[ana-dist] Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 12-12-20

[HR-Net News Distribution Manager]

Thursday,  20  December  2012          Issue No: 4252

CONTENTS
[01] PM Samaras addresses Konrad Adenauer Foundation opening event
[02] Dep. Foreign Minister promises exporters 'effective economic
      diplomacy'
[03] SYRIZA leader meets Brazilian president Rousseff
[04] SYRIZA 'expects' political developments in March
[05] Independent Greeks on party leaders' meeting
[06] KKE on the meeting of party leaders in Samaras' coalition government
[07] FM Avramopoulos in Libya on Thursday
[08] Public sector on strike Wednesday
[09] Development minister welcomes EIB decision for 500-million financing
      instrument for foreign trade
[10] European Parliament ratifies big development plan for European
      transport
[11] Finmin announces 'indirect' increase in tax allowance via receipts
[12] Development Minister on PPC rate hikes
[13] Supreme Court suspends lower court ruling prohibiting collection
      of property surtax via electricity bills
[14] Tender on selling of state buildings abroad
[15] Gazprom Export increases natural gas deliveries to Greece
[16] TAP consortium begins talks with Greece on agreement governing
      pipeline
[17] Thessaloniki to host 1st Greek-Russian business forum in 2013
[18] Tourism Minister Kefaloyanni ensures cooperation with Atout France
[19] 'Coca-Cola believes in Greece', top executive says
[20] Tourist wave from Russia expected to substantially increase in 2013
[21] Greek merchant marine fleet down in October
[22] Air Canada subsidiary airline to fly to Greek tourist destinations
[23] Ryanair to open its first base in Greece at Hania airport
[24] POE-OTA decides temporary mobilisation suspension
[25] Greek stocks soar 4.81 pct after S&P rating rise for Greece
[26] Greek bond market closing report
[27] ADEX closing report
[28] Foreign Exchange rates - Thursday
[29] Ambitious plan to restore imposing Sarlitza Pallas hotel on Lesvos
      island
[30] New Athens metro exhibition features finds from ancient 'Sacred Way'
[31] Pharmacists suspend mobilisations
[32] Public transport strike continues on Thursday
[33] Illegal migrants trafficking ring broken up
[34] Policeman found dead in his car
[35] Police arrest youth with 300 kg of hashish
[36] Elderly man falls on railway lines at Aghios Dimitrios Metro station
[37] Rainy on Thursday
[38] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance
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Politics

[01] PM Samaras addresses Konrad Adenauer Foundation opening event

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras addressed an event on Wednesday evening
inaugurating the re-opening of the Athens Offices of the Konrad Adenauer
Foundation (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.- KAS), organised jointly by the
KAS and the Constantine Karamanlis Institute at the new Acropolis Museum.

In his address, the prime minister welcomed what he said "not the opening,
but the return" to Greece of the Adenauer Foundation, as it operated in
Greece in the 1980's but closed down in 1993. Its presence now expands
to more than 120 countries worldwide.

Samaras referred extensively to Konrad Adenauer, who was German chancellor
from 1949 to 1963, and to German politician Gustav Stresemann, who served
as a chancellor in 1923 for three and a half months, and then held the
post of Germany's foreign minister, sharing a Nobel peace prize with
his French counterpart Aristide Briand, in 1926.

The Adenauer Foundation marks "the upgrading of a vital political dialogue
between Greece and Germany, touching beyond current affairs to principles
and values", Samaras noted.

The foundation's current chairman is the former President of the European
Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering.

Summing up his speech, the Greek premier said: "It's been said -even since
the Roman times- that we Greeks are a history-producing people, and so
we tend to disregard other people's history. It is exactly this argument
that I tried to refute today. Yes, we are proud of our history for our
history, but we do learn from other people's histories, especially from
leaders who managed to turn ruins into strength, self-confidence and pride
for their countries, like Gustav Stresemann and Konrad Adenauer... Mr.
Poettering I again welcome you in Greece and we thank you very much for
your presence here."

[02] Dep. Foreign Minister promises exporters 'effective economic
diplomacy'

The Greek foreign ministry promised to exercise an effective economic
diplomacy as a foremost patriotic duty, Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris
Kourkoulas told Greek exporters on Wednesday during a seminar at the
ministry.

"The wager for development first passes through extroversion," he stressed
and emphasised that economic diplomacy must now be the first priority
of foreign policy and the "spearhead" for Greece's foreign relations.

The seminar, held twice a year to brief business people, focused on
six countries: Belgium, France and Germany from the European Union, the
rapidly growing large economies of Russia and Turkey and neighbouring
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

The particular choice of countries aimed to support and expand the share
of Greek products with traditional, classical European clients and also
create conduits for the introduction of Greek products into rapidly
expanding markets with traditional historic, social and economic ties
with Greece, the ministry said.

Kourkoulas outlined the foreign ministry's plans to convene mixed
ministerial committees in the coming months as the main tool for boosting
bilateral economic relations with Russia, Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil.

Referring to his recent visit to China, he relayed the strong and sincere
interest of the Chinese in investing in Greece and developing trade and
tourism. He said the Chinese side had promised that it will soon open an
Athens office for the China Development Bank, the first office in Europe,
with the ultimate aim of later founding a bank.

"I had especially encouraging talks with the leadership of COSCO, which
is expanding its activities in Piraeus, after the agreement with the
computer manufacturers Hewlett Packard and TRAINOSE. But apart from
the important deal with HP, which ensures the distribution of large
quantities of merchandise via Greece to Europe, I was especially glad
to hear of COSCO's strategic plans to make Piraeus not just the gateway
into Europe but also a distribution centre," he said.

