Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-10-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] SECURITY MOVEMENT

[02] SIMITIS FOR CONSOLIDATION AND STRUGGLE

[03] INVESTIGATION ON INCIDENTS

[04] PROBABLY JUST ANOTHER SARS SCARE

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[06] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE CANCELLATION OF SCHEDULED AIR-NAVAL

[07] INVESTIGATION INTO POLICE PROTEST INCIDENTS

[08] PASOK NEEDS CONFIDENCE

[09] SIMITIS AT OLYMPIC WEIGHT LIFTING CENTER

[10] TRAFFIC JAMS IN ATHENS DUE TO RALLIES

[11] GIANNITSIS MET WITH BULGARIA'S EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER

[12] DIAMANTOPOULOU: UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH BUT THE SITUATION IS IMPROVING

[01] SECURITY MOVEMENT

The cancellation of the Barbarosa and the Bull training exercises carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces in the Aegean and of the Victorious and Archer of the Greek Armed Forces, were announced after the meeting of the two countries' foreign Ministers Am. Gul and G. Papandreou in Attalia. Mr. Papandreou made mention of a significant gesture of peace and security.

[02] SIMITIS FOR CONSOLIDATION AND STRUGGLE

The immediate mobilization of PASOK members and officials in view of the upcoming elections, for another victory, was asked for by Prime Minister and President of PASOK Costas Simitis, from the podium of the party's National Council. He asked the officials to promote the government's work in their tours and expeditiousness in the governmental works regarding the materialization of commitments that the government has undertaken in the elections, with the social measures recently announced at the head of the spear. Now is the time for struggling and consolidation, said Mr. Simitis.

[03] INVESTIGATION ON INCIDENTS

Prime Minister Costas Simitis ordered the immediate investigation of the incidents that occurred between Special Forces of the police and protesting officers in Syntagma Square, outside the Ministry of Finance, in the early morning hours. Harsh confrontations in Parliament. Protesting officers are still in Syntagma Square, and are asking for a meeting with the Minister of Finannce, Nikos Christodoulakis.

[04] PROBABLY JUST ANOTHER SARS SCARE

Doctors examining the 38-year-old Chinese weatherman hospitalized at the General Air Force Hospital in quarantine, have concluded that that he is probably suffering from a form of pneumonia, and not SARS, even though the symptoms are the same, although he is not running a fever. The results of the molecular examination will be announced this afternoon.

[05] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.58% at 2.108,62 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 106.7 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 110 recorded gains and 204 had losses, while the value of 69 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE CANCELLATION OF SCHEDULED AIR-NAVAL EXERCISES

Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou had said that the exercise Nikiforos-Toxotis was being planned and there was no need for a change. Now, there is an agreement between Greece and Turkey through the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, who agreed that the two military exercises one by the Greek and Cypriot side and one by the Turkish side should be cancelled simultaneously for peace to be consolidated.

The clarifications were made today by Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas when asked to comment on whether there is a difference of opinion between Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou. Mr. Protopapas added that the Cypriot government had also agreed on this prospect.

[07] INVESTIGATION INTO POLICE PROTEST INCIDENTS

A sworn administrative investigation was ordered by the Chief of Police, in order to ascertain whether there were crimes committed and under what circumstances the incidents during the Security Bodies' protest in Syntagma Square took place. The information that the DA called on the enactment of '71 in his intervention to free the Ministry of Finance from the protesting policemen. He called on article 11 of the Constitution and Presidential Enactment 141/91, stated Government Spokesperson Christos Protopapas.

[08] PASOK NEEDS CONFIDENCE

PASOK members and officials must first themselves believe and then convince the people that the Movement is the party that can lead Greece beyond 2004, stressed Prime Minister Costas Simitis, in closing the two-day works of the Party's National Council. Nothing has been predetermined at this point and all possibilities are open for PASOK, which holds the result, he said in reference to the upcoming elections, while he accused ND of chasing after standpatter intervention of the state, and the reinstitution of a harsh right wing establishment.

[09] SIMITIS AT OLYMPIC WEIGHT LIFTING CENTER

The competed Olympic Weight Lifting Center in Nikea, Athens, was visited by Prime Minister Costas Simitis today, where he was greeted by Minister of Culture Evaggelos Venizelos, President of the Athens 2004 Olympic Organizing Committee Gianna Aggelopoulou, and other government and local government officials.

The Prime Minister took a tour of the facilities (the training rooms, the contest area, the athletes' guest rooms, etc.) and then made statements to the press, in which he stressed that when he visited the construction site a year before, the project was half built, and that it is complete today, according to the time schedule and at no extra cost. He underlined that this is the reality with all Olympic works under construction, and there are no delays or overstepping of costs. We are moving in the right direction and will hold complete and safe Olympics.

Mr. Simitis also pointed out that the Nikea Weight Lifting Center, as many other Olympic works, has a purpose to serve, but will also be a site for other activities after the Olympics are over.

The Olympics have an after. A very important after. Because they are the starting point for a very significant boost to our development, he stated.

[10] TRAFFIC JAMS IN ATHENS DUE TO RALLIES

Traffic jams have been caused in downtown Athens from the protest rallies of employees in the Security Bodies and the National Statistics Service. All streets around Sytnagma Square are still closed, and vehicles are moving with great difficulty in the capital, despite the great efforts of the traffic policemen.

Policemen, firemen and coast guard officers will continue their protest till after 1pm in Syntagma Square, outside the Ministry of Finance, in the presence of a large number of Police Special Forces units. According to the union members, the administrative council of the Federation will meet and decide on the future of the mobilizations.

Shortly before noon, the protest march of the National Statistics Service employees arrived at Syntagma, as part of their 5-day strike and were greeted by the uniformed protesters. The employees delivered a resolution to the Ministry and according the unionists, they were not granted their request to meet with the Minister.

[11] GIANNITSIS MET WITH BULGARIA'S EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER

Bulgaria's course to the European Union and the work of the Greek EU Presidency toward this direction were discussed in the meeting Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Tasos Giannitsis had in Bulgaria today with Bulgaria's European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva.

Mr. Giannitsis expressed Greece's support to Bulgaria's European Course and pointed out that relations between Greece and Bulgaria develop quickly in all sectors.

On her part, Mrs. Kuneva honored Mr. Giannitsis for his contribution to Bulgaria's accession course during the Greek EU Presidency.

[12] DIAMANTOPOULOU: UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH BUT THE SITUATION IS IMPROVING

Greek European Commissioner Mrs. Anna Diamantopoulou responding to Greek party Coalition of the Left Euro-deputy Mr. Alavanos stated that unemployment in Greece continues to be high but the situation is gradually improving.

Mrs. Diamantopoulou presented figures that prove the progress made in the sector of employment but points out that the increase in the employment rates, aimed at meeting the Lisbon targets, constitutes a major challenge for Greece given the low increase percentages recorded.

Mrs. Diamantopoulou stressed that the recent increase in the employment rates is due to the recovery of rural employment, the significant increase in the sector of constructions (a fact associated with the preparation of infrastructures for the Olympic Games of 2004) and the speedy development of business services and real estate sectors.

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