The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-07-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Two-Hour Stoppage for Bank Employees Working Hours at Focus

By Despina Hristopoulou

The dialogue between the government and social partners opened today over changes in working hours and overtime payments. At this hour, Employment Ministry Panos Panagiotopoulos is meeting with the Federation of Greek Commercial Unions, while due to the absence of Christos Polyzogopoulos, who is abroad, Mr Panagiotopoulos will be meeting with GSEE (Greek General Confederation of Labour) on Monday. However, the Confederation stressed it will not discuss the deregulation of labour relations and will not take part in the dialogue if any legislative measures are taken throughout its duration. In the meantime, small and medium size businesses and commercial employees are on a 24-hour strike today, thus reacting to the shopping hours Bill promoted to Parliament. However, despite the strike, shops will remain open, while the Piraeus Commercial Union decided not to take part in the strike. Bank employees in Attica have also announced a two-stoppage from 13:15 to 15:15.

Protests at the Heart of Athens

At the same time, commercial employees in Athens have scheduled a protest at Klafthmonos square at 13:00 and then a rally towards the Parliament. OTOE (Hellenic Federation of Bank Employees Unions) is participating in collective actions with a two-hour stoppage, while bank employees will gather at Klafthmonos square to protest with commercial employees, who are on strike.

Commercial employees affiliated to PAME held a separate rally protesting for the extended working hours at 11:00 outside "FOKAS" department store in Stadiou street.

GSEE-GSEVEE Reactions

Deputy Minister for Employment Gerasimos Giakoumatos voiced the Government's wish for a real and overt dialogue speaking on NET radio 105.8, stressing that "this cannot happen if unions hide behind certain positions." "Mr Karamanlis gave a clear order to facilitate the working environment and create new job openings. Our aim is to bring unemployment below 10%," noted Mr giakoumatos, clarifying that no extreme decisions will ever be made.

"This Babel, 54 laws, 54 different working hours have no reason. There should be national working hours, the same for all, and from then onwards each prefect has the right to make changes," ended the deputy minister.

As for GSEE (Greek General Confederation of Labour) alternate president Alekos Kalyvis, he underlined on NET radio 105.8 that "the Government chooses a policy of further deregulation."

"We set certain terms and conditions so that the dialogue could have an essential meaning. The most important among them is that the Government should pledge not to proceed with a legislative amendment if an agreement is not reached," added Mr Kalyvis, stressing that "the Government creates conditions for a parody-dialogue."

"There was no dialogue. We had two meetings with the minister, who simply told us he will not back down. That's not dialogue," said GSEVEE (General Confederation of Small and Medium Businesses) President Dimitris Asimakopoulos.

Profit will be for the very few, so that only big businesses can survive, while small ones are certain to close down," stressed Mr Asimakopoulos.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[02] DNA Test Will Shed Light EMAK Rescue Crew on Taygetos

By Despina Hristopoulou

Sources: NET Radio 105.8

An EMAK rescue crew of eight men and Fire Brigade officers from Sparti and the Lakonia Police headquarters departed at 04:30 on Wednesday morning for the top of Mount Taygetos. Their operation is to carry the bones that were found at the location of Portes and are believed to belong to Philosophy Professor at the Athens University Dimitris Liadinis. The operation, which is coordinated by Sparti Fire Brigade Chief Konstantinos Vounasis, is expected to be completed at noon. A DNA test will hopefully provide a solution to the mystery and show if the bones actually belong to the professor. As per information, those who found the bones were the late professor's wife, daughter and son-in-law yesterday, precisely seven years after he had disappeared. In fact, before the disappearance, Liadinis had confessed to one of his cousins he was going to leave and even told him the place he was to find him. However, he had also asked him not to look for him before the completion of seven years from his disappearance.

As Liadinis wife had said, he had chosen the time and day of his death, as he wanted to be his and not the grim reaper's.

"I will try and live the dear death of Oedipus," the professor wrote among others.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[03] New Zarqawi Message Al Qaeda Extends its Web

By Despina Hristopoulou

Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi announced the formation of a new armed wing to fight the Badr Brigade. As per an audio tape attributed to him and posted on the Internet on Tuesday, "We in al Qaeda Organisation for Holy War in Iraq announce the formation of a military brigade named Omar Brigade, to cut off the symbols and factions of the treacherous Badr Brigade." In the meantime, according to the Arab television network Al Jazeera, citing its reporter in Jordan, Jordanian authorities arrested al-Zarqawi's spiritual mentor, Isham Barqawi, also known as Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Maqdisi.

At the same time, on Tuesday night another US soldier lost his life to an explosive device in the Dijala province, north of Baghdad, which brings the US death toll since March 2003 to 1,736 people. Two more soldiers were injured in the same incident.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

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