Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-10-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] INFLATION LEAP IN SEPTEMBER

[02] VARTHOLOMEOS COMPLETES VISIT TO ATHENS

[03] MEASURES AGAINST CHILD PROSTITUTION AND WOMEN TRAFFICKING

[04] 7TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ANCIENT MACEDONIA

[05] CHRISTODOULAKIS ON THE STATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY IN 2003

[06] LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ASE

[07] THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE IN THE EURO-ZONE HAS IMPROVED

[08] PROTOPAPAS ON THE ECEVIT STATEMENT

[09] DIAMANTOUROS IS LIKELY TO TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF THE OMBUDSMAN IN THE EU

[10] PAPANTONIOU: IT IS EARLY TO MAKE PREDICTIONS ON IRAQ

[11] PROTOPAPAS ON THE 17N PROTEST MARCH

[12] STRONG FRENCH PRESENCE AT DEFENDORY 2002 FAIR

[01] INFLATION LEAP IN SEPTEMBER

The Price Index closed at levels between 3.7% and 3.8% in September, in contrast to 3.5% in August.

This increase is due to the rather high increase in agricultural product prices in comparison to last year, as well as increasing fuel prices.

The strengthening of inflation pressures was also recorded in the course of the Gross Price Index in August, which was increased by 2.1% (in relation to last year), mainly due to the price increase in agricultural products.

[02] VARTHOLOMEOS COMPLETES VISIT TO ATHENS

The four-day visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos to Athens will be completed this afternoon.

This morning, the Ecumenical Patriarch met with the President of the Coalition of the Left, Nikos Konstantopoulos, at the hotel at which he is staying, and he then performed the opening of the Ziridis school in Spata.

This afternoon, Mr. Vartholomeos will depart for Istanbul, and tomorrow he will be in Brussels, where he will meet with the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi.

His meeting with Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou yesterday was mainly concentrated on the dialogue of religions and Turkey's relations to the EU.

After the meeting, Mr. Papandreou stated that he stood by the just efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on consolidating its rights in a region in which it has existed for centuries, while he thanked Mr. Vartholomeos for his efforts in general, especially as far as Turkey's course towards EU accession is concerned.

[03] MEASURES AGAINST CHILD PROSTITUTION AND WOMEN TRAFFICKING

The Greek Parliament voted unanimously in favor of a new draft bill submitted by the Justice Ministry which attempts to stop child prostitution and trafficking in women by imposing tough penalties on those found guilty of such crimes.

The exploitation of human beings is the third major criminal business after drug-trafficking and illegal weapons trade, and needs to be dealt with immediately mainly through tough prison sentences, had stated earlier Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos.

Mr. Petsalinikos stated that according to UNICEF, about 1.000.000 children are being forced to prostitution each year. Other international organizations estimate that about 700.000 women were forced to prostitution globally just in the year 2000, while at least 300.000 women from Eastern and Central Europe were forced to prostitution in Western European countries.

These organized crime illegal operations gave an estimated profit of 7 billion Euro in 2000, stated Mr. Petsalnikos.

Regarding Greece, 75.000 women and young girls were led to prostitution, while those involved in the illegal network, both directly and indirectly, were over 210.000.

[04] 7TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ANCIENT MACEDONIA

The 7th International Symposium on Macedonia from the Iron Age to the death of Philippos B' will take place in Thessaloniki on October 14-18 under the auspices of the Culture Ministry and the Macedonian Studies Institute.

In the symposium on ancient Macedonia will participate a total of 71 delegates from Greece, Canada, Cyprus, United States, Italy, FYROM, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, Australia, Spain, Britain and Germany.

The delegates will refer to the idiomatic vocabulary of the Greek dialect spoken by the ancient Macedonians, the temples of the Archaic and Classical Era in northern Greece as well as, the new archaeological findings and the recent archaeological excavations in Macedonia, northern Greece.

[05] CHRISTODOULAKIS ON THE STATE OF THE GREEK ECONOMY IN 2003

Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis stated that the growth rate for the Greek economy will be between 3%-3.1% in 2003, adding that inflation is likely to reach 5%. This is the most unfavorable scenario in case there is a war in Iraq.

