Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 01-02-21
HR-Net News Distribution Manager
[01] Economy proceeding with firm steps, PM tells President
[02] FM Papandreou to make official visit to Austria on March 4-5
[03] Papandreou to meet Constantopoulos on foreign policy issues
[04] Premier calls for party renewal, continuation of present policies
[05] ND denounces state of prison system, police force
[06] ND attacks government over EU event, party congress date clash
[07] Press ministry's information secretary says Athens 2004 Olympiad will
have integrated security plan
[08] Christodoulos on ID issue, gov't says PM never ruled out meeting
[09] New commander appointed for NATO post at Tyrnavos
[10] Aegean Minister speaks on 'Cyprus in the European Union and the role of
Greece'
[11] Greek trade unions in battle positions ahead of dialogue with the
government
[12] Workers have right to paid vacations irrespective of duration of
employment; EU court may rule
[13] Greek stocks end higher for the 9th consecutive session
[14] Greek inflation slows to 3.4 percent in January yr/yr
[15] Commercial Bank of Greece to give Dr 450 dividend
[16] Average weighted yield drops in T-bill auctions
[17] Greece's work force to rise until 2011, then decline
[18] Report calls for liberalization of "closed-end" professions
[19] Tomi applies for power plant construction permits
[20] PriceWaterhouseCoopers to hold conference in Vouliagmeni
[21] Turkish Fashion Exhibition to be held in Athens
[22] Increase in tourist arrivals from Italy last year
[23] European Socialist Party seminar in Athens on Feb. 23-24
[24] No plans to change site for Olympic rowing center, says gov't
[25] Environment minister announces changes to Omonia Square
[26] Archbishop of America visits Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos
[27] Greece's third Megaron concert hall slated for Laconia
[28] Only one of the three guards carried handgun during Passaris' escape from
hospital
[29] The British Embassy in Athens to make available a condolence book for
Woodhouse
[30] President arrives in Ioannina to attend celebrations marking 88th
anniversary of city's liberation from Turkish rule
[31] SAE presidium to meet in Thessaloniki on Wednesday
[32] Bird hunting season curtailed to meet EU regulations
[33] Dutch State Secretary speaks on Cyprus' EU accession course
[34] Cyprus government says premature to draw conclusions about situation in
Turkey
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[01] Economy proceeding with firm steps, PM tells President
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The Greek economy was doing well and moving ahead with "firm steps",
Prime Minister Costas Simitis said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after briefing President Costis Stephanopoulos on
domestic and foreign affairs, Simitis added that foreign investors'
interest in the Greek economy was reflected in the "active interest"
displayed for the construction of electricity plants and major hotels
here.
Simitis said he and the President had reviewed all the issues
concerning the country's domestic and foreign policy during there more
than hour-long meeting.
On foreign affairs, Simitis said Greece had "good relations" with all
countries, adding that the priorities of Greece's foreign policy were
advancing a solution to the Cyprus issue, improving relations with
Turkey, lasting peace in the Balkans, and cooperation in the region.
Simitis further noted the importance of the Balkan summit to be held
Thursday and Friday in the FYROM capital Skopje as it came at a time of
"tension" between Albania and other countries in the region and the
situation in Montenegro, adding that such meetings helped ease tensions
to the benefit of peace in the Balkans.
The Balkan leaders will meet in Skopje on Thursday and Friday to
discuss regional developments and cooperation, focusing on the latest
developments in southeast Europe and particularly on the situation in
southern Serbia and Kosovo.
Premier, Papantoniou discuss economy, CSF programs: Prime minister
Costas Simitis and national economy and finance minister Yannos
Papantoniou on Tuesday discussed the course of the Greek economy and
programs slated for EU funding under the third Community Support
Framework CSF.
Papantoniou told reporters after the meeting that he and the premier
discussed the course of the Greek economy, with the focus on tax
revenues and inflation.
The minister described both indices as "satisfactory", adding that
March 15 would be the starting point for implementation of the programs
incorporated under the third CSF, as a Cabinet meeting would be held
exclusively on those projects, which in the meantime will have received
final approval by the European Commission.
Replying to questions, Papantoniou said there were no "clouds" over the
course of the economy, noting that the growth rate of the euro-zone
member countries this year was anticipated at three percent.
[02] FM Papandreou to make official visit to Austria on March 4-5
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Foreign Minister George Papandreou is expected to discuss bilateral
relations, the Cyprus issue, Greek-Turkish relations, developments in
Yugoslavia and European Union enlargement in talks with Austrian
leaders during his official visit to Vienna on March 4-5.
Talks Papandreou will be having with his Austrian counterpart Benita
Ferero-Waldner, Austrian President Thomas Klestil and Chancellor
Wolfgang Schuessel are expected to focus, among others, on the further
improvement of what have been termed excellent relations between Greece
and Austria.
He is also expected to meet members of the historic Greek community in
Vienna and visit the famous Vienna State Opera, accompanied by his
Austrian counterpart.