He ended his address on an upbeat note, pointing out that exports in
the first nine months of 2012 had increased by 12 percent while imports
had decreased by 13 percent and the trade deficit decreased by more than
35 percent.

[03] SYRIZA leader meets Brazilian president Rousseff

BRASILIA (AMNA/A.Kavvadia)

Greece's main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis
Tsipras, was received here on Wednesday by the President of the Republic
of Brazil Dilma Vana Rousseff.

Tsipras was accompanied by Eurodeputy Nikos Hountis, as well as Yiannis
Dragasakis, an Athens B' constituency deputy and head of the party's
Economic Policy and Programme Committee.

The Syriza delegation met earlier with the country's Defence Minister
Celso Amorim, Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Foreign
Policy Advisor to the President of Brazil Marco Aur?lio Garcia and the
Parliament's speaker.

Amorim, a former foreign minister, expressed his wish for a further
development of relations between Greece and Brazil. Foreign Minister
Patriota expressed opposition to "austerity policies and the reduced
political sightedness accompanying them".

Tsipras, on his part noted that the interest for Latin America is
not only related to the fact that it is a "social laboratory of a
meta-neoliberal policy" but also because there are great margins for
further enhancement of economic cooperation between Latin American
countries and Greece. Tsipras, heading a party delegation, departs on
Thursday for Argentina.

[04] SYRIZA 'expects' political developments in March

Main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA-EKM) on Wednesday lashed
out at the government noting that political developments are very likely
in March next year. It stressed that new measures will be considered as
a result of the "failure of the programme" implemented and that society
will be faced with "acute humanitarian crisis phenomena".

In an informal press briefing, SYRIZA spokesman Panos Skourletis spoke
about an "unraveling" government, citing a recent European Commission
report that referred to it as "fragile" formation. He also stressed that
the tax draft bill "is designed to annihilate the financially weak and
targets the middle class".

He said that the scenarios for a new election law constitute an effort to
weaken SYRIZA, which will eventually act like a boomerang. He stressed
that the people will find the way to give his party the opportunity to
prove itself.

Skourletis said the new phase launched after the disbursement of the
recent bailout loan tranche will be tougher, the debt is not sustainable,
the government's statements that "these are the last measures to be
implemented" are not true and, on the contrary, the framework created is
"suffocating".

Citing a European Commission report, he maintained that the outcome of
yesterday's political party leaders' meeting "is yet another effort to
trick the Greek people," and accused the government of being unable to
do even simple things.

SYRIZA parliamentary group leader Alexis Tsipras' political office
director Nikos Pappas referred to the formal visit of a party delegation
headed by Tsipras to Brazil and Argentina, stressing that those countries
"have chosen an alternative path to neo-liberalism" and "were successful
in controlling poverty and allowing people access to basic goods".

He underlined that SYRIZA will utilize the outcome of the trip "to ignite
a discussion within Europe on an alternative course and upgraded relations
with developing Latin American countries".

Coordinating Committee member Tassos Koronakis referred to the "Solidarity
for all" (solidarity4all.gr) initiative undertaken by SYRIZA, stressing
that it was aimed at "facilitating the coordination of numerous solidarity
structures in Greece".

[05] Independent Greeks on party leaders' meeting

Independent Greeks party Parliamentary representative Notis Marias
commenting on Tuesday's meeting of the leaders of the three parties
that form the Antonis Samaras coalition government said that "the lack
of political will fight against tax evasion was revealed at the meeting
of the three political leaders, among others, since the troika of the
interior is sending the bill on dealing a blow to tax evaders to the Greek
calends, insisting at the same time on the ratification of the antisocial
tax-implementing bill of Mr. (Finance Minister Yannis) Stournaras".

[06] KKE on the meeting of party leaders in Samaras' coalition government

Opposition Communist Party of Greece (KKE) on Wednesday stressed that
"the improved coordination sought by the three political parties in the
coalition government is aimed at escalating the attack agreed with the
EU and the IMF".

KKE underlined that "they should be met with a well-organized disobedience
and counterattack force put together by the workers and the financially
weak that will oppose the new tax measures, the new hikes in the Public
Power Corp. (PPC) rates, the overall policy followed and the memorandums
that condemn the people to poverty in exchange for more profits for the
monopolies and our country's presence in the EU."

[07] FM Avramopoulos in Libya on Thursday

Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos will pay on Thursday an
official visit to Libya, a ministry announcement said on Wednesday.

Avramopoulos will meet with the President of the General National Congress
of Libya Dr. Mohamed Yousouf Al-Megarief, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and
International Cooperation Minister Mohamed Enhamed Abdelaziz.

The Greek minister will also meet with Tripolis Orthodox Metropolitan
Theofylaktos and representatives of the Greek community in Libya.

[08] Public sector on strike Wednesday

The public sector in Greece was at a standstill on Wednesday, in a 24-hour
strike called by the civil servants' umbrella federation ADEDY in protest
over the measure of reserve labor. All municipal services were closed,
as the municipal employees' labor organization POE-OTA is participating
in the 24-hour strike.

The General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the umbrella
federation for private sector employees, participated in the action with
a three-hour work-stoppage from noon to 15:00.

A protest demonstration was staged at 12:30 p.m. in downtown Athens'
Klafthmonos Square, while the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) affiliated
labor organization PAME held its own demonstration a half hour later in
nearby Omonoia Square.

