This Week

MONDAY International conference on «The Digital Economy in the Eastern Mediterranean and New Realities – Growth Strategies in a Global, Competitive Environment.» At the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia, Cyprus. To Tuesday. – 2nd Yugoslavia Summit is held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade. Development Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos and Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos to attend. To Tuesday. – Foreign Minister George Papandreou ends an official visit to Lithuania that began on February 22. – Municipal government employees meet to discuss future strike action. – 2nd and final day of voting for bar associations across Greece. The president of the Athens Bar Association will be chosen in a runoff between the two strongest candidates on March 3 and 4. TUESDAY Legislation for the Foreign Ministry’s Balkan reconstruction plan will be presented to Parliament. – Political directors of the Greek and Turkish foreign ministries will meet in Athens to start a dialogue aimed at establishing a framework for the two countries to discuss differences. – Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, whose country currently heads the EU, visits Nicosia. – Pensioners hold protest marches in Athens and other major cities demanding EU-level pensions. In Athens, protesters will gather at Kaningos Square at 10 a.m. – Federation of Secondary School Teachers (OLME) holds a protest rally in central Athens. – The Federation of Olympic Airways employees (OSPA) meets to discuss strike action against company’s restructuring plan. – PASOK MP and candidate for the mayoralty of Athens Christos Papoutsis to meet with the leader of the opposition ND party Costas Karamanlis. – Prime Minister Costas Simitis heads a government meeting with Athens 2004 officials on the progress of Olympic preparations. WEDNESDAY European Commission to examine the finances of Greece’s ailing national carrier, Olympic Airways. A claim that the Greek government did not stick to EU conditions against subsidizing the airline may lead to an investigation. – American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce holds a dinner with Prime Minister Costas Simitis as the guest of honor. Simitis will speak on «Greece and the Euro: Prospects for the Greek Economy.»At the Athenaeum Intercontinental Hotel. – US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston visits Athens. – National Broadcasting Council (ESR) holds a two-day public debate on the «Quality of TV News.» To Thursday. – PASOK Executive Bureau convenes to discuss Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue. THURSDAY Last day on which the drachma is Greece’s national currency. An official ceremony has been organized at the Aigli Restaurant in the National Gardens to welcome the euro. – European Network of Women Journalists organizes a conference on European Issues. St George Lycabettus Hotel. FRIDAY Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash resume talks on Cyprus reunification. SUNDAY Prime Minister Costas Simitis leaves for an official visit to Japan. To March 8.