Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 07-06-08

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM and environment minister visit Psyttalia sewage works

[02] FM briefs prime minister on Egypt visit, ministry matters

[03] Bakoyannis to visit Middle East on Sunday

[04] Burns and Bakoyannis to have working dinner on Saturday

[05] PM and President to meet on Friday

[06] Foreign ministry on FYROM's NATO accession

[07] PASOK spokesman on FYROM issue

[08] US Congressmen address letter to President Bush on FYROM name issue

[09] FM spokesman on UNSG's report on UNFICYP

[10] Deputy FM Stylianidis meets Jerusalem Patriarch

[11] Archbishop Christodoulos to visit Cairo

[12] Health minister meets Cypriot counterpart

[13] HAI signs agreement with US for upgrading of F-16s

[14] Gov't unveils wide-ranging draft bill governing funds' investments, assets

[15] Global economic conjucture favours Greek economy, Greek industrialist says

[16] Chinese tourism minister visits Rhodes

[17] Council of EU Telecommunications Ministers ratifies roaming regulation

[18] Greek inflation rate up to 2.6 pct in May, yr/yr

[19] Euro-court rules against Greece over capital duty practice

[20] Inauguration of new oil installations at Aspropirgos

[21] Announcement by French BNP PARIBAS on Bank Employees Health Fund bond

[22] Social security fund presidents file lawsuit in bonds issue

[23] Papariga visits finance ministry, warns of changes for civil servants

[24] European Court rules on issue of cars with foreign licence plates

[25] Hi Tech Innovators' Partenariat participation applications deadline on June 11

[26] Thias Fisheries company purchases 51 pc of Mare Nostrum share capital

[27] Thessaloniki Water to expand activities

[28] Greek stocks end 0.70 pct lower

[29] Greek bond market closing report

[30] ADEX closing report

[31] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[32] National Committee for the Social Integration of Immigrants meeting

[33] President Karolos Papoulias concludes three-day visit to Dodecannese region

[34] President Papoulias to be declared honorary citizen of Cyprus' occupied town of Morphou

[35] President Papoulias to visit Sparta and Tegea

[36] CoE Social Rights Committee condemns Greece

[37] First Southeast European Theatre Festival in Thessaloniki this month

[38] "Festitalia 2007" opens in Thessaloniki on June 13

[39] UNMIK head on informal visit to Mount Athos

[40] Mokbel led before extraditions prosecutor

[41] Abuse of minors by peers discussed in parliamentary committee

[42] Illegal immigrants arrested in Xanthi

[43] Mostly fair on Friday

[44] The Thursday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

[45] Archbishop of Cyprus to meet the Pontiff

[46] Slovakian FM arrived in Cyprus īn a working visit Politics

[01] PM and environment minister visit Psyttalia sewage works

The prime minister stressed that, with the Psyttalia drying plant, the sewage sludge management problem was being solved in the most appropriate, scientific way. Sewage sludge produced from waste collected all over the Attika basin had been accumulating on the islet of Psyttalia because the sewage works did not include a drying plant, creating fears that the partly-treated sludge would destabilize and contaminate the surrounding sea.

Karamanlis stressed that the government had now met its commitment to solve the problem within just three years.

Referring to environmental protection issues, the prime minister stressed that the environment is a major challenge that the present generation is being called on to tackle with a sense of responsibility, realizing the gravity of the situation.

The efforts aimed at protecting the environment should be a year-round effort and not be limited to empty words and statements on each World Environment Day, stressed Karamanlis. Environmental planning and government action was aimed at protecting biodiversity, rational management of water resources, promotion of renewable energy sources and environmentally-friendly management of waste, he added.

On his part, Souflias stressed that the new plant solved a 15-year-long problem for the people of Attika and the neighboring municipalities. Back in 2004, the government inherited an unacceptable and dead-end situation with a daily production of 500 tons of sewage sludge, 150 thousand tons of accumulated sewage sludge, no chance of transporting it elsewhere and no drying plant, he stressed.

An ecological disaster in the Saronic Gulf has been averted, underlined Souflias, adding that the permanent solution to the problem became a priority for the ministry of environment. He also referred to projects materialized in the past three years aimed at harmonizing Greece with the relevant EU legislation.

The trial operation of the plant was launched on June 1. Initially, only two of the four drying lines will be in operation and by the end of June they will be processing 500 tons of sewage sludge daily, equal to the daily production of sewage sludge in the region of Attika.

