The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-02-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Buried by an Avalanche Tragedy With Five Climbers on Mainalon

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: NET, NET RADIO 105.8, ANA

Five people were killed and another six were injured lightly when they were buried by an avalanche, at 1:30pm in the location Ostrakina in Mt Mainalon. The causes of the avalanche remain unknown. The victims are three men and two women, out of the 32 members of the Athens Climbers Club, who were on a field trip to explore the area. The wounded were immediately transferred to the Panarkadiko Hospital. A Super Puma helicopter, 50 firemen and a 15-member EMAK crew participated in the search and rescue operation. As per the first clues, the avalanche was probably caused by the translocation of a helicopter, which was carrying skiers from lower to higher ski-runs.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[02] Measures to be Announced by the Archbishop Breach in Institutions

By Annita Paschalinou

Two opinion polls publicized today show that faith in the Church has been shaken and the Archbishops image has been damaged. According to a VPRC poll conducted for Kiriakatiki Eleftherotypia, 53 percent consider that that corruption in Church has increased over the last years and 68 percent accuse the Archbishop of being responsible for the ecclesiastical crisis. A Kapa Research poll showed the people have lost their faith in top institutions, while the majority view the potential separation of State-Church positively. At the same time, departing Greek President Kostis Stefanopoulos declared from Litochoro, "Democracy is capable of self-catharsis," thus indirectly intervening in the public dialogue of the last few days.

People's Messages

Revelations for corruption in the Church have shocked public opinion and it appears they have also affected the institution of the Church and the popularity of Archbishop Christodoulos. At least this has arisen from the VPRC and Kapa Research opinion polls conducted for Kiriakatiki Eleftherotypia and Vima tis Kiriakis newspapers respectively.

According to the VPRC poll, 53 percent consider that corruption in Church has increased over the last years, while 38 percent supported that things were always as such.

What is more, 68 percent accused the Archbishop of being responsible for the ecclesiastical crisis, while only 18 percent felt that he is not to blame for what's been going on.

The poll also showed there is no case of removing the Primus of the Greek Church, as 62 percent feel there is no need to change the leadership, while only 21 percent asked for the election of a new Archbishop.

According to the Kapa Research poll conducted for Vima tis Kiriakis, 66.7 percent are losing faith in the institutions, while 79.5 percent feel that corruption phenomena will never be wiped out.

At the same time, 64.7 percent view the potential separation of the state from the Church positively.

Measures for Clean Up

In an effort to settle the crisis that has erupted in the Greek Church, Archbishop Christodoulos is having a marathon of contacts with Metropolitan Bishops to reach consensus in order to unanimously approve the measures for the clean-up.

The measures which will be announced at the end of the month include according to information commoners in the Church's decision making, modernization and transparency in ecclesiastical justice and financial matters.

What is more, there will be strict control so that unworthy clergymen are not included in the Church, while there is a great possibility that Metropolitan Bishops will be audited for the financial status.

This morning, referring to everything that was said by the alternate government spokesperson, the Metropolitan Bishop of Piraeus, Kallinikos, declared after Mass in the church of Agia Triada, "The Church is capable of cleaning itself up."

However, other clergymen also referred to the latest developments in the area of the Church.

The Metropolitan Bishop of Thessaloniki, Anthimos, who ordained a new priest today, also referred to the temptations of some clerics, who are the ones responsible for this crisis. "The carnal desires, money and power are three temptations," said Mr Anthimos, while he also expressed the belief that the members of the clergy will insist until the Church emerges victorious.

During his sermon, the Metropolitan Bishop of Kalavryta, Amvrosios, referred to the insignificant clerics who perform these deeds, and described them as "trash" and "vermin", which gain some importance only because they are blessed when they enter the Church.

The Synodical Hierarchs will convene anew on Monday presided by the Archbishop, while the Hierarchy will hold an emergency assembly in late February.

Stefanopoulos' Intervention

In the meantime, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Kostis Stefanopoulos, indirectly intervened in the public dialogue of the last few days, declaring, "Democracy is capable of self-catharsis."

Specifically, in a speech he made in Litochoro, answering to Mayor Giorgos Papathanasiou, who said, "His clean and sincere political utterance is the beacon of public life and should show the way to younger politicians," Mr Stefanopoulos referred to Greeces democratic government. "It can be fearlessly and proudly compared to any other government of the West," he stressed.

