Athens News Agency: News Bulletin in English, 07-02-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] No-confidence motion rejected by Parliament; PM says elections at their proper time

[02] PM discusses no confidence motion with environment, development ministers

[03] Education minister calls university rectors' council meeting "exceptionally important"

[04] 45.7 pc want changes in education to go ahead, poll shows

[05] Greek Communist party on Ahtisaari proposals for Kosovo

[06] Kozani residents take over power plant, demand jobs

[07] Citizens in Kozani want visit by development minister

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates ' Monday

[09] Seven illegal immigrants drown in sea near Samos

[10] Two killed in car-bus crash near Kavala

[11] Diplomatic car torched by incendiary device

[12] Passenger ferry's hull torn while docking at Iraklio

[13] Earthquake rocks the island of Kythera

[14] Extremely strong winds cause damage in Iraklio, Crete

[15] Honourary monument for Thessaloniki to be placed in Melbourne square

[16] Seminar for local authority chiefs in Iraklio

[17] Results of the Greek Super League soccer matches played over the weekend

[18] Weather forecast: Cold, sleety on Monday

[19] Greek press review on Sunday

[20] House President to pay official visit to China

[21] Former President Clerides admitted to hospital

[01] No-confidence motion rejected by Parliament; PM says elections at their proper time

Closing the debate, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said that his government would force ahead with reforms reiterating that elections would take place at "their proper time".

The debate began in Parliament on Friday, just hours after it was tabled by PASOK leader George Papandreou, who at the same time had demanded early general elections. He had also announced that his party's MPs were withdrawing from the debate on revision of the Constitution.

164 deputies of the ruling New Democracy party and some independent MPs out of 286 deputies participating in the vote voted against the motion, PASOK deputies and the six Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology voted for, while the Communist Prty of Greece (KKE) abstained.

Under the Rules of Parliament, a no-confidence motion must be ratified by an absolute majority of the 300-deputy legislature (150+1) in order to pass.

Elections will take place at their proper time, PM tells Parliament

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, addressing Parliament on Sunday night during the debate on the vote of censure submitted against his government by the main opposition PASOK party, said that elections will take place at their proper time and stressed that "I do not place personal and party interest above the interests of the country."

Karamanlis said that the demand by PASOK leader George Papabndreou is tempting "and would be even more tempting if you voted first for constitutional reform and for the article 16 in particular" and noted that "your demand coincides with suggestions I am receiving from many cadres of our party."

The prime minister further said that "I suppose that this coincidence is due to the fact that you are making a common assessment of developments and, of course, an identical assessment of the result. And I do not change decisions. I do not place personal and party interest above the interests of the country. Elections will take place at their proper time."

Karamanlis called on the Parliamentary plenum "to say a resounding no to populism and unconstitutional behaviour, no to conservatism and to old-partisanship, no to sterile reaction:I request a dynamic no to the attempt at polarisation, no to senseless tension, no to political retreat, no to political backtracking."

He went on to say "I request a vote for the continuation of changes and of reforms, I request a vote of responsible governance and consistency, a vote of respect for institutions, a vote of confidence towards the citizens, a vote of confidence for the country, for its present and its future."

Karamanlis said that both the motion of censure and the demand for elections are "cheap pretexts" to cover up reality "that is the staging of PASOK's reckless flight from the process of constitutional reform and primarily from article 16."

"This truth cannot be concealed and since you like puns about seriousness, I shall say this:How serious is a party that plays with institutions, how serious is a leader who resorts to rhetoric of the '50s and the '60s to avoid his responsibilities," the prime minister said.

According to Karamanlis, the demands by PASOK's leader are only an exit to the deadlock created, as well as a flight from his responsibilities, adding that those who led him to make this decision offered him a "very bad service".

He further said that Papandreou "is in a hurry to leave before the revision process reaches the Parliament plenum" and that he "does not dare to remain firm on his commitments and positions towards the citizens."

Lastly, Karamanlis called on Papandreou to compete with him in providing and finding solutions, changes and reforms because "Greece has no time to lose."

