The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-12-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] By the Court's Prosecutor New Evidence in 17N Trial

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Court Prosecutor Efterpi Koutzamani submitted a report of the polices criminal labs, concerning a recent examination of the keys found in the Patmos Street hideout. The Prosecutor asked for all bodies to be informed on the document, as well as the trials progress, and as she said, will ask for its reading. The evidence emerged from the identification of prints in different objects. The event caused the intense reaction of the defence, which asked the court to not accept the document, noting that it is a product of experts opinion, which was not ordered by the court, but by the prosecuting authorities. The prosecution counsel, on its part, stated that the majority of the 17N organisation is not standing trial. The court held its reservations to pass judgment on the document.

Issue of TV Coverage

In the meantime, on behalf of his client, Dimitris Koufodinas lawyer asked for the TV coverage of the trial, a demand that as he said, was agreed on by the defence and his co-defendants, apart from Patroklos Tselentis.

In their statements, the defence noted that in there is a reason of public interest in the current issue and consequently its broadcast is a functional part of Justices independence. The Prosecutor voiced her opposition to the above.

The trial started with the rejection of Aggeliki Sotiropoulou and Giannis Serifis demand, asking for the appeals of the Prosecutor against the initial acquittal decision, to be annulled.

The court accepted the Prosecutions appeal for Nikos Papanastasiou and Patroklos Tselentis, relating to accusations that had been acquitted in the first trial.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[02] Jailhouse Carols

By Vicky Keleri

Christmas is approaching and the Dutch authorities thought of using the most loved custom of the year to assist the law! After constant complaints by Rotterdam residents on the mischievousness of youth gangs at night, the police thought of an original plan to send them home! In order to do so, the policemen divided themselves into groups, got their triangles and when night fell, stood at the most suspicious corners of the city and started singing Xmas carols in their most loud and annoying voices! Actually the so-called police choir used a makeshift musical instrument a barrel to magnify the sound. After a couple of nights they broke up the gangs who could not stand the bad voices and decided to suspend their actions. The residents are very satisfied by the new measure, while the authorities are taking pride in their original idea. Now, we will conclude if this will be a temporary or long-standing plan, after the holidays!

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[03] Ministry of Development Warns of Sanctions Misleading Milk Labelling

By Athina Saloustrou

Sources: NET

Inspections conducted by the Central Food Control Agency (EFET) surfaced a string of offences committed by nearly all Greek dairy companies. Most offences relate to the self-life, the origin, the composition and whether the milk is pasteurised or not. It is noted that the results of the inspections are connected with the labelling of the products and not with their quality. Upon the release of the results, Development Minister Giannis Papathanasiou stated, "The results proved that all companies have been violating the legislation on labelling and precise information. It is obvious that the Greek market has been used to running without being subject to inspections and rules." The Ministry of Development has granted the dairy companies a three-month deadline to comply with the laws. Should they fail, sanctions will be imposed. The EFET statement prompted an immediate reaction on the part of the Federation of Hellenic Food Industries (SEVT). "We call on EFET to cooperate so that we can rectify the imperfections. We hope that the EFET statement serves no political ends," underlined SEVT President Dimitris Daskalopoulos. EFET surfaced the misleading labelling on the packages of milk products. The law dictates that the word "milk" on the package means that the product is bovine, not pasteurised, full and with no additional substances. But what do companies do? The EFET research revealed that they add information that is viewed as misleading.

Translated by Areti Christou

[04] Initial Estimations on the Afidnes Accident Human Error

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Sources: NET, NET 105.8

As per initial estimations the collision of the two trains at Afidnes station, last night, is due to human error and resulted in the driver of the passenger train losing his life. A crew of the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) arrived in the area and is investigating the causes of the accidents, however, as they stated, what exactly happened will be concluded by the voice recorder and the communication between the driver and station manager. The final findings will be announced within the day. President of Train Drivers Nondas Theodoropoulos speaking to NET 105.8 and NETs show "Simvainei Tora" said that the accident was due to the malfunction of the train traffic light system. The traffic of trains in the area, which had been stopped due to the collision, returned to normal at 5am.

Passengers Safe from Harm

The accident took place on Tuesday night at 10:30pm, 300m away from the station, the 503 passenger train en route from Thessaloniki-Athens transporting 250 passengers collided with 80504 freight train en route from Athens to Thessaloniki.

