Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-07-13

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis says polls to be contradicted by 2004 elections

[02] PM says government carrying out its work in accordance with election statements

[03] Latest polls show ND lead over PASOK

[04] ND leader charges PM of placing government under custody

[05] Athens comments on Greek-Turkish CBM contacts

[06] Kaklamanis stresses importance of Cyprus' accession to the EU

[07] FYROM negotiations at delicate stage, foreign ministry spokesman says

[08] Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina sign defense cooperation accord

[09] State Department's first report on women trafficking harsh for Greece

[10] Gov't comments on court decision regarding seizure of German state property

[11] The EU respects the 1,000-year old Mount Athos' prohibition of women visitors

[12] ERS fines four private TV stations for advertising time violations

[13] Gov't welcomes sale of 3rd generation mobile phone permits

[14] EU Commission finds shortcomings in "mad cow" disease preventive checks

[15] Merrill Lynch again corrects forecasts on Greek banks

[16] Daring Dynamics gets control of key shipyard

[17] IKA doctors announced another strike

[18] Finance minister repeats call for calm on Athens bourse

[19] Greek stocks rebound on blue chip buying

[20] Year of Socrates events open in Athens on Friday

[21] 2004 Athens Olympiad president meets briefly with Russian President Putin

[22] Putin reportedly cites Moscow interest for 2012 Games

[23] Youth festival to revive Olympic spirit

[24] Gov't expresses solidarity to Turkish Cypriots

[25] Gov't to seek meeting with Belgian

[01] Simitis says polls to be contradicted by 2004 elections

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the PASOK Executive Bureau, he accused “all those who are attempting to create a climate of pessimism,” underlining that such a climate “in reality undermines the economy the course of which is successful.”

Referring to inflation figures Simitis said that there was a negative development in June, but this development "is within European frameworks".

The prime minister gave assurances that the government’s work will not be affected by preparations for the party’s congress in October, saying that the government has the will, the boldness and the decisiveness to implement its policies.

He emphasized that the congress will take place with transparency and forecasted that the PASOK party will depart from the progress renewed, more unified and stronger.

"The government will gain a tremendous impetus," Simitis said.

[02] PM says government carrying out its work in accordance with election statements

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

According to Reppas, the prime minister said that those making allegations of the government's so-called inaction are far from the truth and this does not meet reality.

Simitis mentioned the civil servants' new salary scale and the suspension of strike action in certain sectors, which are due to the government's initiatives.

The prime minister expressed doubts over the expediency of presenting opinion polls and that they are an indication of reactions by public opinion at a specific time.

Simitis also said opinion polls are frequently used as a means of political pressure, conflict and manipulation and underlined that the place and time of presenting opinion polls have their significance.

He stressed that certain people are trying to influence political developments in a way, which is not legitimate.

Reppas said Simitis made special reference to economic matters and said that reports of a crisis in the economy are untrue because the economy is proceeding according to predictions.

He said that inflation in Greece (currently standing at 3.9 percent) is not the highest in the European Union and mentioned other countries with higher inflation such as the Netherlands with 5.4 percent, Portugal 4.9, Spain 4.2 and Ireland 4.1.

Simitis said the fact that the Greek economy's growth rate exceeds 4 percent is a considerable achievement when, as he said, in Germany, where an increase in the region of 2 percent had been assessed, the increase is currently ranging between 1-1.5 percent.

Referring to the Athens Stock Exchange, the premier said the market has its own rules and its course does not always reflect the economy's course.

Giving an example, he referred to the 42.2 percent decrease in the Finnish stock exchange since the beginning of the year and underlined that this decrease does not mean that the course of the economy of Finland is bad.

[03] Latest polls show ND lead over PASOK

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Specifically, a poll conducted by the V-PRC firm gives ND an 11-point lead over PASOK (35.3 percent to 23.9), while ND leader Costas Karamanlis garnered 41.4 percent to Prime Minister Costas Simitis' 31.3 percent on the question of who is better suited to govern.

The V-PRC poll was published in the Athens daily "Ta Nea".

Meanwhile, a poll conduced by the Metron Analysis firm put the difference between ND and PASOK at 7.4 percent -- 36.4 for the main opposition party to 29 percent for PASOK.

Results of the same survey gave Karamanlis a slight edge over Simitis on the question of who would best govern as premier - 32.1 for the former and 31.9 for the latter.

The private "Antenna" television station unveiled the poll's results.

Asked which party they believe will win the next election, 58.6 percent of respondents answered ND to 23.3 percent for PASOK.

In terms of the other parties, the newly formed Movement of Free Citizens (KEP) party - established by Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos - earned a 7.4-percent approval from respondents; 5.3 for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE); 3.7 for Synaspismos and 1.9 percent for DHKKI.

