Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2001-04-10
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, April 10, 2001
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TITLES
[Á] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STRONG QUAKE JOLTS GREEK-ALBANIAN BORDER
[02] MASS EXODUS FOR EASTER GETS UNDERWAY TODAY
[03] STATE TO BRACE AGAINST DROUGHT BEFORE SUMMER
[04] GREECE TO HOST EUROPEAN YOUTH BIENNALE OF 2003
[05] MAIN OPPOSITION EDGING RULING PARTY BY 4 POINTS
[06] ALL PARTY LEADERS BESET BY POPULARITY DECLINES
[07] BULGARIAN FM ENTERS AS PER SCHENGEN ACCORD
[08] ATHENS ASKED TO RECHECK MILOSEVIC'S ACCOUNTS
[09] CPI FALLS TO 3% IN MARCH, SLIGHT DROP IN A MONTH
[10] THE HOLY COMMUNITY IN MOUNT ATHOS IS AGAINST THE POPE'S VISIT
[11] THE DOCTORS OF THE WORLD ON THE ABOLITION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL
MINES
[12] INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS USING THE AIRPORTS OF
NORTHERN GREECE
[13] STELIOS KAZANTZIDIS IS HOSPITALIZED
[14] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[15] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER WILL VISIT SKOPJE ON EASTER
THURSDAY
[16] MICHAILOVA AND PASCHALIDIS ON THE INTER-BALKAN COOPERATION
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] US SECRETARY OF STATE TO MEET WITH BALKAN DMs
[18] FYROM SIGNS ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH EU
[19] THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE EURO-ZONE IS ESTIMATED AT 2.7% BY
THE OECD
[20] COOPERATION MEMORANDUM SIGNED BY THE STOCK MARKETS OF ATHENS
AND SOFIA
[21] OMONIA: PRESSURES EXERTED ON THE ETHNIC GREEK MINORITY IN
ALBANIA
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STRONG QUAKE JOLTS GREEK-ALBANIAN BORDER
A strong earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale
occurred at 8.39 pm yesterday in southern Albania, near the border
with Greece.
The quake, which caused no injuries or damages, was felt in
Epirus, the island of Corfu, Thessaly and western Macedonia on the
Greek side.
According to seismology professor at Thessaloniki's Aristotle
University Vasilis Papazahos, last night's trembler is not related
to seismic activity in Greece's region of Aigio.
[02] MASS EXODUS FOR EASTER GETS UNDERWAY TODAY
Urban dwellers are embarking on their Easter holidays as of
today, marking the beginning of a mass exodus that is expected to
peak of Friday.
Undaunted by forecasts for inclement weather, most of the
itineraries to the islands are already booked to capacity. At the
same time, the state's Railway Organization (OSE) is planning to
use additional trains to cover increased demand.
[03] STATE TO BRACE AGAINST DROUGHT BEFORE SUMMER
The state is to take measures against the threat of drought
that looms ahead this summer, according to a national water policy
that was drawn yesterday in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister
Costas Simitis with the Ministers of Agriculture George Anomeritis
and Aegean Nikos Sifounakis.
The lack of rainfall, coupled with a dwindling water supply,
has rendered 2001 as the century's driest year and forecasters
warn of prospective water shortages as early as this summer.
Although the measures are to be announced after Easter, the
government has indicated that 10.3 billion drachmas have been
earmarked for the construction of drought-related projects.
Last summer brought Greece its worst fire season in decades.
Successive heatwaves and strong winds contributed to blazes which
razed up to 370,500 acres of forest - more than 10 times the
amount of damage recorded in 1999. At the height of the
destruction, the fires killed seven people and destroyed dozens of
homes in one week.
According to a United Nations world climate report released in
January, the 1990s were the world's hottest decade in 1,000 years,
with the Mediterranean countries being on the front line of global
warming.
Italy, Portugal, Spain and southern France are also losing
farmland because of dry soil, while Turkey is at odds with
neighbors Iraq and Syria over water rights from the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. Drought is a major cause of migration from north
Africa, and one of the reasons European countries are assisting
with environmental aid programs.
[04] GREECE TO HOST EUROPEAN YOUTH BIENNALE OF 2003
The European Youth Biennale of 2003, will be held in Greece,
the second time in its history since it was held in Thessaloniki
in 1986.
The Rome-based International Organizing Committee, after
examining Greece's relevant file, found that it was the best and
most complete among all country files.
The Biennale will be inaugurated in Athens in September,
2003, and will cost two billion drachmas. It will comprise a major
part of the Cultural Olympiad, with over 1,000 artists from 20
Mediterranean countries participating.
