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.)
