This Week
Monday Prime Minister Costas Simitis to meet with Athens 2004 chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and government officials to discuss Olympic preparations, including the torch relay. Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis to represent Greece’s EU presidency at the UN’s Human Rights Committee meeting in Geneva. The Culture Ministry organizes a three-day seminar, as part of Greece’s EU presidency, on «Promotion of Cultural Heritage of European Significance.» Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos will make the opening speech. At the Zappeion Hall and the European Cultural Center at Delphi. To Thursday. Tel. 210.820.1637. The Western European Union Assembly in cooperation with the Greek EU presidency organize a colloquy on «Europe and the New United States National Security Strategy – Fighting Terrorism Together.» Foreign Minister George Papandreou and US Ambassador Thomas Miller are among those attending. At the Divani Apollon Palace Hotel. To Tuesday. Tel. 210.891.1100. Foreign Minister Papandreou to meet with the former Turkish foreign minister and leader of the New Turkey Party, Ismail Cem, at the Foreign Ministry at 11 a.m. The Defense Ministry organizes a conference on «The Prevention of Drug Addiction in the Armed Forces.» At the War Museum. National Export Council convenes to discuss export policy. Tuesday Prime Minister Costas Simitis travels to Belgium to attend tomorrow’s Social Forum meeting to consider the Lisbon summit’s aims and goals on employment. Vice president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, to speak at the general meeting of the Greek-German Chamber of Commerce on «2004 Olympic Games: Economic and Political Views.» At the Caravel Hotel. Tel. 210.645.5386. Foreign Minister George Papandreou to chair an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. Possible war in Iraq will top the agenda. To Wednesday. Athens taxi drivers to decide on further strike action in protest at their being barred from bus lanes. Wednesday Prime Minister Simitis to meet with European Commission President Romano Prodi and European Parliament President Pat Cox in Brussels. In the afternoon he will attend a meeting of European Socialists. Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis to chair an ECOFIN meeting in Brussels. The meeting will focus on energy taxation and savings. UNHCR’s representative in Greece, Robert White, pays a three-day visit to Iraklion, Crete to meet with local authorities and attend two seminars on the protection of refugees. To Friday. Friday The EU’s Spring Summit to convene in Brussels. The Iraqi crisis and European development and employment will top the agenda. Nationwide work stoppage from noon to end of shifts ordered by General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) and civil servants federation (ADEDY). Other unions have called a 24-hour strike in protest over a possible war in Iraq. Protest rallies will be held at noon in Syntagma and Kotzia squares and in Thessaloniki. Grande Bretagne Hotel to reopen after major refurbishment that began in November 2001. High School Teachers’ Federation (OLME) stages a three-hour work stoppage demanding more pay. Hospital doctors in Thessaloniki hold a 24-hour strike due to financial and institutional demands. General Confederation of Professional Craftsmen and Small Manufacturers of Greece (GSEVE) hold a strike in protest over high taxes in the sector.