Government the 'worst government of post-junta era', Papandreou says

Main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou, addressing Parliament on Sunday night during the debate on the vote of censure submitted by his party against the government, said that the government "is the worst government of the post-junta era."

"You achieved something very difficult, to become the worst government of the post-junta era, even surpassing the Mitsotakis government. For this reason, we say enough is enough," he said.

Referring to the call for early elections, Papandreou said that "the economic issues, issues concerning education, or the national issues by themselves are enough for us to call for elections."

The PASOK leader said that 1.5 trillion drachmas were paid to enable the Greek economy to exit from supervision, stressing that "for three years your (finance) minister has been decreasing the income of the Greek citizen. He is making the high cost of living to soar. In a serious government, this minister would have gone home, but in this one he remains."

Commenting on the education minister, Papandreou said that "society has become polarised and an opportunity has been lost for consensual changes", adding that "in any case the question is one:who do the Greek people trust to handle the major issue of education, the law on universities, the article 16."

Speaking in the same spirit, the PASOK leader accused the government of "favouritism for banks with huge profits, burdening the deficits of funds."

On the question of foreign policy, Papandreou said "you are absent from European issues, tourists in Lucern, absent from developments in the Balkans and Kosovo. Without a strategy, you are obliged to watch the pendulum of Greek-Turkish issues between tension and retrogression."

KKE leader criticises mainstream parties during vote of censure debate

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga, speaking in Parliament on Sunday night during the debate on the vote of censure against the government, criticised both the ruling New Democracy party and the main opposition PASOK party.

Papariga added that her party will not participate in the voting concerning the censure motion against the government.

She further said that Greece's political problem is specific and is the same antipopular policies of the two major parties.

"The government is being judged for its policy, but PASOK is also being judged as a contestant for power. However, the two parties have no differences and the political problem remains," she further said.

"The point of judgement for the small or big parties is their position towards capital, privatisations, pensions, farm policy, policy on health, education or the environment. In other words, all the policies which shape the citizen's day-to-day life. Therefore, we cannot separate our criticism for PASOK and ND. Because for us, there is a criterion in democracy which is not being heard and it is democracy in the sector of labour," Papariga stressed.

The KKE leader criticised the government because "with all means it is promoting the policy of reforms, that only benefits big businessmen and harms the working people," while adding that it is using all means to slander the university and student movement.

Lastly, Papariga spoke of considerable struggles that the people and the popular movement have to do to confront the harsh antipopular rival front.

Coalition party leader speaks of shadow theatre

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party leader Alekos Alavanos, speaking in Parliament on Sunday night during the debate on the vote of censure against the government, spoke of a "shadow theatre and a staged setting".

Alavanos said the debate on the vote of censure was a victory for the student movement and a defeat for bipartisan rule, while stating that his party will vote against the government, primarily on educational issues.

"Today's discussion on the vote of censure against the government, the appeal by the main opposition party for elections and the replies by the government are a shadow theatre. However, there is something extremely positive behind it. That from the censure against the government other terms are coming in with relation to the revision of the constitution. It was also proved that the government sustained a defeat, the main opposition party was obliged to retreat and bipartisan rule is not unbeatable," he said.

Alavanos also said that his party "will stay in the discussion in Parliament on the revision of the constitution because it is not afraid, it is not ashamed and does not hide."

Minister of State criticises PASOK and its leader

Minister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, speaking in Parliament on Sunday during the debate on the vote of censure tabled against the government by the main opposition PASOK party, criticised PASOK and its leader George Papandreou personally, speaking of "cheap fireworks, fear of responsibility and the absence of any new political speech".

"Once again PASOK is absent from the crucial decisions for the country. It is shedding crocodile tears. Its fear of responsibility is a stable characteristic of it. We believed, indeed when we heard Mr. Papandreou, that he wants to change everything. Unfortunately, however, PASOK has changed you yourself," he said, addressing Papandreou.

"It was proved that PASOK does not change, neither with who is at its leadership. Mr. Papandreou proved that he only knows the path of fear of responsibility. You, who spoke of a new political speech, are turning us back to the '50s. You are swimming in the past," he added.

