Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 05-06-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament gives vote of confidence to Premier Karamanlis' government

[02] SYN leader Alavanos predicts growth of the Left in Greece

[03] FinMin Alogoskoufis responds to opposition criticism in Parliament

[04] Former PM Simitis speaks of a 'worrying present state of affairs'

[05] Souflias speaks of a 'gigantic program' of projects underway in the country

[06] Deputy economy minister attacks PASOK, during Parliament debate of confidence vote

[07] Health minister challenges Papandreou to ask for elections, PASOK's Diamantopoulou, Damanaki answer

[08] PM Karamanlis discusses bank pensions and labor reform with finmin, employment minister

[09] Improvement in Greek-Turkish relations needs to be reflected also in Turkey's military activities in the Aegean, FM Molyviatis warns

[10] Papandreou opens founding conference of PASOK'S Athens Regional Organization

[11] PASOK leader Papandreou charges that PM Karamanlis 'is at the helm of a bad government'

[12] PASOK leader in SI conference in Madrid on Monday

[13] President Papoulias begins three-day state visit to Austria

[14] Ecumenical Patriarch celebrates name day with call against 'fundamentalist bigotry'

[15] FinMin Alogoskoufis denies rumors of VAT on rents

[16] Cooperation necessary for development of tourism, deputy minister Liaskos tells event in Patras

[17] Athens office inaugurated of UN Public Administration International Centre

[18] Nea Peramos-Prinos Thasos ferry route reopened after 15 years

[19] Roads in central Athens to be blocked off due to works

[20] OA flight schedule disrupted after Friday's malfunction of Airbus bound for New York

[21] 2nd Festival of Nationalities and Culture ends in Lamia

[22] from July 1-10

[23] German antifascist to participate in an event for the end of WWII

[24] Cypriot FM believes Turkey will sign Protocol

[01] Parliament gives vote of confidence to Premier Karamanlis' government

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

From the 285 deputies present, 165 deputies voted for, 120 against. The twelve Communist Party (KKE) deputies were absent from the vote.

The three-day debate in the 300-member House commenced on Friday following a call for the vote earlier last week by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in response to a call by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou for a motion of censure against National Economy and Finance minister George Alogoskoufis.

'We want and can change the country,' PM Karamanlis tells House: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, closing the three-day debate in Parliament late on Sunday night on the vote of confidence in the New Democracy government, said that his government wants and can change the country.

"We want and can change the country," he said, adding that he considered the vote of confidence as a vote of confidence in the policy of reforms that his government put on track.

"From the three-day debate we come out stronger in order to serve the citizens and the interests of the country," he said, before adding that the vote of confidence "is an expression of the confidence of the broad social alliance and constitutes a mandate and commitment on the part of the government for reforms which are necessary."

"We do not compromise with problems. The citizens demand that we proceed even faster, more strongly and decisively and this is what we are doing," Karamanlis said.

"We want to advance the reforms with the broadest possible consensus, without surprise moves, with realism, wisdom and having always in mind, the social results," he pointed out.

"We have held and we are holding a dialogue with the social partners, the changes, the reforms and radical changes in the state are our obligation, they are what we owe to the citizen, they constitute an obligation to the country's present and future. The challenges are great. However, we will win them because the changes we are planning express society, are supported by the citizens and serve the citizens," the premier added.

Karamanlis also answered to accusations by the main opposition PASOK party members, declaring: "You speak as if you discovered Greece today, as if you never heard about the problems of decades, as if Greece did not exist fifteen months ago, as if there was no problem at all before March 7, 2004, neither unemployment, nor a high cost of living, nor debt, as if a government did not even exist," he said.

PASOK leader Papandreou says ND 'has not learnt from its mistakes': Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou, speaking on Sunday night during the last day of a three-day debate in Parliament on the vote of confidence in the government, said "it is your obligation to go to elections if you confess that you have made a mess of things, that your budget cannot make it, that you are not managing things."

