Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-06-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] NEW DEMOCRACY: CLEAR VICTORY

[02] VICTORY OF THE CENTER-RIGHT IN EUROPE

[03] RECORD HIGH ABSTENTION

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[05] CONSULTATIONS ON ROMANO PRODI'S SUCCESSOR

[06] NIKOS KONSTANTOPOULOS WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR HIS PARTY'S

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON GIORGOS KARATZAFERIS

[08] DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNING PARTIES IN THE EU EXCEPT FROM GREECE AND SPAIN

[09] RECORD HIGH ABSTENTION

[10] TWENTY OF THE 24 EURO-DEPUTIES ARE ELECTED FOR THE FIRST TIME

[11] THE PRIME MINISTER PLEDGED TO HONOR THE CONTRACT WITH THE GREEK PEOPLE

[12] MEETING OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH WITH THE NEW METROPOLITES

[13] BIG UPSET IN CYPRUS

[14] DIALOGUE BETWEEN GREECE AND AUSTRALIA ON THE PENSIONS OF THE

[15] THE OLYMPIC FLAME AT THE STATUE OF CHRIST IN RIO

[01] NEW DEMOCRACY: CLEAR VICTORY

Governing party of New Democracy is the big winner of the June 13 Euro-elections, according to the final prediction based on which it is expected to get 42.6% of the vote and 10-11 Euro-Parliament seats.

PASOK's percentage is expected to be around 34.3% with 8-9 seats in the European Parliament, while the Communist Party will get around 9.5% and 2-3 seats.

Coalition of the Left is expected to get around 4.5% of the vote and 1 seat and LAOS will be around 4.2% also securing 1 seat in the European Parliament.

[02] VICTORY OF THE CENTER-RIGHT IN EUROPE

The center-right is expected to dominate again in the European Parliament, while the social-democrats will come second and the left will be further weakened.

The above were predicted by the Brussels-based Center for European Political Studies (CEPS) according to a research conducted in all the EU member-states.

Based on the research, the European People's Party is expected to get around 38%, while the European Socialists will be under 30%.

[03] RECORD HIGH ABSTENTION

The highest abstention rate in recent times, which is estimated at 35%-40% was recorded in today's Euro-elections as a large number of voters prefered to go for a swim instead of exercising their right to vote.

In Greece, as in all the EU countries, voters await for the official results to come out to find out if the parties they support will be represented in the European Parliament. The official results will be out at 11pm this evening across Europe.

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.64% at 2384.77 points, while the volume of transactions was very small at 62.6 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, only 60 had gains and 229 had losses, while the value of 97 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] CONSULTATIONS ON ROMANO PRODI'S SUCCESSOR

The issue concerning the individual who will replace Romano Prodi in the European Commission Presidency will be discussed, among others, in the EU Summit meeting in Brussels next Thursday and Friday, while consultations intensify in Europe on who will be his successor.

PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou commenting on information according to which, former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is one of the contenders for the European Commission Presidency, stated that PASOK has members with abilities recognized in Europe and if Mr. Simitis wants the position PASOK will support him.

Minister of Education Mrs. Marietta Giannakou stated to Sky that if Mr. Simitis had asked for the support of New Democracy on time he would have put the party to a hard place but he would have received its support. However, said Mrs. Giannakou, he never raised such an issue. She also pointed out that the majority in the European Parliament belongs to the center-right and therefore, the European Commission leadership will also come from the same political area.

[06] NIKOS KONSTANTOPOULOS WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR HIS PARTY'S PRESIDENCY

Coalition of the Left Party President Nikos Konstantopoulos announced that he does not intend to be a candidate again for his party's presidency in statements he made after the party Political Secretariat meeting.

Mr. Konstantopoulos clarified that his decision has nothing to do with information according to which, he will be a candidate for the Hellenic Republic Presidency and stated that he will remain an active party member. He also said that the messages sent have been received and evaluated. The Coalition of the Left has consolidated its position but it needs to further clarify its strategy, he stated characteristically.

The Political Secretariat has assessed the Euro-elections' result and decided on its further moves. The party Central Committee will meet in about two weeks to decide on the party congress date.

