This Week
Monday Foreign Minister George Papandreou to visit Israel and Palestinian territories. He is to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irenaios. To tomorrow. EU agriculture ministers hold an informal meeting on Corfu. To Wednesday. Farmers and anti-globalization activists will hold a protest in Saroko Square at 6 p.m. today. Archbishop Christodoulos to visit headquarters of Athens 2004 Organizing Committee. Employees at state hospitals and the National First Aid Center (EKAB) stage a 24-hour strike demanding more money and staff. PASOK party organizes a conference called «The Convention for the Future of Europe» at the Old Parliament building. PM Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreou will speak. Tuesday PM Simitis visits Lisbon as part of his tour of EU capitals to prepare for next month’s EU summit. Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis chairs an ECOFIN meeting in Brussels. Alternate Foreign Minister Tassos Yiannitsis attends plenary session of European Parliament in Strasbourg. Adriatic-Ionian Initiative meeting in Bari, Italy. The initiative unites Italy, Albania, Greece, Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina in a framework for collaboration on a wide range of issues, including combating illegal activities. Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) organizes a seminar on «The Future of Europe.» At Panteion University in Athens. Tel. 210.331.5022. Wednesday PM Simitis visits Madrid. Federation of Greek Industries (SEV) holds annual meeting at Athens Concert Hall. President Costis Stephanopoulos, PM Simitis and New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis to attend. Communist-led PAME labor movement to stage demonstration at junction of Piraeus and Ermou streets in Gazi area at 6.30 p.m. to express solidarity with the 500 workers of the Palco underwear factory which is to close down. Athens and Piraeus state hospital doctors stage a 24-hour strike demanding more pay and that Attikon Hospital in Haidari operate as a state hospital. Parliament’s Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss ratification of treaty forging closer ties between the EU and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Elections for university presidents. Advisory Forum of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) holds a meeting within the framework of Greece’s EU presidency at Zappeion Hall. Thursday PM Simitis visits Valletta, Malta. Greece’s EU presidency holds conference on «Managing Migration for the Benefit of Europe» as part of Athens Migration Policy Initiative, at the Divani Apollon Palace Hotel. Textile and clothing workers federation to stage work stoppage from noon to end of shift to protest at closing down of Palco underwear factory by the Schiesser Pallas company. New Democracy party holds conference to present ND’s education program at the Hilton Hotel. Friday EU merchant marine and transport ministers hold an informal meeting during a two-day cruise of the Aegean and Ionian seas. To Sunday. Informal meeting of EU finance ministers in Halkidiki. Talks will focus on regional policy. To Saturday. Civil servants’ federation (ADEDY) to discuss strike action. Sunday Holocaust commemoration in Thessaloniki. Nobel Prize-winning Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel and Foreign Minister George Papandreou to attend. Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the murder of peace activist and left-wing deputy Grigoris Lambrakis, the annual Peace Marathon march will be held from Marathon to Syntagma Square, from 8 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Demonstrations will also be held at Tyrnavos, central Greece, and Souda Bay, Crete, at NATO and US bases.
