Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-09-28
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, September 28, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] THE SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS CONTINUES
[02] SHOCKING TESTIMONIES WERE GIVEN BY THE "SAMINA" CREW MEMBERS
[03] LOSSES OF 0.25% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ON THE DEVELOPMENTS IN
YUGOSLAVIA
[05] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETINGS IN MARMARIS AND RHODES ON OCTOBER 15
[06] SIMITIS: NO SUCH TRAGEDY EVER AGAIN
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] KENTERIS: I WISH THAT THE MEDAL WILL EASE THE PAIN OF THE
GREEKS
[08] FARM DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR GREECE ADOPTED BY THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
[09] PAPANDREOU'S INTERVIEW ON THE OLYMPIC TRUCE
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] THE SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS CONTINUES
The rescue crews continue the search for survivors in the
"Samina" tragedy under adverse weather conditions.
Divers will enter the sunk ship to look for the bodies of
those who were trapped inside "Samina" and followed it to the
bottom of the sea.
Aegean minister Nikos Sifounakis stated to the Athens radio
station "Flash" that the clause allowing ships built over 27 years
ago to make regular trips should be revised, while steps should be
made toward the training of sailors in the use of rescue means.
[02] SHOCKING TESTIMONIES WERE GIVEN BY THE "SAMINA" CREW MEMBERS
The first information coming from the testimonies of the
"Samina" crew members regarding the conditions under which the
tragic accident took place has shocked the public opinion in
Greece. Based on them, the course followed by the ship was not the
right one and the sailor at the helm had informed the ship's mate
over this fact a while before the ship crashed on the rocky islet
just about 2 nautical miles from the port of the Aegean island of
Paros on Tuesday night.
In his testimony ship's mate Antonis Psychogios has
reportedly stated "It's my fault, kill me". The same information
mentions that he was not at his post at the time of the crash but
in the ship's dining-room watching the football game between
Panathinaikos and Hamburg on television. When Panathinaikos scored
everyone cheered and it was then that captain Vasilis Yiannakis
also appeared in the dinning-room. As soon as the crash from the
impact was heard the captain went to the bridge deck but he did
not assess the situation correctly and did not give an order to
radio operator Tsoumas to send out a distress signal.
The captain in his testimony stated that as soon as he
arrived at the bridge deck he called the ship's crew and gave them
the order to alarm the passengers in the cabins. However,
according to the responsible authorities, an SOS had to be sent
from the start and the life-boats had to be ready regardless of
whether they would have been needed in the end.
As it was made known, the captain had disagreed with the
presence of ship's mate Antonis Psychogios because he regarded him
as inexperienced and had requested from the company owning the
ship to replace him.
[03] LOSSES OF 0.25% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Small losses of 0.25% were recorded in the Athens Stock
Exchange and the general index was at 4.142,82 points, while the
volume of transactions remained disappointing at 79.1 billion
drachmas.
The short-term course of the Athens Stock Exchange is
associated with the daily turnover according to most of the
analysts and if the trading interest is not boosted soon it will
be difficult for the general index to be over the 4.250 points
mark.
[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ON THE DEVELOPMENTS IN
YUGOSLAVIA
Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis stated that
with the election results the Yugoslav people showed that they
want democratic changes that are important for the future
developments in the country.
He stated that there was consent by all political powers and
reason prevailed, while responding to a question concerning the
trial of Slobodan Milosevic in The Hague he stated that it will
block the democratic developments in Yugoslavia.
Mr. Beglitis pointed out that the visit of foreign minister
Giorgos Papandreou to Yugoslavia was a right move and showed that
Greece can undertake such initiatives. The Greek foreign minister
is now in constant communication with his French counterpart who
is presiding over the European Council and other European foreign
ministers regarding the developments in Yugoslavia.
[05] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETINGS IN MARMARIS AND RHODES ON OCTOBER 15
Foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey Giorgos Papandreou and
Ismail Cem will meet in Marmaris and Rhodes on October 15.
The political directors of the two foreign ministries will
meet in Athens tomorrow to discuss issues concerning the
confidence-building-measures in the Aegean.
According to diplomatic sources, the Greek side will table a
text with ideas and proposals concerning the confidence-building-
measures in the military sector.
[06] SIMITIS: NO SUCH TRAGEDY EVER AGAIN
It is an obligation and a pledge to shed light on this
incomprehensible tragedy and all those responsible will be brought
to justice regardless of how high they stand. This is an
obligation to the victims of the shipwreck and to their families,
stated prime minister Kostas Simitis in the cabinet meeting today
referring to the tragic accident.
He also said that the investigation will go to the bottom of
things regardless of whether we will have to overturn behaviors
and points of view that have been followed for years. No such
tragedy will happen ever again, stated the prime minister.
