Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-06-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] BATTLE FOR THE ECONOMY

[02] THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT PLEDGES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN TSALKA

[03] INCREASE OF 14.1% IN GREEK EXPORTS IN APRIL

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IN THE "WALK THE WORLD" PROGRAM

[05] PASOK EURO-DEPUTY PANAGIOTIS BEGLITIS IN ISTANBUL

[01] BATTLE FOR THE ECONOMY

The debate for the vote of confidence opens this afternoon in Parliament. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis made the motion for a vote of confidence in response to the censure motion against Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis submitted by PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou. The debate will be completed on Sunday night with an open vote.

Mr. Karamanlis had meetings with leading government officials, while main Socialist Party of PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou presided over the PASOK Political Council.

Government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos stated that the government will proceed based on its program.

[02] THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT PLEDGES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN TSALKA

The President of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Mr. Andrew A. Athens expressed his satisfaction on the decision of the President of the Republic of Georgia, Mr. Saakashvili to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and human rights of our fellow Hellenes living in the area of Tsalka, Georgia.

In his letter to SAE President, the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Georgia, Mr. Ivan Merabishvili, informs Mr. Athens that by the order of the Georgian President he has "personally undertaken the responsibility for the coordination and management of the crisis in Tsalka", and ensures him that the political and state leadership of the country supports the peaceful co-existence of citizens of Georgian, Hellenic or any other descent while he notes that "any problems created by misunderstandings should be immediately solved".

The Georgian Minister of Interior also mentions that a special unit has been sent to the area to ensure peace and safety, while more than 20 criminals have been arrested and are about to be tried in court for assaults against Hellenes. Moreover, approximately 30 cases of robbery of abandoned homes owned by Hellenes have been reported, while more than 50 accused individuals have been taken into custody.

In order for this situation to be settled as soon as possible, the Georgian Minister requested from Mr. Athens to suggest one special advisor of Hellenic descent who will act as a coordinator among the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Georgia and SAE on issues relevant to the Hellenic Community and the fast resolving of various disputes. SAE President suggested Mr. Kyriakos Iordanidis, President of the Federation of Hellenic Communities of Georgia and SAE representative for Georgia, for the position of the special advisor, since he is already in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior for various issues and problems of the Hellenic Community.

In the frame of these developments and following the coordinated interventions towards the Georgian authorities, Mr. Athens expresses his optimism for the normalization of the situation in the Hellenic Villages of Tsalka, and states that he will personally continue to keep a close eye on the developments until peace returns to the area.

In his reply letter to the Minister of Interior, SAE President expresses his gratitude for the immediate response and mentions among others the following:

"Your intended actions will demonstrate your concern for Hellenes living in Tsalka and will restore our faith that these serious violations of human rights and acts of terrorism have not gone unheeded. It is important for all of us that we succeed in our efforts to ensure the human rights of Hellenes living in Georgia. "

Especially during the last two years Hellenes in Tsalka have been living under a status of terrorism due to organized attacks by Atzarians and Svania from west Georgia. The approximately 1700 Hellenic families that are left have been facing serious security problems as well as problems regarding the safeguarding of their own property. Violent acts have led to eight brutal murders.

Beyond SAE's President personal meetings with Georgian leadership, he has also launched an informational campaign for the promotion of the issue around the world.

On the initiative of Mr. Athens, SAE's Medical Program was launched in Georgia in 1997. Today through SAE's Medical Centers in Tbilisi, Tsalka and Tsiktsivari, the mobile medical unity program and nurses' stations in more than 40 villages in Georgia, approximately 25000 Georgians of all ethnic backgrounds receive free medical care every month. Since 1997 SAE's Medical Program has distributed more than million worth of medicines, medical supplies and equipment.

SAE's future programs include developing microenterprise, small business loan programs especially in Tbilisi and Tsalka, a program that will have a positive impact on the Georgian economy.

[03] INCREASE OF 14.1% IN GREEK EXPORTS IN APRIL

The volume of Greek exports recorded a significant increase of 14.1% last April reaching 1,185 billion euros compared to 1,038 billion euros in April 2004, according to figures provided by the Greek National Statistics Agency.

Meanwhile, the overall value of imports of foreign goods dropped by 9% to 3,339 billion euros compared to 3,668 billion euros in April 2004.

According to the National Statistics Agency, some of the figures provided are the result of estimations. Also, the figures available concern only the transactions of goods and not the transactions of services or the transactions that are not registered.

[04] THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY IN THE "WALK THE WORLD" PROGRAM

The Walk the World program is an initiative by the World Food Programme-WFP taking place every year within the framework of the campaign against malnutrition. Walk the World is a symbolic march held around the world to sensitize and mobilize the Society of People and raise funds aimed at eliminating famine for 300 million children.

The Foreign Ministry International Humanitarian Cooperation Agency- Hellenic Aid participates in the programme with a humanitarian marathon in Athens on Sunday morning held with the participation of Greek champions and Olympic medallists to promote the spirit of volunteerism launched during the Olympic Games.

A month earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis had met in Athens with World Food Programme-WFP Deputy Director John Powell who thanked the Greek government and the Foreign Ministry for the 2 million euro aid Greece gave to the organization as a humanitarian aid for the tsunami victims in SE Asia.

[05] PASOK EURO-DEPUTY PANAGIOTIS BEGLITIS IN ISTANBUL

Main opposition Socialist Party of PASOK Euro-deputy and vice-president of the Joint Inter-Parliamentary EU-Turkey Committee Panagiotis Beglitis will visit Istanbul on June 13 with a Committee delegation within the framework of the 54th Summit taking place in Turkey on June 13-14.

They will meet with the responsible Turkish government minister on the EU-Turkey negotiations Ali Babacan and representatives of the European Council and the European Commission.

They will also have meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations for human rights.

The goal of the meetings is to establish the progress made in Turkey in the sectors of political and economic reforms as well as the protection of human and minority rights.

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