Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papoulias calls on Turkey to meet obligations towards ethnic Greeks

[02] PM briefed over healthcare priorities

[03] PASOK political council meets

[04] Measures against illegal migration announced

[01] Papoulias calls on Turkey to meet obligations towards ethnic Greeks

Papoulias, speaking in the northeastern city of Xanthi, where he arrived on Thursday to attend celebrations for the city's liberation from Ottoman rule, also referred to the role that the geographical position of Thrace could play in the region's development and improvement.

"The geographical position of Thrace, a factor that in the past contributed to its isolation and marginalisation, is today a factor that can be used to upgrade the area," Papoulias said, pointing out that Thrace could now act as a gateway and a bridge between Europe and the East.

"In a broader political and economic scale, Thrace lends itself for becoming a crossroads and a support for a wider communications network for people and goods that will organically link western Europe with the eastern Balkans and western Black Sea zone," he added.

During his visit, the president was also declared an honorary citizen of the city and attended a celebration with Agricultural Development and Foods Minister Alexandros Kontos and Macedonia-Thrace Minister Margaritis Tzimas.

He then laid a wreath at a monument to the fallen in Xanthi's central square and witnessed a school and military parade held in the city.

On Thursday afternoon, Papoulias is to visit the Porto Lagos wetlands in honour of World Animal Day.

In other statements during the visit, during a dinner at the Xanthi Officers' Club, the Greek president also referred to the Muslim minority of Thrace, stressing that Greece was a country that respected international law and international treaties.

"We believe, however, that neighbouring Turkey, which looks to European accession, is aware of its obligations toward the Greeks that are left there and of the respect due toward the religious rights of the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This respect must at last be demonstrated with the re-opening of the School of Theology on Halki and all this entails," Papoulias stressed.

Regarding the Muslim community in extreme northeast Greece, the president said integration of Muslims in the process of economic and social development and in a modern educational system "were elements of maturity so that we can pass to a new age of prosperity for all. It is here that the principles of equality before the state and the law come into play, regardless of religion, and the positive discrimination that a European country considered it necessary to provide."

Caption: President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias presides over a military parade in the northeastern city of Xanthi on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007 in honor of the 88th anniversary of its liberation. ANA-MPA / CHARIS IORDANIDIS

[02] PM briefed over healthcare priorities

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said an extensive series of reforms was currently underway, begining with new legislation on healthcare procurement. The minister stressed that the sector's finances were very important and that the issue was related with pension funds.

"We will move forward rapidly to implement a new law on procurements and develop a primary healthcare network through new draft legislation, to be tabled to Parliament in the next few weeks," he said.

Avramopoulos said state hospitals' managements have been ordered to draft budgets and prepare official balance sheets -- something only recently demanded by the central government -- a development likely to create scale economies. Moreover, he dismissed reports of cutbacks in the sector, saying a 2008 draft budget envisaged a 9.3-percent increase in healthcare spending.

Finally, the former mayor of Athens confirmed reports of a plan to hire 4,500 physicians over the next three years as well as 2,000 healthcare staff in the next two months.

Caption: File photo of Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. ANA-MPA

[03] PASOK political council meets

Meanwhile, a PASOK spokesman again commented the looming call to dialogue over reforms in the country's creaky social security system, issued this week by the relevant employment and social insurances minister.

Spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis, a newly elected MP on the state deputies' list, said the government should "stop playing hide-and-seek and show responsibility, publicly unveiling its positions immediately on the issue of pension reform."

[04] Measures against illegal migration announced

Deputy Interior Minister Athanassios Nakos said a relevant presidential decree foreseeing the measures is pending.

His statements came in response to a tabled question by Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) MP Athanassios Plevris, who queried the government over what measures it has taken to fight illegal immigration.

The government, Nakos said, is also working on reform of an institutional framework regulating the operation of reception centers for illegal immigrants, saying it was considering handing over the responsibility for their operation to local prefectures.

Referring to the number of non-EU immigrants in Greece, Nakos said that as of Oct. 1 registered legal residents numbered 473,547, while a commissioned study -- authored by Prof. Lianos -- showed that illegal immigrants in Greece are estimated at between 185,000 to 275,000.

The LA.OS MP disputed the numbers, stressing that roughly 70,000 cases dealing with illegal immigrants have reached Greek courts in the first eight months of the year alone.

Plevris also stressed that the time has come to discuss whether the country can withstand the influx of illegal migrants or whether it should consider implementing a quota system adopted by other European countries, such as the Netherlands, Spain and Italy.

In response, Nakos said such methods are "beyond Greek mentality, humanism, (Greek) culture and temperament."

Caption: Deputy Interior Minister Athanassios Nakos. ANA-MPA / P. PAPPA.

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