Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-10-11
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, October 11, 2000
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[01] WITNESS: SECRET SERVICE AGENT WAS ON BOARD YAK
[02] INTERPOL PROBES THEFT OF GREEK ART FROM MADRID
[03] FIRST GREEK-SWISS PARLIAMENTARY COM/TEE FORMED
[04] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH CONDUCTS VISIT TO ROMANIA
[05] RUSSIAN FM IVANOV ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO ATHENS
[06] THEODORAKIS AMONG NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CANDIDATES
[07] IVANOV STILL IN M. EAST, POSTPONES VISIT TO ATHENS
[08] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION BOARD MEETS IN NOVEMBER
[09] G/T BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN ATHENS NEXT MONTH
[10] US AMBASSADOR : NBC SELECTIVELY USED MY WORDS
[11] IOC OFFICIAL CALLS FOR TRUCE IN GREEK SQUABBLES
[12] PROJECTS PLANNED FOR HEPATITIS, AIDS PREVENTION
[13] GREEK PRIEST PUTS UP BAIL FOR THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS ALL
OVER THE WORLD
[14] FIFA RANKS GREECE 32ND IN THE WORLD
[15] LOSSES OF 1.02% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[16] THE NEW TAX DRAFT BILL FOR 2001 WAS APPROVED BY THE PRIME
MINISTER
[17] LALIOTIS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ACCEPT ULTIMATUMS ON THE
OLYMPIC GAMES
[18] REPPAS: THE STATEMENTS MADE BY NANO ARE UNACCEPTABLE
[19] AN ALBANIAN HELD HOSTAGES IN A GRILL-HOUSE IN ATHENS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] JOINT CULTURAL ZONE BY GREECE AND CYPRUS
[21] ONLY ONE GREEK WOMAN CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED IN THE MUNICIPAL
ELECTIONS IN BELGIUM
[22] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
BALKANS
[23] THE METROPOLITE OF KERINIA THANKED THE CHURCH OF GREECE FOR
ITS SUPPORT TO THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE
[24] EU AMENDMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GREEK MINORITY IN
ALBANIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] WITNESS: SECRET SERVICE AGENT WAS ON BOARD YAK
Addressing a court hearing in Thessaloniki yesterday, the
relative of one the 73 victims of Aerosweet's Yakovlev-42
airplane, which crashed in the mountains southwest of Thessaloniki
in December 1997, asserted that a Ukrainian secret service agent
transporting 3.5 million dollars was among the passengers on
board.
Karafyllis Karafylloudis, who lost his daughter in the air
tragedy, provided the court with the passport of Ukrainian secret
service agent Igor Ivanchekov, along with two books and an
aircraft register, which he claimed to have found at the crash
site.
Mr. Karafylloudis, a prosecution witness at the trial of two
air traffic controllers who have been charged with manslaughter
and traffic law violation, stated that Ivanchekov was carrying the
enormous amount of said money which was found at the crash site.
The three and a half million dollars were subsequently turned
over to the state's Deposit and Loan Fund, a standard procedure
when the recipient remains unknown.
Mr. Karafylloudis, who has reportedly traveled repeatedly to
Moscow and Odessa during the past three years to conduct his own
investigation of the plane crash, maintained that "Ivanchekov was
a secret service agent and was transporting a huge amount of money
to Greece".
The despondent father also told the court that he refused to
turn over the evidence he gathered from the crash site to the
investigating committee since, as he stated characteristically, he
doesn't trust its members.
He further claimed that shortly before the scheduled flight
to Thessaloniki, Aerosweet officials replaced an originally-
assigned Boeing aircraft with the ill-fated Yakovlev and modified
certain parts and sections of the flight deck.
[02] INTERPOL PROBES THEFT OF GREEK ART FROM MADRID
Interpol officials are investigating the theft of three
valuable drawings, on loan to the National Museum of Spain from
the Thessaloniki's Kostakis collection, missing from Madrid's
airport.
The Russian drawings were sent by road to Athens and from
there by air to Madrid, where airport employees supposedly took
delivery of them on September 15.
