Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 07-04-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM inaugurates 'Filio Haidemenou' museum of Asia Minor Hellenism

[02] PM briefed on public sector reforms strategy

[03] Papandreou receives kudos for party program

[04] PASOK criticises government on social insurance funds issue

[05] PASOK presents programme for culture, criticises government

[06] KKE leader Aleka Papariga criticises both mainstream parties

[07] ESR 2006 report

[08] Deputy defence minister visits Aegean island of Chios

[09] Greece and Cyprus sign health protocol

[10] KKE signs condemnation of EU 'anti-Cuba campaign'

[11] FinMin invites Australian entrepreneurs to invest in Greece

[12] Alogoskoufis inaugurates Greek Museum in Melbourne

[13] Greece, Bulgaria agree to further develop regional air travel

[14] Subsidies for about 800,000 farmers to be paid on Tuesday

[15] Increase in additional pay for teachers accredited abroad

[16] Papoutsis raps gov't energy policy

[17] Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls for professional management for funds

[18] Employment minister on loans with subsidised interest rate

[19] National Bank introduces 'Family Fast' account for foreign nationals

[20] Greek PMI jumps to 54.8 in March

[21] Eurobank Securities top player in Greek market in March

[22] Loulis Group to sell stakes in subsidiaries to Austria's Leipnik-Lundenburger

[23] Business mission to Ukraine

[24] Insurance companies on transport and communications ministry's draft law

[25] Postal Savings Bank to publish 2006 results on April 5

[26] Sfakianakis reports record 2006 results

[27] Thessaloniki Water reports improved 2006 results

[28] ASE suspends trading in Petzetakis SA

[29] Greek stocks end 0.37 pct down

[30] ADEX closing report

[31] Greek bond market closing report

[32] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[33] Greek population estimated at 11,103,929 in 2005

[34] Fertility rate

[35] Serres Prefecture Council honors Constantine Karamanlis

[36] European Forum of the Disabled president on rights of the disabled

[37] School of fine arts at Crete Polytechnic

[38] Fewer fires in Thessaloniki reported in 2006

[39] Former Greek royals in Thessaloniki

[40] Cloud, scattered showers on Tuesday

[41] The Monday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

[42] Government says no document received with Turkish Cypriot observations

[43] Cypriot government anticipating EU reaction on measures for TCs Politics

[01] PM inaugurates 'Filio Haidemenou' museum of Asia Minor Hellenism

Exhibited in the museum are 500 of the 1,500 objects and photographs belonging to the Greeks that were expelled from Asia Minor in the early 20th century that have been collected by the 108-year-old Filio Haidemenou, who was unable to attend Monday's ceremony due to ill health.

In his speech, the prime minister stressed that the opening honoured Filio Haidemenou, noting that she was a woman that symbolised Asia Minor's Greeks, and wished her a speedy recovery.

He said the museum was a place to remember and learn the story of Asia Minor Greeks and that the artifacts on display were a testimony to the folklore and history and the long-term presence of Greeks in that region of the world.

"It bears witness to the sacrifices of Greek men and women that lost their lives in the horror of war. It bears witness to the struggle of the refugees that managed to rise out of the ashes, to take root and prosper in new countries and to make a decisive contribution to the prosperity of our country and our society," he added.

Preserving and studying historical truth was the only way to learn from the past and avoid continually repeating the same mistakes, Karamanlis noted.

"We want our country to be a factor for peace and stability, democracy and prosperity for all the surrounding region. We seek to establish relations of close cooperation with all our neighbours and support their European course. We want all nations and all peoples in the region to enjoy the privileges that come from European Union membership," Karamanlis told the gathering.

At the same time, he stressed that its was absolutely clear that being a part of Europe meant having rights as well as obligations and demanded absolute respect for human rights, international law and treaties.

During the opening ceremony, Nea Philadelphia Mayor Stavros Kontos named Karamanlis an honorary citizen and gave him the key to the municipality.

The ceremony was also addressed by Culture Minister George Voulgarakis and a message from Filio Haidemenou was read out.

It was attended by Tourism Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, New Democracy Central Committee Secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, a number of MPs and local government officials, representatives of the Church and members of the public.

After the opening, the prime minister was shown around the exhibition and later visited Haidemenou at the Agia Olga Hospital where she is currently being treated.

