Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-05-28
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 28, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BANK WORKERS' STRIKE RULED "ILLEGAL", ITS RESUMPTION BARRED
[02] SPAIN'S KING JUAN CARLOS AND QUEEN SOPHIA IN THESSALONIKI
[03] MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER TO TOUR THESSALY
[04] INTERNATIONAL FUR CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN KASTORIA
[05] FISH FOSSIL FOUND ON CRETE, DATES BACK TO THREE MILLION YEARS
[06] GREEK BUSINESS DELEGATION TO TRAVEL IN JORDAN ON JUNE 7-11
[07] SPAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE IS VISITING THESSALONIKI
[08] SIGNIFICANT PRESENTATIONS IN THE CONFERENCE ON ALEXANDER THE
GREAT
[09] THE 16TH CIRCOM MEETING OPENED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
[10] STRIKES IN GREECE CONTINUE
[11] THE LEFT-WING PARTY OF SYNASPISMOS HELD RALLY IN THESSALONIKI
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREECE WANTS KOSSOVO'S AUTONOMY, NOT INDEPENDENCE
[13] ALBANIANS ASK FOR NATO'S INTERVENTION IN KOSSOVO
[14] NATO'S TWO-DAY CONFERENCE BEGINS IN LUXEMBOURG TODAY
[15] NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO PUBLISH GREEK EDITION
[16] UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS PROFESSOR IS AMONG WORLD'S TOP TWENTY
[17] KOREA'S DAEWOO TAKES MAJORITY STAKE IN ROMANIAN CARMAKER
[18] US SECRETARY OF STATE TO MEET SEPARATELY WITH PANGALOS, CEM
[19] PODGORICA: OVER 20,000 RALLY IN SUPPORT OF DJUKANOVIC
[20] TURKISH WARSHIPS WILL SAIL INTO THE OCCUPIED PORTS OF CYPRUS
[21] PASCAL MILO WELCOMES NATO'S DECISION
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] BANK WORKERS' STRIKE RULED "ILLEGAL", ITS RESUMPTION BARRED
A Greek court ruled yesterday that the strike conducted by
bank staff disgruntled over the state's plans to privatize Ionian
Bank, is illegal and has barred its resumption.
The Athens-based Court of Appeals ordered workers at state-
controlled Ionian Bank to end the strike they have held since May
11.
In its ruling, the Court said union leaders would be fined
GRD400,000 (about $1,200) on a daily basis if the order was
ignored. As for the employees, under Greek law, staff members
failing to return to work after such a ruling also face the
possibility of dismissal.
In its reasoning, the Court held that the striking Ionian
workers have essentially barred thousands of customers from
having access to their savings accounts, since there isn't even a
skeleton staff on duty to serve them.
Undaunted, the Ionian Bank's union president pledged that the
workers will not back down and a new strike was announced for
today and tomorrow.
[02] SPAIN'S KING JUAN CARLOS AND QUEEN SOPHIA IN THESSALONIKI
Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia, the sister of
Greece's former king Konstantine, currently on a five-day,
official visit to Greece, will arrive in Thessaloniki this
afternoon where they will received by the Minister of Macedonia-
Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos..
Juan Carlos will lay a wreath at a memorial commemorating the
thousands of Greek Jews exterminated by the Nazis during World War
II. These were descendants of about 20,000 Jews who arrived in the
city after their eviction from Spain in 1492. The royals are
expected to be addressed in Spanish by the president of the city's
Jewish community Andreas Sefihas.
Tomorrow, they will visit the archaeological sites and museum
of Vergina.
[03] MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER TO TOUR THESSALY
The leader of Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy's
Kostas Karamanlis is to embark on a four-day tour of central
Greece today, namely the prefectures of Magnesia, Larisa, Karditsa
and Trikala.
He will meet with local authorities, business leaders, as
well as party followers and will give a series of addresses.
[04] INTERNATIONAL FUR CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN KASTORIA
An international fur congress is to begin at the city of
Kastoria, in northwestern Greece, tomorrow, featuring the
participation of furriers from 12 countries including Russia, the
US and China.
Specifically, delegations from Russia, Ukraine, China, the
Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Italy
and the US will be attending the launch of the three-day
international fur congress.
The prefecture of Kastoria has a long tradition in fur
production from breeding to the finished product and accounts for
approximately six percent of total foreign exchange inflows into
Greece annually.
Kastoria has 2,700 fur producing enterprises,1,700 of which
are exclusively export-oriented. Russia and the Far East are
evolving into the industry's major importers. According to
official data, the fur industry in the region employs 13,000
people.
Greek furriers treat 8.5 percent of world fur and leather
production, and produce 30 percent of fur products worldwide.
