PM wants no friction over 2004
Prime Minister Costas Simitis met yesterday with Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, head of Athens 2004, the Olympic Games organizers, and cautioned her to avoid friction with the ministers responsible for the construction of Olympic venues, which face many delays. During last week’s inspection visit by International Olympic Committee officials, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki had asked for the government’s support not only with words, but also with action. Three days later, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos retorted, not mentioning Angelopoulos-Daskalaki by name, that the government does the work(s) and others act as commentators. On Wednesday, Simitis, speaking at the government committee overseeing the Games, asked everyone involved for work, productivity and prompt results, an exhortation that was interpreted as being aimed primarily at his ministers.