Athens News Agency: News Bulletin in English, 07-02-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis briefed by health minister on programmes, integrated strategy for public health system

[02] PM and interior minister discuss absorption of 4th CSF funds

[03] Culture minister briefs PM on ministry affairs

[04] Culture minister officially hands over National Theatre to Houvardas

[05] Government again rules out early elections

[06] FinMin meets with foreign minister

[07] Transport minister to hold high-level talks in Egypt this week

[08] Roussopoulos rejects rumour about Bakoyannis as 'fabricated'

[09] Roussopoulos on draft laws regulating opinion polls, TV

[10] Psarouda-Benaki lauds excellent level of Greek-Bulgarian relations

[11] PASOK spokesman comments on education

[12] KKE secretary general visits Piraeus

[13] Synaspismos proposes free admission for all HS graduates into universities

[14] Inner cabinet meeting on Tuesday

[15] Greek mission supports proposal for overcoming crisis within OSCE

[16] Eurogroup and Ecofin to examine Greek economy stabilisation programme

[17] Commissioner Almunia on Greece's excessive deficit

[18] Eurobarometer on social situation in Europe

[19] Employment and finance ministers discuss funds' assets and real estate

[20] PASOK spokesman comments on Social Security Foundation

[21] Gov't slaps 236,000-euro fine against two banks

[22] Subsidies for new development projects

[23] National Bank plays leading role in Southeastern Europe, report

[24] Presentation of Evros tourist attractions in Sofia

[25] New era in Serres-Blagoevgrad cooperation

[26] Seaplane base planned for Thessaloniki

[27] Attica Holdings raise stake in Minoan Lines to 22.25%

[28] ASE suspends trading of Hitech SNT shares

[29] Greek stocks end 0.49 pct lower

[30] ADEX closing report

[31] Greek bond market closing report

[32] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[33] Environment minister refers to climatic changes due to greenhouse effect

[34] 9th Int'l Exhibition on Education to open Thursday in Maroussi

[35] Athens prefect blames environment ministry for state of Kifissos River

[36] President Papoulias hosts reception for judiciary, rectors

[37] Brutal assault caused death of German woman in Asprovalta

[38] Faulty German aircraft lands at Athens Airport

[39] Arrests for illicit trade of antiquities

[40] Two foreign nationals arrested on fake cash card charges

[41] Weather forecast: Rainy, windy on Tuesday

[42] Pashiardes: We will not respond to Gul's threats and extortions

[43] Cyprus intervenes to avert overseas trade & tourist offices of illegal regime

[01] PM Karamanlis briefed by health minister on programmes, integrated strategy for public health system

Avramopoulos told reporters after the meeting that the ministry was advancing substantial legislative work, adding that the tabling of a bill on procurements in the public hospitals was imminent, aimed at consolidating transparency and upright management at all the hospitals throughout the country.

He said this "deep incision" would save approximately 500 million euros annu-ally, adding that the ministry would proceed with a strengthening of the Na-tional Health System (ESY) employees' incomes and the hiring of more personnel.

The health minister further said that the hiring of 6,000 health-care employees was also proceeding, adding that this would bring substantial relief to the ESY, while new competitions for the hiring of medical personnel would also proceed at a rapid pace, via ASEP (Public Sector Hiring Examinations Board) procedures.

In addition, other bills concerning physical therapists, as well as a wide range of long outstanding issues and arrangements, were also being advanced.

To a question on whether the 500 million euros annually cited above had in the past been "milked" by "middlemen", Avramo-poulos stressed that what was important was the future and the activation of control and transparency mechanisms, as well as the upright management of procurements and rationa-lisation of the system.

The health minister underlined that the government was unyielding and determined not to allow wasteful spending and lack of transparency, noting that the consolidation of control and transparency institutions was a moral, political and historical obligation.

He further noted the existence of control mechanisms, stressing that the Health Inspectors' Corps had a lot of work to do, and added that anything that had been noted, charged or recorded during the inspections was "taking the road of justice, which is doing its job".

The minister also expressed sadness that Greece ranked high with respect to corruption issues.

PASOK, KKE react

Commenting on statements by Health Minister Dimitris Avra-mopoulos on Monday, main opposition PASOK MP Christos Protopapas said the minister should have considered the very high incidence of corruption in the health sector, which he supervises.