The other two drying lines will be put in operation in early July, raising the plant's sewage sludge drying capacity to over 750 tons daily, while the goal set for the next 6 months is to permanently solve the problem of the 150 thousand tons of accumulated sewage sludge.

Antonaros on PM's visit, Psyttalia plant

Questioned about the prime minister's visit during the regular press briefing, alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros cited a statement by Souflias that "an environmental crime" had been committed at Psyttalia.

The minister had stressed that the drying plant should have been constructed in 1995, when the sewage treatment plant first went into operation and began producing 250 tons of sewage sludge each day.

Souflias had also related how the project had been included in EU funding programmes in 2000 but had failed to materialize - in spite of six supplementary contracts that pushed the total cost up to 202 million euros instead of the original 128 million euros - so that Greece was penalized by the European Commission in 2003 with the loss of 30 million euros in EU funding.

Questioned about the fact that reporters had only been notified about the visit at 6:00 on Thursday, Antonaros said only that the "Prime Minister makes public appearances and all journalists are welcome".

Opposition party officials comment on PM's visit to Psyttalia

Main opposition PASOK party public works and environment rapporteur Andreas Loverdos and Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party economic and social policy rapporteur Panayiotis Lafazanis on Thursday criticised the visit made to Psyttalia by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

"The prime minister and his ministers are celebrating test functions of factories and the supposed future resolving of the problem of sewage mud, while they have broken every record concerning the violation of timetables that they themselves have set to solve this problem," Loverdos said.

"At this time, instead of government moves of election expediency, we are expecting to ascertain in practice the observation of timetables for the full operation of the draining factory and the absorption of sewage mud already accumulated in Psyttalia," Lafazanis said on his part.

[02] FM briefs prime minister on Egypt visit, ministry matters

Replying to a question on the FYROM name issue and whether that country would accede NATO under that name, Bakoyannis replied that parliament will be briefed on the issue "and detailed discussions will take place".

[03] Bakoyannis to visit Middle East on Sunday

The minister's visit confirmed Greece's strong, continuing and active interest in the developments in the region, Koumoutsakos added.

"The visit is planned during a crucial period of the region. Tension between the Palestinians and Israelis, the situation in Lebanon and the region in general, justifies the worry and concern of the international community. Greece believes that efforts must be intensified to re-initiate a comprehensive peace effort, it sees an important role for the European Union and is acting in this direction," he told reporters.

Asked whether the minister would raise issues connected to the Jerusalem Patriarchate during her meetings with the region's leadership, Koumoutsakos said the talks would chiefly focus on issues concerning peace and stability, while adding that the issue was expected to be raised "in meetings with Israeli authorities" which had still not officially recognised the new Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos.

[04] Burns and Bakoyannis to have working dinner on Saturday

Foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said that talks between the two officials were expected to focus on the latest developments in Kosovo and the Middle East - where Bakoyannis is to begin a tour the following day - as well as issues of regional interest.

Another issue likely to come up is the inclusion of Greece in the U.S. 'visa waiver' programme, which allows citizens of the specific country to travel to the U.S. without obtaining a visa.

According to the spokesman, a team of experts will soon be visiting Greece over the last issue, for contacts on a technical level.

[05] PM and President to meet on Friday

[06] Foreign ministry on FYROM's NATO accession

Koumoutsakos reiterated the latest foreign ministry statement according to which, the Interim Agreement is being challenged through a number of recent actions mainly by the current FYROM government, adding that the strategic goal of all actions undertaken by the Greek government is to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the FYROM name issue given that the present situation is temporary.

Referring to the Interim Agreement, the foreign ministry spokesman pointed out that it consists of a number of articles that cannot be cited on an individual basis, stressing that the objective of the agreement and the UN Security Council decisions is reaching a mutually acceptable solution.

Responding to a question on whether Athens intends to clash with the United States because of the different positions they have on the issue, Koumoutsakos denied that there will be a clash stressing that the Greek government seeks to meet its objectives in compliance with international law.

[07] PASOK spokesman on FYROM issue

"The government was not aware from the start how one actively and effectively defends national issues and is constantly taken by surprise and unfavorable alliances are formed," Efthymiou said.

Efthymiou added that "we defend, in all the international forums and PASOK president (George Papandreou) in his capacity also as president of Socialist International (SI), the Greek positions and we notify everywhere that everyone must take into account the Greek positions and not create additional burdens and cultivate the intransigence of Skopje with its options."