Mr. Christodoulakis left open the likelihood for the 2003 state budget to be submitted in Parliament at a later date and not on October 7 because the Parliament will close on October 8 in view of the October 13 municipal elections. However, he clarified that the state budget's draft plan will be ready in time.

[06] LOSSES CONTINUE IN THE ASE

Losses continued in the Athens Stock Exchange today as it was unable to follow the positive course of the major European markets.

The general index dropped to -0.98% at 1.815,03 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 71.6 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 117 recorded gains and 185 had losses, while the value of 72 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE IN THE EURO-ZONE HAS IMPROVED

The economic climate in the Euro-zone improved in September based on figures provided by the European Commission.

The economic climate index recovered to 98.9 points from 98.7 in August and 99 in July. The confidence index remained stable at 12 in September recording no change compared to August and the consumer confidence index recovered to 9 in September from 11 in the last month of summer.

Unemployment remained unchanged at 8.3% in August for a third month in a row, while in the same month last year it was at 8%, according to the European Statistics Agency, Eurostat. The highest unemployment percentage was recorded in Spain (11.3%) and the lowest in Luxembourg (2.5%), according to press reports.

Producer prices increased in August by 0.01% on a monthly basis, mainly due to the fuel price hikes, but on an annual basis dropped by 0.2%, according to Eurostat.

[08] PROTOPAPAS ON THE ECEVIT STATEMENT

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas was called to comment on the statement made by Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit that Turkey will not make a big fuss if Cyprus becomes an EU member first.

Mr. Protopapas responded that the Turkish Prime Minister made an important statement but statements are not enough and they should be turned into actions, pointing out that Turkey's behavior should be in the steps of the Ecevit statement.

He added that in any case it should be made clear to the Turkish side that the accession will proceed based on the EU criteria, stressing that Turkey needs support in its European course and Greece is willing to play its own positive role.

Responding to a question on the likelihood to postpone the joint military exercise Nikiforos-Toxotis, he said that the preparations proceed smoothly and no postponement request has been made.

[09] DIAMANTOUROS IS LIKELY TO TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF THE OMBUDSMAN IN THE EU

Nikiforos Diamantouros, the first ombudsman in Greece, is very likely to take over the same role in the European Union namely, to defend the rights of the people in cases of mismanagement in the European Union, according to a Financial Times press report.

The decision is expected to be reached by the European Parliament in December.

[10] PAPANTONIOU: IT IS EARLY TO MAKE PREDICTIONS ON IRAQ

It is early to say if there will be an attack on Iraq, stated Minister of Defense Yiannos Papantoniou responding to a question by reporters after his speech within the framework of the 12th International Exhibition Defendory International 2002 in Athens.

Responding to a question on the future of the European defense industry, Mr. Papantoniou stated that it is important to have buyouts and mergers allowing the European industries to become more competitive toward the US industries, while the European armaments programs should be coordinated to have common specifications.

Defense spending in Greece is very important reaching 4.5%-5% of the GDP. The goal is to increase the participation of the Greek industry from 12% it is today to 20% in the next 3-4 years, stated Mr. Papantoniou.

[11] PROTOPAPAS ON THE 17N PROTEST MARCH

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that the government rejects any ideological and political messages or slogans that were heard yesterday during the protest march in the center of Athens held in favor of the 17 November terrorist group.

However, even though we reject what they said we have a democracy and we defend their right to express their views even if they sound provocative to our ears.

[12] STRONG FRENCH PRESENCE AT DEFENDORY 2002 FAIR

General Yves Gleizes, French Director of Weapons Systems, will represent the French Defense Ministry at the defense industry fair, DEFENDORY 2002, held at Piraeus.

Mr. Gleizes will go to the fair grounds on October 4, where the presence of the French defense industry has been made distinct, at the French kiosk, which is under the auspices of the General Arms Direction.

In the past 30 years Greece has retained excellent relations in the armaments sector with France, having acquired fighter aircraft and weapons, such as missiles, helicopters, light combat vehicles, and, recently, unmanned aircraft.

The participation of the French Defense Ministry at the fair and the presentation of the Monge new French Navy fighter, constitutes a new testimony to the long and traditional cooperation connecting the two countries in the defense sector.

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