Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-12-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament endorses 2002 budget

[02] Greece, FYROM should resolve the name issue between themselves, FYROM FM says

[03] Greek commissioner comments on land registry issue, ND, Laliotis respond

[04] FM meets with Greek EU commissioner in Athens

[05] Cyprus President Clerides communicates with PM Simitis

[06] T/C press refers to Clerides dinner invitation for Denktash

[07] Christodoulos receives new deputy FM Magriotis

[08] Prosecutor points to offences vis-a-vis illegal naturalizations, gov't response

[09] Simitis and Skandalidis discuss interior ministry issues

[10] Gov't denies knowing about alleged Scotland Yard interrogations

[11] Deputy DM visits troops at Evros border posts

[12] ND leader meeting journalists' union POESY

[13] CCBE head: Greece should adopt free legal representation clause

[14] Avramopoulos press conference

[15] Communist Party youth group (KNE) congress begins

[16] Tsohatzopoulos: Greece should expand activities in its region

[17] Issue of euro-coin packs in eurozone going well, Commission says

[18] Protopappas dismisses 'sordid' ND charges against Christodoulakis

[19] Kantor survey on Greek banks

[20] Development minister calls for vegetable imports to drive prices down

[21] Greek stocks remain under pressure, end lower

[22] Culture minister says Greece will benefit from Olympiad

[23] GNTO offers to host 50 children of fallen US firefighters

[01] Parliament endorses 2002 budget

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Voting in favor of the budget were 155 deputies, with 143 voting against in the 300-member house. Two parliamentarians were absent in the roll-call vote.

The growth-oriented budget forecasts a rise in gross domestic product of 3.8 percent in 2002, double the European average despite an adverse global climate.

The budget also anticipates a surplus for the second straight year, and the public debt is due to maintain its gradual decline.

The budgets of ministries implementing social policy are to rise, with those involved in public order seeing an increase of 20 percent.

Simitis says 2002 budget opens new possibilities: Prime Minister Costas Simitis said the 2002 state budget, opens new possibilities for the Greek economy.

"This budget is a budget of a new era. The budget of euro opens new possibilities. I believe that the Greek economy will go ahead even better because it will be able to utilize this advantage. The voting of the budget by Parliament shows that there is a common faith and a common will to utilize the advantages created by our policy up to now," he told the press after the vote.

Closing earlier the five-day debate in the house, Simitis referred mainly to the introduction of the euro on January 1.

Simitis hailed the event which he said marked a new era, and called on all parliamentary parties to vote the budget, the first in euro, and express the spirit of the times.

He said that in this way "we will express actively the broad consensus which exists in society and we will show the people a strong and all-party political volition for the future."

The prime minister also referred to the political leaders who contributed to the country's course and particularly to late president Constantine Karamanlis who "turned Greece towards the European Community" and to late prime minister Andreas Papandreou who "led the country with security and vision, gave Greece to Greeks and inspired in the people strength and pride."

He said that contrary to the policy of the main opposition New Democracy (ND) party, Greek society with PASOK in power surpassed the policies of extreme difficulties.

Simitis criticized the ND for opposing the budget, stating that the ND's assessments will fall short as was also the case in 2001.

Referring to the budget, the prime minister said that the national objective was for a real and social convergence and underlined that by 2004, and on the basis of the present rate of growth, it is expected that the gap with the other European countries will be covered.

He added that the budget will secure the gains of the past years and further strengthen the Greek economy and make the country stronger and more competitive. He further said that the budget will favor entrepreneurial initiative and effectively combat unemployment while it will reinforce social solidarity.

Economy minister shows off Greece's successes with EU, during budget debate: Greece has made important steps, there is, however, need for further improvement, National Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said in Parliament during the final session of discussions over the budget for 2002.

He called on the Eurobarometer data, published lately, showing that Greece was not ranking last anymore in sectors such as reliability and services rendered in transport, water works, energy, while in some cases it has done better than nine or 10 of the Union's 15 member-states.