Meanwhile, he noted that some not very desirable phenomena do emerge from Greeces democratic regime, however, he added "Democracy is able to operate based on its institutions and it will eventually be proven that even in this case it will operate without any violent intervention or outside help in order to bring about the desired results." In another part of his speech, the Greek President indirectly criticized the policies implemented in the Arab world by the USA, as well as other western powers.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[03] New Revelations from NET No End to Vavilis' Shenanigans

Sources: NET

New revelations keep coming to light regarding Apostolos Vavilis illegal activities. TV station NET revealed new shocking information, according to which during 2001 Vavilis was working for a brokerage in Athens, owned by the nephews of the Metropolitan Bishop of Leros and Kalymnos, Nektarios. Speaking exclusively on NET, Mr Nektarios confirmed that Vavilis was connected to the brokerage, while he also said that he knew about the enthronement of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Eirinaios.

Illegal Businesses in Italy and Albania

Moreover, according to NETs exclusive story, Apostolos Vavilis, along with Giannis Triantafyllakis, was involved in illegal activities in Calabria, Italy. As per the story, he was appearing as a monk of the Patriarchate under the name Raphael, while he was last seen a month ago, when visiting the Orthodox monasteries of Calabria. Actually, Vavilis also had his photograph taken for a calendar depicting these monasteries. The photo shoot took place sometime between November and December 2004, at which time the man with a thousand faces tried to have a book about Calabria published, by coming into contact with a well-known publishing house in Athens.

Furthermore, Vavilis was also involved in illegal activities in Albania at the time of the bank pyramid scandals, profiting from the scam. He had also co-written a book on the fight against drugs with retired Hellenic Police officer Giannis Triantafyllakis, which was taught to police academy cadets. Actually, although Vavilis is also wanted by Interpol, he managed to have a passport issued under his real name, Apostolos Kavaleras.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related News:

Vavilis: Hellenic Police Informer

[04] Healthy Marriage an Elixir of Life Stress-Relief Marriage

By Annita Paschalinou

Marriage, provided it is a healthy one, is the best protection potion for your health and a happiness elixir. At least that is what American scientists say after a yearlong study on 22,000 people aged 50 to 60. According to the findings, couples that stay married until death do them part are not only happier, they are also healthier than divorced people or faithful bachelors. Even if they do remarry, says the study, the wounds of the first marriage cannot be healed.

Married Couples in Advantageous Place

The study started in 1992. Every two years the 22,000 people that took part answered a relevant questionnaire. With the pass of time it was attested that those who remained married and had a healthy marriage were in better mental and physical state.

In these cases marriage operates as the best stress-relief. "In a healthy marriage, being able to talk to your mate about your problems is a way to be relieved from stress," stressed Linda Whait, American Demography professor, who presented the findings of the study at the Family Studies Australian Institute conference. And this something the world should know and make their choices.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[05] RASS Poll on Municipal Elections The Most Popular for the Athens Municipality

By Annita Paschalinou

Over 60 percent of Athenians and 49 percent of Piraeus would revote Dora Bakoyiannis and Christos Agrapidis respectively, according to a RASS opinion poll for municipal elections conducted for PARON newspaper. Health Minister Nikitas Kaklamanis and Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis are in top places as the most suitable mayors, while Liana Kanelli, Alexandros Likourezos and Giannis Dimaras follow suit.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[06] Without Reports on Victims or Damages Six Magnitude Quake Shook Indonesia

By Annita Paschalinou

A strong quake of 6 on the Richter scale shook the Aceh province of Indonesia at 8.22 local time (03.22 Greek time). Its epicenter was located in the Indian Ocean, 88km away from Bada Aceh and has a focal depth of 30km. So far there have been no reports on victims or damages. This is one of the strongest aftershocks after the 9 Richter quake that destroyed Indonesia on December 26.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[07] Fair Draw

By Vasilis Kalpinos

The two opponents shared the points and the impressions in Neapoli Stadium. The match was probably not the most exciting, since both teams had few opportunities to score, while they both demonstrated their strength. Egaleo was the first to score with Barkoglou in the 37, while the home team tied the score in the 55 with Coimbra. The match ended with a score of 1 all, and both teams leaving the pitch satisfied.

