Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 00-12-07
Macedonian Press Agency
[01] SHOCKING FIGURES ON GREECE'S SO-CALLED "CHILDREN OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS"
[02] CREDIT AGRICOLE OWNS 6.7% OF THE COMMERCIAL BANK OF GREECE
[03] CONFLICTING FIGURES ON TODAY'S 24HOUR STRIKE OF THE LABOR UNIONS
[04] INFLATION IN NOVEMBER IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER 4%
[05] HOLY RELICS FROM THE MONASTERY OF KASTAMONITOU WERE SOLD TO RUSSIANS
[06] GAINS OF 0.22% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
[07] STATEMENTS BY THE AHEPA PRESIDENT TO MPA
[08] STUDY ON THE VALUES, THE GOALS AND THE BELIEFS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
[09] GREECE, TURKEY AGREE ON CBMs AT NATO SESSION
[10] THESSALONIKI-PLOVDIV CONFERENCE OPENS TONIGHT
[11] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING
[12] A SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING IN NICE IS NOT RULED OUT
[01] SHOCKING FIGURES ON GREECE'S SO-CALLED "CHILDREN OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS"
Athens, 7 December 2000 (19:16 UTC+2)
The figures given to publicity after a research study in Greece on the
so-called "children of the traffic lights" are shocking. The study was
held by the research-polling company "Alko" on behalf of UNICEF and
covered the wider Athens region in the period of November 17 to
November 29. The study was conducted on a sample of 955 children (61.5%
boys and 38.5% girls) aged between 2-15.
Based on the study, it is estimated that about 5.800 children in Greece
live and work in the streets most of the day. Those children, both
Greek and immigrant, earn about 1 billion drachmas a month for their
employers (about 172.000 drachmas each). However, there should be a
clear distinction between the "children of the traffic lights" and the
total number of children under the age of 16 who work in Greece, as
their number is estimated at 150.000. In this figure are not included
the children of farm families, who work mainly in the fields or do
other minor jobs.
To the question "who is your employer", 12% of the children refused to
give an answer, 79.3% said that their employers are their parents and
8.7% responded "somebody else". This response is more common among
children of economic immigrants or refugees. It is indicative that
27.3% of the children of Kurdish origin responded that their employers
are other than their parents, while 14.6% of the Albanian, 12.2% of the
Serb and 25% of the Iraqi children refused to answer to that question.
Most of the children (26.8%) sell paper tissue, 15.9% flowers, 13.5%
clean car windows and 20% are street beggars. This percentage is very
high among the Serb children, as 43.9% responded that that they are
street beggars on a daily basis.
The answers given by the children to the question if they are punished
when they do not go to work or when their takings are low, are
hair-raising. No response was given by 38.6% of the children, while
most of them said that apart from being beaten they are refused food
and they are threatened to be kicked out from where they are staying.
[02] CREDIT AGRICOLE OWNS 6.7% OF THE COMMERCIAL BANK OF GREECE
Athens, 7 December 2000 (18:16 UTC+2)
The transfer of 6.7% of the Commercial Bank of Greece to France's
Credit Agricole was completed today at 16.450 drachmas a share, based
on last June's agreement.
A total of 5.718.466 shares were transferred to Credit Agricole for the
sum of 94.06 billion drachmas. Also, the Commercial Bank of Greece
board of directors met today to decide on its new makeup. Four of the
resignation submitted were accepted and in its new board of directors
now participate two Credit Agricole representatives.
[03] CONFLICTING FIGURES ON TODAY'S 24HOUR STRIKE OF THE LABOR UNIONS
Thessaloniki, 7 December 2000 (17:59 UTC+2)
The figures on today's 24hour strike organized by the labor unions
against the new labor draft bill are conflicting.
Greek General Confederation of Labor president Mr. Polizogopoulos
characterized the mobilization as successful but the Association of
Industries in Northern Greece announced that the participation was just
34.83% compared to 40.74% in the mobilization of last October.
Meanwhile, Thessaloniki's Trade Unions Center announced that the
workers' participation in the strike was 70-80%.
The strike action takes place in protest to the changes in the labor
relations that the new labor draft bill, proposed by labor and social
security minister Tasos Yanitsis, is expected to bring with its
implementation on April 1, 2001.
The basic demand of the strikers is the adoption of the 35hour working
week without wage cuts. Also, they call for retirement after 35 years
of work without a specific age limit. In addition they call for free
education and healthcare, while they demand unemployment benefits
corresponding to 80% of the minimum wage.
Thessaloniki's Trade Unions Center vice-president stated to MPA that
the strike action will escalate in case the demands of the workers are
not taken under serious consideration.
[04] INFLATION IN NOVEMBER IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER 4%
Athens, 7 December 2000 (17:26 UTC+2)
Inflation in Greece is expected to be over 4% in the month of
November.
The relevant announcements will be made by the National Statistics
Agency tomorrow
[05] HOLY RELICS FROM THE MONASTERY OF KASTAMONITOU WERE SOLD TO RUSSIANS
Thessaloniki, 7 December 2000 (17:23 UTC+2)
A scandal involving the sale to Russians of pieces of holy relics from
the Monastery of Kastamonitou in the monastic community of Mount Athos
in northern Greece, was revealed by Bulgarian researcher Kirilos
Pavlikianov, speaking in the "Thessaloniki-Plovdiv" conference
organized in Thessaloniki by the Cultural Society of Businessmen in
Northern Greece.
