Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 98-11-02
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, November 2, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER STANDS BY GOVERNMENT POLICY DURING PARLIAMENT DEBATE
[02] PARLIAMENT CONTINUES TALKS FOR CONFIDENCE VOTE IN GOVERNMENT
[03] GREEK TELECOM ORGANIZATION LISTED ON WALL STREET AS OF TODAY
[04] OTE SHARE TWICE OVERSUBSCRIBED, ORDERS POURED IN AT LAST
MINUTE
[05] THESSALONIKI HOSTS ASSEMBLY OF ORTHODOXY MEETING
[06] OPPOSITION PARTIES BLAST GOVERNMENT AND ITS POLICIES DURING
DEBATE
[07] PREMIER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC TODAY
[08] PASOK'S VIEWS ON ESP'S MANIFESTO FORWARDED TO COOK
[09] FIRST MUSEUM OF MT. ATHOS AT MONASTERY OF XENOPHON
[10] PHILOXENIA '98 STARTS THURSDAY, S.E. EUROPE'S BIGGEST TOURISM
FAIR
[11] 120 DEPUTIES WILL ADDRESS THE PARLIAMENT TODAY
[12] BIG GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[13] RIME MINISTER OF ALBANIA WILL VISIT GREECE ON NOVEMBER 12
[14] PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES FROM 5 COUNTRIES VISITED THE MAYOR OF
THESSALONIKI
[15] CONFERENCE ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PEOPLE FROM IMVROS TO
HELLENISM
[16] ALEXANDER THE GREAT MONUMENT IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
[17] BOOKS FROM ALEXANDROUPOLIS TO GJIROKASTRA UNIVERSITY
LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[18] FYROM: VMRO-DPMNE & DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION WIN
ELECTIONS
[19] ISRAELI PRESIDENT EMBARKS ON THREE-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO
CYPRUS
[20] CHRVENKOFSKI ACCEPTED DEFEAT IN THE FYROM ELECTIONS
[21] EZER WEISMAN: A SOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND FOR CYPRUS SOON
[22] THE "TRAIN OF CULTURE AND PEACE" ARRIVES IN SKOPJE TODAY
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] PREMIER STANDS BY GOVERNMENT POLICY DURING PARLIAMENT DEBATE
The Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who opened last night's
parliamentary debate on granting the government a confidence vote,
vowed to press on with his already-carved policy and stressed that
no hesitation or experimentation will be tolerated.
Mr. Simitis asked for a confidence vote last Thursday after
having conducted a minor cabinet reshuffle. He justified his
request for a confidence vote as follows:
"First to give an answer to all those who dispute the
government's political legitimacy, that is, vested interests,
certain unionist groups and the main opposition New Democracy (ND)
party; secondly, to give a reply to populism and thirdly, to
confirm with the confidence vote PASOK's conceptions for the
country's prospects".
Confident over the country's entry to the European Economic
Monetary Union (EMU) by the year 2000, the Premier said that the
government "is not going to toy, not even for a moment, with the
interests of the people and the country and is not willing to
waste the sacrifices and efforts of the Greek people, so as to
become pleasant and benefit PASOK".
He stated that EMU accession is not a goal in itself,
instead, he said, "the government's goal is the Greek citizens'
ever-increasing prosperity."
The Premier also said that the government has achieved the
safeguarding of social expenditure, unlike other European
countries, thereby proving that its social concern is real and not
theoretical.
[02] PARLIAMENT CONTINUES TALKS FOR CONFIDENCE VOTE IN GOVERNMENT
The Hellenic Parliament will continue discussions this
evening, concerning granting a confidence vote to the government.
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who sought the confidence
vote immediately after the government reshuffle on Thursday,
opened the discussion last night analyzing the government policy
in all sectors. The discussion will continue until midnight on
Tuesday when the parliamentarians will vote in an open ballot. The
government is resolved to seek a Parliamentary absolute majority
of at least 151 votes in the confidence vote on Tuesday night. The
leader of the main opposition party Kostas Karamanlis accused the
Premier of trying to resolve inner-party problems at the expense
of parliament. The secretary-general of the Communist Party of
Greece Aleka Paparega stated that the government's EMU accession
target is leading the country on a course to bankruptcy.
[03] GREEK TELECOM ORGANIZATION LISTED ON WALL STREET AS OF TODAY
Greece's Telecommunications Organization (OTE) is ready for
its listing on the New York Stock Exchange today, as the general
counsel of OTE George Chrysolouris will be the first Greek to
declare the opening of trading on the NYSE.
ΟΤΕ is Greece's largest company with a market capitalization
of $11 billion, equal to roughly 10 percent of Greece's GDP.
[04] OTE SHARE TWICE OVERSUBSCRIBED, ORDERS POURED IN AT LAST
MINUTE
Public subscriptions for shares in Greece's
Telecommunications Organization (OTE) were twice oversubscribed,
surpassing even the most optimistic forecasts.
According to news reports, a heavy load of orders came in
from international institutions at the last minute.
The third flotation of OTE shares will bring the government
approximately 302 billion drachmas, according to the National Bank
of Greece, one of the offer's main underwriters, along with Credit
Suisse First Boston and Salomon Smith Barney. The share's price
has been listed at GRD6.100.
The subscription title allocation, conducted during the
weekend, paved the road for today's listing on the New York Stock
Exchange where the general counsel of OTE George Chrysolouris will
be the first Greek to declare the opening of trading on the NYSE.
[05] THESSALONIKI HOSTS ASSEMBLY OF ORTHODOXY MEETING
A two-day meeting of the International Secretariat of the
European Inter-parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy is beginning in
Thessaloniki today.
The meeting will plan the celebration of the completion of
two thousand years of Christianity and will examine ways to
further improve the operation of the Assembly.
The participants will also discuss the formation of a
committee of legal specialists from its member-states who will
contribute towards regulating the presence of new sects in Europe.
[06] OPPOSITION PARTIES BLAST GOVERNMENT AND ITS POLICIES DURING
DEBATE
The leader of Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy's
Kostas Karamanlis, slammed the government during last night debate
concerning the granting of a confidence vote to the ruling PASOK
party.
Mr. Karamanlis stated that the government and the Prime
Minister Kostas Simitis were "weaker than ever" and that the
country is undergoing a "dissolution of the state."
"The government is weaker than ever and more so the prime
minister is weaker than ever and with spasmodic moves he is asking
for a confidence vote under pressure from his party's internal
opposition," Mr. Karamanlis said.
He further referred to a "dissolution of the state", of a
state "which instead of being a friend to the citizen has become
its enemy".
He also accused the government of not accelerating the
privatization course and of not curbing public expenditure.
In regards to the government's foreign policy, Mr. Karamanlis
stated that it has led to "Turkey's audacity and increased
provocation".
The secretary-general of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
Aleka Paparega said that the premier called for a confidence vote
"in order to reassure the Greek and European plutocracy that the
popular protest, which was expressed clearly by the (recent)
municipal and prefectural elections, will not lead the government
to evasions, which might relax the rhythms of the wild neo-liberal
policy, which it follows with consistency."
She further added that the people are not willing to make
more sacrifices for the European Union and the " fake aim of the
EMU."
The Coalition for the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) leader
Nikos Konstantopoulos said that the Premier, "instead of studying
the messages of the municipal elections, is requesting by
blackmail, of its deputies to ignore the message of the popular
decision and grant a cover with their vote to his incomprehensible
persistence on the same policy."
Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas
said that the Premier called for the confidence vote in order to
"settle inter-party (PASOK) disputes."
[07] PREMIER TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC TODAY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to be received by the
President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos today.
The Premier will brief the President on the course of the
state's internal and foreign policies.
[08] PASOK'S VIEWS ON ESP'S MANIFESTO FORWARDED TO COOK
A memorandum with the views of the Greek ruling PASOK party
regarding the Socialist Manifesto for the European Parliament
elections has been forwarded by Greece's Deputy foreign minister
Yiannos Kranidiotis to the British foreign secretary Robin Cook,
chairman of the governing Committee of the European Socialist
Party.
The memorandum is based on positions set out in a document
presented by the Prime Minister Kostas Simitis on "The political
and social future of Europe" during the recent informal EU summit
in Portschach, Austria.
The Greek ruling party, PASOK, stresses the need for
accelerating the process for political unification in the EU,
securing political control of Economic and Monetary Union, and
strengthening the "society of citizens" and the democratic
character of European institutions. It supports the strengthening
of the European Parliament's roles and powers and notes that the
time has come to adopt more decisive measures to combat
unemployment.
The committee will first convene over the "Manifesto" on
November 12 and 13 in Brussels, and PASOK will be represented by
Mr. Kranidiotis and Nikos Themelis.