Papandreou's visit to Vienna is the first official bilateral contact
between a Greek minister and the new Austrian coalition government,
composed of the conservative Popular Party and the nationalist Freedom
Party, which came to power in February last year.
His visit also coincides with the upcoming assumption of the duties of
the new Austrian Ambassador to Athens Rene Politzer.
[03] Papandreou to meet Constantopoulos on foreign policy issues
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Foreign Minister George Papandreou will meet with Coalition of the Left
leader Nikos Constantopoulos on Wednesday, to discuss Greece's dispute
with the neighboring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia regarding
its adopted name.
The Coalition is in favor of a composite name for the republic.
Another issue that will be discussed is the decree on the genocide of
Asia Minor Greeks, which the Coalition thinks should not be promoted in
order to avoid problems in relations with Turkey.
The Coalition plans to organize a seminar on the situation in the
Balkans on March 1, after which Constantopoulos will conduct a tour of
Balkan countries.
[04] Premier calls for party renewal, continuation of present policies
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Tuesday declared his certainty that
the government's policies will be successful and accused main
opposition New Democracy (ND) of petty, non-constructive criticism of
those policies.
During a meeting with ruling PASOK Parliament deputies, Simitis said
that the current government policies would "secure the great
achievements and success" of the recent past, adding that the "results
of this policy will become apparent at the end of the four-year term"
of the government.
He also said that there was resistance in implementing policies, which
he explained as "inflexibility of the past and persistence to outmoded
recipes, attitudes and practices".
The premier called for renewal of persons and ideas within the ruling
party, stressing that "we should become disentangled from the past and
the attitude of tradition, which views reality as unchanging".
Speaking on ND, he said that the main opposition party was undergoing a
long-term, multi-faceted crisis, which it cannot overcome, while he
accused it of "a policy of scandal mongering, populism and
non-constructive negative attitude".
[05] ND denounces state of prison system, police force
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Main opposition New Democracy clamored for government action to improve
Greece's prison system and police force, after a meeting of ND
section-heads on Tuesday to discuss the escape of prison inmate Costas
Passaris.
Last Friday, Passaris had managed to shoot his way out of an Athens
hospital, to which he had been transferred from Korydallos prison for
medical tests, killing two police officers in the process.
Law enforcement section-head Theodoros Anagnostopoulos said that Greece
had never before witnessed such forms of organized crime and that
citizens in outlying districts felt a level of insecurity that was not
matched even in times of political instability.
He also called for improvements in law enforcement before the Olympic
Games come to Athens in 2004, while noting that the government's
promises of a new legislative framework had come to nothing.
He criticized Justice Minister Michalis Stathopoulos of not devoting
enough time to citizen safety and called for new laws on gun use and
possession by the police.
ND spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, meanwhile, said that the main
opposition would submit two questions in Parliament on security issues
and the Passaris escape and stressed that many points needed
clarification.
The spokesman also pointed out shortcomings within Korydallos prison,
where the prisoners' infirmary was not operating and no distinctions
were made between prisoners being held for serious and petty crimes. He
also denounced the poor state of the prison's buildings, which he said
were overcrowded.
He concluded by saying that ND was in favor of five-day leave for
prisoners, provided both their conduct in prison and the seriousness of
their crimes was taken into account.
[06] ND attacks government over EU event, party congress date clash
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Greece's main opposition New Democracy party attacked the government on
Tuesday over its refusal to postpone an event to celebrate the 20th
anniversary since Greece joined the European Union, which coincides
with the start of ND's party congress in Thessaloniki.
ND spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos accused the government of trying to
exclude ND from the event by adamantly insisting on the March 31 date
for the celebrations, even though European Commission President Romano
Prodi had understood when the opposition party requested a slight
delay.
The spokesman also produced correspondence between the European
Commission, its bureau in Greece, ND leader Costas Karamanlis and ND
party secretary Dimitris Sioufas, according to which New Democracy had
been informed about the EU event on January 16.
Roussopoulos also noted that the program sent to ND did not include an
address by Karamanlis and that the date of ND's congress had been
public knowledge. He concluded by saying that ND would not be sending
any representative to the anniversary event.
[07] Press ministry's information secretary says Athens 2004 Olympiad
will have integrated security plan
NEW YORK, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The Press and Media Ministry's Information Secretary General, Yiannis
Nikolaou, told a press conference in New York on Monday an integrated
security plan would be applied in Greece before, during and after the
2004 Athens Olympic Games.
"Terrorism constitutes an international problem. Greece is cooperating
with the US and other countries to eradicate it to the extent it
exists, while the government will handle all issues related to the
Olympiad with sobriety and diligence to enable the event to be crowned
with success," he said.
Nikolaou said the purpose of his visit to the US was to cooperate with
Greek communications professors and with the chiefs of press offices in
the US and Canada on the issue of the country's image in the US and
Canadian media.