As per the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE), the first car of the passenger train collided with the last one of the freight train, since the latter delayed changing lines where the passenger train was coming into.

The passengers of the train were transported to their destination with another train, which departed from Larissa Railway Station.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related News:

Train Collision in Athens

[05] With Mr Basiakos and the US Ambassador Karamanlis' Contacts

Sources: NET, ERA, ANA

The speeding up of paying agricultural compensations to the stricken farmers, as well as grants, were at the focus of the meeting between Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and Minister of Rural Development Evangelos Basiakos. The discussion also focused on the speedy absorbance of community funds for agricultural infrastructure works, the increase of exports by 17% of agricultural products, as well as public investments in the department. Shortly after, Mr Karamanlis will meet with US Ambassador Charles Ries.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[06] Joint Meeting with GSEE-ADEDY Papandreou Meets with Unions

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

PASOK President George Papandreou will hold a joint meeting with the Presidencies of the General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Supreme Administration of Greek Civil Servants Trade Unions (ADEDY) at the Confederations building at 12:30pm. The 2006 Budget, the social and taxation policy of the Government, the DEKO bill and the consequences by changes to the employees, pensioners and the unemployed, as well as the general strike organised by the two unions on December 14 will be at the focus of the meeting.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[07] Kosovo: Fragile Situation

Sources: ANA

The situation in Kosovo remains fragile and the stationing of international powers in the area is necessary, until security conditions are established noted Deputy Defence Minister Vasilis Michaloliakos from Washington, where the SE European Defence Ministers meeting is taking place. The Deputy Minister noted that Athens is supporting the accession of all the areas countries into European and Transatlantic structures under the condition they fulfil all prerequisites. Moreover, Mr Michaloliakos praised the accession of the Ukraine in the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) initiative, estimating that this gives new dimensions and opportunities to the cooperation of the countries that make up the initiative. On the other hand, he voiced Greeces satisfaction on the fact that it had the opportunity to contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, noting that apart from the Greek forces already developed in the country, Greece has taken up the administration of Kabul Airport as of December 1.

Moreover, he spoke of the creation of a stable Balkan environment that will be unbreakably connected to Europe and transatlantic institutions. In this context, he voiced Greeces satisfaction on the participation of the Ministers of Defence of Bosnia Herzegovina and Serbia Montenegro to the meeting, hoping that soon enough these countries will fulfil the necessary prerequisites for their accession in SEDM.

In closing, he stated that Greece fully supports all the programmes materialised during the current period in the context of this initiative.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related News:

Molyviatis' Meetings in Kosovo

[08] Video on the Internet Al Zawahri's Message

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

The Saudi Arabian leader of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, is "alive and fighting" the West stated his right hand man, Ayman al-Zawahri, in a video broadcast on the Internet, on Wednesday. Moreover, he said that the sayings of US President George Bush, on the destruction of the organisations structure by US Army attacks, are lies, noting that all he said was to deceive his people. The right hand of bin Laden called on mujahideens to attack oil extraction and distillation locations in Muslim countries "because most of the revenues of this oil go to the enemies of Islam."

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Read the story on other sources:

BBC: Bin Laden is 'alive and fighting'

[09] For Oil Distribution Scam with Forged Invoices

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

A fuel station in Megalopolis, Arkadia, reportedly distributed oil worth 3.5 million euros with forged invoices through a technical company. An inspection by a crew of Special Investigations found 170 forged invoices, concerning 5.3 million litres of oil, totalling approximately to 4.1 million euros, which were issued during 2004-2005 by a company based in Piraeus. The tax violations were attributed to the issuers and receivers of the data, while the fines imposed reached 7 million euros. The investigation is continuing for detecting and attributing relevant violations by customs houses.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[10] Olympiacos Breaks the Curse

By Ilias Papaioannou

Olympiacos bade farewell to the Champions League preliminaries with its head held high. Under the watchful eyes of some 30,000 fans, the Piraeus team held on to the tradition of never losing to a Spanish team on home turf and defeated Real Madrids understrength team with 2-1, scoring their first European victory this year. Apart from the prestige and joy they gave their supporters, Trond Solieds boys added some valuable points for Greece to UEFAs scoreboard. In the first half, the talented Real Madrid players scored one goal (Ramos in the 9), hit the crossbar (Balboa in the 13) and gave Olympiacos a headache, despite the urgings of the fans. In the second half, though, the home team entered the pitch as if transformed, pressured their opponents and scored an equaliser in the 50, with a stunning volley by Bulut. Olympiacos upped its performance even more when Okkas entered the pitch, as he created many good opportunities, which culminated in the 87, when Rivaldo kicked the second goal, making the score 2-1 and giving his teams its first victory in the Champions League for 2005.

