Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-03-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM, FM express sympathy on Andrew Athens' death

[02] SDOE acquires access to bank accounts of taxpayers under investigation

[03] Museums, archaeological sites open over weekend

[04] Greece at Cruise Shipping Miami Trade Show

[01] PM, FM express sympathy on Andrew Athens' death

"The Greek-American community and Greeks around the world grieve for a great Greek, Andrew Athens… who dedicated his life to defending ecumenical Hellenism and played a leading role in the struggles for the rights of Greeks, in Greece, Cyprus and for the Macedonia name," Samaras says in the cable.

"On behalf of all Greeks, we express our warmest condolences to his family."

A highly active member of Greek-American community and the so-called Greek lobby in Washington, Athens was the first president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (1995 and until December 2006). He died on Thursday at the age of 91 in his home town, Chicago.amna

He was identified with the efforts to co-ordinate Greeks around the world and was an honourary president of SAE. He was honoured by Greece, Cyprus, the Patriarchate, the US government and Congress, as well as by numerous US bodies and organisations.

Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos also expressed his sympathy for the death of Andrew Athens.

"As a uniting personality, Andrew Athens fought from the post of president of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) to reinforce the position of Greeks around the world, leaving a legacy of significant national and social work," Avramopoulos said, expressing warm condolences to Athens' family.amna

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos also expressed his deep sorrow for the loss of "a devout patriot who fought for national rights in the US and internationally and offered his powers and prestige to the effort to organise and mobilise Greeks expatriates."

[02] SDOE acquires access to bank accounts of taxpayers under investigation

Ten staff members of SDOE's central services and another two from each regional office will be able to access the bank deposit accounts of taxpayers who are being investigated.

The new mechanism will enter into effect on Tuesday, March 19, and is expected to resolve the problem of delays in the procedure of the banks' briefing of the tax authorities on the deposit accounts of individuals under investigation.amna

Under the new system, SDOE and other tax authorities will be able to complete cross-checks of the taxpayers' tax information more speedily.

The new mechanism will provide to tax authorities information on the size of the bank accounts of the taxpayers under investigation, and also information on movement of the accounts (deposits, withdrawals, etc) made from the year 2008 onwards.

[03] Museums, archaeological sites open over weekend

In a press conference, he clarified that the rumor that has upset tourism sector enterprises is untrue, noting that no museums were closed in Greece except for the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens.

Referring to the rumor that museums and archaeological sites will be closed as a result of a strike by culture ministry employees, he said that it caused unecessary upset, with tour operators asking if they should cancel trips and visits to the country. He noted that even the "Der Spiegel" website had mentioned that the archaeological site of the Acropolis will be closed. amna

"The Acropolis was never closed and is not about to. I believe that the employees, whose rights I respect, have realized that monuments like the Acropolis should be kept out of political or trade unionist confrontations," he said, adding that the operation of the Acropolis or other museums and archaeological sites across the country has never been an issue.

[04] Greece at Cruise Shipping Miami Trade Show

Livadas met with Lefebvre D'Ovidio and Robert Ashdown, president and secretary general respectively of the International Cruiseship Union CLIA Europe, Larry Pimentel, president and managing director of Azamara Yacht Cruises, a subsidiary company of Royal Caribbean Cruises International, Giora Israel, vice president of Carnival Corp, Roberto Giorgi, president of V-ships and Jo-Ann Arnat, vice president for tourist enterprises of Disney Cruise Line.amna

Livadas had the opportunity during these meetings to underline the positive developments that have taken place recently in Greece, such as the lifting of restrictions, the new investments framework and the new reforms and initiatives, as well as the excellent cooperation with the private sector.amna

EOT's secretary general pointed out that the cruise, for the American public in particular, constitutes a dynamically developing sector, with very great prospects for Greece's tourist industry and consequentgly for its economy.

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