Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-01-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] MEETING OF BALKAN ATHLETIC FEDERATIONS' REPRESENTATIVES IN THESSALONIKI

[02] FAVORABLE MORGAN STANLEY REPORT ON THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[03] CRIME INCREASE IN THESSALONIKI IN 2000

[04] THE GREEKS DO NOT TRUST THE TELEVISION NEWS

[05] KOSTUNICA WILL BE IN ATHENS ON TUESDAY

[06] THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER IS ON A VISIT TO ATHENS

[07] A GREEK WAS BRUTALLY BEATEN BY NEO-NAZIS IN MUNICH

[01] MEETING OF BALKAN ATHLETIC FEDERATIONS' REPRESENTATIVES IN THESSALONIKI

Greece's important role in the Balkan Track and Field Games was outlined by ministry of Macedonia-Thrace general secretary Giorgos Lisaridis in the extraordinary meeting of Balkan Athletic Federations' representatives that was held in Thessaloniki this morning.The meeting was attended by Romanian, Yugoslav, Albanian, Turkish, Bosnian and FYROM representatives.

Among others, Mr. Lisaridis stressed that the Balkans must become a region of peace, adding that the Balkan peoples have a lot in common.

Greek Track and Field Federation president Vasilis Sevastis stated that a framework will be established to determine the means and the ways in which the Balkan Track and Field Games will become more prestigious.

[02] FAVORABLE MORGAN STANLEY REPORT ON THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

A Morgan Stanley report mentions that the 3.700 points is a fair value level for the Athens Stock Exchange general index, while it stresses that there are big opportunities for investors.

However, the good days for the Athens Stock Exchange are still far away as an improvement is expected at the end of May 2001 when the Athens Stock Exchange will be upgraded through Greece's accession in the MSCI mature markets index.

According to the Morgan Stanley analysts, Greece's accession in the mature markets will mean that there will be an inflow of capital estimated at US$1 billion starting in the second trimester of 2001. Both analysts point out that any general index drop close to 2.900 points should be regarded by investors as an opportunity for the purchase of stocks.

[03] CRIME INCREASE IN THESSALONIKI IN 2000

According to figures provided by the ministry of public order concerning last year, there is a crime increase in Thessaloniki a fact that is attributed to the presence of gangs of foreigners.

Compared to 1999, the manslaughter cases have doubled, while the bank robberies increased by 37.5%. The thefts and break-ins increased by 8.6%.

The only encouraging fact is that car thefts decreased by 30.7% in 2000 in spite of the fact that Thessaloniki is regarded as a transit point of stolen cars.

At a countrywide level, bank robberies have increased, there is a slight drop in the number of thefts and break-ins, while a big drop is recorded in the number of car thefts.

[04] THE GREEKS DO NOT TRUST THE TELEVISION NEWS

Television viewers in Greece do not trust the TV news, according to an opinion poll conducted by the polling company VPRC on behalf of the Athens newspaper "Imerisia". According to the poll, 82% of the viewers believe that television news are unreliable, while there is a favorable turn toward the state television channels.

According to the poll, that will be published tomorrow, the overwhelming majority of the Greeks tune in the television news bulletins to be informed on the current news but 65.1% are not satisfied with their quality, compared to 33.6% who state that they are satisfied. In addition, 81.9% doubt the validity of television news.

The alarming conclusion of the research is that the problem is not limited in the way the television news are presented or the use of images but it concerns the way the news are handled and the choices that are being made namely, the core of the news information in the past few years.

[05] KOSTUNICA WILL BE IN ATHENS ON TUESDAY

Yugoslav president Voislav Kostunica will be on his first formal visit to Athens on January 16 for talks with the Greek state and political leadership.

Mr. Kostunica will meet with president Kostis Stephanopoulos and prime minister Kostas Simitis. He will lay a wreath at the Monument for the Unknown Soldier and later he will visit the Acropolis and have a meeting with Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos.

The Yugoslav president will also meet with parliament president Apostolos Kaklamanis, main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis, Coalition of the Left president Nikos Konstantopoulos and Communist Party general secretary Ms. Aleka Papariga.

A formal dinner will be given in his honor at the Presidential Building on January 13 and later on that evening he will depart for Belgrade.

[06] THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER IS ON A VISIT TO ATHENS

The Japanese prime minister is on a visit to Greece today. He will have talks with his Greek counterpart and they will discuss bilateral relations and regional issues concerning both countries.

It is the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to Greece, while bilateral relations date back to 100 years.

[07] A GREEK WAS BRUTALLY BEATEN BY NEO-NAZIS IN MUNICH

A Greek immigrant was brutally beaten by a group of about 20 neo-nazis in Munich, Germany in the early morning hours today. Many passers-by tried to help the 31yearold Greek and clashed with the neo-nazis. The victim was taken to a hospital with serious head injuries, while 15 neo-nazis were arrested.

A number of such incidents took place in the past few months and the Greek community in Germany is alarmed because xenophobia and racism have take up big dimensions in the country.

A Greek businessman was the victim of a brutal beating by members of the neo-nazi organization NDP in the city of Sordoff in early January, while a young Greek woman was attacked by right extremists in the city of Vuperthal at the end of December last year.

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