The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 01-12-20

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] NEWS IN ENGLISH

20/12/2001 11:41:00 рм

- Weather conditions to deteriorate again

- Simitis announces national action plan against drugs

- Argentina in turmoil due to economic crisis

- Discussion on budget to end Thursday

- Strikes

- One of Patelis' priorities is to link tourism with culture

- Aktor to construct the suburban railway to Athens airport

- Inflation continues downward course in most Euro-zone countries

- 1.29% rise in the ASE yesterday

[02] Weather conditions to deteriorate again

A record breaking -24 degrees Celsius was the temperature reached in Nevrokopi, Drama, while the temperature in the city of Larissa is unbelievable, where the thermometer read -20 this morning.

The lake of Kastoria is completely frozen over, transforming it into a gigantic ice skating ring. The roads are dangerous because the cold has made the snow freeze making travelling on the main and provincial networks of N. Greece extremely difficult and only with anti-skid car chains.

[03] Simitis announces national action plan against drugs

[04] Argentina in turmoil due to economic crisis

Riot police fired tear gas to disperse tens of thousands of angry protesters who had gathered outside the presidential palace in the capital Buenos Aires.

Running battles broke out, with protesters throwing stones at the police, and some rioters set fire to the economy ministry.

The latest protests began with people banging pots and pans and blowing car horns, angry at the government's declaration of a state of emergency, which went into effect at midnight local time

The government was responding to riots in which at least four people were killed and dozens injured. Thousands of people went on the rampage, ransacking shops and supermarkets in the worst civil unrest to grip Argentina since 1989.

Several other ministers are said to have offered their resignations; the BBC's Tom Gibb in Buenos Aires says most Argentines do not trust any of their politicians and this appears to be a revolt against a whole political class.

[05] Discussion on budget to end Thursday

Meanwhile the revenues of the 2001 budget appear to have risen by 7.1% stated Deputy Finance Minister Apostolos Fotiadis.

The opposition criticised the new budget, with the Greek Communist party and Coalition of the Left and Progress party describing it as anti-social. From his side, Pasok MP Theodoros Pangalos criticised the way the government for the way it handled the issues of unemployment and the briefing of the people on the euro.

[06] Strikes

Meanwhile, the General Confederation of Greek Workers is meeting today to examine the new collective employment agreement.

At the same time, the Journalists Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA) is to stage a three-hour stoppage from 13:00-16:00 hours today.

Kiosk owners in Athens from their side are holding a 24-hour strike as of today, demanding a legal framework for the functioning of kiosks. Kiosk owners are to meet outside the Town Hall at 14:00 hours today.

Finally, the Social Security Institutes (IKA) in Athens and Piraeus are to function on sceleton staff today due to the general assembly of the Institutes doctors.

[07] One of Patelis' priorities is to link tourism with culture

A drive being prepared by the GNTO would include linking all forms of culture in a bid to attract visitors with an interest in the arts, Patelis told a book presentation at the National Art Gallery in Athens.

Included would be a focus on the contemporary arts in Greece in a programme that would culminate with the Athens 2004 Olympics, he added.

Aktor to construct the suburban railway to Athens airport

A consortium led by Athens-quoted engineering contractor Aktor was named the winner on Wednesday of a government tender for construction of a suburban railway to Athens airport from the Aharnon railway centre.

The stretch of railway, which is budgeted at 30 billion drachmas, will help to handle increased passenger movement in the 2004 Athens Olympics, beyond easing daily travel for commuters.

Handling the project is Ergose, the projects subsidiary of state owned Hellenic Railways Organisation.

The five shortlisted engineering contractors were Hochtief AG, which built the airport; Terna, GEK and Impregilo Spa; Astaldi; AEGEK with Evklidis, ETEP and Meton; and the consortium led by Aktor, which also includes Hellenic Technodomiki and TEB.

[08] Inflation continues downward course in most Euro-zone countries

Based on the figures published yesterday by the European Union Statistics Agency, Eurostat, the inflation rate dropped to 2.1% in the Euro-zone in the month of November from 2.4% in October, while last November it was at 2.9%.

In Greece, the harmonized inflation in November was 2.9%.

In Greece, the average inflation rate at a 12month basis was at 3.7% in November, while the average percentage for the Euro-countries in November was at 2.7%.

[09] 1.29% rise in the ASE yesterday

Of the stocks traded yesterday, 263 recorded gains and 31had losses, while the value of 71 stocks remained unchanged.

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