"Irregular and basically illegal procurements by hospitals just for the period between January 1, 2005 and March 31, 2006 come to 259 million euros," he said.

Protopapas also underlined the lack of staff within state hospitals, which he said were no longer able to function pro-perly.

An announcement by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said that the measures announced on Monday by Avramo-poulos could not cover the "great deficit in nurses, doctors and other staff nor the very low wages established over the past years with the responsibility of New Democracy and PASOK governments."

The repeated calls for an exclusively state-sector public health system that would be staffed by well-paid and well-insured permanent employees working on a full-time basis.

After meeting Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Monday, Avramopoulos announced that the ministry was preparing to table a draft bill to ensure transparency and good management in procurements for state hospitals throughout the country and was close to hiring 6,000 health-care employees for the national health system, with procedures underway for further hiring in the future.

[02] PM and interior minister discuss absorption of 4th CSF funds

Pavlopoulos said that certain bills are being prepared, such as the one on the Prefectural Administration code and another one concerning the vote of Greeks living abroad.

The minister said that he briefed Karamanlis on preparations and on measures taken "so that what happened during the governance of PASOK when over 30 months were lost and we had to run a great deal will not happen."

Pavlopoulos reminded that in 2004 absorption possibilities for the 13 regional operational programmes were only 15.6 percent, adding that "yes indeed, we have covered the lost ground, but the 4th CSF has its own needs and logic that do not allow for experimenting."

The interior minister also mentioned that issues concerning, apart from supporting the countryside, supportive structures of first and second stage local administration are also important.

[03] Culture minister briefs PM on ministry affairs

Among these are three draft bills that are soon to be tabled in Parliament, Voulgarakis told reporters as he left the meeting.

They also discussed the schedule of events for a "Cultural Year" based on Greece in China, in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

In response to other questions, the minister stressed that there was no question of early elections:

"The prime minister has said this clearly. This discussion does not help in the development of political affairs in Greece and creates problems. I think that the elections, as the prime minister has said, will take place at the proper time," he said.

[04] Culture minister officially hands over National Theatre to Houvardas

A stage and screen director, Houvardas was named as the new artistic director of Greece's National Theatre by Voulgarakis on February 20 after the death of the previous director, actor and threatre director Nikos Kourkoulos.

[05] Government again rules out early elections

He stressed that the elections, unlike the copious references to them, were in no way apparent.

The spokesman pointed out that the prime minister "has many times in the past said that the elections will take place at the end of the four-year term in March 2008, but this has not stopped the talk surrounding the issue."

Responding to questions regarding a "state of crisis" in affairs that were of major importance for Greece, Roussopoulos said that this was not in any way connected with a demand for early elections.

"Every country faces a series of issues that are of major national importance," he said, adding that the prime minister would alone decide and announce when elections would be held.

Responding to a statement by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou regarding an alleged "suspect relationship" between the government and the masked anarchist elements responsible for rioting during a number of demonstrations and protest in Greece, Roussopoulos accused Papandreou of resorting to an increasingly confrontational style as things deteriorated within his own party.

"This is something that benefits neither him, nor the country," he added.

[06] FinMin meets with foreign minister

The need for new institutional positions in the foreign ministry was also discussed in that framework.

Meanwhile, the ministry clarified that during Alogoskoufis' meeting earlier in the day with employment and social prote-ction minister Savvas Tsitourids, the matter of common rules on the basis of which social insurance organisations would invest their reserves was also discussed.

[07] Transport minister to hold high-level talks in Egypt this week

Liapis, who is due to arrive in Cairo at noon on Friday (March 2), will on Sunday have consecutive official meetings with Egyptian Transport minister Mohamed Younes Lotfi Mansour, Minister of Communications & Information Technology Dr. Tarek Kamel, and Civil Aviation Minister Ahmed Mohamed Shafiq.

On Friday night, following his arrival earlier in the day, Liapis will meet with representatives of the Greek community at the Hellenic Centre of Cairo at a dinner to be hosted in his honour by the Greek Community of Cairo.

On Sunday morning, Liapis, accompanied by Greek Ambassa-dor to Egypt and a delegation of officials from Greece, will be received by transport minister Mansour.

Liapis and the Greek delegation will later meet with commications and information technology minister Kamel, during which the two countries will sing a Joint Declaration on cooperation in the framework of implementatin of the Memo-randum of Understanding signed by the two ministries on October 30, 2006, based on the preparatory work carried out during the first meeting of the Joint Committee on January 24-25.