"The citizens are not interested in intraparty balances or in who is in the lead. The citizens want work, proposals and positions, that will conclude the reforms," he also said.

Speaking during the same debate, Defence Minister Vangelis Meimarakis said that elections will take place at the end of the four-year term, adding that the New Democracy party will proceed with the revision of the constitution.

"Elections will take place at the end of the four-year term. The government's work will have been completed and, then, the citizens will judge us," Meimarakis said, while, commenting on PASOK's political tactics, noted that "you have started very early. You will be out of breath until you reach then."

The defence minister further said that "if elections take place now, the next Parliament will discuss which articles will be revised and the one after the next (2013-2017) will complete the revision. And I ask you. Can Greece afford to stay behind, because you are stuck with yesterday."

Meimarakis called on PASOK to realise that "ND now has the initiative in the political game. We determine the agenda, we determine the elections and how Greece will proceed, because that is what the people wanted in their overwhelming majority."

ND Parliamentary spokesman

Ruling New Democracy party Parliamentary spokesman Vassilis Manginas, speaking in Parliament during the vote of censure against the government on Sunday night, said that "we shall not have elections whenever you want. What is of importance is the institutional security of the citizen."

Manginas called on PASOK's deputies to be patient, since "the time is approaching. You must prepare yourselves. The people will deal with the rest, who know their interests and are not misled by fireworks."

Main opposition PASOK party Parliamentary spokesman Haris Kastanidis said on his part that "even if (ruling) New Democracy wants to complete the process of constitutional revision, PASOK's claim for elections is permanent and now and in a month, until it comes to the polls."

Vote of censure an institutional impropriety, education minister says

Education and Religion Minister Marietta Yiannakou, speaking in Parliament during the vote of censure against the government on Sunday night, said that the vote of censure by the main opposition PASOK party, as well as the announcement on the withdrawal from the processes for the revision of the constitution, was an "institutional impropriety".

She added that "PASOK leader George Papandreou is not only opposed to public sentiment on the normal functioning of institutions but, on the contrary, he is also against his very self."

According to the minister, the vote of censure is directed against Papandreou and PASOK and it "will be judged in a certain and secure way by the people when we will complete our period of office."

After asking PASOK's leader if he continues to believe that the revision of article 16 is "a leftist and progressive act", she reminded that the ruling New Democracy "when it was the main opposition party participated with a feeling of responsibility in the two procedures on the revision of the constitution in 1985 and 2001" and that "it never thought of exploiting them politically and include them in a short-sighted partisan-opposition strategy, as PASOK is doing today."

Yiannakou also said that with Papandreou's proposal he is depriving his deputies of the right to vote according to conscience during the processes concerning revision voting.

"It is a political move of a doubtful democratic nature by a politician who states, supposedly, that he is opposed to leader parties and is a champion of corporate procedures," the minister said.

Public works, justice ministers

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias, addressing Parliament on Sunday during the debate on the vote of censure tabled by the main opposition PASOK party, said that PASOK leader George Papandreou "took off the hat of the politician with the new attitude and implemented the known and condemned recipe of tension, conflict and the game with institutions."

The public works minister further said that "it appears that whatever attempts for moderate tones do not pass with PASOK. Its tough nucleus is very tough to accept them. It has learnt 'hard rock'. Therefore, you will stay in the opposition for a second four-year term, to dance rock by yourselves."

According to Souflias, nobody is convinced by the reasons invoked by PASOK for the vote of censure.

He added that nobody is convinced that PASOK really wants elections, "since even the stones know that if elections were to be held tomorrow morning, you would lose them", adding that "there is no reason for elections to take place now. This government is a responsible government, it respects the popular mandate and still has work to do."

Justice Minister Anastasios Papaligouras, speaking during the debate, said that "the main opposition party is processing the exporting of its own crisis onto the political stage. With stale accusations and hysterical reactions, with exaggerated attacks against ministers and cadres of ND, with abuse sometimes and mudslinging, PASOK is trying to convince that it exists and to obstruct the government's reformist work."

Papaligouras also said that the last PASOK government delivered a penitentiary system "of medieval conditions, with prisons that were schools of corruption and crime."

