Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-06-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] KKE party leader winds up main election rally

[02] Tsipras: We shall seize the moment of history

[03] Samaras: 'We won't allow anyone to take us out of Europe'

[04] Crucial general elections on Sunday

[05] Rose farming shows promising prospects

[06] New finds in Petrified Forest of Lesvos

[01] KKE party leader winds up main election rally

She also said this position is becoming more timely since the possibility exists of the expulsion of countries from the eurozone and the EU, which she claimed is being examined by the Commission.

"The real dilemma for the people is a popular counter-attack or internal devaluation and bankruptcy."amna

In a reference to "Financial Times Deutschland" editorial on the same day, she said "things are becoming confused," terming the event as "strange", just two days before the elections.amna

"There are capitalist circles that want Greece out of the EU for their own reasons."

[02] Tsipras: We shall seize the moment of history

He said that only SYRIZA can guarantee the country's steadfast course and termed New Democracy (ND) party leader Antonis Samaras and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos "salesmen of the interests of the creditors" and attributed "audacity" to them for saying that SYRIZA is to blame and the big percentage it received because it scared the troika that cut the one billion euros resulting to the problem with the pharmaceuticals.amna

"There is no greater threat for Greece, democracy and the people than ND's ambition to govern this country again," Tsipras said, adding that "those who sank the ship in 2009 and were the first to abandon it are threatening us that they will govern us again."amna

Tsipras also said that "now is the time. All women and all men together shall seize the moment of history, we shall change Greece. With unshakeable European orientation, an equal member of the eurozone" and on the question of citizens whether SYRIZA will succeed, he replied "we shall succeed, we shall not betray you."

[03] Samaras: 'We won't allow anyone to take us out of Europe'

He also underlined his volition to implement a promise "for growth and jobs for the young people."amna

Samaras pointed out that "these elections are crucial and will be determined by the very last ballot."

"The crucial question is euro or drachma, this is what the 'drachma lobby' wants, and what forces abroad also desire. If this happens we would go 50 years back."

The ND leader also criticised reports by foreign publications on the Greek elections, a direct reference to a same-day editorial by FT Germany, saying that "they should make their recommendations and provocations elsewhere," while charging that these articles merely help SYRIZA and the 'drachma lobby'.amna

Samaras also sharply criticised SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras whom he termed a "representative of the drachma lobby" and added "that those who stand to gain from the return to the drachma are the new oligarchs."amna

He further noted that there are seven crucial dilemmas that the people are being called on to reply with Sunday's elections. amna

The first crucial question is euro or drachma as the drachma lobby wants and forces abroad desire, the second is a change in economic policy and growth or disaster and a worse memorandum, the third is jobs or massive unemployment, the fourth dilemma is between yesterday and tomorrow, the fifth between security and fear, the sixth what Greece do the Greeks want, with strong alliances or isolated from everywhere and the last dilemma is governance or lack of governance.

[04] Crucial general elections on Sunday

Both the minister and the two representatives of local government appeared confident that local authority staff would work toward a flawless organisation of the elections and Manitakis underlined that the ministry had at no time received or notified of any document relating to strikes or other labour mobilisations.amna

Referring to media reports that the local authority workers union federation POE-OTA had declared a strike on the day of the elections in protest against the very low overtime pay (set at 126 euros before taxes) given for assisting in the election preparation, Manitakis stressed that these were rumours appearing in the press but the ministry had at no time been notified of any such plans by the unions.amna

He noted that the pay offered to local authority staff for their work, while still low, had been increased by 30 percent relative to the elections of May 6 but that the ministry had no margins for any further increase because the number of people involved was too large.amna

He said the trial run carried out at the ministry had shown that all systems were running perfectly from a technological, electronic and administrative standpoint.

The switch to sending results to the ministry by fax rather than telegram is expected to speed up their delivery, with the first 'safe' estimate of the election result expected at around 9.30 p.m. on Sunday night.

Expenditures for the general elections of June 17 2012 will be 22.5 million euros less, compared to the general elections held on May 6 2012. According to reports from the Finance ministry, the expenditures for the June elections will total 47.9 million euros, as against 70.4 million euros of the May elections.amna

More than 620 reporters from Greece and abroad will cover Sunday's elections, caretaker government spokesman Dimitris Tsiodras said on Friday, slightly up from the 615 that covered the May 6 elections.amna

Some 230 foreign journalists will be in Greece for the June 17 elections compared with 165 in last month's vote, according to the spokesman.

On Saturday, the ministry of culture and the National Tourism Organization (GNTO), in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Information-Communication, will host a reception at Zappeion Hall in central Athens for accredited foreign reporters, many of whom will be guests on a day-cruise touring a handful of Saronic Gulf islands.

[05] Rose farming shows promising prospects

Importers from France and Cyprus have expressed strong interest. However, the increased demand is hard to be met because the local farm cooperative, active in the specific sector, was established only recently and therefore, production is still limited. amna

Rose farming was launched in the region in 2005 and the results observed after the four-year period necessary for the plants to reach flowering size are very encouraging, according to representatives of the Voio Farm Cooperative for Aromatic Plants and Produce, who plan to increase production and organize an up-to-date processing facility for all stages of production. They also announced that a rose-based cosmetics line is scheduled to be in the stores after February 2013. amna

This year's rose crop was larger than 6.5 tons and produced half a liter of double stilled rose oil, 1,600 liters of double distilled rose water and rose petal spoon sweets, the demand for which is high due to its nutritional value. amna

Rose oil is the essential oil extracted from rose petals and the most widely used in perfumery. Rose water is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals. It is a by-product of the production of rose oil and is used to flavour food and as a component in some cosmetic and medical preparations.

[06] New finds in Petrified Forest of Lesvos

Petrified trunks of elm, cinnamon and laurel trees were unearthed and give a new dimension to the estimated area covered by the Petrified Forest.amna

According to the Museum's official announcement a large number of trunks, branches and twigs of fruit-bearing and coniferous trees have been found in extremely good condition. Their characteristics will soon allow the exact specification of the plants they derive from. The finds have been located in a similar position with the finds of Western Lesvos and specifically on a horizon of ashes and fire remnants that exceeds three metres in depth. This testifies that the plants are of the grand forest of Aegida that was covered by materials deriving from earthquakes and volcanic activity of that period. The research team identified the new finds at about 17.5 million years old.amna

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