Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-04-13

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] National collective labor agreement officially signed

[02] PM to visit Bulgaria, tour Kilkis at weekend

[03] Int'l cooperation, not fear needed for bird flu, health minister says

[04] Interior minister presents new Municipalities and Communities code

[05] Bakoyannis takes stand in N17 appeals trial, ridicules convicted terrorists

[06] Roussopoulos on permits to television stations

[07] Defense minister receives French ambassador to Athens

[08] Gul cites draft law that may affect Halki

[09] FYROM's Buchkovski on name issue

[10] US ambassador to Greece visits Rethymno, Crete

[11] Stylianidis addresses new diplomats

[12] Greece gets 41 mln euros under EU budget surplus

[13] Deputy FM calls on expatriate organization to help investments

[14] Special secretary for Competitiveness visits Dublin

[15] Nationwide garbage strike continues on Thursday

[16] Greeks overwhelmingly believe country benefited from EU; majority say euro a disadvantage

[17] Greek economy grew 3.7 pct in fourth quarter 2005, yr/yr

[18] Greece is Bulgaria's fifth largest trade partner

[19] Intracom Telecom signs 4.2-mln-euro contract with Telekom Serbia

[20] Car & Moto-Boat show begins Thursday in Thessaloniki

[21] Serbia calls for Greek investment

[22] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks decline

[23] Two earthquakes rattle western Greece Wednesday

[24] Seismologists cautious but reassuring as quakes continue to jolt Zakynthos

[25] Greek, Turkish and Bulgarian municipalities sign cooperation protocol to confront floods

[26] President inaugurates Political Exiles Museum

[27] Replica of Ionian pillar crest placed at eastern Acropolis arcade

[28] Greek armed forces have lower suicide rate than others, study finds

[29] Greek Information secretary general extends best wishes to Bulgarian newspaper

[30] 1st Int'l Anti-Nuclear Festival to be held in Rhodes from May 8-14

[31] Conference on Balkans held at Athens Journalists Union

[32] John Cleave's book on Athens presented in Washington

[33] Attica police arrest gang who forced foreign women to prostitution

[34] Mayor of Hadersdof, Austria, insults memory of 61 victims of Nazism

[35] President Papadopoulos officially welcomed by Indian counterpart

[01] National collective labor agreement officially signed

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

Also to be released alongside the contents of the agreement will be a codification of all past collective labor agreements signed by employers and unions in Greece after 1974, when democracy was restored to the country after the fall of a military junta.

Under the two-year agreement, the basic wage will be increased by 2.9 percent on January 1, 2006 and a further 2.9 percent on September 1, 2006, followed by a further increase of 5.1 percent on May 1, 2007.

Commenting on the deal, Union of Greek Industry (SEB) president Odysseas Kyriakopoulos said it was a "difficult agreement achieved in complex circumstances". He described the agreement as "very good" and pointed out that it gave the highest wage increases given at this time in all Eurozone countries.

Asked to give his opinion regarding the current debate regarding the "best" economic model for Greece, Kyriakopoulos said that Greece should adopt the best practices of each model, while underlining the need to make the economy more outgoing.

The president of the General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE) Christos Polyzogopoulos, head of Greece's largest trade union umbrella organization, said he was happy with the deal that had been achieved and called on the government to follow the example of the "social partners" when deciding wage increases for staff in state-run public utilities, ensuring that these were the result of collective bargaining and did not divide the workforce into 'old' and 'new'.

He rebuffed criticism aimed at the leadership of the trade unions over the agreement, stressing that the critics were wrong and that the content of the agreement was achieved in very difficult conditions.

According to the head of General Confederation of Light Industry and Commerce of Greece (GSEBEE) Dimitris Assimakopoulos, the agreement would lead to an 11.3 percent increase in wages at the end of two years and he expressed hope that small and medium-sized enterprises will have managed to match this in profits during that time.

The president of the traders' union ESEE Dimitris Armenakis, on his part, described the agreement as the "most difficult of the past years" and said that it had been completed with a series of changes to improve labor practices, such as better redundancy compensation for laborers and craftsmen and more flexible rules to accommodate parents.