[05] MAIN OPPOSITION EDGING RULING PARTY BY 4 POINTS
Th main opposition party of New Democracy is reportedly ahead
of the ruling PASOk party by approximately four percentage points,
according to a recent opinion poll that was published in the
Sunday edition of the Athens daily "Eleftherotypia".
With New Democracy reportedly being preferred by 30.2 percent
of respondents, PASOK polled 26.7 percent, whereas the newly
created ""Movement of Free Citizens"- founded by Athens Mayor
Dimitris Avramopoulos - garnered 12.7 share of those responding.
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) was given 4.4 percent of
the poll, while the Coalition of the Left and Progress
(Synaspismos) polled 2.8 percent, which is two percentage points
below the 3% parliamentary entry threshold.
[06] ALL PARTY LEADERS BESET BY POPULARITY DECLINES
In a year's time, all of Greece's political party leaders
have suffered losses in their popularity ratings, according to
another poll held on behalf by the Athens daily "Imerisia".
Conducted by "V-PRC", the poll found that the internal
differences suffered by the ruling PASOK party have reverberated
onto embattled party leader and Premier Costas Simitis, who
received 43.4% positive assessments, but also 45.8% negative ones.
At the same time, the leader of the main opposition party of
New Democracy Costas Karamanlis doesn't stand to gain from his
chief opponent's setback, as his popularity rating is also not
going uphill, having received 47.7% positive assessments but also
a high 40.1% negative.
Nikos Constantopoulos, the leader of the minor opposiion
party of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos),
tops the list as most popular leader with 54.5% positive
assessments and a mere 28.6 percent of negative ones.
Surprising many, Athens Mayor Dimtirs Avramopoulos, who
founded the newly created ""Movement of Free Citizens", also
suffered a setback as of this year, with 52,9% positive
assessments, second ranking second on the ratings list.
[07] BULGARIAN FM ENTERS AS PER SCHENGEN ACCORD
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezda Kmihailova inaugurated the
border crossing at Promahona, today, becoming the first citizen of
her country to enter Greece without a visa, as per the Schengen
Accord effective for Sofia as of today.
The Bulgarian FM walked from the Bulgarian customs office to
the bridge at the Greek border where she was welcomed by the
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides.
According to Mr. Paschalides, the abolishment of the visa
requirement for Bulgarian nationals visiting Greece was among the
initiatives recently discussed in talks held between Greek Premier
Costas Simitis and his visiting Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov.
"This is a significant day for Bulgaria and for Greek-
Bulgarian relations, as well as for Bulgaria's ties with the
European Union, " Mr. Paschalides said.
"We are supporting Bulgaria's steps towards the EU, we're
building viable peace and development in the region," he added,
stressing that "the Balkans are Europe and Europe's future runs
through the Balkans."
In turn, Ms. Mihailova saluted the event, stating that it
signifies a new prospect for her country's accession to the
European Union.
Following the ceremony, the two ministers departed for
Thessaloniki where they will hold talks at the Ministry. Also, a
group comprising Greek and Bulgarian university students is to
hold a discussion this afternoon.
[08] ATHENS ASKED TO RECHECK MILOSEVIC'S ACCOUNTS
The chief prosecutor of the War Crimes Tribunal has
reportedly filed another request with the Greek authorities to
investigate anew the bank accounts of former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic, even though earlier inquiries had failed to
produce any incriminating data.
According to the Athens daily "Imerisia", Ms. Del Ponte has
complained over the Greek authorities' failure to freeze those
accounts, even though such move would not have been justified
given the absence of money-laundering evidence.
According to Ms. Del Ponte, who has dispatched an envoy to
Greece for this purpose, the accounts in question were used to
transfer money abroad and, after a labyrinthine trail, were
channeled to Milosevic and his associates.
[09] CPI FALLS TO 3% IN MARCH, SLIGHT DROP IN A MONTH
Greece's annual inflation rate, measured by the consumer
price index, fell to 3.0 percent in March, from 3.5 percent in
February, according to the National Statistics Service.
Nevertheless, government officials warn that in spite of the
positive indications in inflation the price index is still
threatened by two factors, namely monetary relaxation and the
meteoric rise of credit card use.
The growth rate of consumer credit in December of 2000
reached an annual record of 42.8%, while consumer loans amounted
to 1.8 trillion drachmas at the end of 2000, a slight decrease
from the 1.25 trillion drachmas of December 1999.
