Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] FM to visit Maghreb countries

[02] 'Sober Driver' campaign

[03] Alavanos at Ecumenical Patriarchate

[01] FM to visit Maghreb countries

During her tour of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, she will discuss Greek bilateral political, cutlural, economic and energy relations with the three countries, issues of international interest such as developments in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, immigration and terrorism, as well as EU0Morocco and EU-Arab League relations, the Mediterranean Union, and the Barcelona Process.

In Morocco, Bakoyannis will be received by King Mohamed VI, and will have meetings with prime minister Abbas El Fassi, speaker of the house of representatives Mustafa Al-Mansouri, speaker of the chamber of counselors (upper house) Mustafa Ikasha, and foreign minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri.

In Algeria, she is scheduled to meet with president Abdelazia Boutefika, prime minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, foreign minister Mourad Medelci, and finance minister Karim Djoudi.

In Tunisia, she is scheduled to meet with president of the republic Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, speaker of the house of representatives Fouad Mbazaa, and foreign minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah.

Caption: File photo of foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis. (ANA-MPA/S. Pantzartzi)

[02] 'Sober Driver' campaign

The health ministry�s campaign which is taking place with the organisation ?Sober Drivers?, is aimed at making people aware of the catastrophic consequences which the abuse of alcohol has in life and mainly to drivers.

Health and Social Solidarity Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, on the occasion of the campaign, which is titled ?Sober Driver?, on Friday made clear that he will immediately proceed in the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and alcohol to youth under the age of 18.

Caption: Health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos announced the 'Sover Driver' campaign. (ANA-MPA).

[03] Alavanos at Ecumenical Patriarchate

"Patriarch Varthomeos (Bartholomew) is an old and respected acquaintance of the Greek Left, and of SYRIZA," Alavanos said, and stressed the "immense efforts" that were made for the Ecumenical Patriarch to visit and address the European Parliament.

"With our presence here today, we wish to underline the importance we place on the institution of the Patriarchate," Alavanos said, stressing the need for its "ecumenicality to be recognised, the need for the Halki seminary to reopen, and for an end to the manifestations of violence by nationalistic groups against the Patriarchate".

Alavanos warned that the above problems definitely posed obstacles to Turkey's road to the EU, in statements later to ANA-MPA.

Alavanos is accompanied by a SYRIZA delegation comprising veteran Left politician Yannis Banias, a member of the Greek parliament's standing committee on foreign affairs and defence, and by Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party MP and member of the SYN Central Political Committee responsible for foreign policy Panos Trigazis.

The SYRIZA delegation met on Friday with Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan, Turkish national assembly speaker Koksal Toptan, and Turkish ODP party (Freedom and Solidarity Party) leader and MP Ufuk Uras.

"Greece and Turkey invest in armaments instead of investing in education and social policy," Alavanos said in Ankara on Friday after his meeting with Uras.

Caption: File photo of SYRIZA leader Alekos Alavanos. (ANA-MPA/K. Mavrona)

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