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Tuesday, 26 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-30Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Gov't suspends all team sporting events for 15 daysThe government on Friday announced a 15-day suspension of all team sporting events in Greece, following the death of a 25-year-old man a day earlier during a pre-arranged rumble between rival club supporters. Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos made the announcement after an urgently called meeting between Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras, Justice Minister Anastasis Papaligouras and Deputy Sports Minister George Orfanos, while also announcing the creation of a committee, to include the three ministers, to monitor strict adherence to the laws. Next Tuesday, which is the week before Easter according to the Orthodox calendar, Orfanos will call a meeting with all professional sports clubs and bodies, while Polydoras is scheduled to make a presentation of his ministry's actions to combat sports-related violence and hooliganism over the last two years. Roussopoulos stressed that there was no such thing as "faceless" responsibility and that specific individuals would be held responsible. He said that all stadiums would have cameras installed at the start of the next season, while tickets would be issued electronically so that those attending could be identified. The spokesman reminded reporters, meanwhile, that the law currently forbids the conversion of a prison sentence to a fine for those taking part in sports-related violence, and made no provision for suspended sentences if someone had no previous criminal record. Roussopoulos underlined that such violence concerned all society and that sporting bodies involved have an obligation to take decisive action.The emergency meeting chaired by Karamanlis himself followed the particularly violent clash a day earlier between up to 500 hooligans identified with two of Greece's foremost sports clubs, violence that resulted in the death of a 25-year-old man and the injury of several others. The clashes came before a women's volleyball match between rivals Panathinaikos and Olympiakos outside an arena in an eastern Attica prefecture township (Peania), east of Athens proper. Thirteen people are due to appear before a prosecutor later on Friday, accused of involvement in the violent incidents between the two groups of "fans". The 13 were among 18 individuals brought in for questioning after what appeared to be a rumble, with some suspects armed with wooden planks and rocks. There are no clear testimonies pointing at those responsible for the death of the man and autopsy results are expected to reveal the exact causes of death. According to hospital sources, the victim suffered severe head injuries and stab wounds. One of the persons injured is a 22-year-old soccer player of fourth division club Marko, who was not taking part in the melee but was reportedly attacked by Olympiakos supporters outside a toy shop because he was wearing a green jersey (the colour of the Panathinaikos club). The perpetrators stabbed him in the thigh from inside a car and snatched his mobile phone. Three shops and several parked cars in the area were damaged during the disturbances. The troubling incident on Thursday comes after last Saturday ugly incident at the Greece-Turkey Euro Cup qualifier in Athens, when Greek fans in one section of stadium began scuffling amongst themselves. Caption: Hooligan-related violence ahead of a women's volleyball match near Athens on Thursday, March 29, 2007, left one man dead and several others severely injured. ANA/INTIME SPORTS / NIKOS MAKRIS [02] Hubner lauds Greece on approval of 4th CSF planPrime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Friday received visiting EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta H?bner, as the latter wholeheartedly praised Athens over its national strategic reference framework (the renamed 4th CSF) preparations and the subsequent approval by the Commission, which she officially announced during the meeting with the Greek premier.After the meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Economy Minister Christos Folias, H?bner also met with Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias. "Congratulations to Greece. Let us hope that this will be a truly good period, a good programme, and its good implementation in the coming years in Greece," H?bner told reporters after the meeting with Karamanlis. Regarding the programme, she added, the Commission was very proud that Greece was the first large EU member-state, and the second EU member after Malta, to complete negotiations for this framework, "which is a programme of European Regional Policy interventions over the next seven years (2007-2013)." The Commissioner from Poland said hard work has been carried out by the government and ministries as well as by the Commission's services, noting that "we are very satisfied with the programme, because it opens up a new chapter with respect to the way that Greece is employing the European Structural Funds". H?bner added that Greece was also moving ahead with the "Lisbon Agenda", "in other words on the path of investment, competitiveness, innovation, entrepreneurship, the economy of knowledge." Union," Alogoskoufis said. Caption: EU Commissioner Danuta Hubner. ANA-MPA photo Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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