He continued: "If you believe that you will manage it, to correct your tragic mistakes and that the country will go on a good course, then get down to work and you will be judged very quickly in the next elections, and probably you will not be able to exhaust the four-year term."

Papandreou went on to say: «In every case, do not think that you surprise us, we are ready for a great, new social agreement after the elections, for us to proceed in substantial reforms in the country."

Commenting on Papandreou's remarks, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said: «Do elections have a meaning when it is certain that you will lose?" The prime minister stressed that he was certain that PASOK is afraid of elections. "We will not follow you. We have projects, work and reforms to complete. We honor the citizens who trusted us and we are answerable to the citizens. We will give this battle and if you are in a hurry to lose them (elections), we are not in a hurry to win them," Karamanlis said.

An important point of Papandreou's speech was his invitation to Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) leader Alekos Alavanos for "an honorable and equal dialogue for a program of Europe of the Citizens and Justice".

The PASOK leader assessed that "the government has not learnt from its mistakes and from the experience which PASOK offered it." He said: "Unfortunately you lost the opportunity. Mr. Karamanlis, the joke is over. The debate revealed that you have no project, you have no compass and that the bad ministers and the above all prime minister was a myth. The citizen saw the truth. You cannot hide any more."

[02] SYN leader Alavanos predicts growth of the Left in Greece

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

This was an indirect reply to the invitation by main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou "for an honorable and equal dialogue for us to shape a program for Europe of the citizens and justice."

Alavanaos called on PASOK not to distance itself from "the burdens of the people and from the popular neighborhoods", because, as in France, "the extreme right intends to place roots."

Commenting on Papandreou's proposal to unite the progressive 'yes' and the progressive "no" (in relation with the European Constitution), Alavanos asked which is the progressive "yes' of PASOK.

Alavanos noted that 54 per cent of the voters of the French Socialist Party said "no" to the European Constitution.

[03] FinMin Alogoskoufis responds to opposition criticism in Parliament

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Alogoskoufis made a concise account of his ministry's work done so far, referring to "the tax reform, the new development law, the new framework for joint action between the public and private sectors, the new generation of privatizations, the promotion of a solution to the insurance problem of the banks, the reorganization of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE), the reform of the labor market, the confrontation of the social insurance problem, the better utilization of the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF) and the preparation for the 4th, the reform of the operation of the bourse and initiatives for the reduction of bureaucracy."

Alogoskoufis accused the previous government for the state of the economy, saying: «The Greek economy is at a critical turning point and the situation which we undertook was more

problematic than we suspected. Mistakes and oversights, problems in the budget, misleading deficits and misleading debts, grey zones in the economy. They had consequences for the social cohesion and the prospects of society. At this moment the government is giving the battle for an exodus of the crisis in the economy."

The economy minister directed an attack against former Prime Minister Costas Simitis "on his effort to defame the policy of fiscal review with which he tried to transfer his own responsibilities for what the review revealed." Alogoskoufis referred to data of the European Statistics Service and submitted a chart "from which is shown the great exclusions which led the deficit from 1.2 per cent which was presented by PASOK to 6.1 per cent," adding that he hoped that "the deficit will not further increase."

[04] Former PM Simitis speaks of a 'worrying present state of affairs'

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Simitis spoke of a "worrying present state of affairs which is characterized by the non-existence of a compound perception for the course of the country, as from the calm adjustment, we suddenly found ourselves, without knowing why, in a phase of total confrontation with the working people, who all blame the government. Within this context, the impending reforms constitute an announcement of a 'shipwreck' such as that of the primary shareholder."

Other speakers addressing the vote of confidence debate on Sunday, merchant marine minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis said, referring to an ongoing strike by dockworkers, that those who were protesting were being paid a daily wage of up to 560 euros, and questioned whether there was a single Greek citizen who could claim that the government was wrong in opening up the issue, that it is acceptable that they receive salaries of 130,000 euros, multiple that of the MPs and the President of the Republic? Can anyone tolerate the 'pent-house aristocracy'?" he questioned.

