Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 12-07-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] Coalition leaders end meeting without final agreement on measures

[02] FinMin Stournaras: 'We are searching for the perfect mixture' of measures

[03] Venizelos-Kouvelis confer ahead of leaders' meeting in afternoon

[04] FinMin discusses alternative measures with PASOK, DIMAR representatives

[05] SYRIZA on coalition government party leaders meeting

[06] Gov't spokesman: Time is the main adversary

[07] PM, public order minister agree to boost forces fighting crime

[08] EU-IMF troika officials visit environment ministry

[09] SYRIZA slams coalition gov't for sticking to Memorandum policies

[10] SYRIZA rejects ATEbank transfer

[11] Independent Greeks party calls for investigation into Roumeliotis' allegations

[12] Papariga: Idea that measures are temporary is delusion

[13] Bill on higher education tabled in Parliament

[14] U.S. official visits Halki Seminary

[15] Evros border fence won't be ready before October, contractor says

[16] Piraeus Bank says ATEbank deal will significantly boost its position

[17] Greek FinMin, central banker to inform Parliament over ATEbank developments

[18] Finmin's clarifications on ATEbank deal at parliamentary committee on economic affairs

[19] Tax evasion probe for 731 individuals transferring 1.0 billion euro abroad in 2010

[20] National Bank cuts interest rates by 0.25 pct

[21] Greece asks Switzerland for accord on taxation of Greek deposits in Swiss banks

[22] Thessaloniki Port opens second phase of marina tender

[23] OPAP extends Intralot contract for three months

[24] KKE leader expresses disagreement with closure of IGME

[25] Development minister and Patras mayor discuss extension of Proastiakos, other projects

[26] Byte Computer to issue 800,000-euro bond loan

[27] Greek stocks end significantly higher

[28] Greek bond market closing report

[29] ADEX closing report

[30] Foreign Exchange rates - Tuesday

[31] Acropolis Museum to launch 'Archaic Colours' interactive research activity

[32] Greek scientists design early diagnosis tool for Alzheimer's

[33] Teen girl found unconscious near Paros beach was sexually assaulted, evidence shows

[34] Livestock breeder shoots and injures two locals videotaping Viannos wildfire on Crete

[35] Former examining magistrate Bourboulia receives 12-year sentence

[36] Wildfire breaks out in forest on Rhodes; three firemen injured

[37] Search continues for missing speargun fisherman

[38] Fifteen arrests for child porn

[39] Contraband cigarettes seized, two arrests

[40] Fire raging at Viannos region in Heraklion, Crete, two villages evacuated

[41] Russian tourist drowns on Crete in night swim

[42] Hymettus arsonist to be held in custody pending trial

[43] The Monday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance Politics

[01] Coalition leaders end meeting without final agreement on measures

The head of the Democratic Left (Dem.Ar) party Fotis Kouvelis, who leads of the smallest of the three coalition parties, repeatedly emphasised the need for an overall strategic plan in statements after the meeting.

"The problems are many, big and thorny," he told reporters, saying that talks had focused on the strategic plan for dealing with all those issues that were commitments undertaken by the country.

Noting that the government faced specific issues on the one hand but also Greek society's inability to cope with more burdens on the other hand, Kouvelis said that there had been absolute agreement during the meeting on the strategic plan for coping with these different problems, while stressing that the discussion was ongoing and would continue in the next few days.

He also emphasised that there had been no discussion on issues relating to cuts and measures, only the real problems in relation to society and the overall planning. In response to questions, he underlined that there was no deadlock because there had been no disagreement between the coalition leaders.

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos, head of the second-largest party in the coalition, also referred to broad agreement between the coalition leaders on the government's political framework. He said the primary aim was to arrest the course of the recession, the second goal was to take measures to fuel growth and the third was to push through structural reforms.

He stressed that fiscal consolidation and privatisations must go ahead, while taking into account that the recession was much deeper than originally calculated.

Venizelos said the three party leaders will help in the implementation of this framework through their contacts with the social forces and related political powers in Europe.

[02] FinMin Stournaras: 'We are searching for the perfect mixture' of measures

Stournaras was speaking to reporers on Monday evening shortly after a meeting of the three party leaders in Greece's coalition government which was held at Prime Minister Antonis Samaras office at the Maximos Mansion.

"If we find the perfect mixture we will announce it," he added responding to a question whether the measures would be announced by the end of the week.

Stournaras said that that there was no change in strategy, adding that an EC/ECB/IMF troika will remain in Greece as long as necessary.

