Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-01-27

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, January 27, 1997

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] FARMERS GET READY TO SLICE THE COUNTRY AGAIN, RALLIES BEGIN TOMORROW

Greek farmers are preparing roadblocks at various sections of the country's national highway, with mobilizations starting tomorrow and culminating on February 4.

The Pan-Thessaly Farmers Coordinating Committee, Greece's hardcore farmers organization, convened yesterday with farmers' representatives from throughout the country and decided to proceed with the protests.

A mass rally will be held tomorrow in the city of Karditsa in central Greece, where farmers are being tried before a local court for obstruction of traffic.

Starting on February 1, the farmers will block the country's toll gates, allowing for the passage of cars. However, if until February 4 their demands are not met by the government, they will proceed to block the national highway. A.F.

[02] WE WILL DRAW THE NECESSARY PREVENTIVE MEASURES, WARNS GOVERNMENT

The government will draw all the necessary preventive measures in order to avert the known paralysis that results from roablcoks, warned today the Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas, referring to the farmers' imminent protests.

Moreover, Mr. Reppas characterized the farmers' mobilizations as "uncalled for and lacking substance."

The Minister of Justice Evangelos Yiannopoulos said that "the so-called mobilization is an insult to the law-abiding classes and a strong challenge to the authority of the law." A.F.

[03] EDUCATION MINISTER ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SYSTEM

The Minister of Education Gerasimos Arsenis has announced that those students who are to graduate from high school in the year 2000, and henceforth, will be given a national diploma which will determine their admittance to college.

Mr. Arsenis also stated that GRD45 billion have already been secured for the implementation of these changes in the country's academic system.

While university deans have responded positively to the Minister's proposals, the opposition parties are sceptical of these changes.

Meanwhile, the secondary education school teachers' union has decided to continue their strike for another five days. Union representatives are to meet with Mr. Arsenis today. A.F.

[04] PRESIDENT TO FORMALLY INAUGURATE THESSALONIKI AS "CULTURAL CAPITAL"

The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos will formally inaugurate the events that mark Thessaloniki as "Cultural Capital of Europe '97" on Saturday.

Also present at the formal ceremony will be the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, political party leades, ministers and parliamentarians, as well as 40 culture ministers and ambassadors from various countries throughout the world. A.F.

[05] GREECE HAS LONG KNOWN OF TURKEY'S ROLE IN HEROIN TRAFFICKING

The Minister of Public Order George Romeos stated today that Greece had signaled long ago to the European Union's Ministerial Council Turkey's role in the production and trafficking of heroin.

Mr. Romeos added that the EU member-states were late in realizing the dramatic dimensions of the whole matter, referring to recent press reports where Britain's Undersecretary of the Interior said that he, too, is aware of Turkey's involvement. A.F.

[06] GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS WITH AMBASSADORS OF PALESTINE, JORDAN

The President of the Hellenic Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis met today with the Ambassadors of Palestine and Jordan, Msgrs. Abdullah Abdullah and Amjad Al Majali, respectively.

The talks among the three centered around the latest development in the Middle East, with specific emphasis given to the way the events are shaped now following the signing of the Hevron Accord. Also, the three discussed matters concerning parliamentary cooperation. A.F.

[07] BALKAN CULTURE MINISTERS TO MEET IN THESSALONIKI ON THURSDAY

Culture Ministers from Balkan countries are to meet in Thessaloniki this Thursday, where they will discuss the establishment of an Inter-Balkan Cultural Network, that will be based in the city and will widen the cooperation prospects among the Balkan countries.

The Culture Ministers will also discuss ways for the improved cooperation and information exchange in the meetings that will be held on January 30-31. A.F.

[08] GREEK AND BULGARIAN LAND SURVEYORS COOPERATE ON TOLL CONSTRUCTION

Greek and Bulgarian land surveyors have began work on a cooperated project to draw new roads and construct new tolls that will link Bulgaria's city of Iliden and Greece's Exohi.

Construction on a new road that will lead to Greece's northeastern city of Drama will begin this spring, as part of an agreement singed in December 1995 between the two countries, which foresees for the establishment of three new border stations, namely in Drama, Xanthi and Rodopi. A.F.

[09] ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE-F.R.Y. TO BE EXPANDED

Greece and the Federal Yugoslav Republic have initialled an agreement for the encouragement and protection of bilateral investments, while the finalized accord is expected to be signed soon by the appropriate ministries of both countries, according to the trade attache of the Greek Embassy in Belgrade, Christos Farmakis.

Moreover, Mr. Farmakis stated that both sides are preparing a draft agreement that will open avenues to avoid double taxation.

"Both of these agreements are very significant for the bilateral economic cooperation, since they will greatly boost the flow of capital and the contacts among companies and businessmen from both countries," Mr. Farmakis stated.

According to 1996 official data provided by the Yugoslav Statistical Agency, Greece held sixth place among Yugoslavia's trade allies and bilateral trade reached the USD234 million mark. A.F.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[10] ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT ASSIGNS TROOPS TO GUARD PUBLIC BUILDINGS

Albania's president Sali Berisha assigned the country's troops to guard the public buildings in an effort to contain the vocal protests of thousands of irate Albanians who fell victim to covert money-making operations, styled after what is known as "the pyramid."

The Mecsi Cabinet has assigned troops to guard public buildings and national highways where the public has stormed. A.F.

