Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-06-19

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] VASILIOU: ONE SINGLE CYPRUS IN EUROPE

[02] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S INCORPORATION TO NATO

[03] 6 YEAR MEMORIAL FOR A. PAPANDREOU

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON MILOSEVIC'S BANK ACCOUNTS

[05] SIMITIS: GREECE IS STRONGER THAN EVER

[06] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE EURO-ARMY

[07] KARAMANLIS: NATIONAL UNITY IS IMPERATIVE

[08] THE LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ASE

[09] TAXATION SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENTS IN JULY

[10] NELSON MANDELA IS THE HONORED GUEST IN AN OLYMPIC TRUCE EVENT

[11] CONFRONTATION ON INSURANCE ISSUE

[12] TSOCHATZOPOULOS DISCUSSED ENERGY ISSUES IN CROATIA

[01] VASILIOU: ONE SINGLE CYPRUS IN EUROPE

Their satisfaction with the statements of EU Commissioner for the Enlargement Gunther Verheugen, concerning Cyprus' accession progress, was expressed by Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and the Head of the Cyprus Negotiations Team with the EU, Giorgos Vasiliou.

As Mr. Vasiliou mentioned, during his meeting with Mr. Papandreou they discussed what the developments will be over the next few months.

We agreed that there may be some efforts to cause tension and some provocation from Turkey, which we will have to deal with responsibly, seriously, and with determination, he stated

Mr. Papandreou, continued Mr. Vasiliou, expressed his certainty that as long as we remain steady and continue on the way we are going today, accession will finally come, either with a resolving of the Cyprus issue, which we all hope for, but even if there is no resolving, without it.

Mr. Vasiliou also had meetings with the President of the Parliament, Nikos Kaklamanis, the President of the Coalition of the Left, Nikos Konstantopoulos, the Secretary General of the Greek Communist Party, Aleka Papariga, and the Director of the National Bank, Theodoros Karatzas.

The statement of the European Commissioner on the Enlargement, Gunther Verheugen, that the resolving of the Cyprus issue must agree with community acquis, and give Cyprus the potential to speak in the EU with one voice, is an answer to the statements of the British Representative on the Cyprus issue, Lord David Honey, concerning two peoples on Cyprus, stressed Mr. Vasiliou.

He added that Lord Honey's statements were answered by today's statements of both Mr. Papandreou and Apostolos Kaklamanis, that the only prospect is that of accession of a single Cyprus to Europe, that agrees with regulations and the European acquis.

[02] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S INCORPORATION TO NATO

Greece strongly supports Yugoslavia's efforts to become a member of NATO, stated Minister of National Defense Giannos Papantoniou, who met with the Yugoslavian President, Voislav Kostunica, during his visit to Belgrade.

Mr. Papantoniou also had consecutive meetings with the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, Dragisa Pesic, and the President of the Lower Parliament, Dragoljub Micunovic.

The reason that I am the first Defense Minister to be accepted by the President of Yugoslavia is obvious. It is the fact that Greece strongly supports Yugoslavia's entrance to NATO. We believe that Yugoslavia belongs in NATO, it belongs in Europe. It must participate in NATO procedures, which will make it much easier to deal with various security problems or insecurity problems existing in Europe and especially in the Balkans.

Mr. Papantoniou underlined that Yugoslavia is facing very serious security problems, both on the interior and from abroad, due to Cossovo, FYROM, and the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It needs to join NATO, he said.

There are of course interior problems that must be dealt with, but as I told Mr. Kostunica, Greece will continue to actively support Yugoslavia's course of accession to NATO, and to help it in various ways, for example, with the cooperation of the General Army Staffs and the harmonization of the Armed Forces with European models in effect in NATO, he added.

The Minister of Defense mentioned that he discussed issues of financial cooperation with the Yugoslavians, and specifically, the national plan of financial reconstruction of Yugoslavia.