All leaders agree that the 11.5 billion euros must be found, he said. "We need two more years while the road ahead is difficult," he added.

"What we are looking for is our options not to annul the country's possibilities for renegotiation and primarily the possibility of remaining in the eurozone," Stournaras concluded.

[03] Venizelos-Kouvelis confer ahead of leaders' meeting in afternoon

No statements were made after the meeting, but sources said the two leaders agreed that the top issue is the extension of Greece's fiscal adjustment up to the end of 2016, followed by advancement of the structural changes, and the taking of whatever measures deemed necessary after that.

[04] FinMin discusses alternative measures with PASOK, DIMAR representatives

They discussed proposals that would avert further across-the-board cutbacks in salaries and pensions.

The PASOK and DIMAR representatives asked that the measures be applied over a four-year period instead of the two-year horizon, while DIMAR representatives also said that cuts to pensions should begin with implementation of the already voted laws setting the ceiling at 2,750 euros, without further reducing the ceiling.

Earlier, the finance minister met with the Troika chiefs.

The leaders of the three coalition government parties will meet in the afternoon to discuss the package of measures, but final decisions are not expected.

[05] SYRIZA on coalition government party leaders meeting

In a statement, SYRIZA said that the "painful and anti-social measures have already been decided and they (the leaders) simply disagree on when and how they are going to announce them."

[06] Gov't spokesman: Time is the main adversary

In that direction, a "laborious effort is being made in all sectors", not only regarding the measures but also in the denationalisations and in the mergers and abolitions of state agencies", he said on private Antenna TV.

He said that the Greek economy and society have suffered great losses, and the government was putting a bottom to the barrel and beginning to put order in the country. "If we don't manage ourselves to put order in our home, we can't expect it from the outside," the spokesman stressed.

He said the coalition government was making a new, earnest effort. Even in its short time in power -- not even a month -- it was regaining credibility, and the country's image abroad has changed. "Greece is being treated in a different way. We are still at a marginal point, however," he added.

"In just one month, things have changed. Credibility is returning with specific moves that are being made" such as the rationalisation of the state machine, "for example, in the case of exports promotion" with the creation of a single agency that materialises a "national strategy on exports," Kedikoglou said.

He further underlined the new tax bill being drafted, and legislation to attract investments being drafted by the development ministry to combat inflation, which he said was a priority put forward by prime minister Antonis Samaras.

Kedikoglou reiterated that the government's aspiration, in the context of the package of measures to be taken to cut state spending by 11.5 billion euros in the next two years, was to protect the vulnerable population groups. "We must protect those who have already undergone may sacrifices, but we must also slowly set in motion the process of regaining our economic independence, because when you need a new loan every day you cannot say that you are independent," the spokesman added.

"We are managing a very difficult balance, not only inside Greece but also inside Europe," he continued, noting that the times were difficult at European level and that Greece must remain at the crux of the developments and not find itself in the sidelines at a defining moment in European history.

[07] PM, public order minister agree to boost forces fighting crime

Emerging from the meeting, Dendias said that a special committee of senior police officers was set up after the elections to examine the issue of police officers currently used to guard various high-profile individuals and how these resources might be better allocated. The minister said that he had now received their report and had approved the relevant measures.

"They will stop guarding special targets, in other words various individuals, and be thrown into the battle against crime, the battle for the safety of Greek citizens," Dendias said, noting that more detailed announcements will be made by a police spokesman.

Questioned about a possible new wave of migrants due to the crisis in Syria, he said there was grave concern and that the prime minister had approved the transfer of 1,800 border police equipped with boats to Evros, stressing that the government's aim was to stop Greece being "open to all comers".

[08] EU-IMF troika officials visit environment ministry

The meeting at the environment ministry focused on policy and outstanding issues concerning the energy market, such as measures to ensure market liquidity and privatisations, as well as a gradual link of retail rates to wholesale prices.

On Tuesday morning, the troika mission heads are due to meet Justice, Transparency and Human Rights Minister Antonis Roupakiotis while a team of troika technical experts held talks on Monday by the justice ministry's general secretary Nikolas Kanellopoulos and a justice ministry delegation to discuss implementation of strategic targets that form part of the country's commitments under the Memorandum.

This discussion also focused on progress in dealing with thousands of outstanding taxation cases involving tens of millions of euro owed to the Greek State and an improved system for collecting statistical data relating to justice.

[09] SYRIZA slams coalition gov't for sticking to Memorandum policies

At present the country was simply seeing the "summer repeats" with new measures that further brutalised an already disintegrating economy and society, the party added.

