Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] Bakoyannis meets EU Commissioner Wallstrom

[02] Man killed ahead of volleyball match

[01] Bakoyannis meets EU Commissioner Wallstrom

"Plan D" - standing for Democracy, Dialogue, Debate - seeks to stimulate a wider debate between European citizens and the EU institutions. At the same time, it weighs the concerns and wishes of the EU peoples that must be taken into consideration in drawing up the European Constitution "road map" expected at the end of the German EU Presidency, said Valinakis.

In statements made during a discussion held at an Athens bookstore in the presence of Commissioner Wallstrom, Valinakis stressed that the Greek government is a strong supporter of "Plan D", even though Greece has already ratified the European Constitution. The foreign ministry holds a number of events nationwide within this framework, said Valinakis, has set up the website www.europe4me.gr and organized a series of events to take place in Athens on May 9 - Europe Day.

Greece plays a leading part in a number of initiatives on the future of Europe, like the European maritime policy currently drawn up and a meeting of EU European Affairs Ministers scheduled to take place in Rhodes on April 19-20, said Valinakis. The goal is to contribute to the adoption of a comprehensive maritime policy in Europe aimed at economic growth, environmental protection, research and innovation, he concluded.

Speaking with the students, Commissioner Wallstrom agreed that youth unemployment was very high. Referring to the Berlin Declaration, she said that the fact that late 2009 was set as the end date for the ratification of the European Constitution is a binding commitment and a good step.

Later at noon, Commissioner Wallstrom attended a formal luncheon given in her honour by Foreign Minister Bakoyannis.

Press conference

Meanwhile, in a later press conference, Wallstrom stressed that the manner in which Greece, Spain and Portugal used the European framework consolidated democracy in those countries, serving as a major achievement for both new and older member-states.

She also said, in relation to a question, that she could not image a Europe without Greece, as it serves as a geographical bridge and allows the rest of the continent, for instance, to improve its knowledge regarding Turkey.

Finally, she said the Commission's legal recourse against Greece over the so-called "Primary Shareholder's" law will be dropped if Athens adheres to Brussels' opinion.

[02] Man killed ahead of volleyball match

The tragic event occurred in Lavriou avenue in the Athens suburb of Peania and the young man, who died before an ambulance could arrive to rush him to hospital, was run over by a car during scuffling in the motorway. Five other people were injured and taken to an Athens hospital for treatment.

According to eyewitnesses, two people were riding in the car and its driver increased its speed and plowed through the scuffle in his effort to get away when his car was beginning to be bashed. Both the driver and the passenger were arrested.

One of the persons injured is a 22-year-old soccer player of fourth division club Marko, who had nothing to do with the incident, but who was attecked by Olympiakos fans outside a toys shop because his shirt was green (the colour of the Panathinaikos club). The perpetrators stabbed him in the thigh in a car and snatched his mobile phone from him.

Three shops in the area were damaged during the disturbances, as well as two cars, while 18 people were held for questioning.

Gov�t, parties condemn

Minister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) on Thursday evening condemned the death of a man and the injury of five other people during the hooligan violence before the match.

?The grievous disturbances, earlier today in Peania, which resulted in the loss of life of a young person and the injury of many others, have nothing to do with sport. They have no room in Greece of the Olympic spirit and culture. They are categorically condemned by the government, every serious citizen, by the whole of society,? Roussopoulos said.

The KKE in an announcement said ?the dead youth and the other seriously injured, as a result of organised violence, which is growing in the field of sport, proves the great hypocrisy and the enormous responsibilities of the New Democracy government and those parties which for years support the commercialisation and the active role of entrepreneurs and �sponsors�.?

The Synaspismos announcement said that ?we express our deep grief over the loss of the young person and our support to his family. The dead youth and the tens of injured is the expected result of the absolute commercialisation of Greek sport and the conversion of stadiums in fields of reactionary ideas, hate and violent acts.?

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