Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-08-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] INDICATIONS OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE

[02] SATISFACTION FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

[03] VALINAKIS-KUNEVA MEETING

[04] GREECE: THE LOWEST GAS PRICE IN EUROPE

[05] MEDIATION BETWEEN FYROM AND SERBIA BY THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

[01] INDICATIONS OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE

The specialists in the Helios Airways air disaster Investigation Committee came across indications of a mechanical failure in the cabin pressurization system of the doomed airplane that is likely to have caused the crash at Grammatikos near Athens on August 14.

In a letter to Minister of Transportations and Telecommunications Michalis Liapis briefing him on the progress of the investigation, committee chairman Akrivos Tsolakis mentions that passengers and crew would be affected in case of a failure in the cabin pressurization system, a fact that answers the question why the co-pilot was seen unconscious in the cockpit.

[02] SATISFACTION FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM

Athens appears very satisfied with the unanimous election of the up till now Archbishop Theophilos of Tabor to the throne of the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Theophilos is the 97th Patriarch of Jerusalem, is 55 years old and comes from Messinia, Peloponesse in southern Greece.

He has served as Exarch of the Holy Sepulture in Qatar, while he was ordained Bishop just before the crisis in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem broke out.

We are united and determined to overcome the crisis, stated Theophilos after his election.

The Greek political leadership congratulated him for this election to the Patriarchal Throne.

[03] VALINAKIS-KUNEVA MEETING

Bulgaria's European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva and Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis expressed the certainty that on January 1, 2007 Bulgaria will be a full member of the European Union in statements they made after the informal working meeting they had in Thessaloniki.

Mr. Valinakis expressed the will of the Greek government to fully support Bulgaria's EU course and stated characteristically that Greece will be among the first countries to ratify in Parliament the neighboring country's EU accession agreement, stressing that the ratification will take place in October.

Mrs. Kuneva referred to the new government formed in Bulgaria based on the cooperation of three political parties. She stated that efforts will continue and already reforms have been made in the sectors of justice, education and defense, stressing that there is no plan B and Bulgaria has to become an EU member on January 1, 2007.

Mrs. Kuneva stressed that Greece is very important both as a neighbor and as an EU member and thanked Mr. Valinakis for the initiative he undertook to hold a meeting during a vacation period.

Mr. Valinakis characterized the meeting as interesting and useful and stated that the main goal of the three-party coalition that backs the new government in Bulgaria is to complete Bulgaria's course toward the EU expressing the wish that this will take place on January 1, 2007. He stressed that this is a first step for the whole SE Europe toward the EU direction.

We want to turn the Balkans, once the powder keg of Europe, into a European neighborhood. And this presupposes the completion of reforms, today in Bulgaria and Romania, tomorrow in all the countries that will follow the EU course. So that a region of peace, stability, security and cooperation will exist in the zone around us, stated Mr. Valinakis.

In response to the question if the atmosphere created after the negative results in the referenda on the European Constitutional Treaty held in France and Holland will affect Bulgaria's European course, Mr. Valinakis stated that at this moment, there are no reservations regarding Bulgaria. He said that hopefully all reforms will be completed on time and Bulgaria will become an EU member in January 2007.

In the dinner held after the meeting were also present Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Tsiartsionis and Deputy Minister of Sports Giorgos Orphanos.

[04] GREECE: THE LOWEST GAS PRICE IN EUROPE

Greece had the lowest gas price and the second lowest diesel price in Europe last July, according to figures provided by the Greek Automobile Club, ELPA, the International Association of Tourism, AIT, and the European Road Information Center, ERIC, in Geneva.

Based on the figures provided (price samples collected on July 18, 2005 in all European countries), Greece had the lowest price for unleaded gas -average price of 0.90 euros a litre- and the second lowest average price in diesel namely, 0.88 euros a litre compared to 0.87 euros a litre in Luxembourg.

[05] MEDIATION BETWEEN FYROM AND SERBIA BY THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed a letter to FYROM Prime Minister Vlado Butskovski and Patriarch Pavle of Serbia requesting the release from prison of Metropolitan Bishop Ioannis to create the appropriate conditions allowing the mediation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the settlement of the dispute between the Orthodox Churches of Serbia and FYROM.

Metropolitan Bishop Ioannis serves a prison term of 18 months in a FYROM prison after found guilty by a Bitola court of instigating religious and ethnic hatred in the country.

The Metropolitan Bishop has appealed against this ruling to the FYROM Supreme Court.

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