Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 08-02-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tourism Minister at Fitur 2008 exhibition in Spain

[02] Bakoyannis calls for 'return to politics' in 'Kathimerini' interview

[03] FM Bakoyannis to inaugurate International Regional Conference

[04] Papandreou pledges 'greener' policy, slams ND

[05] Communist Party analyses political scene

[06] SYN leader slams government handling of Zachopoulos case

[07] Russian envoy warns on Kosovo issue

[08] Opinion polls focus on election of new archbishop

[09] RASS poll results

[10] Justice minister discusses new courts, prison for Thessaloniki

[11] Folias in Grevena, comments on political climate

[12] Deputy minister visits new hospital in Kavala

[13] Education minister at 'Money Show' conference

[14] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[15] Violence in central Athens

[16] Three injured in clash between far-right and Leftist groups

[17] Police release 100 detained for violence in central Athens

[18] Woman arrested carrying 1010 extasy pills

[19] Church the target of petrol-bomb attack

[20] Hand-grenade found in private car

[21] Mild earthquake in Patras

[22] Panathinaikos tops Super League, AEK, Olympiakos lose ground

[23] Warm, some showers on Monday Politics

[01] Tourism Minister at Fitur 2008 exhibition in Spain

Greece's Tourism Development Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos on Sunday stressed that Greece had to be made "a fashion" during his visit to the Greek pavilion at the international tourism fair Fitur 2008 taking place in Madrid.

"This particular exhibition is very important because it is being constantly improved and addresses a dynamic quality public, which is also our own target," he said.

He said the Greek pavilion had been upgraded as part of the ministry's plan for an "attack on all fronts" to raise tourist inflows in terms of both arrivals and foreign exchange entering the country.

The Greek pavilion was also visited by Spain's Queen Sofia. The minister had earlier requested Queen Sofia's aid in attracting tourists to Greece from around the world, during an official visit to the Palace. He also asked her to use her international contacts but chiefly her influence on public opinion in Spain in order to encourage more of the Spanish to visit Greece this year.

Spain is the minister's second stop after Paris, in a bid to build an alliance between Greece, France, Spain and Portugal in order to decide common ISO quality standards. This is a way for the countries in question to give a joint reply to the quality standards soon to be established by the World Trade Organization.

Greece is seeking to avert possible unfavorable developments that would disqualify the country's hotel units from meeting the international quality standards and make them less competitive on the international tourism market.

Referring to cooperation with Spain on this issue, Spiliotopoulos said that they had decided to cooperate closely regarding the ISO standards for tourism "since we have many shared needs and many common interests to protect".

Spiliotopoulos' visit will be returned some time in May by Spanish official Amparo Fernandez Gonzalez and cooperation between the two countries will initially focus on tourism education but also the exchange of know-how.

[02] Bakoyannis calls for 'return to politics' in 'Kathimerini' interview

At the same time, she said that a decision by former New Democracy MP Costas Koukodimos to resign from the party's Parliamentary group while retaining his seat in Parliament - thus shaving ND's majority to just 151 seats - would not greatly affect the political scene nor the government's "determination to continue carrying out our program of reforms".

Responding to talk about a possible succession in the leadership of the ruling party, meanwhile, Bakoyannis sent out a clear message:

"Whoever wants to raise issues, this is their right. But they can only do this on their own account. No one can raise them on my account," she stressed, adding that there were no 'anointed' successors in democratic parties.

Turning to relations between Greece and Turkey, the foreign minister said that the aim of more frequent exploratory talks on the issue of the continental shelf was to ascertain the exact positions of the two sides in order to allow a resolution of the issue and arrive at "some common ground".

"There are no time schedules at the moment but we are definitely talking about a visible time frame," she added.

On the "Macedonia" name issue and the dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bakoyannis said that Washington's decisions to grant FYROM recognition under the name 'Macedonia' had been a mistake and had served to create the impression within certain circles in Skopje that they could now abandon negotiations over the name in the framework of the United Nations.

"But Greece will not accept this," she stressed.

She also referred to Kosovo, saying that "any solution found will have some kind of side-effect. The aim of Greek foreign policy is that there should be a common decision of the EU regarding the policies that must be followed in Kosovo".