Late on Sunday afternoon, Liapis is also due to be received by civil aviation minister Shafiq, with whom he will sign a docu-ment on air transports, based on the preparatory meeting of experts from both countries held on February 27-28.

Liapis is due to return to Athens next Monday (March 5).

[08] Roussopoulos rejects rumour about Bakoyannis as 'fabricated'

"[The government] is fully covered by the answer given, during a programme, by former New Democracy general director Antonis Sgardelis. The answer is very clear and I do not need to add something to what is obviously, from the person that is circulating it, a fabricated affair," he said in response to questions.

He was referring to a claim made last week, during a progra-mme headed by investigative TV journalist Makis Trianta-fyllopoulos, that Bakoyannis had "bought" votes in Evritania.

[09] Roussopoulos on draft laws regulating opinion polls, TV

The issue is now being discussion by Parliament's Institutions and Transparency Committee, said Roussopoulos, adding that he had a meeting a couple of months ago with the Association of Greek Market and Opinion Research Companies within the framework of the process followed before reaching a decision on the regulations that need be set forth.

The government believes that self-regulation should precede legislative intervention, concluded Roussopoulos.

On a draft law regulating the issue of operating licences for TV channels, he said that this was due to be tabled in parliament soon.

He clarified that the delay in tabling the draft bill was due to the wide range of issues under regulation, which apart from TV licensing also covered mass media concentration, and the large number of parties involved that the government had to consult with.

[10] Psarouda-Benaki lauds excellent level of Greek-Bulgarian relations

Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki on Monday focused on what she called the particularly close cooperation between Greece, Bulgaria and Romania in the SE Europe region and within the European Union framework, in comments following her meeting here with Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Pirinski.

"Greece, Bulgaria and Romania comprise an axis of coope-ration linked with participation in the European Union, there-fore, principles and values on which all European countries rely must be conveyed both to the west and east," she said.

The Greek parliament president also expressed her satisfaction over the fact that Greek-Bulgarian relations serve as one of the brightest examples of good-neighbourliness in the recently expanded Union, relations she termed excellent in every aspect.

[11] PASOK spokesman comments on education

"It would be good if the government sposkesman and his government would assume their responsibilities towards society and responsibilities for issues created by themselves," Efthymiou said.

PASOK's spokesman pointed out that universities remain closed, while we have "unaccountable action by hooded people in regions not included in asylum, because no asylum includes public streets and squares, either of Athens or of Thessaloniki."

Efthymiou further stressed that "educational issues cannot be the object of management of a tension strategy and in no way can the government not assume its responsibilities in a double way, for the consolidation of the citizens' feeling of security and for there not to be a strategy of tension in crucial and sensitive sectors, such as education."

PASOK's spokesman also commented on the issue of opinion polls and early elections, saying that the real opinion poll is the ballot box poll and adding that the government has already been called on to agree to it and that it is time for the people to speak.

On the question of what PASOK plans to do if early elections are not called, Efthymiou said that "elections are a necessity that the Greek people are sharing, who are experiencing the deadlocks of government policy."

[12] KKE secretary general visits Piraeus

Referring to universities and the issue of education in general, Papariga said "closed universities are exclusively the responsibility of the government and its policy. For one to oppose the government only with the slogan of public univer-sities is not enough. We are struggling for modern, free public education, for public universities that serve popular needs and safeguard the social role of science. Such a thing has not existed in Greece for many years, due to the dominant policy."

[13] Synaspismos proposes free admission for all HS graduates into universities

Synaspismos leader Alekos Alavanos, moreover, reiterated his party's absolute disagreement with the government's recently tabled draft law for higher education reforms, as Synaspismos has mostly spearheaded heated opposition over the past few months to proposed changes in Greece's voluminous but sluggish tertiary education sector.

Basic conditions for implementing such a prospect, according to Alavanos, include keeping the higher education system exclusively within the state's domain; earmarking 5 percent of GDP for education immediately and then raising the figure to 8 or 9 percent; and, moving beyond just the academic sphere, promoting an "alternative policy that supports the public sector, the social state and full employment".

Alavanos, whose leftist party controls six seats in the 300-MP Greek Parliament, also proposed that university students enjoy free room and board as well as public transports.

In line with the proposal for free university access to all high school graduates, he pressed for the abolition of the nationwide entrance examinations along with the 200-point grading system in high schools, opting instead for the one-time elementary school system of "below passing", "passing", "good", "very good" and "excellent".

Other proposals include abolishing a ceiling on the number of admissions and, by extension, the recently instituted minimum passing grade -- 10 out of a possible 20 (50 percent) for gaining entrance to any higher education institution.

[14] Inner cabinet meeting on Tuesday

The meeting will focus on justice ministry issues, announced government spokesman Thodoros Rousopoulos.

[15] Greek mission supports proposal for overcoming crisis within OSCE

Greek MP Panos Kammenos supported a proposal for overcoming a crisis within the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in his address to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Monday.

The proposal, calling for a meeting between the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly president Goran Lennmarker and the foreign minister of the OSCE's Spanish presidency Miguel Angel Moratinos, was accepted by the OSCE Parliamentary assembly, where Kammenos represents the Greek Parliamen-tary delegation and is also a vice-president.

The aim of the Lennmarker-Moratinos meeting, scheduled to take place on Friday, is to arrive at a common line between the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly as regards the issue of observing elections in various countries, such as those in Serbia, and internal structures within the OSCE.

Financial News

[16] Eurogroup and Ecofin to examine Greek economy stabilisation programme

The Greek economy's updated stabilisation programme for the 2006-2009 period will be examined, together with the stabilisation programmes of another nine member-states, during the meetings of eurozone member-states, the Eurogroup on Monday night and the Ecofin Council here on Tuesday.

Speaking on arrival at the eurozone member-states meeting and referring to the performance of the Greek economy, Finance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis said "the results are impressive and much better than what we had expected."

"We have achieved a spectacular fiscal adjustment with impressive growth rates and a decrease in unemployment," the minister stressed, adding that "this effort must be continued, since fiscal problems have not yet been addressed in their entirety."

Alogoskoufis reiterated that the target is to achieve balanced or slightly surplus budgets by 2012.

Asked about Greece's exit timetable from the EU supervision process, the finance minister said that this issue is up to the European Commission and the Council of ministers and will be clarified when the Commission will be ready to adopt its relevant proposal to the Council.

Lastly, referring to the state of the European economy in general, Alogoskoufis said that the situation in the eurozone and the EU appears positive in 2006, with prospects for 2007 being auspicious.

[17] Commissioner Almunia on Greece's excessive deficit

Economic Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, responding to reporters' questions during a press conference he gave on Monday, whether Greece would be able to come out of the procedure regarding excessive deficit, reiterated that this would depend from the final economic data for 2006, which Greece, like the other European Union member-states, must submit in Brussels within the coming month.

The Spanish commissioner said that the procedure could cease regarding the excessive deficit during the current six-month period, providing whether Eurostat's assessments are confirmed that Greece will achieve to stabilize next year the fiscal deficit below three per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

[18] Eurobarometer on social situation in Europe

The future of social security funds is a cause for concern for the average European and more so for the average Greek, according to a report publicised by the Eurobarometer service on Monday on the social situation prevailing in Europe. A total of 61 percent of Greeks are concerned over the future of the country's pensioning system, while the European Union average is 52 percent.

As regards the degree of satisfaction over the country's social state, the average Greek appears somewhat displeased and with a best of 5, they give Greece 3.57 points, while the EU average is 3.78.

Responding to the question of what issues are the most important in their lives, the Greeks give first place to issues related to the family and health (100 pc), followed by the issue of religion (82 pc) and employment (79 pc), while the average Greek does not place much interest in politics (36 pc).

Assessing the question of "what concerns you most", the average Greek replies unemployment (58 pc), the cost of living (50 pc) and crime (33 pc).

The average Greek is also extremely reserved over the issue of foreign immigrants in the country. Together with the Cypriots and the Maltese, he believes that economic immigrants constitute a negative development. More specifically, 63 percent of Greeks believe that the presence of immigrants is a source of insecurity (the EU average is 42 pc). Moreover, 74 percent of Greeks believe that the presence of foreign immigrants will lead to an increase in unemployment (the EU average is 46 pc).

Lastly, one out of every three Greek families has two children, according to the report that shows that 34 percent of Greek families have two children, 14 pc one child, 10 pc three, 3 pc four and 1 pc five, while 38 pc of Greeks have no children. In addition, 71 percent of Greek families declare that they are satisfied with the number of children they have, 27 pc would like more children and 1 pc less children.

