negotiation of the new collective contract. There are mobilizations for higher raises by the Civil Servants Union.

Karamanlis as best for Prime Minister and ND is a head of PASOK as a probable winner. The poll was completed after the presentation of the government's social package.

- and some people do - the Olympic budget and the Olympic works with everything being done in Greece at the present in view of 2004", said Mr. Venizelos.

Speaking to Flash radio this morning, the Chalkidiki Prefect supported that the strike of the civil agriculturalists and veterinarians has created serious problems to the market, and that they must return to their duties.

"This is not a normal strike. It is what they call a white strike or strike measures. They only declare a normal strike over the weekend, when it has no effect on finances. During the week however, when the slaughterhouses need them, they do not strike, they are at work, but are not working and want to be paid", mentioned Mr. Lafazanis.

"This is a union patent applied in some cases, which I find unacceptable", said the Chalkidiki Prefect.

Upon leaving the Maximos Mansion after the meeting he had on tourism with Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis and other government officials, presided over by Prime Minister Simitis, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos announced that a Ministerial Committee will c onvene next week, to which the Ministry of Development will submit a new policy for the course of development of Greek tourism .

The ambition of the government, as it was expressed by Mr. Tsochatzopoulos, is to promote tourism as the main financial contributor of Greece's financial and social development.

"We foresee that based on the materialization of completed proposals, the processing of which will be carried out by a large number of Ministries, that we will form conditions of regional development for Greece, so that the goals of real convergence for the Greek periphery (financial, social, environmental) are clear and specific", pointed out the Minister of Development.

He also stressed that the government has set certain qualitative and quantitative goals to achieve in the near future. Both the public and the private sector are called to play an important role in this plan.

Fewer tourists from the EU - More from the Balkans

The number of tourists that arrived in Greece last year noted a small increase of 1.6% according to today's announcement of the National Statistic Agency. Although Greece attracted more tourists from the whole of Europe and the Balkans, it seems that it lost a small portion of its tourist traffic from EU member states.

Tourists arriving from Europe in general increased by 1.1%(13,236,510), however tourists from the EU decreased by 1.8%, with 9,637, 540 people.

The UK and Germany are still the countries with the greatest participation in tourism in Greece. Specifically, 2,858,360 arrived from the UK (20.2% of the total), while German tourists reached 2,510,849 (17.7% of overall arrivals).

"In fact, we never hoped or said that the atmosphere would change radically because we made some decisions. The atmosphere will change because already, gradually, the basis of a steady course of application of PASOK's strategy", said the Minister, who st ressed that PASOK must make citizens understand that this strategic proposal of social and financial development is being materialized.

Meanwhile, honorary President of New Democracy Konstantinos Mitsotakis stated that "there are no more comments required. The issue is clear. ND's distance is irreversible. PASOK has lost the elections. What we have to discuss now, is why, despite all thi s, Mr. Simitis insists on damaging and hurting our country by dragging on an electoral period that will benefit him in any way? If elections are held in Spring, things will be even worse for PASOK".

Russian politicians, businessmen, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense and representatives of Orthodox Christian monasteries will attend the conference.

The conference is organized by the Russian Duma, the magazine "Russian Businessman" and the Russian Embassy in Athens.

The participants will focus on the EU credit organizations, tourist promotion and cultural development, as well as inter-state agreements between the two countries.

A delegation of the Prefecture of Iraklion, Crete will participate in the International Conference organized by the European Organization for Strategic Planning.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 311 recorded gains and 27 had losses, while the value of 20 stocks remained unchanged. No transactions were recorded for 22 stocks.

Mr. Protopapas reminded the positive comments made by US officials on the good cooperation between the US and Greece on issues concerning the combating of terrorism.

The government spokesman stated that the text in question repeats last year's findings. He also cited relevant statements made by US Ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller, which "do not move on the same direction".

Regarding the bulletin concerning Greece, which is attached to the US State Department report and refers to the state-run mass media as being steered, the government spokesman stressed that obviously the authors of the text in question are ignorant of th e European reality. He said that across Europe there is a strong state television and big steps have been made toward objective information and polyphony. In Europe and in Greece we have and will have a strong state television regardless of whether the Am ericans realize it or not, concluded Mr. Protopapas.

The salvage operation was undertaken by the Greek Air Force and the aircraft was found to be in a relatively good condition given the fact that it remained at the bottom of the sea for a total of 60 years. It will be taken to Leros to be cleaned up and b ecome one of the exhibits in the island's war museum.

A human skeleton was found inside the aircraft and the German Embassy in Athens was notified of the finding.

Mr. Yiannitsis stated that Greece is looking forward to the further promotion of bilateral relations, adding that it will continue to support Croatia's candidature for EU accession.

On his part, the Croatian Foreign Minister thanked Mr. Yiannitsis for Greece's significant support to his country's EU accession prospects.

of the Press is presented as the main guide and controller of radio and television media.

In their regular announcement on Greece, the State Department mentioned that the Greek media are not objective and are characterized by irresponsibility. On the page regarding the media it is mentioned that: "The Greek media are an institution of influen ce, usually aggressively sensitized and often irresponsible. Their objectivity, as we know it in the United States, does not exist in Greece. Most are owned by businessmen with immense business interests in many sectors of the economy. They use their news papers, magazines, radio and television stations, for the promotion of their businesses, as well as exercising political influence".

It then deals with the Ministry of Press and Information, which it states was founded in 1994 and that governs the Athens News Agency, state television, and the Macedonian Press Agency, whose press release is distributed to the whole of the Balkans. Majo r television channels, private and public, it continued, use CNN as their main source regarding international news. Very few channels and newspapers have correspondents abroad, including in the US.

The announcement mentioned that the US government retains the right to act against specific organizations and refuse visas to their members, it is illegal for individuals within the US to offer them material support, while it forces US banks and credit i nstitutions to freeze the assets belonging to organizations on the list.

The last such announcement of the State Department ended on October 3.

In fact, the construction of a fuel delivery terminal was completed recently in the framework of that program. At the same time, ELPE's operational program in Albania foresees investments in the research and utilization of carbohydrates, as well as in ot her energy sectors, such as that of natural gas and electricity.

of the EU Ministers of Culture and Sports Informal Meeting.

Mr. Venizelos stated that he had the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Rogge about the cooperation between the Greek government, the "Athens 2004" Organizing Committee and the IOC in view of the major event of the Athens Olympic Games.

He pointed out that the issues concerning the Olympic infrastructures have been dealt with and only certain technical issues remain to be resolved which, however, are under control.

Mr. Venizelos stated that they also discussed the issue of the Cultural Olympiad and specifically, how the Cultural Olympiad will continue to exist as an institution after 2004 in cooperation with the IOC, UNESCO and the "Athens 2004" Organizing Committe e.

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