[02] PM to visit Bulgaria, tour Kilkis at weekend

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

The prime minister will begin his day on Thursday by addressing an off-the-agenda debate on the Greek economy in Parliament in the morning, followed by a meeting with S. Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon in the afternoon before he departs for Bulgaria.

Upon his arrival in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Karamanlis is to lay a wreath at the monument for the Unknown Soldier and then accompany Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev to the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nievski.

On Thursday night, the Greek premier will be a guest at a dinner held in his honor by Stanishev.

On Friday morning, Karamanlis will lead a Greek delegation in talks with the Bulgarian side, during which bilateral agreements will be signed, followed by a press conference at 10:30.

At 11:00 on Friday, he will be received by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, Bulgarian parliament speaker Georgi Pirinsky and the Patriarch of Bulgaria Maxim.

The premier will then depart for Thessaloniki and from there to Kilkis, arriving on Friday evening and holding successive meetings with local government officials on Saturday.

On Sunday, Karamanlis is due to return to Thessaloniki for a meeting with South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) culture ministers, who will have just completed a meeting in Patras.

The spokesman denied that original plans for a more extensive tour by the premier in northern Greece had been pared down, noting that the premier looked at various proposals before deciding on the finally deciding on his itinerary and stressing that the program of visits by Karamanlis will continue.

He also denied suggestions that the premier was avoiding "problem" areas, noting that Karamanlis discussed the problems that concerned Greek society with a number of social bodies and ordinary citizens.

[03] Int'l cooperation, not fear needed for bird flu, health minister says

WASHINGTON, 13/4/2006 (ANA-MPA/A. Ellis)

Avramopoulos noted that Europe has made progress adopting a specific plan of action and initiatives.

As for Greece, he said that the country has prepared a full-scale national plan, noting that all bird flu incidents are under scientific control and monitoring.

Furthermore, he added that the actions of all EU governments are coordinated and in line with EU directives and in cooperation with international organizations.

Avramopoulos also participated in an open debate, as President of the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC) Taskforce for Health and Exceptional Situations, a post he assumed in February.

"The international community is faced with a major problem. In Europe, as I had the opportunity to explain, we have taken steps forward. A very good and effective system aimed at dealing with the bird flu virus has been set up. However, the message that needed to be conveyed from this WTTC event was a message of certainty and optimism, because as you can understand, the psychological factor, particularly for countries with high tourism activity, can play a negative role," Avramopoulos said, talking to Greek journalists.

After having met with officials of the US government and the WTTC and with journalists representing US and Greek-American media, Avramopoulos will conclude his visit to Washington with a meeting with Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns.

[04] Interior minister presents new Municipalities and Communities code

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

The Code, due to be tabled in Parliament by Friday, anticipates the establishment of the institution of local referendums at the initiative of either the municipal and community council or that of the people.

It also establishes the municipal citizen's Charter of Rights and the preparation of a citizen's guide, as well as the municipal and community authority's obligation to make an annual account of work accomplished during a public conference.

In a related development, the main opposition PASOK party and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) criticized the new Code.

PASOK said in an announcement that despite the fact that the Code contains considerable arrangements for the organizing and functioning of first stage local administration it does not meet modern European self administration reality.

It added that the most important innovation for which the Code will go down in history is the incorporation of the "notorious" legislative arrangement on the election of a mayor on the first Sunday of elections with 42 percent.

KKE, through Athens mayoral candidate Spyros Halvatzis, said that the new Code promotes the full adjustment of local administration to market laws and that the role of local administration as a powerful and effective state apparatus which implements options against workers on behalf of the central administration will be strengthened.

Responding to criticism, the interior ministry spoke in an announcement of the distortion of reality.

"A simple comparison of this plan with the plan left by PASOK in 2004 is catalytic in that the new plan is overwhelmingly superior in institutional innovations and democratic sensitivity. And all that PASOK has to do is to ask the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE) about this," it said.

"Nobody can forget that PASOK had always tried, offending institutions, to use local administration for selfish party reasons. Something for which local administration had turned and will turn its back on it," the announcement added.

