The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 02-06-21

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

(21/6/2002 10:58:00 рм)

[02] Anomeritis calls for end of sailors&#8217;strike

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the Panhellenic Marine Federation will convene today to decide whether it will continue with its mobilisations or not.

On a relative development, the Minister of Mercantile Marine Giorgos Anomeritis called on sailors to end their mobilisations, underlining that the government had met the sailors&#8217; demands, demands that had not been met during the last 30 years.

The strike has led to cancellations at hotels, while shortage of foodstuffs has been observed in several islands.

At the same time, hospital doctors in Athens and Piraeus are continuing their strike, while only emergency cases will be dealt with by Social Insurance Institute doctors.

Finally, the Parliament on Thursday approved a controversial government bill overhauling the social insurance system, which was carried by the vote of ruling party deputies.

Deputies of the main opposition New Democracy and of the Communist Party of Greece had walked out of debate on the bill in a protest against the reform package, and did not return to vote.

Voting against the bill were the Coalition of the Left and Progress and Stephanos Manos, an independent and former economy minister under New Democracy.

The Coalition complained that only one of 35 amendments it had proposed was accepted, accusing the government of authoritarianism.

The government introduced two last-minute amendments, and accepted a third from deputies of the ruling PASOK party and Coalition.

One amendment allows working mothers to take a year's leave for the birth of their first child, one and a half years for the second child, and two years for the third without losing social insurance contributions.

The remaining two amendments allow a change in legal status for certain supplementary funds; and the merger of supplementary funds belonging to similiar enterprises. In addition, pension rights for a deceased person who married more than once will accrue to all spouses, and not only the latest.

(21/6/2002 11:00:00 рм)

[03] Simitis in Seville

The issues to be raised will be illegal immigration, the European army and other issues related to the operation of structures of the European Union.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Reuters news agency, Foreign Minister George Papandreou appeared optimistic that the Community would reach an agreement that would allow access to NATO forces and that Greek worries in relation to the Ankara text would be surpassed.

In tandem, New Democracy party President Costas Karamanlis, who is to participate in the meeting of the European Popular party today reiterated from Madrid after his meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister that Greece does not accept the Ankara text.

At the same time, thousands of people demonstrated in Seville yesterday within the framework of the 24-hour general strike declared in Spain.

Finally, according to Eurobarometre, following an opinion poll carried out by the European Committee at 15 EU member &#8211;countries on the issue of immigration and the granting of asylum, six out of 10 Europeans are supporting the presence and stay in the European Union of immigrants coming from third non-community countries.

(21/6/2002 11:02:00 рм)

[04] Two new universities to be founded

Mr. Simitis stated that the three institutes of higher education together with the University of Peloponnese, which will open in September, will complete the higher education network in Greece.

Also, it was decided that 46 new departments will be created in universities and technological institutions by 2010 aimed at the expansion of higher education and the strengthening of the country's competitiveness in the specific sector.

(21/6/2002 11:03:00 рм)

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