Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-05-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] First 'safe' estimate of election result at 11 p.m. on Sunday, IT firm says

[02] Ministry: Warning signs of HIV+ 'explosion' date back to early 2010

[03] Archbishop Ieronymos to visit Church of Russia

[01] First 'safe' estimate of election result at 11 p.m. on Sunday, IT firm says

During a meeting with accredited reporters and party representatives at the interior ministry on Thursday, Singular Logic executives pushed back the time when a 'safe estimate' would emerge by nearly two hours, blaming the unusual circumstances of these particular elections. Originally, the company had said a 'safe' estimate of the result could be expected as early as 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

They also clarified that obtaining such a 'safe estimate' will depend on whether they have a response from 50 percent of the sample in 5,000 polling stations chosen at random and representative of the 56 electoral constituencies. The announcement of a safe estimate of the election result, with a small deviation of around 0.5 percent, is made possible through the use of Secure Results Transmission (SRT) software being used for the second time in general elections. www.amna.gr

Firm executives also noted that a clear picture of the percentage of the vote received by each party will emerge relatively quickly but a definitive answer on whether borderline parties will clear the 3 percent hurdle for getting into Parliament might not emerge until very late into the night.

Concerning security issues, Singular Logic stressed that the system was absolutely secure and had successfully fended off attempted attacks by hackers in the previous election in 2009 without any problems at all. amna

[02] Ministry: Warning signs of HIV+ 'explosion' date back to early 2010

Since that time, mobile units from the Centre for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (KEEL.PNO) had examined more than 24,000 individuals and found 85 men and women that tested positive for the HIV virus. amna

Since September 2011, KEELPNO mobile units have begun taking blood samples with the consent of the examinees to test for HIV, hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis, finding a sharp increase of these diseases in the groups tested. Recent health and sanitation legislation has also allowed KEELPNO staff, in cooperation with the police, to demand obligatory blood samples from individuals working in brothels, both legal and illegal, streetwalkers and drug users arrested for various crimes.

The health ministry pledged that this mandatory testing will continue at an intensified rate, ensuring that greater numbers of people working in the sex industry, both legally and illegally, are tested. www.amna.gr

The ministry has also launched an information campaign to raise awareness among migrants and sex workers to the dangers of contagious diseases, approaching brothels and establishments they frequent in order to hand out flyers in the major languages spoken by migrants and handing out free condoms.

[03] Archbishop Ieronymos to visit Church of Russia

Ieronymos, who will be accompanied by members of the Holy Synod, will visit Moscow and Saint Petersburg, jointly officiate over a liturgy with the Patriarch and Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, and visit monasteries in Russia. amna

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