[05] FISH FOSSIL FOUND ON CRETE, DATES BACK TO THREE MILLION YEARS
Researchers on the island of Crete have discovered the fossil
of a three-million-year-old fish, 450 meters up on a mountainside.
According to press reports, the fossil was contained in a
slab of rock, believed to come from an inland Cretan quarry, that
was being used as a step in a mountaintop castle built in 961 AD.
Geologists from the University of Crete's Natural History
Museum believe the fossil is evidence that Crete was once
partially or totally under the sea. At 50 cm (20 inches) long, the
fossil is the largest found in the region.
[06] GREEK BUSINESS DELEGATION TO TRAVEL IN JORDAN ON JUNE 7-11
A Thessaloniki businessmen's delegation is to travel to
Jordan on June 7, for a five-day mission organized by the
Organization of Export Promotion (OPE).
Headed by the chairman of OPE, Ioannis Jen, the delegation is
to represent businesses from the sectors of food, construction
material, industrial products, electrical materials and computers,
medicines, cosmetics, office furniture, etc.
The participation fee is GRD250,000. Those interested in
participating may contact the Industrial Chamber of Thessaloniki,
tel. 271-708.
[07] SPAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE IS VISITING THESSALONIKI
Spain's royal couple arrived in Thessaloniki at noon today.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were welcomed at the Macedonia
Airport by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos.
Soon afterwards, the King of Spain laid a wreath at the monument
for the victims of the Holocaust to honor the Jews who were killed
in the Nazi concentration camps.
The royal couple of Spain will visit the Byzantine Museum and
the churches of Agios Dimitrios and Agia Sofia this afternoon. On
Friday, they will visit the archaeological site of Vergina and in
the afternoon they will leave for Madrid.
In the ceremony at the monument for the Jews killed by the
Nazis, the president of the Jewish Community in Thessaloniki, Mr.
Andreas Sefiha referred to the month of March of the year 1492
when the Jews were forced to leave Spain and came to Thessaloniki
which became their new home. Mr. Sefiha expressed the certainty
that with the visit of Spain's royal couple the ties between the
two countries will be further strengthened.
King Juan Carlos in his speech announced that a few days ago
the Spanish government decided to offer the sum of 250 million
pesetas to the World Organization of Sefardites (Sefarad is the
name of Spain in the Bible) showing this way Spain's support to
the Jews from Spain, who were the victims of persecution during
the Holocaust and in the years that followed.
Meanwhile, around 200 royalists had gathered at the site of
the monument cheering and calling the name of the Queen of Spain
referring to her as the Princess of Greece.
[08] SIGNIFICANT PRESENTATIONS IN THE CONFERENCE ON ALEXANDER THE
GREAT
The international conference on "Alexander the Great: From
Macedonia to the World" continues in the north-central Greek city
of Veria with the presentation of significant reports by
distinguished Greek and foreign archaeologists and historians.
According to Egyptian professor Mahmud Sakr, who presented a
report on "Alexander the Great and diplomacy", the Macedonian King
united the Greeks as soon as he ascended to the throne using
diplomacy and as the leader of all Greeks started the battle
against a common enemy.
Reports were also presented by archaeologists Stella Drougou
under the title "The theater in ancient Macedonia" and by Maria
Lilibakis-Akamatis under the title "The Macedonian city".
[09] THE 16TH CIRCOM MEETING OPENED IN THESSALONIKI TODAY
Significant steps toward the strengthening of cooperation
among the regional television networks around the world are
expected to be made in the 16th CIRCOM Regional meeting that
opened in Thessaloniki today and will be completed on Saturday,
May 30.
The meeting in which participate 310 delegates of the Pan-
European Association of Regional Television Stations (CIRCOM) from
38 European countries was organized by the state television
station ET3.
Co-productions, exchanges of TV programs, live television
shows and services offered will be at the center of the meeting.
The delegates will deal with the future of television in view of
globalization and the developments that will be signaled by the
spread of digital television.
Ministry of Mass Media general secretary Nikolaos Athanasakis
referred in his speech to the significant role the regional
networks are called to play in the preservation of local culture,
traditions and heritage. He underlined that programs such as, the
"Balkan TV Magazine", the "Baltic Report", "Alice" and
"Euromusica" should be strengthened and become the basis of a
stable and fruitful inter-state cooperation that will protect
national divergence and will mirror the European linguistic and
cultural polymorphism.
Deputy general secretary of CIRCOM Boris Bergant referred to
Thessaloniki making complimentary comments and characterizing it
as a cradle of civilization. He announced that the Association has
three new members since yesterday and reminded that the 17th
meeting of CIRCOM will be held in Croatia in November.