[11] TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER TANSU CILLER IN ROME TODAY

Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller will travel to Rome today where she will meet with her counterparts from Italy, Britain, France, Germany and Spain.

The meeting will aim at developing Turkey's ties with Europe, in order to be included in the list of countries that are in line for full accession to the European Union.

Moreover, Ms. Ciller will aim for the release of EU funds to Turkey which have been blocked by Greece.

The Turkish Foreign Minister is to discuss the Cyprus issue and she is expected to try to convince the foreign ministers that the deployment of russian-made missiles in Cyprus must be averted.

According to a BBC broadcast, British Foreign Minister Malcolm Rifkind is expected to mount the pressures towards Turkey for a resolvement of the Cyprus issue. A.F.

[12] TURKEY: CILLER COUNTERS ACCUSATIONS OF INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG TRAFFICKING

Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller has characterized as "unacceptable and unfounded" the accusations expressed by Britain and France, according to which, Turkish high-ranking officials provide covert protection to drug dealers with the full awareness of the Turkish government.

She appeared on Turkish television yesterday and stated that these accusations extenuate from the strained relations her country has with the European Union and said that "this is the result of a systematic anti-turkish campaign which is orchestrated and directed from abroad."

Ms. Ciller also stated that the accusations bear no shred of evidence and, instead, she said "the culprits should be sought from within the ranks of PKK, which is active in southeastern Turkey."

The Turkish Foreign Minister's response was prompted by an interview given by Britain's Undersecretary of the Interior, Tom Sakville, published yesterday in the Turkish daily "Milliyet".

Mr. Sakville stated that he himself had in the past informed the Turkish government of coordinated efforts taken by European law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking. However, he said, these efforts fell out since high-ranking officials from the Turkish government served as informants to the drug dealers. The British diplomat offered data substantiated by the British authorities, according to which, 80 per cent of the drugs seized in his country stem from Turkey.

Another Turkish daily, "Hurriyet", published a report yesterday issued by France's Institute of "Geopolitical Center of Drug Trafficking Watch" which reported that the Turkish drug lords perform business as usual enjoying the protection of the Turkish government. A.F.

[13] BULGARIA: BSP LEADERS TO MEET WITH ALLIES TOMORROW

Bulgaria's Socialist Party (BSP) will hold a meeting with its political allies tomorrow wherein the Democratic Left will examine the various proposals tabled to address the country's formidable crisis, such as whether it will give the assigned Premier Nicolai Dobrev a mandate to form a government, or if it will act otherwise.

The leader of BSP, Georgi Parvanov, has stated that the optimal solution for his country would be to form a government which will implement a state program that would enjoy wide support. A.F.

[14] BULGARIA: STOYANOV PROPOSES CARETAKER GOVERNMENT AND ELECTIONS IN MAY

The new President of Bulgaria Petar Stoyanov proposed that a caretaker government be formed now and parliamentary elections be held in May of 1997.

Mr. Stoyanov appealed to all of his country's political forces to do their best in order to salvage Bulgaria from its current economic crisis. A.F.

[15] HUMAN RIGHTS IS 1997'S NUMBER ONE ISSUE, SAYS COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The Council of Europe is to grant greater emphasis this year to a systematic check of the countries' respect for human rights, according to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Leni Fisher.

Ms. Fisher also stated that the Council will no longer be tolerant of situations that escape the organization's legal boundaries.

In regards to the Cyprus issue, Ms. Fisher also stated that she has followed the matter during the past 20 years and said that there is contained optimism for its resolvement.

"We will employ all of our abilities," she stated. A.F.

[16] U.S. COMPANIES TO INVEST $5.8 BILLION IN TURKEY, ACCORDING TO PRESS

Nine investing companies from the United States are preparing to enter Turkey's market with a 5.8 billion-dollar investment, according to Turkish daily "Milliyet."

While the press report neither mentions the companies' names nor provides further information on their plans, it does note that the proposal has been submitted to the Turkish government by the United States Ambassador in Ankara, Mark Grossman.

According to the report, this is a package-proposal which involves the construction of natural, liquid gas and petroleum energy-production facilities. A.F.

[17] F.R.Y.: BELGRADE COURT UPHOLDS SOCIALISTS VICTORY, OPPOSITION ON REBOUND

The crisis thought to have eclipsed earlier this month in the Federal Yugoslav Republic is expected to soon resurface, after today's ruling issued by Belgrade's Regional Court which accepted the appeal filed by the ruling Socialist Party, in essence rejecting the Electorate Committee's upholding of the opposition's victory.

As far as Belgrade is concerned, it all started on January 14 when the city's Electorate Committee upheld the victory of the main opposition coalition, the tri-partite "Zajedno", in the local elections of November 17. In its then-decision, the Committee exercised the right to reverse the court's previous ruling which had granted control of the city to the Serb President's Slobodan Milosevic Socialist Party. Today, the city's court remained steadfast in its previous ruling, dismissing the Committee's decision.

Vuc Drascovic, one of Zajedno's three leaders said today that his party will announce its reaction tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Russia's alternate Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is currently on an offical visit to Belgrade, where he met with Serbia's Foreign Minister, Milan Milutinovic. Mr. Ivanov is also expected to meet with President Milosevic and the Zajedno leaders. A.F.

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