Athens News Agency: News Bulletin in English, 07-02-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Clean Monday celebrated throughout Greece

[02] Cypriot president to visit Athens for talks

[03] FM spokesman comments on municipal elections in Albania

[04] Greek Ambassador in US meets Pentagon officials; Greek-FYROM relations discussed

[05] Zagoritis says ND will win the next general elections

[06] PASOK council meeting on Tues.

[07] Orfanos visits ski centre in Grevena

[08] Greek Police Chief concludes visit to France

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates until Tuesday

[10] Four illegal immigrants drown off Samos

[11] Foreign national shot dead by compatriot

[12] Presentation of book by late author Antonis Samarakis

[13] Attacks on bank and telecommunications branch

[14] OA flight returns to New York after mechanical problem

[15] Armed robbery at Internet Cafe in Thessaloniki

[16] Police arrest man for drug trafficking

[17] Passenger with handgun arrested at Macedonia Airport

[18] Light earthquake in north-central Greece

[19] Results of the Greek Super League soccer matches played over the weekend:

[20] Weather forecast: Stormy, windy on Tuesday

[21] The Sunday editions of Athens' dailies

[22] Slovenian president reaffirms unreserved support to Cyprus

[01] Clean Monday celebrated throughout Greece

Traffic police were expectedly on alert over throughout the long weekend around the country's national highways to facilitate drivers and excursionists in view of religious holiday exodus. Traffic measures were being taken in central Athens and the suburbs, ports, railway and bus stations and airports to facilitate traffic.

Trucks were not allowed on the roads from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday and from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Clean Monday as motorists faced mostly rainy conditions on their return.

On his part, Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis went to Philopappou Hill, a traditional site for Athenians to spend Clean Monday over the decades, where he announced that three hectares of new green space will be created in the congested Greek capital from running current metro lines underground in the Sepolia district.

[02] Cypriot president to visit Athens for talks

President Papadopoulos will hold a meeting on Wednesday with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, followed by a joint press conference. His talks with Karamanlis will also cover the oil exploration and exploitation rights in seas to the south of Cyprus.

In the afternoon of the same day, he will receive the leaders of the political parties.

The following day, Papadopoulos will meet with President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

The Cypriot president returns home on Thursday.

[03] FM spokesman comments on municipal elections in Albania

Athens particularly focused on the southern coastal district of Himare, an area that hosts a significant portion of the ethnic Greek minority in the country, and where serious problems plagued elections in the past.

"We're closely watching the municipal elections process in Albania," foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said on Sunday afternoon, adding:

"We are obliged to point out certain worrisome irregularities and other problems in the smooth running of the election process in polling stations in the Himare district."

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Monday was due to report on its monitoring of the vote.

[04] Greek Ambassador in US meets Pentagon officials; Greek-FYROM relations discussed

Greek Ambassador in Washington Alexandros Mallias early Saturday met with US Deputy Defence Secretary Gordon R. England at the Pentagon for talks on developments in the Balkans, and with emphasis on relations between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Also discussed at the meeting, in the presence of other Pentagon officials, were developments in the eastern Mediterranean and the greater Middle East.

Regarding the Balkans, Mallias referred to what he called 'propaganda' launched by FYROM against Greece. He presented the official pamphlet of war history taught at Skopje's military academy, which includes maps showing part of Macedonia as belonging to FYROM.

The American side said that such conduct is not compatible with the obligations which Skopje has undertaken as candidate country for NATO accession. It was also noted that Washington has already reacted on this issue.

[05] Zagoritis says ND will win the next general elections

Zagoritis, who was speaking to ND members in Lamia, central Greece, underlined that 'the citizens do not want elections but want from us to solve the problems.'

He noted that 'our opponent is not PASOK and (its leader) George Papandreou but the problems,' adding that 'George Papandreou has to deal with his own internal party problems.'

The ND Secretary expressed certainty that 'the ND will win the (next) general elections.'

He stressed that 'they were telling us that we are simply a small parenthesis, we are a parenthesis which will last for a decade and more.'

[06] PASOK council meeting on Tues.

[07] Orfanos visits ski centre in Grevena

On Saturday, he was received by Deputy Economy and Finance Minister Christos Folias and Grevena Prefect Demosthenes Kouptsidis.

