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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 00-01-04
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] PARTY LEADERS SPEAK ON GREECE'S EMU ADMISSION
[02] FIRST POLITICAL POLL RESULTS OF THE YEAR RELEASED
[03] THESSALONIKI TO HOST GREECE'S NEXT EU SUMMIT
[04] SPELL OF COLD WEATHER HITS GREECE
[01] PARTY LEADERS SPEAK ON GREECE'S EMU ADMISSION
Addressing the Industrial Chamber of Greece which met yesterday for the
traditional cutting of the New Year cake, the prime minister, Kostas
Simitis, expressed his satisfaction with the course of the Greek
economy. He said 2000 would be a year of decisive importance for
Greece's development, adding that the government would place particular
emphasis on health, unemployment and the problems facing the country's
farmers. In reply to a question about elections, Mr Simitis said he was
not concerned about the election issue as much as the continuation of
the policy of previous years. The opposition New Democracy party
leader, Kostas Karamanlis, noted yesterday that Greece's national goal
of admission to European economic and monetary union would soon be
achieved, and he pointed out that everyone had contributed to this
achievement, including the government despite its errors and omissions.
Mr Karamanlis said that following Greece's entry to EMU growth, a
fairer share of resources and a reduction in unemployment levels would
be the country's main goals. The Coalition leader, Nikos
Konstantopoulos, said at the Industrial Chamber's cake-cutting ceremony
that it was time to place more emphasis on social justice. For their
part, the national economy minister, Iannos Papantoniou, and the
governor of the National Bank, Theodoros Karatzas, were both optimistic
about the course of the Greek economy. The New Democracy party's
honorary president, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, said yesterday that he was
certain Greece would achieve its goal of entry to EMU. He said the
course of the economy was quite good but pointed out that things would
become more difficult after admission to EMU. Mr Mitsotakis said
elections should take place soon because an extended pre-election
period was not good for the country.
[02] FIRST POLITICAL POLL RESULTS OF THE YEAR RELEASED
Greek newspapers yesterday published the first opinion polls of the
year 2000. The New Democracy party is 1.9% ahead of PASOK in people's
preferences, according to a nation-wide opinion poll carried out by
VPRC which was published in the Athens newspaper Ta Nea. However 52.4%
of those polled believe PASOK will win the elections, while 30.6%
believe the New Democracy party will win. In another opinion poll
carried out in Attica by Metron Analysis, which was published in the
Athens newspaper To Ethnos, PASOK is 6% ahead of the New Democracy
party.
[03] THESSALONIKI TO HOST GREECE'S NEXT EU SUMMIT
The prime minister announced yesterday that when Greece assumes the EU
presidency again in 2003, the EU summit meeting will be held in
Thessaloniki. He was speaking in Thessaloniki after inaugurating the
recently restored Royal Theatre building and the city's new Concert
Hall.
[04] SPELL OF COLD WEATHER HITS GREECE
Greece is currently in the grip of a wave of icy weather, moving on
from central Europe, with heavy snowfalls mainly in the north of the
country. In Kastoria, the temperature dropped to minus 15 degrees
centigrade and in Nevrokopi, always one of the coldest spots in winter,
to minus 18 degrees. Many villages have been cut off by snow, while the
circulation of traffic in the prefectures of Ioannina, Magnesia,
Serres, Kozani, Imathia, Pella, Grevena and Florina is possible only
for vehicles equipped with anti-skid chains. It also snowed yesterday
in Athens' northern suburbs and the surrounding hills are now covered
in snow. Because of gale force winds in the Aegean, no ferries have
been allowed to set sail from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina.
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