The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-03-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Rally outside the Parliament Building

12 Mar 2008 15:04:00 (Last updated: 12 Mar 2008 15:50:59)

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8, ANA

Unionists are escalating their reactions against the pension bill, as more and more sectors are joining industrial actions. Apart from the Public Power Corporation personnel and the municipalities staff, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, lawyers, judicial workers, notaries and engineers are also on a 24-hour strike. In the meantime, Greeces private and public sector umbrella unions, GSEE and ADEDY, held Wednesday a rally outside the Parliament building as part of the three-hour work stoppage they had called from 12pm to 3pm. There were no transport services from 12 to 3 either. There will be no underground and electrical train services on Thursday, while bank employees will go out on a 48-hour strike as of Thursday. GSEE and ADEDY have scheduled yet another 24-hour nationwide strike on 19 March and a rally at the Pedion tou Areos in central Athens on the same day.

PPC and Municipality Staff to Decide

With power cuts continuing across Greece, while PPC unionists blocked early on Wednesday the entrance of the PPC headquarters in central Athens. They are holding a meeting today to decide on their future stance.

In the meantime, complaints filed by businessmen and consumers on the damage they have been suffering due to the ongoing power cuts have started piling up. The Central Union of Champers of Greece intends to file a lawsuit as soon as the Prosecutors report on the matter is released.

At the same time, the garbage pile-ups have started posing a serious threat to public health. The municipalities trade unions are holding a meeting Wednesday afternoon to weigh up on their stance.

"The Government does not intent to issue a civil mobilization order," reiterated Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos.

Debate in Parliament Continues

Unionists and social bodies have been stating their opinions on the pension draft law at an all-party parliamentary committee since Wednesday morning. The GSEVE and GSEE heads strongly opposed the draft law, while the representative of small and medium-sized businesses termed it as a positive step that definitely requires further improvement.

The first session of the all-party parliamentary committee on Tuesday was a really tense one, as the opposition parties blasted the Government. The ruling party of ND (New Democracy) described the pension draft law as the governments first really major reform, which will be crowned with success, for it combines the workforces participation. The Socialist Party demanded the draft law be scrapped, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) said that the ministers pension should be abolished, while SYN (Coalition of the Radical Left) clamed that the draft bill paves the way for private insurance. LAOS (Popular Orthodox Rally), finally, spoke of rather cruel provisions.

Related News:

Wave of Strikes

[02] Slight Drop

Sources: ÍÅÔ 105.8

Oil prices in the international markets are dropping slightly after reports said that oil reserves in the US have risen. Despite analysts forecasts as per which nothing would stop the surge of oil prices, they began dropping as of Wednesday.

After hitting US$110 per barrel, crude now is trading under US$108 and Brent under US$105. The dollar-euro parity remains at 1.5480 dollars.

Translated by John Crystallidis

Related News:

Fresh Record for Oil Prices

[03] Said the Education Minister

12 Mar 2008 11:36:00

Sources: ÍÅÔ 105.8

Education Minister Evrypidis Stylianidis said Wednesday that the number of students to earn a place at Greeces higher education institutions will stand at 86,736 up by 15%. In particular, the number of students struggling for a spot at Athens and Thessalonikis major universities will fall by about 10%. Instead, those aiming to enter regional universities will rise by 25%. The national-level examinations will be taking place from the first fortnight of May to the first fortnight of June.

Translated by Areti Christou

[04] Ethnic Albanians Walk Out

12 Mar 2008 16:37:00

By Anna Kourti

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8

FYROMs ethnic Albanian party decided to walk out of the coalition government, said Menduh Thaci, leader of the the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA). In the meantime, a new round of talks on the FYROM name dispute under UN envoy Matthew Nimetz has been scheduled for the coming week. Citing diplomatic sources, the FYROM Press read that the USA will be represented in the talks by its Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Victoria Nuland. On his part, FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said that Nimetz role, which was assigned to him by a UN resolution and the 1995 Interim Treaty, will not be altered.

Translated by Areti Christou

[05] By the EU

12 Mar 2008 18:47:00

By Katerina Ioannidou

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA

The European Commission has proposed Tuesday the penalisation of sea pollution caused by ships. The new directive however will have to be approved by the Council and the European Parliament. As per the Commission, the new directive clarifies with greater precision what constitutes a penal offence, compelling EU member-states to see though their legislation that offender companies are penalized. EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot commented: "The large majority of operators carrying polluting and dangerous goods are behaving fully responsibly and correctly. The proposal is focused on the small minority operators for whom this might not be the case and who tarnish the image of the shipping industry."

Translated by John Crystallidis

[06] Christofias-Talat Meeting on 21 March

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÁNA-ÌPA

The President of the Cyprus Republic Dimitris Christofias and the Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will hold their first meeting on 21 March to discuss the resumption of talks for the islands re-unification, announced a UN spokesman on Wednesday. Commissioner George Iakovou met with the Turish-Cypriots spokesman in the morning to discuss the opening of Lidra Street.

Meanwhile, Mr Christofias will meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barozo and the President of the European Parliament Hans Gert Petering, as well as with other EU leaders in Brussels next Friday afternoon.

Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou described the trip to Brussels a first class opportunity for the Greek-Turkish side to present its positions and for the interlocutors to discuss the Turkish-Cypriots isolation issue, and for the attendees to be reminded that real core of the problem is that Cyrus has been invaded and is under occupation.

In parallel, he hoped that the Greek-Cypriots hopes for the re-opening of Lidra Street to re-open in Lefkosia would be materialized.

The issue will be discussed between the two sides in the presence of a UN official tomorrow.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[07] Greek PM Due in Brussels

By Anna Kourti

Sources: ÍÅÔ 105.8, ÍÅÔ

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis is departing Thursday for Brussels to attend the European Council meeting. Greeces Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and her deputy Minister G. Valinakis will escort the Prime Minister. The Lisbon strategy, energy and climate change are the key issues to run high on the agenda of the meeting, commented Foreign Ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos. At the working luncheon of the heads of state and government, energy security, financial stability and the Mediterranean Union are expected to top the talks, while the Deputy Foreign Ministers will probably focus their attention to the situation in Afghanistan.

Translated by Areti Christou

[08] Greek President's Contacts

By Anna Kourti

Sources: ÍÅÔ 105.8, ANA-MPA

President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias hailed Wednesday the activities of Greeces state-run volunteerism organisation, while welcoming the Organisations head Stelios Syrmogloy and general director Sotiris Chrysafopoulos. Having demonstrated his keen interest in matters pertaining to Volunteerism and Civil Society, Papoulias was briefed on the initiatives taken by the Citizen in Deed organisation. Syrmoglou, on his part, elaborated on the organisations involvement in international activities and enterprises in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. They also touched on the international symposium entitled "Public Moral and Civil Society," scheduled for 28 and 29 March in Athens. Later on, Karolos Papoulias met with Fatima A. Eloeva, the head of the department of Greek Studies at the Saint Petersburg State University.

Translated by Areti Christou

[09] Namibia: Cholera Outbreak with one Dead

By

A man found tragic death from cholera outbreak in Engela province of Namibia. Deputy Health Minister Mr. Forster stated that 5 to 80 cases of patients who were affected by the disease were confirmed. It is believed that the outbreak started by the overflow of waste in tanks. Due to severe rainfalls wastes were mixed with drinking water. Rainfalls and floods left more than 2.000 people homeless while health services did not have access to remote areas. Forster stated: "We try to keep people briefed through radio two helicopters have been sent to Engela and remain in the area to help the local hospital to copy with emergency situations which have come up due to floods."

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[10] Oil prices Nears $ 110 a Barrel

12 Mar 2008 10:46:00

By Athina Saloustrou

Oil prices struck a record high of 110 dollars per barrel after the dollar hit a fresh all-time low against the euro and amid persistent energy supply concerns, traders said. Light crude in Asia settled at $ 108,64 while in New York it closed at 108,75. Brent North Sea crude for April hit a record high 105.82 dollars on barrel, beating the prior high of 104.42 dollars touched on Monday. "At the time being nothing seems to stop this race", Gerard Berg analyst of National Bank of Australia said.The oil market is under intense pressure from stretched supplies and demand from the United States. Oil demand was forecast to increase by 1.7 million barrels per day in 2008 or 2.0 percent from demand in 2007, which grew by 1.1 percent. OPEC decided not to rise the daily production as dollar hit a 1,55 low against euro.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[11] ND Preserves a 6.5 Lead

12 Mar 2008 10:45:00

Sources: ÍÅÔ 105,8, ÁNA

According to Public Issues gallop conducted for Kathimerini newspaper, New Democracy is on the lead preserving a 37,5% lead. PASOK follows with 31%, KKE gathers 7,5% and LAOS 4%. On reference to both 2 big parties 57% of respondents answer that "none of them can solve problems". Most appropriate Prime Minister is Costas Karamanlis. In SYRIZA 24% of voters are of 35-54 years old. Commenting the results of the gallop PASOK president Mr. Giorgos Papandreou stressed that they make PASOK internal-examination more intense.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[12] Canadian Troops Hit in Afghanistan

Sources: REUTERS

A suicide car bomber hit a NATO-led convoy on Wednesday in Afghanistans southern city of Kandahar, but it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties, witnesses said. At least one vehicle was destroyed in the attack, which targeted Canadian troops, they said. NATO soldiers cordoned off the site of the attack and smoke could be seen rising from a house located nearby. Afghanistan has witnessed rising violence in the past two years, the bloodiest period since U.S.-led troops overthrew the Talibans government in 2001. More than 150 people, many of them civilians, were killed in two separate suspected suicide attacks last month in Kandahar, a bastion for the al Qaeda-backed Taliban.

[13] 9 Kids Died in Mexico Car Crash

By Athina Saloustrou

Nine children, aged three to seven, were killed in Mexico when the vehicle their teacher was driving fell into a canal, the local media said. The accident occurred on Monday moon near the town of Salamanca in Guanajuato state. The 19-year-old teacher, who survived the crash, was arrested. She said she lost control when one of the kids pulled on the wheel.

Translated by Areti Christou

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