Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-11-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Turkey says Greek planes violated airspace; Athens dismisses claim

[02] Collector's edition on Macedonian liberation struggle published

[03] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose up, gremlin disrupts trade

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloudy with showers on Friday

[05] China expresses tourism interest for Greece

[06] Technical glitch interrupts ASE session

[07] Simitis unveils tax cut measures

[01] Turkey says Greek planes violated airspace; Athens dismisses claim

ISTANBUL (ANA) Turkeys chief of general staff on Thursday claimed that Greek warplanes violated Turkish airspace 14 times in the Aegean region over the past year, something Athens quickly disputed only a few hours later.

Additionally, Ankara claimed that Greek air force fighters which it identified as French-made Mirage 2000s -- harassed Turkish military planes conducting training flights on 17 occasions in the Aegeans international airspace.

According to an announcement released on Thursday by the Turkish general staff, Greek fighter planes harassed Turkish aircraft on a training mission two to three miles inside Turkish airspace near the Izmir-Karabouroun region on Nov 2.

?We dont have any such information,? government spokesman Christos Protopapas said during his regular press briefing in Athens

?It is not our policy to engage in a strategy of airspace violations against any country,? the spokesman stressed.

Greece has long and vigorously pointed to scores of infringements of Athens FIR regulations and national airspace violations over the Aegean by Turkish warplanes during the past decade, incidents that practically assure the take-off of Greek fighter planes on missions to intercept the intruders and escort them back towards Turkish airspace.

[02] Collector's edition on Macedonian liberation struggle published

A collection of hundreds of photographs recording the struggle to liberate Macedonia from Ottoman rule, and published in a tome entitled "Macedonian Struggle Through Photographs -- 1904-1908", was presented on Thursday in Athens.

Political leaders, the mayor of Athens, academics and church leaders were present at the unveiling of the volume at a ceremony held at the Old Parliament building. The collection of photographs detail the efforts of Greeks in Macedonia to overthrow dour Ottoman yoke and join the Greek state.

Thessaloniki University Prof. Vassilis Gounaris edited the volume, released by the Ephesus publishing house.

[03] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose up, gremlin disrupts trade

The Athens bourse finished slightly higher on Thursday in a truncated session dogged by technical problems that impeded the execution of orders despite a half-hour extension of trade.

The general share index gained 0.66 percent to end at 2,707.82 points. Turnover was 250.46 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.97 percent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.07 percent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities 0.57 percent down.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 193 to 147 with 23 issues remaining unchanged.

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloudy with showers on Friday

Cloud is forecast throughout the country on Friday, possibly turning to light rain in the east and north. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning very strong in parts of the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 6C to 18C; in the west from 11C to 21C; and in the rest of the country from 13C to 20C. Cloudy in Athens, with temperatures from 13C and 19C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 10C to 146.

[05] China expresses tourism interest for Greece

China's ambassador to Athens, Mr. Znen Jianguo, on Thursday supported establishing a direct air link between Beijing and Athens, a move that would help in boosting tourist traffic from China to Greece.

His comments were made during a meeting with Deputy Development Minister Dimitris Georgakopoulos, responsible for tourism affairs. The two men agreed to sign a bilateral tourism agreement.

Mr. Jianguo expressed China's tourism market's strong interest for Greek destinations and stressed Greece's positive image in his country because of its cultural tradition, natural environment and ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

The Chinese ambassador recommended that a Greek Tourism Organisation's bureau in China would be based in Beijing.

[06] Technical glitch interrupts ASE session

The Athens Stock Exchange announced that a technical fault with the electronic trading system forced it to interrupt trading in late afternoon trade on Thursday.

ASE authorities are expected to announce later a decision on when to restarting the session and whether trading would be extended.

[07] Simitis unveils tax cut measures

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Thursday unveiled a package of tax measures aiming to boost employment, increase competitiveness and to achieving a fairer distribution of income.

Speaking to reporters, after an inner cabinet meeting, Simitis said that the government has decided to implement from next year a cut in the tax factor on corporate profits, a 20 percent increase in the tax free income and payment of a family bonus to both parents.

"Next year's budget embodies a forecast for a growth rate of 3.8 percent, slightly lower from this year, but more than double the EU average," Simitis said.

"It is a realistic growth rate, accepted by most international organisations," he noted. The prime minister said that Greece was affected to a lesser degree by a climate of political and economic uncertainty that worsened after the tragic events of September 11 compared with other European countries.

Simitis announced the implementation of a "first phase of a tax reform programme" aiming to boost growth, employment and to achieve a fairer distribution of income.

The tax measures include: raising a tax free income for all taxpayers by 20 percent, reducing a tax factor on corporate profits from 35 to 32.5 percent for companies that create new jobs (with the option of extending the measure if it proved efficient), and abolishing a stamp duty payment to all transaction except house rents and contracts (both cases will be reviewed in 2003).

The prime minister reiterated his government's pledges on social policy and announced that payment of a family bonus to both parents would begin in the second half of 2002.

Simitis said that spending on education and health would exceed general spending and the inflation and noted that public investments would total 3.0 trillion drachmas next year.

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