News in English, of 24/05/1996

European Commissioner Jacques Santer says Greece has made progress in improving its economy. Santer met with Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis in Athens Thursday.

European commissioner Jacques Santer is pleased with the progress the Greek economy is making. Santer talked about the Greek economy at a joint press conference with Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis.

The European commissioner, who had met with Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos earlier in the day, said the positive results of the Greek government's fiscal policies are noteworthy.

The Greek government is trying to reduce inflation and cut the deficit, so Greece will be ready for European Union monetary union at the end of the century.

Mr Simitis said that his administration is interested in taking care of people as well as firming up the economy, and is doing what it can to help the unemployed and people living on low pensions.

Tackling unemployment is one of the key issues on the agenda at the conference of European Union mayors and local officials in Thessaloniki, kicked off by Santer on Wednesday.

Two thousand mayors and regional officials arrived in Greece's second city from all over Europe for the four-day conference, which is also dealing with environmental protection issues.

Addressing the delegates, Santer said, "If you want to build the Europe of tomorrow, you have to start by building up your towns and districts. That's why this conference in Thessaloniki is so important".

Santer also touched on an issue of special significance to Greece: Turkey. He said that the EU is well informed of the problems between Greece and Turkey, adding that Greece is a full EU member, and so must always be able to count on EU solidarity.

Interior minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos represented the Greek government at the conference. He said that if European governments want European citizens to support the EU, then they must give special attention to local and regional development in EU countries.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert and Political Spring president Antonis Samaras also attended the conference.

In an exlusive interview with Antenna, Jacques Santer talked more about the European Union's economic objectives.

He also said that Turkey must respect international law, and go to the international court if it wants to question the legal status quo in the Aegean.

We heard earlier that the European Union's top official says Greece can count on its support against Turkish provocations.

Greece's defence minister says the country's defence and foreign affairs council should meet more often to better coordinate their efforts to formulate the government's policies on Turkey.

At a press conference Thursday, defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis appeared to respond to the assertion of the foreign minister early in the week that there is a lack of contact between the defence and foreign ministries.

Arsenis said the two ministries work together well, but that there are issues in policy formulation that need to be looked at by the government ministries in conjunction with the military chiefs on a more frequent basis.

Arsenis added that the Governmental Defence and Foreign Affairs Council, which includes the heads of the armed forces, is legally responsible for formulating foreign and defence policy. He said Turkey's current belligerent attitude to Greece makes the Council even more important, and that it should closely study issues related to Turkey. Arsenis believes the prime minister intends to make greater use of the council.

Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos caused a stir at the beginning of the week, when he questioned the competence of the leaders of the armed forces.

Arsenis responded, saying the Greek people have confidence in the readiness of the military to defend the country.

Pasok's parliamentary group has a new secretary. MP Nikos Akritidis, politically close to defence minister Gerasimos Arsenis, was chosen Thursday to head the MPs' seven-member secretariat.

Akritidis was unanimously elected by the secretariats other members, three of whom are in the political camp of prime minister Kostas Simitis, and three of whom are close to interior minister Akis Tsochatzopuolos.

Mr Simitis defeated both Arsenis and Tsochatzopoulos when Pasok's MPs elected a new prime minister in January. Tsochatzopoulos is likely to be Mr Simitis's main rival when Pasok's congress elects a party vice president this summer.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert is ready for national elections. He says there could be early elections this autumn, and that his party will emerge from the next elections strong enough to form a government on its own.

Evert laid into the government, calling it "handicapped" and "irresponsible". He said there are unbridgeable differences between Pasok government ministers and party members.

169 appeals court judges unanimously chose Giorgos Navpliotis to head a judicial investigation of corruption allegations at the state-owned phone company, OTE.

Eleven days ago, a Sunday newspaper ran a story charging that high-ranking OTE officials took bribes from the telecommunications firms Intracom and Siemens between 1987 and 1990, when the companies were bidding for the rights to provide OTE with digital phone lines.

The companies won the contracts.

The appelate court judges have also appointed Lambros KarAbelas to the OTE case, as chief prosecutor.

Crete has its own version of the Loch Ness monster, less inspiring, but perhaps more real. And now, in captivity.

The wild cat of Crete was finally caught in a trap made by two Italian biology students.

The cat has had the lead role in a number of island legends for decades. The last time its existence was recorded was in 1905, when a group of English scientists did the honours.

The two students from the university of Perugia, in Crete to study carnivorous animals, set a number of traps to catch the cat in early April.

Biologists explain that this nocturnal animal, which is afraid of human beings, is quite old, over ten years old, and say its species is seen mostly in North Africa, Crete, Cyprus and Sicily.

The animal has been taken to the University of Crete for further scientific studies.

© ANT1-Radio 1996

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