[05] Bakoyannis takes stand in N17 appeals trial, ridicules convicted terrorists

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

"Can you imagine using the title 'November 17' (the date of a 1973 students' uprising against a military junta then ruling Greece) without never having done anything but drink coffee in Paris, passing your time philosophizing and then sitting in judgment against everyone, and murdering?" Bakoyannis said on the stand in a clear reference to convicted "N17" mastermind Alexandros Giotopoulos, aka Michel Economou or "Lambros".

The self-described translator of French texts, who lived under an assumed name for more than 20 years, has been sentenced to 21 life terms for his role in the ultra-leftist group's numerous assassinations, bombings and robberies.

In recounting the day in September 1989 that he was assassinated, Bakoyannis said her late husband greeted everyone he met outside his office, including his assassins, "they, however, didn't even have the courage to look him in the eyes, they shot him in the back. That's how we are here, in this court with Pavlos' murderers in the dock, having already been convicted in the first instance (court trial)."

The former Athens mayor also stressed that Bakoyannis' murder had absolutely no repercussions on the country's political life, only repercussions for her, their children and mountainous Evritania prefecture, his election district. Asked about a motive, she said Bakoyannis was deep into an investigation focusing on domestic terrorism, which possibly made him a "N17" target. "He was also an easy target," she added.

Tension again surfaced inside the specially modified jailhouse courtroom at the Korydallos penitentiary when the lead defense attorney for convicted N17 arch-assassin Dimitris Koufodinas began to aggressively refer to Pavlos Bakoyannis, at which point the appellate tribunal ordered lawyer Ioanna Kourtovik to stop making further statements.

On his part, Koufodinas, a self-described beekeeper who also lived under an assumed identity for almost two decades and who was nicknamed "poison hand" by other N17 gang members, opined that the "pain, anger and grief (from Bakoyannis' assassination) is comprehendible," before claiming that the "organization's" target was the "collapsing (political) system (at the time) and not the individual Pavlos Bakoyannis..."

Bakoyannis' two children were also expected to take the stand.

[06] Roussopoulos on permits to television stations

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

Roussopoulos was briefing the relevant parliamentary committee regarding issues of concentration of mass media and permits to electronic mass media.

The minister of state noted that the plethora of local channels which project poor quality programs which they get from video-clubs, "create a bad image for the country and problems in relation with the copyrights."

He added that "the thought of the government is for us to go to the regional channels which will transmit to the limits of the regions, and will correspond more to the geophysical shaping of the regions, which will be set after relevant studies by the Polytechnic."

[07] Defense minister receives French ambassador to Athens

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

Their talks also covered problems that had arisen with the purchase of the MIRAGE-2000-5 aircraft, which now appear to be nearing a solution according to the results of tests so far, and a planned visit by the defense minister to Paris that will probably take place in the summer.

[08] Gul cites draft law that may affect Halki

ISTANBUL, 13/4/2006 (ANA/MPA/A. Kourkoulas)

"We will table the draft law in the grand assembly ... I cannot say anything about this procedure, as the laws are ratified by the deputies," Gul said, adding that it was up to the Turkish legislature on how the final draft law will be modified.

Moreover, he reiterated his government's volition to push forward with EU-mandated reforms. "The European Union of course has made demands of us. These are bilateral issues that concern our meeting."

Asked specifically about the long-standing Halki issue, Gul replied that "special conditions exist in every country; various issues arise that have their own legal and historical explanation".

[09] FYROM's Buchkovski on name issue

STRASBOURG, 13/4/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Buchkovski's statement was made in response to a question posed by head of the Greek delegation of the Council of Europe Elsa Papadimitriou, during the spring session of the council's parliamentary assembly, which the FYROM premier is attending as an official guest.

Papadimitriou, who posed the question on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party (EPP), the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the European Democrat Group (EDG) and the Group of the Unified European Left (UEL), asked Buchkovski if a statement he had made in December in Paris still stood.

At the time, Buchkovski had said that FYROM is ready to be effective in finding a solution to the name dispute, particularly after the support Greece's provided FYROM in the latter's efforts to attain EU candidacy status.

