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Saturday, 21 December 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 97-06-21Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 16:41 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] WORLDNEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] THE GREEK PRESIDENT MET WITH THE HOLY FATHERS FROM MOUNT ATHOSWeb Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Thessaloniki 21 June (MPA)Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos met with representatives of Mount Athos monasteries this morning and stated that this is a very important day for Thessaloniki, for Greece and for Europe as a whole. He also expressed the gratitude of the Greek people for the decision of the Holy Fathers in Mount Athos to allow the holy relics to be displayed in an unprecedented exhibition. President Stephanopoulos also expressed the wish to visit Mount Athos.Mount Athos representative Father Kallinikos thanked the Greek state for its support and help in holding the exhibition of Mount Athos' Treasures and also, because it respected the special status of Mount Athos and protected it with the provisions included in the Constitution. He also invited the Greek President to visit Mount Athos. [02] PRIME MINISTER SIMITIS WILL VISIT MOUNT ATHOSWeb Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Thessaloniki 21 June (MPA)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will visit Mount Athos accepting the invitation issued by the Holy Community during the meeting he had with its representatives. The Prime Minister stated that the date of the visit will be set in the future and promised that the government will continue to help Mount Athos.Mr.Simitis stated that they discussed issues concerning the protection of heritage and the financing of the restoration of the monasteries and the protection of monuments and relics. He said that there is no problem concerning the special status of Mount Athos and that within the framework of the European Union there are provisions that consolidate its special position, adding that beyond this, the European Union activities can not affect the status of Mount Athos. Head Secretary of the Holy Community of Mount Athos, Father Ioannis expressed the monastic community's satisfaction concerning the meeting with the Prime Minister and the government ministers and thanked the government for the interest it has displayed in Mount Athos. Father Ioannis mentioned that institutional issues were also raised during the meeting, among them, the issue of the Protocol that Mount Athos monastic community has requested to be incorporated in the revised Maastricht Treaty. He said that the monastic community was disappointed with the way the Greek state has raised the issue, adding that the monastic community has received assurances by the Prime Minister that the issue will be reexamined and will be placed on a new basis. He also expressed the hope that in the good climate that prevails the necessary solutions will be found. [03] SIMITIS: THE TIGHT ECONOMIC POLICY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE YEAR 2001Web Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Athens 21 June (MPA)Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis speaking in the governing party of PASOK Central Committee meeting announced that the tight economic policy in Greece will continue until the year 2001 when the country will participate in the European Economic and Monetary Union.Greece's participation in the single european currency is a oneway street, said mr.Simitis, adding that it would be a mistake to open another round of subsidies because such a move would ruin everything that was achieved through great effort. Main opposition party of New Democracy accused the government of being in confusion and making contradictory statements on the economy. [B] BALKANS[04] MEMORANDUM ON THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS PIPELINE WAS SIGNED IN ATHENSWeb Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Athens 21 June (MPA)A memorandum on the operation of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline that will carry Russian oil was signed in Athens yesterday by delegations of specialists from Greece, Bulgaria and Russia. The memorandum includes four points that will signal decisive developments concerning the timetable for the pipeline's operation.The most important is the fourth point according to which, Greece will send a draft agreement to Bulgaria and Russia by July 30 for the establishment of the Transbalkan Oil Pipeline. [05] YILMAZ WILL PRESENT THE MEMBERS OF HIS GOVERNMENT ON JUNE 30Web Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Ankara 21 June (MPA)"Motherland" Party leader Mesut Yilmaz, who received the mandate to form a new government in Turkey, has begun consultations in a search for coalition partners, while Erbakan and Ciller are complaining against President Demirel's decision to ask Yilmaz to form a government.Mr.Yilmaz stated that he will present the members of his government to the President on June 30 and announced that elections will be held in spring of 1998. [06] 40% OF THE BULGARIAN BUSINESSES WILL BE PRIVATIZED BY THE END OF 1997Web Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Sofia 21 June (MPA)The annual inflation in Bulgaria is expected to reach 566% in 1997, while after the establishement of the Monetary Council in the country, that will begin operating on July 1, the monthly inflation is expected to drop to 1,5- 2% by the end of the year.Meanwhile, it was announced that the government of Prime Minister Kostov aims at the privatization of 40% of the companies in the country by the end of the year, while the rest of them will be privatized in 1998. [07] THE VISIT OF THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENT TO TURKEY WAS POSTPONEDWeb Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Sofia 21 June (MPA)Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov postponed his visit to Turkey which was scheduled for June 23-25.As it was made known, Turkish President Suleiman Demirel had a telephone conversation with his Bulgarian counterpart last night and they agreed that the visit will take place after the new Turkish government is formed. [C] WORLD[08] THE EXHIBITION OF THE TREASURES OF MOUNT ATHOS WAS INAUGURATED TODAY WITH BYZANTINE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCEWeb Posted: 16:41 GMT+2Thessaloniki 21 June (MPA)Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos in a special ceremony held in the presence of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis inaugurated the unique exhibition of holy relics from the monastic community of Mount Athos in Thessaloniki's Museum of Byzantine Culture.The exhibition of the century, as it is called by foreign specialists, is an unprecedented moment for the Orthodox Christians. For the first time ever, women will have the opportunity to admire a unique world of rare relics, historical manuscripts, utensils and objects used by the Mount Athos monks in their everyday life. President Stephanopoulos characterized the exhibition as a significant event for Greece, underlining that culture and Greece are synonymous, he also stressed that this great exhibition teaches again to the world what Byzantium has offered to western civilization, pointing out that the Byzantine culture has greatly affected the world progress, knowledge and Christian faith. Speaking in the inauguration ceremony Prime Minister Kostas Simitis characterized the exhibition of the holy relics from Mount Athos as a sensational artistic event that presents to the wider public masterpieces never seen before, while he pointed out that its exhibits are a sample of the creativity of the Greek culture in the past 1.000 years. He also underlined that this exhibition promotes the Byzantine history and the beauty of artistic expression to the whole world. Mr.Simitis stressed that the cultural and spiritual sacred heritage of Mount Athos is greatly respected in the European Union and special provisions have been enacted for the protection of its preferential status. Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos stated in the inauguration ceremony, that with the exhibition of holy relics from Mount Athos, Thessaloniki is rightfully the Cultural Capital of Europe. Speeches in the opening ceremony were also delivered by Mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Kosmopoulos, the Director of the exhibition mr.Karakatsanis and the representative of Mount Athos monastic community. In the inauguration were also present Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Environment, Planning and Public Works Minister Kostas Laliotis, Transport and Communications Minister mr.Kastanidis, Minister of Public Order mr.Romeos, Minister of Macedonia-Thrace mr.Petsalnikos, Minister of Press mr.Reppas and Undersecretary of National Economy mr.Pachtas. Also, present were representatives of political parties. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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