[02] PM briefed on public sector reforms strategy

Pavlopoulos stated afterwards that the prime minister regards public sector reforms as very important, stressing that much has already been done in the sector but there is still a long way to go.

The e-governance-based goals of the initiatives are simplification of procedures and cutting red tape, he added. Planning is necessary, the minister added, to prevent a repetition of the long delays recorded in the 3rd Community Support Framework, in spite of the fact that the ruling New Democracy government made up for the lost time.

Responding to a question on the effect of the bonds controversy on the government, Pavlopoulos underlined that news coverage has its own rules but the government must do its job.

[03] Papandreou receives kudos for party program

At the meeting, Papandreou received kudos for the emphasis given to issues of transparency and accountability in his party's policy program.

[04] PASOK criticises government on social insurance funds issue

Efthymiou added that there is a clear and self-evident political responsibility of the government in general and of the prime minister, that primarily belongs to Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis and Employment Minister Savvas Tsitouridis.

He also left open the possibility of PASOK even resorting to British supervisory authorities on the case and stressed that every insured person can resort to Greek justice.

Referring to a "government plan", Efthymiou spoke of a "fixed operation for looting social insurance funds." According to PASOK's spokesman, a "system" with "two pylons" operated, the finance ministry and the employment ministry.

"The finance ministry issues with secret or non-secret bonds these complex structured products and the employment ministry sees that the social insurance funds are the recipients of these bonds," Efthymiou said.

Government responds

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos responded on Monday night to criticism aimed at the government by main opposition PASOK party spokesman Petros Efthymiou and PASOK's culture, sports and media rapporteur Tilemahos Hytiris.

Replying to Efthymiou on the bonds issue, Roussopoulos said that "the PASOK governments systematically covered up and concealed," adding that "this government exposes and sends to justice whoever is accountable."

Responding to Hytiris on the issue of the Asia Minor Hellenism Museum, Roussopoulos spoke of allegations by Hytiris that were "absurd and evidently allegations of pettypartisan expediency."

[05] PASOK presents programme for culture, criticises government

He particularly slammed decisions, during the re-opening of the 'Filio Haidemou' collection by the prime minister earlier that day, to take down plaques bearing the name of Andreas Papandreou and the former mayor that founded the museum where it is housed.

Hytiris presented a summarised version of PASOK's programme for cultural policy, noting that the full programme will be presented at the party's congress on May 18-19. He said the main opposition's programme would "create conditions to revive culture" and to ensure its spread throughout the country and outward throughout the world.

Among the measures announced by the MP was a gradual increase in the percentage of GDP dedicated to cultural activity, extension of the Archaeological Museum, the foundation of an Athens Museum and a Museum of Modern Art, the use of digital and new technologies in all aspects of cultural activity, establishing a Cultural Capital of Greece every year, revision of the 4th Community Support Framework to include cultural programmes, pension for authors, protecting copyright for creative work, new prizes for contemporary Greek culture and cultural heritage and creating a "foreign policy" department within the Culture Ministry.

Hytiris also accused the present culture minister George Voulgarakis of using the ministry for his own "public relations" and that the culture ministry appeared to be falling apart.

According to the MP, cultural programmes had not been included in the 4th CSF and grants to the National Theatre, National Opera and other cultural bodies had been significantly reduced, while fewer performances were scheduled for this year's Athens and Epidaurus festivals.

Numerous cultural programmes - including the second phase of the archaeological unification project in Athens - had been abandoned, while hundreds of party supporters were being hired at the ministry as political favours at the same time that 36 contract workers were being fired, Hytiris said.

Referring to the return of antiquities from the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Hytiris hinted that this was achieved through an "obnoxious agreement", suggesting that Greece had actually waived its rights to other valuable items to get the museum to agree.

He also slammed the way that Voulgarakis had handled the auction in London of effects belonging to the former royal family, accusing the government of a three-year delay in releasing 800,000 euros for preliminary work on evaluating the former royal estate at Tatoi.

[06] KKE leader Aleka Papariga criticises both mainstream parties

"The KKE is the only political force in Parliament that can achieve, quantitatively and qualitatively, the weakening of bipartisan rule," she said during her address at the conference of KKE's organisation in Thessaloniki.

"The KKE is today the only political force that wants and can contribute to the raising of pressure and of the effectiveness of the popular movement, to claim achievements. The effectiveness of struggles is linked to the effectiveness of the popular vote in favour of KKE, against ND and PASOK," she added.

