The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-02-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Crucial Week

10 Feb 2008 20:06:00

By Nasos Bratsos

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8

Social Security reforms will be effected allowing a 5-year transitional period. The coming week is considered crucial on the one hand due to the 24-hour strike, staged on Wednesday, February, 13 and on the other hand due to the debate in the Parliament, where the Prime-minister will describe the extent of reforms. The 154 funds will merge into 6 main pension funds, 8 supplementary and 2 welfare funds.

According to reports the main social security funds are: Salary earners fund (IKA- TEAM) Organization for the self-employed (OAEE) Agriculture Insurance Organization (OGA) Scientists Fund ( from merging of lawyers, doctors engineers funds) Press Fund (probably merging of all mass media funds) Unified funds will be under the same administration but will maintain autonomy concerning pensions and benefits. In the meantime, healthy funds will contribute 10% of its social funds to support funds with deficits. The Prime-minister is expected to announce abolition of early pensions below 60 years-old and 8% yearly reduction of pension for each year under 60 years old retirement. If someone retires at the age of 55 his pension will be 40% lower. The draftbill provides for a 5- year transitional period, in other words it will not affect people retiring till 2013. It also has special provisions for mothers with underage children.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[02] Head of Kidney Transplant Racket

10 Feb 2008 19:22:00

By Athina Saloustrou

Indian doctor Amit Kumar, 43, believed to head a vast criminal organisation that runs an international racket in the trade of kidneys was arrested yesterday in Nepal and later on the same day extradited to New Delhi. He will remain in custody till February, 22 while investigations will be carried out on the international kidney transplant racket. Kumar was arrested at a hotel in Chitwan province, 80km from Katmandu. Interpol had issued an international search warrant against two Indian surgeons, Kumar and his brother Jeevan Rawat, 36 for illegal kidney transplant, fraud and conspiracy. Amit Kumar is accused of running a private hospital just outside Delhi which allegedly lured or forced hundreds of poor people into giving up their kidneys, and made millions by selling their organs. Investigators said he confessed to carrying out hundreds of kidney transplants in India, where such a trade is illegal.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[03] Supreme Court

10 Feb 2008 19:11:00

Sources: ÁNA

Supreme Court ruling justified 417 employees laid off in 2002 by Athens Paper-mill in Drama. According to 3/2008 ruling of Supreme Court Plenum, lay-offs are illegal and the case regarding subsidies will be referred again to the Court of Appeals. The argument of the employers side was that the lay-offs of the 417 employees under indefinite work contracts was not subjected to Greek legislation for mass lay-offs because Drama paper- mill was an autonomous plant without any links to the other two paper production plants in Megalo Pefko and Botanikos.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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