The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-01-29

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] After 24hour Blockade Tembi Unblocked

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

Sources: NET RADIO 105.8

After the 24hour blockade, which Larisa cotton growers started at 10.00 on Friday morning, the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway has finally been unblocked. Any moment now, cotton growers will make the necessary decisions for their future stance, while they have stressed they are waiting for concrete commitments by the Government for the indisposed quantities of cotton. In the meantime, roadblocks in Giannitsa and Serres have opened, while the old Lamia-Larisa national highway remains closed off at the Neo Monastiri, Fthiotida. PASOK President will travel to Larisa today, while SYN members will tour the roadblocks of Thessaly. Clashes in Parliament over the cotton issue between Mr Papandreou and Minister of Rural Development Evangelos Basiakos. In the meantime, according to a poll conducted by VPRC, 61% of people asked have opposed to the blockade, while 29% have approved these actions. However, in the question if farmers demands are fair, 57% said they are most probably fair, while 16% disagree.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

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[02] Zero Hour for Iraq

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

Sources: ANA

Less than 24 hours remain before ballots open in Iraq and the drumbeat of attacks targeted at various polling centres seems to have no end. On Saturday morning, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a security centre in the town of Khanaqin, northeast of Baghdad near the border with Iran, resulting in the death of eight people, including a little boy. In the meantime, in Baghdad, bursts of heavy gunfire were reported close to the Green Zone, but there is no more information on the incident so far. Last week, dozens of polling centres in Iraq were attacked by guerrillas in an effort to undermine the electoral process. At the same time, US President George Bush repeated that the presence of coalition forces in the country is imperative, while a poll conducted in six Iraqi cities showed that only a few Sunni Arabs are expected to vote.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[03] "We Will Win the Bet of Development"

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

In an interview published in Kathimerini newspaper today, PM Kostas Karamanlis expressed the belief that Greece "will win the bet of development and prosperity." The PMs interview focused on the "Irish model" of development, which is the top article of the Greek version of the ECONOMIST magazine. Commenting the policy followed by Ireland and stressing the common features of Greece and Ireland, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis estimated that the country can "profit from some useful teachings and adopt certain methods."

Aim at Purification of Public Finance

"Ireland handled Community subsidies in a resourceful way, an area where we have made little progress," said the Prime Minister, describing "the new course already set by Greece" as daring and with vision.

Mr Karamanlis stressed that the government policy mostly aims at the purification of public finance and the termination of mismanagement, also noting that essential interventions are promoted for the creation of a "new national investing environment" that will give a boost to productivity and competitiveness.

"Greece Improves and Evolves"

Greek PM went on to praise tax reforms that are promoted, the use of state-of-the-art technology and the imposition of transparency regulations, measures which Mr Karamanlis estimated will essentially contribute to the fulfillment of the Government's goals.

Referring to the policies of attracting new investors, Mr Karamanlis cited the measures promoted by the government, including the simplification and optimization of the legal and institutional environment, the deregulation of markets, the modernization of the transport and communication network, as well as the creation of investor reception centers.

The PM said the above measures are a "solid base" for the development of business activities in the fields of state-of-the-art technology, also adding that the Greek government is supporting the use of modern technologies an innovatory activities, aiming at the production of high quality products.

"Greece improves and evolves," underlined Mr Karamanlis and went on to add that Greece is exploiting both the material and immaterial legacy of the Olympic Games and concluded by saying: "Our vision and target is to be at the front line of European Economy, to be transformed into a modern financial centre of our wider area."

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

[04] Many Villages Snowbound Ioannina Covered in Snow

By Mary Lou Tzempelikou

Sources: NET, NET RADIO 105.8

Many villages in the Ioannina prefecture remain snowbound, while in many areas snow has exceeded one metre, thus causing electricity problems in many villages. Snow chains are imperative for vehicles traveling on several parts of the prefectures national and regional road network. The National Meteorological Service forecast deterioration of the bad weather phenomena during the weekend, with heavy storms in western, central and northern Greece and snowfall even in areas of low altitude in Epirus and Macedonia. According to the NMS, bad weather phenomena will begin to subside in central Macedonia as of the afternoon. In Attica there will be intermittent cloud cover and rain or shower, while temperature will range from 9 to 14oC. Thessaloniki will experience cloud cover with rain or sleet and snow in mountainous areas, while temperature will not exceed 6oC.

Translated by Sofia Soulioti

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