The issue of constructing the pipeline has already hit several snags, but the deputy Minister of Regional Developments and Public Works, Hasan Hasan, Head of the Bulgarian delegation for the oil company, expressed - in a meeting with the Minister of Mace donia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, last week - his belief that during Mr. Tsohatzopoulos' meeting today, a final solution will be given, and an agreement will be signed.

Mr. Magriotis, who was present at the Barcelona Meeting in order to - among other things - record the organizational demands of such a meeting, believes that fertile ground will be created in the political field and that at the same time the right atmosp here will be formed, so that no extreme actions take place, as is usual during the past few years, at EU Meetings.

According to the data, Greece has the third highest inflation rate of the "15" - from 4.8% in January, to 3.8% in February of 2002 - while Ireland is in first place (4.9%) and the Netherlands are in second place (4.5%).

Among the "12" of the Eurozone, annual inflation decreased from 2.7% in January to 2.4% in February, while it should be noted that a year ago it was at 2.3%. For the "15", inflation was decreased from 2.5% in January to 2.3% in February, while last year it 2.1%.

"We are programming the construction of a pipeline to connect Greece's, which so far - like many other European countries - receives natural gas exclusively from Russia. Russia supplies all countries, Finland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria", state d Mr. Tsohatzopoulos.

Meanwhile, as is mentioned in press publications, at the end of the month, the Minister of Development will visit Ankara, in order to discuss cooperation prospects between Greece and Turkey, for the expanding of the Iran-Ankara pipeline to Alexandroupoli , so that Greece can receive natural gas from both aforementioned countries and Iran.

Based on what Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stated, "the pipeline will start at the Greek-Turkish border and run along side Egnatia Odos, and then continue through an underwater pipe to Italy, and from there to other member-states. Greece will give an additional an d alternative prospect of sufficiency to members of the European Union".

national and international language", to be held from tomorrow until March 22, in the Central Library and Warehouse D of the Thessaloniki Harbor Organization. The symposium, organized for the celebration of the World Poetry Day, will be the commencing ev ent for the New Balkans programme of the Cultural Olympics.

Participants in the Symposium include poets Philippe Delaveau from France, who is also Alternate Minister of Culture for France, Nikos Katsalidas, former Cultural Minister of Albania, who, at the end of the Symposium, will receive the "Emos" Balkan Liter ary Award, Sean O' Brien from England, Domenico Morina from Luxembourg, Antonio Henrandez and Justo Jorgew Padron from Italy, and Andonella Anedda from Italy, Ataohl Behramoglu from turkey, Ivan Gadjanski from Yugoslavia, Zoran Antcevski from FYROM.

One of the 19 illegal immigrants will also be taken to the DA, in order to inform him of their illegal transfer to Greece.

The illegal immigrants traveled on a wooden bat which had started taking in water and were taken ashore safely by the Rhodes Coast Guard.

This certificate is awarded to businesses which successfully complete all criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), represented in Greece by EEDE.

OTE participated in the large businesses division with the General District Direction. Three districts were selected in the first phase (Western Macedonia, Thessaly and Ipiros) and their effectiveness at all levels is measured.

It should be noted that during the evaluation, the company's performance is examined as a whole and along four axes, concerning financial results, customers, human resources and social whole.

This award, according to a relevant announcement of the Organization, underlines the continuous commitment of OTE for constant improvement of business results through substantiated procedures materialized systematically.

In statements made after the meeting, Mr. Simitis said that the enlargement procedure of the EU will be completed in 2002, while relevant treaties are expected to be signed in 2003, during the Greek Presidency of the community.

Immediately following the next Summit Meeting of the European Union, to be held in spring 2003, in Seville, financial and social issues will be set before the European Union, along with business issues. Referring to Greece's role, the Prime Minister stat ed that the Greek side will most probably form the scenarios from which the governments will choose and make decisions.

Specifically, the Minister of Development pointed out that the decade afoot will be a decade of growth for Greece at the financial, social and environmental level. In this framework, as he said, the Ministry of Development is aiming at forming common pol icies with it social partners and social bodies, to connect the economy with society, the environment and culture, and to strengthen the society of knowledge with people as its main lever. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos also stressed that further goals of his Ministr y are the promotion of business ideas, the mobilization of the private sector, the utilization of funds of the 3rd Communal Support Framework, and the completion of regional development.

Specifically on the energy sector, the Development Minister underlined that the Ministry's actions aiming at full liberalization of the energy market, are concentrated on securing sufficient, inexpensive and clean power for the whole of the Greek people,

and the transformation of Greece into a energy crossroad for Europe. In the direction of sufficiency, agreements with Iran and Turkey are already being promoted, for the further supply of natural gas quantities. At the same time, after proposals made by RAE and DEPA, new and cheaper prices have been finalized for the transfer of natural gas through Greece, which will come into effect in 2003. In the meantime, as Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said, the public dialogue for the composing of an Energy Stock Market, tha t will adjust production and trading on the Greek market, is under way.

Presenting the priorities of the Ministry on Tourism, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos stressed that their slogan is strategic planning with a ten-year horizon. The Ministry is already setting the bases for the materialization of Greece's new tourism policy, indicativ e of which is the increased, compared to previous years, funds, of 31,107,850 euro (10.6 billion drs), with which this years tourist promotions will be reinforced.

During the works, issues concerning the international political, financial and social situation, the contribution of Parliaments in securing the respect and promotion of international humanitarian law, as well as the need to revising the existing global economic-monetary model, will be discussed.

The Greek delegation is composed by MPs: Floros Konstantinou, Elsa Papadimitriou, Nikos Gatzis, and Maria Damanaki.

In the framework of the Convention, works of the Meeting of the Association of Parliament Secretaries General, in which diplomatic consultant of the Greek Parliament Ambassador Haris Karabarbounis will also participate, will also take place.