Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-11

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Kyriakos Mitsotakis elected president of main opposition New Democracy party

[02] Police source: Number of refugee on Lesvos in spring could exceed 2015 numbers

[01] Kyriakos Mitsotakis elected president of main opposition New Democracy party

With 75.02% of the party member votes counted, Mitsotakis collected 51,6% of the votes and Meimarakis 48,4%. Nationally, there are 400,000 registered party members who voted.

Messages of congratulations came in, among others, from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, with whom Mitsotakis is expected to meet this week, former prime minister and former ND leader Antonis Samaras, interim ND president Yiannis Plakiotakis, Democratic Left leader Thanassis Theocharopoulos and Mitsotakis' fellow contestants Meimarakis and central Macedonia regional governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

In a brief message, Mitsotakis, who later on Sunday paid a visit to his father, former premier Constantine Mitsotakis, thanked his voters, party volunteers and his family. He also made particular reference to Meimarakis, whom he called "a valuable colleague", and underlined his intention to work with all candidates for the unity of the party and its revival.

"Now the time of great responsibility begins," he said, "We have a lot of work ahead of us, but the hope of citizens gives us strength – a hope that something can truly change in this country. Citizens who had turned away from politics got off their couches and participated (in voting) because they believed in the power of our arguments, and this is perhaps the most optimistic message." He also expressed the certainty that ND would be able to unite the Greeks as it had done in the past.

[02] Police source: Number of refugee on Lesvos in spring could exceed 2015 numbers

"The numbers [of arrivals] we will be called to manage may be small compared to those of 2015," the police source said responding to a question on the increased number of people recorded in Lesvos' identification centers in the last few days. "It seems that our Turkish neighbors, despite the pressure they are under, do not want or cannot control their compatriot traffickers who naturally make huge profits for the Turkish economy through the management of so many people," the source added.

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