under Moslem control under the Dayton accord.

Before flying to the Bosnian capital, Mr. Papoulias said talks with his Bosnian counterpart would be substantive, as all three warring parties in Bosnia are in a phase just prior to upcoming peace conferences in Paris and London aimed at reconstructing the area.

"Greece has announced its willingness to actively participate in this phase of reconstruction," Mr. Papoulias said, adding that joint Greek-Bulgarian-Romanian participation for rebuilding the former Yugoslavia was agreed upon during his recent meeting i n Sofia with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski.

[19] Iraklion comments

Upon reaching Crete yesterday evening, Mr. Papoulias said: "Greece played a significant role in the peace process. We will be there (Bosnia) with military forces for application of agreements that were signed or will be signed...

"That means Greece must play a leading part in a pan-Balkan conference, as it had in February 1988," the Greek foreign minister said.

Mr. Papoulias' plane landed in Iraklion because of bad weather over Athens airport.

[20] News in Brief

Some 720 orphans from the former Yugoslavia will arrive in Athens tomorrow on a specially chartered Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) train. Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos will head a group of 36 Attica mayors meeting the children at the capital' s railway station. The arrival marks the third phase of a Central Union of Greek Municipalities and Communities (KEDKE) programme aimed at hosting children from the former Yugoslavia, regardless of religion and ethnicity. The children will be hosted for eight months by Greek families.

Istanbul, 01/12/1995 (ANA/A. Kourkoula):

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos announced yesterday the creation of an informal committee for the promotion of understanding between Greece and Turkey. The committee will be made up of important personalities involved in the arts, and its purpose will be "the systematic cultivation of the multiple ties that for centuries have existed between our two peoples," stated the Patriarch during a reception given in the Patriarchate on the occasion of the feast of Saint Andreas.

[21] Peponis introduces investment prospects in western Greece to international oil firms

Industry and Energy Minister Anastasios Peponis yesterday told prospective foreign investors that their money was safe in Greece, saying the legal framework applied in Greece safeguarded foreign enterprises in the same way as in the other Community countries.

Mr. Peponis was speaking at an event inviting international petroleum companies to research and exploit hydrocarbonates in Greece, the first major overture to the international petroleum market.

Representatives of 40 international petroleum companies - including Agip, Fina, BP, Mobil, Shell, Texaco, Total and Enterprise Oil - attended the presentation of technical data concerning six regions in western Greece, for which licences for research and the exploitation of carbohydrates will be given in the context of law 2289/95.

Mr. Peponis said it was generally recognized that the government's economic policy was producing positive results and the stabilization of the economy.

"No matter how many efforts at speculation and exploitation of the prime minister's illness are made, they will not affect our economic policy which remains steadfast," he added.

A similar presentation will be made in Houston, in the US, on December 7.

[22] 5.4 quake recorded in eastern Aegean

A powerful earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale was recorded yesterday afternoon in the eastern Aegean.

No damages or injuries were reported.

Seismologists said the tremor's epicenter was located deep within the earth's surface. It was recorded at 1:49pm.

Recent seismic activity in the area prompted a seismology professor to meet with reporters yesterday in Rhodes.

Professor Efthymios Lekkas said residents in the southern Dodecanese should not be concerned by a recent series of quakes near the island of Nisyros, however, he added, another month of seismic activity would merit concern.

He said tremor activity is also unlikely to "awaken" a volcano on Nisyros, but could simply raise geological temperatures.

[23] Quake contingency plan for Rhodes unveiled

Meanwhile, a comprehensive earthquake contingency plan developed by the University of Athens and the Athens Polytechnic for Rhodes' main city was also unveiled yesterday by Mr. Lekkas.

The plan calls for creation of 12 sectors in the Rhodes municipality with three or four designated areas where residents can find refuge in case of an earthquake. Three sites are also designated for congregation of the populace after a quake after infra structure works are carried out for relief of quake victims.

Special maps to the inform the public will also be produced.

[24] GSEE second women's conference gets underway

The creation of a women's trade union network to strengthen already-existing co-operation between European and Greek women's political party and union groups is a precondition for progress in the women's trade union movement.

This primary target was set out at the General Confederation of Workers of Greece's (GSEE) Second Panhellenic Conference on Women which opened at a downtown Athens hotel yesterday with an address by GSEE President Christos Protopapas.

Fotini Siannou, head of GSEE's secretariat for women, said the network would contribute decisively towards implementing action aimed at equality, development and peace and eradicating long-standing problems faced by women.

She said women accounted for 70 per cent of the world's poor (1.2-1.3 billion), two thirds of the one billion adult illiterates on the planet and 75 per cent of the world's 23 million refugees are women and their dependents. Some 500,000 women die of pregnancy complications every year, another 100,000 from unsafe abortions, while about four million women will die of AIDS by the year 2000.

[25] Foreign investment interest in eastern Macedonia, Thrace continues

Representatives of foreign enterprises wishing to invest in eastern Macedonia and Thrace are continuing to visit the region in the wake of the approval of 105 new investments in the second half of 1995.

Representatives of the German MALLOK Gmbh and DVO companies visited Regional Governor Haris Tsiokas in Komotini to present their investment plan which they are expected to submit for approval in the first half of 1996 and implement in the industrial region in Alexandroupolis.

Analyzing the region's comparative advantages to the investors and referring to the government's development strategy, Mr. Tsiokas placed emphasis on the funding of the Egnatia Highway with vertical axes to Balkan countries, interventions at ports and t he airports at Alexandroupolis and Kavala and the importance attached by the region of eastern Macedonia and Thrace to attracting private, and particularly foreign, investments.

[26] News in Brief

- The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) will organize a conference in Athens on December 4-6 entitled "the informatics society.

An announcement by TEE said the conference was aimed at presenting all aspects of the "informatics society" which is at its most "delicate" phase. Addresses will be made by Greek and foreign experts, as well as by cadres from enterprises and organizations in both the public and private sectors.

- A 230-million-drachma contract was signed yesterday between the Hellenic Army and Hellenic Arms Industry (EBO). The contract involves supply of 30,000 military fatigues within three months, and inaugurates a three-year 700-million-drachma programme for uniforms acquisition from EBO. Uniforms will be produced at EBO's Kymi plant.

End of English language section.