SYRIZA stressed that pre-election pledges made by the parties to try and renegotiate the terms of the memorandums and to boost growth had instead been displaced by an unswerving implementation of the commitments to reduce wages and pensions, fire public-sector workers, privatisations and a levelling of the social state that would lead to further recession and unemployment.

"Overthrowing the Memorandum policy in Greece and Europe and planning a new strategy for the economy and society, based on fair taxations, redistribution of wealth, protection of labour and the social state, are the only socially just way to emerge from the crisis," SYRIZA said.

[10] SYRIZA rejects ATEbank transfer

SYRIZA parliamentary group leader Alexis Tsipras called on Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to "give explanations and stop hiding", adding that explanations will have to be presented by all those involved in the ATEbank case.

He lashed out at Bank of Greece (BoG) governor George Provopoulos, PM Antonis Samaras, PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left (DIM.AR) leader Fotis Kouvelis, stressing that "they deserve a place in the Guinness Book of Records for selling off a profitable bank by giving it as a gift to a private bank that has losses and is not viable."

He said that his party will fight to reverse the situation, stressing that ATEbank was sacrificed to salvage a bankrupt banking system.

Tsipras also requested that the report on the state of the Greek banks prepared by money manager Black Rock be submitted to parliament, as well as, the criteria based on which four banks were found viable as opposed to ATEbank and the sustainability certificates.

Meanwhile, 12 SYRIZA MPs tabled a current question on the "major scandal" of the transfer of ATEbank to Piraeus Bank, addressed to the ministers of finance, development and agriculture.

Gov't spokesman

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou on Monday termed as "unacceptable" earlier statements by main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras regarding the transfer of ATEbank healthy assets to Piraeus Bank.

"The ATEbank issue is the result of lack of viability, while with the present arrangement jobs are secured in the bank and the farm lands are not in a risk. The whole issue will be regulated by law," Kedikoglou also said.

The government spokesman added that all relevant documents which Tsipras demands would be handed over to him.

[11] Independent Greeks party calls for investigation into Roumeliotis' allegations

Party leader Panos Kammenos stressed that the committee will investigate allegations made by Roumeliotis, according to which former PM George Papandreou and his government were aware that the programme implemented in the country was impossible.

[12] Papariga: Idea that measures are temporary is delusion

She added that the measures "are taken to be in effect also in the period of recovery, and for so long that there is authority of the big capital".

Consequently it is necessary for the Greek people, and first of all the labour and popular strata, to organise the reverse count, she said, adding "there is no other salvation, there is no other solution".

[13] Bill on higher education tabled in Parliament

The parliament's standing committee on education will start debating the bill on Tuesday.

[14] U.S. official visits Halki Seminary

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. Gordon, who is currently in Turkey, visited on Monday the Saint Trinity Monastery of Halki, where the Halki Seminary is to be found.

Metropolitan Elpidoforos of Proussa welcomed the U.S. official and breiefed him on the present state of the Orthodox Seminary, which has been closed since 1971 by order of the Turkish government.

Gordon expressed his country's intense interest for the re-opening of the Seminary as well as for issues pertaing to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

[15] Evros border fence won't be ready before October, contractor says

The total length of the fence will be 10,310 metres, with a concrete post at one-metre intervals and 2,000 frames to support the wire fencing. It will have two rows of wire fencing that will be 1.2 metres apart, an outer fence that is 2.5 metres high and an inner fence that is 3.0 metres high and between them there will be rolls of razor wire reaching up to four metres high. The total cost is budgeted at 3.2 million euro.

According to Dagres, the delay was the result of poor weather conditions in the winter but also delays in finalising plans for the placement of the fence, which weren't completed until May 3. He also noted that completion would depend on whether the funding for the project went smoothly.

Financial News

[16] Piraeus Bank says ATEbank deal will significantly boost its position

A bank statement said that under the deal Piraeus Bank acquired ATEbank' s passive assets worth 21.4 billion euros, of which 14.3 billion euros in deposits, 6.7 billion euros in interbank liabilities and 400 million euros in other liabilities. Also, 14.7 billion euros in assets, of which 10.6 billion euros in loans after provisions and 4.2 billion euros in other types of assets. A difference between the two sums, worth 6.7 billion euros, will be covered by the Greek Financial Stability Fund, according to the law. Additionally, 500 million euros will be offered to Piraeus Bank by the Greek Financial Stability Fund in order to raise the bank's pro-forma capital adequacy ratio above 8.0 pct.