[08] Christodoulos on ID issue, gov't says PM never ruled out meeting
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos gave an
across-the-board television interview on Monday evening, where at one
point he emphasized that the Church has repeatedly attempted to confer
with Prime Minister Costas Simitis over the divisive identification
cards furor.
While clarifying that he has never "picked up the phone to personally"
call the premier, Christodoulos did stress that various government
officials and ministers have over the past year publicly opined that
the "ID issue" is permanently settled, whereas any other relevant
Church-state matters should be taken up with the education and
religious affairs minister.
On its part, the government on Tuesday responded that PM Simitis has
never rejected a meeting the Greek Church's influential leadership.
The government's decision to issue new ID cards sans the religious
affiliation on grounds that it constitutes a violation of citizens'
privacy concerning personal data has caused a firestorm of opposition
from the powerful Autocephalus Orthodox Church of Greece.
The Greek Church is at present collecting signatures nation-wide in
order to force a referendum to give citizens in the predominately
Orthodox country the option of listing their religious preference on
new IDs.
The latest twist in the months-long ID card furor came last December
with a recommendation by the Council of State against the listing of
citizens' religious affiliation.
Greece highest administrative court heard opinions against the listing
of religious affiliation and nationality on the new police
identification cards.
A court spokesman, however, recommended that nationality be included on
new IDs.
[09] New commander appointed for NATO post at Tyrnavos
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
A new commander has been appointed for NATO's JC SOUTHCENT
sub-headquarters, based in the central Greece town of Tyrnavos.
According to a press release, Greek Army Lt.-Gen. Panayiotis Harvalas
will replace Lt.-Gen. Emmanuel Mantzanas.
The new JC SOUTHCENT commander was first in his class at the army's
academy, graduating with honors in 1969 before subsequently serving at
several national and NATO-level posts.
[10] Aegean Minister speaks on 'Cyprus in the European Union and the
role of Greece'
NICOSIA, 210/02/2001 (ANA-G. Leonidas)
Cyprus' candidacy for accession to the European Union is a choice of
strategic importance and strengthens the Cypriot government's
international presence and prestige and introduces a new dynamic
parameter which can contribute positively to a settlement of the Cyprus
problem which for years now is bogged down in a marsh, Greece's Aegean
Minister Nicos Sifounakis said in a speech in Nicosia on Tuesday
night.
Speaking on the theme "Cyprus in the European Union and the role of
Greece", Sifounakis said that "another positive step was made" at the
EU summit in Helsinki. He added, however that "the full implementation
of its decisions requires an increase in our efforts and readiness."
He noted that Cyprus' accession to the EU will also be to the benefit
of the Turkish Cypriots, underlining that Cyprus' European course "is
linked with Greece's steadfast decision that the priority of Greek
foreign policy is the finding of a permanent and just solution to the
Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations resolutions,
on the basis of the principles of a unified and sovereign state and
territorial integrity".
Sifounakis is on a visit to Cyprus with Macedonia-Thrace Minister
George Paschalidis.
They are on the island attending a meeting of the joint Greece-Cyprus
evaluation committee of a program entitled "Thrace-Aegean-Cyprus" that
is examining 330 proposals from 115 organizations relating to the
promotion of education, culture, and the environment of Thrace, the
Aegean and Cyprus.
[11] Greek trade unions in battle positions ahead of dialogue with the
government
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Greece's two largest trade union umbrellas, GSEE and ADEDY representing
the private and public sector respectively, looked set to take battle
positions ahead of the beginning of talks with the government over a
reform in the country's social security system.
The two unions and the Employment Institute presented on Tuesday,
during a press conference, workers' negotiating position based on a
report compiled by the institute.
GSEE chairman, Christos Polyzogopoulos, said that union members would
participate in a dialogue with the government but that they would
defend strongly workers', unemployed people and pensioners' interests.
He stressed that the country's social security system did not suffer
from overheating because of increased social benefits but due to a
large social shortfall and he accused the state of draining more than
15 trillion drachmas from the social insurance funds' money.
Polyzogopoulos also cited the significance of contribution evasion,
currently totalling 25 percent, informal employment and the state's
incoherence in meeting its financial support of the system.
GSEE dismissed any talk of extending the retirement age in Greece and
accepting the participation of private insurance companies in the
social insurance system.
ADEDY's chairman, Spyros Papaspyrou, stressed that civil servants would
not accept any new burdens on their contribution payments, currently at
23.2 percent and said that there were not low retirement limits in the
public sector.
Professor Savvas Robolis, head of the Labor Institute, said that social
insurance funds' deficit could vary between 26-68 trillion drachmas in
the next 50 years, according to the employment rate and the discount
interest rate in the next decades.
He said that the state's contribution to the social security system was
currently 2.0 percent, the lowest rate in Europe.
George Romanias, a Labor Institute expert, said that the state paid
just 200 billion drachmas to the social security system in 2000,
sharply down from its obligatory payment of one trillion drachmas.
