Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 06-02-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] THE NEW GREEK GOVERNMENT AFTER THE RESHUFFLE

[02] PAPOULIAS-KATSAV MEETING

[03] GREECE REMAINS IN HIGH ALERT FOR BIRD FLU

[04] GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE ANNOUNCED

[05] HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF ABUSE IN GREECE

[06] THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL VISITS GREECE

[07] GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE DAY

[08] ALOGOSKOUFIS IN THE ECOFIN MEETING

[09] THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL VISITS ATHENS AND THESSALONIKI

[01] THE NEW GREEK GOVERNMENT AFTER THE RESHUFFLE

The Greek government after the reshuffle announced by government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos has as follows:

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

Ministry of Interior, Public Administration & Decentralization: Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Deputy Minister Apostolos Andreoulakos, Deputy Minister Athanasios Nakos

Ministry of Economy and Finance: Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis, Deputy Minister Christos Folias, Deputy Minister Antonis Bezas, Deputy Minister Petros Doukas

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Minister Dora Bakoyiannis, Deputy Minister Yiannis Valinakis, Deputy Minister Evripidis Stylianidis, Deputy Minister Thodoros Kassimis

Ministry of National Defense: Minister Evangelos Meimarakis, Deputy Minister Vasilis Michaloliakos, Deputy Minister Ioannis Lambropoulos

Ministry of Development: Minister Dimitris Sioufas, Deputy Minister Anastasios Nerantzis, Deputy Minister Yiannis Papathanasiou

Ministry of Environment, Land Planning and Public Works: Minister Giorgos Souflias, Deputy Minister Stavros Kalogiannis, Deputy Minister Themistoklis Xanthopoulos

Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs: Minister Marietta Giannakou, Deputy Minister Giorgos Kalos, Deputy Minister Spyros Taliadouros

Ministry of Employment and Social Protection: Minister Savvas Tsitouridis, Deputy Minister Gerasimos Giakoumatos

Ministry of Health: Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, Deputy Minister Athanasios Giannopoulos, Deputy Minister Giorgos Konstantopoulos

Ministry of Rural Development and Food: Minister Evangelos Basiakos, Deputy Minister Alexandros Kontos

Ministry of Justice: Minister Anastasis Papaligouras

Ministry of Culture: Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, Deputy Minister Giorgos Orphanos

Ministry of Transport and Communications: Minister Michalis Liapis

Ministry of Public Order: Minister Vyron Polydoras

Ministry of Merchant Marine: Minister Manolis Kefalogiannis

Minister of Tourist Development: Minister Fani Palli-Petralia

Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace: Minister Giorgos Kalantzis

Ministry of Aegean and Island Policy: Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis

Minister of State, responsible for communication issues and government spokesman Theodoros Rousopoulos

[02] PAPOULIAS-KATSAV MEETING

Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias and Israeli President Moshe Katsav, who is on a formal visit to Greece, referred to the significant progress made in the past few years in the Greek-Israeli relations in the meeting they had earlier today in Athens.

In their talks dominated the Middle East issue and Mr. Papoulias stressed that the main goal is the coexistence of two states in the region, a safe Israel and a democratic Palestine enjoying peaceful relations with their neighbors.

Mr. Papoulias stated that the smooth parliamentary elections in Palestine is a significant step toward democracy and stressed the need for Hamas to accept the positions expressed by the European Union and condemn terrorism regardless of its origin.

On the same issue, Mr. Katsav pointed out that his country's relations with the Palestinians are at a crucial stage after Hamas' victory in the elections and added that in the past 12 years Israel has made big historic steps for the good of the Palestinians. He expressed concern that the latest developments will not help and take us 12 years back. Israel will not accept the continuation of terrorism by Hamas nor negotiate with a Hamas that does not recognize the state of Israel. He stated that we will not start again from point zero. If Hamas changes its position, Israel will come into contact with it, he stressed.

Mr. Papoulias also referred to the Cyprus issue and pointed out that the Turkish occupation that hurts the European values must end as soon as possible.

On his part, Mr. Katsav referred to the common historical past and common interests shared by the two countries expressing the hope that bilateral contacts between Greece and Israel will multiply in the future.

The more these contacts are the fewer the lack-of-understanding situations, stated the Israeli President clarifying that there can be different views but this should not be frightening because cooperation between Greece and Israel cannot be hurt by any third factor given the fact that above everything else it serves the two countries.

After the meeting of the two Presidents, a cooperation agreement on industrial research and development was signed by the Greek Minister of Development and the Israeli Minister to the prime minister's office.

Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Katsav are also scheduled to visit Thessaloniki to pay tribute to the Greek Jews victims of the Holocaust.

The historic memory should guide us so that the next generations will not live such a tragedy, pointed out Mr. Papoulias and referred to the memories he had of the Jews in his hometown Ioannina who fought against the invaders.

[03] GREECE REMAINS IN HIGH ALERT FOR BIRD FLU

The 15-year-old boy who was hospitalized as a precautionary measure is being released from a Thessaloniki hospital after the bird flu tests came out negative. Also, negative were the test results for a 29-year-old hunter who was hospitalized in Thessaloniki as a suspect bird flu case. He had bird flu symptoms and told doctors that he had come into contact with wild ducks during hunting.

