Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-01-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] TRACTORS ARE LINED UP ALONG THE NATIONAL MOTORWAYS

[02] CONTACTS ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE IN ATHENS

[03] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE HOLOCAUST

[04] BULGARIA'S EVROBANK BUYOUT BY THE BANK OF PIRAEUS

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] THE BRIEFING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESS IN THE DEFENSE MINISTRY

[07] THE SECOND ERT AUCTION FOR THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS COLLECTED OVER 400,000

[08] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT BELGIUM

[01] TRACTORS ARE LINED UP ALONG THE NATIONAL MOTORWAYS

The cotton producers' tractors are lined up along the national motorways without blocking traffic within the framework of their mobilizations demanding subsidies for their production.

The Prime Minister's office made no comment on the resignation submitted by governing party of New Democracy deputy elected in the Larisa district Maximos Charachopoulos, agricultural development sector deputy head.

Minister of Agricultural Development Evangelos Basiakos forwarded the proposals tabled by the farmers' representatives to the state legal council expressing the view that they do not comply with European legislation.

According to information, the Larisa farmers have called on the Minister of Agricultural Development to exploit two community regulations aiming at boosting their income.

Main opposition Socialist Party of PASOK supports the farmers' mobilizations but it is not in favor of extreme forms of mobilizations that bring the farmers up against other vocational classes, stated PASOK president Giorgos Papandreou.

President of the Larisa Farmers' Partnerships Mr. Kokkinoulis stated that he is against blocking traffic in national motorways.

[02] CONTACTS ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE IN ATHENS

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, who is on a two-day working visit to Athens, will discuss developments in the Cyprus issue in view of the likelihood of a new UN initiative.

Mr. Papadopoulos will have meetings with the opposition party leaders while he will also meet with Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will undertake a new initiative on Cyprus when it will be clear that a settlement is likely, stated EU High Representative Javier Solana in Brussels yesterday. Mr. Solana stated that Mr. Annan himself gave him this answer when they discussed the issue.

[03] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE HOLOCAUST

The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement yesterday on the occasion of the 28th Special Session of the UN General Assembly for the Commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of the Nazi Concentration Camps.

The United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Anan, in a relevant announcement, laid great importance on this anniversary, because the UN was founded in a time during which the horror of the concentration camps was made publicly known.

The Holocaust is a nightmarish page in the history of humanity and has been engraved indelibly in our historical memory.

Greece, faithful to the principle of respect for human rights - the most important of which being the right to life and human dignity - and the need for peaceful co-existence of peoples, considers this session of the General Assembly to be of particular importance.

The United Nations Organization should continue working intensively and effectively not only to avoid the repetition of similar phenomena that stigmatize history and the progress of humanity, but for the effective confrontation of the causes that could provoke them.

Greece, in its capacity as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, is making every effort to consolidate peace between nations, the respect of human rights and the principle of tolerance of diversity.

[04] BULGARIA'S EVROBANK BUYOUT BY THE BANK OF PIRAEUS

The Bank of Piraeus Group has signed an agreement with Petrol Holding A.D. for the buyout of 99.7% of the share capital of the Bulgarian bank Evrobank.

This move by the Bank of Piraeus is placed within the framework of its expansion to the southeastern European markets and the further strengthening of its international activities, while according to a statement made by the economic director of Petrol Holding to Reuters, the price was between 40 and 50 million euros.

According to a statement issued by the Bank of Piraeus, Evrobank has a 10-year presence in the Bulgarian banking market with 48 units, 30 branches and 18 safe-deposits.

Through the buyout, the Bank of Piraeus Group strengthens its presence in Bulgaria by creating a wide network of 61 units in 28 cities.

For the record, the Bank of Piraeus has engaged in notable banking activities in Romania and Albania as well with a total network of 98 branches.

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.09% at 2944.33 points, while the volume of transactions was notably increased at 213,0 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 230 had gains and 73 had losses, while the value of 118 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE BRIEFING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESS IN THE DEFENSE MINISTRY

The government approves the model of the briefing of the press in effect in the Ministries of Defense of the EU countries, responded acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros when asked if the government agrees with the measures adopted by the political leadership of the Ministry of Defense concerning the briefing of the accredited journalists.

Mr. Antonaros pointed out that it is self-evident that journalists should be facilitated in their work and cited a proposal made on January 14 by Minister of State Thodoris Rousopoulos in the meeting he had with the Board of Directors of the Athens Journalists' Association, a proposal that aims at contributing to a model of information like the one in effect in the Ministries of Defense of the European Union.

Mr. Antonaros expressed the wish that in their meeting the two sides, the Board of Directors of the Athens Journalists' Association and the Ministry of Defense, will be able to find common ground.

[07] THE SECOND ERT AUCTION FOR THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS COLLECTED OVER 400,000 EUROS

The people's response to the second solidarity auction organized by the Greek state-run radio and television network ERT in support of the tsunami victims in southeastern Asia was impressive.

The 46 objects offered by people of the arts, sports and politics brought a total of 404,900 euros. The sum will be added to the 873,000 euros collected during the first auction.

The largest sums offered in the solidarity auction were: 50,000 euros for the Euro 2004 collectibles, 40,000 euros for the Mirage 2000 Greek Air Force jet gear, 31,500 euros for the only platinum music record of the rock group Pink Floyd, 31,000 euros for a 1960s military jeep, 23,000 euros for the Mont Blanc pen of the Olympic Truce and 22,000 euros for the basketball suit Nikos Galis wore in the 1987 Eurobasket final.

The solidarity events organized by ERT will be completed with a music concert held at the Athens Olympic Stadium tomorrow with the participation of 50 Greek artists.

[08] PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS WILL VISIT BELGIUM

Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos will meet with representatives of the Greek community in Belgium within the framework of his formal visit to the country on February 1-3.

According to Mr. Stepanopoulos' schedule, the meeting will take place at the Greek ambassador's residence in Brussels on February 2.

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