Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-07-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] A NEW SIMITIS SET OF SOCIAL MEASURES

[02] IMMIGRANTS TO RECEIVE PERMITS UNTIL 2/8

[03] GREEK CHURCH INSURES MONKS

[04] IMPRESSIVE TURNAROUND IN THE ASE

[05] NEW MEETING SCHEDULED BY SIMITIS-TSOHATZOPOULOS

[06] OPPOSITION WANTS MEASURES ON TRANSPARENCY

[07] GREEK CHILDREN CONTENT AND OPTIMISTIC

[08] 112: EUROPEAN CALL FOR HELP

[09] WAR REIMBURSEMENT FROZEN

[10] SIMITIS RECEIVES MINISTER OF DEFENSE

[11] RED LIGHT IN 8 COUNTRIES ON CO2 LEVELS

[01] A NEW SIMITIS SET OF SOCIAL MEASURES

The Prime Minister, Kostas Simitis, is expected to present a new set of social measures at the Thessaloniki International Fair in September. This set of measures was the matter of discussion at the Prime Minister's meeting with the Ministers of Employment, Mr. Tasos Giannitsis, and Development, Mr. Nikos Christodoulakis.

In statements made immediately after the meeting, Mr. Christodoulakis pointed out that the Ministries of Development and Employment are greatly connected since developmental policy, with structural changes, may contribute to the promotion of employment, entrepreneurship, and the support of the social state.

On the other hand, Mr. Giannitsis pointed out that priorities that should be given in social policy, in matters of employment and social solidarity during the next term were examined in detail.

[02] IMMIGRANTS TO RECEIVE PERMITS UNTIL 2/8

The deadline for submitting applications on the legalizing of economic immigrants is on August 2nd. All other relative documents can be turned in to their municipalities and communities until September 7th.

Internal Minister Vaso Papandreoou stated that because there have been some delays in the turning in of the relevant justifying documents, an extension has been given until the 7th of September. However she pointed out that the extension is not for the entire file, just the justifying documents.

[03] GREEK CHURCH INSURES MONKS

The Church of Greece will give 54 m.drs. per year for the insurance of 3.500 monks assigning the task to Alpha Bank.

The insurance company was one of 7 that had applied to insure the monks.

According to the spokesperson for the Church, Metropolite Eystathios, Alpha Bank offered the most advantageous price by far, since all other companies were asking between 140-150 million drs. per year.

"The insurance of the monks is an measure of love, affection and interest on behalf of the church towards those that fight through prayer, ascetic living, and preserving the Orthodox Greek tradition", stated the Sparti Metropolite Eystathios, and continued: "With this action the church showed its love to the holy body of monks in deed."

[04] IMPRESSIVE TURNAROUND IN THE ASE

An impressive rising was recorded at noon, as a result of which the ASE closed at over 2.700 units. The general index closed at +1,99% at 2.727,21. The volume of transactions was at 123,3 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today 274 recorded gains, 56 had losses, and 43 remained stable.

[05] NEW MEETING SCHEDULED BY SIMITIS-TSOHATZOPOULOS

Matters concerning the PASOK pre-congress procedures and the Defense Ministry were discussed this morning by Prime Minister Simitis and Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos. Mr. Simitis and Mr. Tzohatzopoulos agreed to meet again after their vacations, a few days prior to the party congress.

The Minister of Defense stated on leaving the Maximos Manor that the Prime Minister shares the anxiety of all the members of PASOK, even though it is summer, to have a successful congress, and he believes that it will provide answers to some of the greatest problems of Greek society in the best way.

[06] OPPOSITION WANTS MEASURES ON TRANSPARENCY

Both major parties rushed to answer the proposition of the Attorney General in last Sunday's "Kathimerini", on a joint effort of PASOK and N.D. to fight against the underground relationship of economy and politics.

N.D. reminded that all offers made in the past by the party had been rejected by PASOK and the spokesperson for the government, without making any reference to Mr. Stathopoulos' propossition, considered that the opposition party's reaction was just another way of keeping the ill state present in politics and business.