OLYMPIACOS: Nikopolidis, Kafes (80 Babangida), Kapsis (65 Kostoulas), Stoltidis, Rivaldo, Djordjevic, Schurrer, Mavrogenidis, Tourre, Dani (57 Okkas), Bulut.

REAL MADRID: Lopez, Ramos, Baptista, Robinho (80 Jurado), Bravo, Gravesen, Diogo, Pavon, Soldado, Red, Balboa (37 Cardona).

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[11] Confirmed by the Country's Authorities Hew Human H5N1 Outbreak

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

The Chinese authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl had been infected by the bird flu. As Xinhua news agency reported, the authorities are puzzled over how the girl was infected, since no outbreaks of the virus have been detected in the Guangxi province, in southern China. Experts of the Health Ministry have arrived in the area, in order to conclude how the virus was spread, and to coordinate efforts on controlling a possible pandemic. The girl presented high fever and pneumonia symptoms on November 23, and since then has been hospitalised under medical observation, together with any persons who came in contact with her. In the meantime, the sanitation authority in Vietnam, where H5N1 has cost the lives of 42 persons, has banned the sale of antiviral drug Tamiflu. The cause was the excessive use of the drug by citizens presenting symptoms of ordinary flu, as fact that will make the drug ineffective. The scientists stated that the excessive use of the drug can lead to the transformation of the virus into a new more resistible type. As the Health Ministry announced, it will only send necessary quantities to hospitals for the hospitalisation of patients infected by the bird flu. The H5N1 flu has infected 134 persons in Asia, since the end of 2003, and has cost the lives of more than 70. Vietnam has recorded 93 human outbreaks, 42 of which fatal.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[12] DEKO Bill Open to Improvement

By Despina Hristopoulou

The competent parliamentary committee commenced discussions for the bill on DEKOs (Public Utilities and Enterprises) on Tuesday afternoon, amid intense wrangling between the Government and the Opposition. Development Minister Panos Papagiotopoulos stressed that he was open to proposals for improvements, while Government rapporteur Konstantinos Tassoulas spoke of a deep structural change. In addition, the Minister reassured that employees have nothing to fear, since the new regulations protect their labour and social security rights. However, all of the Opposition parties opposed the bill, which they described as anti-populist, anti-developmental and socially unsympathetic.

Opposition Reacts

"Reforms are needed in the area of DEKOs. The way they have been operating until today does not facilitate the protection of public interests. They need to be modernised. What is more, those were the objective realisations made by Giannos Papantoniou in 1998, when he was serving as Economy Minister," stressed the Development Minister, who then accused PASOK of hypocrisy, saying, "PASOKs governments had enacted the same measures, but did not implement them."

ND rapporteur Konstantinos Tassoulas stressed that the bill will put an end to the privileges enjoyed by the boards of DEKOs. "The directors of DEKOs have to realise that they are handling the money of the Greek people," he pointed out, adding that from now on DEKO personnel will be hired through ASEP (Supreme Council for Personnel Selection).

On the other hand, PASOK rapporteur Vangelis Papachristos spoke of an anti-populist, anti-developmental and socially unsympathetic policy employed by the Government, saying, "DEKOs need changes, but towards a different direction, one that supports dialogue and social consent."

"All the measures taken by the Government are redistributions of the surplus, in favour of the strong and against the weak," declared PASOKs parliamentary representative, Evangelos Venizelos, who asked the Government to withdraw the bill, as it debases labour relations.

KKE rapporteur Dimitris Tsiogas spoke of an anti-labour bill, which promotes reactionary reforms and facilitates the big capitals, pillaging DEKOs and exacerbating the exploitation of employees, old and new.

Finally, SYN rapporteur Giannis Dragasakis said, "We are not supporting one or the other, who want to become Caliph instead of the Caliph. We are calling upon the Government to name the companies that should not be sold. We are asking the same of PASOK, so that the Greek people can understand your real intentions, as well as what will happen in the future."

In the meantime, the GSEE (Greek General Confederation of Labour) sent al letter to all the MPs, recording all the points of the bill it disagrees with.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related News:

Discussion Over DEKO

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