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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 12-05-02Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Wednesday, 2 May 2012 Issue No: 4060CONTENTS
[01] May Day rally in AthensGSEE and ADEDY, the country's two largest umbrella labour federations representing the private and public sector respectively, held the main May Day rally on Tuesday in Athens' downtown Kotzia square, under the slogan "No one alone, together we can succeed".This year's turnout was relatively small, which the federations' representatives attributed to the campaign period for the upcoming general elections on Sunday. The labour leaders called on employers to sign new branch collective labour agreements and to safeguard the institution, while General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) alternate secretary general Stathis Anestis called on the government, the troika and employers to "respect the toil, sweat and productivity of the working people". Civil servants' umbrella federation ADEDY president Costas Tsikrikas charged that the policies imposes by Greece's EU partners were taking the labour movement a century back, adding that the coordinated struggle of the workers of Europe will seek to change the correlations in Europe so that the governments will invest in growth rather than the "parasitic big capital". Trade unions from Europe, and mainly Italy and Portugal, sent messages of support to the labour demonstration, which were read out at the rally. After the May Day rally, small groups of self-styled anarchists that had gathered around the Museum, near the Athens Polytechnic, staged a march to Syntagma Square, where they set fire to a campaign kiosk of the small "National Unity Alliance" party. The fire was quickly extinguished by the Fire Brigade after it gutted the kiosk. [02] Incidents in Exarchia after May Day labor marchTension rose in the Exarchia district of central Athens on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the end of the May Day labor march, when a group of individuals set fire to garbage bins near the Athens Polytechnic and threw four home-made fire bombs (molotov cocktails) at police.The police chased the group around the surrounding streets, but the incidents did not spread. Calm was restored in the area a short while later. [03] May Day marked throughout GreeceThe May Day labour strike was marked throughout Greece on Tuesday with rallies and marches, while many urban dwellers took advantage of the mild and sunny weather to spend the day on the beach and in the countryside to pick flowers to make the traditional wreaths.[04] Venizelos meets with Skaramangas Shipyard workersPASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos said that the May 6 general elections will be very critical because the future of an entire generation is at stake, speaking during an interview with private SKAI television channel on Monday night.Opining that no political party will be able to amass a parliamentary majority in Sunday's election, he said that PASOK is the only party that speaks the truth and which, if emerging as the top party, will be able to give an easier and safe solution for the country. Speaking on Tuesday after a meeting with a delegation of workers of the Skaramangas Shipyards, Venizelos said that a major, systematic effort is needed to safeguard the country's industrial infrastructure and, in this specific case, the national shipbuilding infrastructure. [05] ND leader Samaras says intercepting nightmare of unemployment an absolute priorityNew Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras, speaking to employees and unemployed people in Lavrio, eastern Attica, on Tuesday promised "a decrease in unemployment below half in three years, through the implementation of growth policies."Samaras further said that "our absolute priority is to stop, to intercept the nightmare of unemployment," adding that "we can urge recovery that will reach 9 percentage points of GDP, at least, and many tens of thousands of jobs will be created." He also said that it is feasible if the recovery and growth of the Greek economy is achieved: "Growth, that will withstand time and be speeded up with the passing of time...For us to finally exit and from the crisis and from overborrowing and from the memorandum." [06] Papariga addresses PAME May Day rally at Hellenic Steel industryCommunist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga attended a May Day rally organised on Tuesday by the KKE-affiliated PAME labor organisation at the Hellenic Steel Industry (Ellinika Halyvourgia) premises in Dafni, where the workers have been on strike for more than six months.Papariga said that on May 7, the day after the general elections in Greece, the KKE "will be where it belongs, inside the popular majority". She said that whatever government is formed after the elections will find the KKE on the opposite side. [07] Tsipras says Sunday's elections a referendumRadical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) Parliamentary Group leader Alexis Tsipras, speaking in the city of Larissa on Tuesday, said Sunday's elections are a "referendum", stressing that the dilemma being raised is "memorandum or Left" and commented that "either we go ahead with the Samaras-Venizelos joint governance, or we go ahead with dignity, democracy and a government of the Left.""Give us the exploratory mandate on May 6 for the people to exit from the margin of decisions and we shall honour it. We shall not degrade the mandate of the people. We shall not return it to the President of the Republic," Tsipras added. Referring to the "blows", as he said, that SYRIZA is receiving, Tsipras commented that they constitute the best opinion poll that the party is doing well. [08] 32 parties to vie in May 6 general electionsA total of 32 