Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Avramopoulos: EU member-states must speed up pace of relocation

[02] Econ. Minister meets Canada's envoy, sees swift conclusion of second review

[03] Greece's National Library prepares for historic move, transition to new era

[04] Greek state to take over 112.3 mln euro of EIB loans to Athens Concert Hall

[01] Avramopoulos: EU member-states must speed up pace of relocation

"The implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement should be accelerated by speeding up the return process, to relieve the pressure from the islands," Avramopoulos said in a statement.

"I want to stress that Greece has fulfilled its obligations on registering and fingerprinting all those who arrive and has also concluded all necessary procedures for migrants to be relocated. It is now absolutely urgent and necessary that all Member States show solidarity and speed up the rate of relocation," he added. "Solidarity cannot come in pieces. We need to deliver on all aspects and address the refugee crisis comprehensively."

The Commissioner also stressed the need for Greece to create dedicated facilities for unaccompanied minors as well as appropriate protection measures including the appointment and presence of qualified staff for their protection and care.

"The EU supports and will continue to support Greece, both operationally and financially. It is important to adequately use all EU funding available. In this context Greece will also speed up the use of the EU funding available under its national programs. I welcome the appointment of coordinators on the islands," he said. On his part, Tsipras said that on Thursday in Ukraine there was a positive reference to the efforts on the visa liberalisation which, as he said, will be very good if its achieved before summer taking into account that Greece is the most safe tourist destination in the region of southeastern Mediterrenean. Tsipras said that our target is to attract over 30 million tourists this year and every action will contribute positively to this.

̀igration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas was also present at the meeting.

[02] Econ. Minister meets Canada's envoy, sees swift conclusion of second review

Among others, the minister focused on recent legislative initiatives aiming to attract foreign investors, such as bills on public contracts and issue of business licences designed to facilitate future investments by reducing red tape.

During the meeting, Morrill noted that 2017 marks the 75th year since Greece and Canada established diplomatic relations, making it a "first-class opportunity to further promote bilateral ties on a political and economic level." He welcomed the Greek government's initiatives to facilitate investors, saying that these addressed problems dating back many years and expressed conviction that this will result in more investment activity. The ambassador also confirmed Canada's enduring investment interest in Greece and his willingness to assist Greece's efforts to attract Canadian investors and boost Greek exports.

The minister said that Greek-Canadian relations were traditionally close, due both to an active Greek-Canadian community and the steady trade ties between the two countries.

[03] Greece's National Library prepares for historic move, transition to new era

Paradoxically, after languishing unheeded for many years as its needs grew ever greater, the donation of the SNFCC to the Greek state means that the National Library is experiencing this great historic moment in the midst of Greece's crisis. In its new 22,000-square metre premises, it will provide the Greek public with access to a wealth of Greek knowledge and literature, either directly or in digital form, or through temporary exhibitions.

At the building on Panepistimiou Street, feverish preparations are underway ahead of the move. The reading room has been temporarily closed to the public and every corner is a hive of activity, with library employees and external staff, conservators in white coats and plastic gloves preparing the collections to be transferred, once the SNFCC is officially turned over to the Greek State on February 23.

The move is expected to last up to six months and the library will then operate on a trial basis for about two months before an official inauguration in the autumn. The old building on Panepistimiou Street is destined to reopen as a reading room and as a conference and exhibition space in the city centre.

Preparing for the move

Talking about the preparations underway, National Library director Dr. Philippos Tsimboglou told the ANA that the library's entire collection of books and periodicals, estimated at 760,000 volumes and other items, is to be moved.

"The order in which they are transferred will be determined by a series of factors, including weather conditions, humidity conditions, the progress of work in the two buildings and others," he said.

The massive project of cleaning the collections has now been completed, and external crews have in recent months been working on fitting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems on the collection. The work involves sticking labels on each volume and scanning 400,000 covers to create a complete electronic catalogue for the library.

The books, periodicals and newspapers, each item individually accounted for, will then be ready to be packed in boxes for the transfer to the new building.

According to Christina Tsaroucha, in charge of the National Library's conservation workshop, this process is also an opportunity for conservators to examine the condition of the items in the collections.

She explained that special materials were chosen to affix the RFID, which do not damage the paper, since the labels needed to be stuck on "exceptional papers, decorated, using handmade marble glues, in historic bindings. For some of the more damaged or fragile volumes, where the paper could not come into direct contact with the label, these were first enclosed in transparent bags with the label inserted inside.

In cases where the bindings have started to come apart, the books are held together using white cotton tape. "We do not do restoration here, except 'rescue operations' on items where there is urgent need, such as when they are to take part in some exhibition. Restoration will begin in the very well equipped laboratory in the new building," she said.

"In our sector, the equipment is very expensive so the new building is an opportunity for us to organise an ultra-modern lab to high standards, with new machinery," she added. She noted that extra staff recently taken on by the Library – though far short of the 286 needed to run it at full efficiency – would increase the number of conservators working at the library to nine.

Rare Treasures

The National Library's collection includes a number of original editions from the earliest days of the printing press, such as the 1476 book "Epitome of the Eight Parts of Speech and Other Sundry Necessities" by Constantinos Laskaris printed in Milan or a first edition of the Homeric epics printed in Florence in 1488 and others. There is also a large collection of hand-written codices, rare maps, engravings and other items either purchased, donated or presented under the depot legal, a law requiring that two copies of each Greek edition be given to the National Library dating back to its foundation in 1834.

Set apart in the preparation process were the books and publications that are exceptionally old or have rare historic or artistic value. They were added to the already existing special, closed collection of the National Library's valuable items, including some 10,255 rare print publications, put together by Yiannis Kokkonas, a professor at the Ionian University's Archives, Library Science and Museology Department.

On books and the love of reading

The real treasures of the National Library are not hidden only on its bookshelves but also within its Archives Service, which is being scientifically organised for the first time by historians Dimitra Samiou and Dimitra Vasiliadou. The library archive dates back to its foundation in 1834 and includes more than 40,000 items that are being constantly added to: loose documents and ledgers, correspondence with readers and state services, donation documents, requests by impoverished readers and students. Among those signing these documents are Emmanouil Roidis, Nikolaos Politis, Tellos Agra and other major Greek authors that served on the library's staff.

"Once it is all fully classified, everyone will have access. The aim is to digitise and post it on the internet," Samiou told ANA, noting that this will be a valuable resource for the history of the National Library but also for the

[04] Greek state to take over 112.3 mln euro of EIB loans to Athens Concert Hall

The amount of unpaid capital on the loan, not including interest, amounted to 112,292,421.23 euros on January 1 and this debt is now taken over by the state. The amount of the first disbursement of the loan comes due on December 25, 2028, while the amount for the second disbursement comes due on June 15, 2030. The interest on both disbursements is at a fixed rate of 4.77 pct annually and 3.59 pct annually, respectively.

The monitoring, budgeting and servicing of the unpaid debts will be taken over by the Greek Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) from January 1.

The decision incurs an additional expense for the state budget in the financial years 2017 to 2030 that will be covered by borrowing to service public debt.

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