[ana-dist] Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 13-04-22

[HR-Net News Distribution Manager]

Monday, 22 April 2013 Issue No: 4341

Politics

CONTENTS
[01] FinMin says issue of VAT reduction in food services to be raised
      in next meeting with troika
[02] IMF official pleased with Greek programme's implementation
[03] PASOK wants leaders' meeting on unemployment ahead of tabling of
      draft law in parliament
[04] SYRIZA speaks of government policy's 'disastrous deadlock'
[05] FM in Luxembourg, Brussels, for EU, NATO ministerial meetings
[06] FM Avramopoulos hails Belgrade-Pristina dialogue agreement
[07] Deputy FM: Future of Med will depend on outcome of economic crisis
[08] SYRIZA leader in Portugal this week
[09] Government spokesman on military coup anniversary
[10] SYRIZA says struggle for democracy and freedom always timely
[11] KKE party on anniversary of military coup
[12] KKE must become 'all-weather' party
[13] Poll shows ND party narrowly ahead of SYRIZA
[14] Defendants in attack on foreign workers case to testify before
      magistrate on Monday
[15] Tsohatzopoulos trial begins Monday
[16] Mineral wealth a basic support pillar for Greece's new growth model
[17] ESEE chief: 'Battle of Sundays to be waged to the end'
[18] Fur industry can play decisive role for spurring growth in Greece,
      minister says
[19] First ever wine master class in Athens
[20] One killed, two injured in drive-by shooting in Patras, three wanted
[21] 98th anniversary of Armenian Genocide remembered
[22] Police discover firebombs at soccer fan union's offices
[23] Firebombs hurled at riot police in Exarchia
[24] Funeral service in New York for journalist Mirella Georgiadou
[25] Thessaloniki Alexander the Great Marathon: 'From Thessaloniki
      to Boston'
[26] Local showers forecast on Monday
[27] Olympiacos loses from Anadolu Efes 74-73 in Euroleague basketball
      game
[28] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[01] FinMin says issue of VAT reduction in food services to be raised
in next meeting with troika

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, in an interview with the newspaper
"Kathimerini tis Kyriakis", said that in the government's next contacts
with the troika the issue of tax rate (VAT) reductions in food services
will be raised, as well as the reduction of the Special Consumption Tax
for fuel and the real estate transfer tax.

As regards banks, the Finance minister said he does not share concern
over the danger of their Greek character being lost, while as regards
the National Bank and Eurobank he said that the next moves will depend
on whether they shall cover 10 percent of private participation in
recapitalization.  Stournaras also stressed the government's primary
concern to crack down on tax evasion.

[02] IMF official pleased with Greek programme's implementation

NEW YORK (ANA/MPA - P. Panagiotou)

The head of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) delegation in Greece,
Poul Thomsen, appeared satisfied with the course of the Greek programme's
implementation.

In a statement on the sidelines of the spring conference of the IMF and
the World Bank in Washington, Thomsen said that the Greek government is
observing the targets that have been agreed, stressing that "the glass is
now more than half full".  Thomsen further said that the troika "had never
approved" the merger between the National Bank and Eurobank and presented
it as "no right of involvement" in the affairs of two private entities.

He also appeared satisfied with the recapitalization of the banking
sector, but said that he is not pleased with the taxation administration
and that the rich and the self-employed professionals must pay more and
that there must be greater autonomy for the tax auditing apparatus.

Referring to the public sector issue, Thomsen expressed the view that
unproductive staff must go, while stressing at the same time that more
measures will not be taken.

Lastly, he said that the IMF's board will convene for the Greek programme
in the second half of May.

[03] PASOK wants leaders' meeting on unemployment ahead of tabling of
draft law in parliament

PASOK, a junior partner in the three-party coalition government, puts
high importance on halting and dealing with the spiraling unemployment
in Greece, and asks the government to immediately brief the political
parties on the bill it intends to table in parliament, and asks that
the proposals PASOK has unveiled on stemming unemployment and protecting
the vulnerable groups of the population be included in the bill.

PASOK sources told ANA-MPA that the party further asks that a meeting
of the three party leaders supporting the government be convened before
the bill is tabled, while PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos has already
discussed the issue with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras in the past
48 hours.

The sources said that PASOK sees the relevant bill as a springboard for
an overall parliamentary debate on the county's course, the completion
of the negotiations with the troika, the situation in Cyprus and other
issues that should be discussed before Easter, if possible.

PASOK believes that a series of crucial points regarding the arrangements
for repayment of debts to the Tax Bureau and social security funds and
the over-indebted households can and should be dