Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-06-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] BILL ON SECURITIES SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

[02] 2004 AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES AT MPA CONFERENCE

[03] KARAMANLIS WILL NOT ASK FOR EARLY ELECTIONS

[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED BBOMBING IN ISRAEL

[05] ACCUSATIONS ON ILLEGAL USE OF PERSONAL DATA

[06] KARAMANLIS-PRODI MEETING IN BRUSSELS

[07] STEFANOPOULOS ADDRESSES VICTORIA PARLIAMENT

[08] SIMITIS IN OLD CHINA CAPITAL

[01] BILL ON SECURITIES SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

The bill on the social securities reform was submitted to Parliament yesterday, by Minister of Labor and Social Securities, Dimitris Reppas.

The bill includes 11 articles and will be discussed by the Parliament's Plenary session before the summer department begins its works. It specifies a new securities scenery, with unified terms and requirements for all wage-earners.

The bill includes a chapter on the terms of retirement, the Unified Fund and the merger procedure of all others into that, the creation of Supplementary Security Funds, the forming of an Audit Authority to oversee insurance bodies and the system's financing.

Specifically, one can retire after 37 years of work, with no minimum age requirement. After 35 years of work, there are pension options for 65-year-old men and 60-year-old women. Lowered pensions are available after the collection of 3,500 work stamps instead of 4,500.

Mr. Reppas stressed that a round of dialogue and responsibility is closing, pointing out the positive intervention of the GSEE.

We were led to a proposal which we believe is an excellent blending of financial viability of the system and its social adequacy. Thus, all worries and uncertainty of pensioners and wage-earners are over", he underlined.

"At the same time, with this bill, that incorporates the expectations of many pensioners and workers, a bill with a social identity, we believe that a new period is beginning, because it will favor the creation of a better atmosphere for Greek economy, and Greek society in General", he pointed out.

As far as reactions are concerned, Mr. Reppas stressed that during the discussion in the Parliament, it will be proven that the government's view is the only substantiated proposal, since no other complete alternative solution has been submitted.

[02] 2004 AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES AT MPA CONFERENCE

The Challenge of the 2004 Olympics on the mass media of Southeastern Europe and the utilization of new technologies by the electronic and written Press will be the main topics of discussion at the 7th Interbalkan Journalistic Conference, on: Balkan Media and the Digital Age. The Challenge of the Olympics, organized by the Macedonian Press Agency and ATHENS 2004, on June 7-8 in Thessaloniki. Among the issues to be examined are, the position of the Press in the face of the new challenge that is the digital era and its contribution to Balkan cooperation, pluralism and peace.

The Conference works of June 7 will be held at the Olympion (Aristotelous Square) and of June 8 at Sunny Beach (Agia Triada), with the participation of 5 Olympic champions and 70 senior staff members of the most significant Balkan mass media organizations.

The conference's first session will be titled The daily press in the Internet era, with Directors and Editors-in-Chief of major Balkan newspapers, while the second will be titled State news agencies face the challenge of the digital era, with the General Directors of all agencies that are members of ABNA (Association of Balkan News Agencies). The conference's afternoon works will continue with the session on The utilization of new technologies by radio-television media with Directors of various Balkan television networks as speakers. The first day's works will be completed with the session on The challenge of the 2004 Olympics for the Media of Southeastern Europe, where speakers include members of the Greek Olympic Medallists Association, Petros Galaktopoulos and Niki Bakoyanni, and Olympic gold-medallists Stefka Konstantinova, Naim Suleymanoglu, and Victor Mitrou.

The second day's works will begin with a session on Balkan press in the service of pluralism and peace, and will be completed with the session on The contribution of Balkan media in Interbalkan cooperation.

[03] KARAMANLIS WILL NOT ASK FOR EARLY ELECTIONS

Certain of his Party's victory in the next parliamentary elections, President of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis, gave an interview to "Star" television last night.

Furthermore, he accused the government of presenting symptoms of weakness and fatigue, but he added that he will not ask for early elections if the results of the municipal elections are in favor of New Democracy.

As he mentioned, ND will not ask for early elections because it cannot enforce its will, but also because it does not consider the municipal elections are a choice of government. However, he underlined that the results of the elections for local government will give an impression of the present political atmosphere.

Commenting on Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos' decision not to run in the next elections, he said that he was led to it by the decomposing prevailant in the government. "The Prime Minister should remove Al. Papadopoulos from the government, since its work is the result of a team effort", he added.

[04] GREEK GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED BBOMBING IN ISRAEL

The Greek government intensely condemned the slaughter of Israeli civilians after the explosion of a car filled with explosives in Northern Israel, through the deputy Minister of the Press, Tilemachos Chytiris, and expressed its condolences.

