The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-06-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM: Runoff Vote on Sunday

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: ANA-MPA

A runoff vote will take place in FYROMs 187 polling station on 15 Sunday, following the countrys Supreme Court ruling on the appeals filed by the political parties. The ruling to have the vote repeated in so many polling stations stemmed from the irregularities and violent clashes that marred the snap elections held in 1 June. The incidents and irregularities, which took place in the Albanian areas, prompted strong reactions worldwide, casting a shadow over Nikola Gruevskis win.

Gruevski's Stern Warning

FYROMs Prime Minister and head of VMRO-DPMNE Nikola Gruevski warned "some isolated party supporters and their mentors not to dare repeat the incidents on Sunday. Gruevski said that police seized more than 50 people for taking parting in the incidents on 1 June, which, as he said, "were a shame to the country." The VMRO-DPMNE leader added that his party will not cooperate with any political parties that will elect its lawmakers through vote-rigging to form a coalition government.

Ethnic Albanian Top Official Arrested

In the meantime, Talat Xhaferi, a senior official of Ali Ahmetis party DUI (Democratic Union for Integration) was arrested late on Thursday, accused of participating in the 1 June incidents. Xhaferi, who was seized at FYROMs border with Kossovo, had served as FYROMs Deputy Defence Minister. Strongly reacting to the arrest, DUI spoke of a move that attacks democracy in the country. Ali Ahmetis party voiced its surprise over the fact that police, as they claimed, cannot arrest the true culprits of the violent clashes and resorts to political persecutions against DUI officials. Such moves merely aim to strike a blow to FYROMs largest Albanian political party and strip it of its victory on the runoff vote on 15 Sunday.

Translated by Areti Christou

[02] SE Europe Summit

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: ANA-MPA

The Regional Summit of the heads of state of the SE Europe, or "Athens Summit: Intercultural encounters on maritime, river and lake routes of South East Europe," wrapped up Friday its workings with the adoption of the Athens Declaration. President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias spoke of a successful meeting, also adding that culture is the ideal expression of shared activities for building closer relations and exchanges. As he stressed, culture is a powerful connecting bond, encouraging the development of solidarity among the regions nations, and a tool of stability, cohesion, peace and progress. Papoulias argued that the Athens Summit is a profit for the regions nations, underlining the need to have the dialogue intensified. Papoulias then went on to place emphasis on the call for enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding, and laying down the foundations for solidarity.

In their statements, the rest heads of state touched on the political will to boost this drive, with a view to bringing the regions nations closer. Sounding on the same wavelength, they all stressed that the SE European nations have to make the best of what they have in common to build a better future, living up to their obligations towards the future generations.

Translated by Areti Christou

[03] Spring NATO Summit

By Alexandros Moz

The Spring Summit of the NATO Defence Ministers wrapped up its works in Brussels.

During day two of the Summit, a series of matters pertaining to the alliances progress, including the NATO Response Force (NRF) and NATOs Chain of Command, were touched on. The NATO-Russia Council and the NATO-Ukraine Commission also held sittings.

With regard to the NRF, in his intervention, Greek Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis termed NRF as an important tool for the improvement of national military abilities, describing it as the most appropriate guide for the NATO transformation process. Meimarakis also placed emphasis on the fact that Greece has a constant and essential contribution to the NRF from the very first moment of its creation.

Commenting on the alliances evolution and the new Chain Command, Meimarakis referred to the prospects opened after the completion of the second phase of its revision.

During the sitting of the NATO-Russia Council, the Greek Defence Minister championed the enhancement of the political and military cooperation between NATO and Russia.

"Russia is a strategic partner for security in the NATO area and beyond. Addressing the same challenges, we will have to deepen our cooperation, as equal partners, so that we can meet them successfully," argued Meimarakis.

Translated by Areti Christou

[04] The Goals of the French EU Presidency

The Common Agricultural Policy, and the issues of immigration, climate changes and the EU defence are the keynote priorities of the French EU Presidency in the second half of 2008, said Frances permanent representative to the EU Pierre Sellal during a press briefing at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels. The French ambassador stressed that the goals of the French Presidency will be influenced by the current economic situation, which is described by the skyrocketing fuel prices and the food crisis. Sellal underlined that measure-taking to boost economic stability in the EU and support the weak is one of the issues the French Presidency will touch on, probably at the EU Council in October.

The Priorities

The French Presidency will give priority to a new CAP reform, stressed Sellal. The increase in food prices worldwide makes the need to step up measures to boost agricultural products and food safety an imperative, said Sellal.

With regard to immigration, the French permanent representative to the EU underlined that it requires an overall approach, with a view to encouraging legal immigration and combating illegal one. Sellal noted that there has to be a balance between tackling illegal immigration and granting political asylum, adding that the EU Presidency will push forth an EU treaty on immigration.

Shifting his attention to the EU defence, Sellal referred to the need to have the EUs military force enhanced, given that the military means currently in disposal do not live up to the EUs economic and political power.

Touching on the French Presidencys goal regarding climate change, Sellar underscored that the resolutions on energy and climate taken by the EU Council, while Germany was at the helm of the EU Presidency, have to be implemented.

