Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] STARTING POINT OF A NEW BEGINNING

[02] ALL-PARTY COMMITTEE ON THE DOPING ISSUE

[03] THE PRESIDENT OF SEGAS TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

[04] THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT THESSALONIKI

[05] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] POST-OLYMPIC GAMES OPPORTUNITY FOR GREECE

[07] UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF TELEVISION VIEWERS WATCHED THE ATHENS OLYMPIC

[08] US STATE DEPARTMENT CONGRATULATIONS TO GREECE

[09] THE PRESIDENT OF SEGAS TESTIFIES BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

[01] STARTING POINT OF A NEW BEGINNING

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in a televised message yesterday characterized the Olympic Games in Athens as a starting point of a new beginning for Greece.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that Greece surprised the whole world and proved that it can make steps forward. He congratulated the Greek citizens and the Greek athletes as well as the athletes from all over the world, the IOC people and the people of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, the volunteers, the workers, the creators, the technocrats and the literary people who contributed to the effort to organize perfect games.

Mr. Karamanlis pointed out that the whispers of concern and doubt that were heard from different sides were replaced by voices recognizing the tremendous success of the efforts made by Greece. He underlined that the success of the national effort gave great satisfaction and pride to the Greek people and expressed the belief that the Paralympic Games will be equally successful.

He congratulated the people working in mass transportation, public services and the responsible government ministries, while he also thanked the previous government of Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and the local administration for their contribution.

[02] ALL-PARTY COMMITTEE ON THE DOPING ISSUE

The government suggests the establishment of an all-party committee in Parliament to deal with the issue of doping in sports, stated Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos after the governmental committee meeting held today under Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to discuss the draft law on the violence by football fans, the sports law and the financial affairs of the professional football clubs.

Mr. Rousopoulos also mentioned that the National Council Against Doping was formed in the summer of 2003 but it was never activated and pointed out that the government of New Democracy issued a ministerial decision prepared by Minister of Health Kaklamanis and Deputy Minister of Sports Orphanos that includes all banned substances.

He also announced that the government will undertake actions for the strict control of health clubs and sports clubs, as well as sports federations, concerning the distribution and use of banned substances.

Mr. Rousopoulos also reiterated that the issue of doping is a major international problem with deep roots and in order to deal with it society and all political and social forces have to become sensitized and launch a coordinated action with international officials.

[03] THE PRESIDENT OF SEGAS TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association, SEGAS, President Vasilis Sevastis stated that he told the prosecutor everything he knows on the Kenteris-Thanou case.

Called to comment on what IOC President Jacques Rogge has said about him, Mr. Sevastis responded that he believes that Mr. Rogge has now been informed that they had met, adding that he expects an apology from him.

[04] THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT THESSALONIKI

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to arrive in Ouranoupolis, in Chalkidiki northern Greece on board a Russian military aircraft on Friday and immediately will depart by boat for the monastic community of Mount Athos. On the next day, he will visit the Monasteries of Megisti Lavra and Panteleimonos and attend a holy liturgy in the church of Protatou in Karies.

On Sunday, Mr. Putin will meet in Thessaloniki with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and they will discuss the Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue, Russia's relations with the EU and the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline.

Deputy Foreign Ministers Skandalakis and Stilianidis will accompany the Prime Minister.

[05] SMALL GAINS IN THE ASE

Small gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.25% at 2314.26 points, while the volume of transaction was small at 74 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 107 had gains and 174 had losses, while the value of 122 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] POST-OLYMPIC GAMES OPPORTUNITY FOR GREECE

A persistent, systematic and coordinated effort is necessary at this point to capitalize on the huge advantage offered by Greece's promotion across the planet as a result of the totally successful Olympic Games in Athens, points out Athens newspaper Kathimerini in its front page article.

It mentions that congratulations, praises and thanks come from everywhere and this is the atmosphere dominating in the international mass media regarding the way the Athens Olympic Games were organized.

However, the essence of the gain expected from the Olympic Games is the rebirth of Greece as a tourist destination through the promotion of the country's modern face to billions of television viewers and hundreds of millions of newspaper readers.

The games may be over but from now on, and for many months and years to come, writes Kathimerini, persistent, systematic and coordinated effort is necessary to capitalize on the huge advantage offered by Greece's promotion across the planet and the Greeks must do everything to exploit this unique opportunity.

[07] UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF TELEVISION VIEWERS WATCHED THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES

Initial calculations show that an unprecedented number of television viewers watched the Olympic Games in Athens, exceeding the number of television viewers who watched the Olympic Games in Sydney which were regarded as the most successful.

According to the Athens newspaper Kathimerini, even though the comparisons and analyses become complicated due to the seven different time zones it appears that the number of people in the major European and north American markets, who watched the Athens Olympic Games on television, is larger compared to Sydney.

In Germany, the average television viewing in the first week of the games was double compared to the same period in Sydney's Olympic Games, according to Initiative company. Also, ratings in Britain have showed that television viewing was increased by over 50%.

In the United States, the NBC television network announced that the highlights of the first 11 days of the games, aired on prime time, were watched by 15.8% of the television viewers, compared to 14.5% when the games were held in Sydney.

[08] US STATE DEPARTMENT CONGRATULATIONS TO GREECE

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher congratulated Greece on behalf of the US administration for the successful and safe Olympic Games it has organized.

Mr. Boucher pointed out that in spite of the intense doubts expressed by many journalists during the past few months and the constant references they made on disasters that were likely to happen in the US embassy, bomb explosions or cancellations due to security problems it was finally confirmed that the Greeks were able to host safe and successful games, a view expressed throughout this time by the US administration.

The US State Department spokesman also reiterated that the postponement of the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell to Athens was decided because of the workload he had to attend to personally in Washington during the weekend of the Olympic Games' closing ceremony, which he characterized as a spectacular end of a very successful international sports event.

[09] THE PRESIDENT OF SEGAS TESTIFIES BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association, SEGAS, President Vasilis Sevastis and deputy leader of the Greek Olympic Team Manolis Kolibadis testify before a prosecutor today on issues concerning the Kenteris-Thanou anti-doping violation case.

According to the NET television channel, the two sports officials most likely will be examined face to face to respond to questions raised after the testimony given yesterday by Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris.

Kenteris told the prosecutor yesterday that nobody had informed him that he had to undergo a drug test and thanked the people for their support. He also expressed the wish to return to the track and field but clarified that he does not know when this will happen.

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