Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-09-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Thessaloniki-Film festival

[02] Conference-Breast cancer

[03] Sports - Hatziioannou bronze medal - congratulations

[04] Weather Forecast-Wednesday

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates-Wednesday

[06] Greece-labour reform

[07] Greece-coastal shipping

[08] Greece-government-fuel prices

[09] ASE-close

[10] Bond auction-results

[01] Thessaloniki-Film festival

This year's 41st Thessaloniki Film Festival, to be held in the city from November 10-19, will include a tribute to film director Theodoros Angelopoulos and his work.

About 200 films will be screened at the festival.

The festival's programme will be supplemented with two concerts by Eleni Karaindrou at the Concert Hall (on November 16-17), as well as by photography and book exhibitions.

[02] Conference-Breast cancer

Breast cancer among women has been on the increase in Greece over the last few years, matching that of other European Union countries, such as Britain and Germany, representatives of the Athens Medical School said during a press conference announcing a one-day conference on the issue on Saturday.

[03] Sports - Hatziioannou bronze medal - congratulations

An unexpected Olympic bronze won by Greek athlete Ioanna Hatziioannou in the women's weight-lifting competition in Sydney was a pleasant surprise for Greece but also for the athlete herself on Tuesday, since she had nearly stayed away from the Games because of injuries.

Hatziioannou placed third in the women's 63-kg category.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis sent a congratulatory telegram on Tuesday morning, praising her for her efforts and noting that she was the first woman athlete to bring home a Olympic medal in weight-lifting.

Speaking after the competition in Sydney, Hatziioannou told reporters she "could hardly believe it" and confided that she had faced a lot of problems.

[04] Weather Forecast-Wednesday

Sunny weather is forecast throughout the country on Wednesday. Early morning mist is expected. Winds variable, light to moderate. Temperatures on the mainland will range from 16C to 36C; and in the islands from 21C to 32C. Mostly sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 22C and 35C. Light cloud in Thessaloniki, with temperatures ranging from 18C to 34C.

[05] Foreign Exchange Rates-Wednesday

Indicative rates released by the central bank for the next working day.

Wednesdays rates (buying)

Euro 336.238

U.S. dollar 394.548

German mark 171.916

French franc 051.260

Pound sterling 553.199

Irish punt 426.935

Belgian franc 008.335

Luxembourg franc 008.335

Dutch guilder 152.579

Italian lira (100) 017.365

Austrian schilling 024.435

Danish kroner 045.061

Swedish kroner 040.146

Finnish mark 056.551

Spanish peseta 002.021

Portuguese escudo 001.677

Japanese yen (100) 368.657

Swiss franc 221.325

Norwegian kroner 042.025

Cyprus pound 589.248

Canadian dollar 264.844

Australian dollar 214.034

[06] Greece-labour reform

Efforts to agree in a common framework on labour reform in Greece between the government and trade unions remained deadlocked on Tuesday with both parties remaining adamant in their positions.

Labour Minister Tassos Yiannitsis on Tuesday criticised an employers' and trade unions agreement on Monday, which urged the government not to proceed to unilateral moves on the issue.

Speaking to an Athens radio station, Yiannitsis said he doubted that social partners could ultimately submit a viable proposal to boost employment and combat unemployment in the country.

Greece's largest union umbrella, GSSE's chairman Christos Polyzogopoulos, described the minister's stance as "arrogant" and said that a deadline set by Yiannitsis "was another foul in an already ugly game of dialogue played by the government."

Unions remain adamant to their decision not to accept government proposals on labour reform and to press ahead with strikes.

Striking workers in Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation said they were poised to continue their fight against government's plans to sell more than 50 percent of the company's equity to foreign investors. Their strike was already in its seventh day on Tuesday.

Trade unions have called for a 24-hour panhellenic strike for October 10, while bank employees have called a 24-hour panhellenic strike for Friday, September 22.

[07] Greece-coastal shipping

Striking seamen in Minoan Flying Dolphins and Hellas Ferries shipping companies agreed to end their six-day strike on Tuesday following a company's decision to meet seamen's demands for payment of overtime work in August.

MFD vice-chairman Pantelis Sfinias visited the Merchant Marine Ministry and announced a company's board decision to meet seamen's pay demands.

"We will pay what seamen demand in the name of passengers' service, although we have reservations over the sum asked by unions," Sfinias told Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis.

Papoutsis said he was satisfied that logic had prevailed. "Citizens and the islands should not be paying for this disagreement," he noted.

MFD and its affiliate Hellas Ferries resumed operation in the early afternoon hours.

[08] Greece-government-fuel prices

National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou on Tuesday rejected demands for fuel tax cuts and wage increases to lower incomes to compensate for a recent surge in fuel prices.

He said any such talk was premature and reiterated that despite the fact that the oil price has risen three-and-a-half times from 1999 levels "the Greek economy is stable".

"We have to be alerted to deal with any profiteering incidents," Papantoniou said.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Transport Minister Christos Verelis, Papantoniou said there were no room for fuel tax cuts and urged for the continuation of the government's economic policy.

The meeting agreed to a tighter monitoring of the domestic market to protect consumers.

"We have a strong economy that has nothing to do with the situation in the previous two oil crises in 1973-74 and 1979-80," Papantoniou said.

[09] ASE-close

Bank shares lifted the general index to a higher close on Tuesday with sentiment cautious over fears of the likely impact of higher oil prices and a higher US dollar rate on the economy.

Traders said the market has found strong support at the 4,100 level in the short-term.

The general index ended at 4,164.39 points, up 0.43 percent with turnover at 146.25 billion drachmas. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.71 percent to 2,385.49 points and the FTSE/ASE 40 index fell 0.88 percent to 542.86 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 0.77 percent lower at 655.98 points.

[10] Bond auction-results

Greek long-term bond yields remained stable during Tuesday's auction of 20-year state securities by the Public Debt Management Organisation.

The average weighed yield rose slightly to 6.35 percent from 6.34 percent, reflecting a negative climate in international bond markets.

The 20-year bond, worth 220 billion drachmas, pays an annual coupon of 6.5 percent.

Bids submitted totalled 542 billion drachmas, two-and-a-half times more than the asked sum. The minimum accepted price was 101.480.

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