Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-10-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] FEARS FOR BIRD FLU MUTATION

[02] NEW DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY

[03] THE SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN VOLVI IS NOT ALARMING

[04] FIVE OF THE SIX DEFENDANTS IN THE THESSALONIKI 2003 EU SUMMIT CASE WERE

[05] THE GREEK MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY IN THE ECOFIN AND EUROGROUP

[06] THE REVIVED THESSALONIKI SONG FESTIVAL ENDED YESTERDAY

[07] SPANISH BUSINESS MISSION IN GREECE

[08] THE TRIAL FOR THE 2003 EU SUMMIT INCIDENTS IS UNDERWAY

[09] MODEL COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND BULGARIA

[01] FEARS FOR BIRD FLU MUTATION

The assurance that Greece can effectively deal with the likelihood of bird flu cases, gave Minister of Health Nikitas Kaklamanis.

According to Thessaloniki's Aristotle University Veterinary School Bird Pathology Clinic director, associate professor Prodromos Iordanidis humans cannot infect humans with the bird flu virus. However, if the bird flu virus is combined with the human influenza virus there could be a mutation and in such a case the virus will transmit between humans.

Humans are infected by the virus through direct contact with infected birds or their waste as it did in the cases of the virus victims in Asia. According to available figures, a total of 60 people have died since 1997 the majority of whom had direct contact with infected birds, while an estimated 150 million birds have been destroyed in Asia.

[02] NEW DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY

Ruling party of New Democracy Parliament deputy Antonis Bezas, elected in the district of Thesprotia in western Greece, was sworn-in today as the new Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy before Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

Mr. Bezas replaces Adam Regouzas, who has resigned.

[03] THE SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN VOLVI IS NOT ALARMING

The region of Volvi Lake, near Thessaloniki, is under the microscope of seismologists after the four tremors recorded yesterday, the strongest of which was 4.4 on the Richter scale, alarming the people in the wider Thessaloniki region.

The tremors' epicentre was inside the Serb-Macedonian zone and it is the same epicentre that gave the powerful earthquake of 6.5 on the Richter scale that hit Thessaloniki on June 20, 1978.

Thessaloniki's Aristotle University seismology professor Giorgos Karakaisis assured that the recent tremors have no common characteristics with the tremors recorded before the 1978 catastrophic earthquake.

However, he said that during the past few months minor earthquakes have been recorded along the Serb-Macedonian zone (Volvi, Chalkidiki, Mount Athos sea region and elsewhere) a fact that leads seismologists to the conclusion that there is increased seismic activity in the region. The phenomenon is being monitored and, for the moment, no assessments can be made, stated Mr. Karakaisis.

[04] FIVE OF THE SIX DEFENDANTS IN THE THESSALONIKI 2003 EU SUMMIT CASE WERE FOUND GUILTY

A Thessaloniki court found guilty five of the six defendants in the June 2003 EU Summit incidents case and placed them on three-year probation.

After a long court hearing process and under strict security measures, the court found guilty the Spanish national, who was among the defendants, sentencing him to 2 years in prison while another defendant, who was found guilty of arms possession, received a sentence of 2 years and 2 months.

Three of the defendants were sentenced to 10 months in prison and only one was acquitted. Present in the court hearing was the Spanish consul general in Thessaloniki.

For the record, the trial of other five individuals arrested during a protest rally held within the framework of the 2003 EU Summit meeting in Thessaloniki is still pending. All defendants in this case are accused of making, possessing and using explosive devices, destruction of private property, arson and assaults. A decision is expected on whether a British national, who is among the defendants, will stand trial.

[05] THE GREEK MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY IN THE ECOFIN AND EUROGROUP MEETINGS

Recent developments in the international oil prices and the effects on the Eurozone economy and the EU in general will be discussed later today in the Eurogroup Council of Ministers in Luxembourg with the participation of Greek Minister of Finance and Economy Giorgos Alogoskoufis.

They will also discuss methods to improve the Eurozone representation abroad. Tomorrow, in the Finance and Economy Ministers Council (ECOFIN) the EU ministers will discuss ways to promote inter-Atlantic economic cooperation based on the common statement drawn up by the British EU Presidency in cooperation with the next EU Presidencies (Austria and Finland).

The size and importance of economic relations between the EU and the United States is mentioned in the text in combination with the OECD report according to which, the further liberalization of trade between the two sides will result to an increase of the per capita GDP by 3-3.5%.

The Ministers of Finance and Economy will be briefed by the European Commission on the competition conditions in certain sectors of the economy in EU countries. The ECOFIN will also deal with money and credit services.

[06] THE REVIVED THESSALONIKI SONG FESTIVAL ENDED YESTERDAY

Young performers in the revived Thessaloniki Song Festival were again the winners in the second and final night of the event yesterday.

The song Xeno Roucho written by Dimitris Livanos and Christos Stavrakoudis and performed by Stavroula Arvanitopoulou won again the top prize repeating the winning performance of the first night of the festival on Thursday.

There was no jury in the final night and the decision on the song that won the contest was made exclusively based on tele-vote.

Ticket proceeds in both festival nights reached 70,000 euros.

[07] SPANISH BUSINESS MISSION IN GREECE

Spanish businessmen will be in Greece on October 19-21 for business contacts with Greek trade and import enterprises to promote their products in Greece.

According to the Commerce and Industry Chamber in Thessaloniki, the companies-members of the Sabadell Chamber in Spain are active in the sectors of farm products, professional cosmetics and nutrition supplements, store equipment, transformers, centrifugal chemical pumps and hand driers.

[08] THE TRIAL FOR THE 2003 EU SUMMIT INCIDENTS IS UNDERWAY

The trial of six young individuals among them a Spanish national accused of participating in the violent incidents recorded in June 2003 during the EU Summit meeting in Thessaloniki is underway in a Thessaloniki court.

Before the opening of the trial, a number of their supporters gathered outside the Court Building chanting slogans in their favor.

The trial opened at 9 am this morning and continues with the testimonies of eyewitnesses.

[09] MODEL COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND BULGARIA

Ruling party of New Democracy Parliament deputy and Parliamentary Committee of Friendship and Cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria chairman Stavros Dailakis gave a joint press conference with Bulgarian European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva after the talks they had in Sofia today.

Responding to a question by ANA on the most likely date for the ratification of Bulgaria's and Romania's EU accession Treaty, Mr. Dailakis clarified that the Greek side wishes the formal ratification to take place before the end of the month.

Mr. Dailakis said that efforts are being made to proceed with the ratification by October 25 for Greece to be the first to ratify the creation of this Euro-neighborhood.

He also referred to the model cooperation between the two countries in all sectors, pointing out that Greece is the second largest investor in Bulgaria while trade and economic cooperation develop rapidly.

Mrs. Kuneva characterized as very strong message of friendship the fact that the Greek Parliament intends to ratify the Treaty before the European Commission gives to publicity its annual report on the progress made by Sofia and Bucharest on their way to EU accession.

The Bulgarian minister stated that her first visit after the new government came to power was to Athens where again she became certain of Greece's firm support to Bulgaria's effort to become an EU member on January 1, 2007 as provided by the Treaty.

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