[01] FARMERS AND AGRICULTURERS TO OCCUPY NATIONAL ROADS

[02] GOVERNMENT CONTRADICTS EARLY ELECTIONS

[03] RELATIONS WITH SCOPJE IN GREEK PARLIAMENT AT PARTY LEADERS LEVEL

[04] GREEK POLITICAL LEADERSHIP CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF ISRAELI PREMIER

[05] BITTER COLD IN NORTHERN GREECE

[06] OPTIMISM OVER PROSPECTS FOR THE INCREASE OF RUSSIAN TOURISTS

[07] MEDICIS 1995 PRIZE AWARDED TO A GREEK AND A RUSSIAN AUTHOR NEWS IN ENGLISH

[01] FARMERS AND AGRICULTURERS TO OCCUPY NATIONAL ROADS

Greek farmers and agriculturers do not exclude nthe ventuality that they occupy once again the national roads since they protest against the governmnt which they accuse of not protecting them enough from the measures of the the European Common Agriculture police and the settlements of GATT.

In meetings they had today all over Greece they set a deadline for tomorrow night that there are settlements on problems they face.

The Press and Media Vice Minister mr Nikos Athanassakis said today that the agriculturers have every right to rally but expressed his hope that all protest will be within the framework of the laws and the constitution underscoring that the government has realised all committments they undertook towards the agriculturers when they had again occupied the national roads in March, 1995.

Mr Athanassakis said that the agriculturers registration has already started and that the tax of the fuel sold to agricultuers is 30% off.

Among the places occupied is the road to the airport of Thessaloniki, access to which involves walking while ther is a palce in the Athens - Thessaloniki national road which is under occupation.

[02] GOVERNMENT CONTRADICTS EARLY ELECTIONS

Greek government contradicted today all scenarios on early elections saying that the elections will be held on time in two years.

Press and Media Vice Minister mr Nikos Athanassakis said that the government believes that in the end of their mandate they will get a new mandate from the greek people.

At the same time Mr Athanassakis made clear that there is no place for a discussion of the issue of post electoral governmental cooperation to which Minister of Interior mr Akis Tsohadjopoulos and ex minister mr Theodoros Pangalos spoke about yestreday.

It is to be reminded that yesterday mr Tsohadjopoulos rejected the proposal by mr Pangalos for an early congress of the governmental PASOK where a new president of the party be elcted.

SKY tv quoted yesterday sources of the close to ms Demetra Liani Papandreou, wife and director of the Prime Minister's personal bureau, who contradicted that ms Papandreou will resign from the post after the criticism she received recently.

[03] RELATIONS WITH SCOPJE IN GREEK PARLIAMENT AT PARTY LEADERS LEVEL

The greek Parliament started late tonight a special session where the relations with Scopje since 1991 are being examined.

All political party leaders and foreign minister mr Carolos Papoulias, ex-Prime Minister mr Constantinos Mitsotakis and each foreign policy specialists from the parties of Political Spring and the Communist Party will take part in the session.

The session was called after a request by the main opposition party of New Democracy, submitted 2 months ago.

Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou is expected to reiterate his government's positions on the future of the negotiations and how his government put the issue on a new base.

Meanwhile, leader of the main opposition party New Democracy mr.Miltiadis Evert is expected to critisize the government for its handling of the issues of national importance and mainly for refusing to bring the interim agreement between Greece and FYROM in Parliament in order to be ratified.

According to sources, Political Spring party leader mr.Antonis Samaras will repeat his call for a referendum over the issue and the greek Communist party is expected to blame for the developments the government, NATO, the United States and the European Union.

The Communist party will reiterate his position that the main problem in the Athens - Scopje relations is not the name of FYROM and ask fore direct dialogue bemtween the two countries.

Expected with great interest is mr Mitsotakis's speech in which he will defend the policy his governments followed in the years 1991-93 and name all those who prevented him from solving the problems with Scopje.

[04] GREEK POLITICAL LEADERSHIP CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF ISRAELI PREMIER

The hope that Israeli Prime Minister Rabbin's assassination will not affect the peace process in the Middle East was expressed by Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis just before his departure for Israel to represent Greece in mr.Rabin's funeral that was held in Jerusalem this afternoon and was attended by over 5.000 heads of states, political personalities and government officials from all over the world.

Mr.Arsenis expressed his grief for Rabin's assassination with whom he had signed the first defence agreement between Greece and Israel while he had also the chance to discuss with him his vision for a Middle East and a Balkan region without wars, but with peace and cooperation among the peoples.

The greek Defence Minister pointed out that the assassination attempt on Skopjan President Kiro Gligorof and the assassination of the israeli Prime Minister stress the need for alertness of all the peace powers in the region.

Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou expressed his abhorrence for Rabin's murder while he praised his contribution to the Middle East peace process. Also, government spokesman Nikos Athanasakis today expressed the hope that those who are realy working for peace in every country of the Middle East will be strengthened.

Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos in a telegram of condolences sent yesterday to his israeli counterpart Ezer Weisman expressed his horror and deep sorrow over the assassination.

Meanwhile, the president and the honorary president of the main opposition party of New Democracy visited this morning the israeli embassy in Athens in order to express their condolences for mr.Rabin's assassination.

New Democracy leader mr.Miltiadis Evert stated that to make war is easy but to succeed in implementing peace is difficult. He also expressed the belief that mr.Rabin's sacrifice will not go to waste and that the struggle for peace will continue for the good of humanity and for the good of israelis and arabs.

New Democracy's honorary leader mr.Konstantinos Mitsotakis expressed the hope that the powers of peace will be strengthened adding that he offered his condolences expressing not only his personal grief but the grief of all the greek people as well, who mourn with the israeli people the death of a great leader.

[05] BITTER COLD IN NORTHERN GREECE

Bitter cold has frozen many northern greek cities and as a result of the frost traffic moves with difficulty in most parts of the road network in north- western Greece and in the mountainous regions of the Prefectures of Imathia, Kilkis, Pieria, Pella and Chalkidiki.

Record low temperatures were recorded at 7am this morning in the north-western city of Kastoria with -10 degrees Centigrade while at the same time the temperature was -7 degrees in the cities of Kozani, Florina and Kato Nevrokopi in Drama. In Thessalonki the lowest temperature was 0 degrees Centigrade.

[06] OPTIMISM OVER PROSPECTS FOR THE INCREASE OF RUSSIAN TOURISTS

The prospects concerning the increase of the number of russian tourists that will visit Greece in 1996 are optimistic. This was concluded during the meeting of greek Minister of Tourism Nikos Sifounakis with his russian counterpart Sergei Spilko that was held in Thessaloniki in the framework of the international exhibition of tourism PHILOXENIA.

Mr.Spilko invited the greek minister to visit together with greek businessmen the international exhibition of tourism that will be held in the city of Sotsi next January. Mr.Sifounakis also had talks with his counterparts from Ukraine and Serbia.

[07] MEDICIS 1995 PRIZE AWARDED TO A GREEK AND A RUSSIAN AUTHOR

The literary prize Medicis 1995, one of France's most prestigious, was jointly awarded today to greek french-speaking author Vasilis Alexakis for his novel "La Langue maternelle" and to russian author Andrei Makin for his book "The French Testament".

The Medicis prize for a foreign author was awarded to italian Alesandro Barico for his book "The castles of wrath".

Mr.Alexakis' novel "La langue maternelle" has a big publishing and literary success in France and has enjoyed rave reviews by the french press. Already has sold 12.000 copies while in the next few weeks is expected to sell over 20.000 copies.