He then spoke of the necessity of structural changes, saying that the government was resolved to solve the issue of the Olympic Airways and noted the successful listing of the Public Power Corp. in the Athens Stock Exchange. He provided the negative example of Argentina stressing the need for the timely structural changes.

He underlined that the government's aim with the 2002 budget was to improve the country's employment record.

ND leader Karamanlis says budget conceals massive debts: Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Costas Karamanlis, speaking in Parliament on Friday night during the debate on the 2002 state budget, said that the budget "concealed debts totalling five trillion drachmas" and that the budget was "up in the air".

Karamanlis, who launched a stinging attack against the government, said that Greece's accession to the Economic Monetary Union (EMU) was due to a positive international conjuncture, from revenue from EU funds, 87 additional tax burdens and to "creative logistics".

He noted that according to reliable official data, the standard of living of Greeks was 68 per cent of the average of countries of the eurozone. Furthermore, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 29 per cent from 1995 to the present while real income increased just seven per cent. He said that this meant that the government was wasteful and that the fruits of development went to a few. "Wealth is concentrated and poverty is widened. There is no development for all," he said. He added five of the ten poorest regions of Europe were to be found in Greece and that one in four Greek households, that is 2.5 million Greeks, lived under the poverty line.

Karamanlis also noted that Greece ranked among the last in the EU in expenditures for health and education.

Karamanlis went on to say that Greece was in last position in the EU and that the World Economic Forum downgraded it from 34th to 36th position in world ranking.

"The public debt is developing into an extremely critical problem for the future of the country. The state has become the country's biggest problem. Greece has the most corrupt and most ineffective public administration of all the countries of the eurozone," Karamanlis said.

On another note, the main opposition leader said that according to an IOBE report, the black economy in Greece was 35 per cent. "We rank first in Europe in the extent of corruption. On a world level we fell from 28th position in 1996 to 42nd position in 2001."

KKE General Secretary says working people to become poorer: Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary Aleka Papariga, speaking in Parliament on Friday during the debate on the 2002 state budget, charged that the manner with which the government is taxing the people will "further increase the number of people and families which will not be able to make ends meet."

Papariga also criticized the government's agricultural and educational policy.

She said that "we are speaking about the low income farmers and on the basis of your policy, their pension will equal the lowest Social Security Foundation (IKA) pension in 2026 and then there will be very few of them."

In criticizing the educational system, Papariga said that "pupils and especially children of the working class are compelled to leave school."

Coalition leader says budget is hostile towards working people: Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader Nikos Constantopoulos said during the debate in Parliament on the 2002 state budget that the budget was hostile against the working people and social reforms.

He claimed that the budget will not have a positive balance and accused the government of holding "double books" in that, as he said, the public investments program dramatically lacked revenues due to the low absorption of the EU funds from the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF).

Constantopoulos also predicted that unemployment and inflation will increase in 2002. He further said that social expenditures will be reduced to cover the needs for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

[02] Greece, FYROM should resolve the name issue between themselves, FYROM FM says

SKOPJE, 22/12/2001 (ANA - M. Vichou)

Casule stressed that he agreed with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou that the solution can be found by the two neighboring countries in the UN framework, adding that maybe "tomorrow some others will come to impose their solutions, and my country had harsh experiences with such actions".

Athens has been at odds with FYROM for years over the issue of the Balkan state's name, insisting that the word "Macedonia" should not be included in the name of the former Yugoslav republic, as it implies expansionist designs against Greece's own large northern province, Macedonia, as well as being a historical misrepresentation.

However, relations between Greece and the 10-year-old state to its north have dramatically improved since the two countries signed an interim agreement in New York under the UN's auspices six years ago.

Under the terms of that agreement, Athens and Skopje are to proceed with negotiations to find a mutually acceptable solution for the "name issue".

