Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Fire on Rhodes raging for 4th day

[02] Trade balance deficit decreases

[03] Nana Mouskouri honored by Athens

[01] Fire on Rhodes raging for 4th day

Since Friday morning, the firefighting forces operating on the island were reinforced by two water bombing aircraft from Italy, while two more would be flying in from France and a helicopter was expected from Cyprus.

Firefighting efforts are coordinated by Civil Protection general secretary Margaritis Mouzas, who arrived on the island for this purpose on Thursday night.

South Aegean General Secretary Charalambos Kokkinos praised the firefighting forces for their efforts and reported two incidents of arson recorded on Thursday in the municipality of Kamiros and in a wooded region near the village of Profylia in southern Rhodes. In both cases the fire was quickly extinguished following the swift intervention of firemen.

[02] Trade balance deficit decreases

According to ESYE , the trade balance deficit fell to 2,275.6 million euros in May 2008 from 3,266.2 million euros in the corresponding month in 2007, marking a 16.6 percent decrease.

The reduction in the trade balance deficit was attributed to a 14.1 percent increase in exports-dispatches and a 7.8 percent decrease in imports-arrivals.

The trade balance deficit also posted a decline for the five-month period of January-May 2008, falling to 13,868.6 million euros from 14,901.6 million euros in the corresponding period of 2007, marking a 6.9 percent decline.

Caption: National Statistics Bureau of Greece (ESYE) general secretary Dr. Emmanuel Manolis Kondopyrakis outside the ESYE headquarters in Athens. (ANA-MPA/P. Saitas)

[03] Nana Mouskouri honored by Athens

The medal was awarded to Mouskouri as a personal token of honour and in acknowledgement of her extensive contribution to music and culture.

A few hours before Nana Mouskouri was to appear at the open-air Herod Atticus theatre for her final farewell concert, bringing to a close a 50-year international music career featuring more than 350 gold and platinum albums and 300 million album sales globally, the City of Athens - the city where she began her musical journey in 1958 - paid tribute to her.

Athens was the final venue of Mouskouri's Farewell World Tour that she embarked on in June 2007.

Mayor Kaklamanis noted: ?Applause will no longer be heard in the stadiums and theatres but we assure you that the resonant applause of our soul will accompany your song forever. You may be bringing your career to a close, but you will remain an inspiration in our lives forever. Because we are certain that the dream known as Nana Mouskouri will never end."

"For this reason, we thank you for speaking the international language of music without ever compromising your Greek soul. We thank you for whispering about Greece with the mettle of your voice to the entire world and serving as an international ambassador for your country over five successive decades. We thank you for creating an oasis with your comprehensive repertoire which keeps us company in our dreams," he continued.

"Here today, we are doing nothing more than drawing inspiration from your unrivalled interpretation and bow before you as you so humbly bowed before your audience on so many occasions. Today we are redressing a historical oversight - the fact that the entire world has paid tribute to her, yet the city which she promoted through her personality and song has never done so. I know, of course, that no matter how many awards you receive, you consider the greatest reward to be the love of the people. I, therefore, ask you to accept the highest honorary distinction of the city which you sang about and celebrated, the City of Athens Gold Medal of Merit,? the Mayor said.

Mouskouri, who was accompanied by her husband, children, sister and close friends, said: ?I believe that if music did not exist, I would not be here today... Mr Mayor and dear friends, I would like to say that I was honoured the moment I was born in this land and began to live with this love within me. I loved our country very much because it endured a great deal when I first became acquainted with it, but I am very proud that it endured because it was able to break free. It managed to exist and, today, it continues to exist in a new way in society.

"Music lent me wings so I could dream and find the love I was searching for in this world. All of the countries I visited assisted me, for with their cultures I watered the beloved roots of our home. I always remained responsible and honest. And not just me, for my song was the medium through which I met people, lived and raised a family, but I also had to respect the countries I visited as they allowed me to live life in the best possible manner. In this way I watered my roots, learnt a great deal and my dream never ended. I always dreamed of something better, about love, happiness and even the happiness we could give to others. So I exchanged and shared, and the honour I am receiving today is something I will never forget," Mouskouri said.

"I do not believe that I am worthy of such a high distinction, however, Mr Mayor I am truly grateful for your words," she continued, adding her pride in being in her homeland and joy that her children and husband were with her, but also sadness that "my mother and father, who taught me to always respect our country, are not here".

"I thank you for the honour you have bestowed not only on me but also my work, my beloved friends who enlightened me and my entire family,? she concluded.

Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and Luxembourg Mayor Paul Helminger attended the ceremony, as guests of Mayor Kaklamanis, as well as the Ambassadors of France, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Slovenia, and the charges d�affaires of Spain, Germany, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Poland and Sweden.

The dignitaries also attended Nana Mouskouri's final farewell concert Thursday night.

Caption: Nana Mouskouri, at the ceremony in which she was presented with the City of Athens' Gold Medal of Merit, the city's highest honor. (ANA-MPA/K. Mavrona)

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