As for the EU enlargement, the French ambassador just said that France will go on with the necessary procedures. Asked whether Croatia will joint the EU on 1 January 2009, Sellar said that it is hard to predict which point the negotiations will have reached at by the end of the year. He voiced, however, his conviction that the negotiations with Zagreb will soon come to an end.

Finally, drilled to comment on the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, under the shadow of Irelands "no" in the referendum held on Thursday, Sellal argued there is a lack of communication between the EU and its citizens.

Concluding, the French ambassadors said that if the EU states ratify the Lisbon Treaty, the French EU Presidency will have to pave the way for its implementation on 1 January 2009.

Translated by Areti Christou

[05] Grp C: Italy 1-1 Romania

Sources: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gianluigi Buffon saved a late penalty from Adrian Mutu to give Italy a 1-1 draw with Romania on Friday at the European Championship. Daniel Niculae was dragged down by Christian Panucci in the 80th minute, and a penalty was awarded. Buffon dived to his left and reached back with his hand to stop Mutus shot, and the ball then deflected away off the goalkeepers leg. Mutu, who plays for Fiorentina, had given Romania the lead against the World Cup champions. He took advantage of a defensive mistake by Gianluca Zambrotta in the 55th minute, but Panucci equalized a minute later for Italy for his fourth goal in 55 internationals. Mutus goal was his 29th in 63 appearances for Romania.

Lineups

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta, Christian Panucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Grosso, Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo, Mauro Camoranesi (Massimo Ambrosini, 85), Alessandro Del Piero (Fabio Quagliarella, 77), Simone Perrotta (Antonio Cassano, 57), Luca Toni.

Romania: Bogdan Lobont, Cosmin Contra, Gabriel Tamas, Dorin Goian, Razvan Rat, Florentin Petre (Banel Nicolita, 59), Mirel Radoi (Nicolae Dica, 25), Cristian Chivu, Paul Codrea, Adrian Mutu (Razvan Cocis, 88), Daniel Niculae.

[06] Grp B: Austria 1-1 Poland

Sources: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ivica Vastic scored an injury-time penalty Thursday to give European Championship co-host Austria a 1-1 draw with Poland. Mariusz Lewandowski pulled the shirt of Sebastian Proedl in the area on a free kick and the referee awarded the Austrians a penalty. Vastic sent his shot to the goalkeepers right. Brazilian-born playmaker Roger Guerreiro gave Poland the lead by tapping in a 30th-minute cross from Marek Saganowski for his first international goal since he received Polish citizenship in April. A counterattack carried the ball up the field and Euzebiusz Smolarek sent a long cross-field pass to Saganowski. The result means Croatia has clinched first place in Group B after its 2-1 win over Germany. The other three teams in the group all have a chance to join the Croats in the knockout round in their final games on Monday.

Lineups

Austria: Juergen Macho, Martin Stranzl, Sebastian Proedl, Emanuel Pogatetz, Gyorgy Garics, Christoph Leitgeb, Umit Korkmaz, Andreas Ivanschitz (Ivica Vastic, 64), Rene Aufhauser (Juergen Saeumel, 74), Roland Linz (Roman Kienast, 64), Martin Harnik.

Poland: Artur Boruc, Michal Zewlakow, Marcin Wasilewski, Mariusz Lewandowski, Mariusz Jop (Pawel Golanski, 46), Dariusz Dudka, Jacek Bak, Jacek Krzynowek, Roger Guerreiro (Rafal Murawski, 85), Euzebiusz Smolarek, Marek Saganowski (Wojciech Lobodzinski, 83).

[07] Grp B: Croatia 2-1 Germany

Sources: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Croatia stunned Germany 2-1 Thursday and took control of Group B at the European Championship by getting goals in each half from Darijo Srna and Ivica Olic. Croatia took the lead in the 24th minute after Danijel Pranjic swapped passes with Ivan Rakitic and then sent a cross over for Srna, who slid alongside Germany defender Marcell Jansen and scored past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. Olic made it 2-0 in the 63rd after a shot from Rakitic on the right flank was deflected by Germany forward Lukas Podolski and bounced off the post right at Olics feet. Podolski scored his third goal of the tournament in the 79th by sending a volley after a headed down ball from captain Michael Ballack hit a defender. Germany was reduced to 10 men in injury time when Bastian Schweinsteiger was given a red card for pushing Croatia substitute Jerko Leko to the ground.

Lineups

Germany: Jens Lehmann; Philipp Lahm, Christoph Metzelder, Per Mertesacker, Marcell Jansen (David Odonkor, 45), Clemens Fritz (Kevin Kuranyi, 82), Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings, Lukas Podolski, Mario Gomez (Bastian Schweinsteiger, 65), Miroslav Klose.

Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Danijel Pranjic, Josip Simunic, Robert Kovac, Vedran Corluka, Niko Kovac, Darijo Srna (Jerko Leko, 80), Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Niko Kranjcar (Dario Knezevic, 85), Ivica Olic (Mladen Petric, 72).

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