Asked if the time was ripe for a Greek foreign minister or Greek prime minister to conclude an agreement over the Aegean or name issue, Bakoyannis stated that the aim of all politicians was to move forward and give solutions to long-term problems and "to dare if necessary to make bold decisions".

[03] FM Bakoyannis to inaugurate International Regional Conference

The conference is being organized by the foreign ministry in cooperation with the UN's Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This international meeting taking place in Athens between February 4-7 is being held in the framework of efforts to combat human and drug trafficking and international crime.

The conference, the first of its kind to take place at international level, is expected to be attended by about 60 delegates from southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, European Union member-states, the United States and Russia.

As regards international organizations, those invited and expected to participate are representatives from the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Penal Court, the UN Inter-regional Crime Research Institute (UNICRI), EUROPOL, etc.

[04] Papandreou pledges 'greener' policy, slams ND

"We bring green into this grey landscape inhabited by the Greek people," Papandreou said at the gathering organized by the Local Authority Network of the PASOK Conference central organizational committee in conjunction with the local government Movement of the Local Union of Municipalities and Communities of the Attica Prefecture (TEDKNA).

Papandreou said that green spaces and protection of the environment had now become a dominant issue on a Europe-wide level. He slammed the policy of the present government, both in general and on environmental issues, as being essentially summed up in the phrase "concrete everywhere".

He called on the government to "wake from the torpor of environmental insensitivity" and accused it of treating environmental issues in the same way that it treated current affairs, with the foremost concern being to benefit the party and serve the interests of a favored few.

According to PASOK's president, the country was undergoing a political crisis that threatened to engulf the political system in a quagmire, while he accused the government of trying to cover up the truth about a string of alleged scandals currently occupied the headlines.

Papandreou referred to a green economy and stressed that this was a new economic theory that was also a way out for the country, underlining that PASOK had the political will to make the necessary changes.

He further accused the government of lying about environmental issues and claimed that Greece was an environmental straggler in the EU because the government lacked a plan for renewable energy sources and was handing out licenses at will.

On a more local level, he underlined the need to preserve open spaces within Athens, saying that the government's policy of selling off land was further undermining quality of life in the capital, and emphasized that the former airport at Elliniko must be converted into a major metropolitan park.

In other parts of his speech, PASOK's leader underlined the importance given to local government's role by his party and hailed the adoption of PASOK's proposal for the future structure of local government by the conferences of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), by TEDKNA and by the Union of Prefecture Authorities of Greece (ENAE).

[05] Communist Party analyses political scene

KKE's announcement said that recent events have vindicated its own positions that "machinations of the ruling class to reform the political system are underway".

Based on a discussion held by the central committee on January 26, the announcement said that the situation after the elections confirmed the predictions and warnings made by KKE before the elections took place, adding that worse measures targeting working classes would come whether New Democracy or PASOK were in power.

Stressing that the two main parties "express and serve the interests of capital" and could not change, it repeated a call for voters to back KKE's "proposal for another way of growth that served the interests of the majority of the people and not the profits of capitalists".

It claimed that an attempt was underway to "create bipolar formations, if the two-party system stopped being the most suitable means for manipulating popular forces, in order to stem radical workings developing in the working class and the masses". At another point it suggested that the smaller opposition parties like SYN-SYRIZA and LAOS formed part of these 'bipolar formations'.

In its attack on SYN, the Communist party said that the Leftist alliances "hypocritically" promoted by SYN-SYRIZA had been proved to lead to the incorporation and submission of the popular movement, to a "cosmetic improvement" of the barbarity of capital, while it attacked SYN as unreliable.

"For some time now, SYN has bowed to the 'one-way road' of European capital and the centre-left. It is cooperating with PASOK in municipalities, in prefectures in the trade union movement. Now it is using Leftist rhetoric to conceal the essence of its choices. It is cultivating illusions that the balance of power can change top-down in favour of the people," it said.

[06] SYN leader slams government handling of Zachopoulos case

Addressing his party's central political committee, which convened to discuss preparations for SYN's party conference, Alavanos spoke of a "destabilization of the core around the Maximos Mansion [where the prime minister has his office]" and indirectly suggested that main opposition PASOK table a motion of no-confidence in the government, saying that he would done so if his party had 60 MPs in Parliament.