Equal in All Respects

Only a few opportunities presented themselves in front of the nets throughout the match. None of the teams seemed superior in the first half, while they both mainly played in the centre. Probably the only highlight of this half was in the 37, at which time Ilie Dumitrescus squad scored the goal. Tsatsos through ball from the right was caught by Giorgos Barkoglou, who sent the ball to Beqazs nets and reached eight goals in this years championship.

The second half was just as lukewarm, with the only high spot being the equalizer scored by the home team in the 55. Following Vourexakis header, which hit Sidibes post, Coimbra caught the ball and scored his first goal with Ionikos colours. Nothing changed from then onwards, while the final score of 1-1 was quite satisfactory for both teams.

Referee: Karatzas

Yellow Cards: King, Vourexakis, Ucar, Psomas, Gavrilopoulos, Alexopoulos

IONIKOS: Beqaz, King, Kotitsas (46´ Da Costa), Issa, Natsouras (69´ Lettieri), Maggos (46´ Rokas), Vourezakis, Ucar, Makor, Gavrilopoulos, Coimbra.

EGALEO: Sidibe, Amponsah, Alexopoulos, Psomas, Christou, Fotakis, Aggos (70´ Simic), Tsatsos, Barkoglou (57´ Chloros), Manousakis, Nikolopoulos (54´ Makris).

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[08] It Missed its Opportunity

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Today, AEK missed out on the opportunity to come within four points of Olympiacos in Nea Smyrni. Fernando Santos team drew against Panionios, which played with stamina and managed to take an early lead with a free kick by newly acquired Kiassos. AEK tied the score from the offset of the second half with a goal by the captain, Kostas Katsouranis, but that was just about it. The result seems fair, considering the performances of the two teams, however, AEK has been left behind in the race for the title, while Panionios is hoping for a place in the UEFA Cup.

Goal from the Offset

Even before the two teams had time to warm up, Panionios took the lead with an early goal.

The team from Nea Smyrni was awarded a free kick from just outside the penalty area and Kiassos sent the ball straight to Chiotis nets, and Santos boys back to the centre.

Having secured the lead, Giorgos Vazakas squad gave AEK some room, as they drew back and employed a double defence line with key players in the centre, thus keeping Santos boys away from its posts.

With Lymberopoulos, Krassas and Cesar basically blocked in the offence, AEK could not penetrate through Panionios defence in order to create any opportunities to score.

It was also evident, that the quick goal seriously affected AEKs players and as result they could not think clearly.

The only one who seemed unaffected by the situation was Ilias Kyriakidis, who kept trying to curb Panionios attempts in the centre, as well as set up the rest of his teammates.

As a result of this inactivity, as well as Panionios great defensive play, AEK had its first opportunity to score in the 33, when Cesar passed to Lymberopoulos, whose attempt was blocked by Drobny.

Panionios goalkeeper was also the star a minute later, when following a mistake by Galanopoulos, he saved the ball and sent it wide for a corner.

On the other hand, Panionios nearly scored a second goal in the 41 with Breska, who raced in from the left, entered the penalty area and kicked the ball, but it missed, passing just inches from Chiotis left goalpost.

Payback Time

The second half started off a bit more strongly, with Panionios trying to score yet another quick goal and thus seal the game, as well as AEK looking for the equalizer.

The first opportunity for Panionios came in the 56. Tsiolis kicked from the corner, but Chiotis cleared the ball for another corner after saving Salihis bicycle kick.

Three minutes later, AEK tied the score with a kick by team captain Kostas Katsouranis. The 25-year-old midfielder managed to score a goal with a turn around shot, after receiving Lymberopoulos free kick.

Panionios reacted almost immediately and in the 61 Salihi kicked from the right, but Chiotis yet again cleared the ball for a corner.

From then onwards the game became very exciting and fast-paced, since both teams were yearning for the three points and were practically flying through the pitch, in search of a goal.

At the same time, Fernando Santos sent in the reinforcements in the faces of Konstantinidis and Kampantais, while Giorgos Vazakas sent in Manztios, which demonstrated that both coaches were not happy with a draw.

In the 81 AEK came close scoring a second goal, when Konstantinidis long kick hit Drobnys crossbar.

A minute later it was Panionios turn to nearly score, but Chiotis excellently saved Tsiolis shot.

Santos then decided to throw in his last weapon, substituting Cesar for Assunsao, while Vazakas replaced Tsiolis with Patsiavouras.