Mr. Chytiris stated that the government expressed its abhorrence at the event and repeated that violence will not bring peace to the region.

Finally, he appealed to the two sides, calling the Palestinians to take measures fit to stop the hostilities and the Israelis to show restraint so that the violence is not rekindled.

"We call both sides to return to the negotiations table, in order for the peace agreement in the area, based on the UN decision, to move forward".

[05] ACCUSATIONS ON ILLEGAL USE OF PERSONAL DATA

Accusations concerning the Segen Agreement and the illegal use of personal information by public bodies and private individuals, are the most common appeals made by citizens to the Authority for the Protection of Personal Data, according to the 2001 annual report of the Authority. The report submitted to Mr. Dafermos in the Parliament, speaks of a significant lack in personal data protection measures.

Specifically, the Authority investigated 157 decisions, mainly concerning privacy protection issues. For example decisions to use genetic material to investigate crimes, the ensuring of the patient's privacy after medical examinations concerning the entry and stay of foreigners in Greece, and the processing of information in the field of work relations.

Targets of the report were hospitals, diagnostic centers, banks, maternity clinics, mobile and domestic telephony companies, and game shows.

[06] KARAMANLIS-PRODI MEETING IN BRUSSELS

The accession of Cyprus to the European Union, the problem of illegal immigration, the social character of European policies and other issues concerning the functioning of the European Commission and the European Parliament, were discussed during the meeting Head of the Greek Opposition and President of New Democracy, Kostas Papandreou, had with the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, in Brussels.

Mr. Karamanlis repeated that Cyprus must be in the first group of candidate countries to be accepted to the European Union, regardless of whether the political issue will have been resolved. Regarding the problem of illegal immigration, he supported the need to materialize a unified European immigration policy with the creation of a border guard corps. In fact, he was in favor of immediate confrontation of unemployment, regional inequality, and social exclusion issues, on a European level. At the same time he supported the enlargement of the responsibilities of the European Commission and the European Parliament, but with a greater participation of national parliaments.

This evening, Mr. Karamanlis will participate in the meeting of the EPP's Presidency. Tomorrow he will leave for New York, his first stop on his 7-day visit to the US. The Head of the Opposition will then participate in the Summit Meeting of the International Democratic Union to take place in Washington.

[07] STEFANOPOULOS ADDRESSES VICTORIA PARLIAMENT

President of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos was received with great honors in the Victoria Parliament, where he spoke at a joint session of the two supreme bodies, the state Parliament and the Victoria Senate, something that has never happened before in the history of the state, an honor that had so far only been bestowed to the Queen of England.

Mr. Stefanopoulos was welcomed by the President of the Parliament, Alekos Adrianopoulos, who was born in Arcadia and immigrated to Melbourne with his family at the age of 9, to become the first Greek to receive this high position in Australia.

Mr. Adrianopoulos welcomed the President of the Republic to Melbourne, which he called the metropolis of Hellenism in Australia, in Greek. He also welcomed Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Magriotis, the General Secretary of the Greek Presidency, Ambassador Mr. K. Elianos, the Ambassador to Greece, Mr. Xydas, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. M. Stavrakis and the Secretary General of Greeks Living Abroad, Mr. D. Dollis, whom the members of the two bodies received with great enthusiasm, as an old colleague and deputy leader of the Workers' party till 1999, when he was repatriated to Greece to take up his position in the Foreign Ministry.

Mr. Stefanopoulos was addressed by the Prime Minister of Victoria, Mr. Steve Bracks and the leaders of the Opposition and the National Party. The common point of reference of the three politicians was the Greek community, as well as the struggle for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, a struggle in which all Australian parties and governments are participating. They also expressed their hopes for the 2004 Olympics to be successful.

In his speech the President of the Republic gave thanks for the warm welcome he received, and conveyed the brotherly feelings of the Greek people and their debt in which they are for the struggle and the sacrifices of the Australians during the war, when they fought alongside the Greeks. He also thanked them for the hospitality Victoria has shown the hundreds of thousands of Greeks living there, whom Greece is proud of, as they contribute to a better life for all of Australia with their efforts.

Mr. Stefanopoulos pointed out that the powerful link between the two countries is faith and dedication to the principles of Democracy, that unfolded in Ancient Athens.

Finally, he wished Australia and its people to continue promoting Democracy, culture, science, and universal ideals of all people, and thanked them for all that they are doing for Greece.

[08] SIMITIS IN OLD CHINA CAPITAL

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is in the old Chinese capital, Siang, after having completed his visit to Beijing. Mr. Simitis will visit the museum of the "Clay Army".

Tomorrow the Prime Minister will travel to Shanghai, where, on Friday, he will have meetings with representatives of the business world. Mr. Simitis will visit Shanghai's development zone and the Latsis Group marble factory. He will return to Athens on Saturday.

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