Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-08-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] N17'S FUNDING REVEALED

[02] CLERIDIS-MAGRIOTIS ON CYPRUS ISSUE AND ACCESSION

[03] V. PAPANDREOU AND G. PAPANDREOU IN JOHANNESBURG

[04] 600 MILLION EURO FOR TOURISM FROM THE THIRD COMMUNITY FRAMEWORK OF

[05] TRANSIT TRADE CENTER IN PROMACHONAS

[06] NEW MEETING ON THE 2003 STATE BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY

[07] CEMETERY OF PREHISTORIC ANIMALS DISCOVERED IN CHALKIDIKI

[08] CORTEZ-SOTIROPOULOU WILL APPEAL TO JUSTICE

[09] CLERIDES-MAGRIOTIS DISCUSSED THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND CYPRUS' EU

[10] MPA IN THE EVENTS HELD ON THE ISLAND OF IMVROS

[01] N17'S FUNDING REVEALED

Evidence on the sources of November 17's funding during its 27 years of activity was published by the Ta Nea newspaper. Its main sources of income were three: Bank robberies, blackmailing, and death contracts on Americans.

Specifically, there have been intense investigations in the paste few weeks, to solve several blackmail cases, with special attention paid to blackmail rings that approached well known business families.

The newspaper mentioned contacts between well known businessmen and government officials, as well as meetings with a supreme district attorney official, who is looking into the case thoroughly. In fact the businessman gave the government written proof that his family was fell victim to an attempted blackmail.

Sources that are familiar with the case admitted that the victims came from the industrialist elite and that some of them had a tradition in such matters, while some even mourned victims to N17.

The same sources support that the blackmailer's are Right Wing extremists. Most of the victims come from the conservative area, and were characterized as historic names in the industry and ship-owning sector.

As far as other sources are concerned, the best known are the bloody bank robberies, which grossed 1.5 billion drachmas or 4.4 million euro. The third source is not as well known as the bank robberies, and concerns the '80s. The shady dealings here concern individuals both in Greece and abroad. Sources mentioned that the strikes of Carlos' group in Greece were funded by a Middle Eastern country, which was a terrorism sponsor.

In fact, information made mention of an Arab diplomat at an Athens Embassy who is today a high official in his country's government with an active part in the issue.

[02] CLERIDIS-MAGRIOTIS ON CYPRUS ISSUE AND ACCESSION

Deputy Foreign Minister on issues of Greeks living abroad, Giannis Magriotis, who has been in Cyprus since Friday on a four-day visit, was accepted this morning by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafkos Cleridis.

Their 45 minute discussion mainly concerned the progress of Cyprus' EU accession, developments in he Cyprus issue, issues concerning the cooperation of Greek and Cypriot living abroad organizations, as well as issues of Greek from the Pontus region of the former Soviet Union living in Cyprus.

While leaving the presidential residence, Mr. Magriotis pointed out that Cyprus' progress towards accession to the EU is not reversible, and that the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU, is a meeting of history and an event of deliverance.

Concerning the resolving of the Cyprus issue, he stressed that he is waiting for Turkey to contribute to it, changing its position and with respect towards UN decisions and referendums.

[03] V. PAPANDREOU AND G. PAPANDREOU IN JOHANNESBURG

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Minister of the Environment, Planning and Public Works Vasso Papandreou, will head the two large delegations which will represent Greece in the Earth Summit this Monday, in Johannesburg.

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis underlined Greece's special role at the Summit, since Greece is participating in the EU troika that will represent the 15 at Johannesburg.

Giorgos Papandreou stressed that the goal of the Summit is not only to find a solution to environmental issues threatening our planet, but to also discuss problems such as immigration, refugees and poverty.

[04] 600 MILLION EURO FOR TOURISM FROM THE THIRD COMMUNITY FRAMEWORK OF SUPPORT

The sum of 600 million Euro will be spent for the upgrading of the Greek tourist sector.

Based on the upgrading program provided by the Third Community Framework of Support, 40% of the sum will be used to upgrade hotel units in Greece. Another 13% to support special forms of tourism, 7% to upgrade the tourist sector training and 40% to develop the small-medium sized tourist businesses.

Meanwhile, the new 13 billion drachmas ad campaign for the tourist promotion of Greece in the international market in 2003 will be launched in October.

