This Week
MONDAY Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreou meet to discuss the Greek EU presidency’s next steps in the effort to forge a common EU policy on Iraq and other issues. Foreign Minister Papandreou will meet with his Austrian counterpart, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and hold teleconferences with Foreign Minister Dominique De Villepin of France and Anna Lindh of Sweden. President Costis Stephanopoulos visits the International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia. European Affairs Minister Tassos Yiannitsis meets with Bulgarian Finance Minister Milen Velchev in Athens. Athens bus company employees stage a work stoppage from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an extraordinary meeting. Employees at the Panaghia Hospital in Thessaloniki stage three-hour work stoppages daily, from 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., demanding extra staff. To Friday. Panhellenic Hoteliers’ Federation to hold a conference on «The Role of Tourism in the Development of the Greek Economy.» At the Divani Caravel Hotel. Tel. 210.331.2535. TUESDAY Prime Minister Simitis meets with Swiss President Pascal Couchepin. Athens’s Hilton Hotel opens after major refurbishment that began in November 2001. The Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce holds its 70-year anniversary celebration at the Hilton Hotel. WEDNESDAY Foreign Minister Papandreou leaves for Beijing, where he and other members of the EU Troika will meet with Chinese officials. Prime Minister Simitis visits Alexandroupolis to inaugurate the newly built regional hospital. National Bank Governor Theodoros Karatzas is guest of honor at a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Press Association, at the Divani Caravel Hotel. The Finance Ministry in cooperation with the Federation of Hellenic Information Technology & Communications Enterprises (SEPE) to hold a conference on the «Digital Economy as a Catalyst for Real Convergence.» At the Divani Caravel Hotel. Tel. 210.924.9540. Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos visits Paris as part of an EU tour in which he will brief his counterparts on the priorities of the EU presidency on justice issues. Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis to meet with public sector employees union ADEDY to discuss family subsidies and wage increases. Judicial employees stage a 48-hour strike. To Thursday. European Conference on the Green Paper on Entrepreneurship in Thessaloniki, which will be attended by Commissioner Erkki Liikanen and Development Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos. THURSDAY State hospitals stage a 24-hour strike demanding higher salaries and more state spending on health. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers pays an official visit to Athens. He will meet with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and other government officials. To Friday. Cabinet discusses health sector issues. Labor Ministry holds a conference on «The Future of Labor: Basic Challenges of European Strategic Employment.» Prime Minister Costas Simitis, EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou and other key EU and Greek officials to attend. The president of the Foundation on Economic Trends, Jeremy Rifkin, will speak. At the Astir Hotel, Vouliagmeni. To Friday. Comdex Greece 2003 opens at the Helexpo exhibition center in Maroussi, Athens. To Sunday. FRIDAY Greek Social Forum holds an anti-war concert in Hania, Crete. Athens Municipality in conjunction with French Embassy organizes the first Forum on «Employment and Entrepreneurship.» At the Technopolis cultural center. Mayor Dora Bakoyianni and French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert will speak. To Saturday. Tel. 210.522.0875. SATURDAY Anti-war rallies are held in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities as part of an international protest against a possible US-led war against Iraq. In Athens the protest will begin at noon and a march will be held to Parliament and to the US Embassy. SUNDAY First round of presidential elections on Cyprus.
