Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-11-11

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] FLORIDIS: SPIEGEL PUBLICATION BEYOND ANY REALITY

[02] CHALKI CONNECTED TO TURKEY'S EU PROSPECTS

[03] OLD PROBLEMS FOR THE NEW COMPANY

[04] A SIMPLER TAX-SYSTEM

[05] THE DEFENSE MINISTERS OF GREECE AND ROMANIA SEE IMPROVEMENT OF THE

[06] KONSTANTINOS MITSOTAKIS WILL LEAVE THE HOSPITAL SOON

[07] LOVERDOS ON THE "SPIEGEL" PRESS REPORT

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[09] PROTOPAPAS ON THE SPIEGEL PRESS REPORT

[10] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE SUPPORTS ROMANIA'S EU ACCESSION INTO THE

[11] DECISION IN FANARI

[01] FLORIDIS: SPIEGEL PUBLICATION BEYOND ANY REALITY

Minister of Public Order Giorgos Floridis, referring to the publications of the Spiegel magazine, which claimed that Albanian extremists are preparing an armed uprising in Northern Greece during the Athens Olympics, stated that: At times we read various publications from all over the world. I think that these are evaluated. On the specific publication, I have to tell you that it is beyond any reality.

[02] CHALKI CONNECTED TO TURKEY'S EU PROSPECTS

The reopening of the Chalki Theology School is not part of Greek_Turkish bilateral relations, but it is related to Turkey's accessional course towards the EU, stressed Minister of Education Petros Efthymiou, who had had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hussein Tselik, in the framework of the 21st Meeting of the Standing Convention of European Ministers of Educations of the Council of Europe, which was held in Athens.

Mr. Efthymiou stressed the above when asked to comment on Mr. Tsalik's comments connecting the reopening of the School to minorities in Thrace.

Furthermore, he stressed that during the meeting Mr. Tselik raised the issue of the School's functioning, stating that it has been closed for 32 years, and it is not the Turkish government's intention to keep it closed.

The Minister of Education pointed out to Mr. Tselik that his statements are especially positive, but, as he said to the journalists, he stressed that the reopening of the Chalki School is connected to Turkey's accessional prospects and the respect of educational liberties.

[03] OLD PROBLEMS FOR THE NEW COMPANY

Their decision not to participate in the new Olympic Airways, but to stand by the old company, in the form it had prior to vote on the related regulation, was made known by the members of the Union of Flight Attendants, in a letter they sent to the Ministry of Communication and Transportations. The 260 flight attendants that were prematurely retired, created a union, supporting that they were led to a violent departure from the company.

[04] A SIMPLER TAX-SYSTEM

A point-system to make the tax audits for businesses more objective and other measures of developmental and social policy, were foreseen by the tax draft published yesterday. It also foresaw a drop of the tax index to 25% for companies carrying out investments of more than 30 million euro, the formation of special committees for the resolving of tax differences, simplifications in the procedure of real estate transfer, provisions for the housing benefits to university students studying in cities away from their permanent residences, benefits for children whose parents are unemployed and the cancellation of tokens for passenger vehicles.

[05] THE DEFENSE MINISTERS OF GREECE AND ROMANIA SEE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITUATION IN THE BALKANS

The Defense Ministers of Greece and Romania, Yiannos Papantoniou and Ioan Mircea Pascu, came to the conclusion during their meeting in Bucharest today, that the situation in the Balkans is improving but there are regions like FYROM, Kosovo and Bosnia where problems continue.

Mr. Papantoniou stated characteristically that nationalist tensions and other sources of instability are in a latent state and they can lead again to explosions of violence. Therefore, it would have been useful if the international community remained present in the region through international missions.

The two Defense Ministers also discussed the Cyprus issue on which it was pointed out that there is a need for the problem to be solved based on international law and the UN secretary-general plan.

A protocol of cooperation was signed within the framework of the meeting, defining bilateral military cooperation based on the priorities set by the armed forces of the two countries.

[06] KONSTANTINOS MITSOTAKIS WILL LEAVE THE HOSPITAL SOON

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy honorary president Konstantinos Mitsotakis is expected to leave Evangelismos Hospital in Athens tomorrow or the day after as his health improves steadily.

According to his doctor, professor Sotiris Raptis, Mr. Mitsotakis is in good state and the dehydration he was suffering from has been treated.

Mr. Mitsotakis was hospitalized yesterday with dehydration symptoms as a result of a viral gastroenteritis.

[07] LOVERDOS ON THE "SPIEGEL" PRESS REPORT

The view that the closer we get to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games the more press reports like the one on Spiegel will be published, was expressed by Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos when he was asked to comment on the German magazine Spiegel report concerning a scenario on an armed provocation by Albanian extremists in northern Greece.

We will see more of them, stated to Athens' radio station Flash and added that such press reports should become marginalized to acquire the dimensions they deserve.

[08] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.91% at 2.173,19 points, while the volume of transactions was at 101,9 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 276 recorded losses and 45 had gains, while the value of 68 stocks remained unchanged.

[09] PROTOPAPAS ON THE SPIEGEL PRESS REPORT

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas denied the information carried by the German magazine Spiegel according to which, there is a likelihood of an Albanian provocation in northern Greece.

Such claims do not correspond to reality, stated the government spokesman.

[10] PAPANTONIOU: GREECE SUPPORTS ROMANIA'S EU ACCESSION INTO THE EURO-ATLANTIC STRUCTURES

Greece's support to the efforts made by Romania for its accession into the Euro-Atlantic structures was reiterated by Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou after the meeting he had in Bucharest today with Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana.

Greece, said Mr. Papantoniou, backs Romania's goal to complete negotiations in 2004 and become an EU member in 2007 and makes every possible effort in all fronts, the EU and elsewhere, to assist it in the effort to meet this goal.

Mr. Papantoniou and Mr. Geoana also discussed the European Policy on Security and Defense.

The two government ministers discussed issues concerning the international political scene such as, Iraq and Afghanistan and the latest developments in the Cyprus issue.

Specifically on Cyprus, Mr. Papantoniou stated that in spite of the improvement in the political climate with Turkey no solution has been reached, not even a progress has been made in major issues such as, the Cyprus tragedy and Turkey's unilateral claims targeting Greece's sovereign rights in the Aegean. He also added that Turkey's determination to contribute in a positive manner toward the solution of these problems is going to be tested in 2004.

[11] DECISION IN FANARI

The Standing Holy Synod will decide today on delegation of hierarchs to take the Holy Synod's recent decision on the crisis between the two sides to the Ecumenical Patriarch. The Ecunical Patriarchate will respond after the official communication of the decision, while yesterday, Mr. Vartholomeos received the Metropolites of Ioannina and Kavala, who had left the recent Hierarchy meeting in protest. However, the Patriarch and Archbishop may meet in Thessaloniki, at the SAE meeting, in the beginning of December, after the invitation they received recently.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article