What concerns us is that while there may have been significant progress in security in the Balkans lately, there are still pockets of tension and danger, due to various nationalistic tendencies which have not yet been alleviated. All countries, and Greece and Yugoslavia, must make efforts to incorporate those minorities into the societies where they belong, so that they stop thinking of breaking away or function in a destabilizing fashion or even in an illegal and criminal way, noted.

Finally, he mentioned that the European prospects of Yugoslavia are directly related to its historic reforms.

There is a possible change in the Constitution, due to the Agreement between Serbia and Montenegro on a new Federal Joint Government. We will have to see how this political balance in Yugoslavia will turn out, to see which powers will prevail, if they will be conservative or reformative, and then we will be able to come to a safer conclusion on how ready Yugoslavia is to speed up its accession process to International Organizations or follow a slow course, he underlined.

[03] 6 YEAR MEMORIAL FOR A. PAPANDREOU

A PASOK memorial for the 6 years since the death of the movement's founder and President, Andreas Papandreou, took place this morning at 11am, in the 1st Athens Cemetery. Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis, was present at the memorial.

[04] PROTOPAPAS ON MILOSEVIC'S BANK ACCOUNTS

All evidence requested by the International Court in The Hague on Slobodan Milosevic's bank accounts have been submitted by the responsible Justice Ministry agencies, stated government spokesman Christos Protopapas.

He referred to the contacts he had with the Justice Minister and the Bank of Greece Governor, pointing out that Greece has responded fully to the requests made by the International Court.

Mr. Protopapas stated that nothing has been hidden and Greece's cooperation with the international authorities is very good.

[05] SIMITIS: GREECE IS STRONGER THAN EVER

Greece is stronger than ever today, pointed out Prime Minister Kostas Simitis in a statement he made to reporters after the memorial service commemorating the 6th anniversary since the death of Andeas Papandreou, the founder of the governing Socialist Party of PASOK.

Mr. Simitis stated, among others, that the quality of democracy in Greece has improved but there are still problems in the political and economic power relation as well as, problems concerning the power of the mass media.

The Prime Minister said that the goal is to make Greece stronger and a factor of peace and cooperation. He also added that the efforts made are aimed at creating a more fair society offering more opportunities to the people in order to be able to participate, express themselves and affect decision making.

[06] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON THE EURO-ARMY

There are a number of initiatives, ideas, thoughts and proposals by the Spanish EU Presidency on the issue of the Euro-army. However, at the moment, we are not in a position to predict their outcome, reiterated government spokesman Christos Protopapas.

Mr. Protopapas stated that there are three possibilities in view of the Seville Summit meeting. Namely, to leave the issue of the Euro-army to the Danish EU Presidency, hold an informal discussion, like in Barcelona or discuss it during the Summit meeting procedures. In this phase, we cannot predict what the final outcome will be, said Mr. Protopapas.

[07] KARAMANLIS: NATIONAL UNITY IS IMPERATIVE

The times we live in make national unity imperative, underlined right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis after the meeting he had today with President Kostis Stephanopoulos.

On the issue of the Euro-army, he stressed that the Ankara Text cannot be accepted, while he stated that Cyprus' EU accession and the solution of the Cyprus problem should not be examined as a package.

Mr. Karamanlis also briefed the President on his trip to the United States characterizing it as successful.

[08] THE LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.97% at 2.193,43 points, while the volume of transactions was at 114 million Euro or 38.8 billion drachmas.

Of the stocks trading today, the overwhelming majority of 235 recorded losses and 64 had gains, while the value of 75 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] TAXATION SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENTS IN JULY

The measures included in the taxation system reform will be announced in July by the Ministry of Finance and not by the end of the current month as it was originally thought.

The reform brings new conditions to the country's taxation system through simplicity, clarity and effectiveness, stressed Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis, who also stated that the presentation of the new measures will take place next month.

Among others, is expected the announcement of the decision to abolish the mandatory tax statements by citizens with an income below the taxable limit.

