Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-06-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] CHANGES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

[02] THE FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES GREEK MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN THE

[03] STRONG GREEK-TURKISH ECONOMIC RELATIONS IS THE GOAL

[04] GREECE WILL RECEIVE NATURAL GAS FROM TURKEY IN 2007

[05] HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS GREECE

[06] THE BANK STRIKE CONTINUES

[01] CHANGES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis speaking in Parliament in a public administration debate held at the initiative of PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou launched a strong attack on PASOK accusing it of disowning its creations after being 20 years in power.

The Prime Minister stressed that the changes have begun, the changes continue and will not stop, adding that firm steps forward are being made toward a state envisioned by the people.

Mr. Papandreou accused the government of creating a partisan state.

Communist Party general secretary Aleka Papariga stated that state employment is booty and to a certain degree it guarantees votes.

Governments change but the crony state remains, stated Coalition President Alekos Alavanos.

[02] THE FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES GREEK MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN THE SREBRENICA MASSACRE

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos categorically denied allegations according to which members of the Greek armed forces were involved in the Srebrenica massacres in 1995. Any involvement of certain Greek nationals in the activities of paramilitary organizations is condemned both by the government and the people of Greece, stated Mr. Koumoutsakos.

However, he stated that responsible to deal with the issue is the Greek justice, clarifying that for the moment no request for assistance has been filed on behalf of the responsible authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina conducting the investigation.

The issue came to publicity by the newspaper Independent which wrote today that the Greek authorities are conducting an investigation on the role played by the Greek volunteers in the massacre of Muslims in Srebrenica.

According to the newspaper, the Dutch government has evidence that allegedly prove that Greece used to send weapons to the Bosnian Serbs ignoring the threat of sanctions.

[03] STRONG GREEK-TURKISH ECONOMIC RELATIONS IS THE GOAL

There is room for more Greek investments in Turkey, stressed Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stilianidis, who assured Turkish Deputy Foreign Trade Minister Tuncer Kayalar that Turkish investments are welcomed in Greece.

Bilateral economic and trade relations were under discussion today, the first day of the 3rd Joint Ministerial Economic Committee meeting of Greece and Turkey held in Athens.

Energy and tourism are both key sectors for bilateral economic cooperation. On the energy sector, the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey will inaugurate the construction of the pipeline that will supply the Greek market with Azeri natural gas.

The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister also announced that by the end of 2006 the Greek and the Turkish electricity networks will be linked, while there is mutual interest in cooperation in the sector of renewable sources of energy.

In the sector of tourism, about 500,000 Greeks visited Turkey last year, while a similar interest is expressed by the Turks as well.

On his part, Mr. Kayalar underlined the progress made in the Turkish economy.

For the record, the Greek exports to Turkey reached 690 million dollars in 2004, while imports were at 1.2 billion dollars.

[04] GREECE WILL RECEIVE NATURAL GAS FROM TURKEY IN 2007

Greece based on the existing contract will begin to be supplied with natural gas from Turkey through the Greek-Turkish pipeline in early 2007.

The construction of the relevant project in the prefecture of Evros, northeastern Greece, proceeds without problems, while the overall progress made in the project, from the borders to Alexandroupolis, has reached 35%.

Speaking to MPA, DEPA international projects director Antonis Natsikas also stressed that the part of the project that passes through Kippi and reaches Alexandroupolis will be completed by next October.

[05] HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS GREECE

The National Weather Bureau has issued an urgent bulletin on extreme weather conditions.

Temperature will rise tomorrow and on Friday it will reach 39 degrees centigrade in certain parts of the mainland.

On Saturday, temperature will drop slightly initially in western and later in northern Greece but in the rest of the country will remain high.

Temperature is expected to drop across the country starting on Sunday.

[06] THE BANK STRIKE CONTINUES

The bank employees union, OTOE, continues the strike on the social security issue. OTOE will hold two events, a concert today at 8:30 pm in Athens and a human chain tomorrow at 10:30 am to last until the end of the debate in Parliament and the vote.

Meanwhile, the extension given to the VAT statements that had to be submitted on June 26, 2005 ends on July 1.

The Trade Association in Athens has requested the banks to offer favorable settlement.

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