The Metron Analysis survey apparently showed a distinct decrease in support for Avramopoulos' KEP.

[04] ND leader charges PM of placing government under custody

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

"Premiers do not answer to party gatherings. They give answers to the Parliament and to the people. They do not threaten elections, they take decisions," Karamanlis said while addressing an event entitled "Europe: The Challenge of Tomorrow", organized by the Economic Chamber of Greece.

He said that "objectively and subjectively Costas Simitis is wholly responsible for everything that has burdened this nation".

"Today," continued the main opposition leader "all of New Democracy party's predictions have been confirmed, while all assurances given by the government since the start of the year are out of reality."

[05] Athens comments on Greek-Turkish CBM contacts

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

At the meeting Greek representative Vassilis Kaskarelis submitted Athens' proposals for expanding confidence-building measures (CBMs) between the two countries, according to a foreign ministry spokesman in Athens.

Spokesman Panos Beglitis also said any new measure agreed to would subsequently be publicized, without giving further details over the substance of the talks.

[06] Kaklamanis stresses importance of Cyprus' accession to the EU

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with representatives of the Committee on European Affairs of the Federal Parliament of Germany, Kaklamanis said that "cooperation between the Greek and German parliaments, and generally between other EU parliaments, must continue."

Friedbert Pfluger, leading the German delegation, agreed and said that Cyprus' position is in the Union, while he expressed his satisfaction for the divided island's upcoming accession.

Karamanlis and Pfluger discuss EU, Balkan affairs: Main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis on Thursday received Friedbert Pfluger, representative of the Committee on European Affairs of the Federal Parliament of Germany, (Bundestag) who was in Athens on an official visit.

The talks focused mainly on the position of his party in the face of the European integration and a European Union constitution.

Karamanlis referred to the problems that should be resolved in the course of the Union's enlargement and also turned his attention to the developments in the Balkans.

Also, a methodical cooperation on a parliamentary and partisan level was discussed, as was an understanding of the problems in the wider region.

[07] FYROM negotiations at delicate stage, foreign ministry spokesman says

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Replying to questions at a regular press briefing, Beglitis also said that, on NATO's part, everything was ready for the deployment of a peacekeeping force to FYROM that would monitor the ceasefire and assist the process of sealing up the border.

He noted that NATO had made the dispatch of such a force contingent on completion of the dialogue, adding that no timetable had been set up for completion of the process.

[08] Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina sign defense cooperation accord

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

National defense minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos signed the agreement and visiting Nijo Anic, defense minister of Bosnia's Muslim-Croat federation.

The two ministers discussed the situation in the region and Bosnia's European prospect.

They further reviewed the situation in neighboring FYROM, and both backed a political solution through negotiations among all the parties in FYROM, and called for preservation of the existing borders.

Tsohatzopoulos attributed the political crisis in Yugoslavia to the fact that Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and the federation's supreme court had been "disregarded" in the handover of ousted Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to the UN war crimes tribunal at The Hague.

He called on the international community to back the federal structure of Yugoslavia.

Anic called for Greece's assistance in rapprochement with the ethnic groups in his country and in Bosnia's efforts for joining the European structures.

[09] State Department's first report on women trafficking harsh for Greece

WASHINGTON, 13/07/2001 (ANA - T. Ellis)

Greece is ranked together with another 23 countries in which the authorities reportedly fail to make necessary efforts to tackle the problem.

The report says the prostitution cycle is very developed in Greece and is based primarily on the trafficking of women from Eastern Europe.

"Greece is a transit and destination country for trafficking. Most victims are women who are trafficked for sexual exploitation through Greece to Western Europe from Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Albania and Yugoslavia," the report says.

Greece is placed in the third and worst category regarding the seriousness of the problem, together with such countries as Turkey, Albania, Romania and Pakistan.

The report, prepared for the first time this year, following a relevant law passed by Congress, says Greece "has not yet acknowledged publicly that trafficking is a problem" and has not activated itself to arrest offenders, adding that "trafficking cases rarely are brought to trial, and sentences are light."

The report further says "corruption among police and border control is a major problem" but adds that "the police bureau of internal affairs has successfully investigated a number of cases of police misbehavior."

It further says that "Greece maintains tight controls on non-EU citizens' entry."

[10] Gov't comments on court decision regarding seizure of German state property

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The statement by a government spokesman came one day after a Greek first instance court on Wednesday denied a motion by the German state to prevent the seizure and auctioning of two properties in Athens as compensation to relatives of Greek civilians executed in 1944 by Nazi occupation forces in central Greece.

The Goethe Institute's Athens campus and the German Archaeology Institute's building could go on the auction block, following a judge's rejection of the German appeal to stop proceedings

"The Greek government has demonstrated that it respects judicial decisions," spokesman Dimitris Reppas said during a regular press briefing in Athens.

