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Thursday, 15 August 2024
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Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 02-09-10Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.CONTENTS
[01] INTERNET CAFE OWNERS PROTESTThessaloniki, 10 September 2002 (12:14 UTC+2)A protest march has been organized by Thessaloniki Internet Café owners and employees. They will gather outside the City Courthouse in solidarity to their two colleagues being tried due to the law concerning video games. This is the first Internet Café owner trial, as they allowed to play video games on their computers. [02] N17 INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUEAthens, 10 September 2002 (15:11 UTC+2)Counter Terrorism Service investigations are continuing at an intense rate in Egina and Agistri, to locate the people who allegedly helped Dimitris Koufontinas from the day of the explosion in Piraeus, to the day he turned himself in to the authorities. Two couples are in the spotlight of the investigations, since according to testimonies, they had come into contact with November 17's Lucas. As far as the people that had pitched their tents next to Dimitris Koufontinas' tent are concerned, they have been located and have testified, but no evidence was found against them, and they were thus released. The 44-year-old is already in the Corydallos Penitentiary, and according to the DA he enters the courtyard alone for his own safety. [03] NO MORE UNIVERSITY STRIKESAthens, 10 September 2002 (12:00 UTC+2)Universities must remain open and our children must not miss another exam period, stated Minister of Education Petros Efthymiou explicitly, after his decision yesterday to form a 4-membered committee to resolve the problems in the University Education sector. He rejected the possibility of University staffs toughening their attitudes and moving to another round of strikes. Speaking to Flash radio, Mr. Efthymiou characterized the proposal submitted yesterday as the golden mean, and stressed: There is no possibility of courses not being made up. The Institutions and the professors know that there will be no lost courses and we hope that there will not be another exam period lost. Mr. Efthymiou pointed out that Greek universities retain a very high level and stressed that according to a Eurostat survey in June, Greece is the first country in the EU in University Education participation (58% of young people aged 18-21 are attending some form of University Education). [04] THE FRENCH BEEF EXPORTS REGAIN THE LOST GROUND IN GREECEThessaloniki, 10 September 2002 (19:26 UTC+2)The sales of French beef return gradually to the levels they were before the mad cow disease crisis and regain a big part of the lost ground. The position of the French beef, which is the most important French export to Greece, is improving according to the director of the French organization for the promotion of exports of food and beverages, SOPEXA, office in Greece. In an event that took place within the framework of Thessaloniki's 67th International Trade Fair, the director of the SOPEXA office in Greece stated that in the first months of the food crisis (late 2000 to early 2001) the French beef exports had shrunk by 80%. However, this decline has been limited today to 20%. The French beef corresponds to 70% of the imported beef in Greece, while it holds a 40% share in the Greek market, counting in the locally produced beef. [05] MEMORIAL FOR THE 9/11 VICTIMS IN THESSALONIKIThessaloniki, 10 September 2002 (18:31 UTC+2)A memorial service for the victims of the 9/11 terrorist strike was held today at the US Consul of Thessaloniki. In his short speech after the service, the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Giorgos Paschalidis, noted that Greece shares the pain of the American people and characteized security as a basic human right. The Mayor of Thessaloniki, Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, testified the grief of Thessaloniki citizens and stressed that the souls of the victims send out a message to rebuild a safe global society, while he expressed his opinion that the war against terror has started bearing results. US Consul General in Thessaloniki John Coenig thanked all Greeks for their solidarity to the US, which he assured them America will never forget. Mr. Coenig ended by saying that together we can make the world a safer place. The ceremony was attended and given a human dimension by Greek American fireman from NY, Peter Critsimilios, who stated that New York firemen will continue to go through the debris until everyone lost is brought home. [06] ALL THOSE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO THE 17N CASE WILL UNDERGO DNA TESTINGAthens, 10 September 2002 (18:24 UTC+2)All those arrested in connection to the terrorist group 17 November case will undergo DNA testing in the following days, according to a court ruling issued today. The ruling mentions that the DNA examination is used as proof in court in all advanced countries for the past 15 years, adding that it has been used as evidence in all terrorist cases with positive results. Also, the ruling refers to a list of 150 findings, discovered in the terrorist group hideouts at Damareos Street and Patmos Street in Athens, which will be evaluated and compared with the DNA samples that will be taken by those arrested as 17N members. [07] THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ON TERRORISMAthens, 10 September 2002 (17:40 UTC+2)The terrorists have no relation with the Left, stated Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas. Mr. Protopapas pointed out that the terrorists are murderers and bank robbers, who put Greece through hardship for 27 years, and there is no excuse for their actions. When asked to comment on whether Alicia Romero Cortez, the partner in life of Savvas Xiros one of the 17 November terrorist group