Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-10-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] RUBBISH HEAPS MAY HAVE CAUSED HEPATITIS

[02] THE SECOND AND THIRD PHASE OF THE TAX REFORM WAS PRESENTED BY THE

[03] THE LOSSES IN THE ASE CONTINUE

[04] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE: GROWTH RATE CAN REACH 4%

[05] CENTRAL JEWISH COUNCIL: KARATZAFERIS' TICKET DOES NOT INCLUDE JEWISH

[06] SIMITIS: TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR CYPRUS

[07] KARAMANLIS: THE GOVERNMENT IS DEALING WITH THE EXTREMES

[08] T. GIANNITSIS AT EU-INDIA MEETING

[09] CRUISE LINER RUNS AGROUND OFF PATMOS

[10] THESSALONIKI HONOURS METROPOLITE OF WARSAW

[11] GUREL: TURKEY DID NOT MAKE A NEW PROPOSAL ON THE EUROPEAN CFSP

[12] TEN COUNTRIES RECEIVED THE "GREEN LIGHT" FOR EU ACCESSION IN 2004

[01] RUBBISH HEAPS MAY HAVE CAUSED HEPATITIS

Hundreds of garbage collection trucks, with more than 200 employees, set out into the streets of Thessaloniki, in order to clean up the mess left by the sanitation workers' weeklong strike.

Thessaloniki citizens were in danger of contracting gastroenteritis, salmonella, hepatitis A, as well as suffering difficulties in breathing, due to the accumulation of hundreds of tons of rubbish piled along city streets.

The exposure and accumulation of rubbish on the streets for so many days, with stray cats and dogs rummaging through it, and the rain transferring microbe sources over broader regions, could cause gastroenteritis, salmonella and hepatitis A. The foul smell and the decay may cause sensitive health groups breathing problems, pointed out Professor of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine and candidate mayor of Thessaloniki, Tassos Kourakis, in statements to the MPA.

The Municipality of Thessaloniki had hired special crews to spray the heaps on the sides of the streets with disinfectants, in order to protect the citizens' health.

The decision to start the collection of the rubbish was made after the proposal of Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis, that the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, pay the productivity bonuses. Mr. Kaklamanis committed that in case there is another problem, he will demand the government move to a legal reform.

Despite the actions taken, the sheer amount of the rubbish is such, that the employs estimate they will not be able to collect it all and clean the city today. Deputy Mayor in charge of sanitation, Vaggelis Dimitriou, estimated that it will take 3 or 4 days to clean up the entire city.

[02] THE SECOND AND THIRD PHASE OF THE TAX REFORM WAS PRESENTED BY THE FINANCE MINISTER

The second and third phase of the tax reform in the form of a draft bill that will soon be tabled in Parliament was presented by Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis.

Apart from the already known provisions, the draft bill will include a 10% levy on rents from apartments that will be leased within the framework of the 2004 Olympic Games. The 10% levy will also be imposed on rents from buildings and land that belong to the Church and other public welfare institutions.

The draft bill includes the known provisions that raise the tax shelter, and relieve certain tax payers' categories from the obligation to fill out a tax return. In addition, the tax shelter for death duties will be raised and the off shore companies will have to pay a special land tax.

[03] THE LOSSES IN THE ASE CONTINUE

The losses continue in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to 0.57% at 1.727,09 points, while the volume of transactions was at 75.2 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 74 recorded gains and 227 had losses, while the value of 73 stocks remained unchanged.

[04] NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE: GROWTH RATE CAN REACH 4%

The Greek economy growth rate can reach even 4% in 2003 under the preconditions that the growth rate in the Euro-zone will be maintained close to 2.5%, the price of petrol will drop to US$25 per barrel by the third trimester of 2003 and public investments in Greece will be increased by 11% in real terms.

This optimistic prediction is the favorable scenario expressed by the National Bank of Greece analysts in the September 2002 issue of the Economic & Market Analysis bulletin.

According to a pessimistic scenario, growth rate will be limited to 3.3% if the Euro-zone growth rate remains under 2%, the price of petrol is at US$30 per barrel throughout 2003 and public investments increase by 4.5% in real terms.

Regarding inflation, (based on the consumer prices index) is expected to be on a gradual decline until the second trimester of 2003 but it will be hard to drop under 3% (average annual level) due to the relatively strong domestic demand and the high fuel prices.

[05] CENTRAL JEWISH COUNCIL: KARATZAFERIS' TICKET DOES NOT INCLUDE JEWISH CANDIDATES

The Central Jewish Council in Greece denied the allegations made by Giorgos Karatzaferis, Athens-Piraeus prefect candidate, according to which his ticket includes two Jewish candidates.

In the statement it has issued the Central Jewish Council mentions that it was necessary to clarify that the statement made by Mr. Karatzaferis was untrue.

It is stressed that for a number of years Mr. Karatzaferis has made it a habit to falsify the truth on issues concerning the Jewish people and the statement by the Central Jewish Council is aimed at the restoration of reality.

