Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 09-08-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Thrace turning into int'l commercial, energy hub, PM tells Thracians' congress

[02] PM Karamanlis inspects projects in Thrace

[03] Government proceeding along path of work and responsibility, PM Karamanlis says

[04] The time has come to overcome the crisis of values, PASOK leader says

[05] Christianity honours Dormition of Virgin Mary

[06] Dormition of the Virgin Mary celebrated at Panagia Soumela Cathedral

[07] LAOS party leader in Arkitsa

[08] Full transparency PASOK's steadfast position

[09] KKE on developments in Siemens Hellas scandal

[10] Coalition party on Siemens issue

[11] Countdown beginning for Christoforakos extradition

[12] 'Nomismatokopio' Metro station opening by end of month

[13] Alavanos to miss TIF

[14] Stocks end 0,80 percent up on Friday

[15] Wherever there are Greeks, a church is devoted to the 'Panagia'

[16] Events dedicated to poet Yannis Ritsos

[17] Greek - American foundation makes donation to Argostoli

[18] 26 illegal migrants detained

[19] Police dismantle immigrant smuggling ring

[20] Snake captured in city street

[21] Robbery at petrol station in Thessaloniki

[22] Suspicious object was suitcase with clothes

[23] Man shot dead in Ano Liosia

[24] Several incidents involving illegals in E. Aegean

[25] Wildfire in Megara under control

[26] Fair on Monday

[27] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance Politics

[01] Thrace turning into int'l commercial, energy hub, PM tells Thracians' congress

"Thrace is no longer an abandoned extremity. Thrace is changing image, it is changing role, and it is changing perspective. Conceptions concerning the one or the other possible Greece belong to the past, once and for all," Karamanlis said.

The prime minister reassured that the government is and shall stand by Thrace and will do everything necessary for its development and promotion into an international commercial and energy hub, to a bridge to other peoples and cultures.

He also stressed that the government honours the struggles of the Thracians and referred in detail to projects that have been completed and to others that are under way that are changing Thrace's image.

Karamanlis focused specifically on the Egnatia motorway that spans the breadth of northern Greece, to the TGI natural gas pipeline, the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and to work being carried out in the region's ports and airports.

He also referred to the Democritus University, saying it is the country's third biggest university and with new departments being created continuously in order to attract more and more Greek and foreign students.

Furthermore, he said that 200 million euros are being provided for the construction and maintenance of schools in Thrace, including minority ones. The vision for Thrace, he added, is now becoming a tangible reality.

Karamanlis also referred to the Muslim minority of Thrace and said that Greece is implementing a modern minority policy that does not distinguish people according to religion, origin or language. It implements equality before the law.

Transport and Communications Minister Evripides Stylianidis, who hails and is elected from the region, also addressed the congress, terming the prime minister's presence at the Thracians' congress historic.

The congress's inauguration ceremony was attended by the Minister of Macedonia and Thrace Stavros Kalafatis, the regional governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, deputies, mayors from the region, ruling New Democracy party's secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, as well as diplomats, local office-holders and religious leaders.

[02] PM Karamanlis inspects projects in Thrace

The first project he visited was the road axis linking the city of Komotini with Nimfea and Bulgaria, for which he said it was a modern motorway that had been left to words for years and was becoming a reality now.

According to a briefing made, the motorway has a lenght of 23 kilometres, it has five tunnels, it is difficult to construct and it is expected to be ready in the summer of 2010.

The second project was the labour housing settlement at Xylagani which, as the prime minister said, will be ready soon, it will house 36 families and it is being constructed with the strictest housing, energy and environmental specifications. He also stressed that this settlement is the prelude for the construction of another four similar settlements in the region.

Karamanlis also visited the Ancient Theatre of Maronia that was built at the end of the 4th century BC. Today, it is in a stage of reconstruction, work is being carried out rapidly and will be completed very soon.

Referring to the ancient theatre's reconstruction, the prime minister said that it is a very important project of great significance since it is an "indisputable testimony of the continuous, the longlasting and great contribution of Thrace to Greek history and to Greek culture."

[03] Government proceeding along path of work and responsibility, PM Karamanlis says

Karamanlis noted that adherrence must exist to defending the quality of Democracy and the prestige of political life and devotion to the teachings of our history and culture, while calling for national consensus to enable Greece to confront the great challenges that are decisive for the country's future, that are resulting from the difficult international conjuncture.

"It is a great day for Christianity and for all Greeks, wherever they may be in the world," the prime minister said, adding that "it is a day that inspires faith, inspires national self-confidence and indicates adherrence to principles, values and ideals."

Karamanlis further said that "it is a day that sends messages of humanity, solidarity and hope. Messages, in other words, that are extremely timely, particularly during the present difficult international conjuncture."

The prime minister went on to say that "the challenges of the times are great and decisive for the future of our country. It is necessary, these challenges require, that we have both responsibility and determination. It is necessary, it is required, that there should be mobilisation and national consensus on the path of the task of progress on the path of social justice."

Karamanlis concluded by saying that "we are proceeding steadfastly along this path, the difficult path, the uphill path and at the same time the path of responsibility."

The prime minister is being accompanied on his tour of Komotini by the ruling New Democracy party's Central Committee Secretary Lefteris Zagoritis.

[04] The time has come to overcome the crisis of values, PASOK leader says

Papandreou added that what is required is for "necessary reforms to take place in a political system that tolerates and very often rewards untransparency, corruption and impunity."

The PASOK leader further said that his party can carry out the necessary reforms, "the reforms that shall create a State that respects the wealth of the Greek people and the abilities of every Greek. We must dare for a State that will observe rules and values, a law-abiding State that will respect the citizen."

Papandreou also emphasised PASOK's determination "to clear up the country's public life from all those cases that have shocked the Greek people. For the truth to shine, for light and the feeling of Justice to win."

Lastly, Papandreou said that he wished to reassure the Greek people that the party possesses determination and has taken its decisions, adding that "we can plan a different future together. A future of security, confidence and creativity for us and our children."

[05] Christianity honours Dormition of Virgin Mary

President Karolos Papoulias chose to attend the religious service at Gardelaki on the island of Ithaki.

Prime minister Costas Karamanlis is in the city of Komotini, in northern Greece, where he attended the religious service. Parliament President Dimitris Sioufas and main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou will attend the service at the Ekantontapyliani Cathedral on the island of Paros.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga is at the seaside resort of Nea Makri, east of Athens, Alekos Alavanos is in Crete, Alexis Tsipras in Arta and George Karatzaferis in Arkitsa.

[06] Dormition of the Virgin Mary celebrated at Panagia Soumela Cathedral

The two-day events began on Friday and were attended by thousands of people, mainly people of Pontian origin from Greece and abroad.

The religious service held at the holy monastery was officiated by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, who was proclaimed honourary president by the Panagia Soumela Foundation.

The government and the prime minister were represented at the events by Minister of Macedonia and Thrace Stavros Kalafatis, while the president of the main opposition PASOK party was represented by Imathia Deputy Anastasios Sidiropoulos.

[07] LAOS party leader in Arkitsa

Asked by reporters about the possibility of early elections, Karatzaferis said that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "is leading the country to elections with his stance," while saying about the Siemens issue that "Parliament must summon the lawyer of Mr. Christoforakos to explain all that he is claiming."

[08] Full transparency PASOK's steadfast position

The announcement further said that "our steadfast and unshakeable position is and remains full transparency and the need for everything to come to light, the truth to be revealed and the political system to be released from every form of hostage-taking."

Lastly, it said that "PASOK is determined not to leave any aspect of this scandal in the dark, but also not to allow anyone to slander without evidence and proof, for one's own interest and on the altar of political expediencies, using groundless allegations and absurd fabrications."

[09] KKE on developments in Siemens Hellas scandal

According to KKE " the only safe criterion for people to be informed on a party's real role and the source of its money is if their policy serves their own interests or those of major business groups", adding: "The people must remember what was ND's and PASOK's stance on the deregulation of telecommunications and OTE's (Hellenic Telecommunications organisation) privatisation, and what party tried to stop them. The people can stop the anti-social measures and corruption only if they have trust in their power and launch a counter-attacks against anti-social policy of ND, PASOK and the monopolies".

[10] Coalition party on Siemens issue

Coalition leader Alexis Tsipras said that "Christoforakos's testimony comes to confirm the joint feeling of Greek citizens that the two mainstream parties, over a number of years, have set up a joint venture with Siemens as its sponsor."

Tsipras further said that "it is not about money belonging to Siemens, but about money belonging to the Hellenic state, that could have become schools, hospitals and public works."

[11] Countdown beginning for Christoforakos extradition

Germany's Supreme Constitutional Court, to which Christoforakos has resorted to achieve an annulment of the decision on his extradition to Greece, is expected to convene on Monday.

If his appeal is rejected, the fourth special investigator Nikos Zagorianos will travel to Munich immediately to pick him up, accompanied by security men and a doctor.

Financial News

[12] 'Nomismatokopio' Metro station opening by end of month

[13] Alavanos to miss TIF

[14] Stocks end 0,80 percent up on Friday

Sector indices moved mostly upward with the Insurance (3.82 pct), Commerce (2.37 pct) and Banks (2.31 pct) scoring the biggest percentage gains of the day. Health (2.01 pct), Food and Beverages (1.60 pct) and Constructions(1.36) recorded the biggest losses.

The FTSE 20 index ended 1.18 pct up, the FTSE 40 index 0.49 pct up and the FTSE 80 rose 1.00 percent.

From the stocks moved, 140 ended up, 65 declined and 45 remained unchanged

General News

[15] Wherever there are Greeks, a church is devoted to the 'Panagia'

On August 15, the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, tens of thousands of Greeks flock to her churches to piously pray to her and seek her grace.

In the words of the late Fotis Kontoglou, the refugee from Asia Minor who has been called the "father" of a whole generation of artists known as the "thirties generation" , the August 15 feast is the "Easter of summer", as it is celebrated as widely and devotedly by the Orthodox Church as the Resurrection of the Christ.

The Pontian (Black Sea Greeks) of the US and Canada have their own special church devoted to the Virgin, the church of the Panagia Soumela, at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in West Milford, northern New Jersey.

