Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-03-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cross-border Contact Center to open at Greek-Bulgarian frontier at Promachonas

[02] Places of Exile, a look at the past through the photographer's lens

[03] Baghdatis beats Federer

[04] ASE opening: Small rise

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Cross-border Contact Center to open at Greek-Bulgarian frontier at Promachonas

The inter-state cross-border agreement for the establishment of a joint Contact Center with shared facilities on the Greek side of the border for a "one-stop border control" was signed in April 2008 by then deputy interior minister Panayiotis Hinofotis with then Bulgarian interior minister Mihail Mikov in Sofia, at the meeting of SEECP justice and internal affairs ministers, aimed at the creation of a joint contact center for the coordination of crime-fighting actions and the conduction of joint border controls.

[02] Places of Exile, a look at the past through the photographer's lens

The photo essay, published by Alexandria publications, is a poignant journey in tribute to the tribulations suffered by political exiles in the wastelands of humanity in the troubled years of the 1950s, after the civil war in Greece, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s during the military junta.

Panagiotou and Dimakopoulos spent five years photographing these barren Places of Exile where political prisoners were exiled, tortured and executed, such as Gyaros, Makronissos, the prisons of Egina, Corfu, Leros, Ai Stratis and Ikaria islands.

The sojourn was a singular pilgrimage "to a different Aegean, there where our fathers and forefathers lived the best and the most tortured years of their lives, places haunted by their cries, their agony, their dreams, nostalgia, and those who were left behind", as the photo-journalists say in their prologue.

The 139-page book contains 90 haunting photographs, accompanied by explanatory texts.

Professor of Architecture Stavros Stavridis writes: "In this silent theater, on this suspended stage where nothing takes place, the drama is played of exile and imprisonment as that which they actually are. A devastation, a suspension of time, a condition of banishment and exilement which, for many, became an entire life. Before the past is lost, we must ponder on it. These photographs invite us to look, and to think. Not because we need to finally be done with it. But because knowledge and cognition are needed to provide us with a thinking that delves deeper and deeper to there where real people lived real lives".

The book was presented Monday evening at the Museum of Democratic Resistance against the Dictatorship in Athens, formerly the EAT-ESA museum, in the building that once housed the Greek Military Police's (ESA) Special Interrogation Unit (EAT).

[03] Baghdatis beats Federer

Baghdatis, who ranks 33rd in the world, lost the first set 7-5, but bounced back with a 7-5 win in the second set and won the third set 7-6 and 7-4 in the tie break, in a match that lasted two hours and twenty two minutes, in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.

Following his upset win against the 16-time Grand Slam winner Federer, Marcos Baghdatis will next play with no. 23 in the world Tommy Robredo in the fourth round of the tournament.

This was Federer's second loss in 13 matches this year, in his first tournament since winning his 16th Grand Slam title at the Australia Open in January.

Caption: ANA-MPA/ Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus celebrates after upsetting Roger Federer of Switzerland at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 16 March 2010. Baghdatis upset Federer 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4). EPA/PAUL BUCK

[04] ASE opening: Small rise

Individual sector indices were moving upward nearly across the board with the biggest gains in Public Utilities, up 2.27 percent; and Commerce, up 1.93 percent.

The biggest losses were in Construction, down 0.98 percent; and Travel and Recreation, down 0.84 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 0.27 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 0.24 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.16 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 54 were up, 23 were down, and 22 were unchanged.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The Eurogroup and Ecofin meetings and the issue of economic support to Greece through voluntary bilateral lending by the eurozone member states, the possibility of the government resorting to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the changes in the new tax bill tabled in parliament, dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The new social security system arrives, amidst mass retirements by civil servants".

APOGEVMATINI: "250,000 employees in public sector submit retirement applications - The new social security reform is the cause for the mass exodus".

AVGHI: "Government is begging the EU and toying with the IMF - It is doubtful whether Euro-assistance to Greece will be decided at next week's EU Summit ".

AVRIANI: "Ultimatum to Brussels for help - The loan 'soap opera' and the mockery will end soon".

ELEFTHEROS: "Panic! 250,000 civil servants take early retirement - Mass exodus from public sector and DEKO (Public Utilities and organisations) due to social security reform".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "In the IMF's grips...after Prime Minister George Papandreou's 'triumph' in Europe and the US - Stabs in the back was the result of Papandreou's tour".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "George (Papandreou) raises IMF banner ".

ESTIA: "The new taxes are preposterous".

ETHNOS: "Hasty changes to social security system - Brussels' pressure for immediate equalisation in retirement ages (for women and men)".

IMERISSIA: "Cheap loan or else we will go to the IMF - Tough bargaining over the support conditions".

KATHIMERINI: "The new presumed proof of living status will be discussed on Thursday at the Inner Cabinet meeting".

LOGOS: "Full speed ahead to the IMF - Papandreou revealed that he has had contacts".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Tough bargaining over the support, with the IMF the trump card".

NIKI: "Papandreou and government officials leave all prospects open - IMF on the horizon".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Financing from EU or IMF is robbery against the people".

TA NEA: "The new proof of living standards - What the new tax bill foresees".

TO VIMA: "Presumed proof of living status on everything -700,000 professionals targeted".

VRADYNI: "Panic in public sector - The measures force 250,000 civil servants to take early retirement".

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