He pointed out that "during ND's governance, seven new prisons were built and we separated inmates in accordance with the type of the offence and the extent of the conviction."

PASOK official Anna Diamantopoulou

Main opposition PASOK party programme chief Anna Diamantopoulou, speaking in Parliament on Sunday during the debate on the vote of censure against the government, said that PASOK achieves three things with the vote of censure.

"We bring the real dimension of politics to the political agenda. We highlight the unacceptable functioning of Parliament due to leading cadres of your party. And Mr. George Papandreou achieves absolute agreement inside his party and he is right in doing this. This, in any case, is the role of a leader. To go to the polls with his party united," she said.

"We are at the end of an era. (Ruling) New Democracy is bidding farewell to the social centre, it is also bidding it farewell and a new period is starting," Diamantopoulou added.

Replying to Diamantopoulou, Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that "PASOK has a problem, that has been changed from a political party into a political leader delphinarium."

Other speakers

Addressing the debate on Sunday, deputy interior minister Athanasios Nakos said that neither he, but also neither the PASOK deputies, could understand what Papandreou had in mind with the no-confidence motion.

"Even if we look at it as a tactical move, in order to breathe from the noose that his internal party oppoinents have placed around his neck and to rally together his supporters, it was a failed option, because it did not cause any difficulty for the government," Nakos said.

In essence, he said, Papandreou had sacrificed his political seriousness and credibility "for a three-day manufactured tension".

"In order to conceal is own insecurities and his party's political nakedness and ideological inadequacy, he pretended self-confidence, something that he will not acquire with such methods," the deputy minister continued.

Nakos said that Papandreou, unable to take part in a broad social dialogue on the important issues concerning society, "organised a three-day happening" and, forgetting the wider public, "addressed himself to his own microcosm", believing that he could gain political time at an hour when the country has not time to lose.

The people, he added, did not have the luxury, nor the tolerance, of dealing with the internal neuroses of a party that led them to multiple impasses.

Finance undersecretary Antonis Bezos said that the motion of no-confidence tabled by PSOK was in essence a "move of weakness".

"You ask us to remain stagnant, but we reply with changes and reforms in education and the economy," Bezas said, stressing that the government was unwavering on tax evasion, resulting in the collection of VAT and tax revenues in 2006 that exceeded the targt set out in the budget, marking a 12 percent increase at a time when the nominal GDP rose by 7.6 percent.

ND party secretary Lefteris Zagoritis accused Papandreou of tabling the motion in a tactical move and of succumging to the internal party pressures by his cadres.

Zagoritis outlined the accumulated problems he said the preceding PASOK governments had left behind, "something it (PASOK) does not want to realise because, otherwise, it wouldhave apoliogised to the Greek people and carried out self-criticism".

PASOK parliamentary group chief and former minister Dimitris Reppas charged that the government's policy was a "ceaseless and relentless fatigue test for the Greek people".

"You've exhausted your weapons and your propaganda, the hopes of the Greek people and, now, a portion of the people's reserves of hope for the future," Reppas said.

PASOK MP and former labour leader Christos Protopapas called on prime minister Costas Karamanlis to accept PASOK's demand for early general elections.

He said elections were necessary in order for the government, which he accused of destroying the country, to leave.

ND parliamentary group leader Apostolos Stavrou said he feared that Papandreou was seeing a "midsummer night's dream", adding that elections would take place as scheduled and that the people would give the appropriate reply to PASOK, appreciating the "immense effort of the new governance, which is leading the government forward".

Stavrou made specific mention of his own effort for protection of the country's forests and natural environment, stressing that the need for protection was apparent today more than ever before.

PASOK MP and former minister Vasso Papandreou accused the government of "de-Hellenisation" of the Greek economy and downgrading of the public life, accusing the government of serving "specific interests" and thus "purposely leading the social insurance system to bankrupgcy and indebting IKA" while at the same time providing favourable arrangements for the banks.

Competition, she continued, was going from bad to worse, with the government advancing the sell-off of public property.

