Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-04-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't lifts emergency measures for virus epidemic

[02] Athens 2004 hires Sydney Games' security chief as top adviser

[03] International Judo Federation concludes visit to ATHOC

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[05] Commercial Bank of Greece, Credit Agricole set up insurer

[06] Banks open May 1 for limited services

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, sunny spells on Saturday

[08] ASE ends week with gains

[01] Gov't lifts emergency measures for virus epidemic

The government on Friday announced the lifting of emergency measures to control a virus, believed to have caused the deaths of three people through heart complications.

A health ministry announcement said that day-care centres would re-open on Monday, following signs that the epidemic was on the wane.

On Tuesday the government had ordered all schools, universities, day-care centres and private tuition centres to close to limit the potential spread of the virus.

Reports from the Centre for Monitoring Infectious Diseases, meanwhile, said that only two new cases had been reported on Friday, one in Patra and one in Larisa, indicating that the virus was now under control.

Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos warned the public, however, that they should continue to meticulously observe the rules of cleanliness and personal hygiene, since the evidence pointed to an enterovirus (intestinal virus) being responsible for the sometimes fatal cases of heart inflammation reported all around Greece in recent days.

He said the virus was not unknown and would be definitively identified by scientists in the coming days.

Papadopoulos said that in the wake of Friday's developments, one can reliably speak of a waning phenomenon, adding that surveillance will continue in the coming days.

The health departments of prefectures have also been instructed to continue taking special preventive measures in places of hygienic interest

[02] Athens 2004 hires Sydney Games' security chief as top adviser

Athens 2004 organisers (ATHOC) on Friday announced the hiring of high-profile Sydney 2000 security chief Peter Ryan as an advisor for the upcoming Games in the Greek capital.

Ryan, a former high-ranking police official and one-time caretaker Home Office undersecretary in his native Britain, is expected to act as a liaison between Greek police (EL.AS) -- the body entrusted with security for the Olympics -- and ATHOC.

Organisers said Ryan is expected to work permanently out of Athens prior to the Games.

Local and international concerns over security have climaxed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, with Athens Olympic organisers promising more than US$600 million in a multi-layer scheme to ensure ?nary a nose bleed? during the holding of the closely watched Olympics -- a plan that has initially garnered kudos from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and several foreign governments.

[03] International Judo Federation concludes visit to ATHOC

International Judo Federation (IJF) representatives concluded their two-day visit to the offices of the Athens 2004 Organising Committee's (ATHOC) offices on Friday.

The IJF's technical directors and members of the Executive Committee Francois Besson and Juan Carlos Barcos were briefed by ATHOC's adviser Spyros Kapralos, sports general director Makis Asimakopoulos, the games director Yiannis Yiannouris and members of the sports department on the progress of preparation concerning the organising of the Olympic judo tournament.

The IJF's representatives were briefed in particular on the sectors of food provision services, accreditation, doping, the awarding of medals, Olympic installations, test events, the programme of events and hospitality.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro until Monday

U.S. dollar 0.904

Pound sterling 0.622

Danish kroner 7.493

Swedish kroner 9.304

Japanese yen 116.1

Swiss franc 1.476

Norwegian kroner 7.635

Cyprus pound 0.581

Canadian dollar 1.414

Australian dollar 1.663

[05] Commercial Bank of Greece, Credit Agricole set up insurer

Commercial Bank of Greece, which is quoted on the Athens bourse, and Credit Agricole, a strategic shareholder, announced on Friday that they had set up an insurance subsidiary.

The two banks each own 50 percent of share capital in newly created Commercial Life, which is to operate in the Greek market through the parent bank's branches, senior executives told a news conference.

The firm was set up by Commercial Bank and Predica, Credit Agricole's insurance arm.

Commercial Life's president is Dimitris Frangetis, and its managing director Michel Zanatta.

Predica, a market leader in Europe in bancassurance and the second largest life insurer in France, has premiums of 10 billion euros and capital under management of more than 70 billion euros.

Presenting the new company were Commercial's president, Yiannis Stournaras, and the general director of Predica, Michel Villatte.

[06] Banks open May 1 for limited services

Banks will remain open on May 1 to handle a small range of domestic transactions but cross-border business will not be conducted as the European interbank clearing system is to close for the holiday, the Union of Greek Banks said on Friday.

Transactions available on May 1 will not include money transfers at home or abroad, and business will be dated May 2, the employers' group said in a statement.

In addition, the Athens stock market and derivatives exchange will shut on May 1, also due to the closure of Europe's interbank clearing system.

The May Day holiday has been partially moved to May 7 in Greece due to the proximity of Orthodox Easter this year.

Markets will again close on May 7 for the transferred holiday.

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, sunny spells on Saturday

Light cloud and sunny spells are forecast in all parts of the country, which may turn to rain or storms in the north. Limited visibility due to mist is expected early in the morning. Winds variable, light. In the north, temperatures will range from 8C to 19C; on the rest of the mainland from 10C to 22C; and in the islands from 13C to 21C. Mostly sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 11C and 21C. Rain and storms in Thessaloniki from early evening, with temperatures from 9C to 19C.

[08] ASE ends week with gains

Greek stocks ended the last trading session of a volatile week higher on the Athens Stock Exchange, supported by renewed buying interest for smaller and medium capitalisation stocks.

The general index ended at 2,225.14 points, up 0.85 percent.

The Publication, Wholesale, Textile and Construction sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (4.24 percent, 3.48 percent, 2.64 percent and 1.72 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.58 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index jumped 1.80 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.66 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 287 to 44 with another 30 issues unchanged.

Turnover was an improved 109.4 million euros. The general index ended the week with a net gain of 0.01 percent.

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