[19] Employment and finance ministers discuss funds' assets and real estate

Tsitouridis said in a statement that the committee which has been created by the two ministers will be delivering its report this week, and will form the basis for further consultations and cooperation with other agencies as well so that very soon "we will have a legislative initiative that will concern the modernisation and the rationalisation of the management of the assets and real estate of social insurance funds, a property amounting to 29 billion euros."

Asked about the percentage of reserves that funds invest, Tsitouridis said "we shall wait for the results of the committee and from then on you can be confident that the decisions we shall reach will be rational decisions that meet the needs of the funds and the demands of the times," adding that "we have not decided that this percentage will be increased."

On the question of special funds joining the Social Security Foundation (IKA), Tsitouridis said "we shall do nothing unilaterally, we are trying to reach an understanding

[20] PASOK spokesman comments on Social Security Foundation

'In these crucial matters, there is a 'deafening silence' on the part of the government and by (Employment and Social Protection Minister Savvas) Tsitouridis,' the spokesman said.

Efthymiou posed three questions. 'Whether Tsitouridis, as asked by PASOK and the entire public, intends to make public the catalogues of all of IKA's supplies and all the data surrounding them.' Secondly, 'whether IKA's bonds have been liquified over this past period, which, according to certain information, concern the exorbitant sum of 600 million euros.' He added that if the answer to the second question is 'yes', then 'which is the total value and what decisions by IKA's administration allowed this liquidity and after which approvals by the supervisory authority.'

Thirdly, Efthymiou said that 'we asked and we did not receive an answer, whether Tsitouridis intends to resort in the checking of IKA's supplies by the Public Administration Inspections Agency and to tell us which other way there is to secure transparency which must surround the economic life of this gigantic organization.'

[21] Gov't slaps 236,000-euro fine against two banks

The ministry, in an announcement, urged consumers not to hesitate and to file official complaints when faced with practices breaching the country's legislation.

[22] Subsidies for new development projects

By decision of Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas on Monday, the specific budget of the company's project Eoliki Milou SA has increased from 3,350,000 euros to 3,464, 485 euros.

Furthermore, the specific budget of the company Clear Water Think Tank SA has increased from 3,075,000 euros to 3,275,000 euros.

Also incorporated in the geographic region under the responsibility of ELANET are five new projexts for financing of Action 6.3.2, budgeted at 684,245 euros. Thus, the overall budget of the projects incorporated in Action 6.3.2 amounts to 10,416, 480 euros. The total of the projects which have been approved, will be implemented in the Southern Aegean Region.

[23] National Bank plays leading role in Southeastern Europe, report

Based on 2006 figures, all Southeast European units significantly improved their profitability with net, after tax, profits of National Bank's units in the geographical area totalling 108 million euros, up 47 percent from 2005. Loans in the regional rose 44 percent to 4.1 billion euros, while retail banking portfolio grew 52 percent in 2006. Non-servicing loans remained below 4.0 percent for the year.

The report said the main competitors of Greek banks in the region were Austrian Erste Bank and Reiffeisen Zentral Bank, French bank Societe Generale, Italian bank UniCredito and Hungarian bank OPT Bank.

[24] Presentation of Evros tourist attractions in Sofia

The tourist attractions of the northeastern Greek prefecture of Evros were presented in Sofia within the framework the 24th International Tourist Exhibition HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO held in the Bulgarian capital.

Prefect Nikos Zabounidis expressed the belief that the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline will contribute to further boosting tourism in the region, stressing that environmental protection measures will be strictly observed during the construction and exploitation of the project.

He also stated that a notable increase has been recorded in the past three years in the number of Russian tourists visiting the region for the summer.

During the presentation, special emphasis was placed on the Evros River Delta, one of the protected wetlands in Greece situated at the Greek-Turkish borders, the habitat to numerous rare bird species. A reference was made to the north Aegean island of Samothraki, the Dadia National Park and the pristine beaches of Alexandroupolis very close to the Bulgarian region of Haskovo.

Alexandroupolis, the Evros prefecture capital, was also presented in the special event, as the city with the 6th best tourist infrastructure in Europe in relation to its population.

[25] New era in Serres-Blagoevgrad cooperation

In a meeting held at Blagoevgrad during the weekend, the Bulgarian side expressed interest in establishing a develop-mental company to exploit European programmes using as a model the Development Agency of Serres.

They also agreed to cooperate closely for the protection of the Strymonas River from pollution and engage in the adoption of joint measures for the prevention of natural disasters resulting from river floods.

[26] Seaplane base planned for Thessaloniki

The decision was reached in a meeting that Thessaloniki Prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis had on Monday with Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A. and Air Thalassa airline company representatives.

[27] Attica Holdings raise stake in Minoan Lines to 22.25%

[28] ASE suspends trading of Hitech SNT shares

[29] Greek stocks end 0.49 pct lower

Sector index ended down, with the Telecommunications (1.82 pct), Food-Beverage (1.53 pct) and Utilities (0.96 pct) suffering the biggest percentage losses of the day, while the Industrial Products (3.14 pct), Technology (0.86 pct) and Personal/Home Products (0.77 pct) scored gains.

The Big Cap index fell 0.42 pct, the Mid Cap index eased 0.19 pct and the Small Cap index ended 0.52 pct higher.

Imako (11.71 pct), Klonatex (11.43 pct) and Boutaris (8.47 pct) were top gainers, while Lanacam (9.39 pct), Ergas (8.0 pct) and Desmos (6.9 pct) were top losers.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 135 to 121 with another 53 issues unchanged.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Insurance: +0.46%

Industrials: +3.14%

Commercial: -0.68%

Construction: +0.31%

Media: +0.66%

Oil & Gas: +0.49%

Personal & Household: +0.77%

Raw Materials: -0.66%

Travel & Leisure: -0.90%

Technology: +0.86%

Telecoms: -1.82%

Banks: -0.12%

Food & Beverages: -1.53%

Health: -0.61%

Utilities: -0.96%

Chemicals: -0.21%

Financial Services: -0.83%

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, Marfin Popular Bank, Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 24.76

ATEbank: 4.06

Public Power Corp (PPC): 20.76

HBC Coca Cola: 30.46

Hellenic Petroleum: 10.94

Emporiki Bank: 21.88

National Bank of Greece: 41.90

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 29.56

Intralot: 25.94

Cosmote: 22.80

OPAP: 28.30

OTE: 21.60

Titan Cement Company: 43.90

[30] ADEX closing report

The March contract on the FTSE 20 index was traded at a discount of 0.36 pct while on the FTSE 40 index at a discount of 0.78 percent.

Volume in futures contracts on the FTSE 20 index totaled 4,688 contracts worth 60.307 million euros, with 25,740 open positions in the market, while on the FTSE 40 index volume was 375 contracts worth 10.822 million euros, with 1,462 open positions.

Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 7,741 contracts worth 7.957 million euros with investment interest focusing on PPC contracts (1,206), followed by OTE (165), National Bank (357), Alpha Bank (988), Intracom (718), ATEbank (1,065) and Viohalco (1,156).

Volume in stock repos totaled 2,087 contracts and in reverse stock repos 2,616 contracts.

[31] Greek bond market closing report

The 10-year benchmark bond (July 20, 2016) was the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 655 million euros while the yield spread between the Greek and German 10-year bonds was 0.23 percent. The Greek bond yielded 4.24 pct and the German Bund 4.01 pct.

In the domestic interbank market, interest rates was mostly unchanged. National Bank's overnight rate was 3.58 pct, the two-day rate was 3.58 pct, the one-month rate was 3.73 pct and the 12-month rate 4.12 percent.

[32] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

U.S. dollar 1.326

Pound sterling 0.675

Danish kroner 7.513

Swedish kroner 9.355

Japanese yen 159.97

Swiss franc 1.633

Norwegian kroner 8.127

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.537

Australian dollar 1.674

General News

[33] Environment minister refers to climatic changes due to greenhouse effect

'The issue of the climatic changes due to the phenomenon of the greenhouse effect is undoubtedly the most important environmental problem faced today by the world community. It's an extremely complex problem, the dealing of which presupposes the undertaking of initiatives both on a national and global level,' Souflias stated.

He said that 'in accordance with the European Commission's decision, Greece is obliged to restrict the increase of the emission of the greenhouse pollution by 25 per cent, on the basis of 1990 for certain pollution and of 1995 for other, for the period 2008-2012,' adding that 'this constitutes our national target.'

