|
|
|
The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-21
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] OLYMPIC VIDEO-LOTTO PROVISION WITHDRAWN BY PRIME MINISTER
[02] REACTIONS BY OPPOSITION PARTIES
[03] BANK OF GREECE REDUCES INTEREST RATES BY 0.5%
[04] REDUCED INTEREST RATES AND LESS VAT FOR FARMERS
[05] 100 NEW SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN ATTICA
[06] MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS GREECE
[07] NO RESULTS FROM AMERICAN ENVOYS' TALKS IN CYPRUS
[08] BRITAIN PREPARED TO DISCUSS RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES
[09] 4.4 TEMBLOR IN SEA OF MARMARA
[01] OLYMPIC VIDEO-LOTTO PROVISION WITHDRAWN BY PRIME MINISTER
A debate and roll-call vote requested by the opposition New Democracy
party on a draft bill, which included a provision connected with the
controversial Olympic video-lotto game, was held in parliament
yesterday in a tense atmosphere. The bill was passed with 147 votes to
125. Meanwhile prime minister Kostas Simitis, who was not present at
the session, announced yesterday that the government had decided not to
go ahead with the video-lotto scheme. In a written statement he said
the government would guarantee all the necessary funds for the Olympic
Games projects and would not allow the New Democracy party to poison
the country's public life by clouding the real issues and debasing
Greece's achievements, making the country appear as a place of gambling
dens and one-armed bandits. The announcement also said Greece would not
follow the pace imposed by New Democracy for its own petty partisan
reasons, but the pace dictated by national interests. It added that the
opposition's argumentation was a repetition of objections raised
against the Olympic lottery by legitimate and illicit economic
interests.
[02] REACTIONS BY OPPOSITION PARTIES
The New Democracy party and the Democratic Social Movement claim the
government withdrew the provision as a result of the general outcry.
The New Democracy party's press spokesman said the prime minister's
decision was the most cynical proof of the government's guilt. The New
Democracy party leader, Kostas Karamanlis, launched a harsh verbal
attack on the government, claiming the prime minister's retreat over
the issue was equivalent to an admission of guilt, and he submitted a
request for a pre- agenda debate on transparency in the country's
public life. The national economy minister, Yannos Papantoniou,
retorted that the New Democracy party was acting as the mouthpiece of
the casinos and gambling machine institutions. The leader of the
Democratic Social Movement, Dimitris Tsovolas, called for the definite
withdrawal of the controversial provision, while the leader of the
Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress, Nikos Konstantopoulos, said
the matter was one of the most noisome and suspect cases poisoning
political life.
[03] BANK OF GREECE REDUCES INTEREST RATES BY 0.5%
The decision by the Bank of Greece to reduce its base interest rates by
0.5% has opened the way for other banks to reduce their interest rates
on deposits and loans. On the Athens Stock Exchange, the general share
price index showed an impressive rise of 5.78% on Wednesday, closing at
5,704.26 points. In the parities, the US dollar closed at 305.720
drachmas, the German mark at 168.522 drachmas and the euro at 329.600
drachmas.
[04] REDUCED INTEREST RATES AND LESS VAT FOR FARMERS
Prime minister Kostas Simitis and agriculture minister Giorgos
Anomeritis met yesterday with leaders of farmers' unions. It was
decided that loan interest rates and VAT for farmers would be reduced.
Other measures for boosting income were also discussed.
[05] 100 NEW SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN ATTICA
The education minister, Gerasimos Arsenis, announced yesterday that
work is to start immediately on the construction of 100 new schools in
the earthquake-hit districts of Attica. He added that 80 more school
buildings will have been repaired by the end of the year. Meanwhile a
student rally is to be held in Athens today in protest at educational
reforms. The president of the Teachers' Federation has said in a press
conference there were not enough teachers and text books, but stressed
he approved of the ministry's arrangement for the admission of
graduates of technical schools to technical universities.
[06] MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS GREECE
The Mexican foreign minister, Rosaria Green, is paying an official
visit to Rumania and Greece. While in Athens she will have a meeting
with the Greek president, Kostis Stefanopoulos, the prime minister,
Kostas Simitis, and the speaker of the house, Apostolos Kaklamanis.
[07] NO RESULTS FROM AMERICAN ENVOYS' TALKS IN CYPRUS
The talks which the American envoys in the Cyprus issue, Alfred Moses
and Thomas Weston, had in Nicosia with the Cypriot president, Glafkos
Kliridis, and the Turkish Cypriot representative, Rauf Denktash, wound
up yesterday without any specific outcome. The Cypriot government
spokesman referred to a breakdown in the talks and said Mr Denktash
continued to set unacceptable conditions and to demand recognition of
the self-styled Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus.
[08] BRITAIN PREPARED TO DISCUSS RETURN OF PARTHENON MARBLES
Britain now appears to be prepared to discuss the possible return of
the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. The British parliamentary committee
responsible for cultural matters is already looking into the question
of returning cultural treasures to their countries of origin and is
expected to start hearing verbal testimonies regarding the Parthenon
Marbles in February or early March next year.
[09] 4.4 TEMBLOR IN SEA OF MARMARA
An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre in
the Sea of Marmara, was registered in Turkey in the early hours of this
morning. The tremor was felt as far away as the Greek-Turkish border.
There have been no reports of any casualties or damage.
|
