Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 12-04-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] IMF says Greek economy to recover from 2013

[02] PM addresses letter to Barroso

[03] PASOK leader speaks on phone with Barroso

[04] Venizelos: PASOK's target is election victory

[05] PASOK unveils planned measures for 'social safety net'

[06] Samaras outlines ND's five elections targets

[07] Papariga: PASOK, ND cannot fool people anymore

[08] LAOS leader urges 'vote based on reason, political realism'

[09] Leftist leader calls on voters to put his party in gov't

[10] 'Independent Greeks' and 'Citizens Chariot' cooperation in elections

[11] Tsohatzopoulos in Korydallos prison

[12] Tsohatzopoulos' accountant remanded in custody

[13] Tsohatzopoulos' cousin remanded in custody

[14] Fifth defendant in Tsohatzopoulos' case remanded into custody

[15] Gov't: changes in high school minor

[16] Ministerial decision on the seamen's vote in May 6 elections

[17] Bulgarian president on Mount Athos

[18] Greek inflation second lowest in the EU in March

[19] Labour ministry working toward unemployment benefit for self-employed

[20] Greece raises 1.625 bln euros from T-bill auction

[21] Credit conditions worsened in Q1

[22] Stocks end moderately higher

[23] Greek bond market closing report

[24] ADEX closing report

[25] Foreign Exchange rates - Wednesday

[26] Pavlopetri, Laconia, the world's oldest submerged town

[27] Singer Dimitris Mitropanos dies

[28] Missing student found dead in ditch

[29] Argolida embezzlement suspect remanded in custody

[30] Drug dealers arrested in Peristeri

[31] Free entrance to archaeological sites and museums on Wednesday

[32] Wildfire on Samos under partial control

[33] Fishing ban until May 30 on Evros River

[34] Homicide in Athens solved

[35] Rainy on Wednesday

[36] The Tuesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance Politics

[01] IMF says Greek economy to recover from 2013

In its spring report on the outlook of the global economy, the IMF said that economic recession in Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain will be deeper and noted that recovery was not expected before 2013, in contrast with other Eurozone economies, where a shallow and short-lived recovery was expected.

The IMF said the Greek economy will remain in recession this year, with the country's Gross Domestic Product expected to shrink by 4.7 pct in 2012, from 6.9 pct in 2011, while the GDP was expected to stabilize around 2012 levels next year.

The IMF said the inflation rate will turn negative, -0.5 pct in 2012 and -0.3 pct in 2013, while the unemployment rate will rise to 19.4 pct of the workforce in 2012, to remain unchanged in 2012. The country's current accounts deficit will fall to 7.4 pct of GDP this year, falling to 6.6 pct in 2013, form 9.7 pct of GDP in 2011.

[02] PM addresses letter to Barroso

Papademos held a telephone conversation with Barroso on Monday.

[03] PASOK leader speaks on phone with Barroso

Barroso congratulated Venizelos on his election at PASOK's helm and referred to their cooperation in the period Venizelos was Finance Minister and government's Vice President.

According to information the main issue of the discussion was the EC's initiative for development in Greece.

The two officials also discussed the five points of Venizelos' letter to Barroso.

[04] Venizelos: PASOK's target is election victory

"If PASOK is not the first party the country will be in danger of a lack of governance. Majority rule as New Democracy understands it clashes with common sense," he opined.

He spoke at a meeting at the party's offices with candidates of the five regions in greater Athens.

He also pointed out that in June the country must decide on new fiscal measures totaling 11 billion euros.

Venizelos stressed that everything will be judged on May 6, "if the country will have a government."

[05] PASOK unveils planned measures for 'social safety net'

Presenting PASOK's plans, he underlined that they were "specific, practical and immediately applicable", unlike those presented by main opposition New Democracy's leader Antonis Samaras.

Venizelos said that PASOK's proposal aimed to set up a network of social protection so that "no Greek man or woman feels alone and abandoned in conditions of crisis".

PASOK's proposals are split up into five unities, starting with measures addressing unemployment among the young, by moving up programmes to boost employment by a year and increasing National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) funds for actions combating youth unemployment.

The second unity seeks to ensure universal access to health care for all Greeks, removing current restrictions linked to social insurance contributions and number of working days.

A third major thrust of PASOK proposals are establishing a social safety net and boosting social structure for the provision of care and welfare, through institutions such as the 'Help at Home' programme and others.

The fourth will address the problems of over-indebted households and will extend existing legislation protecting these to more beneficiaries, such as single-person businesses with debts up to 25,000 euro.

