Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-06-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] KARAMANLIS-CHENEY MEETING

[02] PETSALNIKOS: CHANGES IN REHABILITATION SYSTEM

[03] STEFANOPOULOS AWARDS GREEK MEDIA ABROAD

[04] MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[05] PROTOPAPAS ON THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION ARMY IN

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] JOHN PSAROUDAKIS: THE WALL STREET WILL NEED SIX MORE MONTHS TO RECOVER

[08] PROTOPAPAS ON AVRAMOPOULOS' DECISION

[09] PROTOPAPAS: THE EURO-ARMY ISSUE STILL HAS A LONG WAY

[10] THE NEW BANK OF GREECE GOVERNOR SWEARS-IN ON FRIDAY

[11] PAPANDREOU: THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCE IN CYPRUS

[01] KARAMANLIS-CHENEY MEETING

Terrorism, developments in the Balkans, the security of the Athens Olympics, the Cyprus issue and the Ankara text, were the issues of the half-hour discussion that President of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis had with the US Vice President Dick Cheney, in the presence of National Security Consultant of the US President Contoleezza Rice, in the White House.

The ND President raised the issue of his party's disagreement on the Ankara text concerning the Euroarmy, during his discussion with the US Vice President. He stressed that he agrees on the NATO-EU cooperation on defensive issues, but he will not accept the text presented, unless there are significant changes in it.

Both in statements as well as during his discussion with Mr. Cheney, Mr. Karamanlis stressed that dealing with terrorism is a priority issue for his party, which is participating and supports the international effort being made, and assured Mr. Cheney that the 2004 Olympics will be the safest Olympics ever.

He noted that ND has special reasons and is especially sensitive on this subject, because there have been friends and partners among the victims of terrorism.

The President of New Democracy pointed out the necessity of stability in the Balkans and the European orientation of the region's countries.

"A policy needs to be promoted in the Balkans, one that will be supported by the inviolability of borders, the respect of human rights, and with the perspective that all Balkan countries will, eventually, become full members of NATO and the EU", he stressed.

Finally, he emphasized that Cyprus must be incorporated to the EU with the first group of candidate countries.

"There must be a political solution and we encourage it. But if this relentlessness on the side of Denktash and Ankara continues, it is certain that Cyprus must be incorporated in the upcoming EU enlargement in the first group of candidate countries", he stressed.

Mr. Karamalis characterized their discussion as "very useful" and described the level of bilateral relations as "good", appreciating, however, that they can improve.

On the side of New Democracy, present during the meeting were the Coordinator of National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, Dora Bakoyanni, Head of the Foreign Sector, Mr.Aristotelis Pavlidis, and MP, Ambassador Petros Molyviatis.

[02] PETSALNIKOS: CHANGES IN REHABILITATION SYSTEM

Before the summer, Minister of Justice Phillipos Petsalnikos will have turned in the complete proposal for the reform of the Rehabilitation System, and it's improvement.

In an interview to Flash radio today, Mr. Petsalnikos stressed that the committee preparing the reform proposal is looking into the possibility of decriminalizing certain crimes. Crimes touching on the price control code, traffic regulations, and health legislature, which do not merit criminal punishment, with the prospects of foreseeing administrative consequences. The aim is the decongestion of prisons, which, however, is not expected to be spectacular, since a large amount of convicts, approximately 40%, are serving for drug law violations.

Also, according to Mr. Petsalnikos, the Justice Ministry is looking into the promotion of an alternative form of serving sentences (community service), which would mainly concern underage offenders. This measure has been successfully applied in many other European countries, and can help with the improvement and decongestion of the present prison situation, as well as the steady reentry of any who break the penal code into society. However, the Minister of Justice stressed that both local bodies as well as judicial officials are not accustomed to the institution of alternate serving of sentences, while there is a complete lack of the necessary framework (social workers) who would oversee the community service.

Finally, Mr. Petsalnikos announced the hiring of 145 social workers this year, and another 154 in the next two years, while he stressed the necessity of increasing the number of guards and constantly train them, the functioning of an inspection and control body for prisons, and mainly the creating of the necessary infrastructure.

[03] STEFANOPOULOS AWARDS GREEK MEDIA ABROAD

For the fourth consecutive year, the Press Ministry will award journalists and media organizations of Greek communities abroad, honoring in this way the importance of their work to Greeks living abroad. The award ceremony will take place on June 19, and the awards will be presented by President of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos, in the chamber of the Old Parliament.

The award for Greek Media Organization Abroad of 2001, will be awarded to the German ARGO TV television station, to the Australian ARGO TV radio station, and the Georgian Greek Diaspora newspaper.

The award of best report from Greek television and radio media Abroad, will be awarded to reporter Athena Krikeli from the US, who reported on the Cyprus issue, as well as to reporter Efthymios Babanatsas from Germany, for reporting on The Education of Greek Children in Germany.