[10] THE HOLY COMMUNITY IN MOUNT ATHOS IS AGAINST THE POPE'S VISIT
The Holy Community in Mount Athos is against the Pope's visit
to Greece and in a statement it has issued it has called on the
faithful to fight for its cancellation, while at the same time it
criticized the Lasting Holy Synod of the Church of Greece for
accepting the Pope's visit without holding a meeting of the
hierarchy of the Church of Greece.
In the statement it is mentioned that the visit of the Pope
will create only problems, while it has nothing to offer to the
Greek Orthodox Church. It is mentioned that the Pope comes under
the pretext of a pilgrimage but his real goal is to show that he
is the spiritual leader of the world and the overall acceptable
religious leader.
It is also stated that the Pope will enjoy honors reserved
for state leaders, while the message that the Orthodox Greece has
accepted the Pope's visit will travel across the world. In the
statement it is also stressed that in case the Church takes part
in the scheduled events, the triumph of the Vatican will be
complete and it will receive what it seeks without the necessary
repentance on behalf of the Pope.
[11] THE DOCTORS OF THE WORLD ON THE ABOLITION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL
MINES
The Doctors of the World welcome the recent agreement between
Greece and Turkey aimed at the abolition of anti-personnel mines,
while at the same time the organization calls on the Greek
parliament to proceed with the immediate ratification of the
Ottawa Treaty on the destruction of landmines which was signed by
Greece in 1997.
The Doctors of the World is the only non governmental
organization in Greece that plays a leading role in the effort for
the destruction of the anti-personnel mines. The Doctors of the
World launched its fight against the anti-personnel mines in
September 1997 when three Kurdish illegal immigrants were killed
and other 11 were injured while trying to cross a minefield in the
northeastern region of Evros.
[12] INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS USING THE AIRPORTS OF
NORTHERN GREECE
More passengers used the airports of northern Greece in
January compared to the same period last year, while in the month
of February their number was reduced with the exception of the
airport of Thessaloniki where the increase in the number of
passengers was marginal (0.3%) and the airport of Kozani where
there was a notable increase of 10.9%.
In total, in the two-month period of January-February 2001,
the five airports in northern Greece served 466.144 passengers
compared to 456.874 passengers in the same period last year.
[13] STELIOS KAZANTZIDIS IS HOSPITALIZED
Popular singer Stelios Kazantzidis is hospitalized at the
Athens Medical Center and his condition is characterized as
serious. According to the Oncology Society president, growths were
traced in vital organs such as the brain, lungs and the suprarenal
glands, while a concrete tumor was found at the groin area.
The doctors stressed that they will use every available means
to deal with the disease.
The laboratory test results will be out on Easter Thursday.
[14] GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The
general index rose to +1.44% at 3.073,88 points, while the volume
of transactions was disappointing at 113.26 million Euro or 38.59
billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today, 251 recorded gains and 70 had
losses, while the value of 53 stocks remained stable.
[15] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER WILL VISIT SKOPJE ON EASTER
THURSDAY
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will be in Skopje,
FYROM on Eastern Thursday to attend the enlarged Inter-Balkan
Cooperation meeting that will deal with the recent crisis in the
region.
According to Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, the
Inter-Balkan Cooperation will be attended by all the Balkan
foreign ministers as well as the foreign ministers of Hungary and
Slovenia and US secretary of state Colin Powell.
[16] MICHAILOVA AND PASCHALIDIS ON THE INTER-BALKAN COOPERATION
Bulgarian foreign minister Nadezda Michailova and minister of
Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis referred to the importance of
the abolition of the visa requirement for the Bulgarian citizens
who want to visit Greece starting today.
After their meeting in Thessaloniki, Ms. Michailova stated
that this is a very important day as a big dream became a reality.
She said that it was proven that the road chosen by Bulgaria was
the right one, stressing characteristically that Bulgaria has
chosen Europe and Europe has chosen Bulgaria.
Before crossing the borders at Promachonas, Ms. Michailova
planted an olive tree in a symbolic gesture and stated that an
initiative needs care and systematic and daily work as well as
personal sacrifices in order to develop.
Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis stated that
friendship, cooperation and solidarity between the two sides will
be further strengthened, adding that the Greek government backs
Bulgaria's steps toward the European Union and NATO. He also
stressed that the Balkans are Europe and Europe's future passes
through the Balkans.
Both ministers responding to questions made by Greek and
Bulgarian university students condemned the extremist actions in
FYROM and backed the inviolability of the borders and the
territorial integrity of the Balkan states.
Mr. Paschalidis stated that Balkan Reconstruction is based on
five principles namely, the inviolability of the borders, the
strengthening of democracy, the economic development, the inter-
regional cooperation and the accession of the Balkan states into
the European Union.