Despite the court decision on Wednesday, the case is expected to wind through Greece's legal system for some time. For instance, a decision by the Council of State - Greece's highest administrative court -- as to whether 217 relatives of victims executed in the village of Distomo can claim compensation from Germany is expected in the autumn.

In February, Justice Minister Mihalis Stathopoulos blocked the seizures.

German officials have long stated that the country's has already compensated Greek victims of Nazi oppression through a 1960 bilateral agreement, which at the time totalling 56 million dollars.

[11] The EU respects the 1,000-year old Mount Athos' prohibition of women visitors

BRUSSELS, 13/07/2001 (ANA - M. Spinthourakis)

Responding to a questioned tabled in Europarliament by a British Eurodeputy, Vitorino in his written response stated that the monastic communities of Mount Athos enjoy a special status, regulated by the joint statement on Mount Athos included in Greece's accession act to the European Communities in 1979.

This act "recognizes the special status that was granted to the Holy Mountain (Mount Athos) is based on spiritual and religious reasons and that the Community would provide the basis for those reasons to be taken into account during the implementation and the further processing of the articles of Community legislation and especially regarding the customs and taxation exemptions, as well as the right of inhabitation," the statement read.

This statement dating back to Greece's accession to the Union was reconfirmed by the Amsterdam treaty and by the final act of Greece's entry to the Schengen Pact.

"Taking into account these articles and based on the absolute prohibition of the entry of women on Holy Mountain dating back to more than one thousand years, a tradition based on religious reasons, the Commission does not plan to take measures to lift the prohibition," Vitorino said.

"Access of men on Holy Mountain, which is an autonomous region of Greece, is subject to administrative approval, even if they are Greek citizens," Vitorino said.

[12] ERS fines four private TV stations for advertising time violations

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

In addition three of the private channels will pay 5 million drachmas each for forgoing the presentation of activities of the Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI), as law prescribes, and will be obliged to show a spot card explaining the penalty to their viewers during the course of their programming for three days.

Meanwhile, ERS called on non-governmental agencies and professional associations to table their opinions on the "Big Brother" television show, which has caused a row lately in Greece, as a producer from the Netherlands undertook the production of the show in Athens.

[13] Gov't welcomes sale of 3rd generation mobile phone permits

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The country's three existing mobile operators all submitted valid offers in the tender, which will bring the government around 150 billion drachmas in revenue, Verelis told reporters.

In the tender, which was called by the National Commission for Telecoms and Post Offices, Panafon and Cosmote each bid 50,000,019,400 billion drachmas for the permits and Stet Hellas 50,000,008,837 billion drachmas.

The third generation services will be available to the public in 2003.

[14] EU Commission finds shortcomings in "mad cow" disease preventive checks

BRUSSELS, 13/07/2001 (ANA - B. Demiris)

The report complied by the Commission's public health and consumer protection department was prepared following on-the-spot checks carried out by three European Union veterinarians in parts of Greece between February 12-16.

It points to serious shortcomings in the way with which preventive measures were implemented in the country to tackle spongiform encephalopathy among bovines.

The report also makes a series of recommendations to the Greek authorities to improve the effectiveness of checks and calls for the preparation of an action plan for supplementary measures to be taken.

The action plan should be submitted to the EU within 25 working days from the time the European Commission's report re-aches the Greek authorities.

The report was delivered to the Greek authorities on Wednesday and, consequently, the action plan should be submitted to the European Commission by August 15 at the latest.

[15] Merrill Lynch again corrects forecasts on Greek banks

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The target price for blue chip National Bank of Greece was raised to 28.7 euros from 26.3 euros in a market report released on Tuesday; and for blue chip Alpha Bank to 21.3 euros from 20.0 euros in the same analysis.

In its correction, Merrill kept its recommendation for a smaller position in the two banks unchanged from the previous day.

The investment house's report on National, Alpha and Commercial Bank of Greece had driven down their share prices on Tuesday, also taking the Athens bourse's general index lower.

On Wednesday, Merrill Lynch partly corrected a forecast on the performance of Commercial Bank of Greece following a com-plaint by the bank's governor that the calculation was faulty.

In the revision, Merrill Lynch upped the target price for Commercial to 32.5 euros from 29.7 euros on Tuesday, keeping its recommendation for a smaller position in the state bank unchanged from the previous day.

Commercial's president, Yiannis Stournaras, said Merrill's forecasts on profit margins and share price were based on inaccurate calculations, confusing the number of shares with that of Alpha Bank.

Stournaras told reporters after the revision that even using Merrill's method of calculation and on the basis of real financial data, the target price should have been 42.34 euros.

[16] Daring Dynamics gets control of key shipyard

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Among Motomarine's customers are Greece's armed forces, Harbor Corps and Fire Brigade. It has forged alliances with the HDW shipyard in Germany and Ferrostaal defense industry, also of Germany.