Despite all the efforts from the bench though, nothing changed until the end of the match, and as a result AEK missed its great opportunity to climb up the rankings and catch up to Olympiacos. On the other hand, Panionios was left hoping for a position that will lead to the UEFA Cup.

Referee: Stylianaras

Yellow Cards: Salihi, Bourbos, Moras.

PANIONIOS: Drobny, Tsiolis, Vlcek, Makos, Tziolis (87´ Patsiavouras), Zimonjic, Galanopoulos, Kiassos (73´ Domoraud), Goundoulakis, Breska, Salihi (84´ Mantzios).

AEK: Chiotis, Katsouranis, Alves, Kontis, Bourbos, Moras, Kyriakidis, Ivic (80´ Kampantais), Cesar (84´ Assunsao), Krassas (67´ Konstantinidis), Lymberopoulos.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[09] Iraklis Hits PAOK Head On

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

During a game that did not have much to offer performance-wise, Iraklis managed to emerge victorious in Thessalonikis derby against PAOK, with a goal by Fortuzi in the 65. So, Savvas Kofidis team sealed a much-needed win, which allowed it to unlock itself from the bottom of the rankings and can now breathe easier, as its future in the A Ethniki looks rosier. On the other hand, PAOK lost a lot of ground in the effort it is making to secure a spot in the UEFA Cup.

Stressed for the Victory

Both teams from Thessaloniki were stressing for the victory and the subsequent three points and so mainly locked themselves in the defence and tried to score goals through counterattacks. As a result, only a few opportunities presented themselves in front of the nets.

Iraklis missed an opportunity early on in the 3, when Lagos free kick was going straight to Seghiri, but Zografakis jumped in and sent the ball wide to a corner. In the 19, PAOKs defence showed some slack and as a result Tohouroglou had to intervene quickly and effectively in front of Kapetanos.

In the 31, Epalles through ball to Kapetanos ricocheted off Udeze, while four minutes later, a free kick by Megahead momentarily threatened Amparis posts, but eventually went wide.

PAOK entered the pitch strongly in the second half and missed an opportunity to score in the 55, when Egomitis, after receiving a pass by Salpiggidis, was defeated by Amparis at the nets. Iraklis goalkeeper reacted just as effectively in the 60, when he kicked away a ball by Sapliggidis.

The moment that sealed the match came five minutes later, when Fortuzi scored a goal for Iraklis, just after Kapetanos failed to curb Tohouroglous resistance. Actually, PAOKs players complained that the player was offside.

And although everyone was expecting PAOK to up its performance and tie the score, it was Iraklis that missed another two opportunities to score towards the end of the match with Pantelis Kapetanos. In the 84 Tohouroglou saved the strikers kick for goal, while just before the final whistle he was intercepted by PAOKs defence.

Referee: Giannis Spyropoulos

Yellow Cards: Papazacharias, Lagos-Zografakis, Udeze

IRAKLIS: Ambaris, Seghiri, Sznaucner, Papazacharias, Katsampis, Poursanidis, Ioannou, Lagos, P. Kapetanos (89´ Diamantidis), Epalle (87´ Keita), Papapostolou (63´ Fortuzi).

PAOK: Tohouroglou, Zisopoulos, Koutsopoulos, Chasiotis, Megahead (87´ Karadimos), Udeze, Zavantias (61´ Maladenis), Egomitis, Zografakis, Giasemi (61´ Mieciel), Salpigidis.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[10] A Step Closer to Staying

By Vasilis Kalpinos

Four goals and a very exciting and tough game were the main characteristics of the match in Kallitheas home pitch. Takis Lemonis team managed to win and take the three points, so as a result they tied with Chalkidona in the rankings. On the other hand, Paraschos team only showed some interesting game plays in the second half and therefore could not help but lose. It is worth noting that Chalkidona had a streak of four draws up until today, while they had not received a goal for a bit over 400 minutes of play. The home team led by 2-0 in a matter of a couple of minutes (20 Koulakiotis, 22 Tsigas), while Chalkidona closed the gap with Pappas in the added time of the first half. The final score of 3-1 came in the 85 with Kyriakos.

They Wanted to Win

The match started off slowly, with both teams trying to work each other out. However, after the 10 mark, Kallithea took control of the game and scored two goals in just two minutes; in the 20 with Koulakiotis and in the 22 with Tsigas. Chalkidona made a comeback towards the end of the first half and closed the gap to 2-1 with Pappas, promising an interesting second half.

