STOCKHOLM - The promotional effort to support the launch of "The Ballad Hits" is in full swing now, with radio interviews in Sweden last week and a two-week promotional tour beginning this Friday.


  As The Daily Roxette previously reported, Per Gessle will be doing this promotion tour on his own, while Marie Fredriksson is recovering from the successful operation she went through in late September to remove the tumor she had in her head.


  The promotion tour will take Per to Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark and begins with a series of interviews Friday in Stockholm where Per will meet with, among others, reporters from German and Polish newspapers. Other countries may be added to the PR tour, as TDR is aware of a request from EMI Finland to get Per to do promo there.


  The tour schedule (subject to change) is as follows:


Oct. 25  International Press Day in Stockholm

Oct. 29-31  Spain promotion

Nov. 4  Belgium promotion

Nov. 5  Switzerland promotion

Nov. 6  Denmark promotion