Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-11-13

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

Last Updated: Thursday, 13-Nov-97 10:57:53

CONTENTS

[01] Åconomy

[02] Simitis-Karamanlis

[03] Neonazi

[04] Sophia Katsaneva

[05] Coast Guard

[06] Basketball

[07] Hatzifotiou

[01] Åconomy

The finance minister said Wednesday that Pasok's policies over the past four years are paying dividends, that all the numbers look good, and the investment and consumer picture is bright.

Presenting the tough 1998 budget to the press, the finance minister sweetened the pill, saying the economic policies Pasok has been following over the past four years are starting to bear fruit. "Our country needes to take significant strides toward European economic and monetary convergence", said Iannos Papantoniou. "We need development and investments as well as to continue the fight against inflation and the deficit".

And that means belt-tightening. To further tackle the deficit, the new budget aims to rake in 5 billion dollars more in revenue for the state next year.

There will be 2 billion dollars more in direct taxes.

People making up to 19 thousand dollars a year, will pay slightly less income tax next year. Those making over 28 thousand dollars, will pay from 30 to 150 dollars a month more.

There will also be 2.2 billion dollars more in indirect taxes, on things like cigarettes - which are going up 50 cents a pack - alcohol, road taxes, fuel, and property taxes.

Under the new budget guidelines, takings on state bonds will jump 2.5 per cent, to 10 per cent.

Property values will be reassessed upwards by up to 50 per, meaning higher taxes there.

The objective criteria, which tax businesses and professionals accord to things like office size rather than declared income, will also be hiked by up to 50 per cent.

Anyone selling shares will pay .3 per cent tax.

And the tax on mutual fund sales is jumping from .2 to .3 per cent.

Gains on non-listed company shares will be taxed at 40, instead of the current 35 per cent.

And mobile phone users will be paying up to 8 dollars a month to the state for the privilege of using their phones.

State employees and pensioners will be getting a 2. 5 per cent raise in '98, and there will be a lightening up on income taxes, with brackets being adjusted upwards by 5.7 per cent.

Papantoniou says that since 1993, Pasok has acted on the belief that stabilisation of the economy and development must advance together.

1997, he explains, marks the fourth consecutive year that the rate of economic growth has increased. This year, it's at 3.5 per cent.

This is the second straight year, adds

Papantoniou, that the growth in Greece's GNP has outstipped the European average by one per cent. That creates good conditions for Greece converging with other European economies, and for Greeks to achieve the average European standard of living.

Papantoniou is optimistic: he notes that growth rates are among the highest in the EU, and that inflation and the deficit have been significantly reduced over the past two years.

The state deficit is down to 4.2 per cent of GNP, compared to 13.8 per cent in 1993 and 7.4 per cent in 1996.

Inflation is at 4.7 per cent, the lowest in 25 years. Just four years ago, it was 12 per cent.

The European Commission is also optimistic about Greece. It notes that it has done better at improving its economy than any other EU nation.

It chalks that up to Greece following a consistent economic policy and improving the financial climate: there has been a spectacular increase in state and private investments, owing to cheap money and efficient use of European Union development funds.

Papantoniou says the improving overall picture is reflected in the continuing improvement in the investment and consumer climate, in the large increases in real incomes, and in the profitability of corporations.

[02] Simitis-Karamanlis

Kostas Simitis said that over the past four years, real wages have gone up an average of 1.9 per cent.

But opposition parties slammed the government's policies.

New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis said the budget is tax-grabbing and will lead nowhere. What's needed to save the economy, he thinks, is a massive privatisation programme and good housekeeping where the state's finances are concerned. New Democracy is the party to do all that.

Karamanlis wants more clarity when it comes to state finances.

Former New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert said the government overestimates its income in advance of every fiscal year, and overestimates its outlays. He added that this year the budget will be 2.4 billion dollars short.

Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras called the 1998 budget a tax storm, which reveals that government policies are bankrupt.

[03] Neonazi

Tasos Dalakourafell prey to a German neo-nazi wielding a knife and shouting racial epithets.

Dalakouras, who remains in intensive care in a Berlin hospital is another victim in the long list of racial attacks by right-extremists groups in the region.

Dimitris, the son of the victim said the man who attacked his father was loitering outside the Greek restaurant with his friends shouting racial and facist slogans such as "Foreigners go home" and "Hail Hitler".

Dalakouras suffered injuries to the trachea, stomach, abdomen and liver.

There were reports that the police and ambulence arrived unduly late at the crime scene.

[04] Sophia Katsaneva

Papandreou, once prime minister and father to another - Andreas Papandreou - left a huge mark on Greek politics in the post-war period.

The Election Material exhibit covers the period from 1909 to 1967.

It was opened by the first vice president of parliament, Mr Kritikos.

The opening gave Sophia Katsaneva, Andreas Papandreou's daughter, the chance to talk about her father's archives.

Two letters allegedly from those archives touched off controversy recently. MEN magazine published two missives allegedly written by top Pasok members to Andreas Papandreou in 1986 and 1995. The letters contain negative comment on the activities and characters of leading party members.

One of the letters is signed by Pasok's secretary, Kostas Skandalides. He's denied writing it and is suing those responsible for printing it. All of Pasok's top members, including the prime minister, have laughed the matter off.

Some people say the letters were leaked from the Papandreou archives. Sophia Katsa-neva says if they were, she wasn't the culprit, as she's already handed over any archive material she had in her possession.

[05] Coast Guard

The boats can carry 30 shipwrecked passengers, and provide them with medical treatment.

And they're hard to sink, as a crane demonstrated in Piraeus Wednesday.

That operation simulated conditions the boat might come up against in a storm featuring 12 beaufort winds. Not a drop of water got in the boat dropped in upside down.

Stavros Soumakis, Merchant marine minister said, "We'll be getting one ship every two months. We want to equip the coast guard with the latest in helicopters, planes, and electronic gear".

The Greek-built all-weather craft can accommodate five crew members, sports sophisticated electronic equipment, a closed circuit TV network, and can reach a maximum speed of 22 knots per hour.

Aristotelis ZEis, representative of the manufacturers, says the capsizing of the vessel was carried out under real-life conditions: the fuel tanks were full and 140 pound sand bags took the place of passengers.

The boat costs around 1.5 million dollars.

[06] Basketball

Star-studded Pao, which failed to qualify for this year's European championship tourney, is making the best of its exile.

Also in European cup action, Apollon knocked off Slovenia's Polzela. The score there: 84-59

[07] Hatzifotiou

"Paths of War" is the title of the 14th book from the pen of Zachos Hatzifotiou. It's just been launched.

At the launch, the writer said he talks not only of other people's experiences, but also of his own.

The book concentrates on the battles fought in the Middle East during the Second World War.

It focuses mainly on Hellenism's role in the war in the deserts of Africa, but also in the Mediterranean and on the Aegean islands.

At the launch, former Greek president Georgios Rallis said youth can learn much from the Middle East campaign during the war.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1997

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