Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-02-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM'S PM ON NAME: WE MUST GET RID OF SHAME

[02] IOC'S ROGGE ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY

[03] NEW PROSPECTS FOR THE BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS IN SE MEDITERRANEAN

[04] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

[05] COSMOTE WILL BE PRESENTED TO INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS

[06] THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS FIRM TO ITS PROPOSAL ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM

[07] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

[08] THE FLORIDIS-ROGGE MEETING WAS HELD IN A POSITIVE CLIMATE

[09] EUROPE'S PANMACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION AIRS ANGST

[10] TIME: IOC CHIEF SCHEMES TO STRIP ATHENS OF GAMES

[11] HARVARD CONFERENCE EXAMINES BALKAN ISSUES

[12] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT APPROVED THE SHIPPING SAFETY COMMITTEE

[13] EURO-DEPUTY ANNA KARAMANOU CALLS FOR EU MEASURES AGAINST ORGANIZED

[01] FYROM'S PM ON NAME: WE MUST GET RID OF SHAME

Referring to the name issue pending between Skopje and Athens, FYROM's Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski expressed his regret that the media did not pay attention to the backtracking that took place, regarding the name, years ago, adding that present negotiations with Greece aim at correcting the shameful adaptation of the name FYROM.

When asked what an acceptable solution would be, Mr. Georgievski responded that one has not been found yet. In regards to a potential compromise on a dual name, the FYROM Premier stated that such a compromise was reached by his predecessor Kiro Gligorov and has been in effect for nine years now.

If a compromise is found, then we will accept it, he stated.

A.F.

[02] IOC'S ROGGE ARRIVES IN ATHENS TODAY

The President of the International Olympics Committee's Coordination Commission, Jacques Rogge is to arrive in Athens today, in order to assess the country's course of preparations for the 2004 Olympic Games.

Mr. Rogge will hold talks with the president of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, Minister of Environment, Public Works and Urban Planning Costas Laliotis and undersecretary of Sports George Floridis.

A.F.

[03] NEW PROSPECTS FOR THE BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS IN SE MEDITERRANEAN

A protocol of cooperation signed in Jordan by the Association of Industries in Northern Greece and the Industry Chamber in Amman created new prospects for the development of business cooperation in southeastern Mediterranean.

The protocol was signed during a mission by the Association of Industries in Northern Greece to Amman on February 6-9. In the meetings that were held it was confirmed that the two countries share traditionally good bilateral relations, while it was also established that the Jordanian businessmen wish to develop cooperation with Greek businesses in the sectors of trade, production and technology.

It was also established that a big advantage for the Greek businessmen is the fact that about 2.800 Jordanian scientists are graduates of Greek universities and many of them occupy top positions both in the public administration and the private sector.

Also, they reached the conclusion that through the Jordanian businesses the Greek businessmen have the opportunity to approach the markets of the Middle East and mainly, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as they are Jordan's main trade partners.

[04] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

International Olympic Committee, IOC, vice-president Jacques Rogge met with right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis in Athens today. Mr. Rogge is in Athens heading an IOC delegation that inspects the construction course of the 2004 Olympic Games projects.

In statements he made after the meeting, Mr. Karamanlis spoke of serious deviations from the timetable concerning the completion of the Olympic Games projects and stressed that there is a climate of confusion in roles and responsibilities. The government's inactivity and delays can not serve as an alibi for processes that are not open and do not guarantee respect to public money, underlined Mr. Karamanlis.

[05] COSMOTE WILL BE PRESENTED TO INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS

The Greek Telecommunications Organization, OTE, mobile phone company "Cosmote" opens a presentation program to foreign investors on Monday.

Specifically, the program includes visits by the company's senior executives to London, Frankfurt, Milan, Paris and Edinburg and already 17 meetings have been scheduled to take place with foreign funds.

[06] THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS FIRM TO ITS PROPOSAL ON THE ISSUE OF THE FYROM NAME

The talks on the issue of the name of FYROM are in progress under the UN auspices reiterated today Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, pointing out that the government is firm on its position concerning the name of FYROM as it was formed at the beginning of the process within the framework of the United Nations.

He underlined that the climate in bilateral relations has changed and this is proven by the fact that the Balkan Summit meeting will be held in Skopje on February 22-23. The improvement of the climate between the two countries contributes to the settlement of the issue of the name, said Mr. Reppas and concluded that he has the belief that a solution can be found that will be mutually beneficial.

[07] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

Marginal losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped by 0.20% at 3.204,84 points, while the volume of transactions was 104.9 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, 281 recorded gains and 54 had losses, while the value of 35 stocks remained stable.