The Athens Metro and ISAP urban trains held a stoppage early in the
morning, from the beginning of the shift to 9:00 a.m., while the
Proastiakos suburban train service and OSE Hellenic Railways will not
be running Wednesday and Thursday.

Further, the Athens Metro ISAP trains and tram will not be running on
Thursday as their workers' unions have called a 24-hour strike in protest
of their imminent incorporation into the single salary scale.

Due to the 48-hour rail strike, the Athens Metro service on Wednesday
and Thursday will not serve Athens International Airport (AIA) but will
run only to the Doukissis Plakentias station, as the rest of the stretch
to the airport belongs to OSE.

Olympic Air announced cancellations and changes to its flights, as the
civil aviation employees (OSYPA) are taking part in Wednesday's strike
with a four-hour work-stoppage from noon to 16:00.

Financial News

[09] Development minister welcomes EIB decision for 500-million financing
instrument for foreign trade

Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks
Minister Kostis Hatzidakis on Wednesday welcomed the European Investment
Bank's announcement of a new trade finance tool providing guarantees
of up to 500 million euro for commercial banks to finance the country's
international trade.

Hatzidakis noted that the EIB's decision, announced on Tuesday, provided
a real solution to the obstacles to exports created by bank liquidity
problems. He also stressed that this was the first time the EIB had
approved a similar programme, which would first be implemented in Greece.

"It is one more answer to the liquidity problem, the climate is gradually
improving and the government will continue the effort in this direction,"
he said. The new financial instrument will be in addition to the EIB's
programmes for financing small and medium-sized businesses, amounting
to 1.44 billion euro by the end of 2015, that are unfolding according
to plan, the ministry said.

The EIB programme calls for the provision of 600 million euro by
January 31, 2013, a further 400 million euro by December 31, 2013 and
the remaining 440 million euro by December 31, 2015.

The new 500-million-euro financial instrument for financing trade
announced on Tuesday is added to the above and the amount of the
guarantees financed via the specific programme is expected to support
a volume of transactions in the order of 1.5 billion euro per year,
directed at both SMEs and larger businesses.

In addition to the above, the EIB proceeded to make significant
disbursements toward the Greek economy in December, financing investments
in energy, transport and other areas. These included 200 million euro to
finance the national contribution to projects funded under the 2007-2013
National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), 148 million euro to the
Public Power Corporation (PPC), 30 million euro to the Hellenic Gas
System Transmission Operator (HGSTO), 250 million euro to Attiko Metro
to build the Thessaloniki metro system and 50 million euro to the School
Buildings Organisation.

As a result, the EIB's total contribution to the Greek economy and SMEs
in 2012 will reach 908.2 million euro, with the 17.7 million euro given
for the Corinth-Tsakona-Kalamata highway.

[10] European Parliament ratifies big development plan for European
transport

The relevant European Parliament committee on Tuesday gave the green
light for a big development plan for European transports, having special
economic interest for Greece, by approving the regulation on Intereuropean
Transport Networks, the rapporteur of which was New Democracy party
Eurodeputy George Koumoutsakos.

This plan is supported with the funding instrument "Linking Europe",
that was also ratified as a regulation, supplying the transport network
with 31.7 billion euros.

It is a strategic plan for European transport aimed at the unification
of the fragmented networks (road, sea, rail, air) that will incorporate
equally all of the EU's regions, strengthening territorial, economic and
social cohesion and will respond to the more effective functioning of
the Single Market, Koumoutsakos said at the press conference organised
by the European Parliament immediately after the votes.

According to the regulation, the ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki will
be upgraded as hubs of the main network, and specifically of Corridor 4
(Nicosia-Piraeus-Burgas-Rostok-Hamburg) that will be linked with each
other with the kind of transport considered suitable (sea, road, rail,
air or rivers).

The airport and the port of Iraklio on the island of Crete is also
included in the regulation in the central network, which is also the
basic priority for funding, according to these two regulations.

[11] Finmin announces 'indirect' increase in tax allowance via receipts

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras on Wednesday announced that the
tax-free allowance for wage earners and pensioners can effectively be
increased to 9,000 euro a year by indirect means, if tax-payers produce
receipts for the purchase of goods.

The finance minister was speaking to Parliament's Standing Committe for
Economic Affairs, where discussion of the new draft tax bill has begun.

Stournaras clarified that wage earners and pensioners with an income
up to 21,000 euro a year will qualify for tax discounts amounting to
2,100 euro if they can supply receipts amounting to 25 percent of their
income. Any further discount is then reduced by 100 euro for every
additional 1,000 euros of income up to a total of 42,000 euro a year,
after which there is no further discount.

The minister, responding to criticism from opposition parties, promised
to remove the social insurance contributions of the self-employed from
their taxable income.

Discussion of the new tax bill focused mainly on whether it was fair
and effective. Replying to the opposition, the finance minister and New
Democracy countered with the need to meet commitments made to the EU-IMF
troika to secure an additional 2.0 billion euro from taxes. They also
highlighted elements in the draft bill that were more socially sensitive
and noted that the taxation system will be finalised with new legislation
in May.

Stournaras said that the new system will drastically increase the taxation
base and fully include groups that were previously incompletely taxed,
such as the self-employed that on average declared annual incomes of
about 5,000 euro. He said that over a three-year period, wage earners
and pensioners will contribute by only 8 percent to the increase in
taxation. The minister also promised that if the primary surplus at the
end of 2013 exceeds the target set, 70 percent of the excess surplus
will be spent on social policy measures.