Meanwhile, 6 swans were spotted since last Tuesday in the prefecture of Chania, Crete as suspect of being infected with the bird flu virus. The samples were sent for testing to Thessaloniki's veterinary laboratory while results are expected to be out by Thursday.

The National Veterinary Bird Flu Reference Laboratory in Thessaloniki announced that viral tests showed that the bird flu H5 subtype was detected in two samples of swans spotted at the Thessaloniki seacoast (1,000 meters from the shore) and in the coastal region of Asprovalta, Thessaloniki.

Further testing will take place at the Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) in Weybridge, London to determine if the birds were infected with the deadly H5N1 virus.

[04] GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE ANNOUNCED

The new government after the reshuffle announced today by Minister of State and government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos will include five new ministers. Two ministers and a deputy minister have changed posts.

The new faces in the government are mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyiannis who will take over the Foreign Ministry replacing Petros Molyviatis, governing party of New Democracy Central Committee secretary Vangelis Meimarakis becomes the new Minister of Defense, while Vyron Polydoras takes over the Ministry of Public Order, Savvas Tsitouridis will become Labor Minister and Giorgos Kalantzis becomes Minister of Macedonia-Thrace.

Nikitas Kaklamanis will run for mayor of Athens and will be replaced in the Ministry of Health by Dimitris Avramopoulos who will be replaced in the Ministry of Tourism by Mrs. Fani Palli Petralia.

Six deputy ministry posts were abolished. Tasos Nerantzis moved from the Transport Ministry to the Ministry of Development while Mr. Kassimis became deputy Foreign Minister.

The first meeting of the new cabinet will take place tomorrow.

[05] HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF ABUSE IN GREECE

Hundreds of children, infants to 18-yearolds, are the victims of abuse each year in Greece, according to figures provided by the Hamogelo tou Pediou association, an organization for the protection of children.

In 2003, the SOS 1056 hotline recorded 243 abuse reports (only 28 of them signed), in 2004 they increased to 285 (74 signed complaints) and in 2005 they reached 311 (93 signed complaints).

They concerned mainly physical abuse, child neglect, forcing a minor to panhandling, sexual abuse and forcing under aged girls to prostitution.

Hamogelo social worker Anastasia Kokali told ANA-MPA that usually the abuse comes from the child's parents, either the mother or the father or both of them and to a lesser degree from a third person. The telephone reports are being made usually by neighbors or friends who know what's going on in the family. In certain cases, teenage abuse victims call the hotline themselves requesting counseling as younger children cannot fully realize the situation they live in, said Mrs. Kokali.

[06] THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL VISITS GREECE

Israeli President Moshe Katsav is on a five-day formal visit to Greece at the invitation of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias. Mr. Katsav will also visit Thessaloniki where he will address the local Jewish community.

President Katsav will meet today with President Papoulias to discuss bilateral relations and major international problems, the Middle East issue included after Hamas' recent election victory.

After the meeting at the Presidential Mansion, a bilateral agreement will be signed on industrial research and development by Greek Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas and Israeli Minister of National Infrastructures, Research and Technology Ronnie Bar-on.

The Israeli President will also meet with Greek Parliament President Anna Psarouda- Benaki, visit the National Archaeological Museum and meet with Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyiannis who will honor him with the Gold Medal of the city of Athens.

On Wednesday, the President of Israel will have successive meetings with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition Socialist Party PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou, Communist Party general secretary Aleka Papariga and Coalition President Alekos Alavanos.

On Thursday, President Katsav will visit Thessaloniki where he will lay a wreath at the Holocaust Monument, visit the Royal Tombs of the Macedon Kings at the archaeological site of Vergina and address the Jewish Community in Thessaloniki in the city's old Synagogue.

[07] GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE DAY

The inner cabinet meeting scheduled for 11.30 am today was postponed.

According to government sources, a government reshuffle will be announced within the next few hours.

[08] ALOGOSKOUFIS IN THE ECOFIN MEETING

The Lisbon strategy, the stability and development programs of Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria and the report on the ageing of the population will be discussed among others in the Council of the EU Ministers of Economy and Finance, ECOFIN, meeting taking place in Brussels today.

Also, the Ministers of Economy and Finance will discuss a text of basic issues in view of the spring European Council. The text was put together by the Austrian EU Presidency after consultations with the Economic and Monetary Committee and the Economic Policy Committee.

[09] THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL VISITS ATHENS AND THESSALONIKI

Israeli President Moshe Katsav is on a five-day formal visit to Greece at the invitation of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias. Mr. Katsav will also visit the city of Thessaloniki.

The Israeli President will discuss with Mr. Papoulias issues concerning bilateral relations and major international problems, among them, the Middle East issue after the election victory of Hamas.

After the meeting, a cooperation agreement in the sector of industrial research and development will be signed by the Greek Minister of Development and the Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure, Research and Technology.

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