The FYROM premier said that his government was grateful for Greece's support, adding that it was very important in terms of building confidence between the two countries.

He also referred to commercial ties between the two countries, saying that cooperation between Greek and FYROM companies is very good and noting that Greece is the biggest investor in FYROM.

[10] US ambassador to Greece visits Rethymno, Crete

13/4/2006 (ANA)

His first stop was at Rethymno City Hall where he met with the mayor, Dimitris Archontakis.

"We met with Mr. Ries in order to declare Rethymno's receptiveness to foreign investment, economic ties, friendly relations and any type of effort for development," Archontakis said after their meeting.

During his visit to the primary school, which Ries chose because it had been painted by US servicemen stationed at Souda military base, the US ambassador gave gifts and books to students.

He spoke with the children, urging them to study and obey their teachers.

He also expressed the wish that the children would soon be able to visit the United States.

Speaking to reporters, Ries referred to the good relations between Greece and the US, adding that he was certain these relations would be maintained in the future as well.

Asked why US aircraft carriers no longer anchor in Chania, Ries said that crews were concerned they would not be well received.

However, he expressed optimism that there would be no such problem in the future.

Ries also referred to tourism relations between the two countries, noting that Greece is a favorite travel destination for many Americans.

[11] Stylianidis addresses new diplomats

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

Among others, he said the first positive results from missions to Russia and China have been recorded, while the next area of interest is the Middle East.

[12] Greece gets 41 mln euros under EU budget surplus

BRUSSELS, 13/4/2006 (ANA-MPA/V Demiris)

Implementation of the budget reached a record high: only 1% of the EU budget, or ¬ 1 077 million, was left unused, the Commission said in a statement.

The figure, coupled with extra revenue of ¬ 1 292 million, will reduce this year s national contributions to the EU budget by a total of ¬ 2 410 million - a new record low since 1997.

The Commission also noted that it had approved a second Provisional Draft Amending Budget for 2006 to include last year's surplus in this year's budgeting.

"Better planning and the constant improvement of EU budget management at all levels are bearing fruit. Member States now annually pay into the EU budget only as much as is really needed," Dalia Grybauskaité, European Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget, commented.

[13] Deputy FM calls on expatriate organization to help investments

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

"Promoting economic cooperation with Greece is very important. It is one of the reasons that we are here. More discussions have taken place and will take place because now is the beginning of a new strategy," said the head of the delegation, Supreme President of the expatriate organization Gus J. James, II, following the meeting held at the foreign ministry at noon on Wednesday.

Stylianidis said that it was discussed how the AHEPA organization can help in presenting the new role of Greece in the wider region, an important role for attracting investments.

He added that what was also discussed was how work being done in development cooperation can be presented to American public opinion and those who shape public opinion in the U.S. to enable them to know that Greece is promoting common values and common principles in the region.

[14] Special secretary for Competitiveness visits Dublin

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

The main objective of his contacts was the exchange of views and experiences on issues of management and planning of the European Union's Structural Programs, especially in light of the next 2007-2013 Programs Period.

Also discussed were policies for the strengthening of entrepreneurship and the operation of the two countries' National Competitiveness Councils.

Among others, he met with Seamus O'Morain, deputy secretary general of the Enterpise, Trade and Employment Ministry, and Lorraine Benson, Director of the Competitiveness and European Affairs Department.

[15] Nationwide garbage strike continues on Thursday

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

A delegation of the board of the Local Union of Municipalities and Communities of Attica (TEDKNA) met on Wednesday morning with workers in the municipalities at the offices of POE-OTA. The outcome of the meeting proved fruitless.

The strikers later in the day gathered outside the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization Ministry, at the time when Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos was presenting the New Code for Municipalities and Municipalities, shouting slogans and disrupting traffic for about an hour.

[16] Greeks overwhelmingly believe country benefited from EU; majority say euro a disadvantage

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

However, a smaller majority, 55 percent, believe that inclusion into the euro zone and use of the euro currency ranks as a disadvantage for Greece. Conversely, 36 percent of respondents in Greece said the country benefited from the euro.