"The bill was criticised as 'infanticidal'. They compared me to
Herod. However, the majority of families with children will have lower
taxation in reality. Up to 869,000 families with one or two children will
for the first time receive a parental benefit and three-child families
will benefit by 1,356 euro a year. Of the families with one child, only
those with a family income exceeding 23,000 euro will be burdened -
a percentage of 9 percent of the total," the minister noted.

The opposition parties had earlier criticised the draft bill, with
main opposition 'Coalition of the Radical Left' (SYRIZA) MP Dimitris
Gelalis noting that the government, instead of proposing ways to tax the
black economy and major tax-evaders, was proceeding to impose one-sided
additional burdens on those already taxed.

"You are tripling taxation for lower ship crews, that are unemployed
for half the year," SYRIZA MP Panagiotis Lafazanis said, noting that
if big firms had come in for the same treatment there would have been
an uproar. He also pointed out that the dividends multinational firm
subsidiaries were not taxed at all.

"Where else does this happen? Only in the banana republic we inhabit,"
he added.

Independent Greeks MP Notis Marias stressed the plight of home-owners
that had seen their wages and pensions reduced and were unable to pay
home loans but not given any relief. "You cannot talk about fair taxation
when you only have three taxation brackets," he stressed.

"The coalition government is proceeding with interventions in a more
anti-popular direction. Taxation rates are reduced for high incomes
and increased for low incomes. The tax allowance is abolished, as are
a series of discounts from spending for working-class families and
the tax allowance for children," said Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
MP Nikos Karathanasopoulos.

Ilias Panagiotaros of Golden Dawn noted the separate taxation for
self-employed with no tax allowance at a time when the market was
essentially stalled, with only illegal street vendors doing well "because
no one touches them".

PASOK MP Paris Koukoulopoulos defended the bill, noting that the tax
burden was lower for incomes under 25,000 euro a year while noting that
a series of draft laws tabled by his party had not been supported by
the opposition at the time.

Asimina Xirotiri of the Democratic Left (DIM.AR) party, one of the
three in the coalition government, said her party was treating the draft
taxation bill as a "necessary condition given the situation faced by the
country" and pointing out that the tax burden was lowered for 80 percent
of wage earners and pensioners, while self-employed with receipt books
also gained.

[12] Development Minister on PPC rate hikes

Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis, referring to prospective increases
in Public Power Corporation (PPC) electricity rates, said on Wednesday:
"Of course huge difficulties exist and each ministry will examine the
issue with sensitivity and will take under consideration the country's
international commitments deriving from the agreement with the EC, ECB,
IMF troika and from the need for the PPC not to collapse. Because if the
PPC collapses, regardless of whether either the rate is cheap or not,
it will not exist at all."

Hatzidakis, speaking on private radio VIMA, also stressed that the
government will exhaust all possibilities to curtail the cost for the
citizens.

Regarding the major works and the motorways, the minister said that
"these works were in state of semi-consciousness for 20 months. They are
75 percent financed by the private sector. I believe that if everything
goes well, the bulldozers will start work in April".

[13] Supreme Court suspends lower court ruling prohibiting collection
of property surtax via electricity bills

A Greek Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) tribunal on Wednesday suspended a
lower court ruling prohibiting the Public Power Corporation (PPC) from
collecting an extraordinary property tax (EETHDE) via electricity bills,
ruling in favor of a petition filed by Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras
challenging the lower court decision.

An Athens First Instance Court had ruled on December 4 that the collection
of the extraordinary surtax on real estate via Public Power Corp. (PPC)
electricity bills was illegal, after a class-action suit filed by consumer
groups and federations.

The ruling concerns the legality of collection of the surtax via
electricity bills, as the surtax itself was ruled constitutional and legal
by the Council of State (CoS) in March by virtue of being temporary,
since it will only be imposed for the space of two years. As a result,
CoS justices ruled, its imposition did not contravene any Constitutional
decree.

[14] Tender on selling of state buildings abroad

The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) issued on Wednesday
a tender for the sale of six real estate properties abroad owned by the
Greek State.

The final date for the submission of offers to the Fund is 19 March
2013 and the final date for the signing of the contract and payment is
11 May 2013.

The buildings for sale are:

London: 2, Holland Park, W11 3TG

Nicosia: Aghios Prokopios str., Engomi

Brussels: Montoyer 25, Leopold district

Belgrade: 6 Kralja Milutina str.

Ljubljana: 17 Veselova str.

Tashkent:  3-4, Do'rmon Yo'li (ex - Zulaiho) str.

New draft bill on energy efficiency tabled in parliament

All new buildings to be constructed as of 2021 should be an almost zero
energy consumption, while new public buildings should comply with the
same regulations two years earlier, as provided for in a new draft bill
on buildings' energy efficiency tabled in parliament by the Ministry of
Environment, Energy and Climate Change.

For small apartments (under 50 square meters), which were so far excluded
from complying with the energy regulations, the so-called Certificate
of Energy Efficiency (CEF) will apply as of Jan. 1, 2016, according to
the draft bill.

Among other provisions, the new regulations allow for the determination of
minimum energy efficiency requirements. These vary for new and existing
buildings: newly-constructed buildings must comply with such minimum
requirements, while existing ones would have to adjust to them when
undergoing full refurbishment.

[15] Gazprom Export increases natural gas deliveries to Greece

Gazprom Export is increasing natural gas deliveries to Greece above
contractual limits. As of December 12, Gazprom Export is delivering
quantities of natural gas to Greece daily above the limits anticipated
in the relative procurement contract.

