Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] TRIUMPHANT END FOR THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES

[02] THERE WAS NO THREAT AGAINST THE GAMES

[03] KENTERIS TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

[04] KENTERIS TESTIFIED BEFORE A PROSECUTOR

[05] GREEK AND BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENTS' MEEETING

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] ANTONAROS: GREECE MET THE CHALLENGES

[08] CONGRATULATIONS BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF FINLAND AND THE EU COMMISSION

[09] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

[01] TRIUMPHANT END FOR THE ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES

The 28th Olympic Games in Athens ended triumphantly yesterday with the praises of IOC President Jacques Rogge and passed on the privilege to host the next Olympic Games to the city of Beijing.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis will deliver a televised address this evening on the occasion of the end of the Olympic Games in Athens.

[02] THERE WAS NO THREAT AGAINST THE GAMES

The bet on security has been won, stated Minister of Public Order Giorgos Voulgarakis in an interview on the Athens newspaper TA NEA expressing satisfaction and relief on the day after the Olympic Games.

Mr. Voulgarakis stated that there was no specific threat against the Olympic Games.

He said that there were many incidents that made him lose sleep but there was not a single serious event relating to a large-scale threat. He also said that he was in constant contact with the opposition throughout the games and announced that after the Paralympics a dialogue will get underway on the use of the street cameras.

[03] KENTERIS TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PROSECUTOR

Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris testified before a prosecutor offering clarifications on the motorcycle accident he was involved in on August 12 together with his co-athlete Katerina Thanou.

Kenteris, who was accompanied by his lawyer, testified within the framework of the investigation held to determine what happened regarding the drug test ordered by the IOC and everything that followed leading the two athletes and their coach Christos Tzekos to return their accreditations to the IOC.

Meanwhile, the Athens newspaper Eleftherotipia publishes a letter by the IOC health official to the Greek Olympic Committee mentioning that the two athletes could not be found in the place there were supposed to in order to undergo a drug test on August 11.

[04] KENTERIS TESTIFIED BEFORE A PROSECUTOR

Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris, involved in the anti-doping scandal case together with his co-athlete Katerina Thanou, testified for 7.5 hours before a prosecutor today.

He responded to questions on the time he was informed about the drug test, why he left the Olympic Village and what happened in the motorcycle accident with Katerina Thanou. He also responded to questions concerning the activities of coach Christos Tzekos and the aid grants he received.

Kenteris' lawyer maintained that his client was never informed that the IOC was looking for him to give him a drug test

Katerina Thanou will be summoned to testify in the following days.

[05] GREEK AND BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENTS' MEEETING

Greek Parliament President Anna Benaki-Psarouda and her Bulgarian counterpart Ognian Gertzikov confirmed the very good bilateral relations between the two countries in their meeting in Athens today. The Bulgarian Parliament President stated that he is amazed with the impeccable way the Olympic Games were organized and expressed satisfaction because all pessimistic scenarios have been refuted.

Among the issues discussed were the social security of the immigrants from Bulgaria and the opening of new border crossings.

They also discussed Bulgaria's imminent EU accession and the Greek Parliament President promised all possible assistance at a legal level.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.54% at 2308.55 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 41.4 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 108 had gains and 161 had losses, while the value of 134 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] ANTONAROS: GREECE MET THE CHALLENGES

Greece handed over to Beijing the Olympic Games' flag last night, stated deputy government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros making a first assessment of the way the Athens Olympic Games were organized. He said that it was proved that the country met the challenges and showed even to its most harsh critics that it can meet its goals no matter how high.

He stressed that Greece won a total of 16 medals and ranked 15th in the world for its overall appearance and 6th in track and field thanks to the performance of its athletes and mainly, its women athletes. He said that Greece deserves a gold medal for security, transportation and infrastructure, adding that television viewing increased by 25%.

Mr. Antonaros also stressed that the games continue with the Paralympics on September 17 when "life's athletes" will compete.

[08] CONGRATULATIONS BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF FINLAND AND THE EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis received the congratulations of Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Baroso for hosting successful Olympic Games in Athens in separate meetings they had in Athens today.

Mr. Baroso was on vacation in Greece and visited, among others, the islands of Skopelos and Skiathos and the monastic community of Mount Athos in Chalkidiki northern Greece.

[09] KARAMANLIS-ROGGE MEETING

IOC President Jacques Rogge awarded the Olympic Medal to Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis today.

Mr. Rogge praised the Athens Olympic Games and thanked the government and the Prime Minister for their contribution to the success of the games, while he also referred to the contribution of the previous government of PASOK. He also said that the games were unforgettable and dreamlike.

In the meeting of Mr. Karamanlis with Mr. Rogge were also present IOC Vice-President Dennis Oswald and Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki.

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