Replying to a statement by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Friday, in which the premier stated that New Democracy had a "fresh and strong mandate", Alavanos contradicted the claim and said that the government's mandate was "deep-frozen and powerless because it was derived from the fridge of the electoral law".

SYN's leader called for Parliamentary inquiries into the Zachopoulos and Siemens cases and challenged the two main parties to state their positions concerning the Siemens affair.

He expressed confidence that SYN's upcoming conference, which will take place on February 7-10 next week, would open the way for the party to take on a leading role on the political scene.

[07] Russian envoy warns on Kosovo issue

"We must be clear about Kosovo. The fragmentation is being prepared of a sovereign state, Serbia, which is neither a member of NATO, or the EU, organizations that are attempting to replace the UN. President Putin rightly observed in Munich, addressing certain western partners that 'they do not have to pretend to be God'," the Russian envoy said in a statement.

"The territorial integrity of Serbia is secured by the fundamental resolution 1244 of the Security Council, while the establishment of the EU mission in Kosovo is possible, only by an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina and on the basis of a new resolution by the Security Council of the UN. We consider pressure on the UN secretary general to 'bless' the independence of Kosovo and the mission of the EU unacceptable.

"If Pristina unilaterally declares independence, its recognition will constitute a serious blow to the international system of law and the principles of the inviolability of borders and territorial integrity. The Serbs will not accept this action, since it will be illegal. Russia, being a member of the Security Council of the UN, will be obliged to raise the issue at the Security Council of the UN and at the Russia-NATO Council and will not permit the accession of Kosovo to the UN or other international organizations. The province, at the responsibility of the Albanians of Kosovo, will be partitioned. A new dangerous 'frozen conflict' will appear in the Balkans for many years. The danger of a humanitarian disaster and of ethnic conflicts will result. Extremist groups will be activated.

"We hope that the Security Council of the UN, the OSCE, other international organizations will evaluate the unilateral declaration of independence as an illegal act. And the international force, fulfilling the duties assigned to it by the UN, will annul the dangerous segregational actions by Pristina.

"If and when Pristina proclaims its independence, will be decided in certain western capitals. All has not been lost yet. We are ready for close cooperation with our western partners, but in legal frameworks. All our specific proposals, including the initiative for the shaping of a 'road map', remain valid," the ambassador said in his statement.

[08] Opinion polls focus on election of new archbishop

The profile built up by the MRB poll indicated that the majority of the public want a spiritual leader that will follow in the footsteps of the late Christodoulos, who was buried on Thursday, and actively intervened in issues concerning society. The poll was conducted over the phone on January 30-31 using a sample of 1004 people.

Of those asked, 76.1 percent said they desired the new archbishop to "continue in the direction of the late Archbishop Christodoulos" and a majority expressed a desire for the new archbishop to take an active role in a variety of matters affecting society, such as: social convergence (88.7 percent); drugs (88.6 percent); health (82 percent); education (77.4 percent), the environment (76.7 percent); unemployment (72.8 percent); economic migrants (70.3 percent); crime (70.2 percent) and transparency and corruption (60 percent).

Less than half, or 43.2 percent, desired or thought it permissible for the new archbishop to actively intervene or express his opinion on matters of foreign policy.

Some 58 percent expressed a desire for the new archbishop to be "do more charitable work" and 38 percent asked that he approach people, especially those that were less religious. Another 35.1 percent said he should "preserve the unity of the Church", 29.4 percent said that he should improve relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and 22.9 percent that he should "renew the Church".

According to MRB's poll, the Church as an institution continues to enjoy high levels of acceptance among the public with 65.1 percent in favour, ranking second only to that of the President of the Republic (88.9 percent). Ranked third as institutions are the Army and the Armed Forces (64.9 percent). Parliament and the political parties, by contrast, have levels of acceptance of 29.4 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Another 70.4 percent believe the Church has moved in the right direction over the last 10 years and 79.9 percent does not desire any government involvement in the election of the new head of the Orthodox Church of Greece.