The award for best article/report in Greek written press Abroad, will be presented to journalist Titos Christodoulou from Great Britain, and the award for the best website of the year will be shared by the Greek community in Santiago, Chile, and the Greek Abroad news service, TGA NEWS, in Australia. Apart from the awards that come with money awards, honorary commendations will be made.

[04] MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE OLYMPIC GAMES

The draft law regulating certain issues concerning the preparation of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, for example, the incentives for the volunteers and the tax exemptions for those who are willing to lease their houses during the Olympic Games, was the main topic in today's ministerial committee meeting.

The meeting was also held to prepare for International Olympic Committee, IOC, Coordinating Committee President Dennis Oswald visit to Athens on June 26, while the plan for the aesthetic upgrading of downtown Athens in view of the Olympic Games was also examined.

Undersecretary of Press Tilemachos Hitiris stated that the Prime Minister called for further intensification of the work done and stressed that the responsible ministers should follow closely the course of the Olympic projects underway.

[05] PROTOPAPAS ON THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION ARMY IN CYPRUS

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas cited the statements made by Cypriot Minister of Defense Socrates Hasikos responding to a question on the reinforcement of the Turkish occupation army in the northern part of Cyprus.

Mr. Protopapas stated that Turkey escalates a number of provocative moves aimed at drawing attention away from the major issues namely, the solution of the Cyprus problem and Cyprus' EU accession. He said that it attempts to create secondary fronts and turn the dispute between the International Community and Turkey, the dispute between the EU and Turkey, into a Greek-Turkish dispute.

The government spokesman concluded that Greece will continue its strategy while taking all necessary measures.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.55% at 2.291,84 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 57.3 million Euro or 19.5 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 213 recorded losses and 84 had gains, while the value of 77 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] JOHN PSAROUDAKIS: THE WALL STREET WILL NEED SIX MORE MONTHS TO RECOVER

Greek-American academician and businessman John Psaroudakis stated that the Wall Street in New York will need six more months to recover and return to the point it was before the September 11 terrorist attack. Speaking to Macedonian Press Agency, he pointed out that the US economy in general has recovered, while the US businesses follow an upward course.

The businesses in general follow an upward course but they have not reached the level they were before, said Mr. Psaroudakis. He added that in his opinion they will need six more months to achieve this. He said that the issue of the economy is a separate one from that of the businesses. The economy has recovered and in the first quarter of the current year it had recovered by 5.3%. However, he said, there is still an inaction in businesses with a low profit level compared to what they used to have and this can be seen in the reaction of the Wall Street.

[08] PROTOPAPAS ON AVRAMOPOULOS' DECISION

The Movement of Free Citizens has completed its circle, commented today Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas responding to a question on yesterday's decision by the movement's leader Dimitris Avramopoulos to suspend its operation.

He said that the absence of policy and platform, as well as the absence of specific proposals and interventions to major problems faced both by the country and the people, create dead ends. And when the dead ends intensify they lead to decisions such as the one made yesterday.

When asked to comment on the likelihood of Mr. Avramopoulos to return to right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy, the government spokesman responded that he will not go into family affairs.

[09] PROTOPAPAS: THE EURO-ARMY ISSUE STILL HAS A LONG WAY

The issue of the Euro-army still has a long way, reiterated today Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas.

On the talks of the Greek side with the Spanish EU Presidency, he commented that nothing is given for the moment.

He stated characteristically that there are no indications that a definite solution can be found immediately.

[10] THE NEW BANK OF GREECE GOVERNOR SWEARS-IN ON FRIDAY

New Bank of Greece Governor Nikos Garganas swears-in on Friday and afterwards the distribution of responsibilities will be finalized.

The appointment of Mr. Garganas was finalized through a majority vote by the responsible parliament committee.

On the GDP growth rate in 2002, Mr. Garganas stated that there is no reason to revise the initial estimates. Regarding the consumer confidence increase and the overcharging of the Greek households, he stated that the Bank of Greece cannot intervene to the banks regarding the recipients of their loans. He added that personal loans in the EU are at 50% of the GDP whereas in Greece they are at 18%.

[11] PAPANDREOU: THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCE IN CYPRUS IS NEGATIVE

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou characterized as a negative event the reinforcement of the Turkish occupation forces in the northern part of Cyprus with 5.500 soldiers and mobile hospital units.

Mr. Papandreou met in Athens with Cypriot Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs President Tasos Papadopoulos and stated that military solutions are anachronistic, adding that Cyprus's EU accession is at the finishing stretch.

For the record, the Nicosia government interprets the reinforcement of the Turkish occupation army in northern Cyprus as an effort to exert pressure on the Greek Cypriot side on the occasion of the developments in the Cyprus issue. However, Cypriot Republic Minister of Defense Socrates Hasikos stated that the integrity of free Cyprus is protected effectively by the National Guard which is ready for any eventuality.

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