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Monday, 18 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-20Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Event marks 100th anniversary of birth of late statesman Constantine KaramanlisA memorial event marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Greek statesman Constantine Karamanlis was held on Tuesday evening by the Constantine G. Karamanlis Foundation at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), attended by his nephew and namesake Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, as well as by Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) leader Alekos Alavanos. Main opposition PASOK was represented by leading MP and former minister Evangelos Venizelos and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) by MP Orestis Kolozov. The event wase opened by Foundation president, former foreign minister and long-time Karamanlis associate Petros Molyviatis, as well as by Karamanlis' brother, Foundation vice-president Achilleas Karamanlis. Constantine Karamanlis, founder of the ruling New Democracy party who served served as prime minister in the 1950s, early 1960s and 1970s until 1980, as well as president of the republic on two occasions, was born on March 8, 1907 in the village of Proti, modern-day Serres prefecture.He studied law at the University of Athens, after which he worked briefly as an attorney in the town of Serres upon completion of his military service. At the age of 28 (1935), he was elected to parliament for the first time as an MP for Serres with the People's Party, and was elected again to parliament in 1946 in the first post-war elections. In the Greek Rally party, he served as minister of public works (1948), leaving his seal on Greece chiefly for the new highway planned by his ministry as well as his hand-on efforts to upgrade the area around the Athens Acropolis. In 1955, after the death of prime minister Alexandros Papagos, Karamanlis was nominated for the vacant premier's seat. He dissolved the Greek Rally party and established ERE (National Radical Union), winning consecutive elections in 1956, 1958 and 1961. His first eight years in office were characterised by reforms, large-scale infrastructure projects and attempts to modernise the Greek economy, which achieved an unprecedented growth rate by regional standards. "The fact that we are here today, representatives of all the political forces, is a great honour for the memory of the great Macedonian politician," Prime Minister Karamanlis said in a brief address. Karamanlis added that Constantine Karamanlis was the politician of great national options who sealed the course of the country, not only with his options of major importance, but with his overall political presence as well. The prime minister further said that Constantine Karamanlis believed that the mission of politics was to rid the country of underdevelopment and the Greeks from poverty, to secure conditions for a strong economy and viable growth and consolidate a state of law and social justice. He added that he also believed that the mission of politics was to consolidate democracy, create a strong political system that would be rid of the passions of the past and lead the country over and above dividing lines that had hurt Greek women and men. Lastly, the prime minister said that Constantine Karamanlis entered the country's political life with faith in the mission he was undertaking and left with the satisfaction that he accomplished his mission. The event was also attended by former president of the republic Kostis Stephanopoulos, former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, most cabinet members and by many Parliamentary deputies. [02] Papandreou in Belgrade and PristinaMain opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader and Socialist International (SI) president George Papandreou, at the head of an SI delegation, on Tuesday began a two-day visit to Belgrade and Pristina, where he will have meetings with the political leadership. On Tuesday evening, the SI delegation attended a dinner hosted in their honour by President of Serbia, Boris Tadic.Papandreou will meet Tadic on Wednesday morning. Later, Papandreou and the SI delegation will depart for Pristina where they will have successive meetings with the Prime Minister, Agim Seku, the President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, as well as with representatives of Kosovo's Serbs. Caption: File photo of PASOK leader George Papandreou. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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