"Foreign investment means that foreign capital comes to Greece, creates jobs and imports knowhow, it does not mean that National Bank, OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation), DEH (Public Power Corporation) or the Athens Stock Exchange passes into foreign hands," she said, asking the government how will it exercise policy in the Balkans when the Greek banking system and telecoms become branches of multinational corporations.

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) parliamentary spokesman Fotis Kouvelis said that a vote in favour of PASOK's motion of no-confidence was a vote against the conservative policy that was advancing the privatisation of the country's large public organisations and which tolerated, harboured and maintained the operation of oligopolies and cartels.

"The two-party clash between ND and PASOK is not one of substance, but an effort to feed the tensions. PASOK must tell the Greek people whether it wants the rift in education being advanced by ND. That is the issue. And the main opposition party's withdrawal (from the dialogue on the planned reform of Article 16 of the Constitution, which exclusively gives the right to the State to set up universities) does not reply to that," Kouvelis said.

PASOK MP and former minister Filippos Petsalnikos accused the prime minister of being "personally responsible and accountable to the Greek people" for failing to live up to its pre-electoral commitments which, he added, "proved to be illusory dreams".

Saturday's session

Foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis said that PASOK was not the first political party to demand elections "not in order to solve the problems of the people, but its own internal impasses", adding that "the people realise this", addressing the debate on Saturday.

She also accused PASOK of attempting to undermine the process of revision of the Constitution".

"Your motion was and is a big political step backwards, a disorderly retreat, in order to confront the political chasm that your position on Article 16 opened up. But you will be forced to go the entire distance after the next elections. You will be obliged to once again discuss the revision in this hall, and to take all the steps that you are afraid of taking today," Bakoyannis said, addressing herself to the main opposition party.

She accused PASOK of a "nihilistic word", and outlined the government's achievements in reply to the main opposition MPs' addresses.

Turning to foreign policy, she said it was characterised by consensus, adding that "there is no need to create tensions and differences where the don't exist".

"There is no benefit to the country from rendering the foreign policy issues into issues of partisan confrontation," she added.

Bakoyannis further noted that Greece had support the "new beginning" in the Cyprus isue and, replying to statements called out by PASOK MPs, reiterated that no decision regarding FYROM would be ratified without prior approval by parliament.

Commening on Bakoyannis' statements, PASOK parliamentary spokesman Haris Kastanidis accused her of "complacency", adding that the foreign minister had spoken less about her own portfolio and more about the government's overall achievements, "as if Costas Karamanlis had been speaking".

The big and weighty reason for demanding recourse to elections was that the prime minister "threw all his promises into the wastebasket", Kastanidis said. He said the greatest dishonesty of a politician ws to pledge hopes and expectations that turn out to be a deception, which elicited a retort by ND parliamentary spokesman Vassilis Magginas: "You are the champions in pledges and unfulfilled promoses, we cannot compete with you".

Public order minister Vyron Polydoras said that PASOK's no-confidence motion "is not the gauntlet for a duel but throwing in the towel" and fleeing in retreat.

As for the voting procedure on the Articles of the Constitution slated for revision that was cited by PASOK as the reason for tabling its motion of no-confidence, Polydoras spoke of the "extreme in contradiction and inconsistency" given that one of PASOK's rapporteurs, MP and former minister Theodoros Pangalos, was a "fervent proponent" of revision of Article 16 whereas the other rapporteur, MP and former minister Evangelos Venizelos, was a "fervent opponent" to the revision.

Polydoras warned, however, that what Papandreou was seeking to avoid now he wouldhave to suffer it in the next parliament "where he will 'heroically' vote for Article 16, because he voted for it in the (relevant parliamentary) committee, while stating that he will fulfill all his commitments".

SYN former leader and MP Nikos Constantopoulos stated that he would vote in favour of PASOK's motion "because I do not agree with the government's policy".

But, at the same time, he added, "I would like to tell my PASOK colleagues that the excessive and resounding arguments with which they are conducting this exercise in tactics do not give answers to the serious problems of ideological lack of direction, political displacement and party evolution that PASOK has before it".

"In censuring the government's policy, PASOK, whether it admits it or not, also censures its now policy up to now, as an opposition party. Take, for example, Article 16," Constantopoulos said.