[12] Workers have right to paid vacations irrespective of duration of
employment; EU court may rule
BRUSSELS, 21/02/2001 (ANA - G. Zitouniati)
The European Court's attorney general on Monday sided with a British
workers' union which requested for a ruling on the right to paid annual
vacation from the moment employees are hired and not after a minimum
period of employment.
The High Court of Justice of Britain referred the case to the Court.
Antonio Ticano, the court's attorney general, argued for the union,
saying that this right was based on a 1993 European Union directive and
the non-binding Fundamental Rights Charter, as it was formulated during
the Nice summit.
He said that the right to leave with pay is not only to the benefit of
the employee, but it also is to the benefit of public health and safety
in the work place. He added that this right is automatic and cannot be
repealed, nor does it fall under the field of exceptions prescribed by
the aforementioned Union directive.
[13] Greek stocks end higher for the 9th consecutive session
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Equity prices ended higher on Tuesday extending their gains for the
ninth consecutive session on the Athens Stock Exchange with investors
reappearing in strength opening new positions in the blue chip sector.
Traders said many investors preferred to take profits in the smaller
capitalization stocks sector, which led the market's rally in the
previous eight sessions.
The general index ended 0.94 percent higher at 3,271.14 points, off the
day's highs of 3,319.61 points, with turnover a sharply improved 303.82
million euros, or 103.52 billion drachmas.
The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 1.09
percent higher at 1,884.97 points, and the FTSE/ASE 40 index fell 0.97
percent to 377.65 points.
Sector indices ended as follows: Banks: 6,987.15 +1.44% Leasing: 543.53
-0.24% Insurance: 1,451.36 +7.05% Investment: 1,327.37 +1.89%
Construction: 1,451.06 -3.01% Industrials: 2,017.38 +0.75%
Miscellaneous: 2,469.74 -2.21% Holding: 3,560.15 -0.59%
The parallel market index for smaller capitalization stocks eased 1.75
percent to 308.08 points.
Broadly, decliners led advancers by 218 to 131 with another 12 issues
unchanged.
Panafon, Alpha Bank, National Bank, Hellenic Telecoms and Intracom were
the most heavily traded stocks.
Leading shares' closing prices (in euros): National Bank: 39.02 Alpha
Bank: 32.94 Commercial Bank: 52.08 Eurobank: 20.58 Piraeus Bank: 15.30
Lambrakis Press: 13.12 Altec: 7.48 Titan Cement (c): 38.76 Hellenic
Telecoms: 16.58 Panafon: 7.02 Hellenic Petroleum: 9.80 Attica
Enterprises: 7.28 Intracom: 21.12 Minoan Lines: 5.40 Viohalco: 10.90
Coca Cola Bottling: 19.38
Equity futures end mixed, tracking Athens bourse: Equity futures traded
on the Athens Derivatives Exchange finished mixed on Tuesday, in line
with the bourse indices on which they are based, traders said.
The FTSE/ASE 20 index closed 1.09 percent up, and the FTSE/ASE 40 ended
0.97 percent lower.
Turnover was 71.4 million euros on 11,225 contracts traded, the dealers
said.
Bond prices end down in moderate trade: Bond prices in the domestic
secondary market on Tuesday finished lower in moderate trade, dealers
said.
The new Greek benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 5.39 percent
from 5.37 percent a day earlier.
The yield spread over German bunds was 57 basis points from 56 basis
points the day before.
Turnover through the central bank's electronic system totalled 625
million euros (around 212.9 billion drachmas) from 195 million euros
(about 66.4 billion drachmas) in the previous session.
Sell orders accounted for the bulk of turnover.
Euro/dollar reference rate set at 90.70 cents: The European Central
Bank on Tuesday set its euro/dollar reference rate at 90.70 cents,
sharply off Monday's 92.13 cents, pushing the US dollar/drachma rate to
375.68 drachmas.
The ECB also set a euro/yen reference rate at 104.86 yen (3.24
drachmas), a euro/sterling at 63.14 pence (539.67 drachmas), a
euro/Swiss franc rate at 1.5351 (221.97 drachmas) and a euro/Cyprus
pound at 57.92 cents (588.31 drachmas).
[14] Greek inflation slows to 3.4 percent in January yr/yr
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Consumer price inflation eased to 3.4 percent in January year-on-year
from 3.9 percent in December, the National Statistics Service (NSS)
said on Tuesday.
The consumer price index dropped 1.6 percent from the previous month,
compared with declines of 1.1 percent and 1.0 percent over the same
periods in 2000 and 1999, respectively.
The NSS said the slower inflation figure in January, year-on-year,
reflected a 1.9 percent increase in the food and non-alcoholic
beverages index, a 15.7 percent jump in alcohol and tobacco index, a
4.6 percent increase in hotel-restaurant, and rises of 4.9 percent and
3.2 percent in transports and housing indexes, respectively.
