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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-02-03Macedonian 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, February 3, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] EDUCATION MINISTER WARNS UNRELENTLESS PROTESTERSAthens, February 3 (MPA)Students insistent on protesting the education reforms by conducting school occupations, thus obstructing the schools' operation for three months now, should be aware that the year's curriculum will definitely be covered during the remaining academic year, according to the education Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, who added that those who fail to pass will have to give examinations in September, which means a book-filled summer.The Minister has called on school boards to submit their suggestions as to how the voluminous curriculum will be covered. He also announced that over 40 university departments will be founded for the enrolment of 7,000 college students in the Fall. At the same time, the Education Ministry stated that the crisis in the sector is abating as fewer and fewer schools are presently under an occupation status. A.F. [02] THESSALONIKI METRO AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON FRIDAYThessaloniki, February 3 (MPA)The agreement for the construction of Thessaloniki's metro subway, expected to be approved today by the appropriate state committee, is to be signed on Friday.The project amounts to 220 billion drachmas and has been undertaken by a joint venture headed by a French company. The subway's length is be nine and a half kilometers and will feature 14 stops. The Greek state will participate with approximately 67 billion drachmas and an annual ticket subsidy of GRD 50 billion. A.F. [03] KOSOVO'S UCK TO PARTICIPATE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH BELGRADEBelgrade, February 3 (MPA)Shortly after the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) announced that it will participate in the France-held negotiations with Belgrade on February 6, the Serb authorities announced that they have seized a container full of arms and uniforms amounting to half a million dollars, destined for the region's Albanian rebels.Meanwhile the Serb parliament is expected to decide tomorrow on whether or not the Yugoslav government will participate in the talks. A.F. [04] GREEKS EARN 30% LESS THAN OTHER EUROPEANS, ON AVERAGEStrasbourg, February 3 (MPA)Greek workers earn 30% less money than other Europeans on average, according to the European Commission's latest bi- annual report on the socioeconomic state of European regions.Commenting on the figures, the EU's appropriate Commissioner said that Greece's rapid rate of convergence to the EU average was largely the result of activities supported by the funds. The report also contains extensive references to socio- economic problems, stressing that the Greek economy faces several serious problems in competitiveness, and estimating that for the EU average to be approached, productivity would have to increase by 40 per cent in coming years and employment by 20 per cent. A.F. [05] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH ADDRESSES IN/TL FORUM AT DAVOSDavos, February 3 (MPA)Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos addressed the International Forum held in Davos, Switzerland yesterday, where he stated that globalization should not lead to the financial improvement of the few against the many.The Patriarch further stressed that globalization of the international economy, information and knowledge are major achievements of our era, but their worth depends on their ultimate uses by the people. A.F. [06] CYPRIOT DEFENSE MINISTER TO VISIT ATHENS NEXT WEEKAthens, February 3 (MPA)Cyprus's Defense Minister Yiannakis Chryssostomos will embark on a four-day visit to Athens on February 8 where he will be received by his Greek counterpart Akis Tsochatzopoulos.Their talks are expected to focus on the transport and installation of the Russian S-300 missiles on the island of Crete. A.F. [07] CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER IN ATHENS TODAYAthens, February 3 (MPA)Cyprus' Foreign Minister Yiannakis Kasoulides is to arrive in Athens today from Brussels, where he will meet with his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos.The two officials will discuss the Cyprus issue, the island's accession course to the European Union and the results of the talks Mr. Kasoulides had with EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek. A.F. [08] GREECE IS ON RIGHT TRACK FOR EMU, ACCORDING TO EU OFFICIALSAthens, February 3 (MPA)The European Commission has lauded the Greek government for its draft-plan of the Third Community Support Framework, as well as for its rapid funds absorption rate.The director of the EU general directorate on regional policy, E. Slavkov met with National Economy Undersecretary Christos Pachtas and other officials, with whom she discussed proposals on a Third Community Support Framework. The Greek government hoped that EU funds, earmarked in the Santer package, will be as significant as in the past, Mr. Pachtas said. He stated that the new Community Support Framework's priorities were to fund programmes aimed at combating unemployment, job training and education with the target of reducing unemployment to 5.0 percent by the year 2006. A.F. [09] UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO ATHENS IN THESSALONIKI TODAYThessaloniki, February 3 (MPA)United States Ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns arrived in Thessaloniki today, where he was received by the city's mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos this afternoon.Mr. Burns congratulated the newly-elected Mayor and told him that he is well known in the United States as an outstanding track athlete. Furthermore, he stated that the US intent to augment the existing trade between the two countries and plan to further encourage US ventures to invest in Thessaloniki and the wider region. The US embassy, in cooperation with the Hellenic- American Chamber of Commerce (HACC), is to hold a tourism conference in Thessaloniki on April 26-27. This evening, the Ambassador will address an event organized by the HACC at the Macedonia Palace Hotel. A.F. [10] CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY TO RETURN NIKE OF SAMOTHRACE TO GREECEAlexandroupolis, February 3 (MPA)Residents of the Aegean island of Samothrace, the birthplace of the renowned Greek sculpture Nike of Samothrace, aka the Winged Victory, have embarked on a letter-writing campaign to have this finest extant of Hellenistic sculpture returned to their homeland.In a letter signed by the island's mayor, the locals urge Greek politicians to intervene and request that the Louvre museum, where the statue is kept, acknowledge that the sculpture belongs in its natural environment. Nike of Samothrace was created by a Rhodes sculptor between 220 and 190 BC. It was discovered on Samothrace in 1863 by Champoiseau, the French consul. The sculpture portrays the goddess of victory alighting on a ship's prow, with her wings spread apart and her garments rippling in the wind. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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