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON GIORGOS KARATZAFERIS

We have to respect the judgment of the Greek people, stated government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos when asked to comment on the representation of the party of LAOS in the European Parliament.

On the proposition made by LAOS President Giorgos Karatzaferis for a joint meeting of all the Greek Euro-deputies presided over by Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos, Mr. Rousopoulos stated that if the President decides to call such a meeting New Democracy will be present.

Mr. Rousopoulos also stated that there is no issue of cooperation between New Democracy and LAOS.

[08] DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNING PARTIES IN THE EU EXCEPT FROM GREECE AND SPAIN

Many governing parties suffered painful defeats in the European Parliament elections yesterday with the exception of Greece and Spain.

Another fact that marked the 2004 Euro-elections was the low voter participation, reaching just 44.2%, with abstention at 55.8%, the lowest since 1979.

The lowest participation rate was recorded in Slovakia, one of the new EU member-states, where only 16.6% of the electorate exercised their right to vote.

[09] RECORD HIGH ABSTENTION

The biggest abstention rate in recent times, almost 37%, was recorded in Greece based on the final results of the June 13 Euro-elections. Most of the voters preferred to go for a swim instead of exercising their right to vote.

Only 6,194,422 of the 9,807,067 registered voters exercised their right to vote. Based on the results, 6,035,483 ballots were valid and 74,607 (1.2%) were spoilt. The blank ballots were 84,332 (1.4%) and the abstention rate was at 36.84%.

[10] TWENTY OF THE 24 EURO-DEPUTIES ARE ELECTED FOR THE FIRST TIME

Twenty of the 24 Greek Euro-deputies are elected to the European Parliament for the first time given the fact that only 4, all of them from the governing party of New Democracy, have been part of the Euro-parliament before.

The number of women Euro-deputies has increased. In the previous Euro-elections, 4 of the 25 Greek Euro-deputies were women, while based on yesterday's results 7 of the 24 Euro-deputies are women.

The New Democracy re-elected Euro-deputies are Antonis Trakatellis, Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos, Kostis Hatzidakis, and Rodi Kratsa, while elected for the first time are Ioannis Varvitsiotis, Antonis Samaras, Yiannis Glavakis, Maria Kassiotou-Panagiotopoulou, Giorgos Papastamkos, Nikos Vakalis, Manolis Mavromatis.

PASOK's Euro-deputies are Mary Matsouka, Stavros Lambrinidis, Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, Stavros Arnaoutakis, Katerina Batzeli, Panos Beglitis, Evangelia Tzampazi, and Nikos Sifounakis.

The Euro-deputies of the Communist Party are Thanasis Pafilis, Giorgos Toussas and Diamanto Manolakou.

The Coalition of the Left Euro-deputy is Dimitris Papadimoulis and the LAOS Euro-deputy is Giorgos Karatzaferis.

[11] THE PRIME MINISTER PLEDGED TO HONOR THE CONTRACT WITH THE GREEK PEOPLE

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis pledged to respect the contract of honor reached with the Greek people in the March 7 state elections and characterized New Democracy's victory in the Euro-elections yesterday as a big and clear victory of trust as the government's course in the first three months of its term is evaluated in a positive way.

Mr. Karamanlis addressing the Greek people yesterday thanked them for their confidence in the government expressed through their vote, and pledged that he and his government will continue their work with greater determination.

The Prime Minister stressed that the government already meets the commitments it has undertaken and admitted that his government still has a lot of work to do.

[12] MEETING OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH WITH THE NEW METROPOLITES

The meeting of the three newly elected Metropolites of Thessaloniki, Eleftheroupolis and Kozani with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was held in a warm atmosphere at the Fener, Istanbul today.

After the meeting, Metropolite Chrisostomos of Eleftheroupolis spoke about the love with which the Ecumenical Patriarch embraces the new Metropolites.

The meeting was held at the initiative of the Metropolites of the so-called New Countries a few days before their enthronements that will take place consecutively on June 18, 19 and 20.

[13] BIG UPSET IN CYPRUS

The Democratic Alarm party of Nikos Anastasiadis in Cyprus is the winner in yesterday's Euro-elections overturning the predictions based on which, the winner was expected to be the party of AKEL.