Asked to comment on the position of the president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) that his country accepts to enter NATO "with its temporary name" and "whether the government has henceforth margins, after this maneuver, to react to FYROM entering NATO," the PASOK spokesman replied that "the difference between the (ruling) New Democracy (ND) party and PASOK is referred to the real field of politics. The PASOK government shaped in advance the alliances which were positive for the country."

[08] US Congressmen address letter to President Bush on FYROM name issue

Members of the US Congress addressed a letter to US President George W. Bush, calling on him to use his upcoming meeting with FYROM President Branko Crvenkovski on June 10 in Tirana to underline the need for a mutually acceptable solution between Athens and Skopje on the FYROM name issue.

In the letter, signed by Robert Wexler (D-FL) chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Europe and minority leader in the same subcommittee Elton Gallegly (R-CA), it is pointed out that the meeting in Tirana presents a major opportunity to settle a lasting but solvable problem in the Balkans.

The two US House Representatives express their deep concern over FYROM's violations of the interim agreement which, as they point out, prohibits "hostile actions and propaganda". They referred particularly to the publishing of FYROM Military Academy books that include maps showing the so-called "Great Macedonia" stretching out to Mount Olympus on Greek soil.

The US House Representatives point out to the US President that he is offered an opportunity to play a historical role in tackling a issue which, if solved, will greatly benefit the US interests in Greece and the Balkans, adding that they are ready to work with him. They also call on the US President and his administration to express opposition to existing or future violations of the interim agreement by FYROM and encourage President Crvenkovski to take immediate and constructive steps and work with the Greek government and the United Nations to reach a mutually acceptable decision.

[09] FM spokesman on UNSG's report on UNFICYP

"The report is a comprehensive text, which contains a series of references, of which some are assessed as positive and some not. It is the necessary procedural step for tabling a draft resolution concerning the renewal of the mandate of the peacekeeping force in Cyprus. What is important and has particular weight is the final decision that will be taken by the Security Council on prolonging the presence of the peacekeeping force on the island," Koumoutsakos said, responding to a relevant question.

[10] Deputy FM Stylianidis meets Jerusalem Patriarch

Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis on Thursday, second day of his official visit to Israel, met with Jerusalem Patriarch Theofilos III.

Stylianidis visited the Jerusalem Patriarchate accompanied by a Greek business delegation.

Theofilos thanked the Greek deputy foreign minister "for the undivided support which Greece offers to the Jerusalem Patriarchate and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre."

Referring to the recent crisis of the patriarchal foundation, Theofilos noted that "behind the actions of the questionability of the institution are political and economic interests," while he stressed that "the patriarchate will continue to play its role in the broader region."

On his part, Stylianidis stressed that "Greece stands and will stand next to the Patriarchate and will support with all its strength the presence of the Foundation in the region."

[11] Archbishop Christodoulos to visit Cairo

Christodoulos will attend the official celebrations for the inauguration of the renovated Saint Nicholas Church in Cairo and the inauguration of the renovated Patriarchal Foundation.

[12] Health minister meets Cypriot counterpart

After the meeting, Avramopoulos referred to his own recent visit to Cyprus, where, with Charalambous, they shaped "a framework of stable cooperation for the future, which covers all the sectors of the broader space of health and social solidarity."

Among these are the promotion of joint policy programs and research, the twinning of major hospitals such as the Attico on the part of Greece and the Makarios III Hospital, as well as the hospitals of Limassol, Cypus and Iraklio, Crete.

Avramopoulos also said that discussed in depth were common problems in the health sector, as is the confrontation of epidemics.

[13] HAI signs agreement with US for upgrading of F-16s

The agreement was signed during a special event which took place at the Zappion Mansion.

The agreement concerns the electronic upgrading by HAI of about 95 American F-16s which are based in Europe and the total amount of the program will exceed 50 million dollars.

The agreement is of a six-year duration and the work will be carried out at Tanagra.

Financial News

[14] Gov't unveils wide-ranging draft bill governing funds' investments, assets

According to Labour and Social Securities Minister Vassilis Magginas, who took over from Savvas Tsitouridis in late April, state-affiliated funds will be allowed to invest up to 23 percent of their accumulated assets in property, stocks/bonds and securities of companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, under certain conditions. Additionally, a provision in the draft bill will allow funds, for the first time ever, to invest in euro zone products, in co-financing schemes of Greek state projects, leasing of properties and public-private sector partnerships.

