Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 98-10-27
NEWS IN ENGLISH
Athens, Greece, 27/10/1998 (ANA)
MAIN HEADLINES
- Slovenian PM to visit Athens
- Policeman charged with Serb teen killing
- Papandreou on EU social dimension
- Greek equities end up
- Morgan Stanley: Greece in EMU in 2000
- Public subscription for third OTE flotation
- Greece ready to bid for palimpsest
- 'Oxi Day" celebrations
- ESHEA protests closure of three Serbian newspapers
- 2004 Olympic Games projects to begin after 2000
- Roussel sues Onassis Foundation president
- Later deadline for 'green card' applications
- Weather
- Foreign Exchange
NEWS IN DETAIL
Slovenian PM to visit Athens
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek will pay an official visit to
Greece beginning Thursday, according to an ANA dispatch from Ljubljana.
Drnovsek is scheduled to meet with President Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime
Minister Costas Simitis, Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis and
Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos. Drnovsek's visit is expected to focus
on Slovenian efforts to join the European Union. Greece is one of the
countries that has not yet ratified the EU agreement with Slovenia but is
expected to place the issue on the parliamentary agenda soon.
Policeman charged with Serb teen killing
The policeman charged with killing a Serbian schoolboy on Friday in
Thessaloniki's city centre was released on bail on Tuesday, after being
formally charged with homicide with intent. The decision to allow Kyriakos
Vandoulis, 32, out on bail drew harsh criticism from the boy's father,
Dragoslav Bulatovic, who arrived in the Greek city late on Monday to
accompany his son's body back to Belgrade.
Papandreou on Eu social dimension
Development Minister Vasso Papandreou said today that the recent EU summit
in Poertschach had ascertained the imperative need to reactivate the social
dimension of European unification, and signalled an essential turn and
reorientation of EU policy in precisely that direction. Papandreou made the
statement to the Athens News Agency (ANA) on the occasion of the EU
informal summit in Poertschach, Austria, over the weekend that focused on
social policy and employment, and in her capacity as a former European
Commissioner responsible for social policy.
Greek equities end up
Strong buying interest in banks and industrials pushed the Athens Stock
Exchange higher at Tuesday's session with the general price index closing
at 2140.39, up 1.71 percent. Turnover was 46.2 billion drachmas. Banks
ended up 2.11%, Insurance down 0.33%, Leasing down 1.31%, Industrial up
1.82%, Construction down 1.01%, Miscellaneous up 0.75% and Holding up
2.49%. The small cap parallel market ended up 1.24%.
Morgan Stanley: Greece in EMU in 2000
A report by the US investment bank Morgan Stanley, published yesterday,
sends a positive message to foreign markets that Greece can achieve
Maastricht Treaty criteria and join Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in
the year 2000. According to Morgan Stanley's assessments on inflation in
Greece for 1999, it projects an average of 2.4 per cent, allowing the
nation to meet the relevant accession criterion.
Public subscription for third OTE flotation
he Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation's OTE third flotation phase
entered the stage of public subscription throughout the country yesterday.
Until Friday, investors will be able to declare the amount they wish to
invest in OTE shares. Investors who will keep their shares for at least six
months will be entitled to a bonus of one free share for each 10 new
shares. Meanwhile, over the same period, namely during the current week,
OTE employees will be on strike to protest the new flotat ion which they
consider superfluous and harmful.
Greece ready to bid for palimpsest
Greece is ready to bid for a 12th century palimpsest containing the only
known letter from ancient Greek scientist Archimedes to astronomer
Erastosthenes at a New York auction later this week, Culture Minister
Evangelos Venizelos said yesterday. Mr. Venizelos said that his appeal for
donations to bid for the palimpsest if the auction did go ahead despite
Greece's appeal that it be returned to its owners, had been enthusiastically
responded to.
'Oxi Day" celebrations
Three-day celebrations began in Thessaloniki yesterday with the presence of
Greece's political and military leadeships as well as Archbishop of Athens
and All Greece Christodoulos. Yesterday, Thessaloniki celebrated the feast
day of its patron saint, Agios Dimitrios, and the city's liberation from
Ottoman rule. Tomorrow marks the commemoration of 'OXI Day' -- the 58th
anniversary of Greece's entry into WWII.
ESHEA protests closure of three Serbian newspapers
Athens Journalists' Union (ESHEA) sent a letter of protest to Yugoslavia's
PM and press minister expressing the organisation's strong reaction to the
closure of three Serbian newspapers. ESHEA also wrote to the Secretary
General of the International Journalists Federation pointing out that
"silencing of the press" is not only limited to Yugoslavia, it also exists
in Turkey.
2004 Olympic Games projects to begin after 2000
Athens 2004 Olympic Games committee president Stratis Stratigis yesterday
stated that construction of new projects for the games will begin after the
year 2000. Mr. Stratigis added that the total cost of new construction for
the Games is set at 173 billion drachmas. Both Mr. Stratigis and 2004
managing director Costas Bakouris said that there was a small delay in the
preparation work for the Games, probably due to the slow-moving mechanisms
of ministries involved. Mr.Bakouris also noted delays in personnel
hiring.
Roussel sues Onassis Foundation president
Attorneys for Thierry Roussel, the father of 14-year-old Athina Onassis
Roussel - heir to the vast fortune of late shipping magnate Aristotle
Onassis - yesterday filed a lawsuit for defamation against the president of
the Onassis Foundation, Stelio Papadimitriou. The suit refers to statements
made by Mr. Papadimitriou three months ago. Mr. Roussel, meanwhile, will be
in Athens on Friday to stand trial on charges of perjury, false accusations
and slander against the president and three members of the Onassis
Foundation.
Later deadline for 'green card' applications
Labour Minister Miltiades Papaioannou yesterday announced that a deadline
for "green card" applications for illegal immigrants has been moved to Dec.
31, 1998. He added that insurance prerequisites needed for legalisation are
also set for the end of the year.
WEATHER
Cloud and scattered rain will prevail throughout Greece today. Winds
variabe, light to moderate, turning strong in the central and northern
Aegean Sea. Partly cloudy in Athens with occasional drizzle and temperatures
between 10-15C. Cloud and rain in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 14-
20C.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Tuesday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 277.343
British pound 464.752 Japanese yen (100) 232.971
French franc 50.034 German mark 167.737
Italian lira (100) 16.955 Irish Punt 418.822
Belgian franc 8.137 Finnish mark 55.207
Dutch guilder 148.864 Danish kr. 44.164
Austrian sch. 24.026 Spanish peseta 1.997
Swedish kr. 36.079 Norwegian kr. 37.726
Swiss franc 205.552 Port. Escudo 1.639
Aus. dollar 171.289 Can. dollar 178.679
Cyprus pound 563.615
(M.P.)
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