The monthly consumer price index fall was attributed to a 10.1 percent
fall in clothing and footwear because of the winter sales season, a 4.0
percent decline in housing and a 3.0 percent fall in durable goods'
prices.
[15] Commercial Bank of Greece to give Dr 450 dividend
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
State-owned Commercial Bank of Greece, which is quoted on the Athens
bourse, will propose to shareholders a dividend of 450 drachmas per
share on profits in 2000, banking sources said on Tuesday.
The dividend is up 50 percent on the previous year, and, so far, is the
highest in numerical terms to be announced for a bank, the sources
said.
Commercial's earnings before tax and after provisions in 2000 totalled
about 115 billion drachmas, up 20 percent on a year earlier, they
added.
The bank's chairman, Yiannis Stournaras, is to announce results
formally at a news conference on Thursday.
[16] Average weighted yield drops in T-bill auctions
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The average weighted yield on treasury bills dropped in three auctions
held by the finance ministry on Tuesday.
The ministry said in a statement that the yield to emerge was as
follows:
On 13-week T-bills to 4.20 percent from 5.66 percent in the previous
auction
On 26-week paper to 4.18 percent from 4.58 percent
On 52-week paper to 4.24 percent from 4.59 percent
[17] Greece's work force to rise until 2011, then decline
BRUSSELS, 21/02/2001 (ANA - B. Demiris)
The work force in Greece will continue to increase until 2011, reaching
a turning point where it will begin to decline, following a European
Union wide pattern, a Eurostat report published on Monday said.
Some 4.7 million Greek citizens make up the work force of a nation of
about 10 million residents a number that is expected to rise to 4.8
million by 2011 and then begin a slow decline.
Ireland will experience the highest increase, by 11.2 per cent, while
Finland and Sweden the lowest in the Union, just a one per cent rise.
Between 2010 and 2025 the Greek workforce will decline by one percent,
while only Luxembourg and Ireland will experience any increase, during
that period.
[18] Report calls for liberalization of "closed-end" professions
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The liberalization of "closed-end" professions in Greece could lead to
an increase in the country's gross domestic product by 0.8-1.6 percent
annually, a report by the Programming and Economic Research Center said
on Tuesday.
The report, due to be officially presented on Wednesday, on "Barriers
in the free function of professions, in business initiatives and
competitiveness" called for the liberalization of almost 90
professions, such as lawyers, notaries, pharmacists, engineers, cargo
road-transport and taxis.
The report called for the abolishing of all limitations on notaries'
profession and their fees in the next 5-7 years.
For pharmacists the report called for abolishing of an administrative
limitation on profit margins, while it also urged for the full
liberalization of the auditors' profession to allow the operation of
foreign auditing businesses.
The report said that liberalizing "closed-end" professions was not an
easy task, due to various particularities in each profession, but
stressed the need to simplify procedures and to offer easier access to
certain professions, resulting to lower costs, improved competition and
higher economic output in the country.
[19] Tomi applies for power plant construction permits
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Engineering contractor Tomi SA said on Tuesday it had submitted 10
applications to the state's Regulatory Energy Authority for the
construction of power plants under the market's new deregulated
status.
Seven of the plants will employ renewable energy and the remaining
three natural gas, Tomi said in a statement.
The projects' total capacity is 189.45 megawatts, the statement added.
[20] PriceWaterhouseCoopers to hold conference in Vouliagmeni
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the global auditing and consultancy firm, is to
hold a conference in Vouliagmeni, near Athens on March 1 to debate
human resources management in the new economy.
Beyond corporate leaders, speakers at the international forum are to
include Athens Mayor Dimitris Avrampoulos and the leader of the
Liberals Party, Stefanos Manos.
[21] Turkish Fashion Exhibition to be held in Athens
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
"Today is better than yesterday in our relations," Turkish ambassador
to Greece, Ali Tuygan, said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, during a press conference to present a Turkish
Fashion 2001 Exhibition at an Athens hotel, Tuygan said that bilateral
economic and commercial relations had significantly improved in the
last few months.
Greek-Turkish trade volume increased by 20 percent in 2000, compared
with the previous year, to 850 million US dollars, while business
contacts have increased and investments were currently in the
implementation stage, the Turkish ambassador said.
Mr. Tuygan said that Turkey also participated at the Poseidon Maritime
Exhibition and the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair last year.
Turkey's textile and clothing sectors' output value totals an annual
average of 20 billion US dollars, with half of the production exported.
Turkey has a 12 percent market share in the European Union textiles and
clothing market.
"Turkish enterprises are now trying to attract Greek consumers. We
believe that we can meet the high criteria in taste and quality of the
market. We have to do this to balance the volume of economic trade
between the two countries. This balance, including bilateral trade,
tourism, investment and shipping rates, is currently benefiting
Greece," Mr. Tuygan said.
