The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-06-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Soaring Prices and Irish "No" Dominate

20 Ιουν 2008 08:41:0 (Last updated: 20 Ιουν 2008 11:00:0)

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8

On day two of the EU Summit in Brussels, the skyrocketing prices and the Irish "no" to the Lisbon Treaty are the dominant issues. At the end of day one, the EU leaders failed to talk the Czech Republic into committing itself to the ratification process of the EU reform treaty. Neither did they agree on a final conclusions text, in which they wish to have the remaining seven nations pledge they would approve the Treaty.

Draft of Conclusions Text

Following the negative vote of the people of Ireland, the future of the Lisbon Treaty will be discussed at the October Summit. Avoiding urging the remaining member states to go on with the ratification process, the draft of the conclusions text being processed Friday says that the European Council has noted that 19 member nations have ratified the treaty and that the process continues in the other member nations. The European Council agreed to give more time to digest the situation. On day two of the Summit, the 27-nation bloc is expected to draw its attention to cushioning the effects inflation and surging prices have on the low-income earners. In the meantime, the EU Foreign Ministers Council is to hold a meeting to consider the latest developments in the Balkans and the FYROM name dispute.

Greek Prime Minister's Speech

Addressing the summit of the European Peoples Party (EPP), Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis touched on the Lisbon Treaty, arguing that the ratification process will continue and be completed in the best possible manner for the sake of European cohesion and the people of Europe. But above all, noted Karamanlis, there is the problem of the high cost of living plaguing Europe and the low-income earners in particular. He reminded that in his letter to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, he had highlighted the need to have the surging prices discussed at the EU Summit so that a common course of action could be agreed on.

Translated by Areti Christou

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EU Summit in Brussels

[02] Assuming Alarming Dimensions

20 Ιουν 2008 10:01:0 (Last updated: 20 Ιουν 2008 11:24:4)

By Nasos Bratsos

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ANA

The number of people forced to leave their homelands because of their faith, political views and origin is increasing, making the UN refugee agency to sound the alarm. In Greece, about 20,000 asylum petitions are filed on an annual basis. Those displaced by conflict are believed to have stood at 26 million worldwide at the end of 2007, with 11,400,000 have been forced to flee their countries.

"No matter how far we think the problem of the refugees is, its repercussions go beyond the borders of the developed and developing world, affecting the entire global community," stressed President of the Hellenic Republic in his address.

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, on his part, argued: "Greece has been following in the last four years a modern immigration policy, befitting its history and culture, built upon human rights and the well-rooted respect to the value of humans and the free development of their personalities. This policy lives up to the obligations Greece has undertaken."

Translated by Areti Christou

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Events in Mitylini

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