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Athens News Agency: News in English, 97-01-04

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.forthnet.gr/ape>


NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 04/01/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

  • Simitis undergoes successful operation
  • Pangalos denies disagreements with Rozakis
  • Thessaloniki Cultural Capital art programme unveiled
  • ND leadership to discuss congress programme Tuesday
  • National Bank reduces rates
  • 1997 "Blue Flag" programme gets underway.

    NEWS IN DETAIL

    Prime Minister undergoes successful operation

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis this morning underwent a successful operation for the removal of the gallbladder at the Hippocrateion Hospital in Athens.

    The operation was completed at 10.15 am, and the prime minister regained consciousness about an hour later and was recovering smoothly in his room, a medical communique issued at midday said.

    According to the doctors, the gallbladder was removed for preventive reasons, and without previously causing any serious health problem. It was up to the prime miniter, who was in an excellent mood after regaining consciousness, when to return to his duties, they added.

    "It is a common operation, not followed up by any special instructions," it was stated.

    On arrival at hospital at 07:45, Simitis said the operation had been planned some time ago. He was accompanied by his wife Daphne.

    He is due to leave the hospital tomorrow afternoon.

    Pangalos dismisses press reports citing disagreements with Rozakis

    Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos yesterday dismissed press reports alleging that the resignation on Thursday of Foreign Undersecretary Christos Rozakis resulted from disagreements between the two men.

    Speaking during a cabinet meeting at noon, Mr. Pangalos praised Mr. Rozakis' work at the ministry, calling press reports of alleged political friction between them as being "unfounded."

    Mr. Rozakis resigned his post citing health reasons which "need special attention." In a later press release he expressed regret, however, over what he termed as "unfair" attacks made against him.

    Meanwhile, in reiterating that Mr. Rozakis had resigned because of health problems, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that many of the foreign undersecretary's political opinions had been endorsed by the government.

    Describing as "friendly" relations between Mr. Rozakis and Premier Simitis, Mr. Reppas said the foreign undersecretary "is a useful scholar for the government and will be used in foreign policy missions in the future." He again said that Mr. Rozakis had suffered a heart attack on Dec. 18 and had been told to rest by his physicians.

    Mr. Simitis accepted the foreign undersecretary's resignation on Thursday, but urged him to remain at his office until he has completed his unfinished assignments and to participate in scheduled meetings.

    Inner cabinet examines work ahead

    Prime Minister Costas Simitis chaired a three-hour inner cabinet meeting at noon yesterday to prioritise issues the government will be facing in the near future as well as to examine prospects for 1997.

    The meeting focused on growth-related issues with emphasis on the need to overcome long-lasting structural problems in the economy as well as the need to initiate a series of institutional reforms.

    The meeting also touched on Greece's national issues.

    Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas later told reporters the meeting focused on a series of changes which need to be instituted in regional administration, the need to speed up privatisations and investments, materialisation of major projects and a mor e systematic development of local initiatives

    Cultural Capital's four-month art exhibitions programme unveiled

    The Cultural Capital Organisation's art exhibition programme for the first four-month period was presented in Thessaloniki yesterday, featuring exhibitions of works by renowned artists such as Max Ernst, Georg Baselitz, Sarkis, Pavlos Dionysopoulos, Giorg os Zongolopoulos and Michalangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

    The programme is budgeted at about 400 million drachmas- a third of the 1.2 billion drachmas estimated for the entire art programme for 1997 P and was prepared in cooperation with foreign cultural institutes in the city (German, French, Italian and Briti sh).

    Events are due to start on Tuesday with the inauguration of an exhibition with 62 sculptures and collages by Max Ernst at the Municipal Gallery in Thessaloniki. The exhibition includes photographs and documents from the surrealist artist's tumultuous li fe.

    An exhibition with works by German artists Georg Baselitz will begin at the Goethe Institut on Wednesday and last until Jan. 28, while a double exhibition by Sarkis will start on Thursday in cooperation with the French Institute.

    Works by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio will be on display at the Governor's Mansion from April 16 to June 15.