As it had nothing to lose and plenty to gain, Chalkidona entered the pitch in the second half with renewed strength. Actually, in the 50 it came close to scoring an equalizer, but Zacharopoulos did not manage to beat Bartzokas at the nets. In the 67, Alexis Alexandris came in as a substitute, replacing Tsigas and was fervently applauded by Kallitheas fans. Meanwhile, Chalkidona continued its improved performance and kept attacking in the offence, but was unable to see its efforts through (Moyos kick in the 74 went wide). Finally, Kallithea scored the goal that sealed the match in the 85 by Kyriakos, after an excellent through ball by Alexandris.

Yellow Cards: Karatzas, Koutsospyros, Bartzokas, Dragicevic - Pappas, Korakakis, Iliopoulos.

KALLITHEA: Bartzokas, Georgiev, Telkinski (59´ Wanga), Vokolos, Koulakiotis, Tzorbatzakis, Dragicevic, Kyriakos, Koutsospyros (76´ Aggelopoulos), Karatzas, Tsigas (67´ Alexandris).

CHALKIDONA: Andriolas, Sotirchos, Geladaris, Dagas, Dimos, Korakakis, Pappas (73´ Moyo), Koutsis, Korbos (66´ Al Jaher), Zacharopoulos, Iliopoulos (83´ Mascado).

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[11] For Voluntary Retirement and Social Security OTE and Banks on Strike

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: NET

The Hellenic Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE) and the employees of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) have announced that they will be on strike on Monday. Specifically, tomorrow the banks will operate with emergency staff, due to the 24-hour strike called by OTOE, following the breakdown of negotiations between the management of the banks, the employees and the government. On the other hand, all OTE employees will proceed with a 24-hour strike, demanding that the management does not go ahead with implementing the measure of voluntary retirement, before securing that the financial incentives are satisfactory. As a result, 550 OTE branches throughout Greece, as well as all OTE information Call Centers will remain closed tomorrow.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[12] OFI's Leap to UEFA

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Sources: ANA

Despite the fact that it suffered a minor setback, as it was trailing in the score from the 14 (Demba), OFI managed to make a comeback and with continuous counterattacks it defeated Kerkyra on home ground by 3-1 (43 Machlas, 58 Dejanov, 66 Nuafor). This victory has kept OFIs hopes alive for a place in the UEFA Cup, while, on the other hand, Kerkyra may be facing relegation with this loss.

Twenty Hellish Minutes

OFI entered the pitch offensively against a team that demonstrated right from the offset that it was ready to pounce with counterattacks. The home team lost a great opportunity in the 9 with Machlas, as his kick went wide, but it was Kerkyra that celebrated first in the 14 when Demba-Nyrin scored a goal after an excellent pass by Niniadis. OFI lost another opportunity three minutes later, with Nuafor trying to beat Vezyridis at the nets twice.

The Cretans lost yet another chance to score in the 40, when Vezyridis saved a goal by Machlas and immediately after Gitas caught up to Stavrakakis and sent the ball wide. However, OFIs persistence bore fruit in the 43, as Machlas header off Dejanovs corner kick tied the score at 1 all.

The home team reestablished their power during the first twenty minutes of the second half, as they managed to score two goals and basically seal the match. Specifically, in the 58, Dejanovs strong kick sent the ball to the nets making the score 2-1, while in the 66, it was Nuafor who overpowered Vezyridis, bringing the score to 3-1. The rest of the match did not hide any more surprises, as OFI was content to keep the score as it was, while on the other hand, Giorgos Firos players lost faith and could not overturn the result. Despite this, in the 85 Antoniou had a chance to make the score 3-2, but Arvanitis saved the ball on the line.

Referee: Vassilis Terovitsas

Yellow Cards: Adamos, Machlas, Belevonis, - Boughanem, Demba, Ribeiro, Sfakianakis, Niniadis, Gitas

OFI: Sifakis, Adamos, Pitsos, Kounenakis, Arvanitis, Belevonis, Stavrakakis (77´ Koutsoures), Machlas, Dejanov (82´ Triantafyllou), Nuafor (86´ Kolitsidakis), Khachatrian.

KERKYRA: Vezyridis, Sfakianakis, Amanatidis, Syros, Boughanem (71´ Gimbro), Ribeiro, Demba (67´ Edaye), Niniadis, Fofonka, Gitas, Braga (45´ Antoniou).

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

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