Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-01-26

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

Last Updated: Monday, 26-Jan-98 13:26:51

CONTENTS

[01] Olympiakos-Ankara Review

[02] Economy Review

[03] Horn Review

[04] Olympics Review

[05] Damanaki Review

[06] Patriarch Review

[01] Olympiakos-Ankara Review

The team players were stunned by the shower of stones, bricks, and metal bars unleashed on them during their contest against local PTT.

"Playing in Ankara ? That's probably the worst place that I've played in my professional career probably the worse place to play".

Ditto for the rest of Olympiakos's players, shell- shocked after being pelted by heavy objects before during and after their European championship tournament game against Ankara's PTT.

As soon as the players took the court at Kemal Ataturk Stadium Thursday night, it started raining screws, bottles, stones, and pieces of metal, endangering the lives of the Olympiakos squad members.

Things were no easier on the court, as the referees turned a blind eye to the rough tactics of the home team.

Olympiakos's victory did nothing to calm things down.

Even after they'd left the court at the end of the game, the Greek players weren't safe, as Turkish fans hurled stones and even bricks through the locker room windows.

Three players, Milan Tomich, Vouksevich, and Karaplis were slightly injured.

"What can I say?" asked a dumbfounded Tomich. "I've never seen anything like it in my life. They were throwing iron bars onto the court".

Olympiakos coach Dussan Ivkovich called the events tragic. "It's hard to talk about the game when you see blood", he said.

The Greek team is expected to send a letter of protest to the international basketball federation, along with video and other evidence of the events in Ankara.

[02] Economy Review

And finance minister Iannos Papantoniou wants the government to have more control over the restructuring process.

Under new legislation, collective bargaining procedures at problem industries will be weakened; some issues decided by management, the state, and employees now, will be decided through the legislative process, in other words, by the government alone.

Trying to take the edge off trade union anger, Papantoniou emphasises that the government isn't thinking about laying anyone off at state-owned money- losers. "Our bill is about organisational matters - things like redeploying staff to areas where they'd be more productive - and with putting and end to phoney overtime claims".

Opposing the government move, General Workers' Union leader Christos Polyzogopoulos said, "The long arm of the state can't turn these companies around. It's been managing them for years, and we see the results. Let the companies solve their problems in tandem with the workers there, in a good climate, and in a way that will serve the interests of the enterprises concerned, but also of society as a whole".

A one-day strike brought public transport and the state-run banks to a halt Thursday. And Friday, the General Workers' voted to hold another 24-hour stoppage next week.

Many employees at state-owned firms suspect that the government plan, which Papantoniou reassures them will only be implemented at problem firms, is just the first step in a march to roll back

collective bargaining procedures throughout the public sector.

Some workers protesting in Athens during Thursday's strike expressed the fear that the government's long-term aim is to attack wages, and perhaps even change the 8-hour day.

[03] Horn Review

Hundreds of people went to pay their final respects to Horn at Athens First Cemetery, where he was buried.

[04] Olympics Review

The former parliamentary deputy's selection was announced by the prime minister this past Monday.

Kostas Simitis told the press after meeting with the nation's president that in addition to the committee chaired by Stratigis, there will be a national committee, which will be chaired by the prime minister, and work under under the auspices of the Greek president. That committee will make recommendations to the organising committee and evaluate its work.

The other members of the organising committee will be named later this week. As for Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, who chaired the Athens 2004

Bid committee, Simitis says that she will take part in the national committee, but for personal reasons asked not to be a part of Athens 2004 Incorporated.

[05] Damanaki Review

Pasok's executive bureau voted unanimously to rubber stamp Damanaki's candidacy. A development Damanaki calls important and positive.

"There is now an alternative political proposal for Athens", she says.

[06] Patriarch Review

By the year 2003, the Ecumenical Synod of Orthodox Churches will convene to make a start at doing just that.

Ecumenical patriarch Vartholomeos made the announcement in Zurich, where he was the guest of one of the ecumenical patriarchate's most generous benefactors, Panagioits Angelopoulos.

After what was Vartholomeos's first public reference to the issue, sources said there will be a Panorthodox Synod in Geneva this year in preparation for the later Synod.

In Geneva, the main topics on the agenda are expected to be the orthodox diaspora and the contribution of orthodox churches to maintaining the predominance of Christian beliefs.

Vartholomeos attended a liturgy at Agios Dimitrios Church in Zurich, expressing his gratitude to Angelopoulos. "We are all united in the name of our Lord", he told those gathered.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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