The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-06-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] On Alert in Case of Rekindling

25 Ιουν 2008 22:47:0 (Last updated: 25 Ιουν 2008 23:38:1)

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΝΕΤ 105.8

The fire that broke at Glykar Nera at Hymettus foothill out Wednesday noon is now abating. The fire picked up fast due to strong winds blowing in the area, burning 1,000 square meetres of forestland. Then, it spread fast towards to Agia Paraskevi and Holargos. The fire brigade and volunteers arrived on the spot fast and helped in containing the fire.

It took the fire brigade four hours to put the fire under control despite the strong blowing winds. Nine fire-fighting planes, three water-dropping helicopters, 90 firemen with 30 fire engines and 26 trekkers fought the blaze.

Another fire that broke out near a helicopter airport in Stamata Attiki was also put under control.

The opposition from its side described the government incompetent. PASOK spokesman Giorgos Konstantinou spoke of fewer precautionary measures compared to last year, while KKE asked for additional measures for the protection of forests.

From its side, the Athens Prefecture argued that 10 water trucks were sent on the spot to contain the fire in Glyka Nera. Athens Prefect Giannis Sgouros was in constant contact with Interior Minster Prokopis Pavlopoulos to brief him on the developments.

Translated by John Crystallidis

Related News:

Wildfre on Hymettus Abating

[02] Siemens Case

25 Ιουν 2008 22:25:0

Sources: NET, NET 105.8, ANA

Prosecutor Panagiotis Athanasiou, who is investigating the Siemens case, has summoned at least 40 suspects to testify on the case. On Wednesday, Mr Athanasiou summoned three suspects to testify. The three stockbrokers have been involved to the channeling of Siemens funds from an off-shore company. A businessman, who had been summoned to testify as suspect, submitted a memo to the Prosecutor as 1,2 million euros were deposited from the off-shore company to his company in Cyprus from 2004-2005. As the businessman states in his memo, he allowed his friend, who was a stockbroker, to use his account, without however knowing that the money came from Siemens. As he stresses he delivered the money in cash to the stockbroker.

Mr Athanasiou received a testimony from an account co-holder to whom the one million euros had been sent. As per Mr Tsoukatos the above amount had been channeled from Siemens to PASOK in 1999.

Regarding the one million euros case, PASOKs former cashier Dimitra Papachristou testified that a lot of money arrived in PASOKs coffers from Mr Tsoukatos, adding that she received about 200 million drachmas from him. Moreover, she stated that she had not known whether the one million derived from Siemens. Mr Tsoukatos secretary will testify on Thursday. The partys head on financial affairs Spyros Avgerinos also testified today.

Testifying to the Prosecutor was also the lawyer of the US company Saic Simos Dimas of the C4I programme. Mr Karatzas, advisor of SAICs representative in Greece Giorgos Terpeklis also testified. Mr Karatzas had received 350,000 euros. PASOKs political committee will meet on Thursday and at noon PASOK President George Papandreou will give a Press Conference at which he will develop the measures on the institutional transparency framework of party finances.

Translated by John Crystallidis

Related News:

Investigation on Route of Bribe

[03] International Day against Drugs

By Nasos Bratsos

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ΑNA

On the occasion of International Day against Drugs on 26 June, the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias issued a message in which he refers to the spread of the use of drugs to the youth, urging all to put an end to the horror of drugs with substantial measures and by proposing a different kind of life based on collective values and on the basis of humanism.

Pavlopoulos' Message

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos referred to the initiatives and measures the State has taken to fight drugs.

He attributed the spread of drugs to the structures of the modern consuming societies, the modern, impersonalized way of life, todays wobbling value system and the crisis in institutions and the family.

In parallel, he reported that the police had adopted modern methods in its struggle against drugs and cooperated with other services in Greece and abroad as well.

He also referred to the initiatives taken by local bodies, schools and parent associations to increase awareness on drugs, as well Greek-Albanian cooperation on combating drug trafficking on the two countries borders.

Furthermore, he reported that since March 2004 and until 2006 the Interior Ministry has spent 15,752,827,65 euros on the fight against drugs. In 2007, 6.5 million euros were spent, while five million euros will be spent in 2008.

He also stressed that the number of deaths from drug use in urban centres, as well as in 2006 has dropped. Specifically, in 2005 the number of deaths from the use of drugs was 157 and in 2002 102. The number of deaths from drug use also dropped in Thessaloniki.

Pasok from its side held the government responsible for the doubling of waiting lists in OKANA, the lack of 500,000 euros for operational costs of the two new prevention centres in Peristeri and Kapodistriou, where 1,000 drug addicts could have been saved. From its side, the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity urges all political, social and productive forces to combat the drug problem, adding that its priority is the combating of drugs. It also adds that the government for the first time has hammered out an organized plan to combat drugs and submitted the National Action Plan 2008-2012 that will fight drugs on a national basis. Ending, it reports that the private Health sector grew when PASOK was in power.

Finally, visiting KETHEA (Therapy Centre for Dependent Individuals) today KKE (Communist Party of Greece) Secretary General Aleka Papariga spoke of under-financing and slanginess, despite the fact that she does not wish drug addicts to be imprisoned. Moreover, she reported that each prefecture should have a drug prevention centre.

On 26 June, Ms Papariga will visit Nostos therapeutic community in Salamina.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[04] EURO 2008 Semi Final

By Ampelakis Spyros

Sources: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Germany is facing Turkey at 21:45 for the EURO 2008 semi final in Basil.The head of the organization that represents about 2.7 million Turks who live in Germany has warned that Wednesdays semifinal match at the European Championship between the two countries is likely to cause tension between the opposing sets of supporters.

"It will be a very emotional game," said Kenan Kolat, head of the Turkish Community. "Little things can happen. If there are unfair or wrong calls from the referee, then feelings will be running high on both sides." Up to nine first-choice Turkey players could be out due to injury and suspension for the match at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. While Germany which has won 11 matches against Turkey, drawn three and lost three is expected to have a full squad of 23 players to choose from.

Police patrols in major cities across Germany were beefed up from Tuesday, as German and Turkish fans readied for their teams first matchup in a major tournament in five decades.

In Oberhausen, in the heavily industrial Ruhr River Valley where hundreds of thousands of Turkish laborers settled in the 1950s and 60s at the invitation of the then West German government, an open-air broadcast of the match has been scraped due to security fears and lack of space.

[05] Human Organ Trade Ring Disrupted

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ΑNA

The Attica police have arrested three women, one doctor and two entrepreneurs, who convinced nephritics in Greek clinics to go to India to have a transplant. The ring used to get 10,000 euros from each patient and an additional 50,000 euros for the surgery to take place. The Indian doctor, who used to carry out the operations, was arrested a few months ago. The ring included a Greek woman doctor-nephrologist, two Indian colleagues of hers and two Greek businesswomen. Until now at least 10 patients have died of implications after undergoing surgery. The two businesswomen used to approach nephritics, whom they located at dialysis units, convincing them to undergo a transplant operation in India. The cost varied from 40-80,000 euro, while the poor donors, mainly Indians used to get 1,500 euros.

Translated by John Crystallidis

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