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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-01
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] POST-QUAKE DEVELOPMENTS
[02] MEETING ON CRIME AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
[03] ND PARTY LEADER VISITS BRUSSELS
[04] CYPRIOT INDEPENDENCE DAY
[05] PRESENTATION OF THE 2004 OLYMPICS' EMBLEM
[06] CONFERENCE ON THE OLIVE-TREE AND OLIVE-OIL
[01] POST-QUAKE DEVELOPMENTS
Earthquake victims wishing to build or buy a new house will be able to
submit their applications for loans to the Workers Housing Organisation
as of today and by the end of the year. They will also be able to
submit their applications to the National Bank of Greece to settle
previous housing or personal loans by October 15th. Kostas Laliotis
has specified that prefabricated houses will be given to the earthquake
victims in Attica according to social criteria that will be transparent
and formulated in consultation with local administration. Priority will
be given to families with many members, with sick, or small children
and pregnant women, while there will also be room for appeal by anyone
who thinks they have been passed over unfairly. Professor Panagiotis
Varotsos will not take part in the widened Committee for the Appraisal
of Seismic Risk, while the government is urging civilians to ignore
rumors about a new quake. In addition, interior minister Vasso
Papandreou addressed strict instructions to public servants not to
abandon their posts.
[02] MEETING ON CRIME AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
A broad meeting was held under the chairmanship of the prime minister
Kostas Simitis yesterday, in view of the EU summit in Finland on
October 15th and 16th. The foreign, interior and public order ministers
participated at the meeting which focused on the combat of
trans-borders crimes, crime and the issue of illegal immigration.
[03] ND PARTY LEADER VISITS BRUSSELS
In a press conference in Belgium yesterday, the New Democracy party
leader Kostas Karamanlis appeared satisfied from his visit to Brussels
which he described as very useful. Mr Karamanlis met with the
presidents of the European Commission and the Europarliament.
Referring to the relations between the EU and Turkey, Mr Karamanlis
reiterated that Turkey had not given any signs of a change in its
attitude that could justify its nomination as a prospect country for
membership in the EU. The only thing the Turkish political leadership
is interested in is the "European passport", Mr Karamanlis said. About
Cyprus, the New Democracy party leader said that the issue should not
depend on the settlement of its political problem and any guarantees
that could be given by the 16 EU member states about Turkey's smooth
admission course would be surely positive, but this would not change
the existing problem of its stand in the Cyprus issue.
[04] CYPRIOT INDEPENDENCE DAY
In Nicosia, the October 1st anniversary of Cyprus' independence will be
celebrated with a military parade and an open reception at the
presidential mansion today. The Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides,
together with the defense minister Sokratis Chasikos and the Greek
national defense minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos - on behalf of the Greek
government - will take the salute at the parade. Upon arrival in
Cyprus yesterday, Mr Tsohatzopoulos addressed a message of optimism and
security and stated that his presence in Cyprus is marking the common
course of the Greeks who can face the future calmly with confidence.
We can defend our rights, he said, stressing that the two basic axes of
Hellenism's policy in the region are persistence in the single defense
doctrine and Cyprus' entry in the EU. We hope, he said, that the
efforts for a Cyprus settlement be successful.
[05] PRESENTATION OF THE 2004 OLYMPICS' EMBLEM
An olive wreath is the symbol of the 2004 Olympic games presented in an
event in Athens last night, in the presence of the president of the
republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, rime minister Kostas Simitis, the
president of the International Olympics Committee Juan Antonio
Samaranch and other officials. Voula Patoulidou, gold medal winner in
the Barcelona Olympic games presented the 2004 Olympic emblem, while
music by the famous Greek composer Vaggeli Papathanasiou was heard.
Voula Patoulidou urged the young people worldwide to make their
presence felt at the 2004 Olympic Games.
[06] CONFERENCE ON THE OLIVE-TREE AND OLIVE-OIL
A two day conference on the olive-tree and olive-oil from antiquity
till today opens in Athens today with the participation of Greek and
foreign scientists and olive-growers.
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