Thessaloniki's Museum of Contemporary Art paid 14 billion
drachmas for the entire collection of the late George Kostakis.
The 1,270 works of art have been stored since May 1997 in the
city's Lazariston Monastery.
[03] FIRST GREEK-SWISS PARLIAMENTARY COM/TEE FORMED
A parliamentary committee of Greek and Swiss deputies has
been set up for the first time, whose aim will be to promote
political, economic and cultural relations between the two
countries, the Permanent Mission of Greece in Geneva announced in
a press release.
Federal Parliament deputies Josef Zisyadis, and Deputy
Barbara Polla, initiated the creation of the committee, which is
the only one of its kind in Switzerland.
Thirty-five Swiss deputies from all the parties, with the
exception of the far-right, are to participate in the committee,
which held its first session on September 27 and discussed Swiss-
Greek economic relations.
The committee will be meeting every second Wednesday of every
Parliamentary session. Its second session will be held on December
6 on the issue of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and will be
attended by Swiss Prime Minister Adolf Ogi. Committee deputies are
scheduled to visit Greece February 1-4 to meet with their
counterparts from the Greek Parliament, ministers and other state
officials.
[04] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH CONDUCTS VISIT TO ROMANIA
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos is presently conducting a
visit to Romania where he will be honored today by Romania's
Academy of Sciences and be awarded the title of honorary doctor.
Mr. Vartholomeos was received in Bucharest yesterday by
Romanian Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu and his adviser on
religious affairs.
Addressing Mr. Vartholomeos at a service at Bucharest's
cathedral yesterday, Patriarch Theoktistos of Romania underlined
the role the Ecumenical Patriarchate plays in the affairs of the
Orthodox churches all over the world and expressed his pleasure
that Vartholomeos frequently visited Romania.
[05] RUSSIAN FM IVANOV ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO ATHENS
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is presently in Athens
where he is to meet with his counterpart George Papandreou and be
received by Prime Minister Costas Simitis.
The agenda of the talks are expected to focus on the
developments in Yugoslavia and the Cyprus issue.
Also today, the state's inner cabinet will convene to discuss
foreign policy issues, while the foreign ministry will brief Mr.
Simitis on the situation in Yugoslavia.
[06] THEODORAKIS AMONG NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CANDIDATES
Greece's world-renowned music composer Mikis Theodorakis is
among the candidates for this year's Nobel peace prize, to be
awarded on October 13 in Oslo, Norway.
The candidates list comprises 21 individuals, international
organizations, as well as the unusual nomination of a town.
The list includes United States President Bill Clinton and former
President Jimmy Carter for wide-ranging peace efforts, as well as
former U.S. Senator George Mitchell for his efforts to resolve
conflict in northern Ireland.
Other nominees are northern Albania's town of Kukes, for
accepting 150,000 refugees during the Kosovo conflict; former
Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and former Russian Prime
Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin for their Balkan peace efforts; South
Korean President Kim Dae-jung for promoting good relations in
Asia; and such organizations as the Salvation Army, Human Rights
Watch and various church groups.
In recent years, the committee has used the prize to
encourage peace processes. In 1998, the prize went to Protestant
David Trimble and Catholic David Hume to encourage the Northern
Ireland peace talks. In 1994, the prize went to Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat and Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres
to help nurture the Middle East Peace process.
Last year, the award went to the humanitarian group Doctors
Without Borders.
This year's prize includes a $968,000 cash award, plus a
medal and a diploma.
[07] IVANOV STILL IN M. EAST, POSTPONES VISIT TO ATHENS
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov was forced to postpone
his scheduled visit to Athens today, due to prior engagements in
the Middle East.
Mr. Ivanov will arrive in Athens tomorrow, where he will have
successive meetings with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou
and main opposition of New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis. It
remains unclear if Mr. Ivanov will meet with Prime Minister Costas
Simitis, since the latter is to depart tomorrow the afternoon for
the European Union's Summit conference in France.
The Russian Foreign Minister's scheduled visit to
Thessaloniki and the all-male monastic community of Mount Athos
has also been canceled.