Beyond the 23-percent level, pension funds will be allowed to invest up to 3 percent of assets in fixed term accounts, up to 1 percent in structured bonds issued by the Greek state.

Among others, funds will be allowed to set up mutual funds, individually or in groups, as well as real estate holdings companies

Funds will also be free to lend interest-bearing loans to beneficiaries, contributors and even fund employees without the lending calculated as investments.

Additionally, a framework for the hiring of qualified investment and portfolio managers is laid out.

Under the draft bill, state-run funds will be given a five-year grace period to harmonise their portfolios with the aforementioned provisions. During the five-year period, however, funds will not be allowed to purchase Greek state structured bonds.

In unveiling the bill, Magginas, a veteran New Democracy cadre, also underlined that placement in commercial banks' structured bonds will be disallowed.

Opposition reaction

"The government cannot guarantee the future of pension funds because it has very serious responsibilities for the theft that these (funds) have experienced; nor can this bill act as a screen to cloak responsibilities and illegalities," top PASOK deputy Maria Damanaki said.

On the other hand, she said PASOK will comment on the substance of the draft bill's provisions when it comes to Parliament.

On its part, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) charged that the draft bill was "merely another step towards promoting a gambling away of funds' assets and their exploitation in order to finance big capital's goals," a KKE press release read.

Finally, Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) leader Alekos Alavanos criticised the draft bill as opening the way for "robbery, which until now was done illegally, to be carried out legally".

According to Alavanos, pension funds were called on to cover deficits, public debt and huge arms purchases, especially from the United States, while at the same time they were being surrendered to speculative gambling and support of large private enterprises.

[15] Global economic conjucture favours Greek economy, Greek industrialist says

"The conjucture is favourable, that's why our course is positive. This is the reality for Greek economy," Kyriakopoulos said while he underlined the need for a further restructuring of the Greek economy and strengthening its competitiveness.

"A fiscal consolidation and containing of the country's foreign debt will help Greece look forward to a better future and enabling it to meet challenges, such as the social security system, an ageing population and intense international competition. We are currently at our limits, we cannot afford any new problems," the Greek industrialist said.

He added that the Greek state was big, public services were supernumerary paid by Greek taxpayers, while deficits were chronic and the country's external borrowing was not satisfactorily reduced.

Kyriakopoulos is currently president of the Youth Enterpreunship Union.

[16] Chinese tourism minister visits Rhodes

China's tourism minister urged the island's local government to undertake an initiative and to play a protagonist role in this effort, which, as he said, "will have great benefits for the island."

However, he stressed that Rhodes, "which constitutes an ideal destination," must inaugurate its presence to the tourism exhibitions taking place in China and to be advertised to the country's population.

He also referred to the growth of cultural tourism in Rhodes, noting that Chinese tourists are particularly interested in trips to destinations which have such a tourism product.

The Chinese tourism minister arrived in Rhodes in the morning at the head of a nine-member delegation, accompanied by Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis.

A meeting was held later at the Dodecanese Chamber of Commerce, in the presence of local tourism officials and agencies, but also representatives of the island's local government, at which the will was expressed by the two sides for the development of relations in the tourism sector.

Valinakis said "today we are called upon to open new roads of cooperation and tourism is a privileged corridor of communication," noting that 22 million Chinese tourists visited Europe last year.

"The ministry is working systematically for the development of these relations," said Valinakis, noting that "Rhodes which combines everything, can have great benefits from the development of tourism cooperation."

[17] Council of EU Telecommunications Ministers ratifies roaming regulation

The European Union's Council of Telecommunications Ministers convened in Luxembourg on Thursday and unanimously ratified the European Commission's proposed regulation concerning roaming in public mobile telephone networks in the EU. Greece's positions were outlined by Transport and Communications Minister Mihalis Liapis.

As a result of the regulation's ratification, the cost of roaming services is expected to decrease dramatically, meaning of services provided by a national mobile networks agency to a mobile networks exploitation agency of another country for the benefit of consumers and businesses in the framework of the unified market.

The Council also examined the directive conerning the completion of the EU's domestic post office services market, but reached no agreement. Liapis stressed the need to safeguard the universal service through a realistic and effective way of funding it.