The first leather and clothing trade fair, organized by the
Hellenic-Turkish Chamber of Commerce, will be held March 1-2 in
Piraeus, with more than 70 Turkish brand names exhibiting their
products.
The fair is organized by Turkcel, the Turkish telecommunications
company.
[22] Increase in tourist arrivals from Italy last year
MILAN, 21/02/2001 (ANA - L. Hatzikyriakos)
The number of tourist arrivals from neighboring Italy to Greece
increased by 18 percent in the year 2000, according to statistics
offered by the country's National Tourism Organization (EOT) during a
trade show here.
Specifically, 724,000 Italian tourists arrived in Greece between
January and September 2000. With the figures, Italy ranks third behind
Germany and Britain in terms of tourist arrivals to Greece.
The most prolific months for Italian tourists are July (19 percent) and
August (30 percent), although the latter month has been showing signs
of decreasing popularity.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to attract more "off-season" tourists, EOT is
considering offering Italian tour agencies a ?40 bonus per tourist
arriving between November and March.
[23] European Socialist Party seminar in Athens on Feb. 23-24
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
A European Socialist Party seminar on "The Knowledge Economy -
Education and Employment" is to take place in Athens on Friday and
Saturday. It is part of a series of seminars on various topics
organized by the European Socialist Party before its conference in
May.
Greek Euro-deputy for PASOK Anna Karamanou participated in an ESP
seminar on "Emigration and Cultural Identity" in Spain on Tuesday.
[24] No plans to change site for Olympic rowing center, says gov't
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The government ruled out any change to its plans for an Olympic rowing
and canoeing center in Schinias on Tuesday, overriding the objections
of environmentalists and, recently, Greece's Archaeological Society.
The rowing center is to be used when Athens hosts the Olympic Games in
2004.
"There is no reason to change the plans for the rowing center,"
Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis
told reporters, while he accused the project's detractors of "wanting
to project their egos."
"All those who had opposed [Greece's assumption of] the Olympic Games
have now made Schinias and Marathon their banner. Have all these people
been in Greece for the past 40 years? Did they live in Attica? Had they
reported the degradation of that specific area?"
Referring to the obstacles raised by archaeological groups, in
particular, who claim the site is historically significant because of
its link with the ancient battlefield of Marathon, where the Athenians
drove back a Persian invasion in the 5th century B.C., Laliotis asked
what prompted them to speak up now, when the decline of the area has
been going on for so many years.
He also referred to a study carried out by a Belgian historian,
according to which the Schinias area was actually below sea level when
the battle took place in 490 B.C.
The minister continued by saying that the ecosystem of the Schinias
area has been ravaged for several decades by a number of activities
that rendered the term ecosystem almost meaningless. Among these he
listed the Marathon airfield, which served 10,000 flights a year and
was the largest in Attica after Hellenikon, an American base that
operated in the area for several years, a motor-cross route, rubbish
dumps, rubble piles and widespread illegal construction. As for the
forest that runs along the length of the beach, he added, this serves
as a camping ground for thousands of excursionists each year.
Taken all together, he concluded, these constituted anything but an
ecosystem.
According to Laliotis, a Presidential decree that the environment
ministry has submitted to the Council of State will help redress the
above situation by converting 1,300 hectares into a national park,
removing the airfield, reclaiming the land occupied by the bases and
demolishing buildings, as well as creating artificial lakes.
The minister also rejected a proposal to build the rowing center near
Lake Yliki in Voeotia, saying that this had been designated a protected
area and was included in the EU's NATURA 2000 program.
The proposed rowing and canoeing center in Schinias has been vehemently
opposed by environmental groups, among them WWF-Hellas and the Greek
Ornithological Society, who have denounced the environment ministry's
"Schinias National Park" scheme as an attempt to deflect criticism and
as an environmental "facade" for a major construction project that will
irreversibly damage the region's environment. They also charge that the
scheme allows uses that are incompatible with the protection of
ecologically important regions and which create a bad precedent for
every national park in Greece.
Environmental groups also accuse the ministry of having frozen a
process to declare the region a national park begun in 1992 so that
they could build installations for the Olympics and of refusing to
include it in the "Natura 2000" list, which would again have blocked
such large construction projects.
Most recently, Greece's Archaeological Society joined its voice to the
naysayers, claiming the site and its landscape should be preserved as
being of historic significance.
[25] Environment minister announces changes to Omonia Square
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Athens' historic Omonia Square is to get a radical face-lift that
should make it more hospitable and transform it from a circle into a
rectangle.
The square is in the heart of Athens, with a direct view of the
Acropolis, and a crucial interchange for the new Athens metro and urban
railway.
According to Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister
Costas Laliotis, who presented plans for the changes on Tuesday, two
billion drachmas are to be spent to convert street to pedestrian walks,
landscaping and new traffic flow measures that will free up 1.5
hectares in the city center. The measures will also include restoration
on buildings surrounding the square and the removal of illegal
advertising billboards.
