Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-05-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] SYRIZA leader fails to form a government

[02] The Thursday edition of Athens' newspapers

[03] Police crack murder of Ioannina woman

[04] Athens Stock Exchange opening: Rise

[05] 4.2 bln euros to be disbursed to Greece on May 10

[06] Acropolis Museum celebrates International Museum Day on May 18.

[07] Greek tourism prospects deteriorating

[01] SYRIZA leader fails to form a government

However, there is satisfaction in the party on the tactic followed, while party sources stress that SYRIZA is now being recorded in the conscience of the Greek people as a responsible national force.amna

Tsipras met successively on Wednesday afternoon with Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos, PASOK party leader Evangelos Venzelos and New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras, completing his cycle of contacts.amna

Tsipras, addressing the first session of the party's new Parliamentary Group on Wednesday evening, stressed that "our effort does not end here. After the end of the contacts, we are ascertaining that our proposal has wide social support but weak Parliamentary support."

[02] The Thursday edition of Athens' newspapers

Europe's warning on Greece's commitments in the loan agreement, and SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras' fruitless efforts to form a government, mostly dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Council of Political Party Leaders considering a government with a non-parliamentary prime minister".

AVGHI: "We forge ahead".

AVRIANI: "Troika and memorandum's parties terrified of new elections".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Last attempt for ecumenical government".

ESTIA: "Country entering into misadventures".

ETHNOS: "Ecumenical government or elections the dilemma".

IMERISSIA: "Europe sends SOS".

KATHIMERINI: "Europe warns".

LOGOS: "Government formation an impasse".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "European intervention with 'haircut' of the loan".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist Party (KKE): Elections now!".

TA NEA: "Exploratory mandate from the ...troika, too!".

VRADYNI: "Responsibility wanted".

[03] Police crack murder of Ioannina woman

They asked the victim to show them the apartment and, once inside, they tied her up and gagged her, so that she later died of asphyxiation.

Five suspects, all Georgian nationals, have been arrested in connection with the case. They include three men aged 32, 27 and 36 years old, respectively, as well as two women aged 33 and 37 years old. Two more male suspects aged 25 and 43 years old, both Georgian nationals, are being sought after warrants were issued for their arrest.amna

The 25-year-old that evaded arrest was among the members of the gang posing as potential tenants that wanted to rent the empty flat next to the woman's own residence. After they had tied up the owner, they broke into her apartment and unsuccessfully attempted to break open a safe hidden in her bedroom.amna

A police investigation showed that the suspects acted on the orders and using information suppled by the other four members of the gang, in order to take money and other valuables from the dead woman's home. The investigation also revealed that they had prepared carefully for the robbery, gathering information about the woman's habits and activities and her financial situation.amna

All five suspects arrested will be led before an Ioannina public prosecutor, while the hunt for the two still at large continues

[04] Athens Stock Exchange opening: Rise

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 2.10 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.79 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.31 percent.amna

Individual sector indices were moving upward, with the biggest gains in Banks, up 4.13 percent; Telecoms, up 2.97 percent and Financial Services, up 1.97 percent.amna

The only losses were in Industrial Products, down 0.24 percent and Personal and Household Goods, down 0.12 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 35 were up, 10 were down, and 12 were unchanged.

[05] 4.2 bln euros to be disbursed to Greece on May 10

The EFSF stressed that it is releasing the 5.2 billion euros that are pending from the first loan "package" amounting to 39.4 billion euros by the end of June."The amunt of 4.2 bilion euros will be disbursed on May 10. The remaining 1 billion euros is not necessary before June and will be disbursed in accordance with the financial needs of Greece. As with the previous tranches to Greece as well, the EFSF will transfer the 4.2 billioin euros to a bound account that gives priority to the serving of the public debt," the announcement by the EFSF said.

[06] Acropolis Museum celebrates International Museum Day on May 18.

The Acropolis Museum celebrates International Museum Day on Friday, 18 May with free entry for all visitors and atmospheric music events on the second floor balcony overlooking the Archaic Gallery. On that day the Museum will be open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. while the restaurant will be open until midnight.amna

The scheduled events are a piano recital by Marios Strofalis dedicated to Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis at 11:00 a.m., and European Mediterranean music performed by European Taxim at 7:00 p.m.amna

On the same day, the Acropolis Museum will present its first reproductions and commemorative coins for sale. On the occasion of International Museum Day, the Acropolis Museum launches the minting of commemorative coins, so as to acquaint visitors with small but beloved objects in its collection.

On Saturday, 19 May, the Acropolis Museum celebrates the European Night of Museums and will be open from 8 a.m. until 12 midnight, with free entry to the public from 8 p.m. onwards. amna

At 9:30 p.m. in the Museum's entrance courtyard, the Athens Municipality Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Michalis Oikonomou, will present the last symphonies by W. A. Mozart and F. J. Haydn, two of the most important representatives of the Classical era:amna

- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Symphony No. 41 K. 551 ("Zeus") in C major: i. Allegro vivace, ii. Andante Cantabile, iii. Menuetto. Allegretto -Trio, iv. Molto allegro.

- Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809): Symphony No.104 Hob. I/104 ("London") in D major: i. Adagio - Allegro, ii. Andante, iii. Menuetto -Trio. Allegro, iv. Finale. Spiritoso.

[07] Greek tourism prospects deteriorating

Andreas Andreadis, president of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises, said that bookings from abroad fell 50 pct in the last two days.

He said it was very difficult to reverse the prevailing negative image of the country in the markets of Germany, UK and France and noted that any further increase from the Russian market could not counterbalance losses from Greece's traditional tourism markets.amna

Alexandros Aggelopoulos, a member of the Association, underlined that the prevailing political situation in Greece was undermining the country's tourism product. amna

Tourism officials expects this year's arrivals to fall by 7-10 pct, and revenues to drop by 10 pct.

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