Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK COMMUNITY IN BRUSSELS SPOKE TO MPA

[02] THE GREEK PRESIDENT WILL VISIT THE CZECH REPUBLIC

[03] OBESITY HAS BECOME AN EPIDEMIC OF HUGE DIMENSIONS

[04] THE FIRST GREEK PASSENGER FLIGHT TO IRAQ

[05] PAPANTONIOU WILL LAUNCH HIS TOUR OF THE BALKANS TOMORROW

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER VISITED A MODEL HOUSING SETTLEMENT FOR THE GYPSIES

[07] THESSALONIKI'S 41ST FILM FESTIVAL OPENED YESTERDAY

[01] THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK COMMUNITY IN BRUSSELS SPOKE TO MPA

For the first time since it was established the Greek community in Brussels is led by a woman president, Jessica Teggelidou. She is an Aristotle University of Thessaloniki graduate, speaks four languages and works for the European Commission since 1997. She is married and a mother of two.

Speaking to MPA, she stated that the Greek community in Brussels can not be a simple spectator of the events taking place next door.

An immediate priority for Ms. Teggelidou is the reactivation of the young, who have the vitality and the vision necessary to promote the endless powers of Hellenism not only in the Belgian but in the international society as well.

[02] THE GREEK PRESIDENT WILL VISIT THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos will be on a formal visit to the Czech Republic on November 13-16. It will be his first visit to the country and it is made at the invitation of his Czech counterpart Vaclav Havel.

The president's visit to the Czech Republic is expected to give a new boost to the already good bilateral relations at political, economic and cultural level.

Mr. Stephanopoulos will meet with his Czech counterpart and the political and state leadership, while he will also have contacts with the Greeks living in the country. In Prague, Mr. Stephanopoulos will meet with representatives of the Greek community. The Greeks living in the Czech Republic are over 3.000 and went there after the WWII. Most of them live in Prague, Brno and Ostrava.

[03] OBESITY HAS BECOME AN EPIDEMIC OF HUGE DIMENSIONS

Obesity has become an epidemic in the developed countries as the number of the people suffering from it are estimated at 200 million worldwide and their numbers increase rapidly.

In the European Union countries, 1/3 of the people are overweight and 1/10 are obese. In Greece, according to figures provided by the Greek Medical Society on Obesity, the obese people correspond to 20-25% of the population namely, 1 in 4 people, while 2 in 100 have a pathogenic obesity. It is a serious type of obesity in which the patient has 40 or at least 45 kilos of excess weight.

In Greece, people with that kind of obesity correspond to 1-2% of the population but it has a rising tendency mainly because the Greeks have abandoned their traditional cuisine and also due to the urban way of life.

The above were presented in the 18th Medical Conference of the Armed Forces that was completed in Thessaloniki today.

[04] THE FIRST GREEK PASSENGER FLIGHT TO IRAQ

The first Greek passenger flight to Iraq was made today after a period of 10 years. An Olympic Airways plane landed at Saddam Airport with 100 passengers in a show of solidarity to the Iraqi people.

The passenger plane was chartered by the Greek division of the organization "Doctors without Borders" which was able to get a permit by the UN sanctions committee allowing the plane to make the flight.

According to organization president in Greece, Odisseas Voudouris, no medicine or humanitarian aid was brought to the country and the 100 passengers will stay in Iraq for three days to express their solidarity to the oppressed Iraqi people.

[05] PAPANTONIOU WILL LAUNCH HIS TOUR OF THE BALKANS TOMORROW

Minister of national economy Yiannos Papantoniou leaves for Belgrade tomorrow within the framework of one of the largest diplomatic and business missions that were ever held in the region. The delegation will also visit Bulgaria and FYROM and the tour will last on November 14.

In his visit to Belgrade, Sofia and Skopje, Mr. Papantoniou is expected to have meetings with the presidents and the prime ministers of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and FYROM. The basic goal of the mission will be to promote the Greek Plan for the Reconstruction of the Balkans mainly in the sectors of social and economic infrastructures and production.

Mr. Papantoniou will be accompanied by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis, undersecretary of national economy Yiannis Zafiropoulos, international economic relations general secretary Minas Stavrakakis, parliament deputies and 43 businessmen.

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER VISITED A MODEL HOUSING SETTLEMENT FOR THE GYPSIES

Prime minister Kostas Simitis visited a model housing settlement for the Gypsies in the region of Ionia, in Thessaloniki. Speaking to them, Mr. Simitis stated that the government will take measures for them to be able to follow the country's development pace and not be socially isolated.

In the housing settlement, which constitutes a transition stage until the Gypsies get their own houses, live 1.500 people.

The prime minister stated that there are population groups that can not follow the pace of the economic and social development in the country. This means that they are left isolated and that is why the government's presence and intervention are necessary.

[07] THESSALONIKI'S 41ST FILM FESTIVAL OPENED YESTERDAY

Thessaloniki's 41st Film Festival opened yesterday in the presence of prime minister Kostas Simitis. Mr. Simitis stated upon his arrival at the "Olympion" cinema theater that cinema is the imagination in everyday life and makes life beautiful. He also underlined that Thessaloniki's Film Festival is a big celebration and an opportunity for the Greek creators to present their work.

Mr. Simitis was accompanied by his wife Daphne and they were welcomed by minister of culture Theodoros Pangalos, minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis, festival chairman Theodoros Angelopoulos and its director Michalis Dimopoulos. Also, present were minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos, minister of press Dimitris Reppas, governing socialist party of PASOK central committee secretary Kostas Skandalidis, actors and film directors.

Minister of culture Theodoros Pangalos stated in his opening speech that Thessaloniki's Film Festival is a big celebration of art and creation and a respected meeting of creators equal to other film festivals abroad.

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