Messages of the ministers of culture and Macedonia-Thrace,
who were unable to attend, were read during the official opening
of the meeting. Minister of culture Evangelos Venizelos
characterized the meeting as a "cultural event" and pointed out
that the upgrading of the regional networks is a necessary pre-
condition for the regional development within the framework of the
European Union.
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Philippos Petsalnikos reminded
in his message that the goal of the mass media should be not just
to provide news information but to meet the spiritual needs of the
public.
[10] STRIKES IN GREECE CONTINUE
The Ionian Bank workers will continue their strike tomorrow,
supported by the Federation of Bank Workers.
Today's strike was joined by the workers of the Commercial
Bank, the administrative board of which approved, by a vast
majority, yesterday, the proposal for the shares sale of the
Ionian Bank.
However, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas stressed
that the government intends to do its best and use all legal means
in order to achieve the re-opening of the Ionian Bank.
Mr Reppas, also, noted that the government considers current
strikes to be abusive and called on workers to abide by the
court's ruling.
[11] THE LEFT-WING PARTY OF SYNASPISMOS HELD RALLY IN THESSALONIKI
President of the left-wing party of Synaspismos Nikos
Konstantopoulos, addressing the open rally of the party's
supporters, which was held today at the Aristotelous place, in
Thessaloniki, accused prime minister Kostas Simitis and the policy
of the governing party of PASOK of leading the country to a
deadlock.
Mr Konstantopoulos stressed that the government, through its
"autocracy and social insensitivity", is responsible for the
increasing social and economic problems and added that his party's
proposals are specific.
He, also, referred to the main opposition party of New
Democracy, saying that both ND and PASOK pledged to lead Greece to
the 21st century but their policies resulted in the country being
the last to follow other states.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] GREECE WANTS KOSSOVO'S AUTONOMY, NOT INDEPENDENCE
Greece's Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, during a one-
day visit to Slovenia, stated yesterday that the Greek
government supports autonomy for the Yugoslav province of Kossovo
but not independence.
He added however that the borders in the region should not
change.
"If we do not apply this principle we will open a Pandora's box,''
he said.
Mr. Pangalos also stressed the importance of using sanctions
against Yugoslavia to keep the peace, saying they should be ``real
and not just imaginary.''
The Foreign Minister also urged the international community
to listen more closely to the Balkan countries.
``The voice of the countries in the region should be heard,
as we know a little bit more (about he situation),'' he said.
[13] ALBANIANS ASK FOR NATO'S INTERVENTION IN KOSSOVO
Kossovo's Albanian community members h e requested NATO's
intervention in the region's fermenting crisis.
The latest reports from Kossovo say heavy fighting has
continued between ethnic-Albanian separatists and Serbian forces.
Meanwhile, the American State Department has confirmed that
Kossovo's main ethnic-Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, is due to
meet senior members of the Clinton Administration later this week.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has opened
an office in northern Albania to deal with a possible influx of
refugees from the neighboring Serbian province of Kossovo.
A UNHCR spokesman said that so far there had only been about
forty such cases, but contingency plans had been made to deal with
larger numbers.
[14] NATO'S TWO-DAY CONFERENCE BEGINS IN LUXEMBOURG TODAY
The Alliance's two-day conference at a Foreign Ministers
level is to begin in Luxembourg today, where the participants are
to meet with their counterparts from central and eastern European
countries, Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union.
The conference is held within the framework of the council of euro-
atlantic cooperation and the participants will discuss the latest
developments in Kossovo, as well as the aversion of any potential
spill-over in the neighboring countries, i.e. Albania and FYROM.
Specifically, the Foreign Ministers are to examine proposals
submitted by the Alliance's military committee concerning the
establishment of peace in Kossovo and whether or not NATO's forces
will intervene in the region. Should such force be established in
the area it would number 7,000-20,000 soldiers.
According to the BBC, a meeting between Greece's Foreign
Minister Theodoros Pangalos with his counterparts from the United
States, Russia and FYROM, is not unlikely.
[15] NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO PUBLISH GREEK EDITION
The renowned National Geographic magazine is to publish a
Greek edition starting in October, in cooperation with Lambrakis
Press, the leading publisher of newspapers and magazines in
Greece.
According to the National Geographic Society, the magazine's
Greek edition will closely follow the editorial content of the
monthly English-language original.
National Geographic is starting a Hebrew edition in June and
is already published in Japanese, Italian and Spanish.
The Society said it is also in negotiations to publish the
magazine in the local languages of Brazil, China, France,
Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavia and Turkey.
