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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2003-10-08
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY
Thessaloniki, November 13, 2003
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] UNAUTHORIZED HOUSES GET POWER AND WATER
[02] PRIVATE NATIONAL BANK
[03] FIVE ESCAPED, ONE RECAPTURED
[04] V. PAPANDREOU BRINGING THE ROOF DOWN
[05] VETS RETURN TO WORK IN LARISA
[06] PAPANDREOU INTERVENES FOR SAILORS IN KARACHI
[07] LOCAL QUAEDA
[08] GAINS IN THE ASE
[09] PARLIAMENT DEPUTY MARIA DAMANAKI WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS
[10] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF TURKISH TROOPS IN IRAQ
[11] PROTOPAPAS ON THE ARREST OF AN ARAB SUSPECT
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] G. PAPANTONIOU: DENKTASH AND ANKARA UNCOMPROMISING
[13] THESSALONIKI CONJOINED TWINS IN ROME HOSPITAL
NEWS IN DETAILS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] UNAUTHORIZED HOUSES GET POWER AND WATER
The submission of applications for the connection of unauthorized houses to electricity grids and water supplies, will be put into effect tomorrow and will continue for a month after it is voted. On houses that are main residences and are outside the cit
y plan and the general urban plan and residential zones, a copy of income tax returns which will show that it is the owner's main residence or a signed statement from the owner must be submitted.
[02] PRIVATE NATIONAL BANK
Greek and foreign investors will receive 10% of the National Bank's stocks, which is held by DEKA. The transfer will decrease state participation in the largest Greek bank by 11%. They are selling 10% of the National Bank of Greece to cover the deficit s
aid ND, while the Coalition characterized if the "coup de grace". DIKKI mentioned selling out profitable businesses. Also, 6.7% of Pireos Bank is on the market.
[03] FIVE ESCAPED, ONE RECAPTURED
One of the five prisoners at the transfer offices in Thessaloniki, who escaped using a makeshift file, was recaptured. They are, two gypsies accused of theft and three Albanians accused of murder. The police is carrying out searches in the entire area, a
nd is optimistic that it will find the rest soon. The recaptured prisoner was an 18-year-old gypsy.
[04] V. PAPANDREOU BRINGING THE ROOF DOWN
The government will start tearing down unauthorized constructs wherever there is a final decision, and will not stop at any obstacle, stated Minister of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works (YPEHODE), Vasso Papandreou.
As far as the procedure that began in Municipalities today for the legalization of older unauthorized constructs is concerned, the Minister expressed her belief that Local Government Organizations will respond. Speaking to "Flash" radio, the Minister of
YPEHODE stressed that she will be watching the whole process closely, and that individuals will be hired to that end, as part-time employees of the state, as is foreseen by the Ministries of the Interior and Labor.
She admitted that there may be some lack of information of municipality employees, but she observed that it will be done quickly. Interested parties can submit their applications and other necessary paperwork now, and the connection of their residences t
o the power grid will take place after Parliament votes on the specific bill. She also said that neither the Municipalities nor the Prefectures have the full image of the unauthorized constructs that exist in the country.
[05] VETS RETURN TO WORK IN LARISA
The veterinarians of the Larisa Prefecture decided to end their strike, while the ruling of the court is expected this afternoon in the second complaint filed by the Ministry of Agriculture in order for the agriculturalists' and veterinarians' strike to
be declared illegal and excessive. The intervention of the DA as regards dangers to citizens was caused by the continuation of the strike of civil agriculturalists, while customs directors gave their reassurance that there is no problem due to the strikes
.
[06] PAPANDREOU INTERVENES FOR SAILORS IN KARACHI
The repatriation to Greece, of the Greek sailors who are being detained in Karachi, Pakistan, was requested of his Pakistani counterpart Kurshid M. Kasuri, by Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou, during a telephone communication he had with him last nigh
t.
[07] LOCAL QUAEDA
An Al Quaeda member was arrested by the police a few days ago in Greece for human trafficking, according to journalist sources calling on statements made by Shiite Muslims living in Athens. According to the testimonies, the individual arrested is a Talib
an soldier, he had killed 19 people in Pakistan, and had been trained in Afghanistan.
[08] GAINS IN THE ASE
The share packages offered by the National Bank of Greece and the Bank of Piraeus were met with positive response by domestic and foreign institutional investors and as a result the Athens Stock Exchange closed with gains today.
The general index rose to +1.42% at 2.123,22 points, while the volume of transactions was unexpectedly high at 171 million euros.
Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 275 had gains and 49 had losses, while the value of 60 stocks remained unchanged.
[09] PARLIAMENT DEPUTY MARIA DAMANAKI WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS
Coalition of the Left Parliament Deputy Maria Damanaki with a letter to party president Nikos Konstantopoulos expressed her wish not to run for Parliament in the next elections.
According to the available information, Mrs. Damanaki wishes to complete her term in Parliament and will not resign.
[10] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF TURKISH TROOPS IN IRAQ
The present situation in Iraq does not lead anywhere and the presence of foreign troops in the region can be risky, said Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas.
The sooner the country is placed under the auspices of the UN and Iraq's national sovereignty is restored with the Iraqis taking control over their lives, the better for the international community, the countries involved, the people of Iraq and the worl
d in general, pointed out Mr. Protopapas on the occasion of Turkey's decision to send 10,000 soldiers to Iraq.
[11] PROTOPAPAS ON THE ARREST OF AN ARAB SUSPECT
The investigation continues and nothing serious has come up, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas.
The comment was made in response to questions by journalists on the arrest of an Arab, who allegedly is associated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[12] G. PAPANTONIOU: DENKTASH AND ANKARA UNCOMPROMISING
Minister of National Defense Giannos Papantoniou, who is in the US participating in the meeting of NATO members' Defense Ministers, spoke on Tuesday at the Second Annual Conference on Greek American Relations, being held in Washington. Mr. Papantoniou re
ferred to Greece's axes on foreign and defense policy.
Specifically, the Minister informed the participants of the plans for the development of the Euroarmy, in the framework of the new European Constitution. The Euroarmy, stressed Mr. Papantoniou, "will further develop, broadening its field of potential, wh
ile it acquires administrative structures which will allow it to secure autonomous operation capabilities, in a framework of broad cooperation with NATO and the US."
Regarding Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Papantoniou pointed out an improvement in the atmosphere, but a lack of progress in the Cyprus issue, on which he said that "the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides are still uncompromising in their positions, constan
tly raising obstacles", in contrary to the efforts of the international community to reach a settlement, as were expressed in the recent Annan proposal. Mr. Papantoniou also expressed his disappointment with Turkey's continuing "questioning of Greece's so
vereign rights in the Aegean", while Greece on the other hand, as he said, "is still there in steady support of Turkey's European prospects".
The Minister of Defense also spoke of Greece's participation in struggle against international terrorism and the security of the Athens Olympics, stressing both the broad cooperation between 7 countries, including the US, as well as the participation of
the Armed Forces in the security program of the Olympics.
[13] THESSALONIKI CONJOINED TWINS IN ROME HOSPITAL
The conjoined twin girls born in Thessaloniki on June 12, were taken to a Rome hospital, in order to undergo separation surgery.
The little girls are being accompanied by the heart surgeon of the Agia Sophia children's hospital and by a pediatrician of the Ippokratio hospital. The conjoined twins are 4 months old, they weigh more than 5.5 kilos and are well in their health.
The infants, which were taken to Rome on a special Olympic Airways flight, are joined at the temple, their brains are separated, while their vital organs are growing normally.
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