Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-11-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE "MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER" IS THE REASON BEHIND THE ATTACK

[02] AIDS IN GREECE IS ON THE DECLINE

[03] THE HOLY REMAINS OF SAINTS IOANNIS CHRISOSTOMOS AND GRIGORIOS THEOLOGOS

[04] A US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HANDBOOK USED THE INDICATION "OCCUPIED

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

[06] THE GREEK MINISTER OF TOURISM TO VISIT TURKEY

[07] ALOGOSKOUFIS: THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION LETTER VINDICATES THE GOV'T

[08] CYPRIOT STUDENTS FIRED AGAINST LOCAL BUSES IN ATHENS

[09] SALAGOUDIS: EU FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE

[10] ALBANIA IS UNDER SUPERVISION REGARDING THE ETHNIC GREEK MINORITY RIGHTS

[01] THE "MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER" IS THE REASON BEHIND THE ATTACK

Organized centers use as Trojan Horses certain mass media to hurt the government and this orchestrated attack will continue and intensify as the government will get closer to presenting the majority shareholder draft law in Parliament, stated State Minister Thodoris Rousopoulos to Athens daily Eleftheros Tipos.

Responding to a question on the election of the new Hellenic Republic President, Mr. Rousopoulos stressed that the government does not aim at holding early elections but, at the same time, it is not afraid of such likelihood.

Meanwhile, governing party of New Democracy Central Committee Secretary Vangelis Meimarakis categorically denied information that he is in conflict with Mr. Rousopoulos, stating in Athens daily TA NEA that he supports the government policy.

[02] AIDS IN GREECE IS ON THE DECLINE

December 1st is the World AIDS Day aimed at reminding us all that HIV is an issue for everyone.

Based on data provided by the Greek Health Ministry Special Infections Control Center, a total of 65 new AIDS patients (53 men and 12 women) were recorded in Greece last year, while the new HIV positive are 431. This is the lowest number of AIDS cases recorded in Greece since 1987, while there is optimism stemming from the conclusion that since 2001 the number of new AIDS cases has stopped rising and remains stable.

According to the global data provided by the responsible UN agency concerning the spread of the disease, over 39 million people in the world are HIV positive.

A total of 37,2 million are adults, between the ages of 15 and 49, while 2,2 million are children under the age of 15, and 17,6 million are adult women.

[03] THE HOLY REMAINS OF SAINTS IOANNIS CHRISOSTOMOS AND GRIGORIOS THEOLOGOS IN THE FENER

The Holy Remains of Saints Ioannis Chrisostomos and Grigorios Theologos will be in the Chapel of Apostle Andreas in the Fener until tomorrow for the faithful who wish to pay pilgrimage.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received the Holy Remains last Saturday from Pope John-Paul B' himself in a special ceremony held in the Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Delegations from all Christian Orthodox Churches in the world are in the Fener and hundreds of faithful, as well as an upgraded delegation of the Church of Rome with which the Ecumenical Patriarch will have talks.

[04] A US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HANDBOOK USED THE INDICATION "OCCUPIED MACEDONIAN TERRITORIES"

A map of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that used the indication "occupied Macedonian territories" for parts of Greece and Bulgaria was included in a US Department of Defense handbook.

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos responding to a question by a reporter on the moves made on behalf of the Greek side, he stressed that this totally incorrect map was included in a US Department of Defense handbook since 1999 and was corrected after moves made in the past four months by the Greek Foreign Ministry.

[05] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.95% at 2672.27 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 183,1 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 180 had gains and 106 had losses, while the value of 130 stocks remained unchanged.

[06] THE GREEK MINISTER OF TOURISM TO VISIT TURKEY

Minister of Tourism Dimitris Avramopoulos will be on a two-day visit to Ankara and Istanbul tomorrow at the formal invitation of Turkish Minister of Tourism and Culture Erkan Mumcu.

They will have talks in view of the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement on tourist issues, while they will jointly inaugurate an exhibition of Melina Mercouri posters.

Tomorrow, Mr. Avramopoulos will attend a friendly dinner in Ankara that will be given in his honor by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime Minister's Mansion.

During his visit to Turkey, Mr. Avramopoulos will have contacts with tourist officials in the neighboring country, while he will also visit the Fener where he will meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

[07] ALOGOSKOUFIS: THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION LETTER VINDICATES THE GOV'T DECISION

Extremely condemning of the practices followed in Greece in the past regarding deficits and public debt will be the European Commission letter on the issue, according to Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis.

Mr. Alogoskoufis pointed out that in essence the letter will totally vindicate the Greek government decision to restore transparency in public accounts through fiscal record keeping.

The letter the European Commission will forward to the Ministry of Finance will mention all the violations of the EU legislation on deficits and public debt committed in the past seven years, based on the agreed procedure by the Ministry of Finance and the European Commission. Mr. Alogoskoufis assured that the issue will close with the exchange of letters between the Ministry of Finance and the European Commission.

[08] CYPRIOT STUDENTS FIRED AGAINST LOCAL BUSES IN ATHENS

The four Cypriot students, who were arrested last Saturday because they fired against three local buses at the center of Athens using an air rifle, will be tried in an Athens court today.

The students, who were on a trip to Athens, caused only minor damages to the buses, one of which was carrying a number of passengers at the time of the attack.

The prosecutor has charged them with illegal arms possession and property damage.

[09] SALAGOUDIS: EU FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS OIL PIPELINE

Greek Deputy Minister of Development Giorgos Salagoudis asked for EU funds for the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. Mr. Salagoudis represented Greece in the EU Energy Ministers Council meeting that took place in Brussels today.

During the Energy Ministers dinner yesterday, a broad political discussion was held on the oil supply safety and Mr. Salagoudis briefed the EU partners on the promotion of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the important political agreement reached by the three involved countries (Greece-Bulgaria-Russia) in Athens at the initiative of the Greek government.

Mr. Salagoudis stated that the specific project serves better than any other similar project the three basic priorities of the European energy policy, namely, competitiveness because it cuts transport cost and time, supply safety in the EU because it promotes the diversification of energy resources and environmental protection because it contributes to the efforts aimed at avoiding accidents in Bosporos.

Within this framework, Mr. Salagoudis raised the issue of EU funding for the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline for the project to become more competitive and materialize faster.

[10] ALBANIA IS UNDER SUPERVISION REGARDING THE ETHNIC GREEK MINORITY RIGHTS

There will be no European prospect for Albania if the country does not learn to respect and support minority rights. The above is mentioned in a European Commission response to the question by Greek governing party of New Democracy Euro-deputies Ioannis Varvitsiotis and Kostis Hatzigakis on the recent blowing up of the cross of Saint Dimitrios church in the village of Tzara in Sarante, Albania.

The Greek Euro-deputies referred to the blowing up of the cross by the Albanian authorities and called on the European Commission to make the necessary moves immediately to deal with the issue within the framework of the rule of law.

The European Commission mentions that based on the information it has at its disposal it appears that the Albanian municipal and regional authorities and the police reacted unbecomingly and without displaying the necessary sensitivity.

The European Commission stresses that it intends to raise the issue to the Albanian authorities as soon as possible and remind them that the respect and support of minority rights, as well as an open and constructive stance toward minorities in Albania constitute basic preconditions for the country's progress in the Stabilization and Association Process.

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