members, is likely to be deported, he stated that he knows nothing about the issue. [08] MARGINAL LOSSES IN THE ASEAthens, 10 September 2002 (17:24 UTC+2)Marginal losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.03% at 2.036,26 points, and the volume of transactions was small at 44.7 million Euro. Of the stocks trading today, 127 recorded gains and 154 had losses, while the value of 94 stocks remained unchanged. [09] HIGH GROWTH RATES IN GREECEAthens, 10 September 2002 (17:04 UTC+2)Greece has achieved the highest growth rate in the European Union. According to the National Statistics Agency, the GDP in the second trimester of 2002 rose to 4% compared to the same period in 2001. In the first trimester of the current year the growth rate was at 4.3%. Based on the results in the first half of the year, Minister of Finance Nikos Christodoulakis stated that the goal to have an overall growth rate of 3.8% in 2002 is absolutely feasible, adding that in 2003 the growth rate will be at 4%. The investment growth rate is a very encouraging element. Even though it was slowed down it was still at high levels (9.8%), compared to the second trimester of 2001. [10] THE GREEKS ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR JOBSAthens, 10 September 2002 (16:48 UTC+2)A large percentage of the Greek workers express dissatisfaction with their jobs (8 out of 10) a tendency that is very different from the rest of Europe where 1 in 2 workers appear very satisfied. According to a Greek General Confederation of Labor research published by the Athens newspaper TA NEA, only 22% of the workers stated that they are very satisfied, 56% expressed average satisfaction and 22% low. It is also proved that the Greeks work continuously at an intense pace, more than the average EU worker, while the compulsory temporary employment period in Greece is double in length compared to the EU average. Also, 84.3% of the Greek wage earners work in the same company for over 2 years and 9.6% less than a year. [11] THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE ON THE 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATESAthens, 10 September 2002 (16:44 UTC+2)Prime Minister Kostas Simitis expressed the solidarity of the Greek government to the people who experienced the trauma of human loss during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mr. Simitis, in his message on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, stressed that they had a negative effect on the world economy and international relations. Mr. Simitis added that they proved that the progress of humanity is a common concern for all peoples and states. He also underlined the need to implement the values of peace, democracy and humanism. He stated characteristically, that September 11, 2001 will be remembered as the day on which uncertainty for tomorrow became, in just a few seconds, a feeling shared by all people around the world. The realization that a world catastrophe is a likelihood permeated the whole of humanity, said the Greek Prime Minister. [12] THE GREEK PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MET WITH CHINA'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO ATHENSAthens, 10 September 2002 (16:07 UTC+2)The necessary infrastructure for successful Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 is being prepared, while the successful efforts against terrorism by the Greek authorities and the measures adopted safeguard security during the games. The above were stressed by Greek Parliament President Apostolos Kaklamanis in the meeting he had in his office with China's new ambassador to Athens. Mr. Kaklamanis underlined that the return of the Olympic Games to their birthplace in 2004 and the fact that Beijing will host the games in 2008, offer an opportunity to Greece and China to cooperate in an effort to bring back the Olympic ideal. He stressed that this ideal ceased to exist lately due to the commercialization of the Olympic Games. The Chinese ambassador conveyed to the Greek Parliament President his government's warm congratulations for the dismantling of terrorist group 17 November and expressed the belief that with the return of the Olympic Games to their birthplace the initial spirit of the games will be revived. [13] COOPERATION MEMORANDUM ON EUROPEAN ROAD AXIS 8Athens, 10 September 2002 (16:00 UTC+2)The geo-economic role of northern Greece and the country as a whole will be strengthened with the signing of the cooperation memorandum for the development of European road axis 8 that took place in Bari, Italy yesterday. The memorandum was signed by Greek Minister of Transportation Christos Verelis and his counterparts from Italy, Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria, and Turkey as well as the European Commission. The European road axis 8 links Bari with Durres, Skopje, Sofia, Burgas and Varna. The specific agreement concerns the parallel development of vertical road axes to axis 8 linking Egnatia Odos motorway with the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. This way the role of Egnatia Odos motorway will be boosted becoming a basic road axis linking East and West in the region of southeastern Europe. This project is expected to contribute to the economic cooperation of the countries in the region, and the strengthening of trade, while it will play a major role in the increase of exports regarding the Greek farm and industrial products. [14] G. PAPANTONIOU IN BRUSSELSBrussels, 10 September 2002 (12:30 UTC+2)Minister of National Defense Giannos Papantoniou is carrying out a two-day visit to Brussles, in order to present the agenda of the Greek Presidency to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. Mr. Papantoniou will refer to the goals and priorities Greece has set for the European Policy of Security and Defense. Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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