The Democratic Alarm got 28.23% of the vote, AKEL 27.89%, DHKO 17.09%, the Coalition for Europe 10.80% and EDEK 10.79%.

Based on the final results, the Democratic Alarm party and AKEL will be represented with 2 Euro-deputies, while DHKO and the Coalition for Europe each elect one Euro-deputy.

[14] DIALOGUE BETWEEN GREECE AND AUSTRALIA ON THE PENSIONS OF THE GREEK-AUSTRALIANS

Athens and Canberra will resume the dialogue on the issue of the pensions before the end of the month, according to the Greek-Australian newspaper Nea Ellada.

Based on the newspaper report, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Protection Nikolaos Angelopoulos has sent a letter to his Australian counterpart requesting the resumption of dialogue within the month of June. Greek ambassador to Australia Mr. Fotis Xidas has confirmed the information.

Even though it is a pre-election period in Australia it is believed that the Howard government will respond positively to Athens' invitation given the fact that a promise by the Australian Prime Minister to the Greek-Australians is still pending according to which, he intended to give to them an agreement on the issue as gift on the occasion of the Olympic Games.

[15] THE OLYMPIC FLAME AT THE STATUE OF CHRIST IN RIO

The Olympic Flame will be lit today under the postcard-famous statue of Christ, which towers over the city of Rio, and then the Greek delegation will leave for the City of Mexico, the next stop of the International Torch Relay.

Pele could not hold back his tears as he raised the Olympic Torch in Rio's Maracana Stadium. As Pele himself explained, his emotion was the result of his sorrow for not having been able to participate in any Olympic Games event, as he turned pro at the age of 16. However, he would like to come to Athens in August and hopes to make it.

At the official welcome ceremony for the Flame, the Brazilian football legend emerged in front of the spectators out of a bouquet of some 1,000 children forming the Olympic rings, at the center of Maracana Stadium. Early in the morning of what was for Rio a wintry Sunday, Pele, wearing the ATHENS 2004 Torchbearer uniform, opened the procession of the Olympic Flame through the streets and beaches of Rio.

The Greek delegation arrived in the city at dawn, and the Brazilians welcomed it with honors reserved for Heads of State. As soon as Zeus, the plane carrying the Olympic Flame, entered Brazil's airspace, it was met by three Air Force fighters, which acted as its escorts. The plane landed at a military base rather than in Rio's civilian airport, and a little later the welcome ceremony began in the vast and impressive Maracana Stadium. The Olympic Flame was brought to the stadium in an army helicopter, carried by ATHENS 2004 Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Marton Simitsek, and by Theodoros Angelopoulos, who represented the ATHENS 2004 President. After the playing of national anthems, Brazilian Olympic Committee President, Carlos Nuzman, handed the lit Torch to Pele. Our cooperation with Athens is ongoing and productive. We are standing by you, and I express my certainty that Athens will hold one of the best Olympic events of all times, said Mr. Carlos Nuzman. Later, in his official speech Mr. Simitsek stressed, Brazil is a great country, has infrastructures and possibilities and therefore, has the right to bid for and undertake the Olympic Games. 

The progress of the Olympic Flame through the streets of Rio was full of Brazilian colors and customs. A big percussion band was leading the procession, which crossed the city's central locations, while a brightly colored crowd participated in the various events. This Torch Relay took place to the sound of samba, and, when the Flame crossed the Sambadrome, the carnival's parade grounds, two Samba Schools presented dances prepared especially for the occasion. The arrival of the Olympic Flame was run as a top news item in news broadcasts, while Brazil's national sports channel adapted its logo (which depicts a torch) and broadcast extensive detailed coverage of the Torch Relay. Airplanes flew in show formations over the city, while several Brazilians chose to appear dressed as ancient Greeks. The multicolored procession ended at a massive pop concert with thousands of people. Ronaldo, the Real Madrid famous football player, entered the concert area carrying the Torch to the frantic cheering of the spectators.

Other famous sports names selected to hold the Olympic Torch at Rio's central locations were football superstar Zico, coach Mario Zagallo, and Oscar Schmidt, the Brazilian basketball legend.

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