[06] SIMITIS: TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR CYPRUS

Prime Minister Kostas Simitis stated that today is an important day for Cyprus as the European Commission has announced the countries that will be included in the first EU accession wave. Mr. Simitis made the statement in the meeting he had today with President Kostis Stephanopoulos.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Simitis stated that the European Commission is very positive toward Cyprus and this was the result of the work done by the governments of Greece and Cyprus. It is important that the solution of the Cyprus problem is not a precondition for Cyprus' accession into the EU, said the Prime Minister.

Mr. Simitis stressed that special attention should be given to the talks that will be made until a final decision is reached on accession in the Copenhagen Summit meeting. He said they could be affected by difficulties the Turkish or the Turkish Cypriot side might want to create or by problems that could be created by those who do not want Cyprus' EU accession.

[07] KARAMANLIS: THE GOVERNMENT IS DEALING WITH THE EXTREMES

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis gave a strong response to Prime Minister Kostas Simitis who accused New Democracy yesterday of cooperation with the extreme right.

Those who say such things are the ones who cooperate behind the scenes and want to boost political extremes, stated Mr. Karamanlis accusing the government and the governing Socialist Party of PASOK of dealing with the extreme right and wanting to strengthen it.

Addressing the New Democracy Parliamentary Group, Mr. Karamanlis accused PASOK of wanting to hurt New Democracy and destroy the Left.

Mr. Karamanlis strongly criticized the government and stated that has no policy and is unable to govern.

[08] T. GIANNITSIS AT EU-INDIA MEETING

The EU-India Summit Meeting will be held on October 10, and Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Giannitsis will represent Greece in the EU-India Ministerial Troika.

Topics to be discussed include EU-India relations, developments in the broader Southeast Asia region, India-Pakistan relations, and issues such as drug trafficking, disarmament, and the non-spreading of nuclear weapons.

During his stay in Copenhagen, Mr. Giannitsis will attend the Seminar on Globalization organized by the European Socialist Party, as well as the first meeting of the ESP's Work Group on financial coordination and employment.

[09] CRUISE LINER RUNS AGROUND OFF PATMOS

Cruise liner Olympic Voyager run aground a short distance from the Patmos port, in the Gerakas region, and as a result took in water. However, none of the 788 passengers and 351 crewmembers were endangered.

[10] THESSALONIKI HONOURS METROPOLITE OF WARSAW

The Metropolite of Warsaw and all of Poland Savvas, received the Gold Medallion of Thessaloniki from Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, in an event held in the ceremony room of AUTh's Old Philosophical School.

Mr. Papageorgopoulos pointed out that Metropolite Savvas is carrying out an immense pastoral work and has decisively contributed to the promotion of Orthodox culture in Poland.

He also thanked the Metropolite of Warsaw for his great contribution to the promotion of Greek-Polish relations and for his future contribution in promoting the relations between Thessaloniki and Warsaw, and other Polish major cities.

The Metropolite of Warsaw also thanked Mr. Papageorgopoulos, and presented him with the medal of Mary Magdalene.

Metropolite Savvas also commented on the fact that the recognition took place in the church of Cyril and Methodius, the students who taught the Polish Orthodoxy. Finally, he invited Mr. Papageorgopoulos to Warsaw.

[11] GUREL: TURKEY DID NOT MAKE A NEW PROPOSAL ON THE EUROPEAN CFSP

Turkish Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel categorically denied information according to which, Ankara has tabled a new proposal on the issue of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy, CFSP.

Commenting on relevant information published by Greek mass media, the head of the Turkish diplomacy stated to the Turkish newspaper Zaman that it does not correspond to reality and maintained that his Greek counterpart had tried to refer to the issue but he rejected the idea.

Mr. Gurel stated that this is not a Greek-Turkish affair but an affair that is placed within the framework of the NATO-EU relations. The Turkish Foreign Minister concluded that the issue has ended with the Ankara Text and Turkey does not intend to adopt a flexible stance.

[12] TEN COUNTRIES RECEIVED THE "GREEN LIGHT" FOR EU ACCESSION IN 2004

The European Commission gave the green light to ten candidate states for EU accession to become part of united Europe in 2004, while it suggested no opening date for Turkey's EU accession negotiations.

The Reuters news agency reported that in the annual European Commission report it is mentioned that Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta will complete the EU accession negotiations in 2002 with the aim of becoming EU members in 2004.

Among others, it is stressed that the European Commission backs the efforts of Bulgaria and Romania aimed at becoming EU members in 2007, while on Turkey it is stressed that the country has not met the necessary political criteria to open EU accession negotiations.

The European Commission calls on Ankara to adopt reforms for the protection of human rights, and the freedom of expression.

The European Commission report is expected to be discussed by the 15 EU leaders in the Brussels Summit meeting on October 24-25, while the final decision on the EU enlargement will be reached in the Copenhagen Summit meeting on December 12-13.

Political analysts believe that the only fact that could put an obstacle to the EU enlargement procedure is the referendum that will be held in Ireland on October 19 on the ratification of the Treaty of Nice concerning the enlargement of the European Union.

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