"The talks in New York have reached such a point that encourages me to believe that we are closer to a solution now, than when our difference began," Casule told ANA, adding that the close economic ties between the two countries, due to significant Greek investments as well as the recognition that there are common interests, will aid the two governments to find a solution.

One of the proposals tabled by the international community was for FYROM to use its current constitutional name in its dealings with all countries except for Greece, where it would be known as "Upper Macedonia".

He said that the aforementioned proposal, of the international crisis management team on the issue of the name, was one of the many proposals that where submitted, but the final word belonged to the governments of the two countries, which should make the final decision.

He underlined, however, that the two government have not concluded yet.

"Let's unite our economies, let's bring down the borders, making at the same time their passage extremely difficult for all kinds of smugglers of arms, narcotics and people. Let's draft plans for our common future in Europe and then the solution to our difference will fall in our hands," he said.

He added that these were the thoughts he would like to exchange with Papandreou, as he was prepared to issue an invitation to the Greek minister to visit FYROM, a visit that was planned and postponed, due to the rumors following the publication of the report of the international crisis management team.

In concluding his remarks, Casule expressed the opinion that Greece should unite the Balkans economically, so as to protect its own interests, since "the Balkans as a region, could become the southern balance to the northern states of the European Union".

[03] Greek commissioner comments on land registry issue, ND, Laliotis respond

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

She said that this was the case "as both the European Union and Greece confronted the issue of the land registry for the first time and there was no experience by both sides".

She added that after several years of work there was difficulty in proving the degree to which the project moved forward.

"The Commission refused to conduct a fiscal control, because it was clear that there wasn't any mismanagement, nor any fraud. It is absolutely clear. There is no fiscal control. Independent experts, who will study the essence of the issue, not only by so many square kilometers, but by how many rights to land have been recorded, which is the essence of the land registry," she said.

"It is important to say that the finalization of the amount (to be given back to the EU) will be made in 2003 and then we will be in a position to speak about amounts that our country will have to pay back," she concluded.

The European Commission on Thursday decided that Greece should return more than half of the funds paid by the Union to Greece to draft its national land registry, citing "dysfunctions".

The commission decided that 57.9 million euros of a total of 100 million paid by the Union to the Greek land registry project should be returned as only 30 per cent of the targets of the first phase of the project could have been completed by 2003, as the Greek official data showed.

Main opposition: Main opposition New Democracy (ND) spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos accused former environment, town planning and public works minister and current ruling PASOK party secretary Costas Laliotis for "mismanagement and lack of transparency" in the land registry issue.

"The documents of the European Union reveal a game against the land registry the former minister played," he said, then he presented two documents of the European Commission on which it said that "not one square kilometer of Greek territory has been registered. Thus the land registry is today a virtual reality plan".

He also said that the amount of the initial contracts increased by more than 100 per cent with direct contracts, while he stressed that the only reason for the continuation of the project with EU funds was that Greece should not be the only country of the Union without a land registry.

Roussopoulos said that it was good for the Commission to continue the funding and stressed that the recent attacks against ND over the issue, both by Laliotis and current Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou constituted defensive moves and "excuses for the sinful".

"Mr. Laliotis owes an explanation whether it was by ignorance or on purpose that he damaged the country to the tune of 20 billion drachmas and gave it a bad reputation in the European Union," Roussopoulos concluded.

Laliotis responds: On his part, and in response to ND, Laliotis called ND's criticism "sad", saying that "once again ND on purpose ignored the proven positions of the Greek state on the land registry issue and the transparent management of its funds, adopting without critical thought, without the pain of consideration and in a provocative way the positions of the European Union agencies".

Laliotis also stressed that Greece, as every other country of the Union has the right and the capability to seek recourse in the European Court in order to safeguard its rights.

He added that it was sad that ND accepted the decisions of the European Union as "divine law" and final.

[04] FM meets with Greek EU commissioner in Athens

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Diamantopoulou stressed that it was very positive for Greece to begin preparing its presidency significantly ahead of time, so as to be able to confront the great problems that will exist in 2003.

