Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-03-07

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] GREECE COMES FIRST IN NEW CAR SALES IN THE EU

[02] AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ISSUED AN APPEAL TO CLINTON ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS

[03] PASOK IS LEADING THE PRE-ELECTION RACE BY 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS

[04] INFLATION RATE WAS AT 2.9% IN FEBRUARY

[05] BLACK TUESDAY FOR THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[06] NEW REVELATIONS ON THE ILLEGAL VISAS ISSUED TO ALBANIANS

[07] THE ANNIVERSARY FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE DODECANESSE INTO GREECE

[08] TRAIKOVSKI: THE RELATIONS WITH GREECE ARE VERY GOOD

[09] THE ALBANIAN PRESS PRAISED THE GREEK MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER

[10] TRIPARTITE MEETING OF GREECE, ALBANIA AND FYROM IN KORCE

[01] GREECE COMES FIRST IN NEW CAR SALES IN THE EU

Greece tops the list with the European Union countries regarding the new car sales in the past year, according to data provided by the European Auto-Industry Association.

In 1999, the new car sales in Greece increased compared to 1998 and were 10 times more than in the rest EU member-states.

Specifically, the car sales in Greece increased by 45.3% in 1999 compared to 1998, while in the EU in general the increase was just 4.9%. According to the available figures, 261.711 new cars were sold in Greece in 1999 namely, 81.566 more cars compared to 1998.

Greece is followed by Ireland (+19.6%), Spain (+18.1%), and Sweden (+16.5%). The fewer cars were sold in Denmark (-12.4%), Britain (-2.2%) and Italy (-1.2%). In total, 14.630.850 cars were sold in the EU in 1999 namely, 689.885 more compared to 1998.

[02] AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ISSUED AN APPEAL TO CLINTON ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY

Amnesty International issued an appeal to the Clinton administration not to allow the sale of attack helicopters worth US$ 4 billion to Turkey because the country is unable to show any progress in its human rights record.

In the statement it is stressed that the Turkish government is expected to decide in the following days on which company will win the contract in question. It is stressed that the two US companies Bell-Textron and Boeing that are seeking to win the contract have launched a big effort to secure an export permit for the helicopters in spite of the continuing human rights violations in Turkey.

[03] PASOK IS LEADING THE PRE-ELECTION RACE BY 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS

An opinion poll conducted by the polling company MRB on behalf of the Athens television station MEGA shows that the governing socialist party of PASOK is leading by 2 percentage points in the pre-election race.

Specifically, 34.7% of those asked responded that they intend to vote for PASOK compared to 32.7% in favor of the right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy. The Communist Party gets 4.7%, Coalition of the Left 3.7% and the Democratic Social Movement 3.5%, while the undecided voters have reached 19.5%.

To the question which political party will win the elections, 50.7% believe that PASOK will be the winner, while 26.9% responded in favor of New Democracy. Also, 38.8% believe that PASOK is more able to govern compared to New Democracy that gets 31.1%.

[04] INFLATION RATE WAS AT 2.9% IN FEBRUARY

Inflation in the month of February was increased to 2.9% in Greece, compared to 2.6% in January.

The announcement was made by the National Statistics Agency general secretary, who attributed the increase to the fuel price hikes. From his side, Greek minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou announced that Greece met the final 5th criterion for its accession into the European Economic and Monetary Union, EMU, namely that of inflation. The minister clarified that a similar inflation rise was recorded in the rest European countries and therefore, there was no problem for Greece in meeting the specific criterion.

Mr. Papantoniou stated that the harmonized index closed at 1.7% in February, while the harmonized index for the 12-month period of March 1999 to February 2000 is at 2.1%. He also stressed that this is a historical moment, as a 6-year circle of hard effort by the Greek people, aimed at the reform of the economy and its accession into the developed economies, is being closed.

The Greek national economy minister also stated characteristically, that the country enters the EMU without asking for favors by anybody.

Meanwhile, Greece will present its candidature for accession into the Euro-zone countries on Thursday, when prime minister Kostas Simitis and minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou will submit the Greek application to the European Union for its accession into the EMU.

[05] BLACK TUESDAY FOR THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

It was a Black Tuesday for the Athens Stock Exchange today as the general index made a dive of 3.12%, dropping below the 5.000 points mark to 4.941,30.

Of the stocks trading today, 314 recorded losses and many of them were locked at limit down, while only 12 had gains. However, the volume of transactions was satisfactory and exceeded the 230.5 billion drachmas most of it having to do with the sale rash on behalf of the investors.

[06] NEW REVELATIONS ON THE ILLEGAL VISAS ISSUED TO ALBANIANS

The Athens newspaper "TO ETHNOS" made new revelations today on the hundreds of visas issued to Albanians without following not even the basic legal procedures.

The revelations have to do with name-lists that were drawn up in the period of August 25 to November 25 in 1997. The lists include 782 names that were suggested by a private individual, former police officer K. Tsiboukis and were approved by the then consul general Konstantinos Kakiousis.

Already, the Greek foreign ministry has ordered a thorough investigation on the case and foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou stated yesterday that the investigation will go in depth and all the diplomats involved will be brought to justice.

[07] THE ANNIVERSARY FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE DODECANESSE INTO GREECE

The festivities for the 52nd anniversary of the incorporation of the Dodecanesse into Greece taking place in the south-eastern Aegean island of Rhodes today are being held in the presence of Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos.

In statements he made, Mr. Stephanopoulos underlined that centuries of slavery, the end of which is celebrated today, were unable to hurt the morale of the people and alter their national conscience.

[08] TRAIKOVSKI: THE RELATIONS WITH GREECE ARE VERY GOOD

FYROM president Boris Traikovski characterized the Greek-FYROM relations as very good in an interview with the radio station "Free Europe" and pointed out that cooperation with Greece, mainly in the economic and cultural sectors, is very important for his country.

Giving a special emphasis to the situation in Kosovo, Mr. Traikovksi called on the international community to see for the implementation of the UN security council resolution 1244 which provides for the wider autonomy of the region within the Yugoslav borders and the respect of the rights and freedoms of the ethnic minorities.

Regarding the relations of FYROM with Belgrade, the FYROM president stated that they continue to be good and that the only pending issue is to define the border line between them.

[09] THE ALBANIAN PRESS PRAISED THE GREEK MINISTER OF PUBLIC ORDER

The Albanian newspaper "Zeri i Populit" praised the direct interest showed by Greek minister of public order Michalis Chrisochoidis in the case of a sick Albanian woman who lived in Greece illegally.

According to the newspaper, the Albanian woman, named E. Caku, was arrested by the police as soon as she got out of the hospital where she was being treated and was found to be without a residence permit.

At the personal intervention of the Greek public order minister, the woman instead of being deported she was released, while an order was given to provide her with a residence permit.

[10] TRIPARTITE MEETING OF GREECE, ALBANIA AND FYROM IN KORCE

Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will meet in Ochrid and Korce tomorrow with his counterparts from Albania and FYROM Paskal Milo and Alexander Dimitrov.

The tripartite meeting will focus on adopting joint programs and plans within the framework of the stability pact for south-eastern Europe, while there will be a discussion on the developments in the Balkan region and specifically, in Kosovo.

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