Messrs. Ivanov and Papandreou are to discus the developments
in the Middle East, the Cyprus issue and the Balkan region, while
they will sign an agreement of cooperation in the combat of
economic crime.
[08] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION BOARD MEETS IN NOVEMBER
The board of directors of the Balkan Reconstruction
Organization is to convene in Thessaloniki on November 13, its
first meeting following the political changes in Yugoslavia.
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides is to take
part in the meeting, which is awaited with interest after the
decision drawn by the European Union's General Affairs Council to
expand the Organization geographically so that it will encompass
all of Yugoslavia's regions.
[09] G/T BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN ATHENS NEXT MONTH
The second Greek-Turkish business cooperation conference will
be held in Athens next month, titled "Greece - Turkey - EU:
Opportunities for business and economic cooperation".
The two-day event will tackle issues pertaining tot he
promotion of bilateral relations, while the Turkish entrepreneurs,
whose delegation will be headed by former vice-president and ex-
foreign minister Mesut Yilmaz, will have the opportunity to be
briefed by EU commissioners on community regulations regarding
trade and business activities.
Moreover, the conference will provide the opportunity for
the formation of joint ventures in the Black Sea region and
central Asian countries.
Mr. Yilmaz will be a keynote speaker during the opening of
the conference.
The conference is to feature the participation of over 300
business delegates from Turkey, Greece and other EU countries, as
well as government officials from both countries and EU
commissioners.
[10] US AMBASSADOR : NBC SELECTIVELY USED MY WORDS
Clarifying earlier statements made during a recent interview
with an American television channel, United States Ambassador to
Greece Nicholas Burns said yesterday that Athens will be able to
handle the problem of terrorism during the 2004 Games, adding that
the contents of his NBC interview were used selectively by the
channel.
The US diplomat also made the self-effacing comment that
"even we (the US) haven't had perfect Olympic Games."
Mr. Burns said that the phenomenon of terrorism should not be
correlated with Greece's organization of the 2004 Games and
stressed that the American government offer their full support to
the Greek authorities.
[11] IOC OFFICIAL CALLS FOR TRUCE IN GREEK SQUABBLES
In the midst of persistent bickering among Greek government
officials and Athens 2004 organizers, International Olympic
Committee (IOC) executive Jacques Rogge has called for a "four-
year truce" for the sake of the Olympic Games.
"They cannot afford to quarrel," Mr. Rogue stated yesterday,
"they have to unite. Now is the time to pull all the ranks
together and work in a united way.
"There have been a lot of controversies in the press about
the alleged lack of cooperation between the organizing committee
and the government," Mr. Rogge said, adding that "all of this is
not positive. We need a very united collaboration between the
organizers and the government."
Meanwhile, IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch has called
for Greece to follow the model of Sydney, which he called "the
most successful ever".
[12] PROJECTS PLANNED FOR HEPATITIS, AIDS PREVENTION
A proposal for the creation of a medical center in Edirne,
Turkey, for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases,
hepatitis B and C and AIDS, has been submitted by the chief of
the Greek Social Security unit of preventive medicine in
Alexandroupolis to the regional authorities.
In a memo submitted to the Region of Eastern Macedonia-
Thrace, Constantine Papoutselis proposes that the said center be
found through the Interreg III program, while he also suggests
that a Balkan Observatory be established for the selection of data
on infectious diseases, which information would in turn be
disseminated to the Greek, Bulgarian and Turkish Health
ministries, in an effort to control disease outbreaks.
Moreover, Mr. Papoutselis proposes the creation of a
molecular biology laboratory in Bulgaria and Edrine, in an effort
to import technological know-how to these countries, as well as
the establishment of a mobile medical unit which could be
dispatched to any Balkan region in need of first aid.
The Greek Social Security's Alexandroupolis unit of
preventive medicine has already founded centers for the prevention
of sexually transmitted diseases to five medical schools in
Bulgaria, funded through Interreg I and II.
In an interview with the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr.
Papoutselis stated that the Turkish side has already accepted
these proposals, starting with a blood drive between the two
countries to be held this month at the customs office of Kipi.