[07] ESR 2006 report

Most of the ESR decisions reached in 2006 concerned radio stations while some serious decisions targeted television stations, according to the watchdog's president Ioannis Laskaridis, who pointed out that the supervision exercised is taken under serious consideration by the mass media.

The Parliament president commented that the report will be forwarded to the competent committees to draw their conclusions.

[08] Deputy defence minister visits Aegean island of Chios

Mihaloliakos congratulated the units on Chios for their high standard of training and operational readiness. Referring to Greece's relations with Turkey, the minister noted Greece's support for Turkey's European prospects provided that it met the criteria for accession, which included recognition of the Republic of Cyprus and the principles of good neighbourly conduct as these apply between European states.

On Tuesday, the deputy minister is due to visit the island of Karpathos.

[09] Greece and Cyprus sign health protocol

The Health ministers of Cyprus and Greece pledged here Monday to strengthen relations between their health systems and to offer the best possible health services to the citizens of both countries.

Cypriot Minister of Health Haris Charalambous and visiting Greek Minister of Health and Social Solidarity Dimitris Avramopoulos signed on Monday a protocol which includes provisions for a unified strategy on issues concerning health, twinning of hospitals, joint conferences, special cooperation on thalassaemia and bird flu and common action for vulnerable groups of the society.

The two also pledged to implement the soonest, the Protocol of cooperation which they signed in the morning.

Avramopoulos said that the protocol signals the prospect for closer cooperation between the two countries in the field of health and will significantly help them in handling problems faced in the implementation of their National Health System.

On his part, Charalambous said that the "protocol is the start of a new course for further cooperation", noting that this way, "we will offer everything possible to our citizens".

Avramopoulos said he invited his Cypriot counterpart for an official visit to Greece in June to continue the discussion on the protocol's implementation and to take part in a world forum of Greek doctors, Scientists and Researchers which will take place early June on the island of Kos.

"It will be a chance to bring together distinguished Greek and Cypriot scientists", he added.

The Greek minister further said that "the signing of this Protocol of cooperation, signals a new start in relations between Greece and Cyprus, especially in sensitive field of health and social solidarity".

The protocol provides for drafting a common health strategy which includes developing action and programmes to handle general issues of health as well as situations of state of emergency in the field of health in both countries.

Earlier, the two ministers met and examined ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of health.

[10] KKE signs condemnation of EU 'anti-Cuba campaign'

The joint declaration notes that the EU is thus "aligning itself fully with the policy and plans for the United States to strike the Cuban Revolution, in full opposition to the strong feelings of friendship and solidarity felt by the peoples of Europe".

The development "constitutes yet another step toward a dangerous convergence with the policy of the U.S. and confirms the EU's hostile stance to ideas of national independence and sovereignty," the statement adds.

According to the communist and labour parties signing the statement, the EU has "no right nor the moral stature to impose terms on Cuba over its relations" and they demand that national governments reject the "Cuba strategy" at the European Council.

Financial News

[11] FinMin invites Australian entrepreneurs to invest in Greece

Greece's national economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis addressed an invitation to Australian and Greek-Australian businessmen to invest in Greece, speaking Monday morning at a Forum in Melbourne on "Development of trade and economic relations between Greece and Australia".

Alogoskoufis, who arrived in Melbourne from Washington on Sunday morning at the head of a large Greek business delation, noted that trade and economic relations between the two countries have improved substantially in recent years, but stressed that there were margins for further growth.

The delegation, numbering approximately 100 people, includes representatives of 34 top Greek enterprises, as well as technocrats and other officials. The aim of the visit is to promote Greek exports on the Australian market.

Alogoskoufis also referred to the recent reforms in Greece, stressing that the Greek economy was growing at a rapid pace and was now a competitive economy, while both the deficits and unemployment have declined.

"Today in Greece, there is economic stability and economic growth. The country has the infrastructure, and is ideal for Australian enterprises wishing to developm on the SE Europe market," Alogoskoufis said.

The Forum was also addressed by Greek-Australian Victoria State minister for industry and state development, major projects, and small business Fanos Theophanous, who noted that "distance is not a problem", given that "Australian-Italian trade transactions are ten times" those of Australian-Greek trade transactions.

Theophanous said that the two countries could cooperate in such areas as tourism, shipping, energy, pharmaceutical products and infrastructure works, among others.

