Athens News Agency: News in English, 12-02-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Culture ministry to finance repairs at Attikon cinema

[02] EL.STAT president requests intervention of prosecutor

[03] A modern-day Daidalus takes to the sky

[04] TrainOSE says deficit down a stunning 82% in 2011

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[06] Policeman injured at robbery

[01] Culture ministry to finance repairs at Attikon cinema

Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos announced the ministry's decision during a cabinet meeting, on Tuesday. amna

The two cinemas were seriously damaged by fire during Sunday's violent riots in downtown Athens.

[02] EL.STAT president requests intervention of prosecutor

For the record, the EL.STAT president had been summonsed to testify within the framework of the investigation into the case but has not appeared before the authorities yet. The case file, as far as the political figures involved are concerned, has already been forwarded to parliament, while a preliminary investigation is still underway for non political figures.

The EL.STAT president calls on prosecutor Tentes to order Peponis to forward him copies of additional testimonies given by witnesses on the controversial case and requests adequate time to present explanations that will lead to the conclusion of the preliminary investigation.

[03] A modern-day Daidalus takes to the sky

Giorgos Iliopoulos was unable to afford his own plane on a policeman's salary but got the idea of building one using the materials at hand, during a visit to specialist stores in Canada.

His first prototype was built almost entirely of recycled wood, using old furniture, a wheelchair and a car engine. This first plane was name the 'Lygkistis' and for a while he thought he would not repeat the attempt in his lifetime.

It was not long, however, before he was back to the drawing board designing his second aircraft, initially using printing press plates, on a scale of 1:6. When this design actually flew, Iliopoulos reported that he nearly had a heart attack.amna

There followed a process of painstaking work and 3,000 modifications of the original design to build the craft on a normal scale out of aircraft-grade aluminium before 'Archon', Iliopoulos' second plane, took to the skies.amna

'Archon' is an ultra-light aircraft that looks similar to a fighter plane and, according to Iliopoulos, he has received a number of e-mails from US firms interested in exploiting the design commercially.

[04] TrainOSE says deficit down a stunning 82% in 2011

The company reported a zero deficit in December 2011, first in the country's rail history, creating prospects of viability and further improving its financial condition this year.

TrainOSE reported annual losses of up to 240 million euros in the previous years.amna

The debt-laden company attributed the positive development to implementation of a restructuring plan, abolition of loss-making activities, wage cuts and decreased operating spending, as well as lower fuel consumption and saving up of to 14 million euros from electrical power use.amna

The state-owned company, long criticised as one of the biggest loss makers in the wider public sector, said it was also adopting innovative services, further expanding its suburban rail network surrounding the greater Athens area and promoting a combined transport plan linking Athens to Thessaloniki, the two biggest metropolitan areas in the country.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The postponement of the extraordinary Eurogroup meeting and the reductions in pension and special salary scales, mostly dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "What is happening in New Democracy (ND)".

AVGHI: "Series of extortions and measures".

AVRIANI: "ND leader Antonis Samaras' bold initiative to make an overture to the Right and the Left"

DIMOKRATIA: "Bomb to special payscales too".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA (striking employees' special edition): "Dissolution in the political system and the social fabric".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "They (Europe) seeking 'petty reason' for bankruptcy".

ESTIA: "They are getting ready to kick us out ".

ETHNOS: "Express reduction to special payscales".

IMERISSIA: "New round of pressure - Eurogroup postponed for Monday".

KATHIMERINI: "Greece running out of time".

LOGOS:" The reductions in main and auxiliary pensions".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Harsh show of power with the postponement of the Eurogroup meeting".

RIZOSPASTIS: "New cutbacks in pensions and medical care".

TA NEA: "PPC, Hellenic Telecoms, Banks: Pensions 20 percent down".

VRADYNI: "They (government) cuts again pensions and special payscales".

[06] Policeman injured at robbery

Five unidentified persons armed with assault rifles entered the jewellery store and seized money and jewellery. aman

The jewellery store is located near the Nea Peramos police station and for this reason one of the police officers went to the scene of the robbery. Then, during their getaway the perpetrators opened fire against the policemen, resulting in the police officer being wounded in the stomach. A ricocheting bullet also slightly wounded a civilian passing by.

The police officer was taken to Thriasio Hospital in Elefsina.

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