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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 2000-12-01

Macedonian Press Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, December 1, 2000

SECTIONS

  • [A] NATIONAL NEWS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS TITLES
  • [01] NEW AMBASSADORS TO ATHENS PRESENT CREDENTIALS
  • [02] NATIONWIDE WORK STOPPAGE NEXT THURSDAY
  • [03] ATHENS HOSTS CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES IN EUROPE
  • [04] ATHENS HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ALBANIAN MINORITIES
  • [05] ATHENS, SOFIA TO SIGN CAPITAL MARKETS AGREEMENT
  • [06] GREEK VENDOR NABBED FOR ALTERING MEAT'S ORIGIN
  • [07] ATHENS FINALIZES POSITIONS ON "MAD COW" DISEASE
  • [08] COUNCIL OF STATE TO REVIEW APPEALS ON STATE IDs
  • [09] CENTURY-OLD SKELETONS FOUND IN CHURCH'S ROOF
  • [10] MFD VP TO BE BURIED TODAY, INQUIRY CONTINUES
  • [11] AIDS INCIDENCE RATE RISING IN GREECE, STUDY FINDS
  • [12] THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF YUGOSLAVIA WILL VISIT MOUNT ATHOS
  • [13] HUGE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
  • [14] SIMITIS-PAPANDREOU MEETING
  • [15] PAPANDREOU WILL NOT ADDRESS THE CONFERENCE OF THE ALBANIAN MAJORITIES-MINORITIES
  • [16] REPPAS: "OLYMPIC AIRWAYS" WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN OPERATION
  • [17] EU COMMISSIONER MS. DIAMANTOPOULOU MET WITH THE ND PRESIDENT
  • [18] THE HOLY SYNOD ON THE POPE'S VISIT TO GREECE
  • [19] V.PAPANDREOU: THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IS A BRIDGE OF COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS
  • [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
  • [20] SUCCESSFUL GREEK PARTICIPATION IN THE PANAIR 2000 EXHIBITION
  • [21] THE CLERGY-LAITY CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL ENDS TODAY
  • [22] EU JUSTICE MINISTERS' COUNCIL MEETING

  • NEWS IN DETAIL

    [A] NATIONAL NEWS

    [01] NEW AMBASSADORS TO ATHENS PRESENT CREDENTIALS

    Five new ambassadors to Athens presented their credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic Costis Stephanopoulos this week, during a brief ceremony held at the presidential mansion.

    The new envoys to Athens are Ms. Lisan Stedel Balliache, from Venezuela; Ms. Rachel R. Mathabo Ntsinyi, Lesotho; Mr. Serajul Islam, Bangladesh; Ms. U. Phone Myini, Myanmar, and Mr. Abdul Wahab Assefi, from Afghanistan.

    [02] NATIONWIDE WORK STOPPAGE NEXT THURSDAY

    The country's largest union, the Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), has declared a nationwide work stoppage for next Thursday, December 7, in protest to labor reforms planned by the state.

    The Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) also participating in the action, which will commence at 11 a.m. until the end of the shift. Both ADEDY and GSEE call on all workers to give a strong presence at all the rallies organized on that day.

    [03] ATHENS HOSTS CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES IN EUROPE

    The Greek Council for Refugees is hosting its fourth European conference on the integration of refugees in Europe, beginning today in Athens.

    The two-day conference will take place at the National Research Institute in Athens and is being organized in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Youth, under the auspices of the Health Ministry.

    The participants will examine ways in which European Union member-states can cooperate, exchange information and handle refugee issues on a community, governmental and local level.

    [04] ATHENS HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ALBANIAN MINORITIES

    Albania's Prime Minister Ilir Meta and other Balkan officials are to arrive in Athens today, in order to attend a conference on "Albanians as minorities in the Balkans".

    The event, held under the auspices of Princeton University, will focus on issues related to the recent developments in the Balkan region, relations between Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the situation in Albania.

    The conference will also be attended by officials from Serbia's transitional government, a government official from FYROM and Greek ambassadors station in the Balkan countries.

    Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis is expected to meet with Mr. Meta, who will be accompanied by Albania's foreign minister.

    [05] ATHENS, SOFIA TO SIGN CAPITAL MARKETS AGREEMENT

    A bilateral agreement on capital markets' regulatory cooperation will be signed between Greece and Bulgaria today, aiming to establish and implement a procedure for mutual help between the two countries' regulatory authorities.

    The cooperation protocol is to be signed in Sofia by Greece's Capital Markets' Commission president Stavros Thomadakis and Bulgaria's National Securities' Commission, Radoslav Tsonchev.

    The agreement, which constitutes a first step in an effort to establish and enhance bilateral cooperation in capital markets' operations provides for the exchange of confidential information to ensure implementation of existing laws.

    [06] GREEK VENDOR NABBED FOR ALTERING MEAT'S ORIGIN

    A Thessaloniki court has sentenced a local meat vendor to a six-year jail term and 174-million-drachma fine, for altering the origin of FYROM-bred beef products to German, an elaborate scheme to escape import taxes and tariffs.