Giving a brief account of his ministry's activities in the 14 months since the ruling New Democracy party (ND) came to power, Kefaloyiannis noted that Greek shipping was the most important support of the Greek economy, and that 17 billion dollars would enter the Greek economy from shipping this year, "much more than from tourism".

"Shipping once again is saving the country's trade balance, as it has done in the past," the minister stressed.

Continuing his account of the ministry's activities, he also referred to the release of all Greek seamen held in custody abroad, the revitalization of the Greek cruises that would reduce unemployment among seamen by 12 percent, and the assignment of hydroplanes to various routes that provide better links between the islands and the mainland. He said three shipping companies had expressed interest in entering this new service, and it was hoped that soon there would be 40 hydroplanes servicing the Ionian and Aegean seas.

Kefaloyiannis further expressed his ambition that his ministry would be the first to introduce "electronic governance", referring to the electronic provision of public services.

Addressing the session, Macedonia-Thrace minister Nikos Tsiartsonis said that the citizens in northern Greece were suffering from the erroneous choices of the preceding governments, which did not manage to efficiently take advantage of the region's comparative advantages.

The target of the governance was to transform the region into an international centre of development of the sciences, research and technology, Tsiartsonis said, adding that, in that direction, the government was re-designing the structure and re-determining the role of his ministry so that it could play a key role in coordinating the government's work in northern Greece.

Justice minister Anastassis Papaligouras said it would have had greater meaning of the subject of the vote of confidence had been the main opposition leader (George Papandreou), "who is disputed by the cadres of his own party", rather than the prime minister "who has the express support of the large majority of the Greeks".

Papaligouras said that the situation taken on by ND, from the PASOK governments, in the justice sector had been "dire", and the current government was shielding democracy so that no corrupt judge, no matter how high in the hierarchy he was, would have a position.

With respect to infrastructure, Papaligouras said that many courthouses gave the impression of abandonment, and outlined the steps being taken for building new court buildings, the repair of existing ones, and the computerization of criminal files in the prosecutors' offices in ten major cities.

Former PASOK minister and current MP for Athens Yannos Papantoniou, addressing himself to the national economy and finance ministry, asked whether the government would take new tax measures, such as on fuel.

Papantoniou defended the policy and work of the preceding PASOK governments, and asked "is a serious prime minister one who says that the standard-of-living of the Greeks has remained stagnant since 1980? Is it possible to defame a period during which the deficits, inflation and interest rates declined substantially? When we had the crowning success of Greece's entry into the EMU?

Deputy culture minister Fani Palli-Petralia, in turn, said that the ministry had been completely disorganized under PASOK, noting that today it was paying invoices dating back to the years 2001-2003. She said that the Antiquities Eforia alone had presented submitted invoices for past debts totalling 700,000 euros, while there were also debts for services, municipalities, artistic and cultural agencies and suppliers that neared 123 million euros. Further, there were ministerial decisions for payments up to the year 2008, in post-dated checks issued in 2003, the deputy minister added.

Tourism development minister Dimitris Avramopoulos called the last 8 years under PASOK government a period of disintegration of the tourism economy, during which the National Tourism Organization of Greece (EOT) had been downgraded and virtually broken apart, with the creation of scattered companies and organizations "for the service of political friends".

This year, he said, the ND government was entering the stage of recovery and growth in Greek tourism, adding that large and substantial qualitative and quantitative indicators were anticipated.

Among the accomplishments of the current government were the establishment of the tourism development ministry, the upgrading of EOT, the restoration of provincial tourism services and their staffing with specialized personnel, the campaign for a tourism conscientiousness of the results of which he said would soon become apparent, the participation of more than 40,000 Greeks in the social tourism program, and the imminent tabling of the ministry's bill on medical and conference tourism, agro-tourism and others, Avramopoulos said.

New Democracy MP Theodoros Kassimis conceded that "the government has delayed in many things, but there has been no revolution...we have to fight bad mentalities that have taken root over the past 30 years".

Kassimis said that the majority of society has changed, but the mechanisms still lived in the mentality of the past.