"The company has gone ahead with an increase in daily deliveries
responding to a relative request by its Greek partner, as a result of
the cold wave that struck the country," said Gazprom's spokesman Sergei
Kuprianov.

In agreement with Greece, the additional daily deliveries will amount
to 2 million cubic metres and depend on the technical capacity. The
specific delivery rate will also be maintained in the coming days.

[16] TAP consortium begins talks with Greece on agreement governing
pipeline

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) consortium on Wednesday announced
the start of talks with the Greek government on the agreement governing
the pipeline.

At 1.5 billion euro, this is expected to be the single largest current
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Greece. Its implementation, however,
depends on the final selection in early 2103 of the pipeline to be
supplied by the Shah Deniz gas field by the BP-operated Shah Deniz
consortium in Azerbaijan. TAP's main competitor is the Nabucco pipeline
that does not go through Greece, whereas TAP is planned to start in
Komotini and end in Italy, passing through Albania.

According to Rikard Scoufias, TAP's Country Manager for Greece, concluding
the agreement with Greece will be a key step towards securing selection
of the Greek route in 2013. "We are very pleased with our cooperation
with the Greek government," he added.

TAP's shareholders are Axpo of Switzerland (42.5 percent), Norway's
Statoil (42.5 percent) and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15 percent).

[17] Thessaloniki to host 1st Greek-Russian business forum in 2013

Fifteen Greek chambers of commerce and two business agencies, that are
joining their strength to organise the 1st Greek-Russian Business Forum
in 2013, are aiming at boarding the "train" of the continuous increase
in Greek exports to Russia, that have increased by 34 percent in the
first half of 2012.

The event will be held in Thessaloniki on May 16-17, in cooperation
with the Greek-Russian Centre Hermes and with the cooperation of Russian
chambers of commerce and Rusian business agencies.

The first official meeting of Greek chambers of commerce and agencies
that are participating in the joint organising of the forum, for which
about 150 businesses from Russia and 200 from Greece have already shown
interest in participating, was held on Wednesday afternoon.

[18] Tourism Minister Kefaloyanni ensures cooperation with Atout France

French know-how on tourism issues will be offered to Greece's National
Tourism Organisation (GNTO) based on a protocol of cooperation  between
the two sides, while further actions will be launched to reinforce
bilateral cooperation.

Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyanni met on Tuesday in Paris with French
Government Tourist Office "Atout France" General Director Christian
Mantei to discuss the prospects of a broad cooperation between the two
countries' national tourism organizations.

After the meeting, she underlined that "the signing of the protocol is
the beginning of a substantive cooperation that will contribute to the
efforts made to boost Greek tourism".

The talks focused on the systematic exchange of information as regards
tourism know-how, the adoption of initiatives to ensure quality upgrading
of services, the development of new kinds of tourism and the gradual
implementation of joint actions aimed at boosting bilateral relations
in the sector of tourism and increase tourist arrivals.

[19] 'Coca-Cola believes in Greece', top executive says

"Coca-Cola believes in Greece," the multinational giant's number two
executive worldwide Ahmet Bozer assured on Wednesday, speaking at an
event in Thessaloniki.

Bozer, currently President of the Istanbul-based Eurasia & Africa Group,
leading the Company's business activities in over 90 countries and slated
to become President of Coca-Cola International, effective January 1,
2013, also expressed his conviction that Greece will emerge from the
crisis stronger and more resilient and when that happens, Coca-Cola will
continue to be active in the Greek market and will have an advantage
over the competition.

Speaking at an event at the Turkish Consulate in Thessaloniki, Bozer
said: "In the last two years we invested more than 160 million euros
in Greece. If we did not believe in Greece, we would not have kept our
headquarters for 23 countries here. Our commitment to Greece is strong
and irreversible".

He said that the current leaders should see what is happening in Greece
as an age of transformation and not a period of crisis, because "when you
think of the crisis, you immediately enter into a process of protecting
yourself, putting yourself in the corner".

If one looks beyond the negative news reproduced by the media, one will
see the reality of Greece's many advantages, Bozer said: "It is the top
power in merchant shipping, has almost 20 million tourists annually, an
important producer of agricultural products and a significant regional
investor. In Turkey, for example, 439 companies with Greek capital were
officially registered, at the end of 2010, of which 252 were registered
in 2005-2010".

He said that 2013 will certainly be a difficult year for Greece, with high
unemployment possible and a continuing recession in entrepreneurship,
but the course of growth must continue, adding that "the tough choices,
which may hurt but without which everything will be lost, are necessary".

Bozer cited Coca-Cola Company chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent's
recommendation to his executives, when the crisis started to become
apparent in 2007-2008, to not let the crisis go to waste, noting that in
times of crisis everyone steps back, making it a good opportunity for
those who persist in developing, with investments and enhancement of
relations with their customers. "There may be losses in the short-term
from this strategy, but in the long-term the benefits will be many,"
he added.

Bozer said he was optimistic overall on the prospects
internationally. "Because Coca Cola, as a company, stands for optimism and
joy, some tell me that I have been 'poisoned' by the product I drink, and
that is why I am so optimistic. The truth, however, is that there are many
reasons for optimism. Peace continues to prevail in most regions and the
average number of armed conflicts has been reduced spectacularly. At the
same time, over the next 10 years one billion people will enter the middle
class, while with the mass urbanization a new Athens is created every
quarter. The people want to deal with their problems more cohesively:
The Group of the once seven richest countries (G7) became the G20. In
this scenery, Greece must take the position it deserves," he said.

