The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-05-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Checks on Olive-Oil Adulteration

26 May 2008 10:45:00 (Last updated: 26 May 2008 12:21:53)

By Athina Saloustrou

Checks on all products containing sunflower oil will continue until December by Development Ministry teams for the protection of consumers. At the same time, seven teams of the prefecture of Messinia are continuing with their checks at olive-oil presses and factories packaging olive oil, after big quantities of sunflower oil had been discovered in the tanks of a company that packs olive oil in Messinia. This development has raised concern among producers and co-operatives in Messinia because they speak of defamation of the olive oil. Thus, they demand protective measures to be imposed on the product and those responsible to be punished. On a relative development, a Giblartar-flagged ship carrying 1,500 tonnes of sunflower oil from Holland was blocked in Elefsina. The ship docked at Elefsina port at 09:10. EFET and prefecture officials will carry out checks within the day on the ship. If the shipment proves to be of Ukrainian origin it will be returned back.

Besides, the ministrys competent authorities are already checking, whether the price regulation on olive oil is in force, while more checks may follow on other products to see whether price regulations are in force. At the same time, 21 tonnes of tainted sunflower oil were discovered and confiscated in a packing room in Kalamata. In parallel, the authorities are carrying out checks to see whether charges as per which olive oil has been adulterated with mineral oil and other low quality oil are true. Meanwhile, Development Minister Christos Folias has asked to be briefed on the results of checks carried out in food industries, while the National Commerce Confederation committed itself to ask from all its members to withdraw the products that contain tainted sunflower oil.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[02] Greece's National Interests Have Been Secured

26 May 2008 16:16:00 (Last updated: 26 May 2008 19:34:14)

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ANA-MPA

German magazine Der Spiegel claimed that Deutsche Telekom had bugged its staffs phones between 2005 and 2006.

Asked to comment on the allegations, Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said that the agreement signed the Greek Government signed on OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation) has secured national interests and national security. "The agreement has nothing to hide," he stressed, further noting that Greece is awaiting what German justices ruling would be on such an interesting case. Drilled whether the Greek Government had been aware of that, he said no and reiterated, after asked whether Greece should have second thoughts on the agreement, that he had nothing more to add.

Reactions

PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) spokesman Mr Papakonstantinou urged the Government to avoid ratifying the agreement. "If Deutsche Telekom cannot guarantee the confidentiality of phone conversations in Germany, what makes us believe that it can do so in Greece?" Papakonstantinou wondered, and blamed the Government for not having released the full text of the agreement. He also spoke of a "triangular relationship among the Greek state, Deutsche Telekom and MIG, for which the Government and Messrs Vgenopoulos and Vourloumis before the Parliaments Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on Tuesday."

"The revelations over Deutsche Telekoms role in the bugging of phone conversations prove how hypocritical the Governments clam that it has safeguarded the protection of telephone conversations in privatized OTE is. It also shows how groundless PASOK and SYNs positions, whereby the privatized and liberalized telecommunications sector can be put under state control, are," read an announcement issued by the Greek Communist Party (KKE).

Sounding on the same wavelength, SYN (Coalition of the Radical Left) said that the Governments decision to sell OTE has exposed the countrys security and the confidentiality of phone conversations to great danger. "After the cover-up of the bugging scandal, the Government is taking yet another step making the country a defenceless city, placing its citizens at the big brothersmercy."

"So, is this the strategic partner that the [Greek] Government promises that it will safeguard the confidentiality of telecommunications and the sensitive networks for the countrys security and defence?" wondered the Popular Orthodox Party (LAOS).

[03] K. Karamanlis Congratulated Greek Scientists

26 May 2008 13:21:00

By Alexandros Moz

Sources: ΝΕΤ

Prime-minister, Kostas Karamanlis received at the Maximos Mansion this morning the two Greek scientists, Hristos Zerefos, president of the Athens National Observatory and Alkiviadis Bais, professor at the Thessaloniki Aristoteleio University, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 with the members of the Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change. Their awarding is a considered a high honour for all Greek scientists regardless of their field.