Regarding the early retirement scheme achieved at the OTE Hellenic Telecoms, Kassimis said that the change in OTE could not have been effected in a "socially merciless manner", noting that "it was not the employees' fault that they were put in the pent-house".

"The factory worker or employee cannot be a third-class Greek, and the civil servant a pent-house employee," Kassimis said.

Former PASOK minister and current MP Evangelos Venizelos said that the issue of tenure in the public sector was the harbinger of an attack on "the main issue -- the deregulation of labor relations in the private sector".

Criticizing the government on the issue of dockworkers' wages and the OTE deal, PASOK MP Christos Protopapas said that merchant marine minister Kefaloyiannis was calling the dockworkers aristocrats and waging war on them in order to cover up the privatization of the Pireaus Port Authority (OLP) with "transparent procedures".

He claimed that behind every move by the government was "an interest with a name".

National defense minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos accused the PASOK governments of looting the public money and creating files on the armed forces officers.

The minister tabled in parliament what he called "PASOK's shameful files" recommending transfers to Athens for the "good comrades" and unfavorable transfers for the "overly right-wing" officers, presented samples of "useless over-invoiced publications rotting in the store-rooms", and charged that there were 193 mobile phone links at the ministry, inter alia.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the work accomplished by the ministry under the ND government, noting that defense expenditures had been contained from 4.1 percentage points of GDP in the preceding four-year term (PASOK government) to 2.96 percentage points of GDP. He said that the new framework for procurements has been prepared that would "restore transparency", and added that 150 second-generation battle tanks had been secured free of charge, 40 million dollars from the contracts on the Hawk had been returned, and that the interlink of the Russian-made TOR-M1 missiles had been ensured, with guarantee of the good execution of the contract.

Transport and communications minister Michalis Liapis said that the percentage of urban commuting by public transport means had increased by 41 percent since ND took over the government, adding that the target was to bring it up to 50 percent by 2008.

The debate was due to continue until late night, at which time a roll-call vote would take place.

[05] Souflias speaks of a 'gigantic program' of projects underway in the country

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Souflias added: «In 2005 there are bids for projects worth 12.5 billion euros, a sum double the average of the previous years. Already, bids have been made worth 3.5 billion euros. Of these, contracts worth about two billion euros have already been signed. Certain have already started to be executed, in the remainder the contractors will be installed in the summer. Only in Egnatia, during our days, projects have started to be executed worth more than 1.2 billion euros. Day by day, Greece is being transformed into a vast worksite."

The environment minister went on to say: «We have a total of projects worth 12.5 billion euros which will start in 2005 and in 2006. A rate triple that of previous years. Therefore, justifiably, we speak of a mammoth program, unprecedented for Greek facts."

[06] Deputy economy minister attacks PASOK, during Parliament debate of confidence vote

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

"You handed over a country with the largest deficits, last in competitiveness, last in attracting foreign investment, in the index for bureaucracy, for foreign trade, for absorbing Community funds, for combatting unemployment - especially among women," he said.

"PASOK handed over to us a debt of 204 billion euros, the largest debt as a percentage of GDP of any other European country. Up to 25 per cent of the taxes paid by every Greek go towards servicing the interest alone," the minister added.

According to Doukas, the money spent on interest payments was more than that going to social insurance funds, while that for paying off capital was greater than the sums paid for wages and pensions. He also accused the previous PASOK governments of cashing and spending revenue from state lotteries, Eurocontrol and the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF) in advance.

"The revenue we are gathering now is not being gathered to spend. It goes into a special account in order to pay for the things you have already spent," he said.

He pointed to the example of the Greek Railways Organization, where its entire earnings covered just one fifth of its expenses and were not even enough to pay for half its pay roll.

The minister also accused main opposition PASOK of threatening to expel trade unionists that reached agreements with the government during dialogue.

Regarding the execution of the budget, Doukas noted that drafting and executing a budget were difficult tasks and that the government was making a great effort, "even while carrying the huge burdens mentioned before".

