The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-03-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] The Administration against the Society and Civilians

As per civilians' reports carried in the "Greek Ombudsman's" annual report for 2008, municipalities are facing most of the problems related to mismanagement. Second comes the foreigners and immigration department in Attica. Last year, the Greek Ombudsman received 10,954 civilians' reports presenting a 3.5% increase in relation to last year. The annual report was delivered by the Greek Ombudsman President Giorgos Kaminis to the President of the Hellenic Parliament Dimitris Sioufas. Immediately afterwards, Mr Sioufas received the report of the "Supervision Committee of Private Insurance", who pointed out that this Authority had done important work especially in this period.

MrSioufas has the "Greek Omdudsman's Annual Report for 2008", delivered by the President of the above organization Giorgos Kaminis. Mr Sioufas described the independent authority's work important, adding that it helps civilians, without omitting to ask from its president and his colleagues to continue with their efforts. Receiving the report Mr Sioufas stressed that he was sure they had done their best to help the civilians, who have problems with the Public Administration. He also pointed out that the Greek Ombudsman is delivering his annual report within the new deadlines determined by the Parliament's regulation, according to which the independent Authorities have to submit their reports for the last year by the end of last March of the following year. In this way, the competent Standing Committees will be able to process them in an organized way and be discussed by the Plenum extensively. Mr Sioufas described these reports important, adding that when they are submitted in time and all together and not independently and when each independent Authority is suited. He also described this order good for all.

Mr Kaminis expressed the conviction that the annual report will prove an important tool for the MPs' legislative work.The Annual

Report for the "Greek Ombudsman" for 2008

Mr Kaminis describes the administration (public administration, self-governments, Public Utilities etc) defensive and introvert against the society and civilians. Moreover, he said that the administration had palinodes and omissions, taking arbitrary decisions many times. He also said that the Greek administration appears to be ingroring the European reality.

The above Authority, as Mr Kaminis said, received 10,954 new reports from civilians in 2008, registering a 3.23% rise, while the percentage of cases that were put in the archive due to the incompetence was 25.8%, the smallest percentage of the last nine years, a reduction that shows that civilians are gradually becoming more informed on the role and responsibilities of the independent authority.

Out of the valid reports 75.5% was resolved in favour of civilians, while on the contrary despite mediatory efforts nine percent of the cases were not resolved and 7.8% of cases which were unable to be resolved due to legislation gaps and organizing weaknesses of the public administration.

Most problems arose inn the prefectures 18.13%, at the foreigners and immigration department in Attica 13.5%, Social Security Funds 9.3%, at the Institut des Sciences et Techniques de l' Antiquite) and Public Utilities 10.5%, at prefectures 7.74%, at the Finance Ministry 4.66% and at the Ministry of Education 4.5%.

However, it was pointed out that it is considered positive that the foreigners and immigration Department in Attica, municipalities and communities have solved more cases with the Greek Ombudsman's intervention. Regarding issues related to environment and Town Planning, the Authority points out that it observes "piecemeal action development of the public administration and loose implementation of the environmental legislation, transparency and financing of environmental actions, as well as on the principle of proportionality at it had happened when paying for registering land per owners and not per property. As for social insurance, health and social welfare, the Greek Ombudsman made efforts to improve health services and secure the patients' rights. However, the authority found before it obstacles, attributed to administrative legislative insufficiency.

2008 was marked by a series of developments that proved crucial for man's rights. These concerned massive inflow of foreigners without the necessary documents, peaceful protest of detainees in correctional institutions and juxtaposition on Greece's obligation to the EU to recognize degrees and labour rights.

Also, reference is made to the violent incidents that followed the murder of the young students by a police officers and the lethal attack against a foreign Trade Unionist.

Regarding the Greek Ombudsman's new role, that is, equality of sexes in work, the authority has already discovered that maternity rights and protection are being affected especially by the financial crisis, constituting women's presence in the labour market in the private sector vulnerable.

News item: greece-3.htm

[02] Obama's Suggestions for the Tackling of the Crisis

ÍU.S. President Barack Obama urged fellow leaders on Tuesday to agree swift action at a G20 summit next month in order to come out from the crisis. In an article for German newspaper Die Welt, Obama called for an agreement on stimulus measures at the April 2 meeting in London which he said could revive economic growth.

Admits US Responsibility for the Crisis

In the article Barack Oabama underlines that the members of G20 have the responsibility to help the countries that face serious financial dangers and admits that his country bears responsibility on today's crisis. "I know that America has played its role in the chaos we face...But now is the time to co operate so as to return to sustainable development and this can be achieved only by open and stable markets" he stresses underlying that the G20 Summit Meeting give the countries a chance to co operate in order to tackle today's crisis.

News item: world-6.htm

[03] Redoubt Erupts

Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano erupted four times overnight, sending an ash plume high into the air, announced today AVO. No damages have been reported yet. The volcano is in a sparsely populated zone, 150 kilometres south-west of Anchorage.

However, the meteorological service warned that the wind is pushing the ash plume to the valley, where Anchorage is situated.

Although an unusual seismic activity was recorded on Redoubt at the end of January, the volcano had not erupted. The volcano is 3,108 high and has been inactive since 1990.

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA-AFP

News item: world-3.htm

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