Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-11-12

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

Last Updated: Thursday, 12-Nov-98 21:06:05

CONTENTS

[01] Simitis-Majko meeting

[02] Budget reactions

[03] Karamanlis

[04] Sports

[01] Simitis-Majko meeting

Calling on the international to push harder for a solution to the Kosovo problem, the Albanian leader said there is a dangerous vacuum there.

Albanian prime minister Pandeli Majko said in Athens that there's a vacuum in Kosovo, where neither peace nor war exists. He wants the international community to push harder for a solution to the dispute between ethnic- Albanian separatists and the central Yugoslav authorities.

Meeting with Greek Premier Costas Simitis, Majko called for "immediate intervention" by the international community.

To achieve what exactly he didn't say. But he did say that Kosovo should be given some sort of "temporary status", and his talks with Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis focused on giving some autonomy to the Serbian province.

Nato imposed a settlement on Kosovo last, forcing Serb president Slobodan Milosevic to remove his heavy artillery and security police from the province. The agreement also calls for an end to hostilities and the creation of a local police force that will reflect the population ratio in Kosovo, where there are nine Albanians for every Serb. The agreement calls for talks toward autonomy; and for 2,000 international observers to be allowed to monitor Serbian implementation of the agreement.

Despite the agreement though, the violence continues. And that, says Majko, is an issue the international community must address.

The stability of Kosovo is closely linked in most minds with the stability of the wider Balkan region.

For Greece, stability in Albania is also an issue of regional concern.

Europe's poorest country descended into political chaos after a financial scandal last year, and the first shaky steps to build strong democratic institutions are being taken.

Albania is looking to Greece for support and guidance.

In Athens, Majko signed a 70 million dollar loan agreement. And Greece is helping Albania rebuild its police force.

Athens hopes that a more efficient police force will be able to reduce the number of illegal emigrants trying to sneak into Greece.

Simitis called his meeting with Mayko a sign of growing friendship and cooperation between their two peoples.

The Greek leader said his country wants to help Albania forge closer links to NATO, the European Union and other international organizations.

[02] Budget reactions

The budget allows for meagre public sector pay raises next year, and raises the income taxes of middle class professionals and self-employed.

With inflation running a 4.7 per cent and the government offering state employees 2 per cent raises in 1999, well, no one's smiling.

Panagiotis Voutos, a highly placed member of the civil servants union didn't mince words Thursday. "It'll be a tough year for workers and pensioners. Their living standards will fall as the government

bleeds people with taxes and cuts social spending".

The squeeze is also on the middle class, which isn't smiling either.

Self-employed professionals and people with shops and other small businesses will be paying up to 20 per cent more in income taxes next year.

The chairman of their guild, Giorgos Kanellopoulos, complains: "The state coffers are doing well, but not the middle class, which has been economically marginalised by the government's policies".

Homeowners are also showing a sullen countenance: the tax on their homes is going to be raised by up to 20 per cent.

Homeowners' spokesman Stratos Paradias bitterly bemoans the fact that while the government says it is imposing no new taxes, people with their own homes are being called on to pay the fiddler with hikes in the existing propery taxes.

If people who pay their taxes are grumbling, people who evade paying their taxes are looking over their shoulders.

The 1999 budget includes a list of names of individuals and companies busted for tax fraud. The fines - if paid - will add 750 million dollars to the state coffers.

[03] Karamanlis

He added that the Pasok government is dangerous for the country.

Addressing people who were elected to county posts

on a New Democracy ticket or with New Democracy backing in the recent regional elections, Karamanlis said the party has much riding on them.

He explained that New Democracy's image in the eyes of the voters will depend in no small part in how they conduct themselves and carry out their duties in office.

Karamanlis also said that local government has been damaged by Pasok's manipulation of it to achieve its narrow party aims.

New Democracy registered impressive gains in the local and regional elections; and Karamanlis says it will repair the damage done by Pasok.

[04] Sports

Lifting in the 62-kilo category, the European champion finished first in the snatch and the jerk; he also had the best overall score.

In Lacthi Finland, Leonidas Sabanis shattered the world record in the jerk, with a 147.5-kilo lift in his third attempt.

He also picked up a gold for his 172.5-kilo hoist in the snatch.

Two first-place finishes in the separate categories of course automatically means a gold in the overall category; in Sabanis's case, on the strength of his 320-kilo total in the jerk and the snatch.

The Greek weight-lifter, also an Olympic silver medalist, told Antenna he's very happy with his performance in Finland. Five months of hard work paid off.

But this ambitious athlete is keeping his world

record and three gold medals in perspective. He says that as pleased as he is, his sights are set on another goal: the 2000 Olympics.

For now, though, the eyes of the fans are on Finland, where there was more glory for Greece than just Sabanis's medals.

Lifting in the 69-kilo category, Giorgos Tzelilis won the silver medal in the overall and the bronze in the jerk. And Valerios Leonides added a second bronze in the snatch.

In pro basketball, Panathinaikos had not met its match this season going into its European championship contest against Red Star in Belgrade.

Pao was undefeated in six tournament starts, but had never won a game in Yugoslavia.

Red Star has only one win this European season going into the game, but looks plenty capable of winning its second, as it goes up 47-40.

Pao, kept in the contest by the able scoring hands of Dino Radja, keeps it close, but Red Star goes up by four with a late trey and a free throw to follow.

Pao comes back to take a one-point lead which Radja protects with a late blocked shot. Deyan Bodiroga hits a free throw with a second left to complete the scoring. Pao wins it 76-74, and is now 7 and oh in Europe.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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