Also speaking after Doukas was Agriculture Minister Evangelos Basiakos, who said that absorption of Community funds had soared under the present government and that better terms had been secured for products like oil, cotton and tobacco.

He also stressed that farmers had never before received subsidies so promptly, while accumulated compensation for the past four years had been paid under the present government.

The claims of the government ministers were openly disputed by MPs of main opposition PASOK, such as former minister Miltiades Papaioannou and Vasso Papandreou.

According to Papaioannou, never before in Greece's recent political history had the economy been so good when a new government had taken over in terms of inflation, deficits and industrial production.

Papandreou spokes of an "indescribable fiasco" in the economy and said that the government had made Greece a laughing stock with the so-called government audit, while increasing unemployment and now selling off state assets through so-called structural changes.

She also stressed a European Commission report that said revenues had fallen about one billion euros short of the target in the first half of 2005.

[07] Health minister challenges Papandreou to ask for elections, PASOK's Diamantopoulou, Damanaki answer

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Speaking during the Parliamentary debate for a vote of confidence in the government requested by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Kaklamanis said that there were two ways to get rid of a government: either through Parliament, which Papandreou had failed to ask for, or by the verdict of the people.

"Let PASOK's president ask. Costas Karamanlis is a great-hearted man and may answer affirmatively," the minister said.

Referring to his own work at the health ministry, Kaklamanis said he had managed to eradicate the phenomenon of patients in corridors in Athens and Thessaloniki through a new duty roster system, which would now be extended to Larissa, Patra and Iraklion.

He was answered by high-ranking PASOK member and MP Anna Diamantopoulou, who said her party would not give someone their trust because he is "great-hearted or a good speaker".

She criticized the prime minister for not fulfilling the promises made during the debate on the present budget and focused particularly on a fine imposed by the European Union for mismanagement of public works projects in 2000-2003.

Diamantopoulou said that government claims of bad workmanship under PASOK were "wrong and untrue", and that the Greek people were being called to pay because the government had been unable to negotiate properly.

"What the Commission asked of you was to pinpoint possible irregularities and improve control mechanisms; something you were unable to do," she said.

PASOK MP Maria Damanaki, meanwhile, said this was the first time she had seen a government ask for Parliament's vote of confidence without referring to its own work but spending its time by playing opposition to the previous government.

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology party MP Asimina Xirotiri dismissed the entire proceedings as a "fixed set-up" that served the ends of the two main parties and of the interests that they represented.

[08] PM Karamanlis discusses bank pensions and labor reform with finmin, employment minister

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

As they emerged from the meeting, Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis and Employment and Social Insurance Minister Panos Panayiotopoulos said the government was proceeding to establish a bank employee supplementary pension fund with two-thirds funding from the banks and one third guaranteed by the public sector.

Alogoskoufis said that banks would be given a deadline of several months in order to apply to join the new fund.

The minister also commented on the ongoing debate in Parliament for a vote of confidence in the government, saying that PASOK had chosen to stay in the past and ignore the mature demand of Greek society for reforms that will make it more just and effective, as well as giving greater drive to the economy.

Regarding the strike declared by the bank workers' union OTOE, Alogoskoufis stressed that the government had carried out dialogue and had taken all viewpoints into account.

"Our decisions are a combination of these views for the benefit of employees, society and the economy. If some people want to wage war on society, that is their right," the minister added.

Panayiotopoulos spoke about envisaged labor reforms, saying that dialogue with all the parties involved has been underway since February.

"We want to modernize the work environment, boost the competitiveness of small and middle-sized businesses, defend jobs and create new investments and new work positions. The first phase of dialogue has been completed and we will proceed to the next stage in a few weeks, which will include changes with respect to overtime and the allocation of working time. We call on all interested parties to submit their views," he said.

Concerning the Foundation of Social Insurance (IKA), by far the largest social insurance fund in Greece covering the vast majority of employees, the ministers stressed that IKA was incorporated in the state sector and fully guaranteed by the Greek state. Panayiotopoulos said that the government supported IKA and guaranteed its financial probity and the upgrade of its services, if necessary by taking more money from the state budget.

