The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-05-22

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] âBarbarity Issueâ to be continuedâ¦

"There is nothing to recall," commented PASOK spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou.

"Today PASOK leader did not dare to brand for once more all Greeks that do not vote in favor of PASOK, barbarians. May be he feels the unconceivable offence he repeated over and over again during the last days", the governmental spokesman noted.

"We want to speak about the citizens' problems, the poverty's problems, about the inequality, Europe's and Greece's problems and about all issues that make our society barbaric. Unfortunately, our society has elements of barbarity. We want to highlight that there are different politics. We want to keep talking about the essence of politics, about the citizen and his/her problems..."PASOK press representative and head of Euro elections Giorgos Papakostantinou pointed out.

News item: 22688

[02] Siemens' Law Suits against Christoforakos-Mavridis

With regard to Mihalis Christoforakos, who flew to Munich to take part in the judicial probe being carried out there, he pleaded health problems due to which he can not return to stand trial in Greece.

Asked on the Siemens case and Christoforakos' escape overseas, socialist party PASOK said that the fact that Mr. Christoforakos was allowed to leave the country is unacceptable. Minister of Justice Mr. Nikos Dendias stressed he would not make any comments, since the case is still under investigation.

Source: NET

News item: 22680

[03] Papandreou: âSections for a Safe and Fair Stateâ

Protection of Citizens' Rights

On reference to the electoral law PASOK president said that the Greek facts have to adjust to the "German model", underlying that that way illegal money transactions will be combated.

As per the Mass Media and their role, Papandreou said that he is in favor of their autonomy, the transparency and control in the financing of state television, the control in the sustainability of Mass Media and the support of the digitization of the print.

He also noted that the law system will be independent because a state without Justice "is a state of anomie and barbarity". On reference to the law per politicians' responsibility, he stated that he is in favor of a change so as a Parliamentary majority not to be able to block the investigation on cases where politicians are involved and bear responsibilities.

The social immergence of immigrants in society, the fight of illegal working and the attribution of the Greek nationality to those who wish to legally stay in Greece as well as to "second generation" immigrants are included in PASOK proposals, Papandreou said. Concluding, he pointed out that what the state needs is a peaceful revolution focusing on citizens while he committed to work for a state that will serve the principles of democracy, the evaluation and deliberation.

News item: 22678

[04] H1N1 Cases Are Increasing

Confirmed or suspected swine flu cases have exceeded 5,700 in the USA, while death toll rose to nine. The World Health Organization has forecast that the total number of the swine flu cases amounts to 11,034, death toll stands at 85, while as many as 1000 new cases have been detected in the last 24 hours.

Pandemic Alert Could Be Raised to 6

The head of the World Health Organization said she would not hesitate to raise the pandemic alert, if the H1N1 flu is spreading globally.

Britain, Japan and other nations have requested criteria be changed, so that the pandemic alert rises to the top level.

The World Health Organization has earned the drug industries' pledge to offer free vaccines and anti-virus drugs to the developing countries.

Source: NET 105.8, Reuters, ANA/MPA Related news: New Flu Cases Exceeded 10,000

News item: 22668

[05] US Vice-President in Lebanon

Tight Security

Biden will hold talks with President Michel Suleiman, as well as pro-Western Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Tight security have been stepped up both in Beirut and on the outskirts, due to Biden's visit, the first, following George Bush' visit to the Lebanese capital in 1983, a day after a hit on US marines.

Source: Reuters, ANA/NPA

News item: 22661

[06] Greek PM Visits New Oncology Hospital

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis outlined the government's changes and reforms in the health sector, after touring the facilities and new wards of the new Oncology Hospital Aghii Anargyri in the Kifissia district of northern Athens. "We are giving a new impetus to the National Health System with works and not with words, " said Karamanlis, who spoke of a more flexible, humane and effective health system.

The hospital was erected on the site of the old hospital, which had been destroyed by the 1999 earthquake.

"This hospital is added up to the rest oncology units of Greece to contribute to the battle against cancer," stressed the Prime Minister.

Karamanlis toured its clinics and labs, and was briefed on the new technologies and services the hospital is to offer. "We are implementing our pledges and giving a new impetus to the National Health System through new infrastructure and staff hirings," noted Karamanlis.

Touching on the changes and reforms taking place in the health sector, he said that his government has for the first time instituted a comprehensive system of primary medical care by creating a national health operation centre; by organizing a system of hospital shifts in order to insure decent medical care, and by abolishing the phenomenon of cots in hallways, adding that reforms in health administration structures has yielded savings of 70 million euros per year.

Reactions

Socialist deputy and section head for health matters Giorgos Florides said that the fact that the Prime Minister toured hospitals that should have opened to the public some five years ago is tragic for public health. SYRIZA issued an announcement reading:

"The people know that ND and PASOK have paved the way for the promotion of private interests in the health sector, abandoning the National Health System. With their vote on 7 June, the people will put a brake to the destruction of the public health system."

News item: 22670

[07] The Process of the Debate

The debate among the five political parties has been scheduled to take place at the building housing the Greek national broadcaster on 28 May. The journalists will be chosen by six private television stations and by state TV channel ERT while the coordinator will be elected by the participant journalists. Governmental spokesman Mr. Antonaros sent letters to the directors of the TV stations asking them to dictate the journalist they will send while he kindly requested to choose the coordinator until Monday. The journalists' questions will be based on the following units:

1. European Union and Foreign Affairs 2. Finance and Development 3. Social Politics and Employment 4. Environment and Education 5. Governance and Public Administration

Each question will last 30 minutes and will be submitted by the journalists successively to the leader of each political party.

The party leader will have to answer the questions in 1,5 minutes while the journalist will have the right to reopen the 30 minutes question that will have to be answered in a minute outmost.

Commenting on PASOK's proposal for a second debate between Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and Socialist leader George Papandreou, government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said, "at this moment, the elections relate to Europe's future. Were we to debate on the country's future and on who would be the most appropriate for the premiership, then we could consider PASOK's proposal." PASOK spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou insisted on his party's proposal, suggesting another debate among the heads of the euro-ballots.

KKE (Greek communist party) stressed that all political leaders should be asked exactly the same questions, while SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) claimed the debate should focus on real problems.

News item: 22683

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