The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 06-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Director under Suspension Sanctions for Athens Prison

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: ΝΕΤ

Greek Justice Minister Anastasis Papaligouras imposed administrative sanctions for the death of three inmates and the injury of a fourth by the fire that broke out in Korydallos Prison, Athens, on Friday. Mr Papaligouras also placed the Director of the Prison, Giorgos Marinaros, under suspension. He further declared that the Sworn Administrative Inquiry and the prosecutors investigation would shed light to the tragic incidents, hinting of possible responsibilities being laid on penitentiary employees. The prisons administration announced that all the possibilities are being considered, apart from criminal activity, which has been ruled out by police based on the initial evidence. On Saturday, Mr Papaligouras visited inmate Radu Nikolae, 32, who was critically injured in the fire, at the Red Cross Hospital.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

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[02] By Masked Youths Incidents at Economics Uni

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: ΝΕΤ - ΝΕΤ 105.8 - ANA

Serious incidents were recorded at 4am in the centre of Athens by masked youths who had attended a party at the University of Economics. The incidents erupted when approximately 50 masked youths went up on the roof of the building and started throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails. At the same time, 150 youths wreaked havoc on Patission Street by moving rubbish bins to the middle of the street and setting one of them on fire. They then caused damages to three shops and a Piraeus Bank ATM with clubs and rocks, while they threw Molotov cocktails inside two shops. The police forces that arrived at the scene used tear gas, forcing the youths to retreat back to the University. The hoodlums responded with rocks, Molotov cocktails and other objects, while they burnt a Greek flag. The police arrested 23 people and one of them will appear before the Prosecutor. A group of 50 people remains inside the School, watched over by the police. Patission Street remained closed for two hours, while traffic was reinstated at 9am.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[03] He Will Stay for 9 Days A Brazilian in Space

Spacecraft Soyuz TMA-8 transferred the first Brazilian astronaut to Space, along with another two colleagues, an American and a Russian. The Soyuz docked at the International Space Station (ISS) at 0419 GMT. Pontes, 43, a pilot with the Brazilian Air Force, travelled to the space station along with Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and American astronaut Jeffrey Williams. The American and the Russian are scheduled to stay at the ISS for six months. Pontes, who took with him the shirt of the Brazilian national football team, will return to Earth with the outgoing crew, American William MacArthur and Russian Valery Tokarev, after spending nine days at the ISS.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[04] Triple Hit by Nature Iran Counts its Wounds

The three lethal quakes that hit the Iranian towns of Boroujerd and Doroud and numerous villages in the province of Lorestan left behind 70 dead and 1,200 wounded. According to the latest official figures, 350 villages were affected by the earthquakes, while some of those were destroyed to the ground, and 15,000 families were left homeless. Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad-Baqer Zolqadr announced that the rescue crews have suspended their efforts, as it is believed that there are no other bodies trapped in the rubble. The authorities are addressing pleas for emergency goods, including medicines, blankets and tents. Russia has already sent a rescue team and a field hospital, while they will also be sending food, blankets and electric heaters within the day. The USA will also dispatch aid.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

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[05] PASOK President in Italy Papandreou-Prodi Meeting

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: ΝΕΤ - ΝΕΤ 105.8 - ΑNA

The leader of the Italian centre-left, Romano Prodi, and PASOK President George Papandreou met in Rome on Saturday morning and discussed the developments in the Balkans, the issue with Cyprus and migration matters. The two leaders also focused on Europes efforts to gain power in order to deal with international competition from the USA and rising power China. They also talked about the proposal to promote the Mediterranean initiative, with the creation of a Mediterranean bank, as well as fortifying the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue with stronger initiatives than the existing Barcelona one, whereby the Mediterranean countries will become the locomotive of growth.

Change to Embrace Southern Europe

On his part, Papandreou voiced his joy for being in Italy to support his "very good friend", as he said, while he appeared optimistic that the centre-left will win the elections in the neighbouring country on 10 April.

PASOKs leader also noted, "We need this progressive voice for the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Greece, for the developments in Europe, for a socially just and peaceful Europe." He further underlined, "I think the wind of change that started from Spain and Portugal is coming soon to Italy so as to embrace the rest of the south European countries, and of course Greece."

Answering to a question about the "Berlusconi phenomenon", i.e. the concentration of the political and financial power to the control of the Media, Papandreou said that new forms of supremacy have been established in the world, which means that the societies have to become more democratic. He also mentioned, "After being elected directly by the people, we should pave the way for the participation of citizens and create new forms of participation, else the societies will become passive and the citizens will lose their interest in politics. We have to give power the people; I consider anti-democratic this kind of the concentration of power."

Papandreou and Prodi also discussed their experience from being directly elected by the citizens, as well as the participation of women in governmental and party posts.

Papandreou gave Romano Prodi an olive tree branch from Greece. PASOKs leader also met with the President of Socialist International Women, Pia Locatelli, who is also a member of the Social-Democratic partys political office, and Enrico Boselli, the president of a party participating in the centre-left coalition.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[06] A Little after Takeoff Plane Vanishes in Brazil

Sources: AFP

A twin-engine plane with 19 people on board that was en route to Rio de Janeiro disappeared a little after takeoff from Macae, as per Brazils civil aviation officials. The plane had taken off from Macae Airport, north of Rio, at 17:20 Friday (local time) and was heading towards Santos Dumont Airport, but it vanished from radar screens 20 minutes later, a civil aviation spokesperson told AFP. According to unconfirmed sources, the Lat 410 plane crashed into the Saquarema Range, 180km north of Rio.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[07] New Collective Actions Planned Chirac Says Yes to CPE

Frances conservative government and the left-wing opposition are holding emergency strategy meetings on Saturday following the French President Jacques Chiracs decision to back the disputed First Employment Contract (CPE) law. In a televised speech, Chirac tried to appear conciliatory towards the opponents of the new law. "It is time to defuse the situation," declared Chirac, explaining that he understood the concerns of youths who could not find jobs, but on the one hand, the law has already been ratified in Parliament and on the other, it does not cease to offer new employment opportunities.

As a compromise, he proposed amendments, including reducing to one year the trial period for youths under 26 to be dismissed, and introducing the right for youths to know why they are being fired. He also asked employers not to rush into implementing the law so as to allow negotiations with trade unions. In addition, he asked the Government to study a programme that would link universities to the employment market, while the urged youths and union representatives to contribute towards resolving the crisis.

The announcements of the evidently fatigued French President were not welcomed by the groups of youths who were watching the presidential address outside Bastille. Furthermore, two of Frances largest trade unions, CGT and Force Ouvriere, turned their backs to Chiracs proposals which had already been mouthed by Villepin repeating their plans for a strike and protest rallies on 4 April.

Frances left-wing parties sided with them. Earlier, ten left-wing parties had addressed a common plea to Jacques Chirac to repeal the law.

Immediately after Chiracs speech, students staged impromptu rallies in many areas of France. Some protesters caused damages to the office of conservative Paris MP Pierre Lellouche, to cars and to McDonalds storefronts. The police arrested some 100 people, while two police officers were lightly injured.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

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