Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-02-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE CHURCH CRISIS CONTINUES

[02] MBEKI: GREECE IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE EU

[03] ND LEADS IN AN OPINION POLL

[04] THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER ON A TWO-DAY TOUR OF BALKAN CITIES

[05] THE CRISIS IN THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH DEEPENS

[06] THE GOVERNMENT BACKS THE EFFORTS FOR THE CHURCH CLEANUP

[07] VASILAKIS: CONCERN ABOUT THE GAP SEPARATING ALBANIANS AND SERBS IN

[01] THE CHURCH CRISIS CONTINUES

The official stance of Patriarch Ireneaus of Jerusalem will clarify what was the status of the presence of Apostolos Vavilis and Yiannis Triantafillakis in Jerusalem.

The Patriarchate's legal adviser Alexis Kougias stated last night on behalf of Patriarch Ireneaus that the statement of Metropolite of Nazareth according to which the two were sent to the Patriarchate by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece is not a formal one.

Minister of Education and Religion Marietta Giannakou stated that the government is not raising the issue of the Archbishop's resignation commenting on calls for the resignation of the Archbishop.

The Archbishop stated late last night that the Church is uncompromising in the implementation of the Hierarchy decisions while his close associates attributed the crisis to a well-orchestrated plan that was prepared a long time ago by foreign secret services and politicians.

Meanwhile, there are persistent rumors on an imminent resignation of a close associate of the Archbishop.

Patriarch Ireneaus of Jerusalem had meetings with the Arabs of the Patriarchate.

[02] MBEKI: GREECE IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE EU

Greece's major advantage is that we feel that it represents us every time a European Union body convenes because we know that among its priorities are issues concerning the African continent, stated South African President Thabo Mbeki after the meeting he had with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis who characterized him as a worthy successor of Nelson Mandela.

Europe must help Africa to achieve economic growth and keep its people from emigrating in Europe, stated Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos after the meeting he had yesterday with Mr. Mbeki, who is on a formal visit to Greece.

[03] ND LEADS IN AN OPINION POLL

Ruling party of New Democracy leads over main opposition Socialist Party of PASOK with 4 percentage points, while Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis enjoys a clear lead based on the responses to the question who is more fit for the post of the Prime Minister, according to an opinion poll conducted by the Metron Analysis polling company.

New Democracy has the support of 37.9% of the people who responded to the questionnaire, PASOK 33.9%, the Communist Party 6.6%, Coalition 3.7% and LAOS 2.9%.

Regarding the question on who is more fit for the post of the Prime Minister, the distance between Mr. Karamanlis and PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou is at 12.7 percentage points in favor of Mr. Karamanlis (42.5% and 29.8%).

A positive view about Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece have 41.7% of the people asked compared to last October when his popularity was at 65.5%.

[04] THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER ON A TWO-DAY TOUR OF BALKAN CITIES

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis will be on a two-day tour of Balkan cities on March 2 and 3.

During his visit to Zagreb, Belgrade and Pristina he will discuss bilateral relations and developments in the region in the light of the talks held recently in NATO and the EU.

In Brussels, Mr. Karamanlis had referred to the need for stability in the Balkans, stressing the need for necessary preconditions that will lead to the region's economic development. He had characterized the situation in Kosovo as temporary and had pointed out that a situation that could lead again to destabilization cannot be tolerated.

First stop of the Prime Minister's Balkan tour will be Zagreb on March 2 and later on the same day he will depart for Belgrade. On March 3, he will leave for Pristina and later in the afternoon he will return to Athens.

[05] THE CRISIS IN THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH DEEPENS

The crisis in the Greek Orthodox Church has reached a climax with the unconfirmed, for the time being, resignation of Metropolite Theoklitos of Thessaliotida, while Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece had meetings today with his close associates and Metropolites members of the Holy Synod.

According to Athens' ANT1 television station, Metropolite Theoklitos Koumarianos has tendered his resignation to the Archbishop who has accepted it. The Metropolite will also submit formally his resignation to the Holy Synod next Tuesday.

The Metropolite of Thessaliotida was the target of strong pressures during the past few days exerted by people close to the Archbishop calling for his resignation.

[06] THE GOVERNMENT BACKS THE EFFORTS FOR THE CHURCH CLEANUP

The government supports the Church's cleanup efforts and will offer any assistance necessary if it is requested, stressed acting government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros.

Mr. Antonaros reiterated that the government backs the adoption of bold decisions for the Church cleanup and added that the Ministries of Education and Justice will help to modernize regulations.

Regarding the statement by Minister of Education and Religion Marietta Gianakou that the government is not raising a resignation issue for the Archbishop, he reiterated the statement he made yesterday, according to which the Archbishop is elected by the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece.

Asked to comment on whether the government believes that the previous government has political responsibility regarding the actions of Apostolos Vavilis, Mr. Antonaros pointed out that investigation continues and therefore, the question is premature.

[07] VASILAKIS: CONCERN ABOUT THE GAP SEPARATING ALBANIANS AND SERBS IN KOSOVO

Greece's permanent representative in the UN Adamantios Vasilakis underlined the progress made in the past four months in Kosovo but at the same time, expressed concern for the widening of the gap separating the Albanian-speaking population and the Serbs in the region.

Speaking in the UN headquarters in New York yesterday, Mr. Vasilakis stated that Greece agrees with the analysis made by the UN Secretary General that after the elections and the creation of a coalition government in October 2004 the international community has seen encouraging indications on behalf of the Kosovo leadership regarding the implementation of basic principles. He also said that Greece agrees with the general assessment that in spite of the fact that steps of progress have been made those steps cover only certain sectors and therefore, the progress is limited.

Mr. Vasilakis stressed that the road for Kosovo is clear and has been defined by the parameters of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. He stressed that the goal concerning the creation of a stable, multiethnic, democratic and prosperous Kosovo is a prospect worth every effort.

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