Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-05-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou addresses employers' union

[02] President to visit Russia next week

[03] New Athens metro extension opens

[04] AC Milan wins Champions League in Athens

[01] Papandreou addresses employers' union

Meanwhile, a day earlier while on the southern-most Dodecanese island of Karpathos, Papandreou attended a ceremony for the unveiling of a plaque bearing the name of fallen Hellenic Air Force pilot Costas Iliakis, who died a year ago in a mid-air collision with a Turkish warplane over the southeastern Aegean Sea.

Papandreou's remarks at the ceremony underlined the need to provide material and moral support to the Greek armed forces and to forge a national strategy that ensures peace and security but also guarantees Greece's territorial integrity and just national causes.

In comments on Iliakis, meanwhile, Papandreou quoted a phrase by the early 20th-century Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos, who had said that "freedom is not offered but won".

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Papandreou.

[02] President to visit Russia next week

Papoulias is due to begin his visit next Wednesday, running through June 2.

He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis, Culture Minister George Voulgarakis and Tourism Development Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, while the delegation will also include representatives of institutional agencies and entrepreneurs.

Caption: President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias (ANA-MPA file photo).

[03] New Athens metro extension opens

Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias hailed the project's completion and the new underground mass transit link between the centre of Athens and its western suburbs.

The long-awaited expansion of metro service to Egaleo includes three stations -- Keramikos, Eleonas, and Egaleo -- while the 4.2-km-long distance separating with Egaleo with Syntagma will be covered in seven minutes and finally link Athens' western suburbs directly with the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Greece's largest facility.

In addition, noted archaeological findings during construction will be displayed at the Egaleo and Eleonas stations.

Souflias stressed that a 450-car capacity underground garage will soon be constructed under Estavromenos Square in Egaleo, while similar parking spaces will soon be constructed in Keramikos and Eleonas as well.

The expansion of the metro service to the adjacent Haidari district will be ready by the end of 2008, while an 8.2 km-long metro line expansion to the port of Piraeus -- Greece's primary commercial and passenger shipping hub -- is also underway with seven stations planned.

After the metro service expansion to Piraeus is eventually completed, Line 3 from the airport to Piraeus will be 50kms long, while next year additional Line 2 stations in Peristeri will be ready, namely, the City Hall and the Anthousa Stations.

Caption: A file photo shows the Monastiraki metro station, and the Acropolis in the background, in central Athens, April 22, 2003. ANA-MPA / P. PAPAIOANNOU.

[04] AC Milan wins Champions League in Athens

Milan's goals were scored by Filippo Inzaghi in the 45th minute and 82nd. Liverpool's goal was scored by Dirk Kuyt in the 89th.

Among the spectators were Greek Republic Karolos Papoulias and UEFA President Michel Platini.

A full compliment of nearly 14,000 uniformed police officers were in and around the stadium, as well as in the capital's centre, metro stations and the airport.

The area around the stadium was off-limits to individuals without tickets, whereas mass transit routes were increased and operated throughout the night.

Video walls were set up at the Zappeion Gardens in central Athens - only a stone's throw from the Greek Parliament, the spot where the only trouble, more-or-less, was reported, namely, brief scuffles between rival and ticket-less English and Italian fans following the game.

Caption: AC Milan's players celebrate with the trophy after defeating Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, 23 May 2007. ANA-MPA/ EPA/O. PANAGIOTOU

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