Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-10-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Parties once again fail to agree on new National Council for Radio and Television

[02] Justice minister orders investigation into judge's personal data leak

[03] Registered unemployment down 2.74 pct in Sept

[01] Parties once again fail to agree on new National Council for Radio and Television

Parliament President Nikos Voutsis finally went ahead with the vote after the majority of members rejected the opposition parties' request to postpone but his own proposal for the new NCRTV were rejected, since it did not get the 4/5 majority required to be carried.

Votes in favour were cast only by the ruling coalition parties SYRIZA and Independent Greeks (ANEL), while main opposition New Democracy (ND) and far-right Golden Dawn voted against and the remaining four opposition parties (Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Democratic Alliance, Potami and Union of Centrists) abstained.

Voutsis criticised the request to postpone the vote until after a court ruling on the constitutionality of the media law, on which a television licences tender was based. If the parties had asked for a delay in order to consider the proposal and return better informed, he added, "we would have been obliged to listen" but the work of justice and legislative authority should not be mixed.

"I do not see the reason for an extension in the name of the judicial aspect since, under the Constitution, its is their total obligation to make a decision. Justice, for its own part, makes its decisions and these are respected," he said. The law had already started to generate legal effects, he noted, and for the political system to postpone and stand by awaiting developments "would send a wrong signal."

[02] Justice minister orders investigation into judge's personal data leak

Earlier this morning, the minister also ordered an investigation into the perpetrators who intercepted the private emails of the judge. The prosecutor who will handle the case is Spyridonas Pappas.

[03] Registered unemployment down 2.74 pct in Sept

In a monthly report, OAED said the number of registered unemployed people totaled 871,981 in September, down from 896,562 in August, of which 54.95 pct were registered unemployed for more than 12 months, while 63.01 pct were women and 36.99 pct men.

In September, unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits totaled 136,123, from 117,042 in August, an increase of 19,081 or 16.3 pct. The 30-44 age group recorded the highest rate of registered unemployment (more than 40 pct).

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