Congratulating the two scientists, Mr. Karamanlis underlined that with their scientific work on climate change they highly contribute to the information and mobilization of all citizens to reverse the negative course of climate change which will finally lead to destruction. The Norwegian Nobel Committee had decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 was to be shared in two equal parts, between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)-whose president is Rajendra Pachauri- and former US vice-president Al Gore Jr. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.

Earlier, Mr. Karamanlis had received European Obdusman, Nikiforos Diamantouros and the Citizens lawyer, George Kaminis.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[04] Near 36C on Wednesday

26 May 2008 12:01:00

A typical summer pattern has been forecast for this week. As of Monday temperatures are gradually going up, expected to be over 30C today while a mini heat wave starts on Tuesday with temperatures near 36C on Wednesday. Fair weather with scattered clouds in the west and small drop in temperatures in the north has been forecast for Friday.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[05] Pre-Election Provocations by FYROM

The new provocations coming from FYROM triggered off a prompt and dynamic response of the Greek Foreign Ministry and the opposition parties. In particular, the head of the so-called "Macedonian Orthodox Church" made territorial claims over Thessaloniki, while outgoing FYROM Premier Nikola Gruevski blasted his political rivals for doing nothing to defend the countrys name, stressing that his people would only join the EU as "Macedonians."

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis called on Skopje to condemn the said positions, speaking of obsolete and groundless territorial claims that pose a serious threat to regional cooperation and stability.

PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou dismissed the FYROM archbishops claims as utterly provocative and unacceptable, further stressing that his party condemns them.

Translated by Areti Christou

[06] Karamanlis-Pavlopoulos Meeting

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΑNA/ΜPA

Todays meeting of Prime-minister K. Karamanlis with Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos focused on civil protection issues as well as the course of the special operational program on public administration. Mr. Pavlopoulos said that the unified Interior Ministry is well prepared in view of the summer to effectively deal with any problems that might arise, particularly stressing that last years tragic experience can not be repeated. The Interior Minister referred to the bilateral cooperation with the French government in the field of civil protection , citing that the target is the gradual formulation of civil protection at European level.

Mr. Pavlopoulos also underlined that the government is cooperating with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on an operational program to combat bureaucracy.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[07] On June, 13

26 May 2008 14:56:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

Piraeus Mayor, Panagiotis Fasoulas has announced the closing of the Piraeus port on June, 13 in protest against the financial deadlock of the municipality. In a press interview he requested a special regulation to help the municipality recover from its present difficult financial situation.

In parallel, he called on citizens to stage mobilizations while he described as malign recent personal attacks against him, characteristically stressing that he will neither resign nor leave as some hope.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[08] OME-OTE Protective Measures on Trial

By Athina Saloustrou

OME-OTEs (Federation of OTE Employees) protective measures against OTE and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis are on trial today. OTE employees demand to be briefed on the negotiations held with Deutsche Telekom. They have gathered outside the Courts on Evelpidon Street in the morning. The Federations President Panagiotis Koutras has asked from the Ministers of Defence and Public Order to be assured explicitly that Greece will not face a problem with its defence and security as a result of the agreement signed with the German company.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[09] US: Tornadoes Killed 8 People

By Athina Saloustrou

At least eight people were killed on Sunday by tornadoes and violent thunderstorms that hit US Midwest states. According to CNN television network seven people were killed in the small towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford, in central Iowa, which suffered direct hits at 18:00 local time (01:00 Greek time) from at least one powerful twister. A hailstorm caused extensive material damage to the town of Waterloo, in the same region. A two-year-old child died in northern Minnesota while nine people were injured in Saint Paul, near Minneapolis. Since the beginning of May tornadoes have killed 22 people in US central and north-eastern states and injured many others.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

Read the story on other sources:

Reuters: Tornadoes, storms kill at least seven in Midwest

[10] In Asian Markets

26 May 2008 10:09:00

By Athina Saloustrou

In Asian market electronic transactions on Monday, the price of light crude oil went up by 37 cents to reach $132.56 per barrel for July delivery contracts while Brent oil went up by 33 cents to reach $131.90 per barrel also for July delivery contracts.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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