The results of the poll were presented during a press conference on Wednesday by Ierotheos Papadopoulos, who is performing the duties of director of the European Commission's delegation in Greece.

Greeks believe that there is greater political (70 percent) and economic (64 percent) stability because the country is a member of the European Union.

The majority of Greeks (58 percent) also believe that the EU has helped public administration in Greece to become more effective. A further 51 percent believe that the creation of new jobs is due to the abolition of state monopolies.

On the question of EU enlargement, the Greeks do not see any particular interest for their country by the fact that the specific candidate countries, as well as accession candidate countries will become EU member-states.

The country coming first in preferences is Bulgaria with 33 percent, followed by Turkey with 20, Romania 10, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) 7 and Croatia 5.

The question concerned which of the candidate or accession candidate countries is in Greece's interests to become an EU member. The poll also showed that 37 percent of respondents do not desire the accession of any of the candidate or accession candidate countries.

As regards which country in their opinion maintains the closest friendly relations with Greece, the result produced was France 47 percent, Italy 37, Germany 33 and Spain 22.

[17] Greek economy grew 3.7 pct in fourth quarter 2005, yr/yr

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

The EU executive's statistics agency, in a report, said Eurozone's economy grew by 1.8 percent while the EU-25 economy grew by 2.0 percent over the same period.

Eurostat said the Greek economy fell by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005 from the previous quarter, while in the Eurozone it rose by 0.3 pct and in the EU-25 it grew by 0.4 percent. Latvia (2.7 pct), Lithuania (2.5 pct) and Estonia (2.2 pct) recorded the highest quarterly percentage growth rates.

The EU's statistics agency also said that Greek exports fell by 2.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005, from the previous quarter, while imports rose 4.0 percent and domestic demand grew by 1.4 percent.

Exports rose 0.7 pct in the Eurozone and 1.1 pct in the EU-25, while imports were up 1.3 pct and 1.4 pct, respectively.

[18] Greece is Bulgaria's fifth largest trade partner

13/4/2006 (ANA)

An information pack released by the Bulgarian government ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on April 13-14 showed that Greece was the source of one in 10 direct investments in the neighboring country by the end of 2005.

Greece took second place in foreign direct investment in Bulgaria with capital of 1.331 billion dollars, representing 10% of total direct investments.

In addition, Greek tourists ranked top among foreign visitors to Bulgaria.

The largest 10 Greek investors in Bulgaria are OTE (through Cosmo Bulgaria), National Bank of Greece (with United Bulgarian Bank), Brewinvest (Zagorka, Ariana), Grecotel (Sheraton), Viohalko (Stomana Pernik), Halcor (SofiaMed), Sidenor (Stomana), Intracom (Bulfon), ANT-1 (Nova TV), and Goody's.

[19] Intracom Telecom signs 4.2-mln-euro contract with Telekom Serbia

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

Under the contract, Intracom Telecom will supply ISDN terminals and a Network Management System along with Prepaid Card Calling, Account Card Calling and Virtual Private Network services.

Intracom Telecom has developed a wide range portfolio of value added services for fixed and mobile telephony networks and Voice Over IP networks.

[20] Car & Moto-Boat show begins Thursday in Thessaloniki

13/4/2006 (ANA)

A total of 120 exhibitors from around the country will participate in the show, to last until Sunday 16 April, organized by Organica Expo in cooperation with the Association of Car Importers and Dealers of Greece.

[21] Serbia calls for Greek investment

BELGRADE, 13/4/2006 (ANA-MPA)

"The Serbian government is doing whatever it can to help foreign investors so that direct investments can be advanced more rapidly," Parivodic told a meeting at the Greek Business Association.

Greek firms that were members of the association had so far invested more than 1.3 billion euros, offering jobs to over 22,000 people.

The association was founded in 2004.

[22] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks decline

ATHENS, 13/4/2006 (ANA)

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 1.04% down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 1.21% lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 0.22% down.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 161 to 83 with 70 remaining unchanged.

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank of Greece, Eurobank Properties, OPAP, OTE, and Alpha Bank.

Derivatives Market Close: OTE top in stock futures trade

Stock Futures: