Athens News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-10-20
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 20/10/1997 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Premier stresses gov't resolve to proceed with `Kapodistrias` plan
- Synaspismos ratifies proposal on 'Kapodistrias' plan
- Simitis inaugurates new power unit, inspects Egnatia motorway
- Police reforms in border areas to prevent illegal entries
- Premier pledges uniform health services
- Karamanlis calls on ND cadres to rally, criticises gov't policies
- 'European Masters '99' gymnastics competition slated for Greece
- Series of Greek-Turkish business meetings scheduled
- Bomb blast at Alitalia offices
- TV programme to focus on Orthodoxy as Patriarch begins US tour
- Greek First Division soccer results
- Weather
- Foreign exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Premier stresses gov't resolve to proceed with 'Kapodistrias' plan
Prime Minister Costas Simitis concluded his tour of western Macedonia
yesterday, emphasising in practically every stop that the government was
determined to proceed with the "Ioannis Kapodistrias" plan for compulsory
municipality and community mergers around the country.
Speaking in Kastoria and Florina on Saturday at the head of a large
government delegation, he attributed reactions to "petty expediencies and
interests." Mr. Simitis, who spoke in Florina at noon, was met by a crowd
of about 200 people protesting the plan and waving black flags.
He again supported the government's policy on mergers during his next stop
in Kastoria. Illustrating his arguments, he said European countries with a
population similar to that of Greece, such as Belgium and the Netherlands,
have 800 and 600 local administration bodies, respectively.
Mr. Simitis also reiterated his government's resolve to achieve Greece's
equal participation in the European Union.
"We must continue efforts for our equal participation in the EU," he said
in a speech in Florina, stressing the importance of observing timetables
set to achieve convergence.
"We have come very near European reality with the efforts we have made so
far. It is in our interest to be in the centre of decisions in the EU," he
added.
Speaking on the same issue in Kastoria, Mr. Simitis stressed the imperative
need for Greece's participation in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU),
saying that "if we do not want to be on the sidelines and want to
participate in the decision-making nucleus, we must participate in
EMU."
Mr. Simitis said although great steps have been taken, particularly over
the past two years, such as a GDP growth rate of 3.5 per cent, efforts must
be intensified.
Synaspismos ratifies proposal on 'Kapodistrias' plan
The central committee of the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos)
ratified a proposal by the party's political secretariat on the stance to
be observed by Synaspismos' Parliamentary group regarding the government's
"Kapodistrias" plan concerning community mergers.
The proposal was ratified yesterday with 69 votes to 40.
The political secretariat had proposed support for the draft law in
principle, while Synaspismos should submit a series of proposals and
amendments to articles in the draft law. If the specific proposals are not
accepted then the specific articles in the draft law will be opposed.
Synaspismos is also proposing amendments to the town planning plan, the
electoral law and local administration finances.
Addressing the central committee, Synaspismos leader Nikos Constantopoulos
stressed the need for the party to propose changes in the "Kapodistrias"
draft law and called on the government to agree to a substantive debate in
Parliament on the issue.
He said mergers are necessary, but expressed disagreement over the way with
which the government is scheduling these changes.
Simitis inaugurates new power unit, inspects Egnatia motorway
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday inaugurated a new 366MW power
generating unit at Agios Dimitrios, Kozani, which will boost the plant's
capacity to 1,586MW, approximately 25 per cent of the country's current
energy needs. The total investment in the project amounted to 115 billion
drachmas.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Simitis said that western Macedonia must
escape isolation, with one of the means to achieve this end being the
Kozani-Ptolemaida energy complex.
"The energy complex can become a Balkan energy complex," he noted.
Mr. Simitis also visited works being carried out on the Egnatia motorway,
where Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis
outlined progress achieved on the project so far.
Commenting on the project, Mr. Simitis said the Egnatia will become an
economic corridor between east and west and creates prospects for dynamic
and multifaceted development in four regions and 16 prefectures in the
country.