[18] Greek inflation rate up to 2.6 pct in May, yr/yr

The statistics service, in its monthly report, said the May consumer price inflation reflected an 8.8 pct increase in food, beverage and tobacco, a 3.2 pct rise in healthcare and a 3.8 pct increase in education. Clothing and footwear rose 3.2 pct and hotel-restaurants was up 3.7 pct in May, while durable goods-household appliances and services rose 2.4 pct.

The consumer price index was up 0.2 pct in May from April, reflecting an 1.3 pct increase in clothing-footwear and an 1.3 pct rise in transportation prices, while food/beverage were down 0.4 pct and hotel/restaurant fell 0.5 pct.

Greece's harmonised inflation rate rose 2.6 pct in May, from the same month last year, for an average rate of 2.80 pct in the five-month period from January to May, compared with a 3.24 pct figure in the corresponding period in 2006.

NSS, secretary general, Manolis Kontopyrakis, said he expected the inflation rate to remain unchanged at May's levels in June.

[19] Euro-court rules against Greece over capital duty practice

The European Court of Justice on Thursday announced its ruling on Greece's practice of applying a capital duty in the event of transfer of a registered office or an effective centre of management of a company and exemption from that duty of all agricultural cooperative organisations, associations or consortia, as well as co-ownership of vessels, among others.

The Court ruled that Greece (the Hellenic Republic) "has failed to fulfil its obligations under Council Directive 69/335/EEC of 17 July 1969 concerning indirect taxes on the raising of capital (OJ, English Special Edition 1969 (II), p. 412), as amended by Council Directive 85/303/EEC of 10 June 1985 (OJ 1985 L 156, p. 23) ('Directive 69/335')."

For the entire judgement, see: http://www.curia.europa.eu/en/actu/news/index.htm

[20] Inauguration of new oil installations at Aspropirgos

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Metropolitan of Piraeus Serapheim and by Deputy Development Minister Anastasios Nerantzis, who referred to the important role played by businesses that are active in the petroleum sector and in the energy sector in general in serving consumers and the country's development.

Aegean Oil's facility in Aspropirgos was obtained from Texaco in July 2006 and was completely modernised, while it possesses 21 storage tanks having a total capacity of 32 million litres.

Aegean Oil, with a network of 500 outlets, is in fourth place nationwide with a share of about 8 percent in the oil market, according to an announcement by the company. After receiving the new RO-RO tankers, the company expects its competitiveness and position in the insular region to gain momentum.

[21] Announcement by French BNP PARIBAS on Bank Employees Health Fund bond

"BNP PARIBAS sold, among other investors, in November 2006, a bond having a face value of 40,000,000 euros with a five-year duration to the Bank Health Fund, that is listed with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The bond in question has been issued by BNP PARIBAS S.A., it has an AA/Aa2 assessment and its capital is guaranteed 100 percent on expiry," the announcement said.

"According to allegations, this bond was sold on the basis of a letter in which it was mentioned that the Bank of Greece was to guarantee a minimum yield for investors. After an internal check was carried out, we are certain that no letter was sent by BNP PARIBAS with this content to a potential client," it added.

The announcement concluded by saying that "we are absolutely unaware as to how this document was produced and how it reached the hands of the Bank Health Fund, since it is obviously fake. As far as we know, no other investor of this Bond has received such a document."

[22] Social security fund presidents file lawsuit in bonds issue

The lawsuit mentions that the fund, according to assessments made by the plaintiffs, has so far suffered a loss amounting to five million euros due to the decrease in the value of the structured bond, that cost 25 million euros.

[23] Papariga visits finance ministry, warns of changes for civil servants

In statements during her tour of the service, she underlined that the arguments over which party dominated state services were misleading.

"In reality there is the State, which is staffed by people that defend the system and is, above all, a state that wants civil servants to be controlled, an entire nation to be controlled and subjugated by the dominant policy. This is the crux of the problem," she said.

It was also apparent that changes to the labour relations of civil servants were being promoted, KKE's leader warned.

"Already there are people in this field that are hired with contracts and are not permanent. Therefore, the public sector, public administration, will also be used to extend part-time work and flexible labour relations," she said, adding that the political parties needed to clarify their positions on this issue.

[24] European Court rules on issue of cars with foreign licence plates

The European Court, examining on Thursday a Greek case concerning sanctions anticipated by Greek legislation against citizens who, while having their regular home in Greece, import and use cars with foreign licence plates, decided that the Greek law anticipating the temporary confiscation of the vehicles and their return after fines have been paid is contrary to European Union law.