He futher stressed that cooperation must also be sought between the two countries in the sector of cinema co-productions, noting that the company Village Roadshow, which recently expanded its activities to Greece, was Australian.

According to Theophanous, Greece is Australia's 54th largest trade partner, but stressed it could become an even more significant trade partner.

The governments, he said, "could organise fora and bring the entrepreneurs of one country closer to those of the other country, and from there on it would be up to them".

Theophanous said that some 100,000 Australian tourists visit Greece each year, and thousands of Greek merchant seamen visit the Australian ports annually, while 30 percent of Australian exports are transported on Greek ships.

Also addressing the Forum was Hellenic Exports Promotion Board (HEPO) managing director Panayotis Drossos, who stressed that Greek exports to Australia have increased spectacularly over recent years, adding that the prospects for the future were "particularly encouraging".

On a personal note, Drossos noted that his parents had lived for a number of years in Melbourne, while his brother was also a permanent resident there.

Tim Piper, the presenter of the event, noted that Alogoskoufis' son was studying in Sydney, while Theophanous added that there was no Greek in Greece who did not have relatives or friends in Australia.

"This is why I feel like home, here," added Alogoskoufis, who will later in the day inaugurate Melbourne's Greek Museum and the "Nafsika Stamouli" Gallery.

On Tuesday, Alogoskoufis will meet with Victoria State Treasurer John Brumby and Victoria State Minister for Tourism Tim Holding and give press conferences to Australian and Greek-Australian media, while on Wednesday he is scheduled to meet Australian Treasurer Peter Costello.

The minister's programme also includes a visit to Sydney and a meeting with the Orthodox Archbishop of Australia Stylianos.

[12] Alogoskoufis inaugurates Greek Museum in Melbourne

Alogoskoufis stated that he felt moved and honored to be among Greek expatriates, adding that the museum he inaugurated is dedicated to the Greek pioneers who first came to Australia in the 19th century.

Meanwhile, the Australian news agency AAP referred to the speech delivered by the minister at a business forum in Melbourne held with the participation of Greeks and Australians.

Alogoskoufis presented the advantages of energy sector investments in Greece, stressing the role the country can play due to its geographic place in SE Europe.

[13] Greece, Bulgaria agree to further develop regional air travel

Greece and Bulgaria on Monday agreed to draft a multi-party plan to develop an international network of air transports in southeast Europe aimed to facilitate air travel, boost economic growth and enhance cooperation between countries in the region.

The agreement was reached by Transport and Communications Minister Mihalis Liapis, currently visiting Bulgaria, and his Bulgarian counterpart Peter Moutafchiev. The two ministers agreed that a joint group of experts would be formed to draft the cooperation framework and the deal plan to develop an international SEAT-NET network.

The Greek-Bulgarian initiative will meet and strictly adhere to all European regulations, particularly those covering transporters' access to EU internal air corridors, the Bulgarian minister said. He noted that both countries expected a dynamic participation of all air transport companies in order to expand air travel beyond capital cities in the region.

Bilateral talks also included faster trains travelling between Sofia-Athens and Thessaloniki over the last two years. The two ministers noted that although the project was successful so far, more efforts are needed to expand railway cooperation and the linking the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis with the ports of Burgas and Varna.

Greek-Bulgarian relations, both in the transportation and in other sectors, were at the peak of their growth, with prospects even better now that Bulgaria was a member of the European family, the two ministers stressed.

On his part, Liapis underlined Greece's steady support for Bulgaria's EU bid from the beginning, and stressed that support would continue in the future, now that both countries are EU member-states.

Liapis was also received by Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanichev.

[14] Subsidies for about 800,000 farmers to be paid on Tuesday

According to the minister, the total amount that will have been paid to farmers since last November and until Tuesday will reach 1.8 billion euros.

[15] Increase in additional pay for teachers accredited abroad

According to an announcement by the ministry, the beneficiaries will begin to receive increased additional pay in their remuneration for the month of June, satisfying a just claim by education ministry employees since the last time that an increase was given for additional pay was in the year 2000.

[16] Papoutsis raps gov't energy policy

The high-ranking PASOK deputy, speaking at a news conference on energy, also sharply criticised the government for its energy policy and charged that it lacked strategic planning.

