Record number of consumer complaints in 1996
NEWS IN DETAIL
Foreign Undersecretary resigns
Professor Christos Rozakis today handed in his resignation from the post of
Foreign Undersecretary, citing health reasons.
The U.S. and British educated Professor of International Law served in this
post for slightly over three months, having been appointed by Prime
Minister Costas Simitis to the new Cabinet that emerged after the September
1996 general elections.
The 55-year-old Rozakis, a member of the European Human Rights Commission,
the Council of Europe and the Hellenic Foundation for Defence and Foreign
Policy (ELIAMEP), submitted his resignation in a letter to Simitis, citing
heart problems.
Announcing Rozakis's resignation, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said
that Rozakis has suffered a heart attack on December 18 and had been told
to rest by his doctors.
Reppas said Rozakis would remain at his post at the ministry until January
15 to participate in meetings on foreign policy and that he would be used
on occasion to assist in promoting Greece's positions, if his health
allowed.
Reppas clarified that there would be no replacement to Rozakis's post as
foreign undersecretary and denied there were differences of opinion between
Rozakis, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos and Alternate Foreign Minister
George Papandreou.
"Your participation in the government has helped us all to making a better
foreign policy analysis and broaden new orientations," Prime Minister
Costas Simitis said in a reply letter.
He requested, however, that Rozakis remain in his post in order to complete
all his unfinished assignments and participate in all scheduled meetings.
In a resignation letter which he handed earlier in the day to Simitis,
Rozakis said he was led to resign his post because of health problems
pending special attention.
He expressed regret, however, over certain "unfair" attacks made against
him during the three months he was foreign undersecretary.
"I do not believe that the selective use of (certain of) my scientific
texts or opinions in order to prove a reprehensible political position
contributes in any special way to political dialogue and the finding of
truth," Rozakis said.
"A politician," he added, "should be judged by his actions ... I fear that
my critics judged me in haste, before any of my political actions was put
to a quality test."
1997 a year of consolidation for Greece
Greece's political leadership expressed its best wishes for the New Year,
stressing the need to put the country on course for European unification
and economic development, and that Greece was on the brink of wide-reaching
changes .
In a New Year's message on Tuesday, President Kostis Stephanopoulos said:
"Proceeding together with the other peoples of Europe in the coming century
is a matter of national pride for the Greek people. We must not be last,"
he said.
"The economic effort we have undertaken is not only imposed on us by the
agreements concluded in the framework of Europe, it is also imposed on us
for the sake of ourselves, for the sake of our very country to enable it to
develop, strengthen itself and prosper," he said.
Prime Minister
Prime Minister Costas Simitis said the historic opportunities being
presented for the country are related to the achievement of the targets of
promoting modernisation, building a modern social state and Greece's equal
participation in European Union developments and the country's new role in
the Balkans and Europe.
Mr. Simitis said a strategic target was the country's equal participation
in developments taking place in the European Union. He said Greece's
accession to Economic and Monetary Union was not a simple economic target,
but a matter of national importance.
He said another target was Greece's new role in the geopolitical environment
being shaped in the Balkans and the Mediterranean.
"We will continue to steadfastly pursue a policy of peace and friendship.
In the same way we will steadfastly continue efforts to have the Cyprus
issue resolved in accordance with UN resolutions. There will be increased
mobility in the New Year in relation to all these issues. Prudence and cool-
headedness will be required," he added.
Thessaloniki ushers in Cultural Capital events
Greece's northern port city of Thessaloniki marked the advent of 1997 with
city-wide festivities that bodes well for the city's tenure as Cultural
Capital of Europe.
"Thessaloniki, the tender north of Greece, capital of southern Europe, a
city of history, youth, daring and music... Thessaloniki, the Lady of the
Balkans, is as of today also the Cultural Capital of Europe," renowned
Greek tragedian Irene Pappas told a gathering of thousands in the city's
centre, ushering in the New Year and inaugurating the year-long Cultural
Capital events.
Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos told the huge crowd of personalities
and city residents he had "fighting optimism" about the success of
Thessaloniki's term as Cultural Capital of Europe.
The heavy fog covering the coast around Thessaloniki's most famous landmark,
the White Tower, gave the entire scene an ethereal feel, making an ideal
backdrop for the Byzantine hymns sung by Irene Pappas, accompanied by a
choir.
The Cultural Capital inaugural events continued with dozens of musical
groups performing from five outdoor stages set up for the events, ranging
from old Greek rembetika to jazz, latino and rock groups, including world-
renowned rocker Bob Geldof.
Festivities also took place all along the coast, with pantomime troupes,
artists and jugglers, while various stands offered revellers traditional
"mezedes" (snacks) and sweets.
Capsised vessel Distos sinks
Seventeen bodies have been recovered from the Greek-flagged dry bulk
carrier "Distos" which sunk early Thursday at a depth of 32 metres. Among
the bodies recovered are the two wives of crewmembers and the 12-year-old
daughter of one.
Divers are continuing to search for three persons still missing when the
freighter capsised off Kymi, Evia, when hit by two large waves last
Saturday causing its cement cargo to shift.
Temporary residence permit for foreigners
Labour and Social Security Minister Miltiades Papaioannou said Tuesday the
presidential decree on granting a temporary residence permit card for
foreigners in Greece will be ready in a few weeks time.
Mr. Papaioannou made his statement while attending an event organised by
the Polish immigrant community in Athens.
Mr. Papaioannou called on the immigrants to respond promptly and willingly
to the Greek authorities' call and join processes required for the
residence card. He was given a warm welcome by hundreds of Polish
immigrants. The event was jointly organised by the Polish priests and
teachers of the Polish school in Athens.
Action on radio, television piracy urged
The Supreme Court prosecutor Panayiotis Dimopoulos has sent a memorandum to
all appeals court prosecutors in the country regarding criminal sanctions
for infringements of copyright and intelectual property.
The violation of intellectual property is considered to be theft of goods
and offenders can receive up to 10 years jail and fines of up to 20 million
drachmas, the memorandum noted.
Mr. Dimopoulos said he had noted the country's judicial authorities were
dragging their feet on dealing with the "worrying dimensions" that radio
and television piracy had taken.
He added that the incidence of piracy harmed Greece's reputation internationally,
could not be allowed to continue and must be combatted with legal
means.
Record number of consumer complaints
Greek consumers scored a record number of complaints in 1996, Greece's
biggest consumer organisation, INKA, reported today.
According to INKA, 66,920 complaints were recorded by the organisation's
statistics services in 1996, 11,245 of which related to the rising cost of
living, followed by 10,382 complaints about food adulteration.
According to INKA, complaints relating to the Public Power Organisation,
the tourism sector and the entertainment industry were also on the increase
in 1996, while complaints about the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation
were less than in previous years. OTE, however, still ranked third in the
1996 consumer complaints' list.
Consumer complaints relating to such products as insurance and bank
services as well as local government organisations also recorded an
increase in 1996 compared to previous years.
WEATHER
Local clouds in the west and north turning into light rainfall in the
northwest, and overcast in the rest of the country with local fog in
central and northern regions. Temperatures will range from 2-14 C in the
north, 7-20 C in the Ionian Sea and the rest of the mainland, and 11-22 C
in the Aegean. Athens will be sunny with temperatures ranging from 9-19 C.
Thessaloniki will be cloudy with temperatures between 5-11 C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
(closing rates - buying)
US dlr. 245.044 Pound sterling 415.827
Cyprus pd 522.288 French franc 46.805
Swiss franc 181.670 German mark 157.698
Italian lira (100) 16.056 Yen (100) 210.731
Canadian dlr. 178.699 Australian dlr.195.087
Irish Punt 411.482 Belgian franc 7.658
Finnish mark 52.826 Dutch guilder 140.552
Swedish kr. 35.553 Norwegian kr. 38.134
Austrian sh. 22.438 Spanish peseta 1.873
Portuguese escudo 1.568
(M.P.)
