Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-12-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Amphipolis findings reveal decorations with human and animal figures

[02] PM Samaras: Negotiation with the troika is being 'held responsibly'

[03] Rallies on Sunday against troika demands

[04] Passenger traffic at Athens International Airport up 27.4 pct in Nov

[01] Amphipolis findings reveal decorations with human and animal figures

The marble sections, the ministry said, were placed above the supporting elements of the walls and below the marble beams of the ceiling.

The figure of an animal, possibly a bull, can be seen on one of the epistyle fragments, which is framed by two human figures – a man and a woman. Traces of colour – red, blue and ochre – are also visible on several parts of the decorations.

[02] PM Samaras: Negotiation with the troika is being 'held responsibly'

Addressing the event "Looking Globally from Athens" marking the 30th anniversary of the International Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance at Cass Business School, City University London, Samaras said that the negotiation is being conducted "responsibly and determination," while noting that the government is looking towards the future.

"We are getting out of a difficult period of successful fiscal adjustments. We have implemented fiscal and structural reforms. We are entering a new era, a new period of sustainable economic growth, while reducing unemployment," he said, adding that Greece has gained ground on the issue of competitiveness which was very low in recent years.

Greece emerges as a factor of stability in an unstable region, such as the eastern Mediterranean, Samaras said and referred to the new geopolitical and geostrategic environment that is being formed in the region.

[03] Rallies on Sunday against troika demands

The General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE), the largest umbrella trade union group representing the private sector, has announced protest rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki and Iraklio, Crete. The Athens rally will start at Syntagma Square opposite Parliament at 17:00 and the Thessaloniki rally will begin at the same time, in front of the Venizelos statue. The Iraklio rally will begin at 18:00 in Eleftherias Square.

Separate protests are planned by the Communist Party-affiliated trade union faction PAME on the same day, with an Athens rally taking place in Omonia Square at 17:30, and demonstrations outside government buildings on Thursday, following by action in workplaces on Friday.

A GSEE announcement stressed that planned increases in VAT and further pension cuts will "destroy the social fabric" and undermine the rights of young people to enter the labour market.

[04] Passenger traffic at Athens International Airport up 27.4 pct in Nov

Domestic passenger numbers grew 38.7 pct, while international passenger numbers rose 21.4 pct in the month. The number of Greek travellers grew 30 pct in November, with domestic flights rising 43 pct, while foreign visitors travelling exclusively to Athens rose 28 pct in November, evidence of a rising attractiveness of Athens as a travel destination.

In the January-November period, passenger traffic grew 20.8 pct to 14.14 million, with domestic and international passengers rising by 21.3 pct and 20.5 pct, respectively.

The number of flights totalled 10,648 in November, up 16 pct from November 2013, with domestic flights rising 17.6 pct and international flights rising 14.8 pct. In the January-November period, the number of flights totalled 143,600, up 10 pct from 2013, with international flights up 15.3 pct and domestic flights up 2.7 pct.

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