Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-04-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Vivartia Group expands activities in Libya

[02] Greece unveils plan for new intercity road transport system

[03] Greek unemployment rate highest in the EU, at 26.4 pct

[04] Number of American tourists expected to increase

[01] Vivartia Group expands activities in Libya

The Goody's-Everest group signed an agreement with Libyan company Tasty Franchise Ltd for the development of Goody's and Flocafe chains in Libya. Under the agreement, the company will operate a network of at least 10 Goody's fast-food restaurants and 10 Flocafe units in all large cities of the country, with the first units expected to begin operations by this summer.amna

The group has already signed similar agreements with Albania, Belarus, FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro and the UAE and is operating networks of more than 20 units in Cyprus, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.

Commenting on the deal, Yiannis Artinos, chief executive of Vivartia Group, said: "The group is making its first stop in the developing market of North Africa. The new agreement with Tasty Franchise Ltd for 20 new units adds another country to the group's portfolio, aiming at seven million new consumers."amna

[02] Greece unveils plan for new intercity road transport system

Presenting the plan, during a news conference, the Greek minister said a restructuring of the intercity road transport system was a commitment of the country and noted that timetables were progressing according to a plan agreed with the troika.amna

Under the new draft legislation, the new system will operate under three categories of transport lines, paving the way for participation to every kind of buses, such as tourist buses. Hatzidakis said the draft legislation was not final and noted he was open to dialogue with all interested parties.

"It is a reform based on a specific method, according to community legislation, envisaging a transition period by 2019. However, basic procedures must begin now to have results the soonest possible and to avoid facing any vacuum in the domestic transportation services," he said.amna

[03] Greek unemployment rate highest in the EU, at 26.4 pct

The EU executive's statistics service, in a report published here, said the figures were for February 2013, but for Greece the latest figures were for December 2012.

Eurostat said unemployment in the Eurozone remained unchanged at 12 pct in February, compared with January, while in the EU-27 the unemployment rate rose to 10.9 pct in February, from 10.8 pct in January. The number of unemployed people grew by 76,000 in the EU-27 and by 33,000 in the Eurozone in one month. The number of unemployed people totaled 26.338 million in the EU-27 and 19.071 million in the Eurozone.

Greece (26.4 pct in December), Spain (26.3 pct) and Portugal (17.5 pct) recorded the highest unemployment percentage rates, while Austria (4.8 pct), Germany (5.4 pct), Luxembourg (5.5 pct) and Holland (6.2 pct) the lowest rates.amna

Unemployment among young people rose to 23.5 pct in February, from 22.5 pct in January, in the EU-27, while in the Eurozone the rates were 23.9 pct and 22.3 pct, respectively.

The number of young unemployed in the EU was 5.694 million and in the EU 3.581 million. Greece (58.4 pct), Spain (55.7 pct), Portugal (38.2 pct) and Italy (37.8 pct) recorded the highest unemployment rates among young people, while Germany (7.7 pct), Austria (8.9 pct) and Holland (10.4 pct) the lowest rates.amna

[04] Number of American tourists expected to increase

US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Virginia Bennett on Tuesday conveyed this forecast to authorities in Chania, on the island of Crete, noting that Greece is a popular destination for American tourists.

In a meeting with the region's deputy governor Apostolos Voulgarakis and the city's mayor Manolis Skoulakis, Bennett said that summer season bookings have increased; she will suggest to her friends and acquaintances to visit Crete because it is a warm and hospitable place, she added.

The American official also expressed satisfaction for the services provided to ships that have used local marinas and underlined that US citizens visiting Greece felt safe.amna

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