[05] TRANSIT TRADE CENTER IN PROMACHONAS

The border crossing of Promachonas, in northern Greece, will begin operating as a transit trade center for the cargo containers coming from or going to Bulgaria starting on Monday.

The Promachonas transit trade center will have the capacity to handle daily 50 containers destined for Bulgaria, while later it is scheduled to handle transactions with Romania as well.

The containers will arrive at the Promachonas transit trade center from the Port of Thessaloniki by train and they will be kept in storage areas before they are loaded to Bulgarian trucks achieving this way a transport cost cut of 30%.

[06] NEW MEETING ON THE 2003 STATE BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY

A new meeting on the 2003 state budget and the tax exemptions that will be offered to the tax payers will be held on Wednesday presided over by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis. In the meeting will be present Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis and undersecretaries Apostolos Fotiadis and Giorgos Floridis.

The meeting is expected to clear up the situation concerning the capabilities of the 2003 state budget that will have to meet the cost of tax exemptions.

According to the Athens newspaper TO VIMA, the budget's revenues in 2003 is expected to rise by 6.5% and reach 40.8 billion Euro, the GDP will be at 4% and the spending growth rate is estimated to be lower compared to the current year.

[07] CEMETERY OF PREHISTORIC ANIMALS DISCOVERED IN CHALKIDIKI

A cemetery of prehistoric animals was unearthed in Kriopigi, Chalkidiki in northern Greece by a team of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki paleontologists.

They discovered a great number of fossilized bones belonging to animals that used to live in the region between 5 and 7 million years ago.

The most important discovery is the bones of a primate that lived 5-7 million years ago. They also discovered the bones of two kinds of prehistoric horses, gazelles, antilopes, giraffes, prehistoric elephants and carnivores.

According to scientists, the region was a savanna similar to those found in Africa today. Fossilized trees estimated to be about 20 million years old were also discovered at a close distance, near the town of Fourka.

[08] CORTEZ-SOTIROPOULOU WILL APPEAL TO JUSTICE

17 November terrorist Savvas Xiros' companion Alicia Romero Cortez and his ex-wife Angeliki Sotiropoulou will file a suit against Nikos Koulianos. Mr. Koulianos owns a shop opposite the terrorist group's hideout at Damareos Street in Athens and maintained that he saw the two women in the region together with Dimitris Koufodinas, who is still wanted by the police.

Ms. Cortez stated to reporters that the information was given on July 15 and wondered why it came to light only yesterday. She added that if the information was true then the two would have been in police custody since July 16.

Ms. Sotiropoulou stated that the allegations made by the shop owner are groundless and this will be proven in court.

[09] CLERIDES-MAGRIOTIS DISCUSSED THE CYPRUS PROBLEM AND CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION

Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Yiannis Magriotis, responsible for issues concerning the Greeks living abroad, who is on a four-day visit to Cyprus since yesterday, met with Cypriot President Glafkos Cleridis.

They discussed Cyprus' EU accession course, the developments on the Cyprus issue, issues concerning the cooperation between Greek and Cypriot organizations of the Diaspora as well as, issues concerning the Greeks from the former Soviet Union who live in Cyprus.

Mr. Magriotis stated after the meeting that Cyprus' EU accession course is irreversible, while on the solution of the Cyprus problem he stressed that Turkey should contribute to the effort by changing its stance and observe the UN decisions and resolutions.

[10] MPA IN THE EVENTS HELD ON THE ISLAND OF IMVROS

The events on the occasion of Virgin Mary's novena will continue on the island of Imvros, in northeastern Aegean, until Sunday, August 25. Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, who is originally from Imvros, officiated in the solemn holy liturgy held on Friday.

The events were held in the presence of the few remaining locals and hundreds of people, who come originally from the island but now they live in Athens and Thessaloniki.

The Greek government is represented by the Consul General in Istanbul, while also present was the Turkish administrator appointed on the island.

MPA President Paraskevas Paraskevopoulos was invited by the associations of people from Imvros to attend the events. Mr. Paraskevopoulos met with the Ecumenical Patriarch and discussed initiatives that should be undertaken for the further promotion of the Patriarchate. In the meetings he had with the Turkish administrator were discussed issues that concern the Greeks from Imvros such as, the fair settlement of problems concerning their real estate on the island on the occasion of the drawing up of a land register. Also, they discussed ways to save monuments and classical buildings.

On Sunday, August 25, MPA will broadcast a travelogue on the most important elements of Hellenism in Imvros and parts of the solemn holy liturgy.

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