Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-09-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek govt announces 5.4 pct pay rise to public sector workers in 2004

[02] Commission approves Greece's issue of commemorative Olympic two-euro

[03] Second phase of Olympic ticket sales begins on Wed.

[04] FM addresses event on 30th anniversary of coup d'etat in Chile

[05] Statistics service releases July car accident report

[06] Athens mayor refers to Friendship Clubs on occasion of World Day for

[07] Stephanopoulos unveils Korais statue at Montpellier, France

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Wednesday

[10] ASE holds firm at 2,000-point support level

[01] Greek govt announces 5.4 pct pay rise to public sector workers in 2004

Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis on Tuesday presented the government's decision on pay rises to civil servants and pensioners for 2004, saying that pay rises reached the test limits of the economy.

Mr Christodoulakis said that the government would submit to parliament a draft legislation, in the next few days, envisaging average pay rises of 5.4 percent to workers in the public sector.

Commenting on a privatie, Mr Christodoulakis said that the government was expected to reach decision on a privatisation of a 35 percent equity stake in Natural Gas Public Enterprise, based on a bid submitted by Spain's Gas Natural.

He noted that a flotation in Public Power Corporation was expected to proceed soon and that a privatisation of Hellenic Tourist Real Estate SA (ETA) would be completed in November. Mr Christodoulakis said that the government was expected to announce a tender to find a strategic partner for Athens Water.

Finally, he said that the government would absorb 97 percent of funds included in a Second Community Support Framework programme.

[02] Commission approves Greece's issue of commemorative Olympic two-euro coin

BRUSSELS (ANA - G. Zitouniati) - The European Commission on Tuesday approved the issuing of a two-euro Olympic coin Greece is planning to issue on January 2004 in Europe, lifting the ban it had imposed on commemorative euro coins by member-states.

The EU Council had decided in 1998 to ban commemorative coins during the early period after the euro's introduction to avert consumer confusion. Now the Commission stressed that two years after the introduction of the euro the public is well accustomed to the new currency, thus the ban can be lifted.

[03] Second phase of Olympic ticket sales begins on Wed.

The second phase of ticket sales for next years 2004 Olympic Games in Athens begins on Wednesday and continues through late February, with some 2.5 million tickets remaining to be sold -- 1.7 million were purchased in the first phase.

Residents of the European Economic Area are eligible in the second phase, with purchases possible at the 140 branches around Greece of Athens-based Alpha Bank, and through the www.athens2004.com/tickets website using a ?Visa? credit card.

Tickets for a variety of sports competitions are available, although tickets for the Opening Ceremony have sold out.

[04] FM addresses event on 30th anniversary of coup d'etat in Chile

Foreign Minister George Papandreou said on Tuesday Salvador Allende, ''who sacrificed himself for democracy, loyal to values and ideals, inspires us in our present-day struggles for democracy''.

Papandreou was addressing an event on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the coup d'etat in Chile and 15 years after the referendum on October 5, 1988, with which the people of Chile rejected with their vote an ''extension'' of the dictatorial regime for another eight years.

Papandreou said a heinous dictatorship was imposed in Chile on September 11, 1973, adding that the Greeks showed solidarity to the people of Chile with whom, apart from history, they are linked with music and art.

[05] Statistics service releases July car accident report

The National Statistics Service announced on Tuesday that 181 persons died 252 were seriously injured and some 1,949 were lightly hurt in 1,688 car accidents during the month of July.

In comparison, there were 1968 car accidents in July 2002, with 190 deaths, 304 serious injuries and 1,998 lightly injured, which shows a 1.2 per cent increase in car accidents a 4.7 per cent decrease deaths, a 17.1 per cent reduction in serious injuries and 2 per cent fewer lightly injured people.

[06] Athens mayor refers to Friendship Clubs on occasion of World Day for Elderly

Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday on the occasion of World Day for the Elderly on Wednesday, announced an integrated welfare policy framework provided through the Athens municipality's upgraded services.

According to latest statistical data, 23.33 percent of the inhabitants of Athens are over 60 years old.

Bakoyianni said the ratio is one to four and the municipality's increased care for this sensitive group is required, adding that for this reason Friendship Clubs were upgraded and supported, while the ''Aid at Home'' programme was extended.

[07] Stephanopoulos unveils Korais statue at Montpellier, France

MONTPELLIER (ANA/O. Tsipira) - President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Tuesday arrived here at the invitation of the Mayor of Montpellier Georges Freche and participated in the unveiling of the statue of Greek scholar Adamantios Korais at a central plaza of the city.

Korais, a scholar of the Greek revolution, began his studies at the University of Montpellier in 1782 and graduated six years later with degrees in law and medicine. He was one of the driving forces behind the Greek renaissance at the late 18th and during the 19th century.

The philhellene mayor of the city has created strong bonds with Greek antiquity, naming the plaza, where the statue of Korais was placed, after ancient drama heroine Antigone.

The statue is a replica of Korais' likeness that is exhibited in the front yard of the Athens University.

During Staphanopoulos' welcoming ceremony Freche presented him with the city's medals and declared him an honorary citizen of Montpellier.

On his part, Stephanopoulos spoke of the bonds between this region of France and Greece since the Middle Ages when princes of the region created the Kingdom of Moreas in Greece.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.174

Pound sterling 0.704

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.034

Japanese yen 129.8

Swiss franc 1.552

Norwegian kroner 8.249

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.584

Australian dollar 1.723

[09] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Wednesday

Most parts of the country will see scattered cloud, with showers likely in the centre and north. The west will be sunny. Winds northerly, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 12C to 25C; on the rest of the mainland from 15C to 28C; and in the islands from 18C to 26C. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 27C; and in Thessaloniki from 15C to 24C.

[10] ASE holds firm at 2,000-point support level

A bout of buying orders in the last five minutes of trading pushed share prices to positive territory and the general index above the 2,000-point support level in the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

The general index ended 0.86 percent higher at 2,019.76 points, off the day's lows of 1,992.80 points.

Turnover was an improved 111.3 million euros.

The Retail, Publication and Textile sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (3.90 percent, 2.70 percent and 2.51 percent, respectively), while the IT Solution, Bank and Base Metal sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (0.66 percent, 0.20 percent and 0.12 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.42 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.47 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.31 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 208 to 90 with another 62 issues unchanged.

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