Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-07-05

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] PROTOPAPAS: KARAMANLIS WILL GET HIS ANSWER FROM THE GREEK PEOPLE

[02] KARAMANLIS LAUNCHED STRONG CRITICISM ON THE GOVERNMENT

[03] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: EMPHASIS TO THE COUNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT

[04] 58 MILLION EUROS ON THE SO-CALLED "LIFE STYLE" PILLS

[05] PASOK'S NEW EXECUTIVE BUREAU MEETS ON WEDNESDAY

[06] THE NEW CABINET SWEARS-IN ON MONDAY

[07] PAPANDREOU: GREECE HAS A PROUD FOREIGN POLICY

[08] THE 57TH CONFERENCE OF THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

[01] PROTOPAPAS: KARAMANLIS WILL GET HIS ANSWER FROM THE GREEK PEOPLE

Greek government spokesman Christos Protopapas responded to the statements made by right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis maintaining that he will get the right answer from the Greek people in the spring of 2004 when parliamentary elections will be held in Greece.

Mr. Protopapas stated that Mr. Karamanlis with the statements he made today proves once again that he is unable to realize the model of modern governance the country needs.

The government spokesman stated that Mr. Karamanlis is unable to realize that the people, more than anything else, need clear goals and policy continuity, while they evaluate the results of the government work and not the individual politicians.

[02] KARAMANLIS LAUNCHED STRONG CRITICISM ON THE GOVERNMENT

Right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis launched strong criticism on the government and called for early elections, speaking today before representatives of the production sector in the northern city of Veria in the prefecture of Imathia.

Referring to the government reshuffle, Mr. Karamanlis stated that the changes imposed by the Prime Minister concern his party, their chairs and his succession and accused Prime Minister Kostas Simitis of being forced to remain in the same structures, the same form and the same faces.

He also accused the government of bad governance, unaccountable spending and impunity, stressing that Mr. Simitis never dared to make the changes necessary for a modern, effective and true social state.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that with today's growth rates a convergence will not be made possible not even in half a century and reiterated the accusations for mismanagement and lack of social policy.

[03] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: EMPHASIS TO THE COUNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT

The materialization of the strategic goals for Greece by the year 2010 is the basic aim of the government, stated Minister of Development Akis Tsochatzopoulos from Thessaloniki today commenting on the recent political developments.

Mr. Tsochatzopoulos stated that hard work is needed by the governing Socialist Part of PASOK and the government to materialize the strategic goals for the country's development by the year 2010.

[04] 58 MILLION EUROS ON THE SO-CALLED "LIFE STYLE" PILLS

The use of the so-called life style pills has taken up alarming dimensions in Greece. They are pills that supposedly help people lose weight, be tranquil and have a good sex life. Over 58 million euros were spent in 2002 on tranquilizers, diet pills and viagra-type pills.

According to a press report on the Athens newspaper Ethnos, the improved living standards in Greece over the past years brought into light new types of needs. More and more people, are trying to solve their problems that have to do with overweight, lack of inner satisfaction and anxiety over their sexual performance by taking pills.

[05] PASOK'S NEW EXECUTIVE BUREAU MEETS ON WEDNESDAY

The governing Socialist Party of PASOK newly elected Executive Bureau will meet on Wednesday, July 9 chaired by Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon at the central party offices in Athens.

[06] THE NEW CABINET SWEARS-IN ON MONDAY

The new cabinet swears-in on Monday morning in the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos. In the new cabinet participate two new ministers and six undersecretaries.

The new ministers are Haris Kastanidis in the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace and Alexandros Akrivakis in the Ministry of the State.

The new undersecretaries are Nikos Bistis in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kimon Koulouris in the Ministry of Development, Nikos Farmakis in the Ministry of Finance, Thodoros Kotsonis in the Ministry of Defense, Giorgos Thomas in the Ministry of Education and Vasilis Kontogiannopoulos in the Ministry of Health. Giorgos Floridis will take over the Ministry of Public Order replacing Michalis Chrisochoidis, who was elected PASOK's Central Committee Secretary.

After the swearing-in ceremony, the cabinet will meet under Prime Minister Kostas Simitis.

[07] PAPANDREOU: GREECE HAS A PROUD FOREIGN POLICY

Greece has a proud foreign policy, stressed Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Papandreou from the northwestern Greek city of Grevena today.

The statement was made when he was called to comment on the statements made by former PASOK Central Committee Secretary Kostas Laliotis, who spoke about an involvement of the US factor in the party's internal affairs.

Referring to the government reshuffle, Mr. Papandreou stated that the Prime Minister made his choices and hard work is needed to materialize a very significant work in all sectors.

[08] THE 57TH CONFERENCE OF THE PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA CONCLUDES TODAY

The proceedings of the 57th Conference of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America will be completed in Boston, Massachusetts today with the election of the new Supreme Council of the organization.

There was only one candidature for the post of the Pan-Macedonian Association President, which was occupied for the past three years by Nina Peropoulou. The sole candidate is Sotiris Proios, a member of the Pan-Macedonian for 34 years and President of the Association of Thessalonians in New York for 15 years.

Panos Spiliakos is a candidate for the post of the Vice-President, while the reelection of Nina Gatzouli to the post of the General Secretary of the Association is regarded as certain.

In the three-day conference proceedings were examined issues concerning the improved course of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America which is one of the older and bigger Greek-American organizations representing about 600.000 Greeks from the province of Macedonia in the northern part of Greece.

Another issue that dominated in the conference was the better approach of the young generation and ways to persuade them join the organizations that are members of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America.

The issue mentioned above was outlined in an inspired speech, before the 200 delegates participating in the conference, by Archbishop Dimitrios of America, who is honorary President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of America.

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