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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-03-17Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] French actor Jean-Claude Brialy in AthensFamous French actor Jean-Claude Brialy is currently in Athens, a guest of the Athens French Institute which is currently holding a Francophone Film Festival. "Nouvelle vague was certainly a movement that infused light into movies; it changed the image of cinema. As for its protagonists, they resembled ordinary people rather than glamorous stars," Brialy said.Brialy had first come to Greece in 1962 for the filming of a movie which co-starred Catherine Deneuve and Paul Belmondo. He has appeared in nearly 200 films and plays, including "Une femme est une femme" (1960) and "Paris fait des choses" (1958). [02] Competition Commission upgraded with wider powersThe government on Wednesday unveiled a bill that will grant the country's Competition Commission wider powers.Expected to become law within three months, the bill will allow the commission to take direct action in the market, Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas told a news conference. In line with practice in the European Union, the trade watchdog will also be empowered to issue regulatory rulings under the bill, which is destined for parliament next week. Legally, the commission is to gain statutory status, and staffing levels will be raised to 150 from the current 80, the minister said. [03] Tourism enterprises welcome gov't measuresThe Federation of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) on Wednesday expressed its satisfaction over the government's initiatives to boost the tourism industry.In an announcement to the press, SETE stressed that a long-delayed initiative to promote new land use regulations for tourism projects was expected to encourage investments in the sector, and urged it was necessary to support cooperation between the government's tourism and town planning ministries with the private sector. SETE also urged for speedier implementation of government plans to support infrastructure projects, marinas, golf courses etc, and a speedy withdrawal of outdated hotels from the market. [04] Education Minister Yiannakou at opening of new Holocaust MuseumGreek Education Minister Marietta Yiannakou referred to Greek Parliament's unanimous declaration of Jan. 27 as a day of remembrance for Greek Jews and the heroes of the Holocaust, in a brief address before dozens of heads of states and international dignitaries attending the inauguration of Yad Vashem's new Holocaust History Museum this week.She added that education material on the subject of the Holocaust was distributed to schools around the country for the first time this year. "Hellenism and the Greek state are actively contributing to the purpose of peace, solidarity and mutual respect between peoples," she noted. The new museum was inaugurated on Tuesday in Jerusalem. Yad Vashem is the Israeli state's Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority. [05] Harsh US Congressional criticism of Turkey over its stance towards Ecumenical PatriarchateWASHINGTON (ANA / CNA) -- The Turkish government was harshly criticised for undermining the activity of the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate and for violating the rights of the Orthodox Church, in testimony provided this week during a hearing of a US Congressional commission on security and cooperation in Europe (the US Helsinki Commission).Commission co-chair Christopher Smith (R-NJ) criticised Ankara for refusing to recognise the Patriarchate's ecumenical status, while he joined other speakers at the hearing -- including Archbishop of America Demetrios as well as Catholic and Jewish leaders - in describing the confiscation of ethnic Greeks' property as unacceptable. Senior Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, and Catholic Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick both noted that instead of creating problems with the Patriarchate, Turkey should support and promote its activities, a step that would promote its own image of a culturally diverse democracy that respects all religions. Finally, a report by Yale Law School - also presented at the hearing -- underlined the numerous legal arguments touching on Turkey's violations of the Lausanne Treaty and other international pacts and agreements dealing with the rights of the Greek Orthodox minority and Patriarchate's operation Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |