Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-09-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] A NIGHT FULL OF BOMBS

[02] REACTIONS TO THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT

[03] TRUCK DRIVERS TAKE OVER CUSTOMS

[04] AN INVITATION TO THE LEFT

[05] REPPAS: SOCIAL SPENDING AT 22.1% IN 2003

[06] THE NEW STATE BUDGET WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE BOMB ATTACKS

[08] KARAMANLIS VISITED THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT DEPUTY GIORGOS VOULGARAKIS

[09] CHARGES FILED AGAINST GREEK TYCOON SOCRATES KOKKALIS

[10] GAINS IN THE ASE

[11] DEADLY ACCIDENT IN CORFU

[01] A NIGHT FULL OF BOMBS

Five explosions of bombs made from cooking gas canisters took place during the night. Three of them took place after 2am within one minute of each other. No organization has claimed responsibility for the actions but cooperation among the culprits is certain. Among the targets were the cars of ND MP Giorgos Voulgarakis, Professor Giorgos Veltsos and journalist Anna Panagiotarea, outside whose house in Plaka the bomb went off shortly after 8pm, while one of the three gas canisters did not go off.

[02] REACTIONS TO THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT

A decrease in the Ministries, a merger of services and an eradication of bureaucracy are included in ND's program for Public Administrations, the main goal of which is the re-establishment of the state, presented yesterday by the President of the Party Costas Karamanlis and Head of Political Planning G. Souflias. It is the re-establishment of a state of the Right, answered Minister of the Interior Costas Skandalidis. V. Polydoras refuted that there is discomfort on the side of the Mayor of Athens.

[03] TRUCK DRIVERS TAKE OVER CUSTOMS

A symbolic sit in at the Kipi customs in Evros, was carried out today by truck drivers, in response to the continuing strike of the public veterinarians and agriculturalists that is in its third week.

Imports and exports of goods that can spoil have frozen due to the strike, and thus hundreds of trucks are parked at customs as the products cannot be checked.

The drivers, tired from the days of waiting, moved to a symbolic sit in, to show their need for a solution to be found quickly. They are asking for an agriculturalist to check their products so the can move along.

[04] AN INVITATION TO THE LEFT

An open invitation to all the powers of the Center-Left, so that an alternative proposal of progressive government can be formed was addressed by Secretary of PASOK's Central Committee M. Chrysochoidis, in his speech The Center-Left and Progressive Government. The Center-Left must form a productive agenda, that will make the market its friend not its enemy, to consolidate participial democracy, strengthen employment , rethink ideological taboos and locate new majorities and social alliances, said Mr. Chrysochoidis.

[05] REPPAS: SOCIAL SPENDING AT 22.1% IN 2003

The steady increase in social spending during the past 8 years, as a result of the improvement in the state finances and the high growth rate, allowed Greece to reach the average social spending of the rest European Union countries, underlined Labor Minister Dimitris Reppas in the presentation of the 2003 social budget that took place today before the Social Protection Committee.

Social spending reached 22.10% of the GDP in 2003 compared to 13.98% of the GDP in 1980 and 18.49% of the GDP in 1993, stated Mr. Reppas.

According to the European Union and the figures provided by the European Statistics Agency, EUROSTAT, social spending in Greece reached 27.7% of the GDP in 2002, compared to 22.9% in 1996, reaching the EU average which is at 27.5%.

[06] THE NEW STATE BUDGET WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY

The economy can withstand wage increases of 5.4% for public servants, 9.8% for teachers and 7.2% for university professors, according to the package of increases provided by the new state budget that was announced today by Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis.

The wage increases will be in effect starting on January 1, 2004 and according to the Minister of Finance, they close a circle of consultations on the revenue policy to be followed next year.

Mr. Christodoulakis also pointed out that based on the new state budget the growth rate in Greece will be at 4.2%.

The Finance Minister announced that in the next few days a decision is going to be reached by the government concerning the privatization of 35% of the State Gas Company, DEPA, taking under consideration the offer made by the Spanish company Gas Natural. Also, the privatization of the State Electricity Company, DEH, will move ahead, while the Greek Tourist Real Estate Ltd, ETA, privatization will materialize in November.

In addition, he assured that 97% of the resources provided by the 3rd Community Framework of Support is going to be absorbed.

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE BOMB ATTACKS

The government unequivocally condemns yesterday's bomb attacks, stressed government spokesman Christos Protopapas and pointed out that the responsible authorities are doing their job and proceed with the necessary actions.

On the information that the number of police officers assigned with the protection of public figures will be cut down, the government spokesman stated that the government's priority is the safety of the citizens without putting aside the issue of the safety of public figures.

He said that there is no such issue as the abolition of special police protection and requested that the government be left alone to find the golden mean, stressing that the government's top priority is the safety of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Responding to a relevant question, Mr. Protopapas stated that the Greek Police is reexamining the system adopted for the protection of public figures and will present its proposals to the government.

[08] KARAMANLIS VISITED THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT DEPUTY GIORGOS VOULGARAKIS

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy President Kostas Karamanlis visited the house of his Parliament Deputy Giorgos Voulgarakis in the region of Likavitos in Athens to be briefed by Mrs. Voulgarakis on the attack with explosive devices launched against their house at dawn today.

Mr. Voulgarakis is in Strasbourg and in the house during the attack was his wife Katerina with their four small children. Mrs. Voulgarakis told Mr. Karamanlis about the horrible experience she and her children had and their rescue by the firefighters.

[09] CHARGES FILED AGAINST GREEK TYCOON SOCRATES KOKKALIS

Greek tycoon Socrates Kokkalis has been indicted for fraud, forgery and money laundering by an Athens prosecutor.

A preliminary hearing was also held on the occasion of a lawsuit filed against the Intracom Chairman by the Russian National Institute of Sports.

According to the Russians, a company that belongs to Mr. Kokkalis received a total of 15 million dollars as a deposit for the operation of the lotto game in Russia. However, the company did not proceed with the installation of the network in the country.

[10] GAINS IN THE ASE

Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.86% at 2.019,76 points, while the volume of transactions was satisfactory at 110.5 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 205 recorded gains and 96 had losses, while the value of 82 stocks remained unchanged.

[11] DEADLY ACCIDENT IN CORFU

A deadly car accident took place shortly after midnight last night, on the country road of Karousades Rodes, in Corfu. Five people were killed, two Greeks and a British couple with their little girl, while another four people were seriously injured.

The bodies of Nectarios Anthis, Anastasia Pilou, Neil Jason, Haughton Jason, and Egan Jason were pulled from the wreck.

Theofilos Armenis, Andreas Pilos and Maria Pilou were taken to the Corfu hospital seriously injured. The 5-year-old boy of the Jason family was expediently taken to Athens.

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