Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 97-05-29

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

NEWS IN ENGLISH

Athens, Greece, 29/05/1997 (ANA)

MAIN HEADLINES

• Shipowner shot down in hail of bullets
• Gov't condemns terrorist murder
• Investigation flounders for lack of leads
• Milosevic will not run for president again - wife
• Premier: Greece winning international business confidence
• Papantoniou calls on businesses to make investments
• SEB President: 'Considerable improvements made'
• National Defence Fund set up to buy arms
• A curious Turkish map
• Border patrols beefed up for summer months
• Weather
• Foreign exchange

NEWS IN DETAIL

The coroner's report on the fatal shooting of shipowner Costas Peratikos yesterday in Piraeus showed that he was hit by four bullets (two each in the chest and pelvis), two of which passed through his body.

Peratikos was ambushed by three armed men, believed by police to be members of the November 17 terrorist organisation, who shot him as he walked from his office in central Piraeus to a nearby garage. Police found .45 calibre shells at the scene of the attack. The November 17 group used a .45 calibre pistol in 11 of its previous attacks, according to police.

Piraeus coroner Dimosthenis Boukis has handed over to the police counter- terrorist unit two bullets which he removed from Peratikos' body.

The late shipowner's funeral will be held on Saturday at 12.00 at the First Athens Cemetery.

Gov't condemns terrorist murder

The government and opposition parties today condemned and expressed its abhorrence at the murder of Peratikos.

''We are determined, using all means, to safeguard the smooth operation of democracy in the country,'' government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said.

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party press spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos meanwhile stressed the need for terrorism to be fought in Greece ''with determination, seriousness and methodically''.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemned the murder while at the same time attributing responsibility to the governments of PASOK and ND for ''the continuing existence of the phenomenon of terrorism''.

''For 22 years, terrorists have operated with great ease (in Greece), while PASOK and ND merely express their abhorrence,'' the KKE said, charging that ''foreign secret services act with impunity in our country and their interconnection with the domestic security services is well known''.

Investigation flounders for lack of leads

The police meanwhile continued their investigation into the murder without any solid leads.

For the moment, they are concentrating their efforts on the depositions of 20 eye-witnesses to the attack, five of whom literally came face-to-face with the assassins.

According to police sources however, the drawings of the suspects made on the basis of the descriptions given by the witnesses differ from identikit pictures made up in the past following similar attacks.

The same sources said the police were concerned that the shadowy organisation November 17 may have recruited new, relatively young members.

Identification of the suspects will also be made difficult by the fact that they were wearing disguises, as evidenced by the false moustache, wig and a pair of sunglasses found in the vehicle abandoned by the killers.

November 17 had warned on several occasions that they were targetting people such as Peratikos.

In a statement claiming responsibililty for the unsuccessful rocket attack on prominent businessman Vardis Vardinoyannis, the organisation warned that shipowners and other businessmen wishing to acquire ailing enterprises without paying off the companies' accumulated debts would be punished.

Peratikos, 42, was born into an shipowning family which bought the Elefsina shipyards in 1992, assuming the post of managing director of the concern, but later deciding to close the shipyards down three years later, when accumulated debts reached 27 billion drachmas.

Milosevic will not run for president again - wife

Serb President Slobodan Milosevic will not run for the presidency for a third time, according to statements by his wife, Mirjana Markovic, at a press conference in Thessaloniki today.

Asked by reporters however whether he would be a candidate for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, that is, Serbia and Montenegro, Markovic replied that it was ''too early to talk about this''.

Markovic, the founder and leader of the New Left party which participates in the coalition government, is in Thessaloniki on a one-day private visit at the invitation of Kalamaria Mayor Theodoros Lazaridis.

Premier: Greece winning international business confidence

Greece is emerging as an important economic factor in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, is recovering its credibility and is winning the confidence of international organisations and business capital, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said yesterday while addressing the Federation of Greek Industries' (SEB) annual general assembly.

The SEB general assembly was inaugurated in the presence of President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos followed by speeches by the premier and National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou.

