Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-10-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop, tracking world markets

[02] EU's Barnier cites delays, mismanagement in land registry project

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[04] Vivodi signs link to OTE for voice phone services

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Saturday

[01] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks drop, tracking world markets

The Athens bourse finished lower on Friday in the wake of a sharp rise in the previous session, tracking sluggish sentiment in world markets.

The general share index shed 0.99 percent to end at 2,249.59 points. Turnover was lower at 122.2 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.64 percent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 1.26 percent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities 2.11 percent down.

Declines led advances at 299 to 44 with 18 issues remaining unchanged.

[02] EU's Barnier cites delays, mismanagement in land registry project

EU Commissioner Michel Barnier on Friday called for the return of 100 million euros in Community funds because of various delays and irregularities plaguing Greeces much-needed land registry project. He also ruled out any more funding from Brussels to complete the current land registry phase.

Speaking at a press conference in the Greek capital following a busy round of meetings with the countrys top leadership -- including talks with Greek PM Costas Simitis Barnier cited what he called a ?lack of transparency? in implementing the massive land registry project, something that has resulted in intense scrutiny by the Commission over the past few months.

In his comments, Barnier said he told Greek Town Planning, Public Works and Environment Costas Laliotis earlier in the day that only one-fourth of the initial estimate to register land has been met, namely, 8,440 sq. kilometres instead of 35,000 sq. kilometres a target cited in the 1994-99 environment programme.

The EU Commissioner responsible for regional policy also squarely pointed to the cost for registering the 8,440 square kilometres, which he charged reached the 276-million-euro mark from an initial estimate of 130 million euros.

The Commissions administrative services are expected to submit a final evaluation to Commissioners over the amount of funding the Union wants back, following the conclusion of an ongoing investigation that will consider the Greek governments answers and supplied information.

In precluding more EU funding to register the 8,440 sq. kilometres recorded so far, Barnier said additional money will have to come from national coffers, as the ?continuation of the land registry project is a strategic challenge for town planning and the management of land in Greece.?

Greece is one of the very few countries in Europe without an operation land registry.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates until Monday

U.S. dollar 368.458

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 544.851

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.464

Swedish kroner 34.725

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 306.429

Swiss franc 227.257

Norwegian kroner 041.886

Cyprus pound 588.331

Canadian dollar 235.032

Australian dollar 186.824

[04] Vivodi signs link to OTE for voice phone services

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation SA (OTE), a heavily traded stock on the Athens bourse, on Friday signed a contract to link networks with Vivodi Telecoms SA, which has has been awarded a voice phone licence by the state in the newly deregulated market.

Vivodi will initially link its network to OTE's in 11 areas around Greece. In 2002, the link will become local, the state-run telecom said in a statement.

OTE, which formerly held a monopoly in voice connections, has signed similar pacts with Cosmoline, Starcom, Teledome, Europrom, Quest Wireless, Forthnet and Lannet Communications.

[05] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Saturday

Scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country on Saturday, turning overcast on the mainland with showers in parts of the north. Winds northerly, light, turning moderate in the Aegean. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 13C to 31C; and in the islands from 18C to 29C. Scattered cloud in Athens, with temperatures between 18C and 31C. Same in Thessaloniki with rainfall possible on high ground outside the city. Temperatures from 16C to 29C.

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