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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-01-25Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM calls for removal of roadblocksPrime minister George Papandreou has appealed to protesting farmers to remove roadblocks, in place for the 11th day on Monday, and enter into dialogue with the government, warning that the blockades were hurting the country's image in the international economy. Papandreou called for dialogue in order to "make a new beginning and a new agricultural policy in a new Greece".[02] One of two US citizens wanted in Synagogue arson arrestedOne of the two US citizens who were wanted in the recent arson attacks against the Jewish Synagogue in Hania, Crete, was arrested on Monday. The 24-year-old US citizen, who has been residing the last months in Chania and was making a living by doing odd jobs, was sent before a local prosecutor on Monday together with two British nationals aged 33 and 23 years old and another local 24-year-old who had been arrested last Thursday.The two British nationals and the Greek man will testify on Tuesday, while the US citizen was given a 48-hour extension to prepare his testimony. According to the the case file, the four suspects, together with another US citizen who is wanted and is claimed to have fled the country, are accused, in addition to the arson, with a felony charge of setting up a criminal gang. An announcement by the Police General Directorate of Crete said that, according to Greek suspect's testimony, all five suspects participated in the Synagogue's first arson attack on January 5, while only two of the Britons and the Greek took part in the arson attack on January 16, which resulted in the most serious damage. The 33-year-old Briton is believed to be the mastermind of the gang. [03] Man shoots his wife and commits suicideÁ Greek from the former Soviet Union on Monday shot his wife in the abdomen with a 22mm pistol, injuring her seriously, and afterwards committed suicide by shooting himself.The incident took place in front of the couple's underage child, in their home in the Athens district of Egaleo. The woman is hospitalised in a serious condition in Tzanio Hospital in Piraeus. A preliminary examination is being conducted by the local police station. [04] Deputy FM Droutsas invites Nimetz to GreeceDeputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas on Sunday phoned from Brussels UN special meditator on the FYROM name issue, Matthew Nimetz, and invited him to visit Greece in the near future.Droutsas is in Brussels for the EU Foreign Ministers' council on Monday. [05] Open dialogue on agriculture"Ôhe farmers' issue has been put to the society. We are determined to proceed with the necessary institutional changes in absolute cooperation with the farmers," Agricultural Development Minister Katerini Batzeli said on Monday ,speaking at a two day conference at the Zappeion Mansion in Athens where an open discussion on agriculture problems is taking place.Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping Minister Louka Katseli underlined that "from our sector, that of Development and Competiteveness, we will contribute to solving the serious problems faced by the farmers in order to enhance their income". Moreover, ad hoc committees have started examining the eight key problem areas in Greek agriculture, with the participation of over 350 representatives of related organisations and agencies. Caption: Agricultural Development Minister Katerini Batzeli speaks during an open dialogue on agriculture at the Zappeion Mansion in Athens on Monday 25 January 2010. ANA-MPA/PANTELIS SAITAS [06] Promachonas RR station closedFarmers from Serres prefecture on Monday noon blocked the railroad track at the Promachonas border post with their tractors. The protesting farmers also continued to block the Promachonas checkpoint on the border with Bulgaria.According to a Hellenic Railways announcement on Monday, the Promachonas stop is the last station in Greece and six regular train itineraries pass through the station, three in each direction, every day. Moreover, four to eight freight trains pass through Promachonas daily depending on the need. The farmers' mobilisation coordination body, after their meeting on Sunday with Agricultural Development minister Katerina Batzeli ended in an impasse, decided to escalate their protest and completely hut off the border passing. However, on Sunday night farmers permitted the entrance to Greece to some trucks loaded with perishable goods. Protesting farmers at the Strymonikos intersection will close the Thessaloniki-Serres highway from 11.00 till 13.00 a.m. on Monday. The Egnatia motorway also remained closed on Monday along the Serres-Kavala section at the Kedryllia juncture. Farmers continued on Monday to block the Ormenios checkpoint on the border with Bulgaria, in Evros prefecture. According to Alexandroupolis police, farmers have also lined their tractors along both sides of the road at the Kipi border station, but without blocking the traffic. [07] ASE opening: RiseEquity prices were rising at the opening of trade on Monday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with the basic share price index up 1.49 percent, standing at 2,060.59 points at 11:10 a.m., and turnover at 37,760 million euros.The biggest gains were in Oil and Gas, up 2.40 percent and Constructions, up 1.37 percent. The biggest losses were in Financial Services, down 0.42 percent and Personal and Household Goods down 0.24 percent. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 1.94 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.42 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.40 percent. Of the stocks moved, 47 were up, 33 were down, and 27 were unchanged. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |