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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-08-06Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM chairs KYSEA meetingPrime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), which appointed new leaders to the joint chiefs of staff (GEETHA National Defence General Staff), the Airforce General Staff (GEA) and the Army General Staff (GES).Up to now GEETHA chief Gen. Dimitris Grapsas was retired by unanimous decision of the KYSEA, with the rank of Honorary GEETHA chief, and was replaced by the up to now chief of the GEA, Lt. Gen. Ioannis Yiagos, who was promoted to the rank of General, defence minister Evangelos Meimarakis announced afterwards. The new GEA chief replacing Yiagos is up to now commander of tactical aviation and CAOC-7 chief Lt. Gen. Vassilios Klokozas, while the new tactical aviation and CAOC-7 chief is Lt. Gen. Ioannis Patsantaras, up to now commander of the airforce support command. GES chief Lt. Gen. Dimitris Voulgaris was also retired, and was replaced by up to now Army general inspector Lt. Gen. Fragoulis Fragos. Earlier, the premier conferred with foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis. [02] PASOK on changes in armed forces leadershipMain opposition PASOK party officer on defence issues Vasso Papandreou stated on Thursday that the handling of the country's national issues and Turkish provocations at the Aegean Sea demand a structured, coordinated and effective foreign policy and defence and security policy, and not impromptu moves of panic and expediency, commenting on the changes in the Armed Forces leadership announced earlier in the day.According to Ms. Papandreou,"today's extraordinary retirements and promotions in the Armed Forces senior ranks, only a few months after the retirements and promotions in March 2009 and six months ahead of the regular promotions and retirements in the Armed Forces, held in the middle of the summer something for the first time in the history of the Armed Forces, attest to the government's lack of planning and indifference on the battle worthiness and operational preparedness of the Armed Forces [03] 3E's EBIT down 1 pct in first half 2009Hellenic Bottling Company (3E)-Coca Cola comparative operational profits (EBIT) posted a 1.0 percent decline in the first half of 2009, to 310 million dollars, against the corresponding period in 2009, it was announced on Thursday.The comparable net earnings dropped by 4.0 percent to 201 million euros in the first half of the year against the same period last year, while the comparative profit per share (EPS) declined by 5.0 percent to 0.55 euro in the same period. [04] Major fiber optic initiativeDevelopment Minister Evripides Stylianidis on Wednesday unveiled a draft law entitled "Fiber to the Home", during a press conference in Athens, where he stressed that the initiative will dramatically improve Greece's standing in the EU's list for gauging new technology innovation.Stylianidis said the programme is a radical step forward in terms of household and small business communications and innovation, with the budget reaching 2.1 billion euros -- 700 million euros coming from state coffers and 1.4 billion from private domestic and foreign investors. The scheme is part of the Greek government's high-profile public-private sector partnerships. The draft bill's provisions call for the fiber-optic connection of two million Greek households and businesses in 54 cities. [05] Inflation at 0.6 pct in JulyInflation was running at 0.6 percent in July, against 0.5 percent in the preceding month of June, according to figures released on Thursday by the national statistics service ESYE.The mean Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period July 2008-2009 posted a 2.1 percent increase, against a 4.0 percent increase in the corresponding period of 2007-2008. ESYE attributed the marginal acceleration of inflation in July to a 1.9 percent increase in fuel prices, a 0.1 percent rise in home rents and a 0.7 percent increase in car and motorcycle insurance premiums. During that same period (July 2009 against June 2009), foodstuff prices declined by 1.0 percent due to a reduction in fresh fruit, vegetable and olive oil prices, a 6.7 percent decrease was posted in clothing and footwear prices due to the summer discount sales, and a 2.0 percent decline was posted in staple and household goods, also due to the summer sales. The Harmonised CPI rose by 0.7 percent in July over June against a 4.9 percent increase in the same period in 2008, while the Harmonised CPI for the July 2008-2009 period rose by 2.3 percent against a 4.1 percent increase in the corresponding 12-month period of July 2007-2008. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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