Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 06-02-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] EMERGENCY EU MEETING ON BIRD FLU

[02] THE 23RD INFACOMA OPENED YESTERDAY

[03] LEFTERIS ZAGORITIS IS THE NEW ND SECRETARY

[04] FIFTY MILLION REFUGEES IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS

[05] NEW DEMOCRACY ELECTS SECRETARY

[01] EMERGENCY EU MEETING ON BIRD FLU

The Austrian EU Presidency called an emergency meeting of the informal EU Health Ministers Council to take place in Vienna today and deal with the rising number of bird flu cases reported in Europe.

The Council meeting will offer an opportunity for a broad exchange of views and experience. An invitation to attend was extended to the Ministers of Health from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, FYROM and Turkey as well as World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization scientists.

Greece will be represented by Minister of Health Dimitris Avramopoulos.

[02] THE 23RD INFACOMA OPENED YESTERDAY

The triptych Innovation-Development-Competitiveness characterizing this year's Infacoma, is a reflection of the government policies for the development of northern Greece, stated Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Kalantzis during the inauguration yesterday evening of the 23rd international exhibition of building materials.

The 23rd Infacoma is held on the exhibition grounds of HELEXPO in Thessaloniki and will be open until Sunday, February 26.

HELEXPO President Aristotelis Thomopoulos stated that Infacoma is an exhibition that sets records because each year it becomes larger.

[03] LEFTERIS ZAGORITIS IS THE NEW ND SECRETARY

Lefteris Zagoritis is the new Secretary of the ruling party of New Democracy Central Committee.

He received 402 votes out of a total of 507 while Katerina Papakosta, who also ran for the post, received 70 votes.

Lefteris Zagoritis takes the place of Vangelis Meimarakis who was appointed Minister of Defense in the recent government reshuffle.

[04] FIFTY MILLION REFUGEES IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS

Refugee numbers will reach 50 million by 2010 and 150 million by 2050 according to the United Nations not because of political instability but because of climate problems.

The consequences as a result of the climate change can be compared only to those of a war. The Hurricane Katrina death toll in the summer of 2005 reached 2,000 and the damages caused exceeded 100 billion dollars. The economic damage caused by the floods in central Europe in 1998-2002 is estimated at 25 billion dollars.

The figures mentioned were provided by Network Mediterranean SOS President Nikos Chrysogelos speaking to ANA-MPA on the catastrophic effects expected as a result of the climate change.

Mr. Chrysogelos evaluates as imperative the need to turn to renewable sources of energy, bio-fuel and the use of solar energy and wind power. He also explained that apart from the natural environment, the biodiversity, the health and life of the people the sector of economy is also considerably hurt.

[05] NEW DEMOCRACY ELECTS SECRETARY

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis presented the axes of the government's policy in the Central Committee meeting of the ruling party of New Democracy.

He stressed that regardless of whether demands are justifiable or not they should not be asserted in a way that creates problems to society.

The state, he said, cannot remain apathetic before violence and extreme actions.

He assessed the government work in the past two years and said that the course of the economy was satisfactory, unemployment was reduced, growth rate increased above the EU average, tourism is on the rise and investments have recovered.

The government works intensively and intends to fulfill its commitments, he said.

Meanwhile, the vote in the ND Central Committee for the election of the new secretary is in progress. The post became vacant after Vangelis Meimarakis was appointed Minister of Defense in the recent government reshuffle. The candidates for the post of the secretary are Lefteris Zagoritis and Katerina Papakosta.

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