[16] UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS PROFESSOR IS AMONG WORLD'S TOP TWENTY
University of Cyprus professor Aris Spanos is ranked among
the world's top twenty experts on theoretical econometrics,
according to Cypriot news reports.
Mr. Spanos' top twenty ranking is based on his prodigious
output in leading journals between 1989 and 1995.
The Worldwide Institutional Rankings in Econometrics also
places the Cyprus University in 70th position for its
contributions to the subject, out of 200 academic institutions.
Yale University tops the global league in important
contributions to econometric theory.
But due to the efforts of Mr. Spanos, the Cyprus University
is ranked third on productivity alone.
The university's world rankings can only improve, as the data
for the study goes back several years before the Cyprus University
was opened.
Econometrics is a specialized discipline that attempts to
prove economic models via mathematical equations.
[17] KOREA'S DAEWOO TAKES MAJORITY STAKE IN ROMANIAN CARMAKER
The South Korean carmaker Daewoo has acquired a 51 percent
stake in Romania's Mecatim auto manufacturer for an undisclosed
sum, according to Romanian press reports.
Mecatim's chief executive said Daewoo plans to invest $100
million in the plant, which will produce car equipment such as air-
conditioning systems and brakes.
The Korean company also plans to create 400 new jobs at the
plant. In 1994, Daewoo acquired a 51 percent stake in the Rodae
car plant.
[18] US SECRETARY OF STATE TO MEET SEPARATELY WITH PANGALOS, CEM
The United States Secretary of State Madleine Albright is
expected to hold separate meetings with the Foreign Ministers of
Greece and Turkey, Theodoros Pangalos and Ismael Cem,
respectively, during tomorrow's NATO summit in Luxembourg.
State department spokesperson James Rubin, stated that both
Turkey and Greece are members of the North Atlantic Council and
are close allies of the United States.
"My experience has been when Secretary Albright is at one of
those meetings, she, in one way or another, meets with all the
members of the North Atlantic Council. It is also my understanding
that there's a strong possibility of some separate bilateral
meetings outside of the actual NAC session."
[19] PODGORICA: OVER 20,000 RALLY IN SUPPORT OF DJUKANOVIC
More than 20,000 people rallied in Podgorica yesterday in
support of reformist Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, a
fierce opponent of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, ahead of
general elections in this Yugoslav republic.
According to the French news agency AFP, a group of
supporters fled in panic from the main square in Podgorica after
being hit by stones and firecrackers thrown from the top of a
nearby high-rise, but the police calmed them down quickly.
Ending a campaign for the Sunday elections in this tiny
republic, which together with Serbia makes up the rump Yugoslavia,
Djukanovic and his coalition "To Live Better" urged supporters to
back their policy of democracy and economic reforms, condemning
Milosevic's "autocratic regime."
"We must not allow Milosevic to overrun Montenegro to fulfill
his aims of creating Great Serbia," Djukanovic told the crowd.
Western-backed Djukanovic, who had won Montenegrin
presidential polls last year after defeating Milosevic's protege,
now federal premier Momir Bulatovic, has become Yugoslav
strongman's most dangerous political foe in the rump Yugoslavia.
Waving Montenegrin flags and shouting "Milo, freedom,"
thousands greeted the reformist president on the main Podgorica
square. Dozens of people stood on the roofs of nearby buildings,
while many drove around the capital with their horns blaring.
And the message of support for Djukanovic, coming from famous
Yugoslav football players Dejan avicevic and Predrag Mijatovic,
both Montenegrins, and read during the rally, drew rounds of
applause in the crowd.
[20] TURKISH WARSHIPS WILL SAIL INTO THE OCCUPIED PORTS OF CYPRUS
Turkish Navy warships will sail into the occupied ports of
Kerinia and Famagusta in northern Cyprus within the framework of
the air and sea Turkish exercise code-named "Sea Wolf ‘98" that
will be held on June 3-26. The exercise will be held in
international waters and in the air space of Marmara, the Aegean
and central and eastern Mediterranean.
Headed by the fleet commander, admiral Ilhami Ertil different
types of war vessels that will participate in the exercise have
already left their bases and are also expected to arrive at the
ports of Bizerte in Tunisia and Augusto in Italy.
[21] PASCAL MILO WELCOMES NATO'S DECISION
The Albanian government expressed its satisfaction over the
decision reached by NATO to deploy military forces along the
borders of Albania and FYROM with Serbia.
The Albanian Foreign minister Pascal Milo, in statements he
made, stressed that this decision is a proof that the Alliance is
determined to avert a deterioration of the situation in the area.
Mr Milo underlined that NATO's plans are a satisfactory
response to Tirana's concern over an eventual spread of the crisis
to the Balkans area.
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