Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-02-10

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

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, 10 February 1998

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS ON TOUR OF ARTA AND PREVEZA

The President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos has embarked on a two-day tour of Arta and Preveza.

Referring to the national issues, President Stephanopoulos stated that the country need to protect its pride and integrity.

Addressing a message to the country’s farmers, Mr. Stephanopoulos stated that they are indeed in a difficult situation but the state cannot solve all the problems they are facing.

[02] PREMIER MEETS WITH LEADERS OF NATIONAL ECONOMY MINISTRY

Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas stated that the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to respond to timely questions on issues concerning the country’s farmers.

Moreover, the Premier met today with the leaders of the Finance and National Economy Ministry in order to discuss issues concerning the public utilities companies (DEKO).

According to reports, the Premier is said to have instructed the ministers to proceed with the necessary moves, even if these actions are faced by reaction. Nevertheless, he is also said to have stressed the need to conduct dialogue with the dissenters.

Finally, Mr. Reppas stated that the Premier will receive the vice-president of Vietnam Mr. Manh Kam on Thursday.

[03] AGRICULTURE MINISTER TO MEET WITH PROTESTING FARMERS ON THURSDAY

Farmers in central Greece protesting the government's agricultural policy, blocked off a section of the national highway period today at the Biokarpet junction.

The Pan-Thessaly co-ordinating committee, which comprises the protesting farmers’ representatives, is to meet with a government delegation headed by the Minister of Agriculture Stephanos Tzoumakas in Athens on Thursday,

Meanwhile, until then, their tractors are to remain along the side of the national highway. In Crete, the fresh produce makers of the city of Chania seized the municipality building, with no sign of withdrawing in sight.

[04] LOCAL COURT HEARS CONFISCATION PETITION FILED AGAINST AEROSWEET

Thessaloniki’s First Instance Court heard yesterday the petition for the confiscation of Ukraine’s Aerosweet airlines assets in Greece, filed by the relatives of the victims of the crashed Ukrainian airliner who claim that the company is responsible for the death of the passengers and crew. The court’s decision is expected to be issued in approximately twenty days from now.

Ever since the petition was filed 14 days ago, one of the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft has remained grounded at Thessaloniki’s “Makedonia” Airport.

The confiscation petition was submitted by an attorney representing the family of a young teacher, Triada Karafiloudi, who was killed when the Russian-made Yakovlev-42 aeroplane crashed into the Pieria mountain range in northern Greece on December 17, killing all 74 passengers and crew on board.

Meanwhile, in an open letter forwarded to the Prime Minster Kostas Simitis, the relatives of the victims have requested the exemplary punishment of those responsible for the aeroplane’s crash.

[05] MINISTER OF MACEDONIA-THRACE, UNDERSECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE IN EVROS

The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos and the Undersecretary of Agriculture Vasilis Geranides chaired a session with various agencies in Northern Greece’s flooded region of Evros, where they examined the situation at hand after the extensive damages caused by the natural disaster.

According tot he reports, following the estimate of damages, the state will proceed to pay compensation to those farmers whose cultivated land was flooded.

According to the latest estimates, 169,790 hectares of cultivated land have been destroyed, while extensive damages were also caused to warehouses, cattle, farmhouses, agricultural machinery and cattle feed.

[06] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS TOURS NORTH-WESTERN GREECE

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos, who visited the city of Preveza today in north-western Greece, stated that there is unanimity among the political parties in the country when dealing with national dangers, even though different proposals are being made.

During his visit to the prefecture building in Preveza, Mr. Stephanopoulos received a petition that was handed to him by the farmers’ coordinating committee. The president stated that no government wants to displease the farmers but the globalization of the market does not leave room for the fulfillment of their demands.

Mr. Stephanopoulos stated that the prices of the farm products do not depend exclusively on the individual government but on the international market that has been created, adding that nothing can be done about it.

[07] THE SIX EXPELLED ND PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES FORMED AN INFORMAL POLITICAL GROUP

Giorgos Souflias, one of the expelled main opposition party of New Democracy Parliament deputies, announced the creation of an informal political group made up of the 6 expelled deputies, Stefanos Manos, Vasilis Kontoyiannopoulos, Nikos Kakkalos,, Petros Tatoulis, Anastasis Papaligouras and Giorgos Souflias himself.

The former minister visited Parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis and requested an office on the Parliament grounds to be used by the “six”, while he also requested that each of them should be appointed to one of the six parliamentary committees.

Opposition to the ND deputy expulsions was expressed by New Democracy deputy Giorgos Panagiotopoulos, who had been brought before the disciplinary council and was acquitted, stressing that the political parties are not governed with expulsions.

Former New Democracy leader Militiadis Evert when asked to comment on the warning issued by ND leader Kostas Karamanlis, that new expulsions will be decided if necessary, he called on the reporters to turn their attention to the pressing problem of unemployment and the 2,5 million people who live beyond the poverty line.

