The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-07-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

(10/7/2003 11:21:00 ðì)

[02] Simitis proposes change of electoral system amid reactions

The Prime Minister stressed the need for the reforming of the electoral system, raising the issues of MPs election and the division of big regions.

At the same time, the opposition parties reacted to Mr Simitis' announcements.

New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis called on the Prime Minister to abandon any attempts for the change of the electoral law, adding that Mr Simitis' proposal serves petty party expediencies so that the governing party's electoral defeat is averted.

Additionally, the ND leader stated that Mr Simitis did not mean what he said regarding transparency and the Athens Stock Market and demanded income checks by the Electoral Committee from 1974 and onwards.

From his side, the government spokesman Christos Protopapas stated that Mr Karamanlis worries of losing the coming Parliamentary elections, describing his criticism sterile and negative.

In an interview with our station the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Costas Gitonas said that the government's proposal for the electoral law constitute an invitation for dialogue among political parties that aim at political stability.

Meanwhile, the political parties of the Left support the simple analogue electoral system.

The Communist party of Greece from its side refused to participate in any discussions on additional changes in the electoral law, describing the proposals regarding transparency hypocritical.

The Synaspismos party leader Nikos Konstantopoulos accused Mr Simitis of demagogy and degenerative phenomena in public life. DIKKI party spoke of hypocrisy.

Finally, the PASOK Executive Bureau that met for the first time yesterday under its new structure decided to hold a national conference in January.

(10/7/2003 11:29:00 ðì)

[03] Orestiada shaken by earthquakes

(10/7/2003 11:30:00 ðì)

[04] Eurostat bureaucrats accused of fraud

An initial inquiry had suggested widespread and serious wrongdoing, a European Commission report to the European Parliament said.

The three people facing the disciplinary proceedings are believed to include the agency's former head, Yves Franchet and the two assistant directors Daniel Bik and Fotis Nanopoulos.

Mr Franchet, and another senior director stepped down in May, denying any wrongdoing.

The claims against Eurostat centre on the awarding of contracts.

Investigators believe that the value of some contracts was artificially inflated, allowing extra money to syphoned off for other purposes.

The abuse of funds is believed to go back to 1989.

A 20-strong team from the commission will now join experts from the EU's anti-fraud office in probing the alleged fraud further.

The report says Eurostat's archives were "secured" on Tuesday.

Eurostat supplies information on EU facts and figures to the financial markets, journalists and others.

From their side, at a Press Conference that took place in Brussels yesterday Commisioners Neal Kinock and Pedro Solbes said that no embezzlement accusation of community funds could be launched yet and the same time excluded.

(10/7/2003 11:32:00 ðì)

[05] 11th Panhellinic Journalists Conference opens in Samothrace

More than 600 journalists from Greece, Cyprus and abroad are expected to attend the conference. Attending also will be men of letters and politics as well as athletes.

The opening ceremony will take place at Chora Square tomorrow evening by ATHENS 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki.

(10/7/2003 11:33:00 ðì)

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