[02] PM discusses no confidence motion with environment, development ministers

"PASOK will get its answer from Parliament," Sioufas said after the meeting, noting that the government would emerge stronger from the debate on the motion that ends at midnight on Sunday.

Souflias echoed earlier statements by the government, saying that Papandreou's move was an attempt to quell internal problems within his own party.

He said it inaugurated a period of confrontational politics and intense political clashes that would benefit neither PASOK nor political life.

According to the minister, it was also an attempt by PASOK to undermine important government initiatives linked to revising the Constitution and stressed that this process should go ahead as planned because there were articles in the Constitution that needed to change.

Souflias ruled out early elections, stressing that the government was producing results and would continue to produce results.

[03] Education minister calls university rectors' council meeting "exceptionally important"

Speaking to the council, she pledged that financial ability, more freedoms, and the ability for the drafting of internal regulations by the universities themselves would be provided under the framework law, adding that the common decision was for open universities which, she continued, was a responsibility of the government.

Yiannakou further appealed for all the rectors to set at the negotiations table, noting that disagreement was at the crux of demoracy, "but history has always charged those absent".

Referring to Article 16 of the Constitution, which presently gives the state the exclusive right to set up universities and which the government has proposed to be amended, Yiannakou said that "our role is to support the public university, a good university that will also mean re-distribution of our income".

Thessaly University rector Nikos Bayiatis, who chaired the council of rectors, expressed satisfaction with Yiannkous' responses, which he said were "exceptionally positive and exceeded our expectations".

An overwhelming majority of a university rectors' council that began in Kastri, northern Athens, on Saturday voted in favour of sticking with the decisions of the previous rectors' council in Mytilene and the existing proposals for changing the regulatory framework for universities.

The resolution was signed by all present except the rectors of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the Panteion University of Athens and the University of Patras, who said that it should have been issued at the end of the council's session and after those attending had heard the positions of Education Minister Marietta Yiannakou, who addressed the meeting later on Saturday night.

The resolution adopted on Saturday asks the education ministry to adopt the rectors' proposals in the draft bill for education and to notify the council and universities in good time, so that the bill might be discussed by the academic community, while stressing that continued uncertainty can only damage higher education.

It also roundly condemns acts of violence within university grounds, especially when these target university authorities but also students, stressing that these in practice negate the meaning of asylum and greatly harm universities' prestige.

The Council additionally condemned efforts to discredit state universities and to lessen their social standing and contribution. Finally, it states its strong belief that universities must remain open and that rectors must work in this direction.

During the rectors' meeting, a protest march staged by students got underway in Kifissia at 14:00, though turnout was smaller than expected due to the cold and bad weather. Some 600 protestors from the trade union group PAME set off from Kifissia square and another 400 from student groups from Kifissia train station.

The marchers set off toward Kastri, carrying banners and shouting slogans against revising article 16 of the Constitution, which would allow the foundation of private universities in Greece.

A protest march with the same demands was also held by students and teachers in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki shortly after noon.

Minor scuffles broke out when the two groups reached the Kastri conference centre where the council meeting was in session when protestors attacked a police cordon, throwing stones and planks, in a bid to break through. They were finally dispersed by riot police using tear gas and set off in the direction of Kifissia Square.

[04] 45.7 pc want changes in education to go ahead, poll shows

Moreover, 43.8 percent believe that the decision by main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou to submit a motion of censure against the government, call for early elections and walk out of the discussion on the revision of the constitution is justified, while 38.1 disagree and 18.1 gave no reply.

However, 49.3 percent want the prime minister not to accept early elections, 37.4 to accept them, while 13.3 gave no opinion. In parallel, 42.8 believe that Papandreou's move strengthens his leading position in PASOK and 27.5 that it weakens it.

[05] Greek Communist party on Ahtisaari proposals for Kosovo

"The plan is so provocative that it violates even the unacceptable resolution 1244/99 of the UN Security Council, which said that Kosovo will remain within the borders of Serbia. The plan is not

in favour of either the Kosovar Albanians or the Serbs. It is directed against all the peoples of the Balkans," KKE said.