    The scam was discovered seven years ago, when Greek customs officials arrested vendor Yiannis Emmanouelides at the Promahonas border station for attempting to import 33 tons of beef meat from FYROM in vehicles with Bulgarian license plates. The meat, accompanied by bogus and German-made authentication papers, was confiscated by the authorities.

    Emmanouelides, who filed an appeal and was released on his own recognizance, denied knowledge of the meat's true origin and claimed that it was the German customs officials who drew the authentication papers.

    [07] ATHENS FINALIZES POSITIONS ON "MAD COW" DISEASE

    The national committee on addressing Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has finalized its positions on the issue, ahead of the European Union's special Council of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels on Monday.

    In a session chaired by Agriculture Minister George Anomeritis yesterday, the committee ruled in favor of a final ban on meat and bone meal (MBM) meat flour in feeding animals and the implementation of the "fast test" in detecting the "mad cow" disease in bovines.

    Additionally, the committee favors the complete ban of intestines of bovines, regardless of age, but not the intestines of sheep under the age of 12 months.

    Greece's positions are in line with those of the European Commission, which agreed on several new proposals to respond to the BSE crisis, such as a temporary ban on the feeding of MBM to all farm animals and a requirement that all animals over 30 months are tested for BSE to enhance consumer confidence.

    [08] COUNCIL OF STATE TO REVIEW APPEALS ON STATE IDs

    Appeals filed against the government's decision to remove all mention of religious belief from state identity cards will be heard by the Council of State today.

    The plenary session will be tightly monitored by security, in an effort to avert possible reactions by fierce opponents of the state's decision.

    The said decision has led to numerous skirmishes between Church and State, with religious leaders accusing the government of trying to de-christianize the country.

    [09] CENTURY-OLD SKELETONS FOUND IN CHURCH'S ROOF

    Two human skeletons, dating back approximately one hundred years, were discovered recently at the roof of a village church in eastern Macedonia.

    Repaoir workers discovered the human remains at the wooden roof of the Church of Our Lady in the village of Rodolivos, near the town of Serres.

    According to the coroner, the skeletons belong to an aged man, approximately 50 years old, and a young woman, estimated at 25 years of age. The age and gender findings refute a popular legend that the remains belong to the wife of the Turkish local administrator and her son, who suffered from an incurable illness.

    Instead, it is now believed that the skeletons may belong to two individuals who sought refuge in the church in order to escape the Turkish yoke.

    A DNA investigation will soon be conducted.

    [10] MFD VP TO BE BURIED TODAY, INQUIRY CONTINUES

    The vice-president of Minoan Flyihng Dolphins (MFD) Pantelis Sfinias, who fell to his death from his sixth-floor office in Piraeus on Wednesday, will be buried this afternoon at the first Cemetery of Athens.

    At the same time, police are continuing their inquiry into the causes that led the shipping executive to take his own life. Investigations are focusing on Sfinias' phone conversations minutes before his suicide, although autopsy findings have determined that he died of massive injuries sustained in the fall, backing the coroner's verdict of suicide, not foul play or accident.

    Sfinias had been under intense pressure since the Samina Express passenger ferry sank off the coast of Paros on September 26, resulting in the loss of 81 lives.

    [11] AIDS INCIDENCE RATE RISING IN GREECE, STUDY FINDS

    Greece is among the leading countries within the European Union in rates of new AIDS cases, according to a report published by Thessaloniki's "AHEPA" hospital, while no clear assessment can be made of the number of HIV carriers.

    According to the report, which cites Health Ministry data, 2,000 individuals are infected with AIDS, while approximately 1,200 have succumbed to the epidemic (1,000 men and about 140 women).

    HIV/AIDS cases in Greece are most frequently found among homosexual and bisexual males.

    [12] THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF YUGOSLAVIA WILL VISIT MOUNT ATHOS

    Yugoslav president Voiclav Kostunica, prime minister Zoran Djinjic and members of the cabinet will be on a pilgrimage to Mount Athos on Sunday and Monday.

    The are expected to arrive in Thessaloniki on Sunday at noon and they will go to Mount Athos in Chalkidiki, northern Greece by helicopter. They will visit monasteries and on Monday they will return to Thessaloniki.

    On Monday, before departing for Belgrade, they will meet with minister of Macedonia-Thrace Giorgos Paschalidis. They are also scheduled to lay a wreath at the Cemetery of Zeidelik and visit the church of St. Demetrius.

    [13] HUGE GAINS IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE

    Huge gains of 4.85% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the general index was at 3.403,33 points, while the volume of transactions was 100.50 billion drachmas.

    The overwhelming majority of the stocks trading today namely, 352, recorded gains, 6 had losses and 17 remained unchanged.

    Meanwhile, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas denied the rumors over an imminent resignation of national economy minister Yiannos Papantoniou.

    [14] SIMITIS-PAPANDREOU MEETING

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou met at noon today with prime minister Kostas Simitis in view of his afternoon meeting with his Albanian counterpart, prime minister Ilir Meta.