Mr. Simitis called on Greek businessmen and workers to respond energetically to new conditions facing Greece and to take advantage of opportunities offered.

In his address, the premier said that "we must all realise we are coming into a new order of things and must react dynamically, especially you, the businessmen, who know that the market follows its own rules, does not tolerate those who delay making dec isions, who don't invest, who don't seek new opportunities and who don't adapt."

Reviewing progress on the effort to prepare Greece for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Mr. Simitis said Greece currently had "a rate of development that is among the highest in Europe".

He cited as examples the downward trend in inflation and the fact that the public deficit was on course in terms of the convergence programme.

"As long as we continue our efforts, we shall guarantee our participation in the EMU by the beginning of the next century as partners on an equal basis," he noted.

The premier said that efforts had already begun to reorganise the State and the wider public sector, while an extensive programme of infrastructural works was under way, along with a programme of strong incentives encouraging businesses to make large investments and improve competitive ability.

Papantoniou calls on businesses to make investments

Mr. Papantoniou called on businesses to make investments since loan interest rates will decrease even further in the coming period.

Addressing the business world, Mr. Papantoniou said its position on the economy's development is of "crucial importance." However, the business world is showing "limited response" despite the improvement in economic conditions, stressing "that long-rang e business initiatives to a necessary extent are lacking."

He predicted that the gap between loan interest rates and deposit interest rates will narrow over the coming period. Namely, loans will become cheaper.

On the government's economic policy, Mr. Papantoniou said structural changes which must be implemented over the coming period are a "major challenge" to enable the country to meet standards required for the third phase of Economic and Monetary Union by the year 2001.

He further said priority must be placed on a privatisation policy in the sector of public utility and state-run banks.

SEB president: 'Considerable improvements made'

SEB President Iason Stratos noted that the private sector and industry in particular were at present in the front line of the struggle to gain a favourable position in the international competition sector.

"In the face of new conditions today which dispute steadfast certainties and impose new solutions, dialogue is being widened and enriched. The common target is the triptych: 'Development-competitiveness-employment' and the aim is shaping a modern framework which will provide social protection and will allow for an unimpeded improvement in competitiveness on which the income and employment of working people depends," he said.

Referring to statements made by Mr. Simitis and Mr. Papantoniou, the SEB president said that indeed there were considerable improvements in important macroeconomic indicators which definitely had favourable repercussions for the business climate and prospects.

According to figures provided by Mr. Stratos, private investments in industry currently represent more than a quarter of total investments and concern, in their overwhelming majority, the modernisation and restructuring of enterprises. At present, 56 per cent of Greek exports are industrial products, while industry only produces 17 per cent of GDP.

National Defence Fund set up to buy arms

National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos yesterday announced the establishment of a National Defence Fund to support the massive armaments programme of the armed forces which will cost an estimated four trillion drachmas.

According to an amendment to be contained in a bill regulating matters related to draft-dodgers, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said, Greek citizens will be able to make contributions to the fund in order to bolster the country's defence.

A parliamentary committee began discussing the bill on draft-dodgers, which also contains provisions enabling conscientious objectors to perform an alternative form of military service.

A curious Turkish map

Asked to comment on a geological map published by the Turkish Middle Eastern Polytechic, which depicts the islands of Crete and Cyprus as belonging to Turkey, Mr. Reppas said these designs were known to Greece and should not be overestimated. The maps were reprinted in the Athens daily "Athinaki" yesterday.

The government, he said, follows these issues with great interest and takes them into consideration when defining its foreign policy.

Border patrols beefed up for summer months

The national defence ministry will increase patrols of Thesprotia prefecture and Corfu to protect these areas from Albanian-based criminal gangs, Defence Undersecretary Dimitris Apostolakis told Parliament yesterday.

Replying to a question by a main opposition New Democracy deputy, Mr. Apostolakis said that an additional gunboat will be provided by the Navy for patrols, while a company of commandos would be stationed at Filiates by the end of the month.

Recent raids on yachts rented by tourists have increased concern in the area, which is very popular for the summer months.

WEATHER

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

(M.P.)

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