[08] THE FLORIDIS-ROGGE MEETING WAS HELD IN A POSITIVE CLIMATE

Greek undersecretary of sports Giorgos Floridis met with International Olympic Committee, IOC, vice-president Jacques Rogge, who is in Greece heading an IOC delegation which inspects the course of the preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Mr. Rogge stated that the IOC expects that the necessary projects will soon get underway and added that he relies on the actions the undersecretary of sports will undertake for the completion of the projects within the framework of the set timetable.

On the progress of the projects, the undersecretary of sports stated that the proofs that their construction is underway will come very soon, adding that the companies that will undertake them will be big companies in order to avoid any problems during the construction process.

[09] EUROPE'S PANMACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION AIRS ANGST

If the name issue pending between Athens and Skopje is a matter of national dignity for FYROM, it is similarly one of utmost importance to the residents of Macedonia, Greece, the Pan-Macedonian Association of Europe states in a letter to Prime Minister Costas Simitis where it conveys its concerns over the reportedly impending 'closure' of the matter.

In their letter, also forwarded to key ministers and to the main opposition party leader -New Democracy's Costas Karamanlis, the Association's members voice their concern that the matter will be resolved through the adoption of a permanent name bearing the term Macedonia, a prospect that they call criminal.

FYROM's potential recognition by Greece as 'Macedonia', and its Church's recognition as 'Macedonian' will not only fail to provide a resolution to the state's entity problem, but will also burden Greece with a burdensome legacy and political anathema; in other words, it will constitute a tragic political error with unforeseeable and long-term consequences.

Moreover, the Association's letter states that the intention to propose the term 'Northern' or 'Nova Macedonia' as a solution acceptable by Greece is tragicomic as, if you have already practically accepted the combined name, then you will also validate the crime.

A.F

[10] TIME: IOC CHIEF SCHEMES TO STRIP ATHENS OF GAMES

International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch is reportedly scheming to strip Athens of the 2004 Olympic Games and is promoting Seoul instead, hoping in the resulting reconciliation between North and South Korea which would grant him the coveted million-dollar Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Time magazine article.

Written by the magazine's Athens correspondent Anthee Karassava, who's often incited Greek public opinion through various provocative articles -laden with anonymous claims- on Greece's terrorism record, the story quotes an unnamed source as saying that Mr. Samaranch's ploy is a brilliant IOC comeback plan.

"After all the scandals, the corruption and sycophancy, the IOC can finally be seen as contributing to international peace and security."

According to Ms. Karassava, the terrorist bombs that rock the Greek capital, plus delays in the preparations, could give (Mr. Samaranch) an excuse.

Meanwhile, IOC Coordination Commission president Jacques Rogge, presently in Athens, dismissed such rumors as unfounded, stressing that there is no plan whatsoever to move the Games from Athens. Nevertheless, he added that while the Greek capital is presently on a good track, it can't afford to lose more valuable time in preparations.

A.F.

[11] HARVARD CONFERENCE EXAMINES BALKAN ISSUES

The Balkan states are facing a challenge in adapting their social and political practices to the demands of globalization and modernization, according to experts addressing the third Annual Conference on the region organized by the Kokkalis Program on Southeastern and Central-Eastern Europe at Harvard University.

The aim of the conference was to bring together new researchers dealing in the field of social and political sciences in the Balkans. The conference dealt with issues related to economic reconstruction, public administration and democratization, the society of citizens and human rights, mass media and democracy, traditional and new matters concerning security, criminality and corruption.

Speakers at the conference stressed that stabilizing parliamentary democracy was a first significant step, but the caging of the region to economic underdevelopment, crime, corruption, lack of a fair state and human rights and regional security issues, were probable threats to the region.

A.F.

[12] THE EURO-PARLIAMENT APPROVED THE SHIPPING SAFETY COMMITTEE

The plenary session of the European Parliament approved with an overwhelming majority the report tabled by Greek Euro-deputy Emanuel Bakopoulos on the European Commission proposal for the creation of a Shipping Safety Committee. The goal of the committee is to ensure greater safety in shipping and more effective pollution prevention.

The European Union already has 12 directives and 3 regulations seeking to safeguard the tougher implementation of the regulations in the sectors concerning ship safety, pollution prevention, training criteria, sailors' qualifications and working conditions on ships.

[13] EURO-DEPUTY ANNA KARAMANOU CALLS FOR EU MEASURES AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE BALKANS

Greek Euro-deputy Anna Karamanou called on the European Commission to take measures against organized crime in the Balkans.

The Euro-deputy stated that in the past 3 years the number of women, who are led to prostitution by gangs of slave-traders has tripled. Also, the adverse economic conditions and the inadequacy of the state mechanism in the Balkan countries have created favorable conditions for the crime to bloom especially, in the sectors of prostitution and drug trafficking. In addition, huge drug trafficking rings that cooperate closely with many local Mafias have been formed in many newly created states.

Ms. Karamanou believes that the necessary pre-conditions in order to tackle organized crime in the Balkans is to improve the justice sector and the security measures at the Balkan border regions.

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