She added that the Greek presidency will be at the center of very great developments, that will regard the enlargement, the decisions over the structural funds and farming.

[05] Cyprus President Clerides communicates with PM Simitis

NICOSIA, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Clerides, who was speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace, said that the real intentions of the Turks will be apparent on January 16 when he will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, but as well as in the development of the procedure.

President Clerides expressed the wish for the freedom of the Cypriot people and that the new year will lead to the reunification of the island republic.

House of Representatives President Dimitris Christofias also expressed the wish for the return of the refugees to their homes.

[06] T/C press refers to Clerides dinner invitation for Denktash

NICOSIA, 22/12/2001 (ANA - G. Leonidas)

According to local press reports, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou referred to an invitation date of Dec. 28.

Specifically, the newspaper "Birlik" added that Denktash replied that he has not as yet received the invitation. The same paper noted that acceptance of any Clerides invitation would be translate into Denktash's first visit to the "Greek-Cypriot sector", as the paper writes, after 26 years.

Clerides attended an eye-raising dinner at Denktash's residence in the Turkish-occupied part of Nicosia earlier in the month.

Roughly one-third of Cyprus is occupied by Turkish forces following a 1974 invasion ordered by Ankara. Only the Clerides government in the two-thirds of the island republic not occupied by Turkey is recognized by the international community.

[07] Christodoulos receives new deputy FM Magriotis

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Issues related to relations among churches and religions internationally -- one of Magriotis' areas of responsibility -- dominated the 90-minute meeting.

The new deputy minister also requested the Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece's presence in various hospitality programs run by the foreign ministry for expatriate Greek children during the summer months, and leading into the summer of 2004 and the holding of the Olympics in Athens.

Discussions also touched on the Church's role in the Balkans.

[08] Prosecutor points to offences vis-a-vis illegal naturalizations, gov't response

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

A copy of the long-anticipated investigation by prosecutor Isidoros Dogiakos, which was forwarded to Parliament on Friday, charges that responsible ministers during the 1996-2000 period failed to "take measures and legislative action" in order to prevent the rambunctious naturalization of foreign nationals by the Greek state.

Another charge in the Dogiakos report asserts that the relevant ministries employed procedures that allowed private citizens to act as "liaisons" to an undetermined number of ethnic Greeks (Pontians) from the former Soviet Union as well as Russian citizens living on Cyprus.

The report also mentions the "implementation of procedures not foreseen by specific and enacted legal provisions".

Additionally, Dogiakos recommends that further investigations center on the issue of whether criminal actions were committed by law enforcement personnel assigned to Athens' foreign citizens bureau, a unit of the public order ministry, in relation to purported illegal naturalizations.

In one instance, the top Athens first instance prosecutor said the ease and various concessions allocated by the Greek state towards ethnic Pontians wishing to repatriate to Greece after the Soviet Union's collapse turned into "exploitation" by individuals "without any link to our country."

"The primary role in this field was played, at locations near and around the Greek consulate in Moscow, by individuals described as members of the so-called 'Russian mafia'..."

Dogiakos asserts that this illegality was supported by the Greek state's policy on the specific issue of naturalizations, "with the provision of extensive assistance".

In one instance, Dogiakos' report refers to a statement given by an Olympic Airways pilot, who claims, among others, that several Macedonian Airways (OA subsidiary for charter flights) flights transported "a significant number" of expatriates from Nicosia, Cyprus to various northern Greece cities just prior to the April 2000 general elections.

The same pilot reportedly claims that the expatriates flew back to Cyprus after the election, while those same passengers "did not speak Greek or even understand the Greek language."

The same pilot, according to Dogiakos, said passengers on those specific Macedonian Airways "were handed an envelope by unknown persons" upon their boarding.

Finally, the report refers to results of an administrative probe conducted at Greece's embassy in Moscow that put the figure of people illegally entering the country via the Russian capital at the 150,000 mark.

