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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-11-04
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] THE US PRESIDENT'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO GREECE
[02] REACTION'S OVER WASHINGTON POST'S RECENT ARTICLE ON TERRORISM
[03] STATEMENTS ON THE NEW GREEK STATE BUDGET
[04] FEARS ABOUT MORE DEAD ON THE SUPER FAST 3 FERRY-BOAT
[05] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS VISITS ALBANIA
[06] GREEK PRIME MINISTER VISITS SOFIA
[07] EARTH TREMOR IN THE PELOPONESE
[01] THE US PRESIDENT'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO GREECE
Prime minister Kostas Simitis will have meetings with political party
leaders to brief them on the American president Bill Clinton's visit to
Greece. Strong security measures are in force as of today at the Athens
Hellinikon airport, in view of Mr Clinton's arrival.
[02] REACTION'S OVER WASHINGTON POST'S RECENT ARTICLE ON TERRORISM
An American state department announcement that refers to a recent
publication of Washington Post says that the statements attributed to
anonymous American officials, according to which suspects of terrorist
actions are connected with the Greek government do not express the US
policy. The announcement was issued following strong reaction by the
Greek government and a relative protest demarche by the Greek
ambassador in Washington. A previous state department announcement was
stressing that both Washington and Athens were dissatisfied at the fact
that no member of the terrorist organization 17th November had ever
been taken to justice, mentioning at the same time the close Greek
American cooperation in the struggle against terrorism. The article of
Washington post also refers to a possible involvement of 17th November
with top Greek officials. The Greek government spokesman Dimitris
Reppas has stated that the efforts of the Greek government in the
combat of terrorism can not be questioned and said that similar views
were out of reality and harmful to the Greek American relations. The
American ambassador in Athens Nicholas Burns has described Washington
Post's insinuations, as groundless and out of the American policy
context.
[03] STATEMENTS ON THE NEW GREEK STATE BUDGET
The 2000 Greek state budget was tabled in parliament last night, while
the inter-parliamentary committee will hold a session on the issue on
November 16th. The national economy minister Yannos Papantoniou has
said that the new budget is in full compliance with the goal for the
country's admission to the Economic and Monetary Union. The state
budget for the year 2000 is the last budget in drachmas, as the next
state budget will be in Euro. The new budget aims to reduce the state
deficit to 1.2%, maintain a downward course for the public debt and
attain the inflation rate criteria by next March when Greece's
application for admission to the Euro zone will be submitted. The
budget further provides for lower taxes on incomes from salaries and
private businesses as well as for reduced taxation on fuel consumption
and cars, while the system of objective taxation criteria is abolished.
The prime minister Kostas Simitis has underlined that Greece is
entering a new era since the 2000 state budget offers more
possibilities for social solidarity and social justice . The New
Democracy party has described the budget as window dressing, while the
Greek Communist party, the Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress and
the Social Democratic Movement called it a pre-election budget. The
party of the Liberals has said that the government that will come out
in the next elections will be forced to withdraw the budget.
[04] FEARS ABOUT MORE DEAD ON THE SUPER FAST 3 FERRY-BOAT
The Greek authorities fear that the number of illegal immigrants who
died from the fire on the ferry "Super Fast 3" will grow, as at least 8
Kurds, including a child that were on board the ship are still missing.
So far, 11 people were found dead, while the authorities are looking
for the driver of a lorry with Danish plates, as one of the bodies was
found inside the truck. The chairman of the Pan-Hellenic Seamen's
Association Antonis Dalakogiorgos has said that there's an organized
network of port officers, seamen and drivers for the transport of
illegal immigrants. The merchant marine minister Stavros Soumakis has
not ruled out a possible involvement of port officers in the organized
networks.
[05] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH VARTHOLOMEOS VISITS ALBANIA
The ecumenical patriarch Vartholomeos of Constantinople who is on an
official visit to Albania, yesterday inaugurated works for the
construction of a church in the city of Skodra. It is the first time
that an ecumenical patriarch visits Albania. Yesterday, patriarch
Vartholomeos met with the Albanian president Rexhep Mejdani, the prime
minister Ilir Meta and other officials.
[06] GREEK PRIME MINISTER VISITS SOFIA
Stability and security in the Balkans will be the object of talks at a
meeting between the Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis and the
presidents of Romania and Bulgaria in Sofia today.
[07] EARTH TREMOR IN THE PELOPONESE
An earth tremor measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale occurred early this
morning in the region of the Peloponese. The epicenter of the quake was
located at the gulf of Kyparissia.
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