The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-09-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND's Ticket Finalized

The Electoral Committee of the conservative New Democracy party is currently holding a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. It appears that the candidacies of the ruling party are to be determined. Former Minister Vassilis Manginas said he would not run for Parliament. In his letter, Manginas put down his decision to the fact that his candidacy had been questioned.

Manginas' Statement

Manginas said in his statement.

âThe conditions shaped by the prolonged questioning of the candidacy forced me to not run for Parliament in the forthcoming general elections. This development offended me. However, my personal and political dignity makes me remain silent and not give others the right to create problems in my party and Kostas Karamanlis at a time of a crucial vote. I wish ND all the best.â

Sending the letter to the Prime Minister, Manginas thanked for his trust and rest him assured he would fight for the party's victory at the forthcoming vote.

Source: NET 105.8, ANA

News item: 26714

[02] Greek Socialist Leader in Cyprus

Greek opposition leader George Papandreou arrived Monday evening in Cyprus, where he met with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias, while he is to address an event in honour of late former Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Kranidiotis.

PASOK Press spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou said that the ruling ND party has accepted its defeat at the 4 October general elections and went on to blast the Prime Minister for lying when estimating the cost of PASOK's programme.

Papakonstantinou then stressed that Karamanlis and his party have pledged a four-year austerity and not a two-year one.

Source: NET, NET 105.8

News item: 26735

[03] Legal Actions Taken against Magistrate Zagorianos

Magistrate Mr Zagorianos is likely to face changes with regard to the way he handled the Siemens case, after the legal actions taken against him by Supreme Court Vice President Giannis Papanikolaou.

The charges related to Zagorianos' failure to distribute all the documents of the brief to the defendants and to the belated issuance of arrest warrants against former Siemens Hellas top officials Christoforakos and Karvela

In the meantime, Papanikolaou is to send the file to the Appellate Prosecutor to investigate whether Zagorianos committed abuse of power.

News item: 26736

[04] Obama Delivers Speech a Year after Lehman Collapse

Last Updated on Monday, 14 September 2009 19:10

A year after the Lehman Brothers collapse, US President Barack Obama will call for quicker action on financial reform during a speech on Monday.

Obama will discuss plans to reduce government involvement in the financial sector, and urge reform and global coordination to prevent another financial crisis, administration officials said.

Monday's speech at Federal Hall in New York City will urge financial groups to support reforms of the regulatory system and avoid Wall Street practices that sent the nation's economy reeling, officials said

In the meantime, the French President has threatened to walk out of the G20 summit to be hosted in Pittsburg, USA, in a week's time, unless there is a deal on bankers' bonus, read Le Figaro paper.

Furthermore, a BBC World Service poll has suggested that the majority of the respondents want their governments to step up more measures so as to boost their national economies amidst the financial crisis.

News item: 26737

[05] Wrangling over Economy

Last Updated on Monday, 14 September 2009 18:12

The political battle is flaring up in view of the forthcoming general elections, with economy being at the centre of the political wrangling, following the pledges of the opposition leader made at the Thessaloniki International Fair. The ruling party's officials, on the other hand, have started processing their counter-attack, with Giorgos Soufliasa urging Papandreou to tell the people the truth. PASOK Press spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou, on his part, claimed that Papandreou outlined an integrated plan against the crisis and that the citizens have already reached their conclusions.

Attention was drawn Monday to the financial pledges PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) President George Papandreou made at the Thessaloniki International Fair.

They ruling New Democracy party underlined that the opposition leader's proposals are unfeasible and that they will further deteriorate the economy, since their implementation requires another 10 billion euros, as they themselves said.Exiting the meeting of ND's Electoral Committee, Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias spoke of vagueness and contradictions.

Souflias stressed that Papandreou's pledges cannot come into being, further adding that Papandreou's proposals on matters including those of OTE and Olympic Airlines not only echo past eras, but they also create huge problems to future investors.

Under the present circumstances, the measures cannot be pleasant, but unpleasant yet necessary, said Souflias, blasting the PASOK President for not telling the truth when touching on fiscal consolidation.

He then went on to claim that George Papandreou's pledges are not going to be implemented, but even if they are, they will cause damage to economy.

PASOK officials, on the other hand, believe that the public embraced their President's pledges.

PASOK Press spokesman Giorgos Papakonsntantinou claimed that the citizens have already reached their conclusions, since George Papandreou unveiled an integrated plan against the crisis, and dismissed the cuts in wages and pensions as wrong.

Papakonstantinou then lambasted Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis for lying.

Mihalos' Response to PASOK's Positions

Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry head K. Mihalos branded Papandreou's positions as ineffective, stressing that his pledges were built upon âifsâ and not upon specialized measures.

âBusinessmen cannot bear more taxes, because they will stop being competitive and will be forced to proceed with downsizing,â said he.

News item: 26732

[06] Car Crash Kills Football Fans

Two football fans were killed and another seven were injured in a car crash that occurred early on Monday morning, while they were returning from the northern Geek city of Komotini, after the game between Panathinaikos and Panthrakikos. The bus they were on crashed with three trunks and a car parked at the 147th kilometer of the Athens-Lamia motorway.

Police sources said that the small van with the nine Panathinaikos fans tried to enter a nearby parking space, but it crashed on three parked trunks.

Two young fans, aged 23 and 24, were recovered dead, while another seven people were rushed to the hospital of the city of Lamia, central Athens.

News item: 26712

[07] Fire at EVGA Plant Contained

The fire that broke out early on Monday morning at the EVGA plan has been contained. Firefighters rushed to site, while the employees managed to leave the place promptly. Due to the stuffy atmosphere, the exam day at the Agricultural University situated nearby was rescheduled for 7 and 8 October.

Information on the causes of the fire, which spread quickly throughout the building, remains sketchy.

News item: 26703

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