[09] RASS poll results

An active role for the archbishop in political and social issues was supported by 61.1 percent of those asked, while 22 percent said the new archbishop should have no involvement at all in political issues. Another 13.3 percent said the new Archbishop should "move behind the scenes" in order to affect developments.

Of those asked, 37.4 percent said the new archbishop should dare to clash with political powers and 30.4 percent said that he should have an opinion but not clash with political forces. A further 31.1 percent wants him to restrict himself exclusively to his ecclesiastical duties.

Support for a new Archbishop "that believes in promoting a living and fighting Church" was given by 85 percent, while 82.2 percent said he should have good relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and 61.1 percent said that he should recognize Fanar's leading role.

The bishop's most favored to take over from Christodoulos were, in order of popularity:

Thessaloniki Metropolitan Anthimos (24.4 percent), Dimitriada Metropolitan Ignatios (15.3 percent), Sparta Metropolitan Eustathios (11.6 percent), Syros Metropolitan Dorotheos (4.9 percent), Thiva Metropolitan Ieronymos (4.8 percent), Mesogaia Metropolitan Nikolaos (1.9 percent) and Xanthi Metropolitan Panteleimon (1.7 percent).

Another 32.9 percent of those asked did not reply to the above question while 69.9 percent said they were very and fairly interested in the election of the new archbishop.

[10] Justice minister discusses new courts, prison for Thessaloniki

"We concluded that the new Court Building will be erected at the Thessaloniki Port Organization site and, at the same time, we will further and are furthering issues related to the Diavates Prison," he said.

Asked whether the new prisons would solve problems related to overcrowding in police lock-ups, he replied that the government was setting in motion a "very big plan" connected to prisons, one that would be able to lead to their decongestion within a reasonable space of time.

"We are already pressing ahead with a draft bill that is linked to speeding up administrative trials and other articles, in which there is provision for all the requirements that will create the groundwork and the funding for proceeding with this major, huge programme related to prisons and court buildings," he added.

He also announced that a draft bill will dealing with corruption and bribery was due to be tabled in Parliament very soon, possibly within the next month.

"Bribery will be especially punished, even in politicians. It will have all those parameters that will deal to a very significant degree with what we call corruption, what we call bribery, that which at the end of the day poisons the current state of the politician in all society," he said.

[11] Folias in Grevena, comments on political climate

"We are waging a relentless battle on phenomena of corruption, lawlessness and morbidity. We are against all those that become involved in public affairs and forget principles, ideals and values. We are opponents of all those that exploit the privileges of their office to serve their own private interests," he stressed.

He also underlined the prime minister's repeated statements that there would be zero tolerance for corruption and that all instances of corruption would be immediately exposed, alongside continued changes to the laws to establish transparency everywhere and in all things.

Commenting on the Public Power Corporation (PPC), he stressed that the government would not allow this to turn into "another Olympic Airways" and would seek ways to make it a healthy and competitive business that would be able to stand on its own feet to meet the challenges of a deregulated power market.

[12] Deputy minister visits new hospital in Kavala

He was briefed on the progress of the hospital's construction, now entering its final stages, and toured the interior.

In a press conference given afterwards, he said the hospital would certainly be completed within the current year and immediately go into operation. He also promised that the new hospital would require more jobs and specialist staff.

The deputy minister expressed satisfaction with levels of primary healthcare available in the prefecture as a result of upgrades at its three health centres and to rural and regional surgeries.

Financial News

[13] Education minister at 'Money Show' conference

"Education is called on to meet the challenge of the times with reforms from pre-school to tertiary education," the minister stressed.

Stylianidis pointed to rapid developments on a global level, such as radical technological development, a competitive environment, globalized economy and others, stressing that these made professional orientation ever more difficult and demanded constant changes in the jobs people did during their lives.

"Our priority is to develop the knowledge and skills in young people that promote enterprise and increase their adaptability to the changes in the labour market," he added.