Souflias also referred to the debate held at Parliament's European Affairs Committee on February 23 with the participation of EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Souflias noted that 'Mr. Dimas of course stated that our country is below the 25 per cent limit, set by the European Union.' The minister added that Dimas said, however, that 'if measures are not taken, this percentage may reach even up to 40 per cent in 2010.'

The environment minister went on to say that 'so as not to speak hypothetically, I am obliged to say that not only are measures being taken, but we have an integrated policy on this issue,' adding that 'this policy is based on ten measures which Greece is taking so as to fully meet its obligations which emanate from the Kyoto Protocol for dealing with the problem of the emission of the greenhouse pollution.'

[34] 9th Int'l Exhibition on Education to open Thursday in Maroussi

The exhibition, being held under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, the General Secretariat for Youth and the City of Athens, will run through Sunday, March 4.

The United States will be the country of honour at this year's exhibition. As the honoured country, the US will present American institutions of higher education and their programmes, while visitors will have the opportunity, through parallel events, to be informed on the reasons why the US is considered a country with strong incentives for education, as well as on opportunities for higher education available to students from abroad.

According to an announcement by the US embassy in Athens, representatives from the Fullbright Institute will be on hand to provide information to visitors regarding studies in the US, entrance exams such as TOEFL, SAT, GRE and GMAT, and to reply to questions by interested pupils.

Entrance to the exhibition is free to the public.

Exhibitors include: Colleges, Computer training courses, Embassies, European commission, Institutes ofering continuous education & training programmes, Institutes for vocational training, Internet & IT, Ministries, Municipalities, Private schools, Publications & bookstores, Schools of fine arts, Schools of foreign languages, Suppliers of educational products & services, Technical vocational schools, Technological educational institutes, Universities Greek & foreign.

Visitors include: Career counselors, Educators, Graduates, Media, Parents, Representatives from ministries and govern-ment bodies, Senior high school students, Undergraduate and graduate students, etc.

For more information on the exhibition and the parallel events, one may contact the exhibition organisers, Europartners, on tel: 210-9221254, and by e-mail at info@europartners.gr, or visit the website at http://www.europartners.gr

[35] Athens prefect blames environment ministry for state of Kifissos River

According to Sgouros, the ministry created a body to clean up the river but "starved it" of the funds needed to carry out the work, while allowing manufacturing units and industries that had encroached on the river's banks to continue flouting the law.

"With regard to the relocation of industrial plants, whose buildings have finally been declared to lack planning permission, and which should have already been removed, both the environment ministry and development ministry gave an extension of two years, which has already expired," he said.

Stressing that the river's banks were being eroded, he said that the environment ministry had placed the Body for the Management and Redevelopment of Kifissos in charge through a law passed in Parliament but, over four years, had failed to give it the money to carry out the work for which it had been created.

"The ministry has not even done the basics. In other words, to implement, on the ground, the topographic map defining the A and B zones for protection of Kifissos, making it easy to classify certain buildings as legal or illegal," Sgouros added.

He said the prefecture was unable to intervene, since it did not have funds to hold a tender for protecting the river's banks, while noting that this problem had been pointed out to the ministry and that there had been no specific reply.

[36] President Papoulias hosts reception for judiciary, rectors

Present at the reception were Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou, Justice Minister Anasta-sios Papaligouras, Interior, Public Administration and De-centra-lization Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras, National Education and Religious Affairs Minister Marietta Yiannakou, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, former prime minister and honorary president of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party Constantine Mitsotakis and many other ministers and deputies.

In a discussion she had with rectors, Education Minister Yiannakou said that in two weeks time, the framework bill on universities will become law of the state. The minister added that 'the government is not responsible for the sit-in protests by university students,' calling on 'those students who create them to stop.'

Furthermore, Yiannakou said that 'the rectors can express their views during the debate of the bill at the plenum of Parliament and if the demands of the rectors are logical, then changes will be made.'

PASOK leader Papandreou agreed with the appeal by university professors for the foundations to open. At the same time, however, he stressed that 'the government is handling the issue irresponsibly and it is irresponsible, with such an issue, for us to go to general elections, which PASOK asks for.' He added that 'if we went for serious changes, then, let's discuss it.'

[37] Brutal assault caused death of German woman in Asprovalta

A German man identified as her companion, however, continued to maintain that he has no involvement in the incident. He remained in police custody on Monday.