In regards to hepatitis B and C, Mr. Papoutselis said that
while outbreaks of the said viruses in Thrace have been reduced to
2.8 percent, from 5.3% in 1995, there are certain areas in the
region that continue to present a high rate, while outbreaks in
both Turkey and Bulgaria continue to be on the rise.
[13] GREEK PRIEST PUTS UP BAIL FOR THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS ALL
OVER THE WORLD
A Greek priest, archimandrite Gevrasios Raptopoulos is on the
side of prisoners all over the world for the past 22 years, as he
managed to release from prison 5.652 people by putting up bail
with money he collected through fund raisers.
According to the Thessaloniki newspaper "Makedonia", during
that time he managed to collect the sum of 239 million drachmas.
Father Gevrasios together with 800 people from the city of
Serres launched the love walkathon to the Kassandra Prisons in
1978 bringing with them a sum of money that was used to put up
bail for the release of a number of poor inmates.
Since that day, he never stopped gathering information on
jailed Greeks and foreigners who are unable to make bail and he
tries to raise the necessary sum of money for their release.
Recently, he was able to raise money for the release of a Greek
who was held in the New Mexico Prisons, while a Greek sailor was
also released from the Thailand prisons. According to Father
Gevrasios, there is optimism on the course of the efforts for the
release of three Greek sailors, who are held in the El Kanater
Prisons in Egypt for the past three years accused of drug-
trafficking.
[14] FIFA RANKS GREECE 32ND IN THE WORLD
FIFA ranked Greece 32nd in the world for the month of
October. The Greek national football team is one place higher
compared to last month with a total of 583 points after its
victory on Finland with a 1-0 score in the 2002 World Cup
preliminaries.
The top place in the world is occupied by Brazil with 822
points, followed by France with 801 points and Argentina ranks
third with 764 points. Greece's opponents in the Mundial
preliminaries namely, Germany and England, rank 8th and 15th
respectively.
[15] LOSSES OF 1.02% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Losses of 1.02% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange
today and the general index dropped to 3.883,20 points. The volume
of transactions was small at 70.6 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, just 64 recorded gains, 286 had
losses and 25 remained unchanged.
[16] THE NEW TAX DRAFT BILL FOR 2001 WAS APPROVED BY THE PRIME
MINISTER
Tax reductions of 220 billion drachmas for the year 2001 are
included in the tax draft bill that was approved today by prime
minister Kostas Simitis in a meeting with minister of national
economy Yiannos Papantoniou. The overall package, that will
include all the pre-election declarations made by the government
for the next two-year period, will cost a total of 400 billion
drachmas.
The new draft bill will be presented in parliament by the end
of October and in statements made on the 2001 state budget, Mr.
Papantoniou stated that it will support economic development.
Responding to the question how can the state revenues increase in
spite of the fact that there will be no new taxes the minister of
national economy stated that the revenues come from limiting tax
evasion.
[17] LALIOTIS: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ACCEPT ULTIMATUMS ON THE
OLYMPIC GAMES
Minister of environment, land planning and public works
Kostas Laliotis referred to the 2004 Olympic Games before the
governmental committee meeting today and responded to the
statements made by International Olympic Committee, IOC, vice-
president Jacques Rogg by stating that the Greek government does
not accept ultimatums, adding that "they should leave us do our
job".
Mr. Rogg in an interview with the Associated Press News
Agency had suggested the establishment of an Olympic Games
ministry in Greece and called for the acceleration of the 2004
Olympic Games preparations, stressing that the Olympic Games
projects must be ready by March 2003.
The IOC vice-president characterized the Sydney Olympic Games
as "the perfect games" and stressed that everybody must be united
in Greece for the common good.
[18] REPPAS: THE STATEMENTS MADE BY NANO ARE UNACCEPTABLE
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas characterized as
unacceptable the statements made by Albanian Socialist Party
president Fatos Nano, who called "criminals" the members of the
ethnic Greek minority in Albania who are with the Human Rights
Union Party.
Mr. Nano made his statement on the occasion of a violent
incident in the village of Drimades in the region of Himara where,
according to the Socialist leader, the village priest was beaten
up by members of the Human Rights Union Party because he had
coffee with him.
