Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-03

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

News in English, 02/09/97

TITLES

• Three days remain before the IOC members cast their votes deciding which city will host the 2004 Olympics
• Two new ministers are sworn in after the resignation of transport minister Haris Kastanides
• And, gigantic pumpkins turn up a little too early for Halloween

OLYMPICS/GREEK. MISSION

Athens is one of the five candidate cities vying for the bid to host the upcoming games.

With the official opening ceremony for the one hundred and sixth congress of the IOC's executive committee held Tuesday, the Greek committee is doing their best to help the Greek capital win the competition.

The opening ceremony not only marked the one hundred and sixth congress of the IOC's executive committee it also meant the beginning of a stressful and hectic week for the five cities competing for the right to organise the 2004 Olympics.

Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, president of the Athen's bid committee was optimistic saying that they were well prepared and ready to welcome International Olympic Committee members and foreign journalists to their stands advertising Greece's bid to host the upcoming games.

Daskalaki added that to further enhance Greece's chances of winning the bid, two officials, Sports minister Andreas Fouras and Secretary General of Sports Yiannis Sgouros were in attendance.

Daskalaki also announced that a number of Greek Olympic winners will support their country in its effort to win the competition. They are; Weight- lifting gold medal champion Pyrros Dimas, wind- surfing gold medalist Nikos Kaklamanakis, gymnastics gold medal winner Ioannis Melissanides, weight- lifting gold champion Kahi Kakiashvilli and weight- lifting silver medalist Leonidas Kokkas.

The president of the Athen's bid committee held a special reception Tuesday for Greek journalists covering the nomination procedure in Lausanne, updating them on the course of the Greek candidacy.

It was announced Tuesday that two IOC members will not be voting Friday to determine the winning city. Princess Anne of England has declined due to the recent death of Lady Diana and Prince FaysAl Fah of Saudi Arabia announced he wouldn't be coming to Lausanne for political reasons. That leaves 107 IOC members to decide which city will host the Olympic Games in the year 2004.

The other four finalists in the bid to host the Games are Rome, Buenos Aires, Capetown, and Stockholm.

OLYMPIC BRIBERY

The announcement came Tuesday with The International Olympic Committee issueing a written reproche to the bid officials of the two cities.

The Swedish bid committee was denounced for having sent a written letter to all IOC members, proposing the name of one specific furniture company to furnish their houses at good price.

The Cape Town bid committee proposed to IOC members travelling from Africa to Lausanne, free transport and lodging for spouses while in Switzerland.

It is estimated that this story will have negative influence on the candidacies of the two cities.

MONTALI

Montali, coach to the popular Olympiakos volley- ball team, says that he considers it fair to give the upcoming Olympics to the country where the games were born.

Speaking with Antenna in Parma, Italy MontAli says, "Presently, as I see it, Athens has several advantages". Referring to the proper facilities he says, "70 percent of the athletic facilities have already been installed in Athens, leaving plenty of time to finish installation within the next 6-7 years.

Montali added that Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, president of the Athens' bid committee as well as the Greek people deserve congratulations, adding that, "I wish you every success."

SWORNING-IN

Tasos Mandelis was appointed as the ministry of transport, following the resignation of Haris Kastanides over the week-end. Stavros Ben-os a civil engineer and former Kala-mata mayor who represents Messenia in parliament will assume the task of interior undersecretary, replacing Man-delis.

Kastanides, resigned 48 hours earlier, offended by criticism Simitis levelled at his performance. During the ceremony, Kastanides was visibly moved as he left the ministry where he served for the past ll months.

Speaking with reporters, standing beside his successor, Kastanides referred to his work in the ministry as well as to the reasons for his resignation.

Kastanidis resigned after the premier criticized his performance as transport minister during last Friday's cabinet meeting. During the meeting, prime minister Kostas Simitis indirectly criticized the ministers of health, agriculture, labour and transport for delays in projects overseen by their ministries. Kastanides took offense over statements he said were leaked to the press, mentioning delays in transport ministry projects.

