Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-03-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM READY TO FACE ALBANIA

[02] FINDINGS AND NEGATIVE SURPRISES

[03] ILLEGAL ANABOLICS LAB IN CORINTH

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON PATRIARCH IRENAEUS

[05] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE INCIDENT IN YESTERDAY'S FOOTBALL GAME

[06] COOPERATION PROTOCOL BETWEEN GREECE AND ALBANIA

[01] THE GREEK NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM READY TO FACE ALBANIA

The Greek national football team is more than ready for the football game with Albania in Athens this evening, within the framework of the qualifying round for the World Cup 2006, after the great victory in Georgia.

Key defender Traianos Dellas will not play in the match because he suffers from his back.

Twenty-six distinguished scholars Greek and Albanians with a joint declaration issued an appeal to both sides to avoid racist attacks and intolerance.

The Greek government spokesman condemned the incidents in yesterday's game between the under twenty-one teams of Greece and Albania in Athens during which young football fans tore apart an Albanian flag threatening to interrupt the game which finally ended 2-0 in favor of the Greek team.

The Greek Football Federation, EPO, apologized calling on the football fans not to tolerate actions that defame and hurt the Greek football. The young man who was arrested during the incidents was led before the prosecutor.

Albanian politicians condemned the incident clarifying that this action should not be identified with the Greek people as a whole.

Meanwhile, the 9th Joint Inter-ministerial Committee of the two countries that met in Ioannina, northwestern Greece, decided to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sector of energy.

[02] FINDINGS AND NEGATIVE SURPRISES

The report prepared by the Greek Foreign Ministry team of experts on the management of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem property will be presented today.

Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos spoke of negative surprise referring to the fact that Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem had refused to hand over financial documents to be examined by the team of experts.

Minister of Education and Religion Marietta Giannakou stated that the Greek state backed and continues to back the Patriarchate as an institution.

Things cannot continue to be the way they are and Patriarch Irenaeus must make his decisions and handle the situation as it is in reality. He should stop insisting in preserving the situation in such a way that makes the work of everybody hard whether they are the Jordanians, the Palestinian Authority or the Greek government.

The statement was made by Palestinian Authority charge d' affairs in Athens Ismat Sabri speaking in the state-run radio station NET 105.8 on the issue created with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Mr. Sambri stated that since his election and until his recognition by the state of Israel, Patriarch Irenaeus negotiated a number of contracts assisted by his advisers, accountants and representatives concerning the sale of Palestinian land and other property assets of the Patriarchate in return for his recognition by Israel. He said that the Palestinian side was aware of that and had high level contacts aimed at averting the situation created today. Therefore, added Mr. Sabri, Patriarch Irenaeus had been warned that the Palestinian side knew what was going on.

[03] ILLEGAL ANABOLICS LAB IN CORINTH

National Drugs Organization, EOF, President Mr. Vagionas stated before a Parliament committee that an illegal anabolics laboratory operates in Corinth, south Greece, and manufactures 1,440,000 packages a year.

He also stated that EOF received 22 bomb threats especially when the EOF agencies were examining the case of coach Christos Tzekos. Referring to Mr. Tzekos he predicted that in the end he will not get what he deserves.

The last threat-call was made last week.

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY ON PATRIARCH IRENAEUS

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos called on Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem to realize how crucial the current situation is and assume his responsibilities before history.

Earlier, the Greek Foreign Ministry team of experts had presented its report after visiting Jerusalem on March 21 and studying information on the leasing of Patriarchate real estate to Israelis for a very long period of time.

The report mentions, among others, that documented and hard evidence facilitating the investigation effort of the team of experts was impossible to collect especially concerning contracts for the leasing of Patriarchate real estate in the old city of Jerusalem. The report mentions that the experts were told, much to their surprise, that no copies of the transactions were kept in file.

After the report was made public, Mr. Koumoutsakos stressed that the only care of the Greek government is to shield the institution of the Patriarchate without taking under consideration individuals or personal ambitions. He added that it is obvious that the image of the Patriarchate today is not the proper one and hurts its prestige. He concluded that the Greek government calls on the Patriarch to rise to the occasion and assume his historical responsibilities.

[05] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE INCIDENT IN YESTERDAY'S FOOTBALL GAME

The acts of intolerance and fanaticism are totally strange to the spirit of sports. Yesterday's ugly actions by a small group of individuals, who like to call themselves football fans, are categorically condemned by the overwhelming majority of the Greek people, stressed government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos referring to the incident in yesterday's match between the under 21 national football teams of Greece and Albania.

On the security measures taken for the match to be held in Athens this evening between the national football teams of Greece and Albania within the framework of the qualifying round for the World Cup 2006, the Greek government spokesman pointed out that there is a limited number of policemen who are appointed to keep order in football stadiums and different action plans have been drawn up to deal with any eventuality, while an effort is being made to have a game without violent incidents.

[06] COOPERATION PROTOCOL BETWEEN GREECE AND ALBANIA

The 9th Joint Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting of Greece and Albania held in Ioannina, northwestern Greece, decided to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sector of energy and specifically, oil, natural gas, electricity and alternative forms of energy.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis and Finance Minister of Albania Anastas Angeli signed the Protocol of Ioannina to deal with pending issues in the sector of telecommunications and taxation, while new policies on the protection of the environment and social security will soon be in effect.

The Greek side expressed its wish for participation of Greek businesses in the privatization process as soon as it gets underway in Albania.

Mr. Stilianidis underlined that the Greek government wants to contribute to the efforts for the European orientation of Albania offering the necessary know-how for the acceleration of the reforms in Albania.

Greece is Albania's second largest trade partner and the largest investor with 250 Greek or Greek-Albanian businesses active in the country while in the past few years private investments have reached US$ 400 million creating over 9,000 new jobs.

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