Mr. Reppas stated that such statements create problems in
bilateral relations.
[19] AN ALBANIAN HELD HOSTAGES IN A GRILL-HOUSE IN ATHENS
An Albanian immigrant entered a grill-house in the region of
Nea Smirni in Athens this afternoon and with the threat of a
pistol held three employees hostage. The abductor was himself a
former employee at the specific grill-house. A strong police force
arrived immediately in the region and cordoned-off the surrounding
streets.
The hostages were released unharmed after the intervention of
grill-house owner Michalis Papapantos and police mediators and
Albanian Kusnik Elnezi was arrested.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[20] JOINT CULTURAL ZONE BY GREECE AND CYPRUS
Greece and Cyprus formed a joint cultural zone based on the
cooperation memorandum signed by the culture ministers of the two
countries within the framework of the 28th Olympic Games. The
memorandum will be in effect until the 2004 Olympic Games in
Athens.
It provides among others for cooperation in the drawing-up of
proposals that will be submitted to the responsible agencies
concerning the route that will be followed by the Olympic Flame in
Cyprus, the public's information on issues concerning the 2004
Olympic Games, the planning and implementation of Olympic Training
programs, the joint planning of cultural events for the promotion
of the Olympic Ideals and the Olympic Spirit and the presentation
of proposals for the participation of Cypriots as volunteers in
the 2004 Olympic Games.
[21] ONLY ONE GREEK WOMAN CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED IN THE MUNICIPAL
ELECTIONS IN BELGIUM
Fotini Droumboura was the only one of the 21 Greek candidates
running in last Sunday's municipal elections in Belgium, who was
able to be elected town councillor in the city of Anterleht with
the Flemish Socialist Party after getting 383 votes.
The Greeks, with double or foreign nationality, who live in
Belgium were able for the first time to exercise their right to
run in local elections. Of the 7.3 million registered voters in
Belgium 2.554 were Greeks, while municipal elections are being
held in the country every 6 years.
[22] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
BALKANS
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stated that
Greece has undertaken an important role in the Balkan region
speaking in the informal meeting of the NATO defense ministers
that was held in Birmingham, Britain yesterday.
Mr. Tsochatzopoulos pointed out that the Organization for the
Reconstruction of the Balkans will be activated in Thessaloniki
within the framework of the Stability Pact and underlined that
Greece has to play a very important role in the reconstruction of
Serbia.
The NATO defense ministers council also expressed its support
to Yugoslavia's new president Voijslav Kostunica.
[23] THE METROPOLITE OF KERINIA THANKED THE CHURCH OF GREECE FOR
ITS SUPPORT TO THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE
Metropolite Pavlos of Kerinia thanked the Church of Greece
for the statement it issued yesterday in which it underlined its
support to the struggling Cypriot people.
In a letter addressed to Archbishop of Athens and All of
Greece, Christodoulos, the Metropolite of Kerinia pointed out that
in the present crucial times, due to the serious and dangerous
turn taken by the Cyprus issue as a result of the continuous
compromise and the painful concessions made by the governments in
Greece and Cyprus, the statement issued by the Church of Greece
"brought relief to our hearts".
[24] EU AMENDMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GREEK MINORITY IN
ALBANIA
The safety and protection of ethnic minorities in Albania
must be among the priorities of the Albanian government in order
to make possible essential improvements in the social and economic
sector, as it is mentioned in an amendment tabled by right-wing
main opposition party of New Democracy Euro-deputy Christos
Zacharakis that has been included in the relevant report issued by
the Euro-parliament's foreign affairs committee on the EU action
plan on Albania and the neighboring region.
The basic goal of the specific action plan is the economic
development of Albania aimed at stopping the immigration wave from
Albania.
According to the conclusions included in the report, if
internal security in Albania is not improved there can be no
essential improvements in the social and the economic sectors. At
this point, Mr. Zacharakis suggested that the protection of the
ethnic minorities must also be taken under consideration and his
intervention was accepted by the responsible committee.
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