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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 12-11-27Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Tuesday, 27 November 2012 Issue No: 4232CONTENTS
[01] Euro zone finance ministers still in meeting on Greek problemEuro zone finance ministers were still convening in Brussels in the early hours of Tuesday at press time, over the release of the next loan tranche to Greece, amid reported disagreements between the Eurozone and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the sustainability of the Greek debt.[02] FinMin confident that 'mutually beneficial solution' will be found on Greek issue at EurogroupBRUSSELS (AMNA/V. Demiris)Greece's Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras expressed confidence that "a mutually beneficial solution will be found today" on the Greek issue, speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday as he entered a crucial Eurogroup meeting of eurozone finance ministers. Stournaras stressed that Greece has kept up its part of agreement. [03] Rehn urges decision 'today' for disbursement of trancheBRUSSELS (AMNA/M. Aroni)European Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs Ollie Rehn stressed the need for a decision to be taken for the disbursement of an outstanding tranche of the EU/IMF bailout loan to Greece as he entered a crucial Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on Monday of the eurozone's finance ministers on Greece. "We must decide the disbursement of the next tranche so that the uncertainties still existing on the Greek issue will be lifted. It is important for Greece, but also for Europe. I call on the member states and the INF to take the final step for a solution to be found, because we are just a fraction away from one," Rehn said. He opined that the Eurogroup can take a political decision "today" for the disbursement of the tranche to Greece. [04] IMF chief appeals for 'credible solution' for GreeceBRUSSELS (AMNA/V. Demiris)International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde appealed for a credible solution' for Greece, speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday as she entered a crucial Eurogroup meeting of eurozone finance ministers. "We will attempt to find a solution that will be credible for Greece," she added. [05] Government denies reports of PM message to EurogroupThe government on Monday categorically denied that Prime Minister Antonis Samaras had conveyed a message to the crucial Eurogroup meeting taking place in Brussels via Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras."Many do-gooders are putting words into the mouths of the prime minister and finance minister that were never spoken," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said. "In such crucial hours, everyone must watch what they say and what they write," he added. [06] Eurogroup must decide to disburse financial aid tranche, DIMAR stressesIn an announcement concerning the Eurogroup meeting on Monday, the junior member of Greece's coalition government Democratic Left (DIMAR) stressed that it was only right that this should end with a decision to disburse a 31.5 billion euro tranche of bailout loans to Greece and continue the financial aid programme for the country.The announcement was issued at the start of a meeting between Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels, saying that the decisions taken should signal that the risk of a Greek exit from the euro was departing, through measures to drastically reduce the debt burden and a political commitment to take all measures that will be needed in order to rule out a crisis of confidence concerning the sustainability of the debt. The party also stressed the need to combine austerity measures with growth in order to tackle the debt problem, calling for a special programme of developmental actions and investments co-funded by the European investment Bank. "Overcoming the European crisis demands taking great initiatives, with the aim that the economic and political unification of Europe concerns all member-states and Europe as a whole," DIMAR's announcement concluded. [07] SYRIZA slams gov't 'apathy' ahead of crucial EurogroupMain opposition 'Coalition of the Radical Left' (SYRIZA) party spokesman Panos Skourletis on Monday attacked the government over its apparent apathy ahead of the crucial Eurogroup meeting to discuss Greece's debt problem."In view of today's Eurogroup, the government remains disengaged from European processes, without raising any demands or putting forth any position on the issue of Greek debt," Skourletis said. "In spite of this, it is more than ready to triumph over another non solution tomorrow, as it did over similar European decisions that not only failed to solve the problem of the sustainability of Greece's debt but placed additional burdens on the Greek people," he added. According to SYRIZA's spokesman, the entire discussion surrounding the disbursement of the bailout tranches, in particular, was simply a smokescreen to cover up the "real impasse reached by the failed austerity memorandums that destroy society and demolish Europe" and a confirmation of the "complete unreliability and international isolation of a government at the mercy of creditors and big capital". [08] Gov't spokesman slams comments on drachma return by Alavanos, LafazanisResponding to statements made by political figures associated with main opposition 'Coalition of the Radical Left' (SYRIZA), government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou on Monday said that SYRIZA's leader Alexis Tsipras was once again "putting on the black comedy 'Return to the drachma' in SYRIZA's theatre, but this time with his mentor Alekos Alavanos in the director's chair and Panagiotis Lafazanis as production assistant".Kedikoglou was referring to statements made by former SYRIZA leader Alavanos on Skai television concerning a return to the drachma currency and statements by Lafazanis calling for Alavanos' return to SYRIZA, reported by the newspaper "Parapolitika". Replying to the government spokesman, SYRIZA's press office said that his views on internal party developments within SYRIZA were "extremely interesting. However, with sorrow we must inform Mr. Kedikoglou that the deadline for registering new members for participation in the congress has ended. He can, however, send his views concerning the internal dialogue to the newspaper 'Avghi'." [09] Health minister meets German counterpart, outlines plan to reform health system and cut spendingHealth Minister Andreas Lykourentzos on Monday outlined the goals of the health ministry to his German counterpart Daniel Bahr, during a meeting held to discuss ways for closer cooperation in order to restrict wasteful spending but continue to provide good health services to the public.The ministry's leadership said that a reorganisation of the National Health System (ESY) remained a priority, in order to set up a system that ensured full health services to citizens but also its viability in coming decades. "We discussed at great length the issue of restricting public spending, where it is found that public money is being wasted. It is certain that implementation of the reforms demands know-how, experience, good cooperation and for this reason we asked for his country's support in our effort for reforms," the minister said. Lykourentzos also pointed out the risk that the economic crisis would soon take on the aspect of a social crisis, with repercussions on people's health, while he asked for technical assistance in applying Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) to restrict healthcare spending, hospital management and other areas, such as health tourism, handling human resources and other initiatives that might help Greece's growth process. Emerging from the meeting, Bahr said his talks with his Greek counterpart had been good and that progress had been made. "The first successes have now become apparent. The cost of medication has been restricted," he said, adding that he had personally intervened with the appropriate pharmaceutical firms in Germany, to ensure they upheld their commitments in this area. He also noted that the structural reforms being carried out were absolutely essential in order for Greece to be able to provide European-level health services to its citizens. "What we can do is to support your country on the level of organisation and financing hospitals, setting prices and providing pharmaceutical coverage, as well as in the generally sound and effective organisation of the whole health coverage system in Greece," he added. [10] 'Lagarde list' case file submitted to parliamentThe case file on the so-called 'Lagarde list' was submitted to Parliament on Monday by Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Nikos Pantelis, via Justice Minister Antonis Roupakiotis, for investigation of possible penal liabilities of former government members who had taken possession of and managed the list in CD format.A USB stick containing an alleged copy of the original list was also submitted with the other evidence. In a forwarding document sent to Parliament, Pantelis did not make any reference to specific political figures as required under the Constitution but said that he was forwarding the case file for an investigation into "possible penal liability of members of the then government that received and handled the CD in question". Enclosing a report and the findings of a preliminary investigation conducted by financial prosecutors Grigoris Peponis and Spyros Mouzakitis, he asked Parliament to establish the circumstances in which the alleged CD came into the government's possession and the way its contents were subsequently used, "without going into an assessment of the contents of the case file" and requested that Parliament take action in case of penal liability by any former government members. The "Lagarde list", sent roughly two years ago to the then Greek finance minister George Papaconstantinou by the then French finance minister Christine Lagarde, contains the names of 1,991 Greek citizens that have sizeable bank accounts at the Geneva branch of HSBC bank. According to witness testimony, the list had ended up in the hands of French authorities about four years ago when they seized digital evidence from the house of former HSBC employee Herve Falciani. Papaconstantinou claimed that he had the original list, sent in CD format, copied on a USB stick which he turned over to the ministry's financial crimes squad SDOE for investigation, while giving the original CD and accompanying documentation to his office for "confidential safekeeping". The former finance minister said he was unaware of the CD's current whereabouts. He also charged that no action was taken by SDOE on the list. The two financial prosecutors had forwarded the results of their preliminary investigation to Supreme Court chief prosecutor Ioannis Tentes on November 1. He then instructed Pantelis to examine the file and decide whether it should be forwarded to Parliament. Though the prosecutors did not name any political figures specifically, they indirectly though clearly pointed to the two former finance ministers, George Papaconstantinou and Evangelos Venizelos. The two prosecutors also note that, although the original CD was sent by the French finance ministry through official channels and with the signature of a French civil servant, there is no electronic record of its arrival at Papaconstantinou's office. The prosecutors' investigation includes witness testimony given by Papaconstantinou and Venizelos and by two former heads of SDOE, Ioannis Diotis and Yiannis Kapeleris. [11] SYRIZA leader holds meeting with British ambassadorMain opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras outlined, on Monday, his party's positions on handling the problem of the Greek debt in the framework of the EU and the overindebted countries of the European south, to British ambassador to Greece David Landsman, at the latter's request.The meeting was attended by the British Embassy's political adviser, SYRIZA deputy Rena Dourou responsible for foreign policy issues, Costas Isihos, head of the party's foreign and defence policy section and George Ayfantis, a diplomatic adviser to SYRIZA's leader. [12] Justice minister condemns attack on judicial functionaryJustice Minister Antonis Roupakiotis condemned on Monday the criminal attack against Appeals Court president Paraskevi Kalaitzi and expresses his undivided support for the judicial functionary.Roupakiotis also expressed his conviction that "the Greek judges cannot be terrorised and will continue to exercise their duties with responsibility, being aware of the difficult task they are being called on to perform for the citizens". A powerful explosion occurred in the courtyard of the home of Paraskevi Kalaitzi in the Athens suburb of Halandri in last Thursday, causing extensive damage but no injuries. The unknown perpetrator(s) planted a home-made explosive device at the entrance to the garage next to the two-storey residence, on the first floor of which the judge resides. [13] Turkish military delegation on visit this weekA Turkish military delegation arrived in Athens on Monday for official contacts with national defence general staff officers, with the aim to draft a joint activity programme for 2013.The Turkish delegation will remain in Athens until Thursday, a visit that comes within the framework of an initiative to foster confidence-building measures between the two countries' militaries, a general staff press release stated on Monday. Turkish officers will be given tours of archaeological sites and of the new Acropolis Museum. [14] Turkish helicopter in Athens FIR recognisedA Turkish military helicopter flying in the east-central Aegean region on Monday infringed on Athens FIR regulations and also violated airspace. The aircraft was recognised by Greek fighter plane that scrambled in response.Financial News [15] Trade deficit declines 22.5pct in SeptemberGreece's trade balance deficit fell by 22.5 percent in September, despite a 7 percent decline in exports after a long period of increase, which was counterbalanced however by a more than double drop in imports, while the trade balance deficit for the nine-month period January-September declined by 21.6 percent, the independent Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) said on Monday.ELSTAT, in a report, said that the total value of imports-arrivals, excluding oil products, in September 2012 amounted to 2445.3 million euros (3134.3 million dollars) in comparison with 2871.5 million euros (3942.3 million dollars) in September 2011, recording a drop, in euros, of 14.8%. The total value of exports-dispatches, excluding oil products, in September 2012 amounted to 1320.6 million euros (1702.9 million dollars) in comparison with 1419.6 million euros (1960.8 million dollars) in September 2011, recording a drop, in euros, of 7.0%. The deficit of the trade balance, excluding oil products, in September 2012 amounted to 1124.7 million euros (1431.4 million dollars) in comparison with 1451.9 million euros (1981.5 million dollars) in September 2011, recording a drop, in euros, of 22.5%. The total value of imports-arrivals, excluding oil products, for the 9-month period from January to September 2012 amounted to 22501.7 million euros (28765.5 million dollars) in comparison with 24655.7 million euros (34558.3 million dollars) for the corresponding period of the year 2011 recording a drop, in euros, of 8.7%. The total value of exports-dispatches, excluding oil products, for the 9-month period from January to September 2012 amounted to 12447.0 million euros (16001.6 million dollars) in comparison with 11824.7 million euros (16689.8 million dollars) for the corresponding period of the year 2011, recording an increase, in euros, of 5.3%. The deficit of the Trade Balance, excluding oil products, for the 9-month period from January to September 2012 amounted to 10054.7 million euros (12763.9 million dollars) in comparison with 12831.0 million euros (17868.5 million dollars) for the corresponding period of the year 2011, recording a drop, in euros, of 21.6%. [16] Shipping minister in LondonShipping and Aegean Minister Kostis Mousouroulis will be having contacts in London as of Monday with members of the shipowners' community in an effort to attract additional ships to the Greek registry and the activation of maritime companies in Greece, while on Wednesday he will be giving a press conference for Greek reporters.The Shipping ministry is already moving for the elimination of bureaucracy and for the computerisation of all services related to maritime activity, while an electronic register is being created to simplify the process for a ship's registration in it. Greece has the sixth biggest register in the international market with 1,989 ships, of which 862 are ocean-going. On Wednesday Mousouroulis will be attending a working luncheon with the members of the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee and then he will be meeting the British Deputy Minister responsible for Shipping issues Steven Hammond. [17] Ag ministry staff threaten work stoppage on Tues.Civil servants at the rural development and food ministry - the former agriculture ministry -- threatened to go on another four-hour work stoppage on Tuesday, followed by a protest march to the ministry of administrative reform, a union said on Monday.The labour union is opposed to a newly passed law allowing for the suspension followed by a layoff for redundant staff in the public sector. The union will meet again on Dec. 4 to decide on further action. [18] Business Briefs-- More than 5.1 million residents of Greece - roughly 55 pct of the population - have Internet connection and have an average weekly Internet use of 17.1 hours, up from an EU average of 14.8 hours.-- Olympic Catering SA on Monday applied for a request with the Greek Capital Market Commission to delete its shares from the Athens Stock Exchange. -- Motor Oil Group on Monday said its profits fell to 81.7 million euros in the January-September period. [19] Stocks end flatStocks ended flat at the Athens Stock Exchange on Monday, with investors sidelined awaiting the outcome of a crucial Eurogroup meeting. The composite index of the market eased 0.06 pct to end at 844.57 points, after rising as much as 0.82 pct and falling by 0.87 pct during the day. Turnover shrank significantly to 36.28 million euros.The Big Cap index eased 0.37 pct and the Mid Cap index ended 0.70 pct lower. The Health (2.19 pct), Personal Products (1.08 pct) and Food (1.04 pct) sectors scored gains, while Commerce (2.0 pct), Constructions (1.52 pct) and Banks (1.22 pct) were top losers. Metka (4.97 pct), Motor Oil (2.48 pct0 and Jumbo (1.42 pct) were top gainers among blue chip stocks, while Cyprus Popular Bank (3.39 pct), Cyprus Bank (2.57 pct) and Viohalco (2.11 pct) suffered the heaviest percentage losses. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 83 to 63 with another 16 issues unchanged. Fieratex (30 pct), Progressive (29.41 pct) and Atti-kat (18.75 pct) were top gainers, while NEL (20.0 pct), Boutaris (17.74 pct) and Alpha Properties (13.61 pct) were top losers. Sector indices ended as follows: Industrials: +0.04% Commercial: -2.00% Construction: -1.52% Oil & Gas: +0.75% Personal & Household: +1.08% Raw Materials: -0.82% Travel & Leisure: -0.52% Technology: +0.84% Telecoms: -1.00% Banks: -1.22% Food & Beverages: +1.04% Health: +2.19% Utilities: +0.04% Financial Services: +0.18% The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, Alpha Bank, OPAP, Piraeus Bank and OTE. Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows: Alpha Bank: 1.89 Public Power Corp (PPC): 4.75 HBC Coca Cola: 17.40 Hellenic Petroleum: 6.70 National Bank of Greece: 1.70 EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 0.90 OPAP: 5.02 OTE: 3.95 Bank of Piraeus: 0.45 Titan: 13.33 [20] Greek bond market closing reportThe yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German benchmark bonds remained almost unchanged in the domestic electronic secondary bond market on Monday, with the Greek bond yielding 16.49 pct. There was no turnover in the market.In interbank markets, interest rates were unchanged. The 12-month rate was 0.58 pct, the nine-month rate was 0.46 pct, the six-month rate was 0.35 pct, the three-month rate was 0.19 pct and the one-month rate was 0.10 pct. [21] ADEX closing reportThe December contract on the FTSE 20 index was trading at a premium of 0.74 pct in the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Monday, with turnover shrinking to 9.017 million euros.Volume on the Big Cap index totaled 2,010 contracts worth 3.060 million euros, with 31,521 open positions in the market. Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 33,893 contracts worth 5.957 million euros, with investment interest focusing on National Bank's contracts (11,883), followed by Alpha Bank (5,863), Piraeus Bank (5,679), Cyprus Bank (2,093), OTE (1,263), OPAP (1,689), Eurobank (1,792), GEK (947), Ellaktor (857), PPC (693) and Intralot (426). [22] Foreign Exchange rates - TuesdayReference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank:U.S. dollar 1.315 Pound sterling 0.822 Danish kroner 7.569 Swedish kroner 8.704 Japanese yen 108.07 Swiss franc 1.222 Norwegian kroner 7.447 Canadian dollar 1.307 Australian dollar 1.260 General News [23] Takeovers of municipal buildings enter third weekTakeovers of municipal buildings and services continued on Monday, entering into their third week, by decision of the federation of local government employees POE-OTA.The takeovers have been extended to Tuesday, on which day strikers in Athens will stage a protest demonstration at 11:30 a.m. in downtown Karaiskaki Square which will be followed by a march to the Administrative Reform ministry, while similar protests will take place in the capitals of the other prefectures throughout the country. Municipal employees in Thessaloniki will stage a four-hour stoppage on Wednesday, beginning at 11:00 am. In Athens, municipal employees will continue their take-over of the municipality's human resources directorate on Monday and will expand the takeovers to municipal technical services on Tuesday. POE-OTE said in an announcement that the local government employees are determined to continue and escalate their mobilisations until the government is forced to back its measure of reserve employment. [24] Athens refuse landfill to reach capacity in two years, regional gov'r warnsThe landfill of Fyli, which serves as greater Athens' refuse dump site, will reach capacity in 22 months from now, Attica Regional Governor Yiannis Sgouros said on Monday.Following a regional meeting of Attica services, Sgouros said that up to November 16, the amount of refuse dumped in the location west of Athens totalled 11,650,000 cubic metres. The fill, totalling 3,800 square kilometres, could handle another 5,381,231 cubic metres, while the Athens basin produced 5,500 tonnes of household refuse on a daily basis. Sgouros called for the urgent application of the Regional Refuse Management Plan, which includes the construction of four new units that would lower the volume of processed refuse being buried. According to EU directives, the burial of unprocessed refuse is fined by 35 euros per tonne, increasing annually by 5 euros per tonne, up to a maximum of 60 euros per tonne. [25] Mystery shrouds cold-blooded killing, suicide of culprit, in IoanninaMystery shrouded the cold-blooded killing of a 35-year-old man from Perama early Monday by a 60-year-old man from nearby Ioannina who committed suicide afterwards.The victim, a member of the board of Perama Cave bureau, went to the office of the 60-year-old employee of the Water Fees Collection Fund on Monday morning, possibly to pay a water bill according to police. For reasons as yet unknown the two men argued and the victim left. The perpetrator went to an upper floor of the building, took a firearm belonging to him and caught up with the victim as he was leaving, and shot the victim at close range, resulting in the fatal injury of the latter. He then turned the firearm on himself and took his own life. A strong police contingent was in Perama investigating the case. Locals who were questioned by police were not aware of any differences between the two men, and police are investigating all possibilities. [26] Home-made bomb explodes outside home of woman implicated in Tsohatzopoulos caseA home-made bomb exploded in the pre-dawn hours of Monday at the entrance of a home in the Psychico suburb of Athens belonging to a woman whose name has been implicated in the money laundering case against former PASOK minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos case by a witness.According to a witness in the case, in a testimony before the investigating authorities, Tsohatzopoulos' daughter Areti had set up a company with the woman, a former town planning secretary general of the Environment Ministry. The explosion and ensuing fire caused minor material damage. Attica Security Police are investigating the incident. [27] Terorrist group claims firebombing of ex-politician's houseAn organisation calling itself "Fighting Minority" (Machomeni Meiopsifia) assumed responsibility for placing an incendiary bomb at the house of former Environment secretary general Maria Kaltsa in the northern Athens suburb of Psychiko early on Monday.Through a proclamation uploaded on the "Indymedia" site, the group also claimed responsibility for the firebombing of a car in the Athens district of Kypseli on November 25 which they claimed belonged to a man who attacked immigrants as reprisal for the death of a Greek man, Manolis Kantaris, 44, killed in May 2011 during a holdup as he was preparing to take his wife to the hospital to give birth. Kaltsa was a target because as PASOK official and as architect she was "allocating projects to herself" and specifically to a company "she belonged to that had assumed construction of the concentration camps for immigrants," it said. [28] Former MP Theodoros Anagnostopoulos diesFormer minister and long-serving deputy of New Democracy (ND) Theodoros Anagnostopoulos died on Monday aged 76.Anagnostopoulos, the son of a deputy himself, was first elected to Parliament in 1974 on a joint Enosi Kentrou/ND ticket, after serving as prefect of Karditsa, in Thessaly. He joined ND in 1981, and later served successively as minister of Public Order and Transport and Communications. An experienced politician, he also served several terms as vice-president of Parliament and held several high-ranking posts in the ND party, including parliamentary committees and the central committee. He was "a noble soul of our political life, and his contribution to the country and ND will keep his memory alive," Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said. ND party secretary Manolis Kefalogiannis said Anagnostopoulos was a politician who proceeded with principles, values and ideals. [29] Noted foreign correspondent Mario Modiano diesISTANBUL (AMNA/A.Kourkoulas)Mario Modiano, who was the Athens correspondent for the Times of London for 38 years and collaborated with the BBC's Greek service in the critical period after the collapse of the dictatorship, died on Monday at the age of 86, plunging the foreign correspondents' community into mourning. The noted correspondent is identified with the periods of critical changes in the Greek society, including the collapse of the dictatorship and restoration of democracy, the landmarks in the Cyprus issue and the Greek-Turkish crises. Mario Modiano came from a journalistic family of the Jewish community in Thessaloniki, with its roots in 16th century Italy. His father, Sam Modiano, was the publisher/director and later owner of the newspaper "Le Progres" (Progress) and after the war served as the correspondent and bureau chief of Reuters for Greece and Turkey. The Modiano family managed to survive the German persecutions that annihilated the Jewish community in Thessaloniki thanks to the protection of the Italian authorities, who evacuated as many Jews as they could from Thessaloniki to Athens. "Listening to him, hearing his stories on how he survived the incredible adventures during the German occupation in Greece, who acquire hope and a disposition for life," says Milena Molho, who in 2005 had an extensive autobiographical interview with Mario Modiano. In 1963 he married his beloved Inci, the daughter of a distinguished Turkish family from Istanbul he had met and fell in love with on the island of Rhodes, with whom he settled in Athens. Mario Modiano was born in Thessaloniki in 1926, and has been decorated by Queen Elizabeth with the Order of the British Empire (OBE). [30] Korydallos prison director suspendedThe Justice ministry has suspended the director of the Korydallos prison Maria Stefi and two penitentiary employees, following the revelation of the release of one of the four defendants arrested for participating in the slaying of two young special guards in the Piraeus district of Renti, in March 2011.According to an announcement Monday by the Justice ministry, a preliminary enquiry is already being carried out by the Appeals Court prosecutor-supervisor of the Korydallos detention facility, on the conditions under which the defendant involved in a homicides case was released by penitentiary employees. The investigation is taking place to ascertain disciplinary and penal responsibilities. [31] Fifty-five charged with uprising at migrant centreFifty-five foreign nationals have been charged with organising and inciting an uprising last Friday at a migrants detention centre in the northeast town of Komotini.The centre holds 250 foreign nationals, most from Third World countries, awaiting deportation proceedings. A protest over living conditions resulted in light injuries to four policemen and extensive damage to property, a police cadet academy in the border region. The 55 face two misdemeanors charges - levelled by a first instance court - namely, rioting and and intentional physical harm, as well as felony damage of property. The defendants belong to 14 nationalities. Damages from the incident resulted in two barracks being completely destroyed and other sections of the centre damaged heavily. A police unionist, Christos Fotopoulos, speaking after reviewing the damage, said the illegal immigrants will be removed from the particular centre since it now fails to fulfill health and safety conditions. [32] Three foreign nationals arrested for stabbing two othersThree Romanian nationals aged 20, 25 and 28 were arrested at dawn Monday in Monemvasia for stabbing two fellow Romanians aged 38 and 35 the previous night after an argument.The two victims were rushed to the hospital in Molaos and then to hospital in nearby Sparta with multiple stab wounds, and are reported out of danger. Three knives were confiscated from the suspects, while Molaos police are investigating the incident. [33] Earth tremor in sea region between Rhodes and Symi islandsAn earth tremor measuring 4.8 points on the Richter scale occurred at 19:35 on Monday in the sea region between the Aegean islands of Rhodes and Symi.The tremor was felt in particular on Rhodes, Symi, Kos, Nisyros and Tilos, without states of panic being created and no damage being reported in any of the islands. Dozens of earth tremors have been recorded in the region of the Dodecannese since Saturday afternoon, without most of them being noticed by the islands' inhabitants. Weather forecast [34] Cloudy on TuesdayCloudy weather and northerly winds are forecast in most parts of the country on Tuesday. Winds 2-5 beaufort. Temperatures between 5C and 21C. Slightly cloudy in Athens with southerly 3-4 beaufort winds and temperatures between 10C and 19C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures between 10C and 17C.[35] Athens Newspaper HeadlinesThe Eurogroup meeting on Greece scheduled for early Monday afternoon in Brussels and the provisions of the new tax bill were the main front-page items in Athens' dailies on Monday.DIMOKRATIA: "Taxes to the extremes". EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: "In the vise of the EU and IMF". ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "They're withdrawing the taxes on the lump sum retirement superannuity and severance pay". ESTIA: "Europe without a compass - The consequences for Greece are devastating". ETHNOS: "The agreement in the hands of the two ladies (German chancellor Angela Merkel and IMF chief Christine Lagarde)". IMERISSIA: "Everything at stake today". NAFTEMPORIKI: "Yes to reduction of interest rates, bonds buy-back". TA NEA: "Hopes of agreement in Brussels". VRADYNI: "Pensions: All the changes for free-lance professionals". 6DAYS: "All three (coalition government parties) in a free-fall". 36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: ANTONIS SKYLLAKOS Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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