Dogiakos began his investigation in January 2000.

Gov't: In response to the report, a government spokesman on Friday said the "timing of its presentation and its content" raise questions of "political expediency".

Government spokesman Christos Protopappas said the report was conveyed to Parliament on the eve of a vote for the 2002 budget and during a time when "(main opposition) New Democracy faces particular problems", as he claimed.

"Mr. Dogiakos, himself, admitted that the majority of naturalizations (58,000 cases) occurred from 1990 to 1993 (during a ND government) with a simple ministerial decision," Protopappas said, while charging that the well-known prosecutor has skirted over the "crucial answers" given by the PASOK government vis-a-vis New Democracy's allegations.

[09] Simitis and Skandalidis discuss interior ministry issues

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Emerging from the meeting, the minister said he would soon make public a bill for upgrading the civilian protection service and additional regulations to augment immigration policy on December 27.

Skandalidis also announced that the cabinet would be discussing party funding and election spending on January 3, 2002.

Regarding a strike by Athens municipal garbage collectors, which finally ended after courts declared it illegal, he said that the interior ministry was prepared to discuss the problems that arose from time to time and provide solutions "in the framework of legality and the operation of justice generally, and reinforcing the rights of workers."

[10] Gov't denies knowing about alleged Scotland Yard interrogations

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The spokesman also said that the issue, which was reported by the Greek daily "Ta Nea" on Thursday, was not the government's concern.

"There are authorities whose job it is to deal with this issue and there are rules that protect citizens," he said, to add that Greece possessed a clear framework for law and order.

Asked to comment on an event organized by the relatives of terrorist victims on Thursday, Protopappas said only that every symbolic event that sensitized public opinion against terrorism was positive.

[11] Deputy DM visits troops at Evros border posts

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Apostolidis made the remarks during a visit to border posts and military camps at Evros where he exchanged good wishes with the troops.

He was accompanied on his visit by Chief of the Army General Staff George Antonakopoulos.

[12] ND leader meeting journalists' union POESY

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

In an announcement after the meeting, ND said it supported any initiative to protect the freedom of the press and allow journalists to carry out their work.

The party said it would complete the legislative framework for the freedom of the press, covering gaps left by the government in its last revision of the Constitution.

[13] CCBE head: Greece should adopt free legal representation clause

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Among others, the crucial issue of safeguarding the right to legal representation, especially for financially needy citizens, was discussed in the Petsalnikos-Wolff meeting.

Wolff, along with the Greek representatives in the CCBE, D. Hatzimihalis and E. Tsouroulis, later focused on the issue at an Athens press conference, where the former stressed that Greece alone in the European Union has not instituted the right to free legal representation -- as is the case in the other 14 EU member-states.

The CCBE numbers some 500,000 attorneys throughout Europe.

[14] Avramopoulos press conference

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

In touching on the admittedly heated political climate of late and vociferous criticism exchanged between ruling PASOK and main opposition New Democracy, Avramopoulos called for a cessation to the current round of political haggling, warning that it is "corrupting" politics and turning away the citizenry.

"What occurred in the past is of interest, but it cannot become a lever for hardcore political conflicts," he said, a direct reference various allegations and charges aired by the two major parties in Greece over the past month.

In a related development, the Athens mayor - who has repeatedly denied that he will stand for re-election in the municipality next year - announced that his new party will join the Liberal Democrats of Europe political grouping - one of several such groupings active in the Euro-Parliament - next month.

Additionally, Avramopoulos said he will attend the grouping's Euro-MPs conference in Brussels, where Euro-deputy Pat Cox is expected to lead the group.

[15] Communist Party youth group (KNE) congress begins

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The congress was attended by 50 delegations from foreign communist-progressive party youth groups, a large delegation from the International Federation of Democratic Youth, representatives of all the political parties, the entire leadership of KKE and representatives of the arts and letters.