Police reforms in border areas to prevent illegal entries
Continuing his tour yesterday in the border town of Nestorio, Kastoria
prefecture, Premier Costas Simitis said the government was working on
legislation that will reform the structure of police services in the border
regions to avert the unhindered entry of illegal immigrants into the
country.
The aim of the government, Mr. Simitis said, was the effective guarding of
borders and an increased feeling of security for residents of border
regions.
"This has been achieved to a great degree," he said, thanks to the
bolstering of police forces and to the dispatch of military forces to the
borders with Albania".
Mr. Simitis later arrived in Grevena, where he laid the foundation stone
for a new community hospital.
The premier wrapped up his tour with a visit to Deskati, where he was
welcomed by a large crowd in the town's central square.
Mr. Simitis said the conclusion drawn from his tour of western Macedonia
was that things are changing at present, optimism exists and the region is
not isolated as in the past, when there were tendencies to leave...there
was a lack of investments and a low standard of living.
He referred to projects being carried out by the government in the region,
such as interventions to restore damage caused by earthquakes, construction
of the Egnatia and the inauguration of the Agios Dimitrios hydroelectric
plant.
Referring to the agricultural sector, Mr. Simitis said all must be aware
that Greece is a participant in the EU and consequently exercises a policy
which is compatible to its mandates, adding that maintenance of Community
policy and not nationalisation is in the country's interests.
He reminded that a third of the agricultural sector's resources comes from
the EU. Commenting in particular on the problems concerning quotas for milk
and tobacco (an issue of particular interest in the area), Mr. Simitis said
Greece had stated its position and was negotiating a change in terms at the
EU's Council of Ministers.
Mr. Simitis and the government delegation returned to Athens late yesterday
afternoon.
Premier pledges uniform health services
Prime minister Costas Simitis said yesterday that the government's pledge
to create a uniform health services network was being implemented.
The government has increased resources, despite fiscal problems, he said,
and had created 10,000 new positions in the 1993-97 period and advanced 340
billion drachmas for projects.
The new legislation on the National Health System (ESY) introduces the
institution of general practitioner and the government is working on
getting hospitals to operate more efficiently, he added.
He said the Grevena Hospital, for which he laid the foundation stone
yesterday, had a budget of five billion drachmas and would be completed in
3.5 years.
"Our aim is to open new roads and bring an end to isolation," the prime
minister said in relation to the government's policy on the European Union
and the Balkans.
Karamanlis calls on ND cadres to rally, criticises gov't policies
Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis appealed to
voters from other parties for support in a tour of the Rethimno prefecture,
Crete yesterday.
At every stop of his tour of villages in the Psiloritis region, Mr.
Karamanlis said that all Greeks, regardless of political affiliations, must
rally together to enable the country to get off to a new, major start.
He criticised the government for a difference in words and actions, adding
that "ND is uncompromising, has no dependencies and commitments, and will
forge ahead."
Mr. Karamanlis said the country's problems cannot be handled with
demagoguery, populism and a petty partisan conception.
Referring to Prime Minister Costas Simitis' visit to Florina, Mr.
Karamanlis said that with its autocracy and arrogance on the issue of
compulsory community mergers, the government is provoking reaction from
society which it is leading to deadlock.
Mr. Karamanlis said the government was creating artificial euphoria over
the course of the economy, adding that the situation was particularly
serious and there is no ground for waiting because Greece is in danger of
losing another decade such as the decade of the '80s.
Referring to intraparty affairs, Mr. Karamanlis said the period of quarrels
and disputes "has closed without return", adding that all are mobilised in
a common direction and towards a common target.
'European Masters '99' gymnastics competition slated for Greece
Greece will host the "European Masters '99" gymnastics competition, it was
announced yesterday.
The decision was taken after a meeting of the European Federation of
Gymnastics (UEG) in Turkey.
