Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-01-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] A CARGO SHIP SANK OFF THE ISLAND OF PSARA

[02] THE EU ON THE GREEK ECONOMY

[03] "PEGASUS" WENT TO ANGELOPOULOS

[04] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE "PEGASUS" SHARES

[05] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE SEA ACCIDENT

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] ELEVEN FOREIGNERS WERE ON BOARD THE "LADY O"

[08] THE BENAKI MUSEUM TREASURES IN AUSTRALIA

[09] THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI IS A LEADING TOURIST DESTINATION FOR THE

[01] A CARGO SHIP SANK OFF THE ISLAND OF PSARA

Two foreign sailors lost their lives when the cargo ship Lady-O, under South Korean flag with a 10-member crew on board, sank in heavy seas 14 nautical miles north of the island of Psara in eastern Aegean in the early morning hours today.

Three crewmembers were rescued from the frozen sea, while the efforts continue for the location of five missing sailors. In the search participate Greek Coast Guard vessels, a Super Puma helicopter and Turkish rescuers from a Turkish corvette that arrived in the region this morning.

Strong winds are blowing in the region and according to information the ship had set sail from Chalkida with 700 tons of steel destined for Istanbul.

[02] THE EU ON THE GREEK ECONOMY

Greek Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis is in Brussels to attend the Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings in which the EU Ministers of Finance will discuss the European Commission proposal on the adoption of further measures by the Greek government aimed at bringing the deficit below 3% of the GDP.

Both Eurogroup and ECOFIN are expected to adopt the Commission's proposal based on which the Greek moves aimed at cutting deficit were neither appropriate nor adequate.

According to information, the European Commission will receive a request to issue a new recommendation to Greece.

If this scenario is confirmed and the proposal is adopted the road will open for stronger pressures on the government to adopt additional measures.

[03] "PEGASUS" WENT TO ANGELOPOULOS

Giorgos Bobolas' company Pegasus to which belong, among others, the dailies Ethos and Imerisia, a number of magazines as well as, a considerable part of the Mega television station shares and the agency Europe is in the hands of businessman Thodoros Angelopoulos.

The Athens Stock Exchange requested to be briefed on the issue and temporarily suspended the trading of the Pegasus shares. The decision was reached after information that the company's composition of shareholders will change following a letter by the company stating that it has entered negotiations with businessman Thodoros Angelopoulos.

The Athens Stock Exchange announced that the decision to suspend the trading of Pegasus shares was reached to ensure that the market will continue to operate smoothly and investors will be adequately informed.

[04] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE "PEGASUS" SHARES

Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos refused to comment on the transfer of Pegasus shares from Giorgos Bobolas to Thodoros Angelopoulos stressing that the government does not comment on business transactions.

Responding to relevant questions, Mr. Rousopoulos pointed out that the government-sponsored draft bill on the majority shareholder, which is about to become a law of the state, is in compliance with the constitution as opposed to the Socialist Party of PASOK-sponsored 3021 law.

[05] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE SEA ACCIDENT

Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos responded to questions by reporters during the scheduled press briefing today on the conditions under which the sea accident took place near the island of Psara as well as on Turkey's involvement in the rescue operation.

Mr. Rousopoulos stated that after a communication he had with the responsible ministries of Merchant Marine, Foreign Affairs and Defense the sea accident in the Aegean Sea happened within the Greek search and rescue area that coincides with the Athens FIR and it was dealt with by Greece that made all necessary moves.

The region's geography and the means Greece has at its disposal in combination with the undisputable experience in the specific field, stated Mr. Rousopoulos, create conditions for full sea search and rescue services as it is proved by the effective practice followed.

He concluded that this is confirmed by the intervention of the Greek rescue units today, which is still underway.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.79% at 2863.15 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 154,9 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 177 had gains and 127 had losses, while the value of 117 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] ELEVEN FOREIGNERS WERE ON BOARD THE "LADY O"

A total of 11 foreigners (2 Lebanese and 9 Egyptian) and not 10, as it was initially reported, were on board the cargo ship Lady O that sank 14 nautical miles north of the island of Psara in eastern Aegean in the early morning hours today.

According to the shipping company, to which the vessel belonged, on board the ship were 10 crewmembers and a passenger, an Egyptian national. For the moment, three sailors have been rescued; two by the Super Puma helicopter who were taken to the island of Chios and one by the cargo ship Lady Hind that was sailing in the region.

Another crewmember, who was holding on to a life-buoy, is missing after falling into the sea during the rescue effort launched by a Turkish helicopter.

[08] THE BENAKI MUSEUM TREASURES IN AUSTRALIA

The Benaki Museum Treasures exhibition that will include exhibits from the Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Byzantine and Contemporary Greek period will be on a tour of Australia in April 2005 scheduled to last until June 2006.

According to the Greek-Australian newspaper Neos Kosmos, the tour of this significant exhibition is the result of the contacts held with Sydney's Powerhouse Museum chaired by Greek-Australian Nikos Papanastasiou.

The exhibition will be presented in Sydney's Powerhouse Museum from April until the end of August this year and afterwards, it will be at Melbourne's Immigration Museum from October 2005 until the end of January 2006. From there, it will visit Western Australia and it will be at the Maritime Museum in the city of Freemantle until June 2006.

[09] THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI IS A LEADING TOURIST DESTINATION FOR THE AUSTRALIANS

The Aegean island of Santorini is a leading tourist destination, a must see for everybody before leaving this world, according to a tourist show on Australia's Channel 9 television.

According to Channel 9, Santorini (which occupied the fifth place on the list with the leading tourist destinations in the world topped by Paris) is described as the most impressive among the Greek islands even though competition was tough.

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