Piraeus Bank said the deal will significantly upgrade its positions in the Greek banking market, with a market share of 19 pct in deposits and 16 pct in loans, creating synergies worth 155 million euros in the first three years and 155 million euros annually thereafter. The group's pro-forma assets totals 74 billion euros, deposits of 35 billion euros and after provision loans of 44 billion euros. The Group's workforce will total 17,000 workers, while its branch network will reach 1,230 in Greece and nine countries abroad.

Meanwhile, the Athens Stock Exchange announced it was temporarily suspending trading in ATEbank's shares.

[17] Greek FinMin, central banker to inform Parliament over ATEbank developments

In a statement, the Bank of Greece stressed that a restructuring of ATEbank was made in cooperation with the country's Financial Stability Fund and in consultation with the government and the troika, under the terms of a memorandum. The central bank also noted that the process was fully transparent. The Bank of Greece said its decision to select Piraeus Bank was the result of a confidential tender process with the country's four largest banks, which did not show any interest, while one of them (Eurobank) withdrew its initial interest. It also appointed two international investment banks to seek a foreign investor, without any results.

[18] Finmin's clarifications on ATEbank deal at parliamentary committee on economic affairs

Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras clarified in a written statement that he will brief the parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the issue.

Following a request by SYRIZA to the parliament president, the parliamentary committee will be briefed by the finance minister and the Bank of Greece (BoG) Governor George Provopoulos on Friday morning.

In a written response, Agriculture Minister Athanassios Tsaftaris referred to a "transfer of part of ATEbank to Piraeus Bank", which includes the bank's healthy assets and deposits.

[19] Tax evasion probe for 731 individuals transferring 1.0 billion euro abroad in 2010

According to press reports, the Bank of Greece had presented the financial crimes' squad SDOE with a table of 731 Greek and foreign citizens that officially transferred sums totalling one billion euro to banks abroad in 2010, while their combined tax statements in the same year came to roughly 2.5 million euro.

The central bank's table refers to money transfers exceeding 100,000 euro to foreign banks, while the list includes 70 individuals with English, German and Italian surnames, as well as Eastern European names.

The equivalent table for 2009 lists 735 individuals that exported 1.247 billion euro out of the country, while their tax statements in that year totaled approximately 3.0 million euro.

One of the most flagrant examples included a Greek tax-payer that in 2010 sent 52,133,146.94 million euro out of the country but declared only 25,099.50 euro to the tax office.

[20] National Bank cuts interest rates by 0.25 pct

[21] Greece asks Switzerland for accord on taxation of Greek deposits in Swiss banks

[22] Thessaloniki Port opens second phase of marina tender

A port statement said that Lamda Development and a joint venture led by Aktor (also including Akte-Vega, Cosmos Yachting and Marina Kroslin GmbH) qualified for the second phase of bidding and can submit their offers by mid-October.

Under the terms of the tender, the new marina will have 218 berths and it is expected to be completed in three years. The concession to operate the marina will be for at least 30 years and will help to boost tourism at the port.

[23] OPAP extends Intralot contract for three months

[24] KKE leader expresses disagreement with closure of IGME

She called for the immediate abolition of a 2011 law for its closure, the recall of 130 staff placed on 'reserve' status and regular funding to cover IGME's running costs. According to Papariga, closing IGME would make it easier for foreign interests to loot Greece's natural resources.

[25] Development minister and Patras mayor discuss extension of Proastiakos, other projects

The minister noted that extension of the line was among the priorities of the ministry while the issue of the processing plant will be discussed at the upcoming ministerial committee in the next few days.

The mayor also requested an extension of the local railway network with new stations to improve services for local residents and the construction of a 5th dock at Piraeus port.

[26] Byte Computer to issue 800,000-euro bond loan

The bond loan will carry an interest rate based on the three-month Euribor, plus 5.8 pct, annually. The new money will be used for the restructuring of the company' s existing bank debt.