[14] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

U.S. dollar 1.500

Pound sterling 0.755

Danish kroner 7.513

Swedish kroner 9.526

Japanese yen 159.78

Swiss franc 1.619

Norwegian kroner 8.090

Canadian dollar 1.496

Australian dollar 1.664

General News

[15] Violence in central Athens

At around 14:00, meanwhile, police clashed with left-wing, anti-establishment youths that had set up road blocks and cut off traffic on Panepistimiou Street. The youths responded by attacking police with stones and bits of wood and were finally forced to scatter into surrounding side-streets when police again used tear gas against them.

According to a police announcement, the later incidents were triggered when a group of a Leftist supporters that had gathered at Klathmonos Square started to move toward the Propylaia of Athens University, where they joined with another group carrying out a pre-rally over genetically modified foods at Syntagma Square.

The protestors then blocked off Panepistimiou street and a detachment of riot police attempted to drive them away, resulting in a clash and attacks with stones. Police said that some of the protestors took refuge within the university campus.

[16] Three injured in clash between far-right and Leftist groups

Two of the people injured were hit by stones and a third was stabbed with a knife, while all three are now being treated at Evangelismos Hospital.

Police said the far-right groups had gathered at Kolokotroni Square, while the opposing Leftists groups had gathered at nearby Klathmonos Square. At one point, both groups were making their way down Stadiou Street and started attacking each other with stones, lengths of wood and other objects.

The police intervened and dispersed the rival groups by using teargas, while two people were injured and taken to hospital. Police did not specify whether the injured belonged to either of the two rival factions or were unlucky passers-by.

At around midday, the far-right supporters were still at Kolokotroni Square and the Leftist supporters at Klathmonos but the situation had calmed down. The far-right supporters departed from the area late on Saturday afternoon, after talking with the public prosecutor and the commanding officer of the police contingent. They had originally planned a rally at Kolokotroni Square at 19:00 on Saturday to mark the "anniversary of Imia".

At the same time, the Leftist and anti-establishment groups had planned an anti-racism rally in the same place at 14:00 in the afternoon, possibly in order to prevent the later rally by the far-right groups.

Both groups gathered earlier, however, leading to the violence.

[17] Police release 100 detained for violence in central Athens

They said that 66 men and 34 women had been detained but that no evidence of their involvement in the violence had been found.

During the clashes in the city centre, there was damage to six banks, one shop and four surveillance cameras on the street, while seven people in total were injured. These included three members of the public (two hit by stones in the head and one knifed in the belly) and four police officers hit by stones.

[18] Woman arrested carrying 1010 extasy pills

The arrest was made late on Saturday evening by Xanthi police officers who were acting on a tip-off about an international drug trafficking ring operating in the area.

According to the findings of a preliminary inquiry, the woman received the drugs from a 37-year-old resident of Bulgaria earlier the same day. Police launched a manhunt in the city and neighboring prefectures and the 37-year-old man was finally arrested in Alexandroupolis.

Police have confiscated all the drugs and mobile phones found on the woman suspect, who has been led before a public prosecutor.

[19] Church the target of petrol-bomb attack

[20] Hand-grenade found in private car

The car belongs to a foreign national that is now being sought. Police bomb disposal experts were called in to open the car and take the grenade, which has been taken to a police forensics laboratory for examination.

[21] Mild earthquake in Patras

According the Athens Observatory Geodynamics Institute, the epicentre of the quake was 160 kilometres west of Athens, just northeast of the town of Halandritsa in the municipality of Farron in Achaia.

No damage caused by the earthquake has been reported by the local fire brigade.

Soccer

[22] Panathinaikos tops Super League, AEK, Olympiakos lose ground

In other results of matches played over the weekend:

Atromitos Athens - Xanthi 2-3

Levadiakos - Larissa 0-1

Veria - Iraklis Thessaloniki 1-2

Aris Thessaloniki - Ergotelis Crete 2-0

OFI Crete - PAOK Thessaloniki 2-0

Standings after 19 weeks of play:

Panathinaikos 43 points

AEK 42

Olympiakos 41

Aris 32

Asteras 31

Xanthi 28

Panionios 28

PAOK 23

Larissa 22

Iraklis 22

Atromitos 21

OFI 19

Levadiakos 18

Apollon 18

Veria 17

Ergotelis 13

Weather Forecast

[23] Warm, some showers on Monday

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