Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-06-13

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English, 13/06/97

TITLES

• Greek diplomats say elections are the key to restoring law and order to Albania.
• David Rivers and Olympiakos appear to be parting ways.
• And, Opera in the service of reading and writing.

ÁLBANIA

What began as angry protests over a banking scandal in February mushroomed into open rebellion in the south. The rebels demanded the immediate resignation of president Sali Berisha. Instead, an interim government was set up, international peacekeepers were brought in, and electons called for June 29th.

As we hear in this report, many observers say successful elections are a pre-condition to order being restored.

As the clock winds down towrad election day, the spiral of violence continues its upward climb.

Many ethnic Greeks in southern Albania are staying shut up in their houses, to stay out of the way of the armed gangs that have had considerable elbow room to operate since central authority collapsed a few months ago.

Fears are heightened by the fact that the gangs often kill for no reason.

Over the past two months, 1400 people have been killed throughout Albania, including 35 children. In the past 24 hours, 20 people have been killed in the Argyrokastro area alone.

Some of the deaths - especially in the case of children - are accidents, since weapons and explosives are easy to get. But in most cases it's murder, and a robbery or settling of accounts is involved.

Greek diplomats say the June 29th elections are critical, in view of the growing violence especially evident in the south.

Armed men in a car riddled the Greek consulate in Argyrokastro with bullets Wednesday, endangering the lives of people waiting ouside for visas.

Before the attack, threatening calls were made to the consulate - but that's normal.

There is lawlessness in other parts of the country too. A 20-year-old woman who had been raped in the central Albanian city of ErsEka went home, got a machine gun, and went to the cafe where the rapists were recounting their exploits, killing seven of them.

Relatives of the dead rapists in turn exacted revenge, shooting dead three of the woman's relatives.

Thousands of Albanian civilians armed themselves during raids on military bases and police stations during the rebellion. Many of the weapons have been returned, many have not. What many people are hoping, is that the upcoming elections will result in the return of the rule of law, and a police presence on the streets.

ALBANIA-GREECE

Early Thursday morning, Greek army unit came across a group of Albanians smuggling sheep into Greece. Shots were exchanged, and the Albanians fled.

And Albanians unloaded 330 kilos of hash at the western Greek coastal resort of Parga. Spotted by the police they too fled, abandoning their contraband cargo.

GOVTAL COMMITTEE

Iannos Papantoniou talked to reporters after a meeting of the governmental committee, chaired by the prime minister.

Papantoniou says good management of the budget, satisfactory government revenue levels, and a drop in inflation are all signs that no further belt- tightening measuures are necessary.

Papantoniou also says the government has got to steer the same steady economic course for the rest of the year.

Despite the government's satisfaction, tax collectors are going to step up their efforts to get more revenue into the treasury coffers. In coming weeks, they hope to bring in some 6 billion dollars in back taxes.

Tax department president Andreas Makrypides says one of the biggest culprits is the public sector, which accouncts for 40 per cent of the country's tax debt.

Former prime minister Constantinos Mitsotakis disagrees with the government's rosy assessment of the economy. The honorary New Democracy leader says that the public debt is increasing and that productivity is low.

ND

Kostas Karamanlis told his deputies that he's going to make sure the government doesn't mishandle Greece's relations with Turkey.

Saying that he favours promoting communication links between the two countries, the New Democracy leader noted too that he doesn't want to see any backsliding away from Greece's positions. Any dialogue should be conducted on the basis that Turkey respects Greece's terriorial rights and international law, and refrains from issuing war threats against Greece to get its way in the Aegean.

Turkey staged a military landing on the Greek rocks of Imia in 1996, claiming them as its own. And it has repeatedly said that it will go to war if Greece exercises its internationally- recognised right to extend its Aegean borders from 6 to 12 miles.

The government's recent decision to set up a committee to list Greek- Turkish differences was frowned on by New Democracy. Even though the government says committee recommendations are not binding, the opposition party fears the Turkish committee will use the EU-mediated process to get its claims on Greece onto a future negotiating agenda.

Karamanlis's main problem with Pasok's Turkish policy is that he finds it vague.

Greece's main opposition leader urged his MPs to be cautious when assessing Richard Holbrooke's appointment as special envoy on the Cyprus issue. Though the US says it badly wants to resolve the 22-year-old problem quickly, Karamanlis says the US has never shown that it distinguishes between the victim - Cyprus - and the victimiser - Turkey.

Turning to the upcoming pivotal European Union summit in Amsterdam, where the criteria for mnetary union laid down in Maastricht may be revised, Karamanlis said Greece should try to meet the EXISTING requirements - which cover things like inflation levels and budget deficits.

The final issue of importance touched on by Karamanlis was the proposed changes to the Greek constitution.

New Democracy opposes Pasok's idea of reducing the number of parliamentary deputies needed to elect a president, from 180 to a simple majority of 151. The issue is important, because if parliament cannot elect a president, then parliament is dissolved and national elections are called. Karamanlis says Pasok is hypocritical in saying it wants to make the change for the good of the country, when what it's really doing is making it easier for a sitting government to hang on to power.

BOOK

In "The childless country", Petralia sounds the alarm over what she sees as a demographic problem.

She backs her concerns up with data on the low birth rate over the past few years; In 1995, the nation's population grew by just a thousand.

New Democracy MP Iannis Varvitsiotis, Athens Academy president Nikolaos Matsaniotis, and journalist Olga Tremi presented the book at the launch in parliament.

All the speakers stressed that Greece's demographic problem stems from the lack of financial support the state lends families with children.

They added that the problem has economic, political, and social consequences for the country.

POLICE/DOGS

The new sniffer-dog program appears to be getting positive results. Police officer Evangelos VenEtis says that in the trial period, drivers responded warmly to the dogs, because they understood that the creatures are working to protect people.

BASKETBALL

Pao had a forgettable season last year.

It's cross-town rival Olympiakos had a great year, winning the European and Greek titles, and the Greek cup. Much of the thanks goes to guard David Rivers, but it appears that the former LA Laker WON'T be back with Olympiakos next year.

Both he and the team denied reports that the club was offering him a million dollars a year for two years.

And talks seem to have broken down. Unwilling to meet what it considers Rivers' extravagant demands, the team issued a statement reminding all the club's players that they owe their success to the organisation as much as they do to their own individual efforts.

IRODIO

The charity event was organized by the Greek Education Center for Minors battle against illiteracy.

Bass singer Dimitris Stavrakos, soprano Tzeni GrivAla, mezzo-soprano Pamela Pantos and tenor Markos FrangOUlis dazzled the audience with their exceptional vocal range.

The four singers performed a variety of arias from famous operas by Verdi, Donicetti and Puccini. They were accompanied by the European Festival Orchestra, which was conducted by the internationally-acclaimed John ApEitos.

All proceeds from the concert will be donated to the Greek Education Center.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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