[08] IORDANESCU WILL SIGN WITH THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM ON FRIDAY

The Greek National Football Team’s new coach Anghel Iordanescu will sign his contract with the Greek National Football Association in Athens on Friday.

The Romanian football coach was the Association’s choice and he will be coaching the Greek National Football team starting this summer after the end of the World Cup. Until then Mr. Iordanescu will be training his country’s national football team.

The two year contract, that will be signed, provides that Mr. Iordanescu will receive 300.000 dollars a year plus 250.000 dollars extra in case Greece goes to the next World Cup.

[09] SIMITIS-ATHENS MEETING ON ISSUES CONCERNING THE GREEKS ABROAD

World Council of Hellenes Abroad, SAE, president Andrew Athens met in Athens today with prime minister Kostas Simitis. Mr. Athens briefed the prime minister on the priorities of SAE’s program of action for the next two years decided by the World Council’s newly elected presiding board in its first meeting held in Thessaloniki last weekend.

In statements he made after the meeting, Mr. Athens stressed that an emphasis was given to the greater support of the Greek community in the former Soviet Republics.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[10] SEA TRAGEDY OFF THE COAST OF BRIDEZI, AT LEAST FIVE PERSONS DROWN

A dinghy carrying illegal immigrants from the city of Vlore, Albania, who were trying to enter Italy, exploded from the excessive weight yesterday evening, ten miles off the coast of Bridezi.

The dinghy’s owner called the Italian port authorities from his mobile phone, but when the rescue teams arrived t the scene they managed to save 14 persons, while five others have drowned and three are still missing.

A delegation of Albania’s public prosecuting office is currently at Bridezi where they are holding talks with their Italian counterparts.

[11] PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA TO EMBARK ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO TURKEY TOMORROW

The President of Albania Reijep Meidani is to embark on a three-day official visit to Turkey tomorrow.

President Meidani will be accompanied by the Albanian government’s vice-president Bashkim Fino, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy-Privatization.

During his stay in Turkey, the Albanian President will meet with his Turkish counterpart Suleiman Demirel, the vice-president of the Turkish government Bulent Ecevit, the Speaker of the House, the Foreign Minister and the Chief of the General Army Staff.

[12] THREE PASSPORTS FOR EACH ALBANIAN, DUE TO LACK OF BUREAUCRACY

The lack of organization in Albania’s public agencies has resulted in an abyss of fake passports, according to local press reports that quote sources of the Interpol.

According to Albania’s “Republica”, each Albanian citizen owns not one, but three passports each of which he may use as he pleases.

According to the article, the Albanian authorities have issued approximately nine million passports, at a time when the country’s population numbers three million.

The “Republica” also writes that today’s passports are to soon be replaced by an updated type.

[13] GERMAN ECONOMISTS ARE OPPOSED TO THE EMU

German economists requested from the European Union to postpone the implementation of the process for the European economic and monetary union.

In letters sent to the newspapers “Financial Times” and “Frankfurter Algemaine” and signed by the 150 economic science professors, it is requested that the program be postponed for two years based on the argument that the unstable economic conditions do not allow for its implementation.

In the letters it is stressed the fact that countries such as Italy, Germany and France were not able to meet the criteria for the participation in the European economic and monetary union.

[14] CHEVARTNADZE SURVIVED AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST HIM

Georgian president Edvard Chevartnadze in a message to his people called on them to keep their calm. The message was issued after yesterday’s failed assassination attempt against him in the capital Tblisi. The Georgian president escaped unharmed but one of his bodyguards was killed and a number of passers-by were injured.

The attackers used anti-tank grenades against the president’s convoy, while according to information, a Chechen attacker was killed.

Mr. Chevatrnatze attributed the assassination attempt to foreign interests associated with the Caspian Sea oil.

The Greek government condemned the assassination attempt and its spokesman Dimitris Reppas stated that it is unacceptable to try and solve political differences this way. Mr. Reppas stated that Mr. Chevartnadze is an international personality and the role he plays is stabilizing for his country and positive for the international developments and therefore, it must be realized by all that it must be safeguarded. Mr. Reppas characterized the Georgian president as a great asset for peace in the region.

[15] GREEK HEART SURGEON PANAGIOTIS SPYROU WILL OPERATE ON RAMIZ ALIA

Greek heart surgeon Panagiotis Spyrou will operate on former Albanian president Ramiz Alia. The statement was made by Mr. Spyrou himself during a visit he made to Tirana at the invitation of the University of Tirana Medical School.

Mr. Spyrou visited the former Albanian president at the Tirana Hospital at the invitation of Mr. Alia’s doctors and stated that he came to Albania to help his colleagues. He said that he examined Mr. Alia and as soon as he returns to Greece he will send a fax to the ministry of health in Albania requesting to be allowed to the former Albanian president to come to Thessaloniki in order to undergo a heart operation at Papanikolaou Hospital.

Responding to a question made by reporters on the level of the health services offered in Albania, Mr Spyrou stated that the Albanian doctors are well trained but they do not have the necessary medical equipment.

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