Another change is to ban the confiscation of sums up to 1,500 euro per person in individual bank accounts, or up to 2,000 euro for joint accounts and the fifth set of measures concern the settlement of loans, enabling borrowers to continue serving these.

[06] Samaras outlines ND's five elections targets

Samaras announced that the party's tickets will be released on Tuesday with 412 candidates in 56 electoral constituencies. A "generous renewal" has been done given that half of the candidates are new to the political scene. "We put emphasis on young people and people originating from ND's youth organisation (ONNED) and to young scientists", he said, adding that "we are giving a wide range to the voters, who will have the opportunity to select, because they are the ones that will make the renewal," he noted.

The ND leader presented the five main targets of the elections, first to reverse the climate of despair and misery that prevails in Greek society, secondly to indicate the way in which Greece will succeed, third to make clear ND's differences from the other parties and to persuade the people that we are different because we know the way to get out of the crisis and this will be achieved only if we have a clear mandate and finally to tell the whole truth to the people.

Moreover, Samaras announced that on Thursday at Zappeion, downtown Athens, he will present in detail his party's programme on the economy, which he said will be based on development. The full policy platform of his party will be presented on Thursday, 26 April.

[07] Papariga: PASOK, ND cannot fool people anymore

Referring to the May 6 elections, Papariga said "the people are placed before an intimidating dilemma when they are told that they will have to forget everything and vote again for PASOK and ND".

She underlined that a positive fact is hidden behind this dilemma because it has become apparent that PASOK and ND "do not have the power to manipulate and fool the people anymore."

[08] LAOS leader urges 'vote based on reason, political realism'

He stressed that the country was heading toward elections with open wounds and while the country was in fact critically injured, but underlined that "opportunist" or "extreme" proposals would not bring an end to the crisis.

According to a close aide of Karatzaferis, LAOS's leader will embark on a tour of northern Greece at the weekend, visiting the cities of Kavala, Alexandroupolis and Katerini, as part of his party's election campaign. The aide also revealed that the party will announce the list of candidates on its elections tickets on the last day of the deadline allowed by the Constitution.

[09] Leftist leader calls on voters to put his party in gov't

In a press conference in the Labour Union Centre in Grevena, he repeated his proposal for collaboration of leftist parties in single-seat constituencies and addressing the members of the electorate, he stressed that if his "party and the Left is in power the priority will be the immediate needs of society and not the creditors and loan-sharks".

Commenting on former PASOK minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos' money-laundering case, he said it is just "the tip of the iceberg of a rotten political system constructed by the parties of PASOK and New Democracy (ND) that governed the country in the past 37 years," adding that Tsohatzopoulos did not act alone and that the responsibility is collective and timeless. "We are aware that the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) decisions were made collectively by the then Simitis' government," he said.

[10] 'Independent Greeks' and 'Citizens Chariot' cooperation in elections

Despite the fact that the two parties have different origins, they found a common ground based on fifteen principles with the aim of "jointly dealing with the betrayal", an announcement said.

[11] Tsohatzopoulos in Korydallos prison

Former minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos was remanded in custody on Orthodox Easter Monday after appearing before examining magistrate Gabriel Mallis to answer to charges of money laundering, specifically of kickbacks that he received in order to approve the purchase of the TOR-M1 missile systems and submarines for the Greek Navy.

Tsohatzopoulos had begun his testimony at noon on Monday and was questioned on a memorandum he delivered to the magistrate.

Sources said the former minister under successive PASOK governments had denied the charges against him concerning the armaments contracts, noting that these were approved by the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), while he has reserved the right to present his defence concerning the TOR-M1 case at a later date.

Tsohatzopoulos will be held at a jail in police headquarters on Monday because jails are shut due to the holiday and will be transferred to a prison on Tuesday morning.

Tsohatzopoulos was brought before Mallis on Monday to testify regarding the charge of legalisation of revenues resulting from illegal activity, filed against him after a prolonged investigation on his assets. According to the charges against him, Tsohatzopoulos, used offshore companies of which he was a hidden owner to legalise kickbacks he reportedly received as a minister for contracts such as the TOR-M1 system and the construction of submarines for the Greek Navy on terms that were highly unfavourable for the Greek state.

In a decision on Friday, First Instance Court Chief Prosecutor Eleni Raikou ordered the bank accounts of the former minister and his four co-defendants in the money laundering case to be frozen.