Greek employers urge measures to boost use of new technologies

[17] Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls for professional management for funds

According to an announcement by the country's biggest Chamber, the change in the institutional framework regarding the management of reserves and the effective management of social insurance funds will tone up the local capital market and will contribute to an increase in social insurance funds' mobile assets, provided that placements begin to take place on a wider series of investments products and on specific investments principles that will be implemented by specialised agencies.

The Chamber also praised the government's decision on changing the way with which boards are selected at social insurance funds. It was added, however, that without specialised agencies the funds will continue not to maximise the benefit that might result from the professional management of their available funds.

Greece still lags behind other countries in readiness to use of new technologies, according to a report published by the World Economic Forum, the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) said on Monday.

The Federation, in an announcement, said Greece ranked 48th out of 122 countries included in the Global Information Technology Report for 2006-07 and based on the Networked Readiness Index. The report means that Greece lost five places compared with the previous year.

SEB said the also country received poorer grades in several sub-indexes related with administration costs, spending on research and development, tax burden, high-risk capital availability and licensing procedures. On the other hand, Greece markedly improved its performance in sectors such as electronic governance, education quality and legislation on IT and communications.

The federation stressed that new technologies could have a strong impact on Greek businesses' competitiveness and noted that changes should begin from education in the early stages. It urged for more incentives on R&D, the beginning of a systematic dialogue between the private sector and universities on promoting research and innovation, promoting new technologies in education, as well as the constant upgrading of electronic services.

[18] Employment minister on loans with subsidised interest rate

The agreement was signed between OEK President Theodoros Dragiotis and the Agricultural Bank's Governor Dimitris Miliakos, in the presence of Tsitouridis.

The employment minister said that during the first six years of the loan, the interest rate will be subsidised by up to 100 percent in some cases from OEK and the Greek state, while subsidisation by OEK will be continmued for the next three years as well.

[19] National Bank introduces 'Family Fast' account for foreign nationals

National Bank's ATMs were recently upgraded to allow for this new service from more than 1,300 spots around the country.

The service is available to all customers who open up the new "Family Fast" account, which is addressed to citizens of other countries living in Greece, and offers a range of privileges in addition to this innovative method of sending remittances.

For the time being, the destination countries for remittances via National Bank ATMs are Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, India, Moldova, Ukraine, Pakistan, Romania, Russia and the Philippines.

Gradually, the system will incorporate more countries.

National Bank (NBG) vice president Ioannis Pechlivanidis, presenting the new product, stressed the importance that the Bank places on incorporating these citizens into the banking system.

He particularly referred to the citizens of countries in which the National Bank Group has an active presence, noting the ability of serving those citizens and their families through the National Bank branches in those countries. The customers who choose NBG Albania, or UBB in Bulgaria, or Banca Romaneasca in Romania, as the destination bank, will also have a 50 percent discount on the cost of the remittance, which will be returned to the customer's account at the end of the month of the transaction, he explained.

Apart from this innovative way of sending remittances, the Family Fast package also has a substantially low cost that renders it particularly attractive, according to NBG.

More specifically, the cost of sending remittances via the National Bank ATMs is 10 euros per transaction, compared to 17 euros per transaction for executing the same transaction at the counter inside the bank. The fee is deducted from the customer's account at the time of the transaction, and covers expenses incurred to the Bank abroad.

Consequently, the recipient of the remittance will not pay any other charge at the other end.

The other privileges contained in the Family Fast package are automatic payment of utility bills for as long as the account is active, without any surcharge; free issue of the international ETHNOcash card for direct access to the customer's account from ATMs outside Greece; free transfer of money from account to account within the National Bank system; ability to pay mobile telephony bills, insurance premiums or various subscriptions via standing order; the ability to use the account for transactions in investment products; ability to have the account credited with pension payments if the customer receives a pesnion from any Greek pension fund; and service even if the customer decides to return permanently to his country of origin.

The account further enables customers to take advantage of a number of National Bank's lending, pension and insurance programmes.

According to Pechlivanidis, the new 'multi-product' supplements a series of new services aimed at meeting the specific needs of sections of its clientele.

National Bank is continuously creating new services tailored to the needs of individual categories of customers, in its effort to meet their diverse needs, Pechlivanidis said.

[20] Greek PMI jumps to 54.8 in March

The growth rate in production and new orders was intense in March, with production growth running at the highest rate in the last 80 months. Strong demand, particularly by foreign customers, led to a significant increase of incoming new orders in the manufacturing sector. Employment was unchanged in March from February.

