Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis briefed by FinMin

[02] Rhodes fire raging, blaze in Evia, both contained

[03] Koronia Lake appeal

[01] PM Karamanlis briefed by FinMin

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alogoskoufis said that the impact of the international crisis on the Greek economy was a "given fact", particularly with respect to prices and inflation, adding that there were also some effects from interest rates, "but the effects we appear to have in the real economy, in other words the rate of increase in GDP and on employment, are relatively limited".

This, he added, was "very important, as it proves that the reforms that have taken place in recent years have enhanced the resistance of the economy for the coming period as well".

For 2009, the government's aspiration was not only to simply reinforce the reforms and carry on with the policy of fiscal streamlining, but also to ensure that the real economy as well will continue to have the strong growth rates it has known in recent years.

Asked whether the amendment on the DEKO (public utilities and organizations) was "unfair", Alogoskoufis said that in the last few years there has been a widening of the deificts and increase in costs, which he attributed to arbitration decisions that did not take into consideration the more general social and economic repercussions.

The DEKO amendment, he continued, was once again putting the government's role forward on such matters, given that the DEKO deficits and cost increase would be shouldered by the Greek taxpayers, "which is not rational in a period when self-restraint in the economy is necessary".

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Rhodes fire raging, blaze in Evia, both contained

Firefighters, who were continuing the battle with the blazes undiminished, told ANA-MPA that for the first time they were optimistic of bringing the blaze under control, as the two major fire fronts -- in the area of the Gadoura dam and in the area of Profylia - have already been partically contained, and it was hoped that the fire would be brought under full control by evening.

The massive firefighting force was being assisted by hundreds of volunteers from all over the island.

Authorities said that careful monitoring was necessary throughout the entire region to look out for rekindling, due to strong winds in the area.

The blaze, which broke out last Tuesday, has burned an estimated 40,000 stremma fo forest and brush, and fears have been voiced of immense damage to the island's ecosystem.

The Laermon forest, which has been almost completely destroyed by the fire, is the main habitat of one of the last surviving populations of the famed Rhodian deer -- a smaller species of the European fallow deer -- whose population had marked an increase in recent years.

Tourists were evacuated from several hotels in southern Rhodes on Saturday for precautionary reasons, and were relocated to other hotels on the island on Saturday, while many returned to their hotels on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a forest fire broke out in Psachna, Evia, shortly before noon on Sunday, and was also reported as having been contained on Sunday night.

A strong fire-fighting force that rushed to the area, assisted by four water scooping planes and a helicopter, were continuing the effort to extinguish the blaze.

Caption: People trying to extinguish the fire on Rhodes. ANA-MPA/STR

[03] Koronia Lake appeal

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of dead fowl in Koronia Lake due to pollution and drought.

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