Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-07-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament majority slaps charges against former DM

[02] Sail for Gaza forbidden

[03] Unemployment at 15%

[01] Parliament majority slaps charges against former DM

MPs accepted the findings of a preliminary examination committee that investigated the German submarine case, focusing on whether Tsohatzopoulos had received kickbacks in order to back a controversial contract for the purchase of four German submarines for the Hellenic Navy while he was defence minister.

A total of 242 MPs were present for the vote; 36 ballots were valid, six void and four blank votes were cast. Two-hundred and sixteen MPs voted in favour of Tsohatzopoulos being tried for passive bribery; nine voted against and seven voted "present", while 215 MPs voted in favour of Tsohatzopoulos being tried for money-laundering; nine against and eight voted "present".

A judicial council comprised of five Supreme Court judges will be chosen by lots to decide whether the offences with which Tsohatzopoulos is charged fall under the statute of limitations, or if they will be tried separately and if he will be brought before a tribunal or a regular court. ana-mpa

In his statements before Parliament, Tsohatzopoulos declared that he is innocent, and referring to his "former comrades", he said that their efforts to make him a "convenient culprit" will fail.

Referring to the parliamentary examination committee decision that he should be tried in court for criminal offences based on the findings of the submarine case investigation, Tsohatzopoulos said that the committee findings are a "monumental falsification of truth". ana-mpa

The committee was set up to investigate claims that Tsohatzopoulos received kickbacks in order to back a controversial contract for the purchase of four German submarines for the Greek Navy while he was defence minister.

Tsohatzopoulos also said that he "will resort to the European Court of Human Rights to prove that he is politically persecuted." He lashed out at the ruling PASOK party maintaining that "this PASOK that has become synonymous with the Greek people's hardship is not his party anymore."

In his 20-minute address, Tsohatzopoulos maintained that he is the victim of a "frame-up" and "unethical indictment" and referred to the unanimous decisions by Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) concerning the purchase of the submarines.

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[02] Sail for Gaza forbidden

All measures necessary for the implementation of the decision are already being taken by Port Authorities nationwide, coast guard authorities said.ana-mpa

A flotilla of foreign-flagged vessels, as well as a Greek ship, were planning to ferry several hundred activists along with aid to Gaza, with the expressed the intention of breaching the Israeli navy's sea blockade of the area.

Port authorities received orders from the ministry to present ship masters with a statement defining the sea region where the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza is into effect. ana-mpa

On June 22, a foreign ministry statement urged Greek citizens, as well as the owners of Greek-registered vessels not to participate in a new flotilla headed for the port of Gaza, underlining that "the government is responsible for planning and exercising the country's foreign policy."

Organisers of the mission on Friday held a press conference decrying what they called a violation of maritime rules, charging that Greek authorities cannot prevent their departure, and that they are free to head wherever they want.

One of the vessels, the US-flagged "Audacity of Hope", had earlier departed from the port but was stopped some two nautical miles from Piraeus by Greek coast guard authorities.

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[03] Unemployment at 15%

Spain (20.9 pct), Lithuania (16.3 pct) and Latvia (16.2 pct) recorded the highest unemployment rates in the EU, while Holland (4.2 pct), Austria (4.2 pct) and Luxembourg (4.5 pct) the lowest rates. The EU average unemployment rate was 9.3 pct in the January-March period.

Bulgaria (from 10.1 pct to 11.2 pct), Cyprus (from 6.4 pct to 7.4 pct) and Slovenia (from 7.3 pct to 8.3 pct) followed Greece in recording the highest rate increases, while Estonia, Latvia, Germany and Hungary recorded the lowest growth rates.

Unemployment among young people totaled 44.4 pct in Spain and 38.5 pct in Greece, while the EU average rate was 20.4 pct.

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