The PMI index measures business activity in the manufacturing sector. Readings above 50 indicate a growing sector, while below 50 a shrinking sector.

[21] Eurobank Securities top player in Greek market in March

Eurobank maintained its leading position in the market with a 15.43 percent share of transactions in March and a 16.36 pct in the first quarter, followed by P&K Securities (12.12 pct), Investment Bank (11.37 pct), Piraeus Securities (11.27 pct), National Securities (11.22 pct), Alpha Finance (7.82 pct), Kappa Securities (3.97 pct), Proton Bank (3.44 pct), HSBC (3.08 pct) and Egnatia Finance (1.88 pct).

[22] Loulis Group to sell stakes in subsidiaries to Austria's Leipnik-Lundenburger

The final agreement will be signed after approval by competition authorities, while Loulis Group will maintain the management in both companies.

Loulis also signed a pre-agreement to sell a minority stake in Atlas SA, a subsidiary in Albania, to Leipnik-Lundenburger. The company was founded in 1867 in Vienna and focuses on the food industry in Austria and Hungary.

[23] Business mission to Ukraine

Invited to participate in the mission are businesses representative from the sectors of fresh and frozen food, canned food, bottled water and fruit juices, wines-liquors, building materials and equipment (including marble and granite), insulation and water-proof material, paints, aluminium door and window frames and electronic equipment.

[24] Insurance companies on transport and communications ministry's draft law

According to the representatives of the Mapfre Asistencia, Europ Assistance, Mondial Assistance and Interpartner Assistance companies, the arrangements contained in the bill being prepared "will more than triple road assistance insurance premiums and shape a monopoly state, while exhaustive obligations will be set for the operation of road assistance companies that will lead to the closure of about 200 local private businesses."

[25] Postal Savings Bank to publish 2006 results on April 5

[26] Sfakianakis reports record 2006 results

Pre-tax profits jumped 61 pct to 39.3 million euros, from 24.4 million in 2005, while net after-tax profits soared 76.9 percent to 28.4 million euros.

Consolidated turnover rose 20.2 pct to 407.2 million euros, pre-tax profits rose 62.4 pct to 35.7 million and net after-tax profits jumped 86.6 pct to 23.7 million euros.

[27] Thessaloniki Water reports improved 2006 results

The company also said it plans to distribute 350,000 euros from its profits to employees.

Turnover totaled 66.035 million euros last year, form 60.246 million in 2005, pre-tax profits rose to 13.656 million euros and pre-tax, interest and amortization earnings jumped 18.1 pct to 18.873 million euros.

[28] ASE suspends trading in Petzetakis SA

[29] Greek stocks end 0.37 pct down

Sector indices lost ground with the Utilities (3.33 pct), Insurance (3.12 pct) and Food/Beverage (2.23 pct) suffering the heaviest percentage losses of the day, while Industrial Products (2.44 pct), Raw Materials (2.26 pct) and Constructions (1.13 pct) scored gains.

The Big Cap index fell 0.68 pct, the Mid Cap index rose 0.51 pct and the Small Cap index ended 0.06 pct up.

Ideal and Epilektos were top gainers, while Plias (6.98 pct), Xylemporia (6.56 pct) and Tria Alpha (5.06 pct) were top losers.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 146 to 115 with another 44 issues unchanged.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Insurance: -3.12%

Industrials: +2.44%

Commercial: +0.41%

Construction: +1.13%

Media: -0.89%

Oil & Gas: +0.16%

Personal & Household: +0.91%

Raw Materials: +2.26%

Travel & Leisure: -0.49%

Technology: -1.30%

Telecoms: -0.09%

Banks: -0.81%

Food & Beverages: -2.23%

Health: -1.27%

Utilities: -3.33%

Chemicals: +0.06%

Financial Services: -0.27%

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, OTE, Alpha Bank and DEH.

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

Alpha Bank: 23.30

ATEbank: 3.84

Public Power Corp (PPC): 17.60

HBC Coca Cola: 30.60

Hellenic Petroleum: 10.74

Emporiki Bank: 20.64

National Bank of Greece: 39.00

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 31.00

Intralot: 22.34

Cosmote: 22.40

OPAP: 28.48

OTE: 20.46

Titan Cement Company: 41.30

[30] ADEX closing report

The June contract on the FTSE 20 index was traded at a discount of 3.22 pct, while the April contract on the FTSE 40 index at a discount of 0.86 pct.

Volume in futures contracts on the FTSE 20 index totaled 5,389 contracts worth 64.620 million euros with 27,544 open positions in the market, while on the FTSE 40 index volume was 196 contracts worth 5.667 million euros with 1,226 open positions.

Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 5,764 contracts worth 3.855 million euros, with investment interest focusing on Intracom's contracts (1,643), followed by OTE (229), PPC(704), National Bank (703), Alpha Bank (250), Attica Bank (269) and Postal Savings Bank (401).

Volume in stock repos totaled 2,796 contracts and in reverse stock repos 1,554 contracts.

[31] Greek bond market closing report

The 10-year benchmark bond (July 20, 2017), was the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 1.095 billion euros, while the yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German bond was 0.24 percent. The Greek bond yielded 4.31 pct and the German Bund 4.07 pct.

In the domestic interbank market, interest rates were lower. National Bank's overnight rate eased to 3.84 pct from 3.92 pct on Friday, the two-day rate rose to 3.865 pct from 3.84 pct, the one-month rate was 3.86 pct and the 12-month rate 4.17 pct.

[32] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

U.S. dollar 1.347

Pound sterling 0.681

Danish kroner 7.509

Swedish kroner 9.441

Japanese yen 158.61

Swiss franc 1.635

Norwegian kroner 8.223

Cyprus pound 0.585

Canadian dollar 1.558

Australian dollar 1.650

General News

[33] Greek population estimated at 11,103,929 in 2005

Based on the estimated population in mid 2005, the population was made up of 5,497,372 males and 5,606,557 females.

The annual rate of increase in 2005 was 3.8 per 1,000 head of population, which is equal to a 0.2 coefficient of natural increase. The natural increase arises from the difference between the birth rate index of 9.7 and the mortality index of 0.5 plus the net migration coefficient of 3.6. Thus, on December 31, 2005, the population is estimated to have risen to 11,125,179 people.

According to the NSS, the composition of the population has shifted to older age groups in recent years, so that the ageing index between 1994-2003 has shown a marked upward trend and in 2005 had reached 127 people aged over 65 for every 100 people aged 0-14 years.

An analysis of NSS demographic figures shows that the Gross Marriageability Index for 2005 increased to 5.5 marriages per 1,000 head population from 4.6 in 2004 and was 5.5 in 2003. At the start of the 1980s, the Gross Marriageability index was 7.3 marriages per 1,000 head population.

[34] Fertility rate

The Gross Mortality Index has shown a small but steady increase, starting from 8.9 deaths per 1,000 head of population in 1981 and increasing to 9.5 deaths per 1,000 head of population in 2005. This slight increase is chiefly due to a larger number of deaths in the over-75 age group as the population ages.

Life expectancy at birth has increased for males from 75.1 years in 1994 to 76.8 years in 2005 and for females from 79.7 years in 1994 to 81.7 years in 2005.

[35] Serres Prefecture Council honors Constantine Karamanlis

Events and activities will be held in memory of the late President and Prime Minister of Greece, who was born in the small village of Proti in the northern Greek prefecture of Serres on March 8, 1907.

The Serres Prefecture will schedule the events in consultation with the "Constantine Karamanlis" Institute for Democracy.

[36] European Forum of the Disabled president on rights of the disabled

The President of the European Forum of the Disabled and of Greece's National Confederation of the Disabled, Yiannis Vardakastanis, speaking Monday to the ANA-MPA on the occasion of the signing by Greece and another 80 countries of the Treaty on the Rights of the Disabled at the headquarters of the UN last Friday, said that the ceremony for the signing of the Treaty on the Rights of the Disabled constitutes mankind's most serious turn on disability issues.

Vardakastanis said that "it is a Human Rights Treaty that was agreed on faster than ever in the history of international law and it is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and the 8th treaty since the UN's universal proclamation on human rights in 1948. It is a treaty on equal treatment. It was, therefore, a historic day. The content of the treaty is that which shows the path of a fundamental and radical change."

According to the head of the European movement of the disabled, "the implementation of the Treaty is up to national governments."

[37] School of fine arts at Crete Polytechnic

The 5.5-million-euro project for the restoration of a building in Hania old port, where the school will be based, will be completed by the end of 2009.

