Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-08-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEATWAVE WATCH

[02] KOUMOUTSAKOS ON THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTS

[03] THE CITY OF COFFEE-SHOPS

[04] THE GERMANS PREFER THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES

[05] FRANCE TO EXERT PRESSURES ON TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE CYPRUS

[01] HEATWAVE WATCH

Greece is on the verge of a heatwave today as temperature will reach 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country. In Athens, temperature will rise to 38 degrees centigrade while in Thessaloniki it will be as high as 36 degrees.

The Fire Department is in a state of alert as the risk of forest and brush fires is high due to the hot weather recorded across the country.

In a meeting Minister of Environment, Land Planning and Public Works Giorgos Souflias had yesterday with the prefect of Eastern Attiki, the local mayors and authorities decided to give emergency compensations to the people whose property was destroyed or damaged by the fires in Eastern Attiki.

The Civil Protection Secretariat warned of a risk of fires erupting in the islands where gusty winds are expected today and called on the public to prefer to stay indoors.

[02] KOUMOUTSAKOS ON THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTS

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos stressed that Athens has made it clear that the non recognition of an EU member state by another state that seeks to become an EU member constitutes an unprecedented political and institutional contradiction and oddness strange to the European rationalism.

Commenting on the statements made by the French Prime Minister, who said that it is inconceivable to open negotiation procedures with a country that does not recognize all EU member states, Mr. Koumoutsakos stated that within this framework the statements of the French Prime Minister obviously carry a special weight.

Mr. Koumoutsakos stated that Greece will present its final position on the issue of the opening of Turkey's EU accession negotiations in the EU bodies assigned to make the relevant decisions.

He said that Greece continues to back Turkey's European prospect which will have to evolve in accordance with the principles, the rules and the values of the European Union.

[03] THE CITY OF COFFEE-SHOPS

Thessaloniki is a city full of cafeterias but business is low and according to official data, 5 to 20 such shops close on a daily basis.

Based on figures provided by Thessaloniki's Trade Chamber, there are 7,523 cafeterias, bars, etc across the Prefecture of Thessaloniki out of a total of an estimated 51,000 businesses operating in the area, according to a report on the Thessaloniki daily Angelioforos.

This means that there is a cafeteria, tavern or bar for every 144 people. Specifically, there are 2,112 cafeterias, 1,690 coffee houses and 898 refreshment stands.

[04] THE GERMANS PREFER THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES

More and more Germans prefer the new EU member states for their vacations. Italy is the most popular vacation destination for the Germans followed by Turkey and Spain.

The German Banks Federal Association points out that the euro has a 26% more value for the Germans in the Czech Republic than in their own country while in Britain the Germans can buy 78% of what they could buy in their own country.

According to the association, prices in Greece, Portugal and Spain are the same with Germany.

[05] FRANCE TO EXERT PRESSURES ON TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE CYPRUS

France warned Turkey today that it will exert pressures aimed at forcing Ankara to recognize the Cypriot Republic as a precondition for the opening of Turkey's EU accession negotiations in October.

The French Prime Minister stated in a radio talk-show that it is inconceivable to launch such a negotiation process with a country that does not recognize all 25 EU member states.

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