It all began in 1982, when the Panagia Soumela Pontion Amerikis (Panagia Soumela of Pontians of America) Institution was set up in New York for the purpose of reviving the August 15 devotion in the "Pontian Land of the New World". Twenty-three years later, in 2005, the "Holy Institution Panagia Soumela, Inc. purchased a large land expanse in West Milford, that now has an Orthodox Christian church and a cultural center. It is here that the annual three-day panegyr takes place from August 14 to 16, attracting devout from many other states in the US and from Canada.

The name 'Soumela' comes from the Greek 'stou Mela', meaning 'at Mt. Melas' signifying a specific locality in the Pontos in Asia Minor. The revered icon of Panagia (of) Soumela takes its name from the historic Monastery of Panagia Soumela in the Pontos, and has been kept there for centuries.

According to tradition, the icon was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist (Apostle Luke) and is older than the Monastery. The icon was originally kept in Athens, originally called the Panagia Atheniotissa (Panagia of Athens), but was later removed to Pontos for safe-keeping when the Saracens destroyed the city of Athens by two monks, St. Barnabas and St. Sophronios who are also said to be the founders of the Monastery of Soumela.

The original icon is now in the new monastery of Panagia Soumela in Greece, southwest of Veria, in the village of Kastanies on the slopes of Mt. Vermion, which was founded by refugees from the Pontos, while one of three exact copies of the miraculous icon lies in the monastery in the Pontos.

[16] Events dedicated to poet Yannis Ritsos

The events will take place on 20, 21 and 22 August in the Museum's garden and will start at 8 noon.

[17] Greek - American foundation makes donation to Argostoli

During a special event held at the Napier Garden in Argostoli. the Foundation donated two enviroment-friendly vehicles to the municipality, while mayor George Tsilimidos on his part presented an honorary plaque to the president of the foundation Vassilis Kokossis.

The foundation has offered its assistance constantly to Cephallonia in the past years by supporting the Orphanage, the municipality hospital and the Senior Citizens home.

[18] 26 illegal migrants detained

Local port authorities are conducting a preliminary investigation.

[19] Police dismantle immigrant smuggling ring

In order to release them, their captors used to ask for more money than had been initially agreed. A police operation led to the release of 10 illegal immigrants and the arrest of the immigrant smugglers.

[20] Snake captured in city street

After several efforts the snake was captured and transeffered to the Town Hall.

According to first estimations the snake, possibly a python, was a pet and had escaped from its owner.

[21] Robbery at petrol station in Thessaloniki

[22] Suspicious object was suitcase with clothes

[23] Man shot dead in Ano Liosia

According to the police, the four alleged perpetrators went to the victim's home and shot him in the stomach in the presence of his mother. The perpetrators and the victim had family feuds.

[24] Several incidents involving illegals in E. Aegean

According to reports, the illegals departed from the opposite Turkish coast with a dinghy they later destroyed when they spotted the coast guard patrol boat approaching. All of the individuals were first transferred to a local hospital for preliminary check ups.

At a separate incident on Sunday, 30 illegals (21 men, six women and three minors) were arrested 1.2 nautical miles off the eastern Aegean island of Samos. The mostly Third World migrants have left from the Turkish coast with a dinghy, which they sank.

On Saturday, a Samos coast guard patrol spotted nine illegal migrants and a 26-year-old trafficker in the waters off the island.

Finally, four illegal migrants were also arrested on Saturday within the port of Samos while attempting to board a ferryboat for Piraeus.

[25] Wildfire in Megara under control

Weather Forecast

[26] Fair on Monday

[27] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Entry to universities without examinations. Government announcing new entrance system".

APOGEVMATINI: "Those wo did not receive the message are harming themselves. Deputy Finance Minister Antonis Bezas warns those who have not taken into consideration the results of the Euroelections".

AVGHI: "Omerta for party money".

AVRIANI: "Who and why trembling over Christoforakos revelations".

CHORA (weekly): "German court placed seal on kickbacks Filth and bad odour on political stage from 'black money'".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "The 5 points a torpedo for 'ND'. Only with an intervention by the Virgin Mary will the ranking of the two parties change".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Undesirable visitor. Mihalis Christoforakos. His impending return is keeping many in the government and PASOK on tenterhooks".

ETHNOS; "Christoforakos coming to Greece with full suitcases. Attempting bargaining in light of elections and threatening with new evidence".

KATHIMERINI: "The dilemmas of Mr. Karamanlis. He rejects reshuffle and early elections, but is positive for reforms in political system".

LOGOS: "Good election opportunity wanted. Summer leisure and premier work therapy".

NIKI: "Lifting of permanent status for new employees. Sweeping changes in labour relations in public sector".

PARON (weekly): "Coup de grace for political system held prisoner. Christoforakos holding many".

RIZOSPASTIS: "They are targeting the popular movement with decisions by the EU that are being implemented by ND-PASOK".

TO VIMA: "The Siemens virus is raising political fever while real problems are worsening and seeking solutions".

VRADYNI: "The new payroll in the public sector. What will apply from the new year".

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