This Week
Monday Syrian President Bashar Al Assad begins three-day state visit to Greece. President Costis Stephanopoulos will welcome him at 10.15 a.m. PM Costas Simitis to meet with his British PM Tony Blair in London. EU defense policy will top the agenda. Indefinite taxi strike continues. Four large radio taxi companies in Athens say they will resume work today. Strike by Olympic Airlines flight attendants continues, at least through Wednesday. Defense lawyers to argue for leniency before sentencing of 15 people convicted of being members of the November 17 terrorist group. Panhellenic Federation of Sports Journalists (PSAT) presents annual awards to athletes and teams. President Costis Stephanopoulos will attend. At the Attikon cinema. Mikis Theodorakis’s autobiographical recollections to journalist Giorgios Malouchos on SKAI radio to be presented in a book called «Axios Esti» (He is Worthy), at National Bank of Greece’s administrative building, Aiolou 82-84, at noon. New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis will speak. Society for the Study of Ancient Technology holds a conference on «The Greek Influence on Arab Technology.» At the Greek Technical Chamber, 4 Karageorgi Servias. Tel. 210.329.1200. Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos visits Serres and Drama prefectures to lay the foundation stones for new detention centers. Journalist Nikos Vatopoulos speaks on «Athenian Facades: 1900-2000,» at the Museum of the City of Athens, Klafthmonos Square, 7 p.m. Tuesday Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos and the General Secretary of Culture for the Olympic Games Costas Kartalis to present the plan for the use of Olympic installations after the Games. Justice Minister Philippos Petsalnikos to inaugurate newly built court building in Komotini. The Association for a Modern Society (OPEK) holds a conference on «The Future of Progressive Governance.» Finance Minister Christodoulakis and Public Order Minister Giorgos Floridis will speak. Macedonia Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki. Tel. 2310.812.218. Wednesday Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos to meet with Thomas Weston, US State Department coordinator for Cyprus, in Nicosia. Syrian Minister for Tourism Dr Saadalla Agha Al Qalaa to speak at a press conference at the Foreign Press Association, 23 Academias St. A 12-meter fir tree, with Christmas decorations, a gift from Vienna, to be given to Mayor Dora Bakoyianni on the Voukourestiou pedestrian walkway. Former PASOK MP Stelios Papathemelis to announce his new political party at the Caravel Hotel, Athens. Engineers at state services to stage a demonstration outside the Finance Ministry. They are holding 24-hour strikes every Wednesday, demanding more pay. The board of the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) meets to discuss the national collective labor agreement. Thursday Parliament begins five-day budget debate. Interparty committee holds an informal meeting to discuss issues related to the coming national elections.