    Meanwhile, some 30 young artists who sketched passers-by and revellers during the night-long party to celebrate the beginning of the Cultural Capital events on Tuesday night, will exhibit their 470 portraits in a specially-constructed archway near the former Royal Theatre, currently under renovation.

    ND leadership to discuss terms of party congress on Tuesday

    Main opposition New Democracy president Miltiades Evert, ND vice-president Ioannis Varvitsiotis and top leadership contender and deputy George Souflias will meet on Tuesday to discuss terms for the upcoming party congress.

    The meeting will also attempt to find common ground between Mr. Varvitsiotis' proposal for the congress to be expanded and Mr. Souflias' views.

    Trainee officer provides additional statements on Distos capsizing

    The only survivor of the maritime accident involving the "Distos" cement carrier last week off Kymi, Evia, trainee officer Evangelos Anagnostou, made a supplementary deposition yesterday to coastguard investigators regarding "gaps" in his initial deposition.

    Seventeen seamen, two wives of the crew, and a 12-year-old daughter of one of the crewmembers died in the capsizing of the Distos. Only three of the bodies have not been recovered.

    Meanwhile, an inquiry into possible negligence by the five coastguard officers on the night of the accident was completed yesterday, and the findings will be made known in the next few days, reports state.

    The five officers have been suspended from duty by Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis.

    National Bank announces changes in interest rates

    The National Bank of Greece announced yesterday that its interest rates would be cut as of January 7, 1997.

    It said fluctuating rates for housing loans will drop by 0.50 per cent, from 15.25 per cent to 14.75 per cent.

    The new base lending rate for fixed assets will drop by 1.25 per cent, from 16.25 per cent to 15 per cent while the base lending rate for working capital will fall by 0.75 per cent, from 17.50 per cent to 16.75 per cent.

    Consumer credit rates will drop by 1.0 per cent, from 23.75 per cent to 22.75 per cent.

    The personal loans rate will fall by 0.75 per cent, from 24.75 per cent to 24 per cent while the credit card rate will drop by 0.25 per cent, from 26.25 per cent to 26.0 per cent.

    Interest rates on deposit accounts will drop by 0.50 per cent, from 10.75 per cent to 10.25 per cent.

    The interest rate on current accounts is also set to fall by 0.50 per cent, from 9.25 per cent to 8.75 per cent.

    Efforts begin to gain 'Blue Flags' for Greek beaches, marinas

    The Greek Association for the Protection of Nature has begun efforts to include several of the nation's beaches and marinas into the European Union's "Blue Flags 1997" programme, which awards flags for clean coasts.

    The Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) announced that municipalities and communities with organised beaches and marinas can submit applications for entry until Jan. 20.

    Applications will be examined by a national judging committee in early February. The areas winning awards will be announced in June after the final decision is taken by a relevant European committee.

    The most important criteria for the awarding of blue flags are excellent organisation and management of a marina or beach, availability of information for the public and bathers' safety, environmental protection as well as the results of a 15-day analysis of the site's water.

    WEATHER (SUNDAY)

    Localised cloud over most regions, with possibility of sporadic showers in western areas. Winds westerly, moderate to strong, and temporarily in the open sea, very strong. Temperature ranging from 2 to 12 degrees in northern regions, 5 to 17 on other mainland areas, and 10 to 19 on the Aegean islands.

    FOREIGN EXCHANGE

    (closing rates - buying)

    US dlr. 243.556 Pound sterling 412.771 Cyprus pd 521.098 French franc 46.541 Swiss franc 180.375 German mark 157.123 Italian lira (100) 15.980 Yen (100) 210.205 Canadian dlr. 176.457 Australian dlr. 192.646 Irish Punt 408.168 Belgian franc 7.626 Finnish mark 52.397 Dutch guilder 139.991 Swedish kr. 35.327 Norwegian kr. 37.944 Austrian sh. 22.330 Spanish peseta 1.866 Portuguese escudo 1.56

    (H.A.)

    (M.S.)


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