Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 01-08-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] PAPANDREOU - MILO MEETING IN RHODES

[02] COMMON RETIREMENT AGE FOR ALL

[03] ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOR ON THE DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN

[04] GREEK POLICE FAILS TO CAPTURE PASSARIS

[05] DEFENSE AND FOREIGN OFFICE COMMITTEE OF ND MEETS

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER RECEIVED THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION

[07] AUGUST KICKS OFF WELL FOR THE ASE

[08] ÁÂÏUÔ 340.000 IMMIGRANTS ÔÏ ÂÅ LEGALIZED

[01] PAPANDREOU - MILO MEETING IN RHODES

Greek Foreoign Minister Giorgos Papandreou meets his Albanian counterpart, Milo Pascal, today in Rhodes. Mr Milo will be on the "island of the knights" in the framework of a tour of all Balkan capitals, as his country holds the presidency of "Interbalkan Initiative".

The topics of discussion between the two ministrs are expected to be the Albanian Presidency and the situation in FYROM.

At the meeting during lunch, they are expected to discuss the date of the Summit Meeting as well as the meetings of the Secretaries of State.

Mr. Papandreou will reconfirm Greece's active support to the international community's attempts to solve the crisis in FYROM while retaining the integrity of the territory, with respect to all human rights. He will also bring to the attention of his Albanian counterpart, the need for negotiations in FYROM to end positively, so that civil war does not once more break out in the Balkans.

[02] COMMON RETIREMENT AGE FOR ALL

The European Community Court may cause the subversion of the Greek insurance system, with its choice to set one common age for retirement, for both men and women.

This decision will affect those insured in the professional systems of social insurance, i.e. in Public Enterprise for Common Benefit and in banks, as well as in auxiliary funds.

Even though the Court's decision may affect those insured in other major insurance Organizations, it is certain it will not affect those insured in the Foundation for Social Insurance

The decision of the Court may increase the retirement age by 10 years for women. This decision may remove all favorable ordinances in the retirement of women.

There is also the factor of men asking for the benefits in retirement that women receive today . As a matter of fact a worker the Electrical Company asked for equal rights in benefits, when his wife died, and the company's management refused to pay him part of her pension.

[03] ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOR ON THE DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT

The Ministry of Labor made reference to the decision of the European Court to have a common retirement age for both men and women that are insured in the public insurance sector, banks and the PECB (Public Enterprise for Common Benefit). The Ministry assures us that the changes will be made with the least possible disturbance to the insured individuals. He underlines that the decision of the European Court will only be applied to the specific insurance funds.

Part of the relevant announcement states: "The ways of adjustment are many and they will be the object of systematic and careful study of all possibilities while they will be discussed with all who are interested".

[04] GREEK POLICE FAILS TO CAPTURE PASSARIS

Explanations as to why the police were not able to capture Kostas Passaris were given by the Chief of Police, Mr. Georgakopoulos.

Four basic errors were committed by the police force that had set an ambush for Passaris. Firstly, the men inside the room he was about to enter shouted "freeze" before he was inside the room. Secondly ,they then waited inside the room for fear that he was in the hallway outside and may shoot if they tried to exit, thirdly they failed to inform the officers outside the building that he had escaped and finally no men had been placed on the 3rd floor, so that they could surround him in case he tried to escape.

Passaris exchanged fire with the police, dropped his weapon, got injured in the arm, ran down the stairs and then covered his wounds and walked by the police at the entrance of the building. He was spotted by witnesses running up a nearby alley.

[05] DEFENSE AND FOREIGN OFFICE COMMITTEE OF ND MEETS

Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus matter and the state of instability in the Balkans, were the topics of discussion at the meeting of the Constant Committee for National Defense and Foreign Affairs Group of New Democracy, over which the President of the party, Mr. Karamanlis, presided.

Defensive issues (supplies and armament of the Armed Forces), the island policy program that is being prepared by New Democracy for the development of Islands in the Aegean and subjects having to do with the functioning of the Committee of Defense and Foreign Affairs were also discussed.

[06] THE PRIME MINISTER RECEIVED THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION

The Prime Minister, Kosts Simitis, completed his discussions with government staff members prior to his departure for Sifnos.

Mr. Simitis met with the Minister of Education, Mr. Petros Eythimiou, today one day after the decision to reinstate the institution of a second chance for students failing their school year. Mr. Eythimiou said it was an educationally and socially fair decision and when asked his opinion on Mr. Arsenis' criticisms stated that Mr. Arsenis had made similar choices when he was Minister.

[07] AUGUST KICKS OFF WELL FOR THE ASE

The liquidation to which many investors moved near the closing of today's session at the ASE, started the month of August off well for the ASE.

The ASE closed at 2.740,47 units, with profits of 0,49%. The volume of transactions came near to 183,6 million Euro. The majority of stocks, 306, recorded gains, while only 40 had losses and 27 remained stable.

[08] ÁÂÏUÔ 340.000 IMMIGRANTS ÔÏ ÂÅ LEGALIZED

Tomorrow is the deadline for the first phase for the legalizing of immigrants living in Greece. All the municipalities of the country, will accept the relative application of those interested, up until tomorrow, and will open a file on their account which can be completed with all relative justifying documents until the 7th of September.

The Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization, V. Papandreou, made known at a press conference that by July 30th, 308.000 economic immigrants had submitted applications, a number that is estimated to reach 330.000-340.000 by August 2nd 2001.

The Minister did not clarify whether or not any foreign workers not following the procedure will be deported, but she did recognize the fact that measures need to be taken for the full incorporation of foreign workers into Greek society.

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