Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-01-31

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] SNOW AND LOW TEMPERATURES IN N. GREECE

[02] MEASURES AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE JUSTICE SECTOR

[03] STRONG EARTHQUAKE IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS

[04] FARMERS TO WITHDRAW THEIR TRACTORS FROM TEMPI

[05] THE RION-ANTIRION BRIDGE WILL BE GIVEN BACK TO TRAFFIC TOMORROW

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE ELECTIONS IN IRAQ

[08] ROAD BLOCKADES IN N. GREECE

[09] THE PRIME MINISTER CALLED ON THE JUDICIARY TO EXPEL ITS CORRUPT MEMBERS

[01] SNOW AND LOW TEMPERATURES IN N. GREECE

Very low temperatures are being recorded across northern Greece while meteorologists predict even lower temperatures in the next few days.

Early in the morning in the northwestern city of Kozani temperature was at 6 degrees centigrade below zero, while it was 5 in Kastoria, also in northwestern Greece, and in Nevrokopi, Dramas in northern Greece.

In the city of Grevena it was 2 degrees Celsius, in Pella 2 and in Thessaloniki 1.

Car drivers have to be very careful and use non-skid chains on their tires because of the snowfall and the frost in many parts of the provincial road network as well as in parts of the national road network.

[02] MEASURES AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE JUSTICE SECTOR

Minister of Justice Anastasis Papaligouras is expected to announce today that the crime of the bribery of judges from now on will be a capital offence while Supreme Court President Kappos is expected to announce that court judges will be brought before the Supreme Court plenary session facing the likelihood of being expelled from the judiciary, while he has also suggested that the self-administration of the courts should be abolished.

Meanwhile, Archimandrite Iakovos Giosakis requested and received a date to prepare his testimony by the Piraeus examiner concerning an old case of antiquities' smuggling in Kithira, which is a capital offence.

Archimandrite Giosakis is allegedly accused of being involved in a corrupted network that released drug dealers from jail illegally.

[03] STRONG EARTHQUAKE IN THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS

A strong earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale recorded at 3:05 am today alarmed the residents of the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea. The earthquake's epicenter was located at the sea region southwest of the island, 340 kilometers west of Athens.

Ten minutes later a second earthquake was recorded measuring 4 on the Richter scale. Many local residents left their homes and spent the night in town squares. The earthquake was felt in all Ionian Sea islands.

Seismologists stated that there is no cause of alarm. No damages were reported to police.

[04] FARMERS TO WITHDRAW THEIR TRACTORS FROM TEMPI

The cotton producers from the region of Larisa, who had lined up their tractors along the national motorway at Tempi, central Greece, decided to suspend their mobilizations.

The farmers' coordinating committee decided that cotton producers will remove their tractors from the Tempi blockade tomorrow morning at 11 am and give the Ministry of Agriculture until February 24 to satisfy their demands.

However, other farmers have blocked with their tractors the Elassona-Tirnavos road.

[05] THE RION-ANTIRION BRIDGE WILL BE GIVEN BACK TO TRAFFIC TOMORROW

The Rion-Antirion Bridge in the Peloponese, southern Greece, will be given back to traffic tomorrow but car drivers will be allowed to use only one lane for each direction until the damaged by the fire cable is replaced.

According to Minister of Environment, Land Planning and Public Works Giorgos Souflias, the Bridge Ltd, the bridge constructor and operator, assures that there is absolutely no problem.

Mr. Souflias stated that the investigation on the causes that led to the severe damage of the cable will continue but the company that built the bridge maintains that there is absolutely no problem with the bridge and guarantees that it is safe for commuters.

The bridge closed for traffic for precautionary reasons on January 27 when one of the cables of its pylons caught fire and broke.

[06] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Big losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -1.16% at 2919.93 points, while the volume of transactions was notably higher compared to last Friday's closure reaching 276,2 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 188 had gains and 122 had losses, while the value of 111 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] THE GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE ELECTIONS IN IRAQ

Elections in Iraq are a good step for Democracy, stated Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos.

Regarding the training of Iraqi soldiers, Mr. Rousopoulos stated that Greece will meet its contractual obligations undertaken within the framework of its membership of international organizations.

[08] ROAD BLOCKADES IN N. GREECE

The farmers of the prefecture of Pella in northern Greece blocked the Thessaloniki-Edessa national road at Chalkidona from 12:30 pm until 1:30 pm today. About 200 tractors are still in the region, while farm producers continue their mobilizations for a 13th day.

Meanwhile, farmers from the prefecture of Imathia blocked with their tractors the old national motorway of Thessaloniki-Veria at Alexandria at noon today.

Meanwhile, the road to the Promachonas customs station closed for half an hour today. The farmers from the prefecture of Serres blocked the national motorway with their tractors from 12 pm until 12:30 pm today.

[09] THE PRIME MINISTER CALLED ON THE JUDICIARY TO EXPEL ITS CORRUPT MEMBERS

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in a statement he made today called on efforts aimed at eradicating the phenomenon of corruption in the judiciary.

Mr. Karamanlis called on the judges themselves to expel from the judiciary their corrupt colleagues who hurt the institution of justice, which is the foundation of Democracy and society.

He said that the respect of the law is imperative for the operation of a state of law but in order for the citizens to respect the law its servants themselves should inspire respect and trust.

The Greek judges in their overwhelming majority honor their oath of office and the institution of justice through their scientific knowledge, ethos and integrity. Therefore, said Mr. Karamanlis, the servants of the judiciary and their leadership should undertake themselves to expel from the body their few corrupt colleagues.

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