The European Court stressed in its decision that this measure deprives the beneficiary of the use of his vehicle over a period that may be long. Taking into consideration the importance of the right to drive a vehicle for the effective exercising of rights related to the free movement of people, the court ruled that this measure is disproportionate with the aim pursued.

[25] Hi Tech Innovators' Partenariat participation applications deadline on June 11

The Hi Tech Innovators' Partenariat, organized by the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO), is held under the auspices of the national economy and finance ministry and the ministry of development, providing cooperation opportunities for companies active in the sectors of information technology software, research and hi-tech.

[26] Thias Fisheries company purchases 51 pc of Mare Nostrum share capital

The Mare Nostrum company has been active in the fish trade sector since 1999, as well as in the processing of fresh and frozen fish products. It sells about 5,000 tons of fish products a year, both from fisheries and open-sea fishing. It has an exporting character and covers all the main markets of Europe and of the rest of the world.

[27] Thessaloniki Water to expand activities

George Skodras, the company's chief executive, presenting the plan to analysts and institutional investors, said the first subsidiary was expected to be launched by the end of the year, covering energy, telecommunications, water-sewage activities. In 2008, three more subsidiaries were expected to be launched covering telecommunications and energy activities, while a construction subsidiary was expected to be launched in 2010.

Thessaloniki Water plans to invest around 15.3 million euros in the energy sector, of which 4.8 million euros will be the utility's participation, 4.2 million euros in loans and the remaining in funding. Energy production is very significant for the company as Thessaloniki Water's consumption cost totaled 7.73 million euros in 2006.

[28] Greek stocks end 0.70 pct lower

Most sector indices lost ground with Insurance (1.58 pct), Telecommunications (1.42 pct) and Food and Beverages (1.32 pct) suffering the heaviest percentage losses of the day, while Utilities (2.54 pct), Personal and Household (0.38 pct) and Financial Services (0.18 pct) scored gains.

The Big Cap FTSE/ASE 20 index fell 0.75 pct, the Mid Cap index ended 0.34 pct lower and the Small Cap index fell by 0.59 pct.

ANEK (9.96 pct), Parnassos (8.77 pct) and Kerameia Allatini (8.62 pct) were top gainers, while Iktinos (-19.61 pct), Hadjioannou (-10.00 pct) and Emporikos Syndesmos (-7.50 pct) were top losers.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 181 to 81 with another 42 issues unchanged.

[29] Greek bond market closing report

The 10-year benchmark bond (July 20, 2017) was the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 625 million euros, while the yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German bonds was unchanged at 0.22 percent. The Greek bond yielded 4.73 pct and the German Bund 4.50 pct.

In the domestic interbank market, interest rates were mixed. National Bank's overnight rate was 3.70 pct, the two-day rate fell to 3.70 pct from 3.75 pct on Tuesday, the one-month rate rose to 4.06 pct from 4.05 pct and the 12-month rate fell to 4.47 pct from 4.49 pct.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Insurance: -1.58%

Industrials: -0.75%

Commercial: -0.18%

Construction: -0.37%

Media: -0.34%

Oil & Gas: -1.04%

Personal & Household: +0.38%

Raw Materials: -0.53%

Travel & Leisure: -0.47%

Technology: -0.90%

Telecoms: -1.42%

Banks: -0.80%

Food & Beverages: -1.32%

Health: -1.03%

Utilities: +2.54%

Chemicals: -0.07%

Financial Services: +0.18%

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

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

Alpha Bank: 22.76

ATEbank: 3.84

Public Power Corp (PPC): 20.70

HBC Coca Cola: 33.00

Hellenic Petroleum: 11.18

Emporiki Bank: 20.90

National Bank of Greece: 41.30

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 26.32

Intralot: 23.64

Cosmote: 23.00

OPAP: 28.30

OTE: 22.58

Titan Cement Company: 43.56

[30] ADEX closing report

The June contract on the FTSE 20 index was traded at a discount of 0.65 pct while on the FTSE 40 index at a discount of 0.67 percent.

Volume in futures contracts on the FTSE 20 index totaled 11,059 contracts worth 142.487 million euros, with 38,440 open positions in the market, while on the FTSE 40 index volume was 446 contracts worth 13.676 million euros, with 1,266 open positions.

Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 16,724 contracts worth 32.527 million euros, with investment activity focusing on PPC contracts (8,041) followed by Alpha Bank (1,280), Intracom (1,099) and ATEbank (1.054).