The order concerns the bank accounts of Nikos Zigras, a cousin and close associate of Tsohatzopoulos, Efrosini Lambropoulou, an accountant and representative in Greece of the three offshore companies linked with the former minister and Giorgos Sahpatsidis, an entrepreneur and major shareholder of PAOK

FC implicated in real estate transactions between the offshore firm TORCASO and Vatopedi Monastery.

The other three defendants in the case are due to testify on Tuesday.

The chief prosecutor's decision also concerns the bank accounts that belong to Asterios Economidis, who has been in custody since Thursday after testifying before an examining magistrate. Economidis is the major shareholder of a construction company that did renovation work at the former minister's luxurious house on Dionyssios Areopagitis Street and sold an apartment to Tsohatzopoulos' daughter located in Athens' Kolonaki district.

[12] Tsohatzopoulos' accountant remanded in custody

Tsohatzopoulos' cousin Nikos Zigras is currently testifying before the magistrate.

[13] Tsohatzopoulos' cousin remanded in custody

Zigras is considered a "key figure" in the money laundering operation allegedly set up by Tsohatzopoulos.

According to information, Zigras refused to answer to the magistrate's queries on the case.

Zigras was a beneficiary in-off shore companies that have been implicated in real estate sales and purchases, among them Tsohatzopoulos' neoclassical residence on Areopagitou street across from the Acropolis in Athens.

[14] Fifth defendant in Tsohatzopoulos' case remanded into custody

Sahpatzidis testified over his alleged involvement in the transfer of real estate to Mount Athos' Vatopedi Monastery in the period 2007-2010. The real estate belonged to an offshore firm the owner of which was allegedly the former minister.

The defendant rejected the charges against him and maintained that the transaction was absolutely legal and that he did not know any of the parties involved.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tsohatzopoulos and his co-defendants Efrosini Lambropoulou and Nikos Zigras were led to Korydallos Prison in the Piraeus working class district of the same name, where another defendant, Asterios Economidis, has been held since last Friday.

On Thursday, the examining magistrate will summon the remaining 10 defendants in the case to testify, including Tsohatzopoulos' wife and daughter.

[15] Gov't: changes in high school minor

Speaking to a public-run radio station, he stressed that "the changes are minor compared to the reforms in the university entrance exams which, when implemented, will lift a burden off the shoulders of students and their families ... everything is ready, the nationwide exams and next year's schoolbooks".

As regards the evaluation of teachers in elementary and secondary education, he said he has received a four-month extension, but the procedure will be implemented.

[16] Ministerial decision on the seamen's vote in May 6 elections

Seamen of Greek nationality serving on vessels under Greek flag will vote in the municipality of the seaport where their ship will be docked on the day of the elections.

They will have to display their seamen's registration book, be registered in the country's electorate lists, serve no penalty depriving them of their right to vote and their ship should be scheduled in advance to be in Greek port on the day of the election.

[17] Bulgarian president on Mount Athos

Financial News

[18] Greek inflation second lowest in the EU in March

Greece reported the second lowest inflation rate among European Union countries in March (1.4 pct), Eurostat said on Tuesday. The EU executive's statistics service, in a report published here, said the inflation rate was 2.7 pct in the Eurozone in March, unchanged from February, while in the EU-27 the inflation rate was also unchanged at 2.9 pct.

Sweden (1.1 pct), Greece (1.4 pct) and Bulgaria (1.7 pct) recorded the lowest inflation rates in March, while Hungary (5.5 pct), Estonia (4.7 pct) and Czech Republic (4.2 pct) had the highest rates.

Greek inflation was 2.4 pct on an average annual basis in March, while Sweden (1.3 pct), Ireland (1.4 pct) and Slovenia (2.1 pct) recorded the lowest rates and Estonia (4.9 pct), Romania (4.6 pct) and Hungary (4.3 pct) the highest inflation rates.

[19] Labour ministry working toward unemployment benefit for self-employed

Based on the ministry's current plan, unemployment benefit will be given to those that have been insured for at least three years and have paid contributions to a special unemployment fund for at least one to three years. In order to qualify, they must also not be working as salaried employees, be self-employed, receive a pension or have filed to receive a pension. They will also not be eligible if they have transferred their business or shares to a first or second-degree relative, have outstanding debts to social insurance funds or are not permanently resident in Greece.

The ministry will make payment of the benefit conditional on income criteria, with individual income from any source not exceeding 50,000 euro in the three preceding tax years, while the total family net income must not exceed 100,000 euro.

Freelance professionals and self-employed have been paying a 10 euro per month contribution to an unemployment fund since January 1, 2011. There are now 54.6 million euro in the fund and the sum is expected to reach 94 million euro by the end of the year.