The school of fine arts will include theoretical studies, painting, sculpture, etching, industrial design and multimedia.

[38] Fewer fires in Thessaloniki reported in 2006

However, the risk of landfill fires is high, considering that no fire prevention measures are in effect, based on conclusion reached in a meeting held at the Thessaloniki prefecture in view of summer season.

[39] Former Greek royals in Thessaloniki

The former royals, who arrived on Sunday afternoon and will be spending the night in the city, said that they intended to spend Easter in Greece with family members.

Weather Forecast

[40] Cloud, scattered showers on Tuesday

[41] The Monday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The mass media closing the 'gap' - The result of anti-government propaganda and the party's public relations weakness".

APOGEVMATINI: "On the trail of the killers of the 25-year-old - Police have traced the merciless protagonists of the Peania massacre".

AVRIANI: "Following the revelation of the fake invoices between Hitech, Emphasis and Epirotiki...Zorbas (head of the independent money-laundering watchdog) looking into the suicides of businessmen Thanou and Maniotis.

CHORA: "Pensions to increase by 250 euros as of 2008 - It doesn't pay to retire this year".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "With the 'protection' of some invisible authority, hooligans, hooded troublemakers and terrorists acting uncontrolled".

ELEFTHEROS: "The PASOK (main oppossition party) youth in three 'pieces' - Papandreou (PASOK leader) and his youth on different wavelengths".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The hooligans videotaped the crime".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "The bonds a water torture for ND (ruling party) - The opinion polls show another reduction in its lead over PASOK".

ESTIA: "Unacceptable tolerance on issues of morality - The unfortunate handlings in the bonds issue".

ETHNOS: "Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) ran aground on...the Cayman islands (global offshore services centre) -- Vasso's (PASOK MP Papandreou) thunderbolts on the bonds".

TA NEA: "Zorbas investigating 9 companies - 'Akropolis' (brokerage involved in the bonds/pension funds assets scandal) no. 2 traced".

VRADYNI: "Home loans: 11 keys for cheap house".

Cyprus Affairs

[42] Government says no document received with Turkish Cypriot observations

Cypriot Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said on Monday that the government had not received any document containing the observations of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the procedure stipulated in the July 8 agreement.

He said the Greek Cypriot side's position was that ''the July 8 agreement, as well as the relevant Gambari letter, are clear enough not to need a reevaluation of their content, which have anyway been accepted by the two sides.''

''The only thing needed is the mutual good will to promote in practice the implementation of what was agreed on, without clauses and preconditions,'' Pashiardis pointed out.

The spokesman noted that, according to statements by the Turkish Cypriot side, a document was to be sent on Monday to the UN with observations on the July 8 agreement.

''We know neither the quantity nor the quality of these observations,'' Pashiardis said.

Asked if there were any indications that the UN Secretary General would become more involved in the process, Pashiardis said ''the only indication we have on behalf of the UN, which is not just an indication but proof, is their sincere wish to push this process forward and they are working in this direction.''

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of UN official Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem.

[43] Cypriot government anticipating EU reaction on measures for TCs

The Cypriot government is anticipating the comments of the EU Presidency and the Commission over the new measures to economically strengthen Turkish Cypriots.

Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said on Monday that the new measures, as well as the existing ones and any other proposed in the future aim at promoting the economic integration through the economic upgrading of the Turkish Cypriots.

"The aim of the Turkish side is the political upgrading of the illegal regime. The talk on the so called isolation of Turkish Cypriots is merely a long-drawn Turkish song and its audience is gradually decreasing".

The spokesman said there is a possibility that new measures will be submitted for Turkish Cypriots in the future.

"In anticipation of reaction and any other remarks by the EU presidency and the Commission, we believe it is not advisable to make public the measures which we have proposed", Pashiardis said, adding that the Turkish Cypriots will be informed on the measures after they are made known to the EU.

The spokesman further said that it is possible that some of these measures will be implemented unilaterally by the government, adding that from there on, it is up to the Turkish Cypriot side to accept them.

The government of Cyprus submitted last week to the German EU presidency and the European Commission its new proposals for the financial support of the Turkish Cypriot community, with the ultimate goal to contribute to the reunification of Cyprus.

The new proposals were submitted on Saturday by Foreign Minister George Lillikas on the sidelines of the Informal EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting that took place in Bremen, Germany.

The Republic of Cyprus entered the EU in May 2004. The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

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