The parent company of Daring Dynamics, Daring & Associates, is listed on the Athens bourse.

[17] IKA doctors announced another strike

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Specifically, physicians at IKA - the largest health and pension fund in Greece - will go on strike on July 20, with four five-day strikes to follow.

A recent strike lasted from one month throughout most of June. They are demanding pay hikes and the full-time hiring of several hundred colleagues, among others.

[18] Finance minister repeats call for calm on Athens bourse

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The market rose sharply on Thursday in the wake of four straight declines that had sent investors into the doldrums.

The Athens bourse is the throes of a slump that has lasted around two years.

The minister also repeated that the bourse should respond to the economy's healthy performance rather than the ups and downs of party politics.

[19] Greek stocks rebound on blue chip buying

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The general index ended 2.89 percent up, after losing 8.23 percent in the previous four sessions.

National Bank, Commercial Bank and Alpha Bank ended more than 3.0 percent higher after an announcement by Merrill Lynch admitting mistakes in its report over the sector's profitability.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks ended at 243.74 points, up 2.09 percent.

Bond prices mixed in heavy trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Thursday finished mixed in heavy trade.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.55 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 47 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 1.1 billion euros (381.0 billion drachmas).

Buy orders accounted for around half of turnover.

Equity futures end mixed: Equity futures traded on the Athens Derivatives Exchange ended mixed in cautious trade on Thursday although the Athens Stock Exchange perked up after four straight declines.

Traded were 19,263 contracts on turnover of 68.2 million euros.

[20] Year of Socrates events open in Athens on Friday

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The events, organized by the European Cultural Center of Del-phi, are under the auspices of Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos and are taking place in the framework of the 2001-2004 Cultural Olympiad.

[21] 2004 Athens Olympiad president meets briefly with Russian President Putin

MOSCOW, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

Daskalaki, in the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matvienko and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, gave the Russian leader the golden emblem of the Athens Olympiad.

On his part, Putin thanked her and said Russia will do all in its power to support Greece's organizing of the Olympic Games.

[22] Putin reportedly cites Moscow interest for 2012 Games

MOSCOW, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The ATHOC head, along with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) leadership and members from several national Olympic committees, met with the Russian president on the side-lines of an IOC congress expected to elect a successor to Juan Antonio Samaranch early next week.

Putin reportedly told Angelopoulos-Daskalaki that his government would vigorously back the Athens Games.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis will meet on Monday here with Putin.

Meanwhile, it was announced on Thursday that Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou would accompany Simitis to Moscow on July 16-17.

The Greek FM is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov on Monday.

[23] Youth festival to revive Olympic spirit

Athens, 13/07/2001 (ANA)

The festival, which is held annually, centers its focus on sports and the arts. The sports portion of the event is scheduled to be held between July 12-19, 2001 at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, on the Western part of the Peloponnese, and the art segment will be held at Delphi during the corresponding period.

[24] Gov't expresses solidarity to Turkish Cypriots

NICOSIA, 13/07/2001 (CNA/ANA)

Commenting on a protest rally organized Thursday evening by 41 organizations in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, Papapetrou said "these protests are the result of the deadlock policy followed by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and Turkey".

He added this policy "has only managed to pile up problems for Turkish Cypriots and create tremendous deadlocks".

Under the slogan "Peace and Democracy" hundreds of Turkish Cypriots were expected to participate in the demonstration, which was organized by the Platform "This country is ours" made up by 41 groups in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

The Turkish Cypriots would protest against the economic policy followed by the occupation regime resulting to an economic crisis and against Ankara's designs to integrate the occupied territories to Turkey.

Mustafa Akinci, leader of the Communal Liberation Party, acknowledged in the Turkish Cypriot press on Thursday that all decisions regarding Cyprus were taken in Ankara.

Meanwhile, Papapetrou welcomed a bicommunal event that was due to be held Thursday night in two parts, one in the government-controlled southern part of Nicosia and one in the occupied northern part of the divided capital.

The organizers said the event was their answer to the regime's decision to prevent Turkish Cypriots from attending a bicommunal festival scheduled to take place on July 1, 2001 at the mixed village of Pyla.

The July 1 festival was organized by the "Bicommunal Choir for Peace in Cyprus" with the assistance of the Cyprus-German Forum and the German Embassy in Nicosia.

[25] Gov't to seek meeting with Belgian

FM NICOSIA, 13/07/2001 (CNA/ANA)

The spokesman said that views such as the one expressed by the Belgian official, do not help efforts to address problems in relation to the Cyprus question and the island's accession to the European Union.

Michel was reported as saying before the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee that a proposal put forward by the Turkish side for finding a solution to the Cyprus question based on confederation has "some pros".

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