European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes tuesday May 22,1990 world today workers unload a truckload of coins at a Plant in Rackwitz East Germany where they will be melted Down. The coins Are being destroyed As part of the economic agreement that will merge the East and West German economies on july 2, making the West German Mark the official . German shops Cut prices in bid to compete with Western goods Berlin apr East German shops slashed prices on everything from televisions to sportswear on monday As the country tried to compete against the first wave of Western Competition. The government announced the Price cuts just six weeks before East Germany is to move to a free Market and merge its Economy with West Germany the major step to full unification of the two nations. Meanwhile hundreds of Farmers driving tractors and trucks left the City of Potsdam for a protest later monday in nearby East Berlin. Parliament met in East Berlin to debate a state treaty merging the economies and social institutions of the German states by july 2. The farm workers planned to rally in East Berlin during the session. Farmers Are demanding Protection from West european food imports that Are better packaged and often cheaper than East German goods because of european economic Community subsidies. East Germany a government farm collectives rely on outmoded machinery and often employ too Many workers in inefficient distribution systems. They Are expected to be phased out As East Germany moves to a free Market. In East Berlin lines of Consumers formed outside clothing furniture and electronic stores As new prices went into effect. The East German Commerce and tourism ministry said the Price cuts would average about 60 percent on a Broad variety of consumer goods according to a report by the government news Agency adn. Television prices dropped from about 6,000 East German Marks the equivalent of 3,000 West German Marks $ 1,818 at the current official Exchange rate to about 2,500 Marks or l .250 West German Marks $780. The moves were aimed at competing with the huge influx of Western products flooding into East Germany. Even though economic Union is not scheduled until july 2, the Date Western businesses can legally begin operating independently in the country Many foreign firms already Are in the country under joint ventures with East German interests. The joint ventures often amount to Little More than use of an East German storefront or hotel room. Herman Pflaum head of the East German government commission on joint ventures said 1,145 were in effect in East Germany As of the end of april 90 percent of them involving West German firms. Western food products also Are increasingly appearing on East German store shelves. East germans began buying Western goods in november when the former communist government was forced to open the Borders in the face of a massive revolt. The effect has been a steady increase in joblessness and worker unrest. Shoe Industry workers have staged frequent strikes to protest what they say is the loss of their Market to Western competitors. The shoe Industry last week was the first to announce drastic Price cuts to compete. Although Eastern goods especially food often Are cheaper than Western made goods Quality is often much poorer. Many of East Germany a state run factories and enterprises Are expected to shut Down when they Are forced to compete in a free Market. Hundreds of thousands of workers Are expected to lose their  of Home lots urged by Gorbachev Moscow apr president Mikhail s. Gorbachev saturday called for the legalization of private ownership of residential lots in an attempt to solve the nations critical shortage of housing the Tass news Agency said. All soviet land is now owned by the state under one of the strongest tenets of communism. Even a recent Reform legalizing some kinds of private property excluded ownership of land. Tass said Gorbachev ordered the government to come up with a housing plan by sept. 1 that a removes the whole number of restrictions on building individual housing in the soviet Union and Grants the right to own and inherit housing and the plots on which it is  in a presidential decree Gorbachev called for at least 30 million new apartments and individual houses to be built by the year 2000.s. Korea faces shortage of pilots for its airlines Seoul South Korea apr South Korea is running out of pilots for the nations two commercial airlines and May have to hire foreigners the transportation ministry said monday. The ministry said korean air and Asiana airlines will need 1,700 pilots in the next 10 years at least 600 More than the airlines Are scheduled to train in that period. Plans to combat the Pilot shortage include hiring foreign pilots training korean pilots overseas setting a Pilot quota for each airline and stopping the two airlines from hiring pilots away from each other a ministry official said. The ministry said it also will seek to revise the aviation Law to strengthen regulations on the recruitment of pilots improve working conditions and establish a state run Institute for training pilots. Korean air is the National Flag Carrier and flies worldwide. Asiana airlines inaugurated Domestic service two years ago and has started flights to Japan in the last  european Aid Bank to be based in London Paris up a after a bitter turf struggle leaders of 40 nations have chosen London As the site for the new european Bank for reconstruction and development and elected Frenchman Jacques Attali As its president. The $ 12 billion program proposed last year by French president Francois Mitterrand is aimed at stimulating private Enterprise and economic growth in the newly emerging economies of Eastern and Central Europe. The Netherlands had been the most vocal critic of a reported French British Deal to Divide the presidency and Headquarters Between their two  warned about unsafe food items Sofia Bulgaria up a Consumers were put on Alert against unsafe food products sunday after a routine investigation turned up poisons or harmful additives in a number of goods. An inspection May 11 by the ministry of Public health and social welfare discovered Small amounts of poisonous herbs in packages of com Softie a meal the official Bra news Agency said. The same inspection found harmful and banned colouring agents m lollipops and discovered vegetables that had been treated with unidentified growth stimulating chemicals Bra  the health experts warn the bulgarians against buying from hawkers foodstuffs of unknown origin and composition a the news Agency said. Investigators also rejected As unfit 49 out of 2,234 samples of food products designed for children. Britons told dec neighbors regard them As slobs London apr the British were told on monday that their european neighbors look upon them As slobs and they should dress better and improve their manners. She a monthly Magazine for women said britons need to straighten out if they want to become a a Nouveau new europeans in keeping with their status As members of the 12-nation european Community. The Nouveau elite Are said never to leave Home unless groomed immaculately remember to wish everyone Good morning afternoon or evening and walk with a dignity and Grace a the Magazine said. Other europeans consider British men ill mannered and they believe that British women dress badly and shout at their children in Public. The Magazine claims a we go out without combing our hair Wear the same shoes two Days running and throw rubbish out of our car  learning How to become Nouveau europeans will take work a with manners attitudes habits and appearance All requiring a Complete overhaul a it said. Ance. R water a Day