Addressing the same event, Turkish ambassador in Athens Kerim Uras
expressed conviction that Greece will board the train of the international
commercial and economic flows and that Turkey will be the most suitable
partner for this to occur, adding that if Greece corrects some weaknesses,
especially bureaucracy and the job market and the closed professions,
many more Turkish investors will come.

He also said that if a solution is given to the visa requirement for
Turkish tourists, then the number of Turkish visitors to Greece will in a
short space of time jump from the current 50,000 to one million annually,
with Thessaloniki beige one of the first destinations to benefit.

Uras further noted the great progress Greece has achieved in the field of
exports, noting that in 2010 the trade balance between the two countries
had a surplus of 100 million euros on Turkey's side, but the ratio changed
in just one year with a surplus on Greece's side. Specifically, he said,
Greek exports to Turkey rose to 1.95 billion euro in 2011 compared with
imports of 1.18 billion euro.

As for investments, he noted that Greek companies have invested more
than 4.5 billion euro in Turkey, whereas Turkish investments in Greece
are much lower, and can be counted in millions of euro. "This may change
a bit with the collaboration of the Turkish Dogus company for Athens'
marina," he added.

Uras said that Turkey still envisions its accession to the EU as a full
member, "of course not tomorrow, but when the conditions mature". He said
that the shrinking of the European economies because of the crisis has put
a brake on Turkey's commercial transactions with the EU markets. Thus,
while two years ago 52 percent of Turkey's exports were channeled to
the EU, the percentage has now fallen to 37 percent.

Uras further spoke of Turkey's experience for overcoming the crisis
it faced in 2001. Turkey, he said, chose a difficult path, making large
structural reforms and strong fiscal adjustments, as well as restructuring
of the banking, social security and health sector. In tandem, in the
three-year period of 2009-2012, 3.7 million new jobs were created,
while the 'structure' of the economy changed completely, going from
an economy dependant on the primary sector to an economy that is now
dependant 60 percent on services, 30 percent on industrial production
and only 10 percent on agriculture.

[20] Tourist wave from Russia expected to substantially increase in 2013

Tourist arrivals from Russia are expected to increase in the new tourism
season, according to the Mouzenidis Group agency which has a strong
presence in Russia.

Speaking to AMNA, Hellenic Association of Tourism and Travel Agencies
(Hatta) senior official Nikos Kelaiditis underlined that in the new year
the number of Russian tourists that will visit Greece is anticipated
between 800,000 and 1,000,000 compared with 600,000 that visited Greece
in 2012.

The number of bookings so far from Russia for 2013 is indicative of
this momentum, having posted a 100 percent rise in comparison with 2012,
according to the tourist agency, which expects that the number of tourists
it will bring to Greece will exceed 300,000 by the end of this year,
compared with 200,000 in 2011.

[21] Greek merchant marine fleet down in October

The Greek merchant marine fleet fell by 3.5 pct in October this year
compared to the same month in 2011, totaling 1,958 vessels, Hellenic
Statistical Authority (EL.STAT) said on Wednesday.

However, the total capacity of the Greek merchant marine fleet increased
1.4 pct for vessels of over 100 GRT (gross registered tonnage).

The statistics service, in a report, said total capacity of the Greek
merchant marine fleet was 44,006,506 gross tons in October 2012.

[22] Air Canada subsidiary airline to fly to Greek tourist destinations

Air Canada announced that it will launch a new low-cost subsidiary
company called "Rouge" that will fly to tourist destinations. The new
airlines top destinations will be Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Scotland,
Cuba, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

The subsidiary aims to offer competitive prices for tourist destinations
in the Caribbean and Europe, using new Dreamliner aircraft.

The flights will begin in July, with departures be from Montreal and
Toronto airports.

The flight details will be announced at a later date.

[23] Ryanair to open its first base in Greece at Hania airport

Low cost airline Ryanair has selected Hania airport (Ioannis
Daskaloyannis) to be its first base in Greece, which will also be the
airline's 55th base in Europe.

The operation will start in April 2013, said the company's official Kate
Sherry in a press conference held at the Hania Chamber on Wednesday.

The Ryanair base in Hania will operate from April until October and will
serve 26 European destinations with 106 flights per week and a total of
500,000 passengers.

An aircraft will be parked permanently in Hania airport and the extension
of the company's activities in the city will create 500 working positions.

Within the framework of the inauguration of the new base the company will
offer 100,000 seats at 8 euros each starting from December 20 at midnight.

The cost of the investment is estimated at 70 million euros while the
profits from this investment for the local economy are estimated at 250
million euros.

[24] POE-OTA decides temporary mobilisation suspension

The Executive Committee of the Panhellenic Local Government Employee
Federation POE-OTA decided at noon on Wednesday to suspend mobilisations
temporarily "to regroup their forces, in light of a possible new clash
with the government in the event that layoffs take place in 2013,"
as it said.

According to Executive Committee members, the Federation's union-members
are being called on to organise "collective discussion procedures in
the coming days for the struggle's next day." At the same time, the
employees are being called on to assess and evaluate their action.

