Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-06-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek economic sentiment index down in May

[02] Rally Greece off Road kicks off on Thursday

[03] Ionia Odos' Klokova tunnel to be delivered on Thursday

[04] Greece a top choice for Polish tourists

[05] Bidoons from Kuweit keep arriving on Chios

[01] Greek economic sentiment index down in May

IOBE, in a monthly report, said that business expectations deteriorated significantly in the industrial and construction sector, but improved in the services and retail commerce sectors. IOBE said a volatility in the economic sentiment index in the last few months reflected uncertainty over completion of negotiations between Greek authorities and its creditors.

More specifically, business expectations in the industrial sector deteriorated over production in the coming months and estimates over new orders and demand. In the construction sector, expectations over work program also deteriorated, along with estimates over employment. In the retail commerce sector, expectations over current sales improved slightly, while estimates over short-term sales improved to a larger extent. In the services sector, expectations over current situation improved slightly, along with estimates over current demand.

Consumer confidence showed signs of recovery, with Greek households slightly less pessimistic over their finances and the country's finances. Estimates over unemployment and savings, however, deteriorated further.

[02] Rally Greece off Road kicks off on Thursday

The cars will cover approximately 900 km in the mountainous roads of Western Macedonia.

"This rally is extraordinary. It can be considered one of the most beautiful in the world and for this reason we have so many participants. The landscape and the routes are impressive," Theodosis Kostas, member of the organising committee, said to the Athens Macedonian News Agency.

The rally is held for a fourth consecutive year and will start on Thursday from the city of Florina and will finish on June 4 at the city's central square.

[03] Ionia Odos' Klokova tunnel to be delivered on Thursday

The specific section of the motorway includes Antirrio interchange and Makyneia tunnel, a two-lane, two direction 500m tunnel.

With the delivery of the last section of the motorway the distance between Antirrio and Amphilohia is reduced to 50 minutes instead of one hour and 35 minutes.

Currently, the time needed to reach Ioannina from Antirrio is reduced by one hour and a half while after the completion of the motorway the distance of the trip between Antirrio and Ioannina will be one hour and 30 minutes.

[04] Greece a top choice for Polish tourists

In May, Greece was a top choice for Polish tourists, up 43 percent compared to the same period last year.

Greece is followed by Spain, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey. The list of the most famous Greek destinations is the following: Heraklion, Crete (42%), Zakynthos (35%), Corfu (26%), Rhodes (51%), Chania (22%), Kos 100% and Thessaloniki (59%). With more than 850,000 Poles visiting our country in 2016, a further increase of 10-15% is estimated for this year.

[05] Bidoons from Kuweit keep arriving on Chios

According to Chios website www.astraparis.gr the migrants appeared at the hotspot in February.

The Bidoons' arrivals rate is increasing and in May they represented 9 percent of the total arrivals on Chios. Their arrival rate is increasing while currently the hosted Bidoons are 246, mostly women and children. Authorities estimate that the men have already arrived in European countries and the women and children follow with the hope to meet them and the families to be reunited.

The specific nationality says the same website are considered in Kuweit as stateless and illegal and are persecuted and stranded in the countries of the Persian Gulf, mostly Iraq.

The total number of Bidoons is unknown, however the United Nations and other humanitarian organisations estimate that their population is approximately 100,000 people.

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