According to the party, the plan is an attempt by the US and EU to "complete the crime begun in 1999 against Yugoslavia and at the same time to open a new era in the Balkans, one of changing borders, new and tougher imperialist competitions, interventions and conflicts, new and greater threats for the peoples."

Financial News

[06] Kozani residents take over power plant, demand jobs

The protestors have stopped a conveyor belt carrying coal and ash toward the plant but have not so far created problems with the power supply.

[07] Citizens in Kozani want visit by development minister

The hydroelectric plant was visited earlier on Sunday by the Secretary General of the Region of Western Macedonia, Andreas Leoudis, who conveyed the request for the meeting with Sioufas to enable the problem to be discussed in a positive mood and in detail, as he said, provided that the takeover stops.

'We want the meeting to take place here. We call on Mr. Sioufas to see how we are living, how eletric power is produced, to feel our problem,' the president of the Society of Unemployed and Development of Riaki and Agios Dimitrios, Ilias Tetoglidis, said in a statement to the ANA-MPA.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates ' Monday

U.S. dollar 1.312

Pound sterling 0.666

Danish kroner 7.513

Swedish kroner 9.13

Japanese yen 158.8

Swiss franc 1.630

Norwegian kroner 8.200

Cyprus pound 0.583

Canadian dollar 1.553

Australian dollar 1.695

General News

[09] Seven illegal immigrants drown in sea near Samos

The survivor said that he had managed to swim ashore and that another 19 illegal immigrants and a Turkish immigrant-smuggler had been aboard the boat when it sank.

A Super-Puma all-weather helicopter was immediately sent out to look for other survivors but the coast guard patrol boat was unable to join the search because of the gale-force winds blowing in the region.

Search teams have been combing the shoreline to find any illegal immigrants that may have come ashore, while the helicopter continued to search the sea around the area.

Twelve other illegal immigrants are still missing.

[10] Two killed in car-bus crash near Kavala

The car's two passengers were killed on the spot, while there were no injuries among the bus passengers.

The Kavala traffic police were investigating the causes of the accident.

[11] Diplomatic car torched by incendiary device

[12] Passenger ferry's hull torn while docking at Iraklio

None of the 816 passengers on board were injured as a result of the impact with the pier.

An inspection team said the ship was not fit to return to Piraeus with passengers the same night but could make the return journey with only the crew on board after a temporary repair.

According to Minoan Lines, the accident was caused by gale-force winds blowing on the side of the ship at that time.

The company announced that the ship "H/S/F Olympic Palace" will sail to Iraklio to replace the "Knossos Palace" on its scheduled routes, while today's service will depart as usual from Iraklio at 21:00.

The "Knossos Palace" is expected to be back in service after repairs lasting a few days.

[13] Earthquake rocks the island of Kythera

According to the Thessaloniki University Geophysics Laboratory, the epicentre of the quake is located 45 kilometres southwest of the islands and 565 kilometres southwest of Thessaloniki. Other seismographs place the epicentre 40 kilometres southwest if Kythera and 265 kilometres southwest of Athens.

The quake was also strongly felt on the island of Crete, especially Iraklio, and the southern Peloponnese.

Seismologists said that the tremor was not a cause for concern and fell within the normal pattern of seismic activity for the region.

[14] Extremely strong winds cause damage in Iraklio, Crete

The winds tore off a branch of an ancient plane tree that fell onto a car beneath, while a venerable pine was uprooted and fell onto a house. Several roofs also came loose in the powerful winds, while greenhouses and crops also suffered damage.

[15] Honourary monument for Thessaloniki to be placed in Melbourne square

The relevant proposal was made by Melbourne Mayor John Shaw and was accepted by Thessaloniki Prefect Panayiotis Psomiadis, during their meeting on Sunday.

Psomiadis thanked Shaw for his initiative and announced that veterans of Thessaloniki will visit Melbourne on March 23 and the Australian official expressed the hope that progress in relations between Thessaloniki and Melbourne will continue.

Courtesy gifts were also exchanged during the meeting.