Changes to the surrounding road system, he said, would go into effect
from the summer and should help relieve acute traffic congestion in the
area. These include making Piraeus Street one-way between Omonia and
Menandrou Street and Agios Constantinos Street up to Karaiskaki
Square.
In addition, the section of Athinas Street from Omonia to Lykourgou
Street will be converted to pedestrian walks, except for public
transport vehicles and for use of car parks.
[26] Archbishop of America visits Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos
ISTANBUL, 21/02/2001 (ANA - A. Kourkoulas)
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos welcomed a delegation of the
Archdiocese of America, headed by Archbishop Dimitrios, at the Phanar
on Tuesday.
"The Archdiocese of America represents youth, spontaneity, boldness
and, in general, all the characteristics of the struggling and
progressive spirit and the Holy Mother of Christ and the Great Church
is one of the oldest institutions in history and has accumulated the
experience of centuries," the Ecumenical Patriarch said.
Referring to work starting at the Phanar on Tuesday on revising the
Archdiocese of America's constitution, the Ecumenical Patriarch said
"the Ecumenical Patriarchate desires the greatest possible cohesion,
progress and development of the Archdiocese of America to enable it to
serve the expatriate community in the best possible way."
[27] Greece's third Megaron concert hall slated for Laconia
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Greece's third Megaron concert hall will be built in Laconia
prefecture, and will be called the "Niarchos Megaron-International
Center", by decision of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
The concert hall, budgeted at 8.5 billion dr., is being funded by the
Niarchos Foundation, which was set up in 1996 under an endowment in the
will of the late shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos, who was born in the
Laconia village of Vamvakou.
The concert hall will be built on a tract of parkland along the
Sparta-Mystras road donated for the purpose by oversees Greek Nikos
Goudes.
The construction of the new Megaron will begin in the next few days and
is expected to be completed in about one year. The concert hall will
also operate as an international conference center.
Executives of a major hotel group were currently in Sparta to discuss
the construction of a luxury hotel, while preliminary preparations had
also been completed for the commencement of the process of study,
approval and construction of an airport in the area to accommodate
charter flights, local officials said.
Sparta mayor Demosthenes Matalas was due to meet with culture minister
Evangelos Venizelos on Friday to discuss the final details of the
Megaron project. He would also meet with transport and communications
minister Christos Verelis later in the day to discuss the airport
project.
[28] Only one of the three guards carried handgun during Passaris'
escape from hospital
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
Only one of the three police guards accompanying escaped felon
Constantine Passaris carried his weapon during the escape that cost the
lives of two of the guards, public order ministry sources and police
union officials said on Tuesday.
Passaris escaped on Friday from an Athens hospital, when two gun-toting
accomplices ambushed the three accompanying police guards, fatally
wounding two of the men.
One of the victims died at Athens' General State Hospital, the same
facility from where the 26-year-old inmate escaped only hours before.
Police said Sgt. Athanassios Drakopoulos died from gunshot wounds
sustained in the shoot-out. Passaris was arrested one year ago after
another shoot-out with police in a downtown Athens square.
The inmate, who is still at large, fled from the hospital just before
10 a.m.
The third guard, Andreas Phisekis, was injured but survived the attack
and is reported to be recovering without complications.
Witnesses said the handcuffed Passaris and one of his accomplices
headed towards an adjacent hospital facility, while the second gunman
simply walked out of a main entrance before forcing a hospital employee
at gunpoint to turn over the keys to his black "Lancia".
Passaris, a convicted robber, was incarcerated in the Korydallos prison
after he and two Romanian outlaws opened fire on police with a
submachine gun and handguns following a routine traffic stop near
Vathis Square in late February 2000. One of the Romanians was killed
and three police officers were wounded during the incident.
Patrol officers at the time escaped serious injury due to bulletproof
vests they were wearing.
The second Romanian man was killed a few days later in yet another
shoot-out with police in the western Petroupoli district.
[29] The British Embassy in Athens to make available a condolence book
for Woodhouse
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The British Embassy in Athens announced on Tuesday that a condolence
book would be available on Thursday for Christopher Montague Woodhouse,
a distinguished historian and friend of Greece, who died last week at
the age of 83 in Oxford, England.
The book signing will take place between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., coinciding
with his funeral at the St. Mary's Church of Old Knebworth,
Hertfordshire.
Woodhouse was the head of Britain's military mission in Nazi-occupied
Greece and a prolific historian who focused on the Mediterranean ally
he once served in.
The highlight of his military activity in wartime Greece was the 1942
Gorgopotamos Bridge sabotage -- which resulted in a temporary
interruption of German supply lines to Rommel's Afrika Corps -- the
pre-eminent example of joint action by rival partisan groups operating
in the country.
Woodhouse remained a diehard friend of Greece after the war, often
visiting the country. His last trip came in the summer of 2000.
