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Tuesday, 16 April 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 99-05-01Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.Last Update: 23:27 GMT+2SECTIONS
NEWS HEADLINES[A] GREECE[B] BALKANS[C] EUROPENEWS IN DETAIL[A] GREECE[01] UNITED FRONT FOR PEACE FORMED BY THE BALKAN WORKERS UNIONS' CENTERSWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The Workers Unions' Centers and the trade unionist organizations in the Balkans formed a united front for peace in the Balkans, according to Thessaloniki's Workers Unions' Center president Panagiotis Avramopoulos, who was one of the speakers in the anti-war rally held in Thessaloniki on the occasion of the May Day celebrations.Mr. Avramopoulos stated that the representatives of the Workers Unions' Centers in northern Greece will meet at the borders on May 15 with representatives of Balkan trade unionist organizations to express jointly their wish for an end to the destructive war in Kossovo and stress their desire for peace and development. [02] MAY DAY MESSAGES BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN GREECEWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Athens, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The chairman and the executive bureau of the socialist governing party of PASOK underlined the strong ties between the party and the workers in a statement they have issued on the occasion of the May Day celebrations. In the statement it is also stressed that this May Day is the bloodiest of the century and a special reference was made to the hundreds of thousands of Kossovo refugees, the killings of ethnic Albanians and the innocent victims among the Serb people as a result of the NATO bombings.Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis stated in his message that May Day this year coincided with the irrational and tragic developments in Yugoslavia. Mr. Karamanlis accused the government and the prime minister of being inadequate and unable to give effective solutions to the deteriorating problems faced by the working class. The Greek Communist Party central committee issued an appeal to the workers in the Balkans to be awakened and lead NATO away from the region. The Coalition of the Left points out that May Day is a day of memory and honor for the social struggle of the workers, who wanted a better life adding that the celebrations this year have acquired an anti-war and pro- peace character. In his statement Democratic Social Movement leader Dimitris Tsovolas stressed that a social patriotic front needs to be formed against the neo- liberals and submission, while the people must be mobilized in order to stop the attack against values and principles for which whole generations of workers gave their lives. Political Spring Party expressed the hope that May Day will become a point of awakening for the Greeks. [03] THE MAY DAY EVENTS HAD AN ANTI-WAR CHARACTERWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The May Day celebrations that were held in Thessaloniki today had a clear anti-war character. Two events were held in the city, one organized by the Workers Unions' Center and a second one by the Workers Fighting Front that took place outside the port of Thessaloniki.The blockade of the port of Thessaloniki continues for a second day by the anti-war committee and its members have blocked the central gate and another gate from where the NATO convoys pass on their way to Skopje. As a result of the mobilizations, a large number of armored tanks, military vehicles and NATO soldiers destined for FYROM to reinforce the troops already there remain blocked at the port. Two separate rallies were also held in Athens on the occasion of the May Day celebrations. One organized by the Greek General Confederation of Workers, the Public Employees' Union and the Workers Unions' Center in Athens and a second one organized by the trade unionists of the Greek Communist Party. Meanwhile, special measures are in effect by the traffic police for the facilitation of the movement of the May Day holiday makers. The traffic in the national road network is increased. [04] THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED THE PURCHASE OF F-16 AND MIRAGE 2000 AIRCRAFTWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Athens, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The Governmental Council of Foreign Affairs and Defence decided the purchase of 50 F-16 and 15 Mirage 2000 aircraft in a meeting that was held under prime minister Kostas Simitis.In the meeting was also decided the purchase of flying radar worth 200 billion drachmas and the country's participation in the European joint venture that will build the new European fighter plane Eurofighter. It is a fourth generation aircraft and a big part of it will be built in Greece. In statements he made, the prime minister also stressed that the message is a strong Greece that will have a voice and prestige and will participate in the world security system. [05] THE ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS IN MACEDONIA-THRACE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS WORLD DAYWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The Association of Journalists in Macedonia-Thrace issued a statement on the occasion of the Freedom of the Press World Day celebrated on May 3 declaring that the principles of the freedom of press and the unhindered dissemination of ideas, news and information must be respected.In the statement the association condemns the persecutions, oppression and imprisonment of journalists in different parts of the world as well as the murderous and planned NATO attacks on the Yugoslav journalists. In conclusion, the association calls for the immediate end of the bombings in Yugoslavia, the return of the refugees to their homes and the political solution of the issue of Kosovo. [06] BURNS: THERE IS NO OFFICIAL TRAVEL ADVISORY ON GREECEWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Athens, 01.05.1999 (MPA) US ambassador to Athens Nicholas Burns gave assurances that the United States do not want the change of the borders in the Balkans.Speaking in the Economist conference in Athens, Mr. Burns admitted that if there is a change in the borders there will be chain reactions in the Balkans and stated that Washington backs the autonomy and not the independence of Kossovo. The US ambassador underlined that there is no official travel advisory on Greece but the public is being informed on the conditions existing in the country regarding the bomb attacks and the anti-American demonstrations. [07] THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF MASS MEDIA OF THE GREEKS LIVING ABROAD WILL BE HELD IN THESSALONIKI ON MAY 2-5Web Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Thessaloniki, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The Federation of the Mass Media of the Greeks abroad have chosen Thessaloniki to hold its conference on the mass media of the Greeks abroad as a network of communication between hellenism and the international community.The conference will open on May 2 and will be completed on May 5 with the participation of Greek politicians, academics, journalists and other observers. It will be held under the auspices of the ministry of press, the foreign ministry and the World Council for Hellenes Abroad (SAE), while it has the support of ministry of Macedonia-Thrace and the prefecture of Thessaloniki. [B] BALKANS[08] NATO AIRCRAFT BOMBED A BRIDGE IN KOSOVO AND KILLED AT LEAST 23 PASSENGERS OF A BUSWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Pristina, 01.05.1999 (MPA) NATO aircraft bombed a bridge in Kossovo at noon today killing at least 23 passengers of a bus that was crossing the bridge at the moment of the attack, according to the French news agency.There is no information on the conditions under which the new NATO attack took place. [09] ิวล NATO BOMBINGS CONTINUE IN KOSOVOWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Belgrade, 01.05.1999 (MPA) The NATO bombings continued in Yugoslavia during last night. NATO aircraft targeted Yugoslavia's ministry of national defense and television transmitters in Belgrade, while they also hit a bridge in northern Montenegro and targets across the country.According to the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, the NATO aircraft bombed Montenegro, Pancevo, the wider region of Belgrade, Sobor and Kralievo. The Serb mass media reported that in yesterday's attacks 13 unarmed civilians were killed and 65 were injured. Meanwhile, the regional capital of Kossovo, Pristina was hit again by NATO aircraft this morning. According to Tanjug, three missiles hit the civilian airport of Slatina, southwest of Pristina and for the moment there is no information on victims. [10] CHERNOMIRDIN IS OPTIMISTIC ON THE ISSUE OF KOSOVOWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Belgrade, 01.05.1999 (MPA) Russian mediator Victor Chernomirdin appeared optimistic after the talks he had in Belgrade yesterday with Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. Mr. Chernomirdin stated that there was steady progress toward a peaceful solution to the crisis in Kossovo and announced that he will brief Russian president Boris Yeltsin on the results of his contacts, while in the next few days he will visit London and Paris within the framework of his peace effort.However, NATO and Washington rejected Belgrade's proposals for the presence in Kossovo of an unarmed UN force. In spite this, Mr. Chernomirdin stated that there was progress regarding the issue of the deployment of an international force in Kossovo, an issue he will discuss with US vice- president Al Gore and representatives of other NATO member-states. Meanwhile, Mr. Chernomirdin reiterated that Moscow is against the oil embargo on Yugoslavia and stressed that such an embargo can be decided only by the UN Security Council. He said that the oil embargo has nothing to do with Russia as his country has its own relations at a government level with Belgrade. [C] EUROPE[11] POISONOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASED BY THE BOMBINGS ARE THREATENING YUGOSLAVIA AND THE REST OF EUROPEWeb Posted: 16:57 GMT+2Moscow, 01.05.1999 (MPA) Russian ministry of defense representatives stated in a press conference in Moscow that the continuing bombings in Yugoslavia lead to an unprecedented environmental disaster in Europe.Deputy director of the ministry of defense Environmental Safety Agency general, Boria Alexeyev stated that the results of the bombings of industry plants in Yugoslavia will be visible after 10 to 20 years as they release very poisonous substances and dioxides. Those substances that are burning products can reach very high altitudes in the atmosphere and can spread across Europe. Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at http://www.hri.org/MPA/Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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