The perpetrator of this act, that was committed in the 19th century,
was the monastery's Reverend Father Kirilos.
According to Mr. Pavlikianov, the revelation was made by Kirilos'
successor Simeon, who was elected Reverend Father on September 11,
1855.
[06] GAINS OF 0.22% IN THE ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE
Athens, 7 December 2000 (16:36 UTC+2)
Gains of 0.22% were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today and the
general index was at 3.741,86 points, while the volume of transactions
reached 162.2 billion drachmas.
Of the stocks trading today 213 recorded losses, 129 had gains and 33
remained unchanged.
[07] STATEMENTS BY THE AHEPA PRESIDENT TO MPA
Athens, 7 December 2000 (16:35 UTC+2)
Greek-American organization AHEPA president John Economi and public
relations head Steve Mantas had contacts in Athens aimed at the
activation of AHEPA's proposals for the organizing of the Athens 2004
Olympic Games.
In statements he made to Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Economi pointed
out that AHEPA has offered its services for the best possible
organization of the Olympic Games. He also said that AHEPA has
submitted proposals for a complete program of volunteer work that will
contribute greatly to the success of the games.
[08] STUDY ON THE VALUES, THE GOALS AND THE BELIEFS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN GREECE
Athens, 7 December 2000 (16:32 UTC+2)
The values, the goals and the beliefs of high school students, their
parents and teachers are reflected in a study conducted by the National
Center for Social Studies.
According to the study, the Church has the confidence of 75% of those
questioned, while among the high school students the percentage was
87%. Lower confidence is enjoyed by the justice system and the police,
while the parliament and television are regarded as mostly unreliable.
The army with 65-85% is in the first place together with the Church,
while only 15% of the high school students have confidence in the
education system.
Xenophobia among the students, parents and teachers reaches 50%, while
6 in 10 students have ethno-centrist tendencies.
The students show indifference toward politics, while over 90% of them
are concerned that the national identity will be lost as a result of
the loose border controls. Meanwhile, 6 in 10 students believe that the
EU accession is against Greece's independence and rights and it should
be reconsidered.
[09] GREECE, TURKEY AGREE ON CBMs AT NATO SESSION
Brussels, 7 December 2000 (09:56 UTC+2)
Greece and Turkey have reached an agreement to notify each other
regarding their national armed forces exercises, according to NATO's
Secretary General George Robertson.
The agreement was reached during the Alliance's winter conference in
Brussels, where discussions were held between the Greek and Turkish
permanent representatives to NATO, for the striking of Confidence
Building Measures (CBMs) between the two countries.
On other matters, the NATO Defense Ministers reviewed plans by the
European Union to develop a new European rapid reaction force.
While the NATO Secretary General has welcomed the EU initiative as
something that will encourage Europeans to bolster their military
capabilities, some NATO members are not exactly pleased. According to
press reports, Turkey feels excluded as it wants to participate fully
in the EU's decision-making process on security issues, a demand not
expected to be met by the EU.
A proposal made by Greece's ambassador at NATO Vassilis Kaskarelis, to
"respect for the autonomy of decisions taken by NATO and EU" was
included in the session's final communique, while there was a special
provision for "privileged briefing for certain countries afterwards",
primarily when NATO infrastructures will be used for possible EU
operations.
NATO Defense Ministers also discussed matters related to defense
expenditures, where Greece's Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said
that the country has 2.5 times more defense expenditures than the NATO
average.
A.F.
[10] THESSALONIKI-PLOVDIV CONFERENCE OPENS TONIGHT
Thessaloniki, 7 December 2000 (09:46 UTC+2)
A conference titled "Thessaloniki-Plovdiv on parallel courses 18th-20th
centuries" opened in Thessaloniki last night, featuring the
participation of more than 50 scientists from Greece and Bulgaria.
Inaugurated by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace George Paschalides, the
conference will focus on the similarities of the two cities in
architecture, culture and religion over time.
The participating scientists will examine the two cities' parallel
courses and will discuss matters pertaining to religion, communities,
culture, education, economy, society, architecture and art.
The city of Plovdiv was first established in the 12th century BC and
has been inhabited continually by Greeks up to the early 20th century,
its historical course has been similar to that of Thessaloniki.
A concurrent art exhibition titled The Balkan Urban Phenomenon -
Thessaloniki - Plovdiv similar cities is to open in Thessaloniki today
and will be held until December 20.
A.F.
[11] PAPANDREOU-CEM MEETING
Nice, 7 December 2000 (19:52 UTC+2)
Greek foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, responding to a question by
a reporter if he met with the Turkish side, stated that the two
delegations had a quick informal meeting.
He also stated that he had a brief exchange of views with his Turkish
counterpart Ismail Cem on the confidence-building-measures in the
Aegean.
[12] A SIMITIS-ECEVIT MEETING IN NICE IS NOT RULED OUT
Nice, 7 December 2000 (16:58 UTC+2)
A meeting of Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis with his Turkish
counterpart Bulent Ecevit is not ruled out to take place on the
sidelines of the EU Summit meeting in Nice, France.
Meanwhile, the French embassy in Ankara in a statement it has issued
today categorically denied that French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine
gave an interview to the Turkish daily economic newspaper "Dunya" in
which he allegedly maintained that France is not taking under
consideration the Helsinki Summit decisions on the issues of Cyprus and
the EU-Turkey partnership relation.
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