Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-10-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER IN ATHENS

[02] ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN ALBANIA

[03] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

[04] THE GROWTH RATE WILL BE AT 3.8% IN 2003

[05] GREEK SUPPORT TO UKRAINE

[06] THE TOXIC CLOUD IS NOT THREATENING THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

[07] INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION OPENS

[08] PAPANDREOU-VENIZELOS IN ISTANBUL

[09] INFLATION INCREASED IN THE EURO-ZONE IN OCTOBER

[10] CLOSER TIES BETWEEN GREECE-S.AFRICA

[01] BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER IN ATHENS

The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Simeon Saxe Coburg Gotha, is beginning his four-day visit to Athens this afternoon, and will attend a reception tonight at 9pm, held in his honor by Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis.

Tomorrow morning, Mr. Saxe Coburg Gotha will participate in the works of the Financial Forum organized by the Bulgarian Embassy, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Kostas Simitis, and the Minister of Development, Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister will then meet with the President of the Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis.

There will then be a private meeting with the Greek Prime Minister, discussions between delegations of the two countries and the signing of pacts in the presence of the two Prime Ministers, who will then hold a joint press conference. In the afternoon, the Bulgarian Prime Minister will attend a luncheon held by Prime Minister Simitis in his honor.

The Bulgarian PM will also have meetings with the Head of the Opposition Kostas Karamanlis and the Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece, and will depart from Athens on that evening.

[02] ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN ALBANIA

Director of the National Bank of Greece branch in Tirana, Mr. Vasilis Filis delivered a 30.000 Euro cheque to Albanian Finance Minister Mr. Arben Malaj as an economic assistance on behalf of the National Bank of Greece to the flood victims in Albania. The recent heavy rainfall has caused significant damage across the country.

Mr. Filis visited the Albanian Finance Ministry today accompanied by the bank's Senior Operation Officer, Mrs. Sylvana Sejko. Mr. Filis had a warm discussion with Mr. Malaj, who thanked him for the National Bank of Greece offer.

Mr. Filis stated that this gesture in the form of humanitarian assistance is a proof of the excellent relations and friendship ties shared by the two peoples. He concluded by stating that the National Bank of Greece will continue to assist Albania in its effort to achieve further economic development, while it will undertake parallel social action whenever is necessary.

[03] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today with selective investments on banking sector stocks.

The general index rose to +0.16% at 1.785,28 points, while the volume of transactions was satisfactory at 79.2 million Euro.

Of the stocks trading today, 217 recorded gains and 92 had losses, while the value of 66 stocks remained unchanged.

[04] THE GROWTH RATE WILL BE AT 3.8% IN 2003

The governmental committee gave the green light for the revised 2003 draft budget according to which, the growth rate will be 3.8% compared to 4.1% that was predicted in the budget's blueprint currently under discussion in the responsible parliamentary committee.

The new prediction on the growth rate is lower and constitutes a more realistic reflection of the prospects of the Greek economy in the turbulent international environment, stated Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis after the meeting he had yesterday with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

[05] GREEK SUPPORT TO UKRAINE

Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodimir Litvin and expressed Greece's support to Ukraine in its effort to become a member of the European Union and part of the Euro-Atlantic structures. The Ukrainian official is on a formal visit to Greece heading a parliamentary delegation.

Mr. Kaklamanis stated that when Greece held the EU Presidency in 1994 promoted the partnership relation and cooperation agreement with Ukraine and pointed out that during the Greek EU Presidency in the first half of 2003 Greece will contribute to the efforts for the promotion of the EU-Ukraine relations.

The Greek Parliament President also referred to the very good relations between Greece and Ukraine and underlined that they can improve even further at parliament and state level, as well as in international organizations.

From his side, the Ukrainian Parliament President thanked Mr. Kaklamanis for Greece's moral and tangible support in the country's course to become part of the European structures. He also expressed the wish of the Ukrainian people and the country's leadership to further develop bilateral relations at economic, cultural and

[06] THE TOXIC CLOUD IS NOT THREATENING THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Meteorology professor Christos Balafoutis in statements he made to MPA did not appear alarmed regarding the likelihood for the toxic cloud spotted over India and China to threaten the Mediterranean region.

Referring to the issue that arose on the occasion of the 8th Conference on the Earth's Climate in New Delhi, Mr. Balafoutis stressed that the mechanisms of the atmosphere do not allow the arrival of the Asian cloud in the Mediterranean.

He stated that even in the case that the cloud travels around the planet and arrives in Europe it will be so weakened that it will not constitute a threat.

[07] INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION OPENS

Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos will open the 18th PHILOXENIA 2002 tourism exhibition, held in Thessaloniki's International Fair.

PHILOXENIA is annually organized by HELEXPO, under the aegis of the Greek Tourism Organization, while this year it retains the quality, size and dynamics of a major exhibit in the tourism market, despite the international crisis in the tourism sector this last year.

According to information so far, the 18th PHILOXENIA will host 655 exhibitors, of whom 535 are from Greece and the remaining 120 are from 38 different countries, namely: Egypt, Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Spain, India, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Croatia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Great Britain, Malta, Bahrain, Norway, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Finland.

[08] PAPANDREOU-VENIZELOS IN ISTANBUL

Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou and Minister of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos will be in Istanbul today, drawing on the Fenerbahtse-Panathinaikos football game for the UEFA cup.

The Minister of Culture will be present at a meeting between UEFA and the two countries' football federations, on the promotion of the joint organizing of the 2008 EURO by Greece and Turkey.

Mr. Venizelos will visit Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Vartholomeos in his seat in the Fanari, while he will also meet with Minister of State in charge of sports, Erdojan Toprak.

Mr. Venizelos will also be present at the signing of the Olympic Truce by the Presidents of the two football federations.

[09] INFLATION INCREASED IN THE EURO-ZONE IN OCTOBER

Inflation in the Euro-zone recorded a marginal increase in October at 2.2% compared to 2.1% in September, based on the preliminary figures made public today by the European statistics agency, Eurostat. The final figures are expected to be announced on November 18.

The specific development, which was expected by the responsible analysts, is mainly due to the increase in the liquid fuel and food prices.

[10] CLOSER TIES BETWEEN GREECE-S.AFRICA

President of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos continues his visit to South Africa, during which, yesterday, he was received by his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki yesterday.

During the discussions of the heads of state in Cape Town, the close ties between South Africa and Greece and the similar approach Athens and Cape Town have on issues of common interest, were confirmed. Special attention was also paid to the promotion of the cooperation between Europe and Africa, during the Greek Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2003, and the South African Presidency in the "African Union" during the same year.

Mr. Stefanopoulos and Mr. Mbeki discussed international problems, such as the Middle East, the Cyprus issue and problems with Iraq.

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