Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-11-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] MPA CONFERENCE REACHES CONCLUSIONS

[02] PATIENCE OVER "ROYAL ASSETS" ISSUE

[03] EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION IN THESSALONIKI

[04] ECOFIN TO DISCUSS EU STOCK MARKETS UNIFICATION

[05] FARMERS, THESSALONIKI LABOR CENTER TAKE ACTION

[06] GREECE PARTAKES IN ALBANIAS PANAIR TRADE FAIR

[07] GREEK COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES HOLDS CONFERENCE

[08] GREECE, YUGOSLAVIA TO SIGN MILITARY AGREEMENT

[09] OSCE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN VIENNA TOMORROW

[01] MPA CONFERENCE REACHES CONCLUSIONS

The success of the MPA conference, the exchange of views between journalists of Balkan countries and the proposals submitted for inter-Balkan cooperation were the main points discussed in the presentation of conclusions made at the end of the 6th Inter-Balkan Journalists conference held by the MPA.

The common aim is the free circulation of news and the unobstructed flow of information, which will wipe out prejudice and lay the foundations for the vision of inter-Balkan friendship and cooperation.

The vice-President of the MPA Board of Directors, Georgios Anastasides, presented the conclusions reached at the end of the conference, which focused on "New technologies and Development in Inter-Balkan cooperation".

Mr Anastasides also said that the participants had stressed the importance of the Internet in making daily life easier and the development of the economy, whilst adding that radical technological changes are expected in the future. These changes will render PCs out of date and will fundamentally change the way in which we read magazines and newspapers.

Another conclusion reached was that Balkan mass media organisations are "underdeveloped" technologically speaking, and the conference participants welcomed the Internet revolution, which will speed up the spreading of information and the level of communication between the region's peoples. The "traditional" press will also have its place in the new era, as long as there is a need for a critical and reflective view of reality, Mr Anastasides said.

[02] PATIENCE OVER "ROYAL ASSETS" ISSUE

Greek minister of Culture, Evangelos Venizelos advised that a patient stance be taken until the ex-King begins handling the issue of the so-called royal assets and stressed that whoever discusses the matter publicly should be especially careful.

In response to a question asking if Greece hopes to pay as little a sum as possible, Mr Venizelos said "we must wait to see the actions taken by the ex-King, to establish whether or not he respects the law, if he will register on the municipal roll, take on a name and surname, if he will unconditionally accept the country's system of government and constitutional order. We must see how he will handle the situation politically and must ascertain what compensation will justify what personal assets. Let him state his opinion publicly, as so far he has expressed himself vaguely".

The Culture minister also stressed that the king was not a Greek citizen but was considered to be Greek because of his position. "He was not registered on the municipal roll and did not have Greek citizenship. This is why there was a special status quo registering him as Prime Minister and a series of different procedures for dealing with his personal matters. He must therefore accept the status of citizen, which is very honourable for us all. We respect European law, the European Individual Rights Agreement and the decisions taken by the Strasbourg and Luxembourg court, which include several details and procedures that will be carried out".

As far as the issue of the so-called royal assets are concerned, Mr Venizelos explained that from 1975 to 1994, several attempts had been made to reach an agreement with the ex-Royal family, some of which had been ratified legally. He also reminded that the military junta had constitutionally expropriated the so-called royal assets and had then foreseen a compensation sum of 175 million drachmas, which the fallen king never assumed, adding that after the political changeover, Konstantinos Karamanlis' government of national unity placed the so-called royal assets under a status of sequestration, until the government's decision as to what system of government it would uphold.

[03] EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION IN THESSALONIKI

The European Journalists Association is to inaugurate its 38th General Assembly and International conference in Thessaloniki tomorrow, themed after "The Future of Journalism, Democracy and Culture in the 21st Century".

Held at the premises of the Thessaloniki International Fair, the conference features the participation of more than 160 journalists from 23 European countries, among them Romania, Poland, Albania, Hungary, FYROM, Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Among the keynote speakers are Commissioner Vivian Redding, responsible for issues pertaining to culture, education and press, and the Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights Alvaro Juan Robles.

Greece's alternate Foreign Minister Elisabeth Papazoi will also address the delegates, while the Minister of Macedonia and Thrace George Paschalides is to welcome the participating journalists today.

A.F.

[04] ECOFIN TO DISCUSS EU STOCK MARKETS UNIFICATION

An interim report on the unification of European stock markets is to be reviewed during a European Union Finance Ministers' Council (ECOFIN) session in Brussels tomorrow, to be attended by Greece's National Economy Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and the chairman of the government's economic think tank, Vasilis Rapanos.

The meeting's agenda also includes a presentation of the Commission's annual progress report on the action plan for the financial sector, a discussion of medium-term fiscal stability in candidate member-states, and a review of progress in the introduction of VAT in e-commerce as well as a presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report for 1999, discussion of the French presidency's proposals regarding taxation on non-residents' bank deposits, a code of ethics for businesses and interest payments and the rights of affiliate companies.

A.F.

[05] FARMERS, THESSALONIKI LABOR CENTER TAKE ACTION

Greek farmers' unions are planning industrial action as of Tuesday, November 28, the same day as the civil service union ADEDY, by holding a protest rally in central Greece.

The head of the Unified Federation of Farming Associations said that tractors and farm vehicles will be brought down to the rally, which has been called to protest against a decision to reduce cotton cultivation by 10 per cent.

Also, the Thessaloniki Labor Center has announced that it will join the struggle against a labor market regulation bill proposed by the government and opposed by trade unions.

The center has decided to participate in a 24-hour strike called by Greece's main trade union GSEE on the day that the bill is debated in Parliament.

A.F.

[06] GREECE PARTAKES IN ALBANIAS PANAIR TRADE FAIR

Greece is among the participating countries in an Albanian trade fair, presently underway in Tirana, the first time Greek firms are represented in the neighboring country's Panair 2000.

Featuring the showcasing of 22 Greek firms, Greece's participation in Panair 2000 general trade fair has been arranged by the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

A.F.

[07] GREEK COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES HOLDS CONFERENCE

The Greek Council for Refugees will hold its fourth European conference on the integration of refugees in Europe on December 1-2.

The conference will take place at the National Research Institute in Athens and is being organized in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Youth, under the auspices of the Health Ministry.

The participants will examine ways in which European Union member-states can cooperate, exchange information and handle refugee issues on a community, governmental and local level.

A.F.

[08] GREECE, YUGOSLAVIA TO SIGN MILITARY AGREEMENT

A military cooperation agreement between Greece and Yugoslavia will be signed in Belgrade on November 27, covering bilateral cooperation in the said sector, as well as regional security.

Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos will meet with his Yugoslav counterpart Slobodan Krapovic in Belgrade tomorrow for the signing of the agreement.

A.F.

[09] OSCE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN VIENNA TOMORROW

The Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) 55 member-states are to hold their Eighth session in Vienna tomorrow and Tuesday, marking the end of the Austrian Presidency, a quarter of a century after the signing of the historic "Helsinki Final Act" on August 1, 1975.

In addition to the foreign ministers, the session will feature the attendance of more than 800 senior representatives from associated and cooperating countries and other international organizations to Vienna.

As a result of the latest OSCE summit, held in Istanbul in November of 1999, structures and institutions have been amended, supplemented and strengthened with new bodies and processes for the prevention, handling and solution of differences in the entire area of OSCE's jurisdiction, which remains a political framework of a unique character.

A.F.

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