The decomposed body of the woman was discovered by authorities over the weekend inside a condominium at a holiday complex in the Asprovalta district of Thessaloniki prefecture, northern Greece.

According to the local medical examiner's office, the victim -- a retired postal worker who was reportedly suffering from liver disease -- was kicked to death.

Moreover, conditions inside the apartment pointed to psycho-logical problems for her 46-year-old companion.

Police came across the macabre scene following concerns by the woman's parents in Germany over her disappearance.

According to police, her companion put flowers and dolls next to the body, cleaned the floor with detergent and sprayed over it with perfumes to cover-up the stench of the decomposing corpse.

[38] Faulty German aircraft lands at Athens Airport

Aircraft TS 737 of the German airline company Air Berlin, which had 190 passengers on board, had taken off from Egypt to Germany.

The control tower gave permission to the pilot to land the plane in Athens

The airport, as is the case in such incidents, was on Local Standby and the aircraft safely landed at 18:46.

[39] Arrests for illicit trade of antiquities

Police searched the suspects' apartments and seized 122 bronze and 11 silver coins of undetermined origin, a book catalogue of ancient coins and archaeological sites, and a metal detector device.

[40] Two foreign nationals arrested on fake cash card charges

The high-technology electronic equipment could be used by the suspects to make fake cash cards with the encoded information copied from a genuine card's magnetic strip.

A small quantity of cannabis was also found in their possession and an investigation is underway to determine if they used the fake cards for cash withdrawals.

[41] Weather forecast: Rainy, windy on Tuesday

Cyprus Affairs

[42] Pashiardes: We will not respond to Gul's threats and extortions

Cyprus Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardes on Monday said the government would not respond to the threats and extortions launched by Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

"A reply to the representative of a country which refuses to comply with legality and international law and which believes that everyone and everything must be subject to Turkish arbitrariness is futile," Pashiardes said commenting on Gul's recent statements on the issue of oil exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean.

At the same time Pashiardes aid that that Egypt remains absolutely consistent to the agreement signed between Cyprus and Egypt on the oil issue.

Responding to a question, Pashiardes said he could not rule out the possibility of pressure being exerted on Turkey. However he ruled out that Turkey submits to pressure.

Invited to say why the Lebanese competent minister was not present at the official opening on February 15 of the 1st Licensing Round Offshore Cyprus for the grant of hydrocarbon exploration and development licenses, Pashiardes said that the representative of Lebanon did not come to Cyprus due to the extraordinary and volatile situation in Lebanon.

As regards Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos' recent visit to Athens, Pashiardes said it was very useful and constructive and that talks were substantive in a climate of fraternal coope-ration and solidarity.

The spokesman said that further handling of the oil issue will be decided at a later stage, if and when oil is found.

As regards an interview by the Russian Ambassador to Cyprus, who said that that oil issue could contribute to a Cyprus settlement, the spokesman said that "the time of solving the Cyprus issue depends exclusively on the Turkish side, and given that fact that oil extraction and co-exploitation will take a long time, then there is ample and capable time for solving the Cyprus question."

Towards this direction, he added, "the Turkish side has to cooperate and all the others who directly or indirectly are interested in the Cyprus question must convince the Turkish side to show the necessary political will for a Cyprus settlement the soonest possible."

Cyprus, and EU member state since May 2004, has signed agreements for the delimitation of its Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Lebanon. Turkey, which has been occupying 37% of Cyprus' territory since her invasion to the island in 1974, has reacted with threats as regards the government's intentions for exploration and exploitation of possible oil deposits or natural gas in the sea area off the island.

[43] Cyprus intervenes to avert overseas trade & tourist offices of illegal regime

The Cyprus government is monitoring the promotion of establishing trade and tourist offices of the Turkish Cypriot puppet regime abroad and is intervening in a strong diplomatic manner to avert such development, Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardes said on Monday.

Replying to questions, Pashiardes said that these actions by the Turkish side are made in the framework of the organized effort to politically upgrade an illegal secessionist entity and do not concern the economic strengthening of the Turkish Cypriots.

"This effort by the Turkish side in combination with other actions towards the same direction merely adds to the justified doubting of its intentions to reach a mutually acceptable settlement of the Cyprus question, through substantive negotiations," he concluded. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.

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