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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-10-26
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] PRIVATISATION PROCEDURES SPEEDED UP IN VIEW OF EMU
[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER DENIES TURKISH MASS MEDIA REPORTS
[03] COALITION LEADER VISITING TURKEY
[04] THESSALONIKI TO BE APPROVED AS HQ FOR BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION
[05] ARCHBISHOP REQUESTS SAY IN EDUCATION AND MINORITY PROGRAMMES
[06] FIRST PRE-FABRICATED HOUSES FOR HOMELESS READY
[07] KILLER OF IMMIGRANTS REMANDED IN CUSTODY
[08] PRIME MINISTER HAS WORKING SESSION WITH PASOK SECRETARY
[09] OPPOSITION LEADER CONCERNED OVER PEACE IN YUGOSLAVIA
[10] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE DOWN 0.4% ON MONDAY
[11] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS
[12] GERMANY LINKS SALE OF TANKS TO TURKEY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
[01] PRIVATISATION PROCEDURES SPEEDED UP IN VIEW OF EMU
The government is speeding up privatisation procedures for enterprises
and organizations of the broader public sector in the framework of
structural changes promoted in view of Greece's entry into European
Economic and Monetary Union. Meanwhile, during a session at the
national economy ministry yesterday, it was decided to speed up the
procedure for the floating of 30% of the shares of the Athens-Piraeus
Water Supply Company (EYDAP) and 20% of the Greek Industrial
Development Bank (ETVA), as well as a package of shares of the Greek
Oil company, although the amount of shares to be floated has not yet
been determined. Furthermore, the new state budget to be tabled in
parliament on November 3rd has been finalized, while the course of
inflation is causing concern as it does not yet meet the relevant
criteria for European Economic and Monetary Union. Finance
undersecretary Nikos Christodoulakis is to meet with the board of the
Civil Servants' Union today and will announce the government's new
income policy.
[02] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER DENIES TURKISH MASS MEDIA REPORTS
In a written statement yesterday, Greek foreign minister Giorgos
Papandreou denied that Greece would back Turkey's unconditional
candidacy to join the EU, as the Turkish CNN news channel reported. In
the meantime, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas has expressed
the government's disapproval of press reports referring to an alleged
change in the Athens F.I.R. Mr Reppas also said that the specific
publications had nothing to do with reality, as the Athens F.I.R. was
still as it had been agreed upon in 1958.
[03] COALITION LEADER VISITING TURKEY
Leader of the Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress Nikos
Konstantopoulos, who is on an official visit to Ankara, has stated that
Greece should not block Turkey's European course, although Turkey
should meet European standards. Mr Konstantopoulos will meet with
Turkish president Suleyman Demirel today. Meanwhile the third round of
the Greek-Turkish dialogue winds up in Athens today with the meeting of
working groups on issues of economic cooperation, trade, tourism and
citizens' security.
[04] THESSALONIKI TO BE APPROVED AS HQ FOR BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION
Tomorrow, the European parliament is expected to approve, formally as
well, the candidacy of the city of Thessaloniki as the headquarters of
the Organization for the Reconstruction of the Balkans, while the EU
budget for the year 2000 will be the main subject of the
Europarliament's plenary sessions.
[05] ARCHBISHOP REQUESTS SAY IN EDUCATION AND MINORITY PROGRAMMES
In letters to the Greek ministries of education and foreign affairs,
archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece has requested that
the Church of Greece have a say in matters such as the contents of
textbooks in Greek schools and EU programmes concerning the Moslem
minority in Thrace.
[06] FIRST PRE-FABRICATED HOUSES FOR HOMELESS READY
Environment, planning and public works minister Kostas Laliotis
yesterday inaugurated the first settlement of 120 pre-fabricated houses
in Metamorfosi, destined for quake- stricken families. Mr Laliotis
announced that another 5,000 pre-fabricated houses will have been
delivered to the municipalities of northwestern Attica by the end of
November.
[07] KILLER OF IMMIGRANTS REMANDED IN CUSTODY
Social organizations have called for the issuing of legal papers to
economic immigrants and the granting of political asylum to political
refugees. Meanwhile 23 year old Pantelis Kazakos, accused of killing
two foreigners and wounding seven more, will be taken to prison today.
After he was brought before a magistrate, Kazakos appeared to have no
regrets about his actions, in fact he claimed he was doing a service to
the homeland. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said the supporters
of racist beliefs should be eliminated from Greek society, adding the
government would deal very severely with such cases.
[08] PRIME MINISTER HAS WORKING SESSION WITH PASOK SECRETARY
Prime minister Kostas Simitis met yesterday with secretary of the
ruling PASOK party Kostas Skandalidis to prepare tomorrow's session of
the party's executive bureau.
[09] OPPOSITION LEADER CONCERNED OVER PEACE IN YUGOSLAVIA
During an event at the Institute of Democracy yesterday, opposition New
Democracy party leader Kostas Karamanlis expressed concern over the
peace process in Yugoslavia.
[10] ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE DOWN 0.4% ON MONDAY
On the Athens Stock exchange, the general share price index dropped
slightly by 0.4% on Monday, closing at 5,577.89 points. Similar was the
trend in major european stock markets.
[11] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS
Albanian prime minister Pandeli Majko resigned late last night. Today
he is to submit his resignation formally to Albanian president Rexhep
Mejdani. His spokesman Lorenc Vangeli announced Mr Majko's decision
reflected the situation in Albania in the wake of the recent congress
of the ruling Socialist party, during which the prime minister failed
to be elected leader of the party. According to the Albanian
constitution, if president Mejdani accepts Mr Majko's resignation, he
will call on Fatos Nano, new leader of the largest party, the Socialist
party, to designate a new prime minister, who will then have to win a
vote of confidence in parliament and also the approval of the president
of the republic.
[12] GERMANY LINKS SALE OF TANKS TO TURKEY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
Germany's ruling coalition of Social Democrats and Greens decided last
night to link the sale of tanks to Turkey with progress in the human
rights sector. Nevertheless, after consultations under the chairmanship
of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the ruling coalition ratified the
delivery of a new tank to Turkey to test its performance.
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