[31] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

U.S. dollar 1.357

Pound sterling 0.684

Danish kroner 7.506

Swedish kroner 9.395

Japanese yen 164.74

Swiss franc 1.660

Norwegian kroner 8.146

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.438

Australian dollar 1.605

General News

[32] National Committee for the Social Integration of Immigrants meeting

Pavlopoulos commented that the committee goals are to contribute to the establishment of a national policy on the social integration of immigrants and launch a broad-based social dialogue allowing for consensus and mutually acceptable solutions for the benefit of immigrants.

Participants in the meeting included political party representatives, the Hellenic Migration Policy Institute, immigrant associations, non governmental organizations, local government representatives, as well as representatives of ADEDY (Civil Servants' Supreme Administrative Council), the Church of Greece, GSEE (General Confederation of Workers of Greece) and SEV (Federation of Greek Industries).

[33] President Karolos Papoulias concludes three-day visit to Dodecannese region

The President attended events commemorating the 183rd anniversary of the island's holocaust, accompanied by Minister of the Aegean and of Insular Policy Aristotelis Pavlidis and other officials.

Kasos Mayor Dimitris Erotokritos gave President Papoulias the key to the city to honour his presence on the island of Kasos.

Papoulias said in his address that in border regions of the country such as Kasos, the heart of Greece beats.

Shortly after 3 in the afternoon, President Papoulias left Kasos with an Air Force Super Puma helicopter, heading for the airport in Karpathos where he boarded a plane flying to Athens airport.

[34] President Papoulias to be declared honorary citizen of Cyprus' occupied town of Morphou

Morphou Mayor Haralambos Pittas stated that the municipality wishes to honor the Hellenic Republic President and, in his person, also honor the state and political leadership of Greece and the Greek people for their contribution in support of Cyprus' struggle.

[35] President Papoulias to visit Sparta and Tegea

Papoulias will arrive in Sparta by helicopter on Friday afternoon and visit the "Olive and Greek Olive Oil Museum" at 19:00. At 20:00 he will attend the opening of the conference at the Sainopoulos amphitheatre in the city.

On Saturday morning, he will leave Sparta and go the village of Kerasitsa in Tegea for the unveiling of a bust of Grigoris Lambrakis.

[36] CoE Social Rights Committee condemns Greece

The appeal, made in April 2005 by the Marangopoulos Foundation on Human Rights, concerns the violation by the Greek state of obligations towards the inhabitants of the city of Ptolemaida and employees at the lignite mines and the factories of the Public Power Corporation (DEH).

The decision by the Council of Europe's Committee was taken in February 2007, but an embargo had been in force until now.

The Council of Europe, whose decisions are not binding, will monitor the country's compliance with the decision. At the same time, the European Commission's General Environment Department has been notified accordingly.

[37] First Southeast European Theatre Festival in Thessaloniki this month

The festival, the first of its kind, is being organised under the title 'Aspects of Ancient Drama" and eight companies from Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Albania, Cyprus and Greece will take part.

Nikitas Tsakiroglou, the STNG director, told a press conference in Thessaloniki on Thursday that the festival "tries to explore new proposals for staging ancient drama as well as the political, social, and philosophical questions which it raises from its birth until today world wide."

Euripides' Medea will dominate the festival as it will be staged by four different companies, or 50 per cent of the festival's participants.

[38] "Festitalia 2007" opens in Thessaloniki on June 13

Festival events include music concerts, theater, and Italian cuisine.

[39] UNMIK head on informal visit to Mount Athos

He is accompanied by the head of Greece's Liaison Office in Pristina, Nikolaos Kanellos, and the heads of the diplomatic missions of Germany, Russia and Austria to Kosovo.

[40] Mokbel led before extraditions prosecutor

Mokbel is one of Australia's most wanted criminals, with outstanding warrants and convictions in serious drugs and homicide cases.

The public prosecutor ratified the warrant issued for his arrest and ordered that he should be held in custody until Greek courts decided on his extradition.

Under the legal procedure, Australian authorities must send all the evidence required to support the request for his extradition and the case will then go before the Appeals Judges' Council, which will issue a ruling in the case.

Mokbel also faces charges brought against him by Greek authorities for the use of fake documents, which constitutes a misdemeanour under local laws. According to police, the 41-year-old Australian national was using a wig as a disguise at the time of his arrest and was carrying a fake passport and driving licence, while he had presented himself as a shipping firm employee.