[25] Greek stocks soar 4.81 pct after S&P rating rise for Greece

Greek stocks soared 4.81 percent on the Athens Stock Exchange on
Wednesday, in roaring trade buoyed up by news that Standard & Poor's on
Tuesday upgraded the Greek economy by six points, from selective default
to B- with a stable prospect, its highest rating since June 2011. The
recovery was further boosted by the European Central Bank's announcement
that it would once again accept Greek debt as collateral from December
21. The general index closed at 878.41 points at the end of the session,
with turnover at 63.803 million euro.

The Big Cap index shot up by 5.69 percent and the Mid Cap index by 5.01
percent. The Banks (9.94 percent), Telecommunications (7.53 percent) and
Financial Services (6.87 percent) sectors scored the biggest percentage
gains of the day.

Eurobank (12.37 percent), Piraeus Bank (11.25 percent) and
National Bank (10.40 percent) were top gainers among blue chip
stocks. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 124 to 32 with another
23 issues unchanged. Fieratex (20.97 percent), Nikas (19.91 percent)
and Kathimerini (19.57 percent) were top gainers, while Ellinikes
Ichthyokalliergies (-19.15 percent), Minoan Lines (-14.00 percent)
and Nafpaktos Textiles (-10.00 percent) were top losers.

Sector indices ended as follows:

Industrials: +4.11%

Commercial: +0.34%

Construction: +2.77%

Oil & Gas: +2.60%

Personal & Household: +5.36%

Raw Materials: +6.69%

Travel & Leisure: +2.93%

Technology: +3.07%

Telecoms: +7.53%

Banks: +9.94%

Food & Beverages: +4.28%

Health: +6.04%

Utilities: +5.67%

Financial Services: +6.87%

The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank,  OTE, OPAP and
Alpha Bank.

Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows:

Alpha Bank: 1.41

Public Power Corp (PPC): 5.53

HBC Coca Cola: 16.85

Hellenic Petroleum: 6.86

National Bank of Greece: 1.38

EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 0.66

OPAP: 5.60

OTE: 5.14

Bank of Piraeus: 0.35

Titan: 13.79

[26] Greek bond market closing report

The yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German benchmark bonds fell
to 11.38 pct in the domestic electronic secondary bond market on Wednesday
from 11.57 pct on Tuesday, with the Greek bond yielding 12.80 pct and
the German Bund 1.42 pct. There were no transactions in the market.

In interbank markets, interest rates remained mainly unchanged. The
12-month rate was 0.54 pct, the six-month rate was 0.30 pct, the
three-month rate was 0.18 pct and the one-month rate was 0.11 pct.

[27] ADEX closing report

The December contract on the FTSE 20 index was trading at a discount
0.75 pct in the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Wednesday, with turnover
rising to 51.214 million euros. Volume on the Big Cap index totaled
16,356 contracts worth 24.594 million euros, with 37,680 open positions
in the market. Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 169,897
contracts worth 26.620 million euros, with investment interest focusing on
Bank of Cyprus's contracts (34,036), followed by National Bank (33,242),
Piraeus Bank (29,818), Alpha Bank (18,925), OTE (12,115), GEK (6,131),
Cyprus Popular Bank (5,990), OPAP (5,963), MIG (4,387),  PPC (4,045),
Mytilineos (3,865), Intralot (3,434) and Eurobank (3,363).

[28] Foreign Exchange rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank:

U.S. dollar 1.350

Pound sterling  0.828

Danish kroner  7.572

Swedish kroner  8.796

Japanese yen  114.05

Swiss franc  1.227

Norwegian kroner  7.486

Canadian dollar  1.332

Australian dollar  1.285

General News

[29] Ambitious plan to restore imposing Sarlitza Pallas hotel on Lesvos
island

In the early 20th century, the imposing Sarlitza Pallas luxury hotel was
the crown jewel for the Thermi region in the eastern part of the island
of Lesvos, but is now abandoned and in disuse, the victim of bureaucracy.

The Periphery of the Northern Aegean, however, has drawn up an ambitious
plan to restore the hotel to its former glory and, together with its
famous hot springs, thus putting the hotel back on the international
map of tourist destinations.

The now abandoned hotel was built in 1909 in the seaside village of
Kato Thermi, right next to hot springs, to designs by French architects
commissioned by the Turk sovereign Hassan Mola Mustafa and financed by
a Turkish businessman during the Ottoman period.

In fact, the name Sarlitza Pallas means Palace of the Yellow Therapeutic
Waters, due to the deep yellow color the water left in the tanks and
grooves. The area of Thermi itself got its name from the hot springs
that abound there.

For nearly 30 years, after it passed into the jurisdiction of the Greek
state, it was a magnet for kings and archbishops, but also attracting
visitors, personalities and celebrities from all parts of the world.

>From 1933 on it fell into decay as a result of the political troubles
that beleaguered Europe from the mid-1930's up until the end of WWII,
and eventually closed in the 1970s, a victim of bureaucracy. Although
abandoned, the nearby hot springs are still functional, still attracting
visitors daily today.

Just 11 kilometers north of the island's capital Mytilene, the entire
area is known for its dry climate and olive groves. The town of Thermi
actually consists of two villages Ano (Upper) and Kato (Lower) Thermi, and
was inhabited as early as the prehistoric era up to classical antiquity.

The seaside village of Kato Thermi, situated some 500 meters north of
Prehistoric Thermi, and in Roman times was frequented by rich Romans
for its hot springs. The mythical goddess Artemis, the patroness of
hot springs, was worshipped in ancient Thermi and poetry and athletic
contests were held in her honor.