Kastinidis' resignation signals the first real rift since Simitis' reformist government won election last September. In his letter to the premier,

Kastanidis expressed his belief that press reports on Saturday pegging him as one of those upbraided by Simitis at Friday's cabinet meeting had been the result of orchestrated leaks.

Sources close to Kastanidis say he "overreacted" to Saturday's media reports on criticism. His term as transport minister was turbulent over the past year, culminating in a row with development minister Vasso Papandreou over the creation of a charter flight company.

In his resignation letter he wrote, "This operation had begun a while ago through leaks and selected reporting always from the same circles which I know well". Adding that, "I am also aware that you personally appreciate the work I have quietly produced".

During the press conference Tuesday, Kastanides defended the premier saying, "The reasons surrounding my resignation have nothing to do with the prime minister". Adding that, "We have a long- standing friendship, built on trust, cooperation and a sense of duty. Our relationship is one of mutual respect and love and it will remain firm, but dignity dicates that I resign".

Toward the end of his press conference, Kastanides stopped talking obviously moved, for a period of over two minutes. Recovering he added, "In my meeting with the premier, I told him, I like being remembered not only as arriving somewhere, but also at the moment in which I am leaving. On that cue he kissed his successor Mandelis on each cheek.

ECONOMY

Presently, there appear to only be two points of agreement between them.

A slight increase of 3 PERCENT in wages and pensions for public sector workers and CUTS in state spendings of over 650 million dollars.

The prime minister's financial advisor Tassos Yiannitsis says that meetings between economy ministers are set to continue over the next couple of months.

Deputy economy minister Giorgos Dris says that planning for next year's budget is going fine and that everything is working out according to schedule.

KARAMANLIS

Karamanlis was warmly welcomed in the Greek- Albanian border towns by residents. The leader of New Democracy called on the government to encourage development in the region, so that, they are not so quote, unquote, isolated from mainstream society.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

The meeting, attended by Labour minister Mil- tiades Papaioannou, Interior minister Alekos Papa- doppoulos and Public Order minister Giorgos Romeos, focused on whether or not to establish a "green card" for all Albanians and Balkan immigrants.

Sources say the so-called "green card" could function as a work permit.

An estimated 350 thousand Albanian immigrants live and work in Greece.

WHALES

The sperm whales were spotted in the 100 meter bay of Pagasitikos near volos in north central Greece.

But, it appears as if they finally found their way out to sea. Coast guard authorities report that they haven't seen the two whales in the bay since Saturday. It is estimated that the mammals, left the bay tailing behind a cruiser.

Sperm whales need a depth of over one thousand meters in which to survive. It is the their dietary staple of squid which is found at such depths.

Mammal specialists say that could not have survived in such a shallow depth of water for more than a couple of days.

BICYCLE RIDER

A 32-year-old Greek living in Germany showed his support for the Athens' bid by traveling to Greece on his...bicycle!

In 13 days, Anastasios Sy-me-o-nEEdis cycled one thousand 7 hundred kilometers from Colonne in Germany to the Northern Greek town of KaterEEni.

Arriving in Katereni he told reporters, "I wanted to contribute in my own way to Greece's battle to host the 2004 Olympics". Upon his arrival local officials presented him with a gold medal.

Anastasios' mother says of her son, "I'm very proud of my son. He made it". His father, Haralambos, proudly recalled his childhood, "Anastasios was a very lively child, very athletic".

The diligent bike rider says he is now considering a new cycle venture, continuing his support of Greece's candidacy for the 2004 Olympics.

PUMPKIN

Your probably thinking, we'll it might be a little early...not if you are in Greece. The Anthoulis brothers working as farmers for the last... sixty years on the island of Kos have cultivated the two giants.

One weighs a little over 200 pounds while the other weighs in at a mere 60 pounds!

When asked which one of the two brothers is happier seeing the fruits of his labour? None... it seems that their grandchildren are enjoying the two gigantic gourds more than the farmers.

How did they make it? The one farmer proudly divulged his well kept secret, "We only used water and manure" adding, "We didn't use any fertilizer at all".

This is not the first time that one of the two produced such a big prize.

"Twenty-five years ago I cultivated a water melon weighing in at 60 pounds!!".

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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