[09] Improvement in Greek-Turkish relations needs to be reflected also in Turkey's military activities in the Aegean, FM Molyviatis warns

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Speaking in parliament during a debate on government policy, that was due to end with a vote of confidence in the government on Sunday night, Molyviatis, in a clear-cut message to Ankara, said that those activities were a cause of tension that were not suitable to and did not help Turkey's European prospect.

"In the new European framework, there is no room for a 'casus belli' policy, which comprises an obvious counterproductive anachronism," Molyviatis warned.

Regarding the concern created regarding EU enlargement, following the rejection of the EU Constitutional Treaty agreement in recent referenda in France and The Netherlands, Molyviatis said that no one directly linked that issue with Turkey's EU prospect. "No one disputes the (EU summit) decision of December 2004 that the accession negotiations (for Turkey) will commence this coming October, and that it will be a long process, at least a decade, while no one can know what the European environment will be then," he added.

Molyviatis further called on FYROM to display a more constructive attitude, which he said could bring only positive results for both bilateral relations and regional stability, and for that country's Euro-Atlantic course.

[10] Papandreou opens founding conference of PASOK'S Athens Regional Organization

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Papandreou said the government had given a "pitiful" account of itself during the first day of the Parliamentary debate for the vote of confidence motion on Friday and stressed that PASOK would not allow it to "drag the country into bankruptcy".

According to the main opposition leader, ND had come into power without a program for the country but only for its own supporters and he accused it of large-scale recruiting of its own supporters to the public sector and local government.

He noted that the government was talking of reforms when it had suffered a string of failures in every important issue that it had undertaken.

PASOK's leader also referred to series of conflicting statements by top members of the PASOK party over the past days, stressing that the different democratic voices were both right and necessary and that he would defend the right of every democratic voice that served the values of the movement to be heard.

[11] PASOK leader Papandreou charges that PM Karamanlis 'is at the helm of a bad government'

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

"It is not the bad ministers and the good prime minister, but it is the bad government with Costas Karamanlis at the helm."

Papandreou said that the government is "taking the downhill," adding that it is "the responsibility of PASOK not to allow it to drag the country down with it."

[12] PASOK leader in SI conference in Madrid on Monday

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

According to a party announcement Sunday, the meeting will examine developments within the SI leadership following the resignation of its president Antonio Gutierrez, who assumes the post of UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

[13] President Papoulias begins three-day state visit to Austria

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Papoulias, who arrived in Vienna at noon, is due to hold talks with Fischer on Monday morning, to be followed by a joint press conference, after which the Austrian president will host an official luncheon for his Greek counterpart.

On Monday afternoon, Papoulias is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel and parliament president Andreas Kohl.

The agenda of talks, according to diplomatic sources, will focus on the traditional and excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, the course of European unification following last year's enlargement of the European Union, the Cyprus issue, Greek-Turkish affairs, Turkey's EU accession course, and the European perspective of the Western Balkan member countries, which both Greece and Austria support and is one of the priorities of the upcoming Austrian EU presidency in the first half of 2006. Talks will also cover international political developments in general.

On Monday night, Papoulias and Fischer will attend a performance of a Puccini opera at the famed State Opera House in Vienna.

Papoulias will further meet with representatives of the Greek community and Metropolitan Mikhail of Austria on Tuesday morning, before returning to Athens

[14] Ecumenical Patriarch celebrates name day with call against 'fundamentalist bigotry'

ISTANBUL, 13/06/2005 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)

He was replying to earlier speeches made by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, representatives of the Alexandria and Jerusalem Patriarchates and Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis, who were in Fanar for the Patriarch's name day celebrations.

Archbishop Christodoulos, in his own speech, had referred to the important role played by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in coordinating and preserving unity and peace among Orthodox Churches, saying this coordinating role was "accepted by all".

