Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in Greek, 03-07-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM expected to take new policy initiatives in coming week

[02] Minister says gov't aims at realizing strategic targets for country

[03] ND leader accuses government of inadequacy, repeats call for elections

[04] Quake measuring 5.7 Richter rocks north of Dardanelle Straits

[05] Wildfire in Oreokastro extinguished, Fire brigade on alert

[06] Illegal immigrants scuffle all night at refugee centre, 15 injured

[07] Police swoop on rave party, make 13 arrests for drug possession

[08] Greek and foreign tourists visiting Kavala prefecture increasing in number

[09] Police break up prostitution ring bringing women illegally into the country

[10] Farandouri and Livanelli join voices for Cyprus concert

[01] PM expected to take new policy initiatives in coming week

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

The prime minister is further expected to intensify his activities during the summer. Reports said that Simitis is planning tours all over the country, while his instructions to government members will be for them to follow his example and limit the duration of their holidays to a week.

During Monday's cabinet meeting, Simitis is expected to announce the creation of a special body to monitor the government's work and the planning of its communication policy.

It will be convening on a daily basis under the chairmanship of the prime minister and its participants will include Finance and Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Chrysohoidis.

A cabinet or inner cabinet meeting is also expected on Tuesday for discussions on issues concerning the modernization of the political system and transparency in public life.

[02] Minister says gov't aims at realizing strategic targets for country

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

"What we have now is activation, work, initiative and political mobilization, both in the party and the government, with the purpose of realizing the strategic target for Greece by 2010, as we have committed ourselves as the PASOK party," he said.

Tsohatzopoulos visited a camping site of the Greek Tourist Organization at Agia Triada, in the Thessaloniki prefecture, and the Thermaikos municipality in the morning and attended an event on the development of the region, whose population has increased considerably in past years.

[03] ND leader accuses government of inadequacy, repeats call for elections

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

Karamanlis, who was speaking to social partner representatives in the city of Veria, northern Greece, also referred to the government's reshuffle on Friday, saying changes imposed by Prime Minister Costas Simitis concern ''his party, their chairs and his succession.''

The ND leader accused the government of misrule, unrestrained waste and impunity, adding that it never dared to carry out changes and reforms required for a modern, effective and truly social state.

Referring to the election period (elections are normally due in April), Karamanlis said the prime minister is preparing for a new ''hope trade'' and a new game of coercive dilemmas.

Focusing also on the ''convergence map'' for the economy referred to by the prime minister, Karamanlis said with the present pace convergence cannot be achieved even in half a century.

Commenting further on Simitis' remarks on upgrading public life, the ND leader said ''some vague promises were heard about upgrading public life. At the same time, however, the same people revealed with actions their real intentions. Their instructions to state-run television against the person who had inspired their propaganda until now highlight reality and warn of what undemocratic and regime-like practices they are planning in light of elections.''

Responding to Karamanlis' statements in Veria, government spokesman Christos Protopapas said ''with his statements today, Mr. Karamanlis proves once again that he is incapable of realizing the model of modern governance required by the country.''

The spokesman further said that Karamanlis is clinging to the old-fashioned concept of ''you go away, you come'' and does not understand that, above all, the citizens want clarity in targets and consistency in policies and evaluate the results of the government's work first and not persons.

Protopapas stressed that Karamanlis is ''managing impressions'' in his pointless tours, while his party appears incapable of any-thing else and in the spring of 2004 it will receive the reply it deserves from the Greek people.

[04] Quake measuring 5.7 Richter rocks north of Dardanelle Straits

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

According to the Seismological Institute of Thessaloniki Aristotelion University, the quake was felt in eastern Macedonia and Thrace and particularly in Alexandroupoli and the island of Samothrace. The Gulf of Xiros is located about 30 nautical miles southeast of Alexandroupoli.

No casualties or damage was reported.

[05] Wildfire in Oreokastro extinguished, Fire brigade on alert

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

The blaze lasted for two hours and destroyed about three acres of forest land, while fire engines remain on standby as the intensity of winds continues to be strong.

Meanwhile, the fire brigade cautions the public to be careful to prevent wildfires as high temperatures and strong winds are expected to persist these days. People are advised not to throw away lighted cigarettes or light fires in forested areas and to avoid work causing sparks.