According to a press release by the Sports General Secretariat on Sunday, Orfanos attended a meeting which was related to projects in the prefecture, such as the Grevena Sports Centre, which is incomplete.

On Sunday, he visited the Valitsa Ski Centre in Grevena and said that 7,000,000 euros will be allotted for improvements at the Centre.

[08] Greek Police Chief concludes visit to France

Dimoschakis briefed the Greek ambassador regarding the placement in the Greek Embassy in Paris of a liaison officer who will assume his duties during the first ten days of March.

According to a press release by the Public Order Ministry on Sunday, also discussed at the meeting were matters concerning

the issue of passports by the Greek Consulate there, as well as general problems faced by Hellenism in France.

Financial News

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates until Tuesday

U.S. dollar 1.322

Pound sterling 0.678

Danish kroner 7.514

Swedish kroner 9.344

Japanese yen 157.52

Swiss franc 1.634

Norwegian kroner 8.108

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.538

Australian dollar 1.683

General News

[10] Four illegal immigrants drown off Samos

A search was underway to locate another 20 Somali illegal immigrants, who, with another compatriot, were on board a five-metre wooden boat which sank three hours after their departure from the Asia Minor coast in Turkey.

[11] Foreign national shot dead by compatriot

Police on Saturday said they believe that the incident, which occurred in the Athens district of Kypseli, was due to a dispute over money, probably related to illegal activities.

During the clash, one of the men fired four times with a pistol, fatally wounding a 23-year-old who died shortly after at the Red Cross hospital. The victim had a record of car thefts and burglaries.

[12] Presentation of book by late author Antonis Samarakis

The English edition of 'The Passport and other selected small stories', by late author Antonis Samarakis, was presented on Saturday at New York's Greek Press Office.

The book, which is published by 'Cosmos Publishing', comes three-and-a-half years after his death and 34 years after the Greek edition 'The Passport'.

[13] Attacks on bank and telecommunications branch

At 1 a.m. at Ilion, unidentified persons broke the window pane of a National Bank branch and threw a fire-bomb inside it, resulting in a fire which caused material damage.

The fire was extinguished by 15 firemen.

At 5:40 a.m., a group of about ten youths threw fire-bombs at the entrance of a Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) branch at Patission Street, resulting in material damage being caused.

[14] OA flight returns to New York after mechanical problem

An Olympic Airlines plane, shortly after taking off in the early morning hours of Saturday, identified as flight 412 from New York to Athens, returned to Kennedy Airport due to mechanical fault.

A representative of the company said the plane landed safely.

Reports stated that the airliner was due to depart for Athens once the problem was repaired.

[15] Armed robbery at Internet Cafe in Thessaloniki

According to police, two persons, with the threat of a gun, snatched about 1,800 euros and four mobile phones and later escaped with a car belonging to an employee of the cafeteria.

Police hunt gang who stole cargo of cigarettes

Attica police are searching for an armed gang who stole a cargo of cigarettes.

The theft occurred last Thursday in Aharnes, on the outskirts of Athens.

Police on Saturday arrested a 39-year-old man, in charge of a transport company in Aspropyrgos, western Attica, where the stolen cigarettes were found.

The theft was committed by a five-member gang who had closed the road to a truck which contained a cargo of 1,266 cases of cigarettes valued at 1,400,000 euros.

[16] Police arrest man for drug trafficking

The police searched his home at Platania municipality and found in his yard 15 recently uprooted cannabis plants which were each 1.5 metres tall.

[17] Passenger with handgun arrested at Macedonia Airport

The suspect was identified as a Greek citizen and permanent resident of Brussels. Authorities said he had no weapons permit for the handgun. He was arrested prior to his departure for Brussels.

[18] Light earthquake in north-central Greece

[19] Results of the Greek Super League soccer matches played over the weekend:

PAOK Thessaloniki - Aris Thessaloniki 1-0

Iraklis Thessaloniki - Ergotelis Crete 0-1

OFI Crete - Apollon Kalamaria 2-0

Kerkyra - Xanthi 0-0

Larissa - Panionios Athens 1-0

Olympiakos Piraeus - Atromitos Athens 4-1

AEK Athens - Panathinaikos Athens 1-4

Standings after 22 weeks of play:

Olympiakos 56 points

Panathinaikos 45

AEK 43

PAOK 32

Aris 30

OFI 30

Larissa 28

Atromitos 27

Ergotelis 27

Panionios 26

Egaleo 26

Kerkyra 26

Xanthi 26

Apollon Kalamaria 25

Iraklis 22

Ionikos 4

Note: Ionikos has been deducted five points for disciplinary reasons.