Acting government spokesman, Tilemachos Hitiris reiterated
that charges will be brought against anyone responsible for the
tragedy. He stated characteristically that the ferryboat did not
hit the rock because it was not in a state to make regular trips
but because it was off course.
He said that there was no delay in the response of the state
rescue mechanism and the contribution of every responsible state
agency was such that resulted to the rescue of hundreds of people.
He also thanked on behalf of the government the fishermen from the
islands of Paros and Antiparos for their rescue efforts, stressing
that in such moments the greatness of the human soul and
contribution can be seen clearly. Mr. Hitiris also stated that the
government will compensate those whose boats were damaged during
the rescue efforts.
When asked to respond to the question if the issue of the
Greek passenger ships' old age was discussed in today's cabinet
meeting, Mr. Hitiris stated that there is no age limit set by the
European Union and that the only country setting an age limit is
Greece, based on a government decision, even though many
shipowners want no age limit for their ships like in the rest of
the European Union countries. However, he announced that there
will be a cabinet meeting next week to discuss issues concerning
exclusively the Greek shipping sector and decisions will be
reached.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[07] KENTERIS: I WISH THAT THE MEDAL WILL EASE THE PAIN OF THE
GREEKS
Emotional moments took place in Sydney's Olympic Stadium
after the extraordinary victory by Kostas Kenteris of Greece in
the men's 200m finals.
The Greek champion expressed the wish that his success will
somehow ease the pain of the Greeks, who are mourning the victims
of the "Samina" shipwreck. He said that his victory was a surprise
for him and that it was his first Olympic medal. He also said that
he was very happy and very calm and thanked his family, his coach
and Katerina Thanou for their support. Kenteris also said that he
dedicates this medal to all those who suffer in Greece, adding
that if this victory can ease their pain it will be a great joy
for him.
Kostas Kenteris, who comes from the Aegean island of Lesvos,
maintained that the gold medal is a vindication for him and a
response to all those who believed that he would be unable to win
a place among the first.
The whole world heard the Greek national anthem for the
fourth time in the Sydney Olympics when the Greek champion
received the gold medal. His victory is huge given the fact that
the American athletes in the 200 meters were undefeated since 1928
and only in 1960 in the Rome Olympics the gold medal was won by
the Italian Peruzzi.
Kostas Kenteris was the only white athlete in the 200m race
and no one of the three Americans competing managed to occupy one
of the three first places.
When the Greek national anthem was over and the thousands of
the spectators were cheering for him he whispered with tears in
his eyes "Thank you, God, thank you".
As soon as the 200m race was over all the foreign athletes,
coaches and escorts were asking who is Kostas Kenteris who left
everyone speechless with his unbelievable performance.
[08] FARM DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR GREECE ADOPTED BY THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
Four support measures for the development of the farming
sector were proposed by the Greek plan adopted by the European
Commission. The plan provides for the early retirement of farmers,
interventions in disadvantageous regions, measures for the
protection of the farming environment and reforestation of farm
regions.
The overall cost of the program will be 2.686,4 million Euros
and European Union will cover the sum of 993,4 million.
[09] PAPANDREOU'S INTERVIEW ON THE OLYMPIC TRUCE
The idea of the Olympic Truce and the prospects that are
being opened by this initiative in dealing with crises and solving
international problems peacefully, were presented by foreign
minister Giorgos Papandreou to the representatives of the mass
media covering the Olympic Games in an interview at the Olympic
press center in Sydney.
Mr. Papandreou stated that the truce has been accepted and is
backed by the International Olympic Committee and the United
Nations, while he went on to analyze the three action axes for the
materialization of the Olympic Truce namely, education, the
information through the Internet and the peaceful interventions in
the war-torn regions.
Mr. Papandreou stated that the Olympic Truce Institute is a
motivation for a better world and not a panacea. Responding to
questions concerning the organizing of the 2004 Olympic Games in
Athens and the Olympic Flame's visit to the continents, Mr.
Papandreou stated that this is a matter of planning, adding that
the idea is to visit war-torn regions if there will be effective
guarantees that the Olympic Truce will be respected. He said that
the Olympic Flame will tour all the neighboring countries with
Greece because Greece wishes to bring a message of peace to all
its neighbors.
On the concerns that have been expressed from time to time
regarding security in the Olympic Games, Mr. Papandreou pointed
out that this is a high priority issue for Greece and stressed
that there is cooperation with security authorities from other
countries with relevant experience and knowledge.
Responding to a question concerning the sports events between
Greece and Turkey, Mr. Papandreou stated that they will include
other similar activities as well and will be held under the
auspices of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic
Truce Institute.
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