Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-07-12

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] THE OLYMPIC FLAME IN GREECE

[02] KARAMANLIS BECOMES ERDOGAN'S BEST MAN

[03] REHHAGEL SAID "NO" TO THE GERMANS

[04] NATIONAL UNITY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[01] THE OLYMPIC FLAME IN GREECE

The Olympic flame returned to Greece this Friday, after travelling in the five continents, in 26 countries and 34 cities. From Tuesday to Friday (16 July) the Olympic flame will visit the Aegean islands, from Karpathos to Thasos and Samothrace and then it will cross the whole country to arrive at its final destination, the Olympic Stadium in Athens on August 13.

From July 17, the Olympic flame will start its journey through the prefecture of Evros and the region of Eastern Macedonia, to arrive at Thessaloniki on July 23.

The Olympic Torch Relay will then continue travelling through Western Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Evritania, Evvoia, Voiotia, Fokida, the Ionian Isles, Aetoloakarnania, Achaia, and Korinthia, to arrive at Marathon in Attica on August 10. During the next three days, up to the evening on which the Opening Ceremony of the XXVIIIth Olympic Games takes place, the Torchbearers will run across Attica.

The third and final leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on Greek soil will last 35 days. It will cross the 49 prefectures in the country, passing through major cities and frontier territory. Seven thousand Torchbearers will take part in the route. The flame will make a stopover at 29 cities and six major archaeological sites: Samothrace, Filippi, Vergina, Dion, Delphi, Marathon, and the Acropolis.

There is a very large team of Torchbearers for this Greek leg of the Torch Relay. It consists of Olympic victors, other leading athletes past and present, people from the Academia and showbiz, and people chosen by local communities without reference to age and profession.

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks are expected to watch the Torch Relay and the greeting ceremonies, thus participating in this unique Celebration.

[02] KARAMANLIS BECOMES ERDOGAN'S BEST MAN

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, his Romanian counterpart Adrian Nastase and Abdallah II, King of Jordan, acted as witnesses in a civil marriage ceremony for Esra, daughter of Turkish premier Tayyip Ergodan, held in Istanbul.

"A few years ago, the presence of a Greek prime minister at such an event would have been inconceivable," stated Mr Karamanlis.

[03] REHHAGEL SAID "NO" TO THE GERMANS

Otto Rehhagel finally closed his ears to the Sirens from Germany. TheKing Otto said a magnificent no to the Germans and remains at the steering wheel of Greece's national team.

According to the Kaiser of the German football, Franz Beckenbauer, Rehhagel called him and informed him that he intends to keep his contract with Greece.

This means that Mr. Rehhagel turned down a suggestion of 5 million made by his homeland, while he already had a place in Mundial to coach Europe's champions for a salary which is almost three times lower ( 1.4 million).

[04] NATIONAL UNITY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Although a percentage of 57.1% of the Greek people doesn't know the exact date of the beginning of the Olympic Games and only 8.5% has a ticket to watch them, the interest in the Olympic Games reaches a percentage of 73.5% among our fellow-citizens, while 82% of them is satisfied with the fact that the Olympic Games are organized in the country where they were born. This climate of national unity is proved in an opinion poll held by the company Opinion on behalf of the Kiriakatiki Eleftherotipia newspaper.

According to the results of the opinion poll 80.9% thinks that the Olympic Games will have a positive effect on our country, whereas there is also a worry regarding the cost of the Games, as 73.9% thinks that the amount spent for the organizing of the world's top sport meeting is far much higher than it should be.

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