[20] Greece raises 1.625 bln euros from T-bill auction

The organization also accepted non-competitive bids worth 375 million euros, while it will also accept additional non-competitive bids up to 30 pct of the asked sum by Thursday, 19 April.

[21] Credit conditions worsened in Q1

A report by Teresias SA, the market's watchdog, showed that bounced checks totaled 202 million euros in value in March, up 23.79 pct from the same month last year, while in volume they were down 11.76 pct over the same period.

Unpaid bills totaled 17.5 million euros in March, down 8.1 pct from March 2011, while in volume unpaid bills totaled 10,870 in March, down 14.43 pct from the same month in 2011.

[22] Stocks end moderately higher

The Big Cap index rose 0.65 pct, the Mid Cap index eased 0.39 pct and the Small Cap index fell 0.07 pct. The Food (5.50 pct) and Banks (1.22 pct) sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day, while Media (9.88 pct) and Constructions (3.02 pct) suffered losses.

Eurobank (7.31 pct), Alpha Bank (6.19 pct), Hellenic Postbank (5.70 pct) and Coca Cola 3E (5.55 pct) were top gainers among blue chip stocks, while Titan (3.53 pct), Cyprus Bank (3.29 pct) and MIG (3.21 pct) were top losers.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 71 to 68 with another 17 issues unchanged.

Q&R (29.73 pct), Varvaresos (19.81 pct) and HOL (19.8 pct) were top gainers, while Kyriakoulis (29.98 pct), Sato (20 pct) and Edrasi (19.83 pct) were top losers.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Industrials: -1.57%

Commercial: -0.75%

Construction: -3.02%

Media: -9.88%

Oil & Gas: -0.20%

Personal & Household: -1.07%

Raw Materials: -1.68%

Travel & Leisure: +0.99%

Technology: +0.83%

Telecoms: -0.97%

Banks: +1.22%

Food & Beverages: +5.50%

Health: -0.99%

Utilities: -1.97%

Chemicals: -0.72%

Financial Services: -1.79%

The stocks with the highest turnover were OPAP, National Bank and Alpha Bank.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 1.20

Public Power Corp (PPC): 3.04

HBC Coca Cola: 14.07

Hellenic Petroleum: 5.78

National Bank of Greece: 1.88

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 0.72

OPAP: 6.75

OTE: 3.06

Bank of Piraeus: 0.31

Titan: 14.50

[23] Greek bond market closing report

In interbank markets, interest rates moved lower. The 12-month rate was 1.37 pct, the six-month rate 1.04 pct, teh three-month rate 0.74 pct and the one-month rate 0.40 pct.

[24] ADEX closing report

Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 39,667 contracts worth 5.853 million euros, with investment interest focusing on Alpha Bank's contracts (23,793), followed by National Bank (10,241), MIG (534), PPC (405), OPAP (477), Piraeus Bank (652), Cyprus Bank (2,42), Hellenic Postbank (323) and OTE (208).

[25] Foreign Exchange rates - Wednesday

U.S. dollar 1.332

Pound sterling 0.835

Danish kroner 7.551

Swedish kroner 9.015

Japanese yen 107.55

Swiss franc 1.219

Norwegian kroner 7.660

Canadian dollar 1.327

Australian dollar 1.285

General News

[26] Pavlopetri, Laconia, the world's oldest submerged town

The ancient town of Pavlopetri lies in three to four meters of water just off the coast of southern Laconia in Greece. The ruins date from at least 2800 BC through to intact buildings, courtyards, streets, chamber tombs and some thirty-seven cist graves which are thought to belong to the Mycenaean period (c.1680-1180 BC). This Bronze Age phase of Greece provides the historical setting for much Ancient Greek literature and myth, including Homer's Age of Heroes.

Recently, archaeologists spotted, in collaboration with the Hellenic Center for Maritime Research, three underwater bands of beachrock that indicate the position of the old coastlines. The radiocarbon dating conducted on samples of the rocks appears to shed light on some of the unsolved mysteries of the settlement. The finds indicate that Pavlopetri sank gradually after at least three seismic manifestations, with the first earthquake dated to just after 1000 BC and the other two over the next two millennia, until it was fully submerged around 1060 AD.

More samples of rocks will undergo radiocarbon dating in the coming months in order to investigate in more detail the sequence of the submergence of Pavlopetri.

The BSA's research is being conducted throughout the entire expanse of the Pavlopetri settlement (approximately 20 acres) with the aid of a submarine robotic vehicle from the Australian Center for Field Robotics (ACFR).