According to an ANA-MPA correspondent from Melbourne, the Victoria State Police had offered a one-million Australian dollar reward for information leading to the capture of Lebanese-born Mokbel, who has been wanted since March 19, 2006, just before he was sentenced by a Melbourne court for cocaine trafficking. In addition to other charges, meanwhile, Mokbel also faces trial for the murder of a prominent member of the Australian underworld and is a suspect in several more killings during a gang war that left 30 people dead.

According to the reports, drug trafficking in Australia had earned him an estimated 40 million dollars and roughly half of the money was channeled abroad. He was also involved in the production of ecstasy (XTC) pills and a police had found quantities with an estimated street value of 78 million Australian dollars in a raid on his lab.

[41] Abuse of minors by peers discussed in parliamentary committee

Based on findings gathered by Child Psychiatry Professor Ioannis Tsiantis from the Children's Hospital in Athens, 15 percent of schoolchildren have experienced some form of intimidating behavior from their peers, more often observed in the 8-15 age group, with the tendency to decline in frequency in older ages. The means most often used are verbal intimidation, sexual harassment, physical violence and social exclusion, while girls are twice as likely to become victims.

[42] Illegal immigrants arrested in Xanthi

Following the car, police intercepted 11 illegal immigrants from Iraq, who lacked travel documents or legal papers allowing them to enter Greece. The immigrants entered the country via the Greek-Turkish border and were transported up to the specific point in a passenger car belonging to a Bulgarian.

They were led before the public prosecutor in Xanthi to be charged, while the vehicle was confiscated. An investigation has been launched by the Kotyli border guard's station.

Weather forecast

[43] Mostly fair on Friday

[44] The Thursday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Three times life imprisonment and 150 years imprisonment (in total) for the former leadership of Panteios for embezzlement of billions (of drachma) from the university's coffers".

APOGEVMATINI: "Heavy penalities to professors/PASOK (main opposition party) members - The Criminal Appeals Tribunal imposed up to three times life imprisonment to the protagonists of the Panteios University scandal".

AVGHI: "The one billion euro secret loan from JP Morgan - The government refuses to release the information".

AVRIANI: "The three times life sentence over the looting of Panteios University terrifies the crooks".

CHORA: "Greek light for rational benefits - More tax reliefs are on the way".

ELEFTHEROS: "Sweeping counter-attack by economy minister Alogoskoufis against the PASOK leadership".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The rectors paid dearly for the embezzlement - 69 years imprisonment (in total) to four of the protagonists of the Panteios scandal".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Czar in hiding - What is being concealed about the secret loan to Alogoskoufis".

ESTIA: "The government doing itself an injustice - It is emitting a picture worse than the real one".

ETHNOS: "Benefits with secretly borrowing - Operation...surveillance of voters, with barrage of promises".

KATHIMERINI: "Corruption and punishment at Panteios - The sentences of the former rector, deputy rector, without ability of suspension".

LOGOS: "The lifting of the surveillance (the excessive debt procedure on the Greek economy) brings benefits - Reinforcement of the social state announced by Alogoskoufis".

NIKI: "Documentation of poverty - Papandreou (PASOK leader) accuses government over economic policy".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist Party of Greece (KKE): ND (ruling New Democracy party) and PASOK turning us back to the decade of the '50s".

TA NEA: "One in prison, to end this affair - Panic plan by government".

TO VIMA: "Draconean sentences of the Panteios scandal".

VRADYNI: "The Funds' reserves being 'shielded' - 2 percent ceiling on investments in structured bonds".

Cyprus Affairs

[45] Archbishop of Cyprus to meet the Pontiff

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II will meet this month at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI.

CNA has learned that the meeting will take place on June 16. A press conference will follow.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II will go to Italy on June 12 and will leave on June 17.

During his stay there he will also have contacts with other officials of the Roman Catholic Church.

[46] Slovakian FM arrived in Cyprus īn a working visit

Slovakian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kubis arrived here on Thursday on a working visit, during which he will hold talks with his Cypriot counterpart George Lillikas.

The issues to be discussed are the two countries' bilateral relations, the Cyprus question, the EU-Turkish relations, the future of Europe and other issues of mutual interest.

Kubis will also be received by Cyprus President Tassos Papadopulos and will meet with the President of the House of Representatives Demetris Christofias.

He will also attend a meeting with the leaders of the Cypriot political parties.

36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana-mpa.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: GEORGE TAMBAKOPOULOS

Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article