Antenna: News in English (PM), 98-12-02

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

Last Updated: Wednesday, 02-Dec-98 20:39:47

CONTENTS

[01] Customs union strike

[02] Simitis

[03] Stephanopoulos

[04] Apostolopoulou-Cancer

[01] Customs union strike

A lower court ruled Wednesday that the strike is illegal, after hearing electricity company officials testify that the inability of fuel to get through customs will mean that power plants will soon be unable to work.

The response of the customs union to that decision was to cancel its pre- announced five-day strike, due to end Saturday. Instead, they're now calling an indefinite series of 24-hour strikes.

The bottling up of gas and other fuel at ports of entry has already hit motorists. Most service stations in Athens have been closed since Monday. A few are still getting limited supplies - as soon as word gets out, the cars line up.

One driver outside a service station pumping gas said he wasn't sure he had enough petrol left in his tank to get him to the pump.

It's the same story in Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki.

Most people were hoping to make it to Saturday, when the five-day strike ended, to tank up again. But Wednesday's union decision means there's no guarantee that the fuel will be getting to consumers any time soon.

[02] Simitis

The customs union complaint is that the merging of their health and pension fund with others will result in them losing some of their benefits, is unwarranted.

Kostas Simitis said that if the government were willing to give in to groups unhappy with government policies, then it would be better if he and his ministers didn't even bother going in to work in the morning.

Prime minister Kostas Simitis tried to convince customs workers that their fears about the imminent merging of their health and pension fund with other public sector funds are unwarranted.

But if they remain unconvinced, he added, that's just too bad.

Simitis said at a press conference that the legislation regarding the mergers is a way of rationalising the state insurance system.

The bill, he added, contains clauses that protects the rights of those covered by the pre-existing fund.

What the mergers will mean, Simitis continued, is a new way of managing public sector health and pension funds.

Reassurances given, the prime minister made it clear that he will not buckle in the face of pressure to withdraw the bill.

"The customs people want their own separate fund", he said. "But they can't be the exception to the rule. if we don't all contribute we can't make this country better".

As for the strike, Simitis said "So what? Does that mean we should do nothing? It would be easier for us to just stay at home and not be bothered by anyone. But this government is here to change things, and we'll continue to do so", he concluded.

The prime minister spoke after meeting with the minister of the interior. At that meeting, not only the insurance funds, but also rationalisation of the nation's public administration were discussed.

Simitis said the government is going to hire nearly 3,000 experts in public administration to help organise work for newly created townships and counties.

The prime minister emphasised that his aim is to ensure that local government employees are efficient but also sensitive to the needs of the public they serve.

[03] Stephanopoulos

And, after meeting with the president Wednesday, a leading member of the main opposition party said the government is generating the discussion to create a pre-election climate.

Reporters asked president Kostis Stephanopoulos himself Wednesday if there's any truth to reports that the prime minister will give him his backing when parliament is called to elect a new president in March, 2000.

The president said as far as he knows there's no truth at all to the reports - and told the press to ask the government.

Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas also discounted the press reports that the cabinet has made any decisions about who to back when parliament elects a new Greek president in the spring of 2000.

President Stephanopoulos is doing an outstanding job, he said. And the government isn't looking at the 2000 presidential issue at all right now.

Opposing rumours are also floating around: some reports say that the prime minister is considering calling early parliamentary elections. The government's term of office expires in September of 2000; but some sources say Pasok intends to call for elections in March of that year - over the issue of the president. Under Greek law, if parliament cannot elect a president, then the house is dissolved and parliamentary elections are called.

So, what are we to conclude?

After meeting with president Stephanopoulos, former New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert said the government is behind all the rumours. The election manoeuvering, he added, is premature, and damaging to the national interest.

Noting that the president is doing an excellent job, Evert said it's unacceptable that he is drawn in to what he called Pasok's election games.

[04] Apostolopoulou-Cancer

Since then, the researcher has initiated new trials, on humans. One hundred women with breast cancer in Greece are taking part in one of the trials.

Arriving in Athens for a one-week stay, Anastosopoulou said she'll be lecturing on her research and monitoring progress of patients involved in her tests in Greece.

The vaccine contains synthetic M-FP, a substance found in cancer cells. The vaccine spurs the immune system into action against the cancer cells.

(c) ANT1 Radio 1998

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