[27] Greek stocks end significantly higher

The Big Cap index jumped 3.25 pct and the Mid Cap index ended 2.63 pct higher. The Bank (9.09 pct), Commerce (2.83 pct) and Personal Products (2.75 pct) sectors were top gainers. MIG (2.90 pct), Metka (0.84 pct) suffered losses, while Alpha Bank (12.38 pct), National Bank (10.26 pct), Piraeus Bank (9.05 pct) and Eurobank (6.93 pct) were top gainers among blue chip stocks.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 61 to 46 with another 22 issues unchanged. Sciens Holdings (15.22 pct), Alko (14.63 pct) and Sato (14.13 pct) were top gainers, while Allatini Ceramics (20 pct), Pegasus (19.92 pct) and NEL (19.15 pct) were top losers.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Industrials: +1.50%

Commercial: +2.83%

Construction: +0.39%

Oil & Gas: +1.01%

Personal & Household: +2.75%

Raw Materials: +1.68%

Travel & Leisure: +1.99%

Technology: +1.61%

Telecoms: +2.47

Banks: +9.09%

Food & Beverages: +0.52%

Health: +0.76%

Utilities: +1.02%

Financial Services: +0.84%

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, OPAP, Alpha Bank and Bank of Piraeus.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 1.18

Public Power Corp (PPC): 2.30

HBC Coca Cola: 14.00

Hellenic Petroleum: 5.30

National Bank of Greece: 1.29

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 0.63

OPAP: 4.90

OTE: 2.07

Bank of Piraeus: 0.24

Titan: 13.00

[28] Greek bond market closing report

In interbank markets, interest rates continued moving lower. The 12-month rate fell to 0.96 pct, the six-month rate eased to 0.68 pct, the three-month rate fell to 0.40 pct and the one-month rate fell to 0.15 pct.

[29] ADEX closing report

[30] Foreign Exchange rates - Tuesday

U.S. dollar 1.243

Pound sterling 0.791

Danish kroner 7.550

Swedish kroner 8.474

Japanese yen 97.22

Swiss franc 1.219

Norwegian kroner 7.533

Canadian dollar 1.248

Australian dollar 1.184

General News

[31] Acropolis Museum to launch 'Archaic Colours' interactive research activity

The Acropolis Museum wants to open a very extensive discussion with the public and various experts on color, its technical issues, its detection using new technologies, its experimental use on marble surfaces, its digital reconstruction, its meaning, as well as the archaic period's aesthetic perception of color. So far, scientific research into the color found on ancient sculpture has made great progress and reached surprising conclusions that to a large degree refute the stereotypical assumptions regarding ancient sculpture. It turns out that color, far from being just a simple decorative element, added to the sculpture's aesthetic quality.

For ancient Greeks and their society, color constituted a way to display various attributes. The blond hair of the gods projected their power; the brown skin of warriors and athletes was a sign of virtue and valor, while the white skin of the korai expressed the grace and radiance of youth.

The Museum' s initiative is based on very careful observation, on spectroscopic analysis, on special photography sessions, on efforts to reproduce the colors of antiquity and then to apply them on Parian marble, and naturally, on searching through written sources for valuable information on the pigments.

Among the tools at its disposal, the museum will also enlist the aid of artists' renditions of the sculptures soon after their discovery - such as an original water-colour painted by Swiss painter Louis Emile Gillieron in 1887 of a sculpture just one year after its discovery, before the exposure to the atmosphere started to destroy the colours.

The statues' crisp, saturated colors, on bright garments and tender bodies, combined with the rich jewelry, frequently made of metal, and elaborately curled hair created a singular aesthetic pleasure, making the archaic statues "wonderful to behold" for the people of the period.

Museum director Prof. Dimitris Pantermalis stressed that 'Archaic Colours' will be interactive and also seek to present the museum's own view on an issue where there are many diverging opinions.

The activity will kick off on Tuesday with six presentations between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. while from Wednesday there will be presentations at noon each day in English and at 1:00 p.m. each day in Greek.

There will also be an activity pack and special game designed for children that can also be found online at http://subscriber.amna.gr/anaweb/attachment/www.theacropolismuseum.gr/peploforos

From September, events will be held twice a month in the archaic sculpture gallery with individuals specialising in colour, such as painters, and in the autumn of 2013 the museum intends to issue a new catalogue with all the new evidence that has arisen.

This will include special research that has initially begun with 10 statues and will then include the rest and which may later be extended to works of other periods at the Museum.

[32] Greek scientists design early diagnosis tool for Alzheimer's

The tool for the early diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer's disease dysfunctions is unique and has already attracted the strong interest of domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies.

The research scientists have found the indices and their correlations that lead to an early diagnosis of the disease through a hybrid diagnostic protocol based on the assessment of individual data.

A year ago the scientific research team discovered the "electric thrombosis" phenomenon, a mechanism that explains a series of dysfunctions, in the inner membrane of mitochondria affecting their number and operation, largely related with Alzheimer's. The team continued the research further by studying the mitochondrial membrane superconductor properties and other measurable biological factors before coming up with the early diagnosis tool for the disease.