[16] Seminar for local authority chiefs in Iraklio

Sports

[17] Results of the Greek Super League soccer matches played over the weekend

PAOK Thessaloniki - Panathinaikos Athens 2-1

Panionios Athens - Apollon Kalamaria 3-1

Kerkyra - Egaleo Athens 3-0

Larissa - Ionikos Piraeus 3-0

OFI Crete - Ergotelis Crete 1-3

Aris Thessaloniki - Xanthi 1-0

AEK Athens - Olympiakos Piraeus 3-3

Standings after 20 weeks of play:

Olympiakos 50 points

AEK 42

Panathinaikos 41

PAOK 29

Aris 29

OFI 26

Atromitos 26

Panionios 25

Larissa 25

Kerkyra 24

Ergotelis 23

Xanthi 22

Egaleo 22

Apollon Kalamaria 22

Iraklis 22

Ionikos 3

Note: Ionikos has been deducted five points for disciplinary reasons.

[18] Weather forecast: Cold, sleety on Monday

[19] Greek press review on Sunday

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Karamanlis throws the gauntlet back at Papandreou - The (motion of) censure boomerangs against PASOK".

APOGEVMATINI: "New objective real estate prices as of March 1".

AVGHI: "Victory-message for the Article 16 generation".

AVRIANI: "Lock on the Elefsis Shipyards being attempted by the German pimps with rigged charges in the EU of supposed illegal financing".

CHORA: "Yakoumatos interview: IKA (state Social Insurance Foundation) pensions above 740 euros".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The behind-the-scenes that led to the censure motion - The 40 percent and the 40 - The secret opinion poll and the 'Article 16' rebels - Karamanlis' next moves".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Double wager for George (Papandreou) - Clash with scent of (early general) elections in parliament - PASOK's rallying and the initiative of the moves being sought by Papandreou".

ETHNOS: "The die has been cast: Head-on collision, and whoever remains standing...The Russian roulette with early elections".

KATHIMERINI: "Warning signal from Brussels and Bank of Greece - Competitiveness and productivity on the decline".

LOGOS: "Karamanlis' definitive 'no' to early general elections - Papandreou's move falls into the chasm".

NIKI: "Papandreou determining the political agenda".

PROTO THEMA: "Tassos (Cyprus President Papadopoulos) stands tall vis-a-vis Ankara's extortion: I will not back down, I will drill oil".

RIZOSPASTIS: "The debate in parliament to wind up today - People's censure against both ND and PASOK".

TO VIMA: "The government to receive vote of confidence today but...elections orbit - What Karamanlis-Papandreou aim at".

VRADYNI: "The fear of defeat caused the motion of censure - No-confidence in George indicated by secret opinion poll".

Cyprus Affairs

[20] House President to pay official visit to China

Cypriot President of the House of Representatives Demetris Christofias leaves Monday for the People's Republic of China where he will pay an official visit 6-12 February, at the invitation of Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo.

During his visit, Christofias will hold talks with the President of the National People�s Congress, Vice Chairman of NPC Wang Zhanguo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dai Bingguo and Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party Central Committee Wang Jiarui.

He will also meet his counterparts in the cities of Changsha and Shanghai.

Christofias returns home on Wednesday, February 14.

[21] Former President Clerides admitted to hospital

Former President of the Republic Glafcos Clerides is said to be in a stable and satisfactory condition after suffering acute bronchitis which sent him to Larnaca General Hospital's Intensive Care Unit.

His doctor Iosif Kasios told reporters on Sunday that Clerides was admitted to hospital on Friday where he was diagnosed with the acute bronchitis following a cold while he was at his holiday home in Larnaca district.

A medical report issued on Sunday said Clerides' condition is stable and satisfactory and he is receiving pharmaceutical treatment for bronchitis.

Cardiologist Pambis Nicolaides said the reason Clerides is in the ICU is to be closely monitored and nothing more serious was going on.

"Everyone is satisfied with his condition and optimistic", he added.

Health Minister Haris Charalambous and leader of the Democratic Rally Nicos Anastasiades, in statements after visiting Clerides said the former president was in good spirits.

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