Mr. Karamanlis, president of the main opposition party, had in the past sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking for the two parties to cooperate in the matter, but the Prime Minister published a letter claiming that such a proposition was scandalous, and if New Democracy had proof of any such illegal actions, they should report them to the District Attorney.

[07] GREEK CHILDREN CONTENT AND OPTIMISTIC

The results of a UNICEF poll, that was targeted at children age ranging from 9 to 17 in Europe and Central Asia, indicate that Greek children are content and optimistic. They believe that their life will be much better in the future, 22%, or just better, 48%, than that of their parents and 69% state that they are pleased. The happiness of the children cannot but be connected with social factors.

Greece has the smallest number of children mentioning violent behavior at home, 39%, while the average is 54%. Greece and Italy have the highest percentage of non-working children, 94%, while the average is 85% and only 3% state that they have piers who have tried inhaled substances and 5% illegal drugs, while the average is 10% and 14%.

[08] 112: EUROPEAN CALL FOR HELP

112, a number common for the whole of Europe, is the one any citizen of an EU member- state can call in case of an emergency, in or outside of his country, to ask for help.

The number was officially inaugurated in Greece by the Internal Under-secretary, Mr. Kaiserli and the General Secretary for Citizen Protection, Mr. D. Papanikolaou. The center has been working since the beginning of the year. 112 was created to help any European citizen on a 24 hour basis, when an emergency situation may call for an ambulance, etc. When the number is called, the expert staff immediately responds in one of the major European languages.

The call can be made from both mobile and normal phone, from a phone booth or a phone placed anywhere else, free of charge. In Greece, the General Secretariat for Citizen Protection has the responsibility, and assigned OTG (Organization for Telecommunications in Greece) to materialize the project.

[09] WAR REIMBURSEMENT FROZEN

The procedure for the auctioning of the confiscated real estate property of the German state (the Goethe Institute and the German Archeological School ) which had been set for September 12th still remains frozen.

In the meantime the families of the victims that fell to the nazi atrocities in Distomos continue their struggle for the payment of damages on the behalf of Germany. Thus, the families of the victims requested from the Athens Court of First Instance that the order that froze the auctioning procedure be lifted.

On the other hand the German side was asking for the auctioning program to be suspended. During yesterday's discussion no witnesses testified, while the court chairwoman gave both sides until Thursday to turn in their propositions in writing.

[10] SIMITIS RECEIVES MINISTER OF DEFENSE

The meeting of the Prime Minister, Mr. Simistis, with the Minister of Defense, Mr. Akis Tsohatzopoulos, in view of the congress of the PASOK party, takes place today and it is expected to be probing, yet important to the political situation. In any case, the Minister of Defense launched an indirect attack on the Minister of National Economy, G. Papantoniou, for the funding of arms programs. The arms programs are a further subject Mr. Tsohatzopoulos intends to discuss with the Prime Minister.

According to information published in the "Imerisia", through the meeting Mr. Tsohatzopoullos is trying to find out the Prime Minister's intentions on the congress as well as in the formation of the new government. Based on the economic platform Mr. Tsohatzopoulos will present after the 15th of August, he will insist that the Prime Minister is holding the Congress not to confirm politics, but to create news.

What Mr. Simitis wants to gain from the meeting is to create a milder climate in view of the upcoming PASOK congress, so that the Minister of Defense is not for no voting in the elections for the President of the party.

[11] RED LIGHT IN 8 COUNTRIES ON CO2 LEVELS

The European Committee gave a "red light" to 8 Union countries, Greece amongst them, calling them to institute and make known all required legislative ordinances for the preservation of fuel and the emission of CO2 gasses.

More specifically, the European committee decided to send justified second opinions to Greece, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Spain and Portugal, which haven't instituted the necessary legislative ordinances.

If the member states do not comply the Committee has decided to indict them to the European Communities Court.

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