Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEW CONFIDENCE

[02] SIX NUMBERS WORTH 9 MILLION EURO

[03] KARAMANLIS AGAINST CORRUPTION

[04] ELECTORAL RETURNS

[05] COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT

[06] KARAMANLIS PROPOSES PRE-ELECTION FRAMEWORK

[07] GREEK MINISTER IN NICOSIA

[01] NEW CONFIDENCE

Greeks must have confidence because they are changing Greece themselves, said Prime Minister C. Simitis at the inauguration of the new Evaggelismos-Leptocarya railway line, which includes 10 km tunnels at Tempi and Platamonas. The new track, which is 36km long, is two-way, with traffic lights, electromotion infrastructure, and has been constructed according to the latest technology, allowing for speeds of up to 250 km/h, which results in the significant drop of the time necessary to travel from Athens to Thessaloniki, decreasing it to 4.5 hours.

[02] SIX NUMBERS WORTH 9 MILLION EURO

All of Greece is dancing to the Joker's beat, as the consecutive jackpots will pay a total of 9 million euro to the lucky winners. OPAP has given an extension on the deadline to turn in coupons till 19:30 today, as the queues that have formed outside the betting agencies are unprecedented. The numbers for the Joker will be drawn tonight at 22:00.

[03] KARAMANLIS AGAINST CORRUPTION

Immediately following the elections we will disband this state of corruption and we will change the laws of shady dealings, with the very first law being that of the mathematic formula for public works, stressed President of New Democracy Costas Karamanlis, addressing his party's parliamentary team. The new President of PASOK cannot remain silent, said Mr. Karamanlis, whose review of the outcome of his tours was that citizens want a change in policy. That which is the same cannot bring something different said Mr. Karamanlis.

[04] ELECTORAL RETURNS

Officials who lost their positions in PASOK for various reasons will be reincorporated to the party, after the changes that brought G. Papandreou to the leadership of the party. Specifically, former Minister of Health Alekos Papadopoulos and former Minister of Culture Stavros Benos will run in the elections with PASOK in the Athens II electoral district, while in ND, former Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos will be returning to Athens I.

[05] COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT

The proposal of party President Nikos Constantopoulos, for participation of the Coalition of the Left in the broad electoral collaboration with other Left powers under the title of Coalition of the Radical Left Unitive Ballot, was approved by the broad majority of the Coalition's Central Political Committee. Participants in the cooperation are the Renewing Communist Ecologic Left (AKOA), the International Workers' Left (DEA), the Active Citizens, and the Movement for Unity in Action of the Left (KEDA).

[06] KARAMANLIS PROPOSES PRE-ELECTION FRAMEWORK

A letter to party leaders asking for five conditions to be put in place for the pre-election period was sent by President of ND Costas Karmanalis. Among other things he proposes the full neutralization of the state and a public dialogue on the essence of the issues. Immediately following the elections we will disband this state of corruption and we will change the laws of shady dealings, with the very first law being that of the mathematic formula for public works, stressed Mr. Costas Karmanlis, addressing his party's parliamentary team.

[07] GREEK MINISTER IN NICOSIA

Wise and prudent handling is necessary from now until May if we are to reach Cyprus' accession to the EU unharmed and utilize, if we do not manage to have a solution prior to the accession, our presence in the EU, so as to have a viable and functional solution for the Cyprus issue, which will be in the best interest of all Cypriots, regardless of their national background or religion, underlined alternate President of the Cypriot Parliament Vasos Lyssaridis.

In statements to the press immediately following his meeting with Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Harris Castanidis, he expressed his fears on Turkey's tactical movements in the immediate future.

He was concerned with developments in the occupied territories on the northern part of the island, the formation of the government, as well as the position of Mehmet Ali Talat who does not practice what he preached, he said while he stressed the need for proper informing of the European public opinion on what a just and functional solution of the Cyprus issue really means.

He characterized the intervention of US President George Bush with his letters to Mr. Simitis, Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Papadopoulos insulting towards Cypriots and towards the truth and he considered that the common path of Greece and Cyprus and the common view strengthens the joint struggle.

The Minister of Macedonia-Thrace noted that patience and resilience in time, intelligent tactics and the utilization of international facts and relations can boost things towards good developments in 2004.

In fact, he added that is the year of Cyprus, because it is joining the European family and he expressed his hope that a little more wisdom and respect to international institutions, international legality and the principles of international law is left in the other side, so that it can help in finding a final just solution for the Cyprus issue.

Apart from his meeting with Mr. Lyssaridis, Mr. Castanidis also met with PASOK organizations in Cyprus where he discerned a feeling of optimism during the meetings he had with members of the Prefecture Committee of Nicosia of the party yesterday afternoon.

The PASOK officials pointed out that the decisions of Prime Minister Costas Simitis and the candidacy of Giorgos Papandreou for the leadership of the party have created new momentum, which in turn has given hope for a new victory in the March 7 elections.

The Minister also met with repatriated Greeks from the former USSR living in the regions of Nicosia, Pafos, and Limassol. There are approximately 10,000-12,000 repatriated Greeks in Cyprus, of who approximately 6000 have the right to vote in the elections. Mr. Castanidis discussed their problems with them and committed to financially support the Nicosia Youth Center.

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