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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-01-25Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.BRIEF GREEK NEWS BULLETIN BY THE MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCYThessaloniki, January 25, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] EDUCATION MINISTER TO MEET WITH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TODAYAthens, January 25 (MPA)The administrative council of the Secondary Education Teachers Federation (OLME) is to meet with the Minster of Education Gerasimos Arsenis today. The teachers are proposing changes in the academic reforms which could alleviate the present deadlock in the sector.Meanwhile, the teachers are conducting a 24-hour strike today, while the students' coordinating committees have decided to hold massive rallies on Thursday, January 28 and on February 5. A.F. [02] IOC MEMBERS FACE EXPULSION AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERYLausanne, January 25 (MPA)Six members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have the threat of expulsion hanging over their heads, after an inquiry into allegations of corruption surrounding Salt Lake City's successful bid for the 2002 winter games.IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said he was "profoundly saddened" at the conduct of the individuals concerned and apologized to followers of the Games. He said the members in question had violated their Olympic oath and "the trust that had been placed in them". They will be temporarily suspended until March, when the recommendation for their expulsion is put before a special meeting of the IOC general assembly. A seventh official implicated in the scandal announced yesterday that he is resigning from the IOC. The IOC members recommended for expulsion are: Agustin Arroyo of Ecuador, Jean-Claude Ganga of Republic of Congo, Zein El Abdin Ahmed Abdel Gadir of Sudan, Lamine Keita of Mali, Charles Mukora of Kenya and Sergio Santander of Chile. A.F. [03] US SENATE TO DECIDE ON FATE OF CLINTON'S TRIALWashington, January 25 (MPA)The impeachment trial of United States President Bill Clinton resumes today, And the senators' first order of business will be to complete their submission of written questions to prosecutors and the defense team before considering whether to dismiss the case or call witnesses.Over 100 written questions were submitted on Friday and Saturday and once the questions round is over, a motion will be tabled to dismiss the perjury and obstruction-of- justice charges against Mr. Clinton. A debate will follow and then the 100-member Senate, by a majority vote, could go into closed session to discuss the motion. Once those deliberations are completed the Senate could proceed to considering another motion, that is to authorize the House prosecutors to formally depose, or question, witnesses under oath, among them Monica Lewinsky. If the motion to dismiss is approved by a majority vote, then the impeachment trial will be over. A.F. [04] GREEK DEPUTIES ATTEND COUNCIL OF EUROPE MEETING TODAYStrasbourg, January 25 (MPA)Eleven Greek parliamentarians are presently in Strasbourg where they will participate in the first part of the 1999 Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.The sessions of the meeting, which will begin today, will address a number of issues including commitments and obligations of Turkey as a CoE member-state, the creation of an enlarged Europe, religion and democracy, the crisis in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, the situation in Federal Yugoslavia and internal security in Europe. A.F. [05] EU FOREIGN MINSTERS DISCUSS KOSOVO ISSUEBrussels, January 25 (MPA)The European Union's Foreign Ministers are to meet in Brussels today in order to discuss a new plan to resolve the Kosovo crisis. The said plan is being deliberated by the EU in cooperation with the Contact Group and NATO.Among others, it threatens the use of force in order to compel both sides to stop the conflict and to re-start negotiations. According to Serb press reports, which quote EU officials, the Foreign Ministers are to examine the European Commissions report, calling for intensifying the sanctions against Yugoslavia and asking Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his police force and troops from Kosovo, confirming the ongoing operation of the OSCE verification mission and allowing the Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague to embark on an investigation concerning the Racak events. A.F. [06] GREECE'S DEVELOPMENT MINISTER IN THE US PROMOTING TIESNew York, January 25 (MPA)Greece's Development Minister Vaso Papandreou is presently on an official visit to the United States where she is promoting closer Greek-US economic relations and the investment opportunities offered by Greece for American investors.Today Ms. Papandreou will address an event at the Harvard Club in New York, organized jointly by the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce and the American-Greek Trade Council. A.F. [07] AUSTRALIAN FM DENOUNCES OCCUPATION OF CYPRUSAdelaide, January 25 (MPA)Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer denounced the "illegal" occupation of Cyprus by Turkey, during his address at the conference of the Federation of Australia's Cypriot Communities.Mr. Downer stated that an end must be put to the illegal occupation of part of Cyprus and assured the conference participants, among them Australian political