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Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English, 99-03-23Macedonian 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, March 23, 1999TITLES
NEWS IN DETAIL[01] GREEK PREMIER IN BERLIN FOR EUROPEAN UNION SUMMITBerlin, March 23 (MPA)Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is departing for Berlin today in order to take part in the March 24-25 European Union summit.The informal summit will focus on "Agenda 2000" financing and the issue of a new European Commission after the entire European Commission resigned early last week following the release of a report pointing to cases of mismanagement and nepotism in the EU executive body. On the issue of "Agenda 2000" funding, Mr. Simitis said Greece would "do battle to maintain the funds which it needs." A.F. [02] TONI BLAIR TO RECEIVE GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER IN LONDON TODAYLondon, March 23 (MPA)Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos is to be received by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Toni Blair in London today.Mr. Tsochatzopoulos will also hold talks with his British counterpart George Robertson and Undersecretary of Defense Doug Henderson. The British minister will host a luncheon on Mr. Tsochatzopoulos' honor this afternoon. A.F. [03] MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER IN BERLIN FOR EUROPEAN POPULAR PARTYAthens, March 24 (MPA)Greece's main opposition leader, New Democracy's Kostas Karamanlis is traveling to Berlin today where he will take part in the European Popular party's extraordinary summit, which is held in light of the European Union's Summit Conference.The meeting, which will begin this evening, will address the Party's ties with Turkey and the elections manifesto. Its presidium will hold a conference tomorrow. Mr. Karamanlis is accompanied by the party's spokesperson Aris Spiliotopoulos and the secretary of foreign relations. A.F. [04] FESTIVITIES FOR MARCH 25 NATIONAL HOLIDAY GET UNDERWAYThessaloniki, March 23 (MPA)Festivities celebrating the Greek national holiday of March 25 are to get underway in Thessaloiniki this evening, when the Pan-Cretan Guild of Macedonia will hold an event before the statue of Eleftherios Venizelos, commemorating his the 63rd anniversary since his death.In honor of the holiday that commemorates the Greek revolution against the Turkish yoke in 1821, the city will be illuminated tomorrow with a military parade taking place on Thursday. A.F. [05] ARCHBISHOP OF AMERICA SALUTES GREEK NATIONAL HOLIDAYFlorida, March 23 (MPA)The Archbishop of America Spyridon has forwarded a blessing to the Greek community living in the united States, for the March 25 anniversary of Greece's national holiday that commemorates the country's revolution against the Turkish yoke in 1821.The March 25 national holiday, which also coincides with the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, is grandly celebrated abroad with parades and other festivities. A.F. [06] PRESIDENT OF HELLENIC REPUBLIC SALUTES NATIONAL HOLIDAYAthens., March 23 (MPA)In light of the upcoming national holiday of March 25, the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos has issued a personal message to the Greek community living abroad, relaying his sentiments of national pride and joy.In his Independence Day message, the President highlighted the necessity of maintaining the strength and fighting spirit of the Greeks who in 1821 threw away the Turkish yoke with immense sacrifices and heroic battles. "Freedom and independence need not be conquered only once. They need to be sought every day. And this can be achieved through a continuous struggle that is inspirited through a profound sense of patriotism, an aptitude for sacrifice and, foremostly, national unity," the President said. A.F. [07] CLOCKS TO BE SET AN HOUR AHEAD ON MARCH 28March 23 (MPA)All European Union member-states will set their clocks one hour ahead tomorrow, a mandatory adjustment enforced by the EU.Specifically, the clocks will be set one hour ahead on Sunday, March 28, at 3 a.m. The time change will be into effect until October 31. A.F. [08] GREECE WILL NOT TAKE PART IN MILITARY OPERATION IN KOSOVOThessaloniki, March 23 (MPA)National Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos has reiterated that Greece will not participate in a military operation in Kosovo.Speaking to the Cable News Network (CNN), Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stressed that a political solution has to be sought and pointed out that potential armed conflict in Yugoslavia will have consequences in the neighboring Balkan countries. Furthermore, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that Greece intends to participate in a multinational force in Kosovo, on the condition that its task will be exclusively peaceful, and added that Greece is bracing for an immense wave of refugees. A.F. [09] DUTY FREE SHOPS UP FOR SALE ON FRIDAYAthens, March 23 (MPA)The declaration for the sale of Greece's Duty Free Shops is to be published on Friday, thereby posting 67% of their shares up for grabs, as the government is trying to comply with the European Union decision to abolish the tax-free status by July 1.Nevertheless, government circles are optimistic that foreign investors are find Greece's duty free shops as an attractive venture, given the country's proximity to non-EU members. A.F. [10] WEALTHIEST GREEKS EARN BETWEEN TWO TO 14 MILLION DOLLARSAthens, March 23 (MPA)Owning assets unfathomable to the common folk, 72 Greeks, living in Greece or abroad, compose a list outlining the country's "billionairedom", all of whom have had to pay taxes on incomes ranging from 800 million drachmas to 4.4 billion ($2.5-14.5 million).According to the Athens daily "To Vima", the list of the super wealthy includes entrepreneurs, ship owners, and a variety of other professions. Their total wealth amounts to 92 billion drachmas, of which 595 million were poured into state coffers for taxes. While most of them reside in the capital city of Athens, some have opted for Thessaloniki and Crete. Meanwhile, according to data provided by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, 22% of Greeks own property valued at 60-100 million drachmas, 47% own property valued at 100-200 million drachmas, 15% own property value at 200-300 million drachmas and there is a three percent whose property is valued at more than 500 million drachmas. A.F. [11] GREECE CAN PLAY LEADING ROLE IN IN/L MARKET'S NEW CONDITIONSAthens, March 23 (MPA)The President of the New York Stock Exchange William Johnson believes that Greece can carry out a leading role in the new conditions that are emerging in the international market, forecasting a surge of Greek companies on the NYSE rosters.Addressing an economic forum, Mr. Johnson also pointed out that the Athens Stock Exchange price index marked an 85% increase last year, the world's second largest growth. A.F. [12] US ENVOY TO MEET ANEW WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TODAYBelgrade, March 23 (MPA)United States envoy Richard Holbrooke is to hold another round of talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, following last night's marathon meeting which led nowhere.Mr. Milosevic will apparently not budge from his refusal to allow NATO forces to be deployed in the region as part o the peacekeeping agreement. As a result, US President Bill Clinton has warned the Yugoslav President that he ought to exercise self- restrain in Kosovo otherwise he will have to face the NATO forces. A.F. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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