[09] FIRST MUSEUM OF MT. ATHOS AT MONASTERY OF XENOPHON
Rare icons and mosaics presented during last year's
Exhibition of the Treasures of Mt. Athos in Thessaloniki are to
be exhibited on a permanent basis from now on at the monastic
community's first museum which will operate at the Monastery of
Xenophon.
The museum was recently inaugurated by the Ecumenical
Patriarch Vartholomeos during the celebration of the monastery's
1,000th anniversary.
Among the items on display are 25 rare icons that date back
to the 10th century while coins belonging to Byzantine Emperor
Komninos, which were recently excavated, will also be on display
in the future.
[10] PHILOXENIA '98 STARTS THURSDAY, S.E. EUROPE'S BIGGEST TOURISM
FAIR
The Helexpo-founded PHILOXENIA '98, the biggest tourism
exhibition in South-East Europe, is to start in Thessaloniki on
Thursday, November 5, featuring 10,000 sq.m. of exhibition space
and more than 350 exhibitors of the tourism industry from around
the world.
Among the sectors to be represented at the four-day fair are
hotels, apartment and other accommodation forms, transportation,
meeting, conference and incentive travel, tour operators, nature
and adventure trips, data communications and publications.
PHILOXENIA reached its peak last year with 369 exhibitors.
More analytically, 311 of these were from Greece while 58 from
abroad. The exhibitors presented their products to 10,000 visitors
of which 4,000 visitors with trade interest.
This year's event is jointly organized by Thessaloniki's
HELEXPO and Great Britain's REED EXHIBITIONS, a marketing company
which organizes 336 exhibitors worldwide, nine of which are for
the tourism sector .
The collaboration agreement, which is expected to be
finalized by the end of August, is expected to contribute
decisively to the improvement of services offered in the area of
international marketing. The two companies will sign a ten year
agreement commencing in1999.
[11] 120 DEPUTIES WILL ADDRESS THE PARLIAMENT TODAY
The interest in today's parliament session, the second
plenary session of the parliament held at the request of prime
minister Kostas Simitis who called for a vote of confidence, will
focus on the speeches of the governing socialist party of PASOK
deputies who belong to the so-called "in-party opposition".
The deputies registered to address the parliament today are
120 and among them are government ministers and representatives of
the parties of the opposition. The discussion in parliament will
be completed tomorrow at midnight with the speech of the prime
minister followed by the vote of confidence.
[12] BIG GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Big gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today.
The general price index closed at 5.86% higher due to the
privatization of part of the Greek Telecommunications Company
(OTE) and the interest rate cuts. The volume of transactions
reached 362 billion drachmas.
Strong upward trends prevailed in the international stock
markets today. The international upward trend is being attributed
to a number of factors with most important the new Bonn government
persistence to cut the German interest rates.
[13] RIME MINISTER OF ALBANIA WILL VISIT GREECE ON NOVEMBER 12
Albania's new prime minister Pandeli Majko will visit Greece
on November 12.
The announcement was made today by Greek government spokesman
Dimitris Reppas pointing out that the Albanian leader will discuss
with prime minister Kostas Simitis issues of bilateral interest.
[14] PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES FROM 5 COUNTRIES VISITED THE MAYOR OF
THESSALONIKI
Parliament deputies from Russia, Cyprus, Lithuania,
Yugoslavia and Armenia visited Thessaloniki's mayor Dimitris
Dimitriadis today to discuss issues of cooperation.
The deputies, who met with the city's mayor, are members of
the International Secretariat of the European Inter-Parliamentary
Assembly of Orthodoxy and are in Thessaloniki within the framework
of the Secretariat's regular assembly meeting which is organized
by the Greek parliament.
[15] CONFERENCE ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PEOPLE FROM IMVROS TO
HELLENISM
The work and contribution to Hellenism of distinguished
personalities from the north-eastern Aegean island of Imvros,
which is part of Turkey, will be presented in a conference that
will be held in Thessaloniki on November 7 and 8 organized by the
Society for the Study of Imvros and Tenedos.
University professors from Greece and abroad will speak about
the historian of the fall of Constantinople Michail Kritovoulos,
ecclesiastical books' proof-reader Vartholomeos Koutloumousianos,
Metropolite Nikiforos Glikas and Aristotle University professor of
linguistics Nikos Andriotis, while there will also be
presentations on the contribution of Imvros to the Halki Theology
School as well as, the 20th century spiritual identity of the
people of Imvros living abroad.
In addition there will be a presentation on the significance
of Patriarch Vartholomeos' ecumenical role and the contribution of
Archbishop Iakovos to the Hellenism in America as well as, on his
ties with the Halki Theology School.
[16] ALEXANDER THE GREAT MONUMENT IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
An Alexander the Great monument will be in place at the
entrance of the new library in Alexandria, Egypt at the year 2000.
This monument will put an end to an "absence" of centuries,
given the fact that until now there was no statue of Alexander the
Great in the city which was named after him.
The decision for the construction of the monument was made
recently on the occasion of the 5th annual conference on the Greek-
Egyptian relations which was held in Alexandria at the end of
October. The local authorities in Egypt accepted with great
enthusiasm the Greek proposals for the construction of the
monument giving the "green light" to the creation of his statue.
[17] BOOKS FROM ALEXANDROUPOLIS TO GJIROKASTRA UNIVERSITY
LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
History, literature and Greek language books were offered to
the University of Gjirokastra Greek language and literature
department by the Dimokrition University of Thrace Education
Department as well as by private individuals and institutions from
the city of Alexandroupolis in north-eastern Greece.
The books were delivered during a special event organized in
the Albanian city of Gjirokastra by the Greek Students' Union in
the city University.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[18] FYROM: VMRO-DPMNE & DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION WIN
ELECTIONS
The conservative coalition VMRO-DPMNE and Democratic
Alternative Solution has emerged as the winner in the second round
of parliamentary elections held yesterday in FYROM, having
gathered 59 seats in both rounds, with the Social-democratic Union
coming second.
The main opposition victory has also been acknowledged by the
outgoing Social-Democrats cabinet.
[19] ISRAELI PRESIDENT EMBARKS ON THREE-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO
CYPRUS
The President of Israel Ezer Weizman is embarking on a three-
day official visit to Cyprus today, the first such visit by an
Israeli head of state.
President Weizman will be greeted at the Larnaca airport by
the President o the Republic of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides with whom
he will hold talks later in the day.
Also today, the Israeli president will meet with the
Archbishop Chrysostomos and will attend a dinner given in his
honor by President Clerides.
During his stay in Cyprus, Mr. Weizman will meet by the
President of the Parliament of Cyprus Spyros Kyprianou and with
leaders of the opposition parties.
[20] CHRVENKOFSKI ACCEPTED DEFEAT IN THE FYROM ELECTIONS
The outcome of the parliamentary elections in FYROM is a
strong blow to president Kiro Gligorov Social-democrats as
according to unofficial results, the VMRO-DMNE and Democratic
Alternative Party center-right coalition is the winner of the
second round of the parliamentary elections held on Sunday.
FYROM's prime minister Branko Chrvenkofski accepted the
defeat of the Social-democratic party but president Gligorov made
it clear that he is not willing to resign.
[21] EZER WEISMAN: A SOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND FOR CYPRUS SOON
Israeli president Ezer Weisman expressed the wish for a quick
solution to the Cyprus problem upon his arrival at the airport of
Larnaca. The Israeli president arrived in Cyprus for a three-day
formal visit.
Cypriot president Glafkos Clerides, who welcomed his Israeli
counterpart at the airport, expressed the certainty that his visit
will be constructive while he underlined that Mr. Weisman's
arrival marks the start of a new bright chapter in the relations
of the two countries.
The Israeli president stated that he is satisfied with the
development of cooperation between the two countries in the
sectors of economy, trade, medicine and agriculture, while he
underlined that Cyprus and Israel both are countries suffering
from conflicts and seeking peace.
Mr. Weisman was welcomed at the airport by parliament
president Spyros Kiprianou, government ministers, the government
spokesman, political party leaders and the chief of the National
Guard.
[22] THE "TRAIN OF CULTURE AND PEACE" ARRIVES IN SKOPJE TODAY
The "Train of Culture and Peace" arrives in Skopje today
within the framework of its tour that was organized to take place
in 12 European countries by the Greek ministry of culture in
cooperation with European organizations and with the support of
the European Union.
The train's six cars host different exhibitions on democracy,
theater, trade, industry, technology, the Olympic Spirit and human
rights. The train will stay in Skopje for two days.
In a statement issued by FYROM's ministry of culture it is
underlined that the goal of the "Train of Culture and Peace" is to
present to different peoples the contribution of culture to the
development of mankind and to the safeguarding of peace and
development in the Balkans and Europe.
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