[10] NELSON MANDELA IS THE HONORED GUEST IN AN OLYMPIC TRUCE EVENT

Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, who has received the Nobel Peace Price, called for wide support to the Olympic Truce initiative, speaking in an event on the Olympic Truce that was held in the Megaron Music Hall in Athens.

Leading personalities from around the world have been invited to sign the Olympic Truce declaration. Mr. Mandela was honored today for his great contribution to world peace through his efforts for the abolition of racial discrimination.

Speaking in the event, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou pointed out that by honoring Nelson Mandela in essence is honored the humanity's hope for reconciliation, mutual understanding, solidarity and peace.

[11] CONFRONTATION ON INSURANCE ISSUE

There was tension between the government and the opposition during yesterday's first discussion of the social securities bill in Parliament.

The Prime Minister attacked New Democracy, accusing it of hypocrisy and a lack of political positions. Answering, the President of New Democracy supported that the government constantly changes its position, depending on how the wind blows.

Kostas Simitis underlined that the securities bill is the product of a dialogue and that the government is setting a law with a 30-year horizon.

Our positions are in harmony with the social sensitivities of PASOK. The new system promoted by the bill is a triple social contract between the state and the citizens, between citizens of the same generation, and between them and the next generation he stressed characteristically, and added:

The modern social state we are creating in Greece has an all-embracing character, and our difference with New Democracy is that the model of development we are promoting for Greece does not require exclusions, it does not require human sacrifices in order to function, but enforces the catholic participation of the entire Greek people in the social rights sector.

Kostas Simitis accused ND of irresponsibility and populism, because not only does it not present proposals and positions, but does not even have a clear response. He noted, in fact, that the Opposition took its proposals concerning the securities issues off the Internet, while it did not explain its positions during its meetings with social bodies.

You mention nothing on the increasing of pensions, trilateral funding, the character of social insurance. It has kept it's positions as a great secret, calling on the danger that we might copy them. But what is there to copy? New Democracy either has no positions or its positions are unmentionable or lead to the full privatization of social security, stressed Mr. Simitis among other things.

At the same time he called on the Head of the Opposition to come out and clearly state his party's positions, while in closing his speech, he stressed that the government will continue its efforts to win the major wagers for a powerful Greece.

Mr. Karamanlis accused the Prime Minister of ceaselessly lying, while personally addressing the Prime Minister he asked: What changed in the last 10 months when you supported other things? It requires a lot of nerve to come in here and say that the horizon of solution has changed in 10 months, and the question is: Were you lying last year or this year, out of fear of the social cost? This makes you dangerous.

At another point, Mr. Karamanlis noted: We do not change our positions with the blowing of the wind.

In closing, the President of the Opposition supported that this bill is patchwork and the government is moving like a wind-sock, displaying its inability to coordinate, while he revealed that it has no political program nor does it know where it is coming from or where it is going, and it is showing that it cannot deal with Greece's major problems.

Minister of Labor Dimitris Reppas answered Mr. Karamanlis, stressing that the government has expressed clear proposals with the form of the bill, and added that if ND has no positions, it should not undermine the efforts being made to modernize the securities system.

[12] TSOCHATZOPOULOS DISCUSSED ENERGY ISSUES IN CROATIA

Croatia's participation in the southeastern European electricity market, the establishment of which was recently decided in Athens, was agreed in the contacts Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos had in Zagreb with Croat government ministers.

The contacts focused on energy issues. It should be noted that the seat of the electricity common market will be in Athens for six months and in this period it will operate under the Greek presidency.

After the contacts of Mr. Tsochatzopoulos in Zagreb it was made known that Greece will back the EU subsidies for the reconstruction of the Croat electricity network restoring the link between the Balkans and western Europe. Also, it was announced that the Hellenic Petroleum company will submit a proposal for the purchase of 25% of the state-run INA, Croatia's petrol and natural gas company.

Meanwhile, Croat government officials expressed interest in their country's participation in the extension of the Greek-Turkish natural gas pipeline that will carry Caspian Sea natural gas to the Western markets.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article