According to Skandalakis, "the breath of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the breath of all", stressing the Greek government's pleasure that Archbishop Christodoulos was in Fanar.

Also present at the celebrations was the Archbishop of America Demetrios.

[15] FinMin Alogoskoufis denies rumors of VAT on rents

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Alogoskoufis said in an announcement that there was no thought by the government to impose VAT on rents.

The announcement also said that Alogoskoufis has never requested a recommendation on the issue from the ministry's services, "as erroneously stated in the press reports".

He attributed the press reports to a "channeling of 'information' from opposition circles, so as to back the groundless arguments that collapsed over the two past days during the debate in parliament" preceding a vote of confidence in the government scheduled for late Sunday.

[16] Cooperation necessary for development of tourism, deputy minister Liaskos tells event in Patras

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Addressing the same event, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works ministry secretary general George Tryfonidis announced the materialization of a Uniform Town Plan and the construction of public works budgeted at 13.5 billion euros.

Liaskos said that the ministry's development policy and activities were geared to reinforcing the specialized forms of tourism and projection of the Peripheries and the municipalities.

He said the main effort was founded on targeting - with substantial funding - and early advertising, as well as Greece's upgraded presence at international exhibitions, and called Greece an "imperialistic power in tourism".

Referring to long-term tourism policy planning, Liaskos said that the tourism resources needed to be protected, and stressed the need for cooperation with the private sector for joint actions aimed at improving the competitiveness, efficiency, productivity and administration of the system.

Liaskos further said that the new developmental law provided a major opportunity, as it included the entire range of tourism-related activities and boosting specialized tourism.

"Quality and a good image is what sends us customers," he said, and criticized the preceding PASOK governments of a "non-existent" tourism policy.

Tryfonidis, in turn, noted that there could be no tourism development without infrastructure programs, adding that the main direction of the ND government was a balanced growth of the Peripheries combined with competitiveness, social justice and protection of the environment.

He said that the Uniform Town Plan - which did not exist to date - would begin to be materialized in the spring of 2006.

He further announced that a network of 7 road axes (the PATHE-Patras, Thessaloniki, Evzoni motorway, the Ionia Way, the Corinth, Tripolis, Kalamata and Sparta road works, completion of the Egnatia Way, and the underwater Thessaloniki artery) would, in a period of six years, unite the country, putting an end to isolation. He added that the ports of Thessaloniki, Kavala and Alexandroupolis would also be linked, by road axes, to the Balkan countries.

Tryfonidis announced that 13.5 billion euros have been earmarked for public works, stressing at the same time that priority was also being placed on protection of the environment.

With respect to the EU's Fourth Community Support Framework (CSF), he said that 140 million euros had already been extended for the compilation of studies so that Greece would be ready on time.

[17] Athens office inaugurated of UN Public Administration International Centre

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

In the same building at Petraki Street, where the UN's valuable and special library is housed, suitable floors have been transformed so as to be able to offer the official seat of an objective which will upgrade the position of Greece in the Balkans, the countries of Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

"The activities of the Centre will continue to be decentralized and be exercised in essence from Thessaloniki," Public Administration Secretary General Vassilis Andronopoulos said, "a fact which is confirmed by its program."

[18] Nea Peramos-Prinos Thasos ferry route reopened after 15 years

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

The ferry line links Eleftheron municipality and port, and by extension the western sector of Kavala prefecture, with the island of Thasos. Thus, Thasos acquired its third ferry line, with the assignment of the ferry "Ekaterini D", belonging to the Iphigenia shipping company, to the route.

The reopening of the route enables travelers from central and western Macedonia to shorten their trip to the island of Thasos, as they are no longer required to travel all the way to Kavala to take a ferry to Thasos. It further reduces traffic in the centre of Kavala and the tourist port of Keramotis from large trucks destined for Thasos, in conjunction with the Egnatia Way, whose Aghios Andreas turnoff is only five minutes from the Nea Peramos port.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Ananikas said that the Eleftheron port and the entire municipality, "with the full operation of Egnatia Way, can comprise an entry gate for tens of hundreds of visitors from countries of the western Balkans and the EU, who will be able to get to acquaint themselves with the beauty of eastern Macedonia-Thrace as well as the islands of the northern and northeastern Aegean".