[20] Weather forecast: Stormy, windy on Tuesday

[21] The Sunday editions of Athens' dailies

APOGEVMATINI ON SUNDAY: "(Deputy National Education Minister) George Kalos: Our decision for the school year 2007-2008 is the appointment of 8,115 permanent teachers"

CHORA ON SUNDAY: "40,000 jobs for youths. The new employment map"

ELEFTHERI ORA ON SUNDAY: "Open letter to the President of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the exploration of the black gold (oil)"

EPOCHI: " (Public Order Minister Vyron) Polydoras 'on trial'. Political attack by justice against university professors"

ETHNOS ON SUNDAY: "Family subsidy to all the pensioners of IKA (Social Security Foundation)!"

KATHIMERINI: "(Main opposition PASOK leader) George Papandreou is 'gambling' all. The (general) elections are changing the parties"

LOGOS ON SUNDAY: "The 'hour of crisis' in education is approaching. The bill for the institutes of higher education will be tabled by the end of the month".

NIKI: "The dilemma of (Prime Minister Costas) Karamanlis. Conflicting recommendations about the elections"

PARON ON SUNDAY: "The (ruling) New Democracy party is afraid of possible revelations into murder of (IKA Governor Yiannis) Vartholomeos"

PROTO THEMA: "Operation 'merit' by (Prime Minister Costas) Karamanlis"

SUNDAY AVGHI: "'Warm' climate in the Aegean, while (Cyprus President) Tassos Papadopoulos is expected to visit Athens"

SUNDAY AVRIANI: "The woman who led (IKA Governor Yiannis) Vartholomeos to his death and her husband in prison is hiding, provokes and says lies"

SUNDAY ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Law against education. (Prime Minister Costas) Karamanlis gave orders for the immediate tabling in Parliament of the bill"

SUNDAY RIZOSPASTIS: "Labour rights at the firing squad. Anti-labour alliance of capital by New Democracy, PASOK, European Union"

TYPOS ON SUNDAY: "The new map with the real estate values. The increases in Athens, Thessaloniki, major urban centres"

VIMA: "Bill ... but with many loop holes. So as to dampen the reactions by students and professors. What the plan which the government is preparing will include"

VRADYNI: "The 'black hole' places a ceiling on pensions"

Cyprus Affairs

[22] Slovenian president reaffirms unreserved support to Cyprus

President of Slovenia Janez Drnovsek has expressed unreserved support towards efforts to reach a political settlement in Cyprus in the framework of the United Nations. According to an official press release, the Slovenian president received on Friday in Ljubljana Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas and expressed his wish for a speedy solution of the Cyprus problem, Õassuring Lillikas of his country's unreserved support towards efforts to reach a Cyprus solution.'

Lillikas, who paid Slovenia an official visit at the invitation of his counterpart Dimitrij Rupel, briefed the Slovenian president on recent developments regarding the Cyprus problem and congratulated him on his country's recent accession to the Eurozone.

The Cypriot minister held earlier a separate meeting with his Slovenian counterpart, followed by consultations with the participation of Cypriot and Slovenian delegations.

The two ministers discussed issues of mutual concern and the enhancement of economic and commercial relations.

They also discussed the future of the EU Convention and covered issues concerning the EU-Turkey relations.

According to the press release, Rupel asked to be informed on the agreements signed between Cyprus and Lebanon and Cyprus and Egypt regarding the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves.

The Cypriot minister informed Rupel on the above agreements as well as on the Cyprus issue and the July 8th agreement that aims to prepare the ground for talks on the Cyprus problem.

During his visit there, Lillikas was also received by the President of the National Assembly of Slovenia France Cukjati, who welcomed Cyprus' decision to open an embassy in Ljubljana, saying that this would further strengthen the 'excellent political bilateral relations.'

On July 8th 2006, Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met in the presence of senior UN official Ibrahim Gambari and agreed to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and those that concern substantive issues.

The Republic of Cyprus and Slovenia are EU member state since May 2004. Slovenia joined the Eurozone in January this year and Cyprus is expected to follow suit in January 2008.

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