figures, that his country remained staunchly supportive to Cyprus' territorial integrity and to finding a solution to the Cyprus issue, based on United Nations resolutions. A.F. [08] FARMERS TO MEET WITH AGRICULTURE MINISTER TODAYAthens, January 25 (MPA)Central Greece's farmers committee members, who are planning a series of protests starting next week, are to meet with the Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis today who will try to secure a promise that they will not block the roads with their tractors.The meeting will determine whether or not they farmers will actually conduct the protests. A.F. [09] UN INTICES ALBANIA WITH AID IN EXCHANGE TO WEAPONSTirana, January 25 (MPA)The United Nations is launching a program this month designed to encourage Albanians to hand over the weapons seized from military depots at the 1997 insurrection.According to the French news agency AFP, the UN's bait is an improved standard of living and jobs. The man in charge of the program, Philip Pierce stated that "we aim to encourage them to surrender their arms while enabling them to obtain better conditions, telecommunications, an efficient road system and work." According to Albanian officials, more than one million guns were taken from military depots during the unrest which broke out after the collapse of speculative savings schemes. A.F. [10] ALBANIAN TEACHERS DECLARE INDEFINITE STRIKETirana, January 25 (MPA)Albania's primary and secondary education teachers declare a strike of indefinite duration today, following the government's refusal to meet their economic demands, among them salary increases of 20%.Following marathon talks on Saturday, the government counterproposed a salary increase of 10% which was flatly rejected by the teachers. A.F. [11] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER SPEAKS ON TURKEY'S EUROPEAN VOCATIONIstanbul, January 25 (MPA)The leader of Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis, participated in the Istanbul-held joint meeting of the presidium and directing committee of the European Democratic Union (EDU), of which he is vice-chairman.In an interview with the Ankara daily "Hurriyet", Mr. Karamanlis expressed support for Turkey's European prospects, saying "we support a Turkey which will meet and fulfill all European prospects and will be a more compatible neighbor for Greece." Mr. Karamanlis said this meant that Turkey will also honor absolutely and fulfill obligations and terms set by the European Union concerning the need for the country's complete democratization, respect for human rights and minorities, the denunciation of force or the threat of the use of force, show absolute respect for international law and treaties and resolve to find a solution for the Kurdish issue. The main opposition leader stated that the said issue should be resolved through political means and denied Turkey's claims that Greece harbors support to the PKK. A.F. [12] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE SLASHES LOAN AND DEPOSIT RATESThessaloniki, January 25 (MPA)The National Bank of Greece, the country's largest commercial bank slashed its loan and deposit rates today, a decision taken as a result of a sharp decline in interest rates "and National Bank's strategy of offering its customers competitive products, " according to the bank's governor Theodoros Karatzas .Among other rate declines, the savings deposit rate is dropping to 8.0 percent from 8.50 percent, the current account rate to 6.5 percent from 7.0 percent, and the business rate for operating capital to 12.50 percent from 13.75 percent. In addition, the bank will allow customers who have fixed rate housing loans to switch to a floating rate. Mr. Karatzas has also announced that two centers for financing small and medium- sized enterprises will open in Thessaloniki. A.F. [13] POLITICAL LEADERS POPULARITY DECLINING, ACCORDING TO POLLThessaloniki, January 25 (MPA)The popularity of the country's political leaders is on the decline, according to a poll conducted by the V. PRC company, and whose results are published today in an Athens daily.The present poll, conducted between January 18-22, compares its data with numbers gathered in a similar poll held in November of 1998. The leader of the Coalition of the Left and Progress party (Synaspismos) Nikos Constantopoulos continues to hold first place (44.4%), albeit with a marked decline from last November's rate (51.4). He is followed by: the Democratic and Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas 36.4% (last November's rate was 45.8%); main opposition party leader, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis with 34.4% as opposed to 39.1%; Prime Minster Kostas Simitis with 24,8% (as opposed to 32,4%) the secretary-general of the Communist Party of Greece Aleka Paparega with 17,2% (17,3%) and the leader of Political Spring Antonis Samaras with 12,7% (17,5%). According to the given responses, the positive assessments for the government present a small decline (13,8% as opposed to 14,2%), whereas the negative assessments have increased by 10 percentage points as 56.7% of those polled stated that they are "not at all satisfied" with the government. The highest degree of dissatisfaction emanates from the lower economic classes where the "absolutely negative" assessments amounted to 65% of those questioned, while only 10% gave positive answers. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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