Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-10-25

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2

SECTIONS

[A] GREECE

[B] EUROPE

[C] WORLD

NEWS HEADLINES

[A] GREECE

[B] EUROPE

[C] WORLD

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] GREECE

[01] GREECE HAS ONE OF WORLD'S HIGHEST IN NUMBER OF DENTISTS

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

According to reports, there is one dentist for every 447 Greeks, compared to a world average of one to 2000.

"The lack of preventive care, the absence of any state social program as well as bad dietary habits among children (sweets and acids from soft drinks) contribute to the problem in Greece," the president of the federation of dentists, Christos Karapanos, said.

Of Greece's 12,500 dentists and orthodontists, only 600 are employed in the national health system - 400 in rural health clinics and 200 in urban hospitals. The remaining 11,900 dentists are all in private practice.

The high ratio of dentists per residents can be attributed to the fact that Greeks have one of the world's highest incidences of dental plaque, particularly among children.

Research presented at the conference showed that approximately 80 percent of 2,500 Greek children aged 6-12, were in need of dental treatment.

Mr. Karapanos pointed to the example of ScandInavian countries, where a strong government-sponsored program had managed to bring the incidence of plaque down to zero.

[02] GREEK OPPOSITION PARTIES REACT TO SERB STUDENT'S KILLING

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

Main opposition deputy responsible for justice and public order issues, New Democracy's Prokopis Pavlopoulos, issued a statement in which he stressed that "the sad incident in Thessaloniki was just another in a series of such incidents which proved that the government lacked a policy to fight crime and protect society."

Mr. Pavlopoulos added that the ND will table a question in Parliament next week over the incident, while it will again raise party leader Kostas Karamanlis' proposal for the fight against crime and the re-organization of the Greek police (EL.AS) for discussion in Parliament.

The Communist Party of Greece also issued an announcement condemning the Thessaloniki incident.

"The cold-blooded murder of the Yugoslav student in Thessaloniki by a policeman reveals once more the conditions prevailing within the police force", read the announcement.

KKE added that not only the specific officer was to blame, but also the premier and especially the public order ministry which were responsible for the situation prevailing within the police force.

Commenting on the incident, the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), spoke of a serious problem of credibility on the part of the public order ministry.

"It is impossible for police officers' pistols to discharge always when they are facing foreigners, immigrants, gypsies and other groups regarded as different," the announcement stated.

Synaspismos also demanded the exemplary punishment of those responsible, and strict measures to eradicate racism within police ranks.

[03] ALTERNATE FM EXPRESSED REGRETS OVER SERB STUDENT'S DEATH

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

"For Greece, the tragedy is indeed serious. A young Serb, a student, lost his life while on a college trip to Greece, at a time when the feelings in Greece and Serbia are of deep friendship and affection. I should like to stress that this grief is shared by all Greek citizens. This should be clear not only to Buratovic's family but to all Serbs," Papandreou said.

Buratovic had been in Greece with fellow-students for little over a week. The four busloads of students had arrived in Thessaloniki at midday on Friday, following a week in Corfu. Eyewitnesses said that the youth and his companions had been standing outside a clothing store on one of Thessaloniki's busiest streets, Egnatia, when police arrived. The eyewitnesses said police attempted to arrest the youths and Buratovic was shot in the head while trying to release himself.

Thessaloniki Police Chief Athanasios Dalamangidis said the killing of the Serbian student was "an unfortunate incident" and that the police were conducting an inquiry. He said that a Greek woman had filed a complaint with the police that a "young Yugoslav" had stolen her wallet. The complaint was filed at 10.30 a.m., some 90 minutes before the Serbian students arrived in the city.

Public Order Minister George Romeos ordered an inquiry and the immediate suspension of the motorcycle division officer. He was identified as 32-year- old warrant officer Kyriakos Vantoulis.

[04] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER: NEW DEMOCRACY IS FOCUSED ON EMU

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

In an interview with an Athens daily, Mr. Karamanlis stated that this is the reason why his party is not requesting early parliamentary elections in spite of the fact that, as he stated, it is ahead of the ruling PASOK party by two-to-three percentage points.

[05] PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC MEETS WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH AT MT. ATHOS

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

The church liturgy was officiated by the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, the spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, and the Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Christodoulos.

The Prime Minister Kostas Simitis will travel to Mount Athos, tomorrow where he will meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos.

[B] EUROPE

[06] HELSINKI FEATURES MONTH-LONG GREEK CINEMA FESTIVAL

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

The event is being jointly organized by the Center of Greek Cinema, the Film Club of Finland, the Greek-Finnish Associations Union and the Greek Embassy.

Directors whose films will be featured at the festival are Theodoros Aggelopoulos, whose film "Eternity and a Day" earned the Palme d' Or award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Andreas Thomopoulos, Pericles Hoursoglou, Panos Karkanevatos, Christos Voupouras and George Korras.

[07] WEU MILITARY CHIEFS MEET IN ROME

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

Greece was represented by National Defense General Staff chief Gen. Athanasios Tzoganis.

It was the first session at which the chiefs of the WEU's national defense general staffs will convene as a military committee after its creation was ratified during the ministerial session in Rhodes. The three NATO candidate countries Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic attended the session for the first time as associate WEU members.

[08] EU INFORMAL SUMMIT CONCLUDES TODAY

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

Mr. Simitis delivered a seven-point memorandum yesterday evening at the Summit wherein he stressed the need to revive the "European plan" and to give a new vision to the European Union's citizens.

The Premier's seven-point text centered on the question "After EMU What?", attempting to provide answers to developments after the adoption of the euro, according to the press office.

The seven points are as follows:

A. The need for a common vision on the future of the EU.

B. The need for speeding up the political unification of the EU

C. The need for fighting unemployment

D. The need for the EU to come closer to citizens

E. The need for promoting an effective common foreign and security policy.

F. The need for strengthening the society of citizens

G. The need for creating a Union which will be responsive to the demands of European societies.

The Greek premier also took part in a separate two-hour working lunch of socialist and social democratic heads of government in the EU.

The leaders of the European Union's member states discussed the future of Europe, the EU's enlargement, the Economic and Monetary Union, the desired political fulfillment and the social continent.

[C] WORLD

[09] US CONGRESS PASSES BILL FOR PROTECTION OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Web Posted: 14:57 GMT+2

The bill has been signed by US President Bill Clinton Theology.

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