He said municipal authorities' efforts were aimed at the growth, progress and prosperity of the region, adding that it was those efforts that would help the region acquire the strength due it due to its history, comparative advantages, and its impressive coastal line of Ammolofi, which attracts a plethora of visitors every summer.

Ananikas said that the Eleftheron port was among the northern Greek ports of special strategic importance. In essence, he added, it was the last large port in eastern Macedonia-Thrace to the west, and for many years had contributed to serving the commercial trade of both Kavala prefecture and the wider region.

[19] Roads in central Athens to be blocked off due to works

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

They also announced that the right-hand land of Kifissias avenue between Ethnikis Antistaseos and Andrianou will be cordoned off on Sunday for drain maintenance work.

The central Athens roads where gas lines are to be installed are: Triti Septemvriou, Marni, Ipirou, Stournari, Averoff, Asklipiou, Nikis, Navarhou Nikodimou, Lamahou, Philellinon, Simonidou and Amalias.

Traffic police caution drivers to be particularly careful when driving on the above roads, especially at night, and to observe all road signs and the directions of traffic police.

[20] OA flight schedule disrupted after Friday's malfunction of Airbus bound for New York

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

The aircraft, which returned safely to Athens, lost one of its four engines after sucking in birds. Morning OA flights to Paris and London were cancelled as a result of the accident, with passengers booked to leave either on afternoon OA flights or with other airline companies.

[21] 2nd Festival of Nationalities and Culture ends in Lamia

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

The people of "the next door" were those who set up the pavilions from 18 different countries in the centre of Lamia. Information on the culture, language, religion, music and cuisine were presented in the context of the 2nd Festival of Nationalities and Culture which came to a close on Sunday evening.

'Year of Pericles' event in Delphi

[22] from July 1-10

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

The international meeting "Year of Pericles", includes an international scientific symposium on democracy, a painting exhibition and cultural events.

[23] German antifascist to participate in an event for the end of WWII

Athens, 13/06/2005 (ANA)

Goldstein, who is 90 years old, met on Sunday with Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis and Manolis Glezos, a veteran of the Greek resistance, and discussed issues concerning world peace.

"My people has not received the proper lessons from World War II...terrible crimes had been committed by the Nazis," Goldstein said.

[24] Cypriot FM believes Turkey will sign Protocol

LARNACA, 13/06/2005 (CNA/ANA)

The foreign minister, talking to journalists before his departure Sunday for Luxembourg where he will attend the General Affairs and External Relations Council which will examine the EU economic perspectives, said the Protocol is ready and it will be presented before the EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday.

So, he said, ''tomorrow the text will be ready for signing and it is expected that this will take place very soon.''

''Some say Turkey is going to sign it before the EU Council Meeting,'' the minister added. Something like that, he said, ''will help Turkey secure a reference in the EU Council conclusions about its efforts.''

The Cypriot minister said that Turkey tried again in the past ''to sign the protocol through an exchange of letters which is an approved way but there were objections to that from our partners, because there was a fear that in its letter Turkey would include issues which have nothing to do with the additional Protocol.''

For example, Iacovou said, Turkey would state in its letter of reply that it does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

The minister said ''it seems the official signing (of the Protocol) will take place and, if Turkey is going to make a statement, that will be done verbally.''

''It has already been agreed,'' Iacovou continued, that "according to what Turkey will have to say, the Presidency will answer that the signing will be done with all 25 countries, Cyprus is a member-state, the Republic of Cyprus is the one which participates in the EU and the context of a statement would have no purpose whatsoever''.

''That is what is expected to be done when the Ankara Agreement is signed,'' the minister added.

Answering questions about the discussion and voting at the House of Representatives to approve the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Iacovou said there is no issue of postponing the discussion and voting on the 30th June as it was scheduled.

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