A prolific writer of historical monographs, Woodhouse focused sharply
on post-WWII Greek events, ranging from historical research on the
Civil War of the late 1940s to his "Rise and Fall of the Greek
Colonels" -- a brilliant 'autopsy' of the 1967-1974 military junta in
Greece.
Greece awarded him the Medal of the Order of Phoenix for his actions
during the occupation, while his homeland bestowed on him the Medal of
the Order of the British Empire. Since the death of his brother in 1998
Woodhouse inherited the family title of Lord Terrington.
Woodhouse is survived by a daughter and two sons as his wife, Lady
Davina, died in 1995.
[30] President arrives in Ioannina to attend celebrations marking 88th
anniversary of city's liberation from Turkish rule
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
President Kostis Stephanopoulos arrived in Ioannina, northern Greece,
on Tuesday to attend celebrations marking the 88th anniversary of the
city's liberation from Turkish rule.
National Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Deputy Agriculture
Minister Evangelos Argyris and local authorities met him at Ioannina
airport.
President Stephanopoulos visited the municipal cultural center later
where the city's mayor made an address and a concert was given by the
municipal conservatory's orchestra and choir.
Celebrations will heighten on Wednesday with a parade by pupils,
students, boy scouts and units of the armed forces and security
forces.
[31] SAE presidium to meet in Thessaloniki on Wednesday
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) presidium three-day
conference begins on Wednesday in Thessaloniki, to discuss on proposals
for the 2001 action plan of the non-governmental organization.
The agenda includes action the organization is planning to take during
the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, especially concerning volunteer
services, during the Games.
Greek Foreign Deputy Minister Grigoris Niotis and Secretary General of
Expatriate Greek Affairs Dimitris Dollis will be present at the
conference meetings.
[32] Bird hunting season curtailed to meet EU regulations
Athens, 21/02/2001 (ANA)
The bird-hunting season will end on Jan. 31 from this year forward
according to a new regulatory decision signed by Deputy Agriculture
Minister Photis Hatzimichalis, the Greek Ornithology Society announced
on Tuesday.
The regulation was signed on Feb. 15, six days before legal action
against Greece was to begin on a European Union level, for
non-compliance with the relevant Union regulations.
The action was taken to protect migratory birds traversing Greece to
reach their lands of reproduction.
[33] Dutch State Secretary speaks on Cyprus' EU accession course
NICOSIA, 21/02/2001 (CNA/ANA)
Cyprus is among the front-runners in the process of the harmonization
with the acquis communautaire but still much has to be done, Dutch
State Secretary for foreign affairs Dick Benschop said here on Tuesday
after meeting George Vassiliou, Head of the negotiating team of Cyprus
for the accession to the EU.
Vassiliou said he briefed the Dutch official on developments concerning
Cyprus' progress at the membership negotiations and the efforts to keep
the Turkish Cypriot community informed as to what is happening in
Europe as well as for the efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus
problem.
Benschop said the negotiating process is now getting into a crucial
phase this year and the beginning of next year noting that "you are
really sitting down to do business and that is important."
He said after the EU Summit in Nice the Union is now really getting
ready for enlargement "and we are really going to make it happen."
"We took stock of Cyprus progress towards the EU. In terms of the
adoption of the acquis Cyprus is doing very well. It is indeed among
the front-runners, that is very clear. But... much still has to be done
and also modes on paper is one thing, implementing the EU aquis is a
second thing and that needs attention as well... the Dutch official
added.
He noted that "special attention has to be paid to the Cyprus question
also in relationship to Cyprus' road towards the EU."
Vassiliou said he repeated to the Dutch State Secretary "the progress
that we have made and the problems that we are facing".
He expressed satisfaction with the understanding he found "and for the
feeling that Holland, which I must point out has always supported our
efforts, is continuing to work in this direction."
Earlier on Tuesday Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides received the Dutch
official. He also met Cyprus House of Representatives President Spyros
Kyprianou and Social Democrats President Vassos Lyssarides.
On Monday, he crossed into the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus and had
a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. He was due to
leave later on Tuesday.
[34] Cyprus government says premature to draw conclusions about
situation in Turkey
NICOSIA, 21/02/2001 (CNA/ANA)
The Cyprus government believes it is premature to draw any conclusions
about the situation in Turkey but considers that it would be simplistic
to assume that the crisis between the Turkish premier and president is
a personal confrontation.
"It is too early for anybody to analyze the situation and come to some
conclusions about what lies behind the political crisis in Turkey,"
Michalis Papapetrou, government spokesman, said here on Tuesday,
invited by the press to comment on developments in Turkey, which
continues to occupy 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory since its troops
invaded in 1974.He said it would be too simplistic for somebody to
consider that there is a personal confrontation between Bulent Ecevit
and Ahmet Sezer and that Monday's developments were a manifestation of
such a confrontation.
"The causes of this crisis are far deeper and one should not rule out
the possibility that an artificial crisis was created, tactics which
Turkey applied in the past," he said, stressing however that "this does
not mean I share this consideration at this stage."