Following the results of the 2009 and 2010 survey sessions, underwater excavations were then planned at Pavlopetri to run over three annual seasons (2011-2013). It is envisaged that the investigation of the site's stratigraphy, the establishment of a pottery sequence and the systematic study of the architectural remains will provide valuable information on Early, Middle and Late Bronze Age Greece, and will clarify issues on the transitional nature of these phases as well as highlight potential trans-Aegean connections through time.

Indeed, in the 2010 survey session which ran from 31st May to 26th June 2010 the BSA completed the detailed digital survey of the site, recording 40,000 square meters of previously known buildings as well as over 10,000 square meters of new buildings which were discovered this year. In addition artefactual material from across the site was lifted, according to a virtual grid, in areas that will be selected for excavation in 2011. Important discoveries in the new areas of buildings included roof tiles, street gutters and large intact storage vessels. The finds recovered so far confirm the Mycenaean occupation of the site but also reveal occupation as early as 3,500 BC making Pavlopetri, at over 5,000 years old, the oldest known submerged town in world.

The subsequent first excavation season ran from 2nd to the 22nd June 2011. In-situ deposits relating to structural remains were identified. On the basis of the finds these deposits appear to date to the Neopalatial period (c.1700-1425 BC) and demonstrate that the people of Pavlopetri had close trading contacts with the palaces of Minoan Crete. Detailed study of the finds over the coming months will further clarify this relationship and the function of Pavlopetri as a Bronze Age trading centre.

In addition to the excavation work the whole site was surveyed in three-dimensions using a stereo-photogrammetric Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) deployed by the Australian Centre for Field Robotics. The team now have a full photo-realistic record of the site and are now stitching the data together to build a complete three dimensional model of the submerged city.

The annual report of the BSA, one of the 17 Foreign Archaeological Institutions in Athens, for the year 2011 -- which marked the 125th anniversary of the School's operation in Greece -- will be presented by BSA director Catherine Morgan at the Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) on Tuesday evening, and at the Archaeological Society of Athens on Thursday.

[27] Singer Dimitris Mitropanos dies

[28] Missing student found dead in ditch

According to initial information, an employee of "Egion Motorway" spotted the missing man's car in the ditch with the victim inside early on Tuesday.

Police are investigating all possibilities, with the most probable cause of death being a traffic accident.

[29] Argolida embezzlement suspect remanded in custody

The suspect had been arrested the previous Thursday and charged with falsifying the internal records for IKA social insurance contributions paid by the authority, pocketing the difference in the sums provided by the state for this purpose.

The charges against him include fraud, repeatedly providing false certifications at the expense of the state, breach of faith, accepting and distributing the proceeds of crime and money laundering.

According to an investigation, the suspect had been falsifying the records held by the authority in the years 2009-2011 relative to entries in the electronic system used by the state to release funds for the payroll.

[30] Drug dealers arrested in Peristeri

Police, acting on a tip-off, located an apartment in which the suspects were hiding the drugs and a search revealed seventy nine (79) kilos of cannabis, 2,200 euros in cash, two cars and seven cellphones, all of which were confiscated.

The suspects will be sent on Tuesday before an Athens prosecutor.

[31] Free entrance to archaeological sites and museums on Wednesday

This year's theme of the Museums Day is "International Heritage and Sustainable Development - The contribution of local communities", which is the theme of the celebrations for the 40 years of UNESCO's International Heritage Contract and will run throughout the year.

[32] Wildfire on Samos under partial control

According to a fire brigade investigation, a 69-year-old man who lit a bonfire on his farm the day before to dispose of garbage is considered as the culprit behind the blaze.

[33] Fishing ban until May 30 on Evros River

[34] Homicide in Athens solved

The culprit of the crime is the victim's 48-year-old roommate, who was arrested and confessed that he had committed the murder using a screwdriver.

Weather forecast

[35] Rainy on Wednesday

[36] The Tuesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Tsohatzopoulos pointed at Simitis (Costas, former prime minister) and Papandreou (George, former prime minister and foreign minister) as his accomplices".

AVRIANI: "Eight politicians to the examining magistrate".

DIMOKRATIA: "Two 'submarines' signatures burn Evangelos Venizelos (PASOK leader)!".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Tax traps for millions of tax payers".

ESTIA: "Three landmarks in elections".

ETHNOS: "Corruption rings loot major social security fund (IKA)".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Change of strategy for development and employment".

TA NEA: "The changes in High School (Lykeion) programme".

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