[16] Tsohatzopoulos: Greece should expand activities in its region

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Greece could become a central junction for energy, such as natural gas and electricity, he said, while expansion in this sector would secure both energy supplies and economic development.

The minister also referred at length to security issues, such as recent developments regarding the European Union's crisis management force.

[17] Issue of euro-coin packs in eurozone going well, Commission says

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

European Commissioner Pedro Solbes said it was positive that Europeans had sped to acquire the new single currency.

In its announcement, the Commission said that the entire supply of euro "pouches" had been distributed in Germany, Portugal, Finland and Luxembourg, while about two thirds had been distributed in Ireland, Belgium, Holland and Greece.

[18] Protopappas dismisses 'sordid' ND charges against Christodoulakis

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The accusations had been fully answered by Christodoulakis himself, the spokesman said, who accused ND of using every method to undermine the success of the government's program for the economy.

He also expressed surprise at a demand by ND MP Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who asked for legislation forbidding ministers from all speculation on the bourse, pointing out laws forbidding all members of the government, from ministers to ministry secretaries, from trading on the stock exchange already existed.

[19] Kantor survey on Greek banks

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The survey also said that EFG Eurobank Ergasias and the Commercial Bank will have benefits from the strengthening of their networks with buy-outs.

Kantor also said that restricted foreign interest will lead to the reduction of foreign banks in Greece.

The Bank of Piraeus and the Bank of Cyprus will considerably increase their value with a corresponding increase of their branches.

The Agricultural Bank of Greece may benefit most from the others from the future buy-outs, the study showed.

[20] Development minister calls for vegetable imports to drive prices down

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

Tsohatzopoulos made the statements during his visit to the central Athens Varvakios market where he stressed that "despite the problems caused by the inclement weather, there are low prices and people can find them and thus shop at cheaper prices".

[21] Greek stocks remain under pressure, end lower

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The general index fell 0.80 percent to end at 2,564.21 points, with turnover an improved 82.1 billion drachmas, or 238.4 million euros, boosted by block trades worth 50.6 billion drachmas.

The IT Solutions, Wholesale and Textiles sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (2.67 percent, 2.49 percent and 1.74 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.70 percent lower, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index fell 0.86 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 1.62 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 277 to 58 with another 24 issues unchanged.

The general index ended the week with a net loss of 0.003 percent.

The most heavily traded shares were Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Intralot, Cosmote, Greek Stocks and Coca Cola.

Equity futures show lower premium: Equity futures on the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Friday trailed the main market, traders said.

Changing hands were 8.905 contracts, sharply higher than 6,265 deals in the previous session. Turnover was 55 million euros.

The underlying FTSE/ASE-20 index for heavily traded stocks and blue chips dropped by 0.70 percent; and the underlying FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalization stocks lost 0.86 percent.

Bond prices rise in light trade: Bond prices in the domestic secondary market on Friday finished higher in light trade again focusing on ten-year paper.

The Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.20 percent, and the yield spread over German bunds was 35 basis points.

Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totaled 915 million euros.

Sell orders accounted for the bulk of turnover.

[22] Culture minister says Greece will benefit from Olympiad

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

On the state budget, Venizelos said "PASOK is the only party which provides an overall proposal, combining development with social justice."

According to the minister, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will increase by about 0.5 per cent every year until 2004 thanks to the preparations for the Olympiad, while in 2004 this increase will touch 1.5 per cent. For many years after 2004, the GDP will increase at the most by 0.5 per cent. The public deficit by 2004 will have been reduced by one point, he added.

He noted that 50,000 new jobs will have been created until the Olympiad and that there will be an increase of 20 million tourists to Greece until 2010 thanks to the Games.

[23] GNTO offers to host 50 children of fallen US firefighters

Athens, 22/12/2001 (ANA)

The offer by GNTO's leadership was conveyed to US ambassador in Greece Thomas Miller, while the agency's staff has been instructed to organize the hospitality program.

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