[01] KORIDALOS PRISON IN ATHENS STILL UNDER FULL CONTROL OF THE INMATES

[02] PAPANDREOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE OF GREEK ECONOMY

[03] GERMAN GOVERNMENT REJECTS GREEK DEMAND ON THE WAR REPARATIONS

[04] THE GREEK DEFENCE MINISTER WILL VISIT BRUSSELS ON NOVEMBER 28TH

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[01] KORIDALOS PRISON IN ATHENS STILL UNDER FULL CONTROL OF THE INMATES

Relatively calm is the situation in Koridalos Prison which since yesterday night has been under the complete control of the inmates.

The uprising of the inmates took place at about 8:00 local time last night and 8 prison guards are still held hostage while their condition is described as good.

Meanwhile, 3 inmates went into a coma and had to be taken to hospital as a result of tranquilizers' overdose which were stolen from the prison's pharmacy which was occupied by the prisoners while four other inmates were injured during incidents among the prisoners.

According to information, representatives of the inmates during the negotiations they had with Pireaus Prosecutor ms. Storaitou demanded among others the decrease of the number of prisoners held in Koridalos, improvement of their living conditions and the release of the long-term convicts after they serve a part of their prison term.

Also, they demanded better food and health care for those inmates who have AIDS or hepatitis.

According to greek government spokesman mr Tilemachos Hitiris, the Justice Ministry is examining the inmates' demands.

Mr Hitiris contradicted that the Justice Minister mr Yanis Potakis has either resigned or asked to after the opposition accused him of not having gone to the prison sinced the rebellion started.

Mr Potakis said that he made a personal a choice not to go attributing it to the fact that the prisoners were under the effect of the drugs.

The inmates have appointed as their main negotiator mr Giorgos Balafas who had entered the prison a few days ago after he was found innocent of having guns used in terroristic attacks, accusation he denies and was found innocent of in previous trials he had.

The Koridalos prison, is situated in a densely populated suburb of Pireus which in fact was built after the construction of the prison. It was built to guest about 600 prisoners while the number now has overdoubled since a large number of foreiggners are being detained in Greek prisons most of them for a sentence after which they will be deported.

The local inhabitants and the municipality of the area have for some tome now been asking for the move of the institution in which escapes and corruption are very often phenomena.

Ex-Ministers of Justice in statements they made today said that there are gangs functioning in the prisons where drugs dealers are said to be very easy to find and revolts have often taken place in the past. News from the front is expected after the government gives an answer to the petitions they have submitted.

Mr Giorgos Kouvelakis, MP and former prominent judge of the high court resigned from the ministry last spring after he said he could not guarantee prisons work within the provisions of the greek legal system and priviliges in them were cut off, while almost all ex-justice minsiters had at least once faced a theratening situation developing in prisons.

[02] PAPANDREOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE OF GREEK ECONOMY

Greek Prime Minister mr Andreas Papandreou expressed today his optimism for the future of the Greek economy.

Mr Papandreou who today presided over the ministerial session which approved of the final settlements for the 1996 budget, stressed that all traps should be observed but did not clarify what he meant by traps, which as he said will be made known in December.

Mr Papandreou described the greek economy as one going very well but added that it does not need "shaking".

The Prime Minister did not give any details about rises in the wages nad pensions for 1996 but declined that the budget will move within the frame of an austerity policy,

[03] GERMAN GOVERNMENT REJECTS GREEK DEMAND ON THE WAR REPARATIONS

The german government rejected the greek demand over the issue of the war reparations.

In a statement issued yesterday by the german Foreign Ministry after Greece's verbal note was conveyed, Germany maintains that the reparations' issue which is being raised by Greece 50 years after the end of World War II is untimely and unjustifiable. In the statement it is also pointed out that the greek government can not possibly expect that the german government will agree to start talks on the issue.

Greece has formally raised the issue of the repayment of the obligatory loan the nazis had taken from the Bank of Greece during the Second World War and the issue of the german war reparations claimed by greek citizens.

The official announcment of the greek petition for negotiations over the loan and the reparations was made by the Prime MInister himself in the session of the governmental PASOK PMs on Monday.

The total amount aksed is about 4 billion drachmas while Germany says that after 115 million marks were given to Greece in the 1960s there is no german obligation towards Athens.

[04] THE GREEK DEFENCE MINISTER WILL VISIT BRUSSELS ON NOVEMBER 28TH

Greek Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis will visit Brussels on November 28th in order to participate to the two-day meeting of NATO's Defence Ministers.

Also, on December 12th mr.Arsenis will be on an official two-day visit to Britain.