[33] Teen girl found unconscious near Paros beach was sexually assaulted, evidence shows

In light of the evidence, police now believe that the girl was sexually assaulted, as her mother had originally insisted when her daughter was found lying unconscious near Chryssi Akti beach.

A police investigation continues for the arrest of the culprit.

The teenager is still being treated at Attiko Hospital in Athens where she was flown by helicopter, having undergone surgery after sustaining serious head injuries.

[34] Livestock breeder shoots and injures two locals videotaping Viannos wildfire on Crete

Two friends, aged 24 and 35, were filming the fire with their cell phones when a passenger car driven by the 20-year-old stopped at the site and demanded that they stop recording scenes of the fire, enraged by the fact that as his property was burning the two men were taping the destruction.

When the two friends replied that they were not doing anything wrong, the driver took out a gun and shot six times at the 24-year-old and once at the 35-year-old.

The 24-year-old suffered serious injuries, being shot four times in the legs and two times in vital organs, while the 35-year-od suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.

Both men were hospitalized at the Heraklion University Hospital.

[35] Former examining magistrate Bourboulia receives 12-year sentence

Bourboulia, who is in custody pending trial for her participation in a trial-fixing case, was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering.

According to the case file, Bourboulia was bribed not to press charges on the managers of a company trading in the stock market who made huge profits by defrauding thousands of investors in the period 1999-2000.

Another ten defendants received suspended sentences and were released.

[36] Wildfire breaks out in forest on Rhodes; three firemen injured

By evening the fire had burned about 200 hectares of forest and was still raging unchecked, in spite of the fire brigade's efforts to bring it under control and prevent it spreading. The fight on the ground was assisted by a fire-fighting helicopter and two water-bombing aircraft that were sent to the island as reinforcements.

[37] Search continues for missing speargun fisherman

The operation is being conducted by the Coastguard assisted by the Greek Rescue Team.

Two Coastguard vessels, an Air Force helicopter and a local special forces' club vessel are participating in the search.

[38] Fifteen arrests for child porn

The 15 suspects aged 18-69, among them two foreign nationals, were arrested in the greater Athens region, the city of Thessaloniki, in Rodopi in the northeast of the country and in the cities of Iraklion and Hania on the south Aegean island of Crete.

The investigation that led to their arrests showed that the suspects persuaded minors via forums, chat rooms and social media into taking suggestive pictures of themselves. After acquiring the sexually explicit photos the suspects blackmailed the minors into having sexual relations with them.

Investigations in the suspects' homes revealed a large number of child porn files which they distributed on the internet.

[39] Contraband cigarettes seized, two arrests

Two men were arrested.

One of the detainees, a 40-year-old man, was arrested at Molaous police station when he went to declare loss of his ID card, which was found aboard one of the speedboats.

The second detainee, a 37-year-old man, is the co-owner of the company that owns the truck.

The unpaid taxes corresponding to the contraband cigarettes, which were confiscated, amounts to 764,000 euros.

[40] Fire raging at Viannos region in Heraklion, Crete, two villages evacuated

The villages of Kato Viannos and Hondros were evacuated at dawn, while gusty winds hampered the firefighting effort.

Meanwhile, a fire that broke out late Sunday in Smari, also in Heraklion, was still blazing on Monday and reinforcements were arriving to help contain the flames.

Other fires at Malia, Antiskari and Tsoutsouro were reported Monday as having been contained.

[41] Russian tourist drowns on Crete in night swim

The Russian and a female friend decided to go night swimming, but were swept out to the open sea by underwater currents.

The two made desperate efforts to fight the undertow and swim to shore, but only the woman was able to come out of the water.

The woman immediately alerted authorities, and the Coast Guard despite the dark launched a search and rescue operation.

All-night efforts proved futile, but the man's body washed up on shore early Monday.

[42] Hymettus arsonist to be held in custody pending trial

The suspect is charged with multiple counts of arson.

[43] The Monday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The measures that will convince the Europeans".

AVRIANI: "New wave of bank mergers".

DEMOKRATIA: "The highest pension at 1,400 euros monthly)".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Change of plan on 'knife' to pensions".

ESTIA: "How credibility is earned".

ETHNOS: "The burning measures with the seal of the Troika".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "The agreement for the 11.5 billion euro measures 'locks in'."

TA NEA: "The DEKO (public utilities) also in the uniform salary scale".

VRADYNI: "Public sector: How to calculate pensions and benefits".

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