The Periphery of the Northern Aegean has submitted a specific proposal to
the hotel's current owners, the Healthcare Workers' Pension and Insurance
Fund (TSAY) asking for the concession of the Ottoman-era hotel and the
19,164 square meter land plot in which the hotel and its hot springs are
situated, for a 60-year-period, with the Periphery undertaking all the
expenses of restoring the existing buildings and maintenance of the hot
springs. It further hopes, pending approval by the state archaeological
and other services, to fund the construction of additional facilities to
turn the grounds into a thermal spring therapeutic center or a tourism
development center, using funds available from several tools, such as
the EU's JESSICA programme.

For the duration of the concession period, the Periphery will have the
exclusive right of exploitation of the entire facility and will reserve
the right to co-exploit with or sub-let the facilities to third parties.

[30] New Athens metro exhibition features finds from ancient 'Sacred Way'

Work on the Athens metro has brought to light a large section of the
ancient Iera Odos or 'Sacred Way', which archaeologists claim has been
walked by most Athenians of antiquity. As a result of work to create the
metro station at Egaleo, modern Athenians will now have the opportunity
to trace their footsteps underground.

Some of these finds, such as the excavation of five separate layers of
the city, were unveiled to the public on Wednesday with an exhibition
inaugurated at line 3's Egaleo station. The extension of the metro for
the Elaionas station has also given experts an opportunity to investigate
finds such as the base for an ancient bridge across the Kifissos River
and more sections of the Sacred Way wall.

The finds include walls from the ancient cemetery founded along the
length of the Sacred Way, which has yielded finds such as sarcophagi,
carvings, ancient wheel tracks, grave goods and other artifacts.

The seven glass display cabinets of the exhibition at Egaleo station
features finds from the excavations, giving commuters a brief insight
into the history of the ancient city and one of the best known roads in
human history.

[31] Pharmacists suspend mobilisations

The country's pharmacists are suspending their mobilisations. The board
members of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Society decided during their
session on Wednesday evening that pharmaceuticals must be given on credit
again to those insured with the National Organisation for the Provision
of Health Services (EOPYY).

The pharmacists, as they said after the board meeting, will reconsider
their stance during the first 10 days of January, while according to
Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Society president Thodoros Ambatzoglou "a
pharmacy without money, is a pharmacy without pharmaceuticals".

[32] Public transport strike continues on Thursday

Commuters in Athens are in for another day of inconvenience on Thursday,
as public transport employees enter their second day of industrial action.

The Athens Metro, ISAP urban trains, Proastiakos suburban train service
and OSE Hellenic Railways will come to a standstill for the whole day.

However, buses and trolley buses will be running normally.

[33] Illegal migrants trafficking ring broken up

Police announced on Wednesday that they have broken up an illegal migrants
trafficking ring following the arrest of two suspects, alleged to be
two of the ring's leaders.

The two suspects, aged 43 and 29, were arrested in the last few days in
Alexandroupolis, extreme northeastern Greece. Five members of the ring
were arrested earlier during a police operation when police spotted a
van along the Egnatia motorway in which 15 illegal migrants were hiding.

During the investigation it was revealed that the migrants had paid a
total of 54,000 euros to the traffickers to smuggle them into a European
country.

The ring picked up the migrants from the Greek-Turkish border in order
to channel them, via Athens, to other European cities.

[34] Policeman found dead in his car

A police officer on Wednesday was found dead in his car on the road to
Kaimaktsalan ski resort, northern Greece.

The 28-year-old policeman had a wound to the head. His gun was found in
the car.

Police tentatively believe the officer committed suicide, but no suicide
note was found at the scene of the incident.

[35] Police arrest youth with 300 kg of hashish

Police of the "DIAS" group arrested a 24-year-old man from Agrinio in
Larissa, central Greece, who was carrying 300 kilos of hashish in his car.

According to reports, the man  refused to stop for a check by traffic
police in Larissa. A pursuit followed and the man was ultimately arrested
in a region outside Farsala.

[36] Elderly man falls on railway lines at Aghios Dimitrios Metro station

An unidentified elderly man was hit by a train at the Aghios Dimitrios
Metro station shortly before 8 p.m. on Wednesday and was seriously
wounded.

It is not yet known whether the man fell deliberately to commit suicide
or fell accidentally.

Weather forecast

[37] Rainy on Thursday

Rainy weather and northerly winds are forecast in most parts of the
country on Thursday. Winds 4-7 beaufort. Temperatures between -4C and
14C. Local showers in Athens with northerly 4-7 beaufort winds and
temperatures between 3C and 9C. Slightly cloudy in Thessaloniki with
temperatures between 1C and 6C.

[38] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

The initial agreement on the government's next steps reached during
the leaders' meeting of the three parties supporting the coalition
government on Tuesday, the pre-announcement of new increases in PPC
electricity rates, the nationwide 24-hour strike in the public sector
on Wednesday and the upgrade of Greece's credit rating by Standard &
Poor's, mostly dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

AVGHI: "Former Brazilian President Lula: Way out with public sector
in front".

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: "Municipal employees' layoffs in court".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "PPC bomb on households and enterprises".

ESTIA: "They are destroying the economy".

ETHNOS: "Intervention on government's irregularities".

IMERISSIA: "Greece threatened with an energy crash".

KATHIMERINI: "Agreement on the next steps".

LOGOS: "Suicides a plague".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Standard & Poor's raises Greece's credit rating to B-".

RIZOSPASTIS: "We demonstrate on Wednesday against the tax looting".

TA NEA: "Four weddings and a funeral".

6 DAYS: "PPC rates increase a provocation".

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