Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-11-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus event for Andreas Christodoulides, former AMNA chief

[02] Heckler has apologised, German consul says

[03] Gov't: 2004 Olympic Games cost 8.48 million euros

[01] Cyprus event for Andreas Christodoulides, former AMNA chief

Christodoulides was born in Cyprus, studied law degree in Athens and entered journalism in 1965, working in several newspapers. Prior to filling top-level positions at the Athens News Agency, where he spent over 16 years, he was a founding member of EDEK Cyprus and PASOK party.

Addresses were delivered by representatives of the Cyprus News Agency (KYPE), AMNA and the Union of Cyprus Journalists (ESK).

Louis Igoumenidis, educator, political analyst and a personal friend of Christodoulides was the main speaker.

Christodoulides "was a great personage in politics, journalism and the public sphere in Cyprus and Greece," Cyprus News Agency (CNA) president Larkos Larkou said.

AMNA representative Dimitra Letsa remembered the late journalist and colleague as "gracious, fair to all and a tough judge of himself".

The event was held at the initiative of the CNA.

[02] Heckler has apologised, German consul says

Consul Wolfgang Hoelscher-Obermaier told AMNA that the employee approached him of his own volition at the court in Thessaloniki, where the latter was awaiting to be tried and apologised. The consul accepted the apology and added that "violence is not a means of resolving conflict."

The employee excused himself by saying he was "emotionally distraught" from austerity measures "threatening his job".

The municipal employee, a colleague and a trade unionist (aged 39, 47 and 53) were arrested for heckling and throwing coffee and water bottles against the consul as he arrived at a conference centre for the 3rd Greek-German meeting of Regions, Municipalities and Citizens last Thursday. Their trial has been postponed to Nov. 28.

The defendants appeared before a public prosecutor on Saturday and were charged with simple assault, disturbing the peace and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm -- mostly shoving and throwing plastic cups of coffee at the diplomat. One of the three was also charged with insubordination because, according to police, he refused to have his fingerprints taken. The charges were filed by the police.amna

[03] Gov't: 2004 Olympic Games cost 8.48 million euros

The figures were disclosed in response to questions tabled by Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras, who attributed the country's high public debt and deficit to the cost of the Games, and three party deputies.

Staikouras said that the amount included expenses covered by the state and those incurred by the organising committee of the Athens Games.

Deputy Education Minister Yiannis Ioannidis, responsible for sports, replied in writing to the same question, noting that the expenses linked to the public investment programme have been audited by the Court of Audit. However, he said, there is no audit report by the Sports General Secretariat for the organising committee because the secretariat's audit committee can only issue reports on agencies it supervises, and following a ministerial order.amna

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