[06] Illegal immigrants scuffle all night at refugee centre, 15 injured

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

The illegal immigrants, numbering about 200, turned the refugee centre into a battlefield for reasons which have not been clarified but which reportedly concern either control of the facility or love!

The injured illegal immigrants were taken to hospital in the city of Mytilene where all but two, who needed special treatment, were eventually discharged.

[07] Police swoop on rave party, make 13 arrests for drug possession

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

The arrested persons were the owner of the music hall and 12 people, aged between 18-30, who were among a total of about 300 ravers.

A search of the premises and of patrons produced 54 grams of cannabis, 58 ecstasy pills, three grams of amphetamines and 3,5 grams of cocaine.

[08] Greek and foreign tourists visiting Kavala prefecture increasing in number

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

A total of 309 charter flights were carried out from northern and central Europe last month and 22,417 people arrived, while 20,476 left.

Over the same period, 2,670 tourists arrived at ''Megas Alexandros'' airport in the city of Kavala, who were on their way to the islands of Santorini, Skiathos, Lesvos and Chios.

During the same month in 2002, 296 flights took place and 21,503 people arrived at Kavala airport, while 18,507 left.

As regards domestic flights last month, 177 aircraft landed at Kavala airport carrying 5,895 tourists and excursionists, while 5,554 people left.

During the same month last year, 164 flights took place, 5,085 people arrived and 4,798 left.

Tourists arriving at Kavala airport in June were from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

[09] Police break up prostitution ring bringing women illegally into the country

Athens 07/07/2003 (ANA)

Investigations revealed that the women were kept in apartments and their passports were taken from them, while their lives were threatened if they refused to prostitute themselves.

The case came to light when V.S., 26, from Thessaloniki, northern Greece, introduced a young Russian woman to a Greek who, after showing interest in marrying her, was asked to pay 30,000 euros for her "release."

The would-be groom pretended to accept the demand, but the ring was exposed when he notified police who told him to hand over marked banknotes to the Russian woman when a meeting was arranged in Athens.

Police also arrested an accomplice of the 26-year-old and are seeking another three persons involved in the prostitution ring.

ND leader meets relatives of schoolchildren killed in Tempi traffic accident

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis met on Saturday with relatives of the 21 schoolchildren from the Imathia prefecture, northern Greece, who were killed in the tragic traffic accident in Tempi earlier this year.

The relatives visited him at the hotel where he is staying in the city of Veria, during his visit to the prefecture, and expressed their objections to him for the release from prison of the two owners of the truck involved in the accident.

Karamanlis visited a church in the city later in the day and lit a candle in memory of the schoolchildren killed in the crash and attended a memorial service organized for them.

The schoolchildren were killed when a truck slammed into a coach taking them home at the end of a school excursion.

[10] Farandouri and Livanelli join voices for Cyprus concert

NICOSIA 07/07/2003 (CNA/ANA)

The open air concert ''We sing for Cyprus'' in the moat of the D' Avilla Bastion on the Nicosia ancient city walls was organized jointly by AKEL, the Cultural Movement and the bi-communal choir with the participation of the artists Doros Demosthenous, Giorgos Loris and Ergan Dagli.

The concert started at 20.30 local time, the entrance was free and thousands of people from both sides attended the event along with AKEL's SG and President of the House of Representatives Demetris Christofias, ministers, MPs, leaders and representatives of political parties and trade unions of the two communities.

All around the moat there were huge boards with anti-war slogans and messages for peace and friendship such as: ''Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cyprpiots - Common Struggle - Common Country''.

Christofias declared ''we do not fight to separate the world but we do fight and sing to unite the world'' and Farandouri said, that years ago, she and Livaneli were singing all over the world and they anticipated the moment when both of them would be singing in Cyprus.

''Today we dedicate our songs to all Cypriots and especially to the youth, to Cyprus of Europe, to a united Cyprus, to the Cyprus of tomorrow,'' the Greek singer added.

On behalf of the Cultural Movement, Arif Albayrlak welcomed the concert which was broadcasted live to both sides of the island and was covered by Greek and Turkish journalists and photographers.

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