The "European Masters" tournament is considered the pre-eminent event in
European gymnastics, gathering European champions in rhythmic and all-round
gymnastics.
Also at the UEG meeting, Greek gymnastics federation president Dimitris
Dimitropoulos received the highest number of votes of all candidates for
election to the UEG executive committee.
Series of Greek-Turkish business meetings scheduled
A series of Greek-Turkish meetings of local government officials and
businessmen are scheduled to take place by the end of the month.
Yesterday, Turkish mayors from Aegean coastal towns were to meet their
Greek counterparts in Mytilini to discuss pollution of the coasts and the
adoption of appropriate measures.
A delegation of 24 Turkish businessmen, headed by industrialist Rahmi Koc
is coming to Athens on Wednesday at the invitation of the Association of
Young Businessmen. Another 150 members of the Union of Turkish Industrialists
are planning to celebrate th eir country's national day (Oct. 29) in
Thessaloniki.
Bomb blast at Alitalia office
A bomb explosion damaged the Athens branch office of the Italian state-
owned airlines Alitalia yesterday evening just after 10 p.m.
According to police, no injuries were reported.
Authorities said the blast near Athens' airport, on Vouliagmeni Avenue,
broke windows and caused some interior damage. No one had claimed
responsibility for the explosion by presstime, while investigators rushed
to the scene.
In addition, police said no warning call had been received.
TV programme to focus on Orthodoxy as Patriarch begins US tour
Public television stations (PBS) in the United States have announced that
they will air a 30-minute programme on the meaning, importance and the role
of Christian Orthodoxy in the everyday life of Orthodox Americans.
The screening coincides with a month-long visit by the head of the Orthodox
Church, Patriarch Vartholomeos, who will be visiting 16 US cities. The
Patriarch, who begins his official visit today in Washington, departed
yesterday.
The television programme is part of a new weekly religious affairs series
entitled "Religion and Morality".
The Patriarch is scheduled to visit New York on Oct. 23, where he will
officiate at a mass at Madison Square Garden, expected to be attended by
thousands of faithful. Later he will be the guest of honour at a dinner
hosted by the governor of the state of New York, while the following day he
is scheduled to meet New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
Greek First Division soccer results
PAOK - Olympiakos 2-1 OFI - Heraklis 1-0
Xanthi - Kavala 5-2 Apollon - Panahaiki 2-1
Panionios - Veria 3-1 Proodeftiki - Kalamata 1-0
Pyrgos - Ethnikos 2-0 AEK - Ionikos 0-2
Panathinaikos-Athinaikos play today Standings-points:
Ionikos 18 Panathinaikos 15
AEK 13 Olympiakos, Apollon 12
Xanthi 11 Heraklis 10
PAOK, Pyrgos 9 OFI, Proodeftiki 8
Panionios 7 Veria 6
WEATHER
Cloudiness, local rain and possible storms with a further drop in
temperatures is forecast for most parts of Greece today including the
Dodecanese and Cycladic islands and Crete. Winds north to north- easterly,
strong to gale force in the Aegean Sea. Athens will be cloudy with possible
light rain in the north and east, gradually clearing in the course of the
day with temperatures from 9-16C. Thessaloniki will be cloudy and rainy
with temperatures from 4-17C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Friday's closing rates - buying US dlr. 274.189
Pound sterling 443.107 Cyprus pd 528.280
French franc 46.483 Swiss franc 187.176
German mark 155.833 Italian lira (100) 15.948
Yen (100) 228.289 Canadian dlr. 197.765
Australian dlr. 201.654 Irish Punt 443.107
Belgian franc 7.555 Finnish mark 51.941
Dutch guilder 138.310 Danish kr. 40.910
Swedish kr. 36.099 Norwegian kr. 38.857
Austrian sch. 22.136 Spanish peseta 1.847
Port. Escudo 1.531
(C.E.)
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