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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-22
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES ECONOMIC MEASURES IN MYTILINI
[02] EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER PRAISES GREEK EFFORTS FOR EMU ENTRY
[03] NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER ADVISES CAUTION OVER INTEREST RATES
[04] GREEK DEFENCE MINISTRY DECLINES COMMENT ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS
[05] ARREST OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN ASSAULTS ON FOREIGNERS
[06] TURKISH SMUGGLER KILLED OFF COAST OF CHIOS
[07] GREEK AND ALBANIAN PUBLIC ORDER MINISTERS MEET IN ALBANIA
[08] OPPOSITION LEADER HAILS SCRAPPING OF OLYMPIC VIDEO-LOTTO
[09] FORMER PRIME MINISTER COMMENTS ON KOSOVO DEVELOPMENTS
[10] GREEK AMERICAN EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA
[11] 4.8 RICHTER EARTHQUAKE IN PATRAS REGION
[01] PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES ECONOMIC MEASURES IN MYTILINI
Speaking from Mytilini yesterday, the prime minister, Kostas Simitis,
said the government was adhering firmly to the programme of convergence
with the other European economies, and that measures had been taken to
help those with low incomes. Amongst other things, he said tax would
be reduced on several basic consumer goods and promised cheaper housing
loans. He announced that 80% of funds from the EU's Third Community
Support Fund would be allocated to the provinces. The prime minister
maintained the government was speaking the language of truth while the
opposition parties were handing out dud cheques. At the same time he
accused the New Democracy party of sabotaging the country's political
climate with its scandal-mongering tactics of the past.
[02] EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER PRAISES GREEK EFFORTS FOR EMU ENTRY
European commissioner Pedro Solbres said in Brussels yesterday that
Greece had made major efforts to prepare its economy for entry to the
euro zone and that the European Commission would do all it could to
ensure there were no obstacles to Greece's admission to European
economic and monetary union.
[03] NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTER ADVISES CAUTION OVER INTEREST RATES
After his meeting yesterday with the governor of the Bank of Greece,
Loukas Papadimos, the national economy minister, Yannos Papantoniou,
said the reduction in Bank of Greece interest rates was not big enough
to stimulate changes at the commercial banks. He pointed out that there
was still a long way to go to European economic and monetary union and
that particular care should be taken over the issue of interest rates.
For his part, Mr Papadimos said a further reduction would take place
after the inflation rate had stabilised at 2%. He expressed optimism
that this criterion would also be met, adding that whatever happened,
the government's monetary policy would continue to be strictly
applied.
[04] GREEK DEFENCE MINISTRY DECLINES COMMENT ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS
The discovery that American nuclear weapons had been deployed outside
United States borders - a tactic followed by Washington during the cold
war period, particularly between 1945 and 1977 - has caused widespread
concern. Apparently the United States kept a store of nuclear bombs in
any corner of the world where a crisis might arise in order to protect
so-called "Western interests" and to be ready at any moment to deal
with its mortal enemy, the then Soviet Union. Greek national defence
ministry sources have declined to comment on whether Greece was one of
the countries where such weapons were deployed. The Coalition deputy,
Maria Damanaki, has tabled a question in parliament on the issue.
[05] ARREST OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN ASSAULTS ON FOREIGNERS
Two people have been arrested in connection with a series of assaults
on foreigners in Athens during the night, in which two of the victims
died and four others were injured. The offenders were a 23-year-old
Greek Radio-Television employee, who was found with a gun in his
possession, and a 22-year-old seaman.
[06] TURKISH SMUGGLER KILLED OFF COAST OF CHIOS
In an incident off the coast of Chios late last night, a Turkish
smuggler of illegal immigrants was killed when a coastguard patrol boat
opened fire after his speedboat failed to stop for inspection. A second
smuggler was arrested and is being interrogated. Port authorities had
received information earlier about the arrival of a number of illegal
immigrants and were already searching the area. The speedboat was towed
to the port of Chios, while the Greek patrol boat sustained minor
damage.
[07] GREEK AND ALBANIAN PUBLIC ORDER MINISTERS MEET IN ALBANIA
At yesterday's meeting in Agii Saranda between the Greek public order
minister, Michalis Chrysohoidis, and his Albanian counterpart, the
question of upgrading the cooperation between the Greek and Albanian
border police and of carrying out combined sea patrols was discussed.
The purpose of the measures is to stamp out organised and economic
crime and illegal immigration.
[08] OPPOSITION LEADER HAILS SCRAPPING OF OLYMPIC VIDEO-LOTTO
Addressing a meeting in Rhodes, the New Democracy party leader, Kostas
Karamanlis, described the government's decision to withdraw the
amendment concerning the controversial Olympic video-lotto as the first
victory in the battle to achieve transparency in public life. For his
part, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said the move was an attempt
to neutralize scandal-mongering, also clarifying that none of the
ministers who handled the case would be held accountable.
[09] FORMER PRIME MINISTER COMMENTS ON KOSOVO DEVELOPMENTS
Former prime minister and honorary president of the New Democracy party
Konstantinos Mitsotakis has commented on developments in Kosovo saying
borders in the Balkans would be changed to Albania's benefit, at first
to the detriment of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He also
said ethnic cleansing against the Serbs in Kosovo had been completed
and the region's independence was near. Mr Mitsotakis called on prime
minister Kostas Simitis to raise the issue of developments in the
former Yugoslavia during American president Bill Clinton's forthcoming
visit to Greece.
[10] GREEK AMERICAN EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA
A special ceremony will be held at the parliament of New South Wales
this evening aimed at promoting the idea of an Olympic truce. The
initiative belongs to the Olympic Committee established by the Council
of Hellenes Abroad for Oceania. In Sydney, a conference will be held on
6th and 7th November on "Greek studies in the antipodies on the eve of
the 21st century", at the initiative of the Council of Hellenes Abroad.
Finally, the sessions of the Council of Greeks from Kozani living
abroad will open at Melbourne's Latrobe University today.
[11] 4.8 RICHTER EARTHQUAKE IN PATRAS REGION
An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre in
the Patraikos Gulf, 170 km west of Athens, shook the Patras region
shortly before midday yesterday. Some old buildings suffered minor
damage. Seismologists have said there is no cause for concern.
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