parties, coalitions and individuals will vie in Sunday's parliamentary elections in Greece.The applications of thirty-two of the overall 36 parties, coalitions and individuals that had submitted to the Greek supreme court (Areios Pagos) petitions for participation in the May 6 parliamentary elections by the deadline last Sunday night were deemed valid by the Areios Pagos, and thus given the go-ahead to take part in the polls. [09] UNHCR delegation visits Amygdaleza illegal migrant holding centerA UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) delegation visited the illegal immigrants holding center in Amygdaleza, greater Athens area, on Tuesday morning.The delegation, comprising experts in the operation of such holding centers, was accompanied by Greek Police (ELAS) officers responsible for immigrant issues. The UNHCR delegation expressed satisfaction with the living conditions at the center as well as its operation. Financial News [10] CoE special distinction for Heraklion, CreteThe city of Heraklion, on the island of Crete, has received one of the nine special distinctions of the jury in the Council of Europe's (CoE) Best Practice Awards for European Coastal Towns.The results of the Best Practice Award Programme for European Coastal Towns were presented at a ceremony during a CoE Parliamentary Assembly session in Strasbourg. The initiative to reward best local practices for the regeneration of coastal towns was launched by the Council of Europe in January 2012, in the framework of the Chairmanship by the United Kingdom of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. Based on the evaluation of the 48 applications received, the First Prize was awarded to Yevpatoria (Ukraine), the Joint Second Prize to Bournemouth and Canterbury (both United Kingdom), and the Joint Third Prize to Heroy (Norway) and Zadar (Croatia). The jury also decided to acknowledge the innovative projects selected for the final round of the competition and nominated for the Best Practice Award, among them Heraklion. General News [11] Number of HIV-positive prostitutes rises to 12 in ongoing medical checksThe number of HIV-infected illegal prostitutes has risen to 12 in ongoing medical checks in and around a red-light district in downtown Athens since Saturday, the Centre for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (KEEL.PNO) said on Tuesday, adding that 92 undocumented prostitutes were taken in for questioning and checks throughout Monday night alone.Greek Police (ELAS) conducted an operation in and around the red-light district throughout Monday night and brought in 92 women illegally engaged in prostitution, both foreign nationals and Greek, who underwent medical examinations by KEELPNO doctors. Of those 92 women, nine were found to be HIV positive, bringing the total number to 12 since the operation among streetwalkers and prostitutes working in both legal and illegal brothels began on Saturday. The first case, a 22-year-old Russian woman, was arrested on Saturday during a raid at an illegal brothel in central Athens and was remanded without bond on Monday pending trial after she was found to be HIV positive. She faces charges of intentional bodily harm, a felony. In an unprecedented move, police released the name and photograph of the woman, which were broadcast by local media. The decision to publicise the name and photograph of the woman was taken in consideration of the public health threat, police authorities said in a press release. Along those lines, health authorities called on men who believe they may have had sexual intercourse with the woman to immediately undergo medical testing. Two more prostitutes were found HIV positive on Monday following medical checks by KEELPNO mobile health units in at least three Athens inner city districts where brothels are found and where streetwalkers operate and on seedy downtown apartments frequented by illegal migrants. [12] Man arrested in Hania for possession of weaponsA 36-year-old man was arrested in Hania on the island of Crete, following a chase, accused of possessing and trafficking weapons and ammunition.Police attempted to check the car the man was riding in together with a 40-year-old. The two men, according to the police, sped away in an attempt to escape and crashed with another car driven by a 22-year-old woman. The 36-year-old was slightly injured in the crash and tried to escape on foot, but was stopped by police. The 40-year-old succeeded in fleeing the scene in the car. A search of the arrested man revealed four revolvers, two pistols, two pistol holsters, 212 cartridges, two mobile phones and money. [13] Elderly man robbed in his home in ThessalonikiAn 89-year-old man was robbed in his home in the region of Toumba, in the city of Thessaloniki, on Monday night.The elderly man opened the door to two unknown persons who took 1,000 euros and jewellery from him with the use of force. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment. [14] Body found in SoufliA body in an advanced state of decomposition was found in the region of Soufli in Evros on Monday afternoon.According to the police, the body is of an unidentified gender, possibly of an illegal immigrant who attempted to enter Greece from Turkey, through the Evros river. However, he was dragged along by the rushing waters, resulting in his drowning. Weather forecast [15] Fair on WednesdayFair weather and northerly winds are forecast in most parts of the country on Wednesday. Winds 3-6 beauforte. Temperatures between 10C and 30C. Fair in Athens with northerly 4-6 beauforte winds and temperatures between 19C and 30C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures between 12C and 28C.36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: ILIAS MATSIKAS Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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