Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-02

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't says talks with EU on primary shareholder bill are continuing

[02] EU anti-smoking campaign mobile unit will be in Athens at the weekend

[01] Gov't says talks with EU on primary shareholder bill are continuing

He was responding to questions concerning a letter sent to the government by Commission official Dr. Alexander Schaub, director-general of Internal Markets and Services.

According to Roussopoulos, Schaub informed the government that the European Union will refer Greece to the European Court of Justice unless it implemented the actions agreed on with the Commission concerning the bill.

Implementing this agreement, the government had on Thursday passed an amendment that suspended the law, Roussopoulos said.

The spokesman said that the previous law passed by PASOK on this issue was still in force and denied that there was a legislative "gap", saying that a specific law on public works was already being implemented.

Both acts of legislation implement an article in the Greek Constitution that seeks to prevent the mass media from influencing the award of state contracts by preventing contractors interconnected with media enterprises from assuming state contracts. Both the latest law passed in 2005 and its predecessor passed by a PASOK government in 2002 have been judged incompatible with European directives and treaties by the European Commission, which has threatened to cut off EU funding in all cases where the law may have affected the outcome of tenders.

[02] EU anti-smoking campaign mobile unit will be in Athens at the weekend

The mobile unit will be stationed at Klafthmonos Square in central Athens.The unit will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and visitors will be given information pamphlets.

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