Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-08-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Prime Minister Karamanlis to have working session with employment minister Magginas

[02] SI delegation on visit to Middle East

[03] Last fires extinguished in W. Macedonia

[01] Prime Minister Karamanlis to have working session with employment minister Magginas

On Friday, the prime minister discussed several new bills tabled in parliament or soon to be tabled, in a series of meetings with government officials. Karamanlis held separate meetings with interior minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos and justice minister Anastasis Papaligouras, as well as with his ruling New Democracy party's (ND) central committee secretary Lefteris Zagoritis.

After his meeting Friday with the prime minister, Pavlopoulos told reporters that the draft law on the management of the 4th Community Support Framework (CSF) funds, the most important part of which is that concerning public administration, was tabled in parliament on Thursday.

Pavlopoulos pointed out that the current phase concerns the public administration structure, decentralization and procedure simplification, adding that before the end of August and in view of Thessaloniki�s International Trade Fair the PM will meet with the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece, KEDKE, and the Greek National Union of Prefectural Local Authorities, ENAE, boards to discuss the country�s administrative structure.

Pavlopoulos also pointed out that the government has no time to waste and was moving ahead with the implementation of long overdue reforms, adding that main opposition party PASOK lef the 3rd CSF go by without special planning on public administration.

On the reduction of the number of administrative regions in the country, Pavlopoulos stated that the issue will be discussed in the meetings the PM will have with KEDKE and ENAE.

Regarding the law amendment concerning contract workers and the criticism launched by PASOK, he accused the main opposition of displaying no sense of responsibility.

[02] SI delegation on visit to Middle East

During their visit, they will meet with the leaders of the region's SI member parties Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah, and ), Ehud Barak (Israel's Labour Party) and Yossi Beilin (Meretz party, Israel), as well as with Israeli president Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority prime minister Salam Fayyad, and Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.

With this visit, the SI desires to support the member parties and the peace process, as well as the efforts for advancing political and economic cooperation in the region, the press release said.

The SI delegation will also discuss the SIMEC's further actions and its contribution to the dialogue and negotiations underway for a solution of the Palestinian problem, the press release added.

[03] Last fires extinguished in W. Macedonia

In Kastoria prefecture, the two firess in Palia Kotyli, Nestorio municipality, and in Gourliou Kozaka region, Arrenon municipality, had been fully extinguished by 5:30 p.m. Sunday. According to initial estimates, the Kotyli fire burned down 10,000 stremma of forestland and 200 stremma of pasture land, while the Gouliou Kozaka blaze destroyed 6,000 stremma of forestland.

In Florina prefecture, the fire at Smardesi, Krystallopighi region, was fully extinguished by early morning Sunday, after buring 5,000 stremma of forestland. The fire at Varda Sfika, in Prespes municipality, was also extinguished by early afternoon on Sunday, after burning an estimated 500 stremma of forestland, and another 500 stremma of pasture land.

In Kozani prefecture, the fire at Velventos was finally extinguished on Sunday morning, after burning for nearly three weeks and destroying 15,000 stremma of forestland and 2,000 stremma of pasture land.

The fires at Mavroplagia, Kilkis prefecture, and at Fteri, Pieria prefecture have also been extinguished.

Meanwhile, a new fire broke out on Saturday afternoon, for reasons as yet unknown, in the Profitis Elias forest in Oropos, outside of Athens, near an inhabited area.

A strong force of 45 firefighters with 15 fire engines, assisted by two firefighting planes and 3 helicopters, were battling the blaze, in an effort to contain it before it spread to homes.

In a related development, the Airforce General Staff (GEN) announced that two Canadair CL-215 firefighting helicopters it had sent to Gjirokastr on Saturday to help battle a blaze that broke out there have returned to their base in Preveza, as high winds in the area did not allow water dropping operations to be carried out.

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