    The Simitis-Meta meeting will be an informal one and there will be no statements.

    In the meeting of Mr. Simitis with Mr. Papandreou were also finalized the Greek positions that will be presented in the EU General Affairs Council on Monday. In the council is expected to be discussed the EU-Turkey partnership relation text.

    [15] PAPANDREOU WILL NOT ADDRESS THE CONFERENCE OF THE ALBANIAN MAJORITIES-MINORITIES

    Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou will not address the conference on the Albanian majorities-minorities that is being held in Athens, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas, who added that if his schedule allows for it Mr. Papandreou will attend the reception that will be given this evening.

    Mr. Reppas stated that the conference is attended by the Slovak foreign minister, who is the UN secretary-general representative in the Balkans, Yugoslav federal government minister of interior Mr. Slivovic and head of the UN administration in Kosovo Mr. Koushner, while it is possible to be attended by Ibrahim Rugova and Hasim Taci.

    In the conference also take part representatives of other Balkan governments as well.

    [16] REPPAS: "OLYMPIC AIRWAYS" WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN OPERATION

    The shutting down of the Greek state-run airline "Olympic Airways" has never been raised as a likelihood and it will continue to be in operation, stated Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas responding to a question by a reporter.

    Mr. Reppas stated that no one wants to reduce the value of SOlympic Airways" at a time when a bid is imminent concerning the transfer of its control.

    [17] EU COMMISSIONER MS. DIAMANTOPOULOU MET WITH THE ND PRESIDENT

    Greek European Commissioner Ms. Anna Diamantopoulou met today with right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis to brief him on European Union issues.

    Specifically, they discussed social agenda issues, as well as employment and job market issues, pension reforms issues and the EU-Turkey partnership relation text as it has been formed by the European Commission.

    Ms. Diamantopoulou assured Mr. Karamanlis that the channel of communication with New Democracy will be open and stressed that there will be immediate briefing on European Union social policy issues.

    [18] THE HOLY SYNOD ON THE POPE'S VISIT TO GREECE

    The issue of the Pope's likely visit to Greece was discussed today by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. In a statement issued after the meeting it was stressed that any individual has the right to visit Greece and make a pilgrimage to Pneka, where Apostle Pavlos preached the word of God to the Athenians. However, it is mentioned that the Holy Synod has no authority to agree or disagree to this visit.

    In the statement it is also mentioned that while reaching the final decision the government officials must take under consideration all the facts that make up Greece's historical, social and religious surroundings as it is only natural to affect the holding or not of this pilgrimage-visit.

    In the same statement is mentioned that a Roman-Catholic Church representative had tried to feel out the Church of Greece to establish if it was objecting to a possible visit by Pope John- Paul B' to Athens next spring, when he will be on his way from Damascus to Malta.

    [19] V.PAPANDREOU: THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IS A BRIDGE OF COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS

    Greek minister of interior Ms. Vaso Papandreou characterized the International Center of Public Administration, that she inaugurated in Thessaloniki today, as another bridge of cooperation linking the Balkan states and peoples.

    The center will be in operation with the cooperation of the Greek government and the United Nations and gives the opportunity to Thessaloniki to play an important role in the upgrading of public administration in the wider region.

    In her speech Ms. Papandreou stated that cooperation in the Balkans is strengthened with this initiative which is made within the framework of the firm effort of the Greek government for peace and stability in the region.

    The inauguration was held in the presence of minister of Macedonia-Thrace and other government ministers and mayors from Albania, Romania, Bulgaria and Bosnia. Also present were Thessaloniki's prefect and other officials.

    [B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    [20] SUCCESSFUL GREEK PARTICIPATION IN THE PANAIR 2000 EXHIBITION

    The participation of Greek companies in the PANAIR 2000 exhibition that ended in Tirana yesterday was very successful.

    Greece was represented in the exhibition that opened on November 25 and ended on November 30 by two banks and 22 companies from different sectors.

    The Greek pavilions were visited, among others, by the Albanian prime minister, the government vice-president cabinet ministers and the mayor of Tirana.

    [21] THE CLERGY-LAITY CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL ENDS TODAY

    The Clergy-Laity Conference in Istanbul, organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate under the auspices of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, ends today. The conference was held within the framework of the festivities on the occasion of the 2.000 years since the birth of Christ.

    The Ecumenical Patriarch opened the conference on November 27. It was attended by 700 delegates and dealt with the issue of the parish as a reality in the life of the Church.

    [22] EU JUSTICE MINISTERS' COUNCIL MEETING

    The European Union justice ministers' council met in Brussels today and Greece was represented by justice minister Michalis Stathopoulos.

    The issues that were discussed concerned the international jurisdiction, the recognition and the execution of court decisions on civil law and trade law cases.

    Also, they discussed the draft regulation on the mutual execution of court decisions concerning the right of communication between parents and children and the creation of a European network for the training of judges. Among the issues discussed were also a draft directive and a framework decision for the strengthening of the penal law framework tackling the assistance of illegal entry, movement and residence of foreigners.


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