Ms. Michailova adopted a proposal made by Mr. Paschalidis to
form working groups in order to deal with the issue of the school
books used in Greece and Bulgaria.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[17] US SECRETARY OF STATE TO MEET WITH BALKAN DMs
US Secretary of State Colin Powell will meet with his Balkan
counterparts this week in FYROM, in order to discuss the
developments in the country and review the prospects of close
cooperation among the region's countries for resolving the
situation effectively.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher announced that the
meeting will take place on April 12 at FYROM's initiative.
According to Mr. Boucher, the meeting will provide the
participants with the opportunity to express their support for the
FYROM government's policy of easing tension and embarking on a
dialogue with the country's Albanian minority.
Tomorrow, Mr. Powell will be participating in a Paris-held
meeting of Contact Group foreign ministers (US, Russia, France,
Germany, Britain and Italy) in Paris for an examination of
developments in the Balkans and the situation in Kosovo. The
Secretary of State will also be visiting Bosnia, while he might
also be going to Kosovo.
Discussions during both meetings will also include the issue
of the arrest of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and
the potential referral thereof to the International Court of
Justice at The Hague.
[18] FYROM SIGNS ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH EU
A stabilization and association agreement was signed between
the European Union and FYROM yesterday, a move characterized by
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh as "a major step toward the
country's integration into the European Union."
The stabilization and association agreement grants FYROM
"asymmetric free trade", i.e. there will be no trade barriers to
FYROM goods entering the EU, but FYROM can still impose duties on
goods imported from the EU. The agreement also provides for
political and economic support.
FYROM's Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim stated that "today's
the day of the ceremony of signing the agreement, but tomorrow,
real life starts," adding that his country will eventually seek EU
membership.
Javier Solana, the EU's chief of foreign and security policy,
saluted the signing ceremony as "an important opportunity to
achieve real progress in moving the process of enhanced dialogue
forward."
[19] THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE EURO-ZONE IS ESTIMATED AT 2.7% BY
THE OECD
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,
OECD, reviewed its earlier predictions on the economic growth in
the Euro-zone. Specifically, the OECD reduced its initial
prediction from 3.1% to 2.7%.
However, the OECD prediction on the economic growth in all
the EMU states in 2002 remained unchanged at 2.8%.
It is also mentioned that unemployment in the Euro-zone will
be about 8.4% in 2001 and will drop to 7.9% in 2002, while
inflation will remain above 2% both this year and in 2002.
[20] COOPERATION MEMORANDUM SIGNED BY THE STOCK MARKETS OF ATHENS
AND SOFIA
A new broader cooperation memorandum was signed in Sofia
yesterday by representatives of the Athens and Sofia stock
markets.
The new memorandum widens the existing cooperation between
them on issues of technological infrastructure and trading
supervision.
Among others, the memorandum provides for the double trading
of Greek and Bulgarian stocks in the two stock markets, the
creation of a common index and its promotion in the international
investment community, the creation of joint programs and projects
for the exploitation of new technologies such as the Internet and
the expansion of cooperation to include other southeastern
European stock markets.
[21] OMONIA: PRESSURES EXERTED ON THE ETHNIC GREEK MINORITY IN
ALBANIA
The ethnic Greek minority organization "Omonia" in Albania in
a statement it has issued condemned the pressures exerted on the
Greek minority members and the efforts made which are aimed at
creating a climate of intimidation mainly in south Albania forcing
the ethnic Greeks to participate in the population census that
will be completed in Albania at the end of the month.
In the statement it is stressed that the Greek minority has
responded positively to the appeal issued by the "Omonia" general
council and abstains from the population census process in a show
of protest to its questionnaire that does not give the opportunity
to the Albanian citizens to state their ethnic origin or religion
in the case they wish to do so.
The organization condemned the intimidation incidents on
behalf of the state authorities and the unusual presence of secret
service men in the regions of the ethnic Greek minority. Such
pressures were recorded mainly in the cities of Kato Dropolis and
Chimara. In the statement it has issued, "Omonia" calls on the
Albanian government and international organizations to use their
influence to end the intimidation climate and interventions, while
it also calls for the adoption of measures to correct the
injustice made to the ethnic Greek minority.
"Omonia" representative Michalis Latsos stated to MPA that
the adoption of a open procedure in the registering of the ethnic
Greek minority members, allowing them to state their ethnic origin
and religion if they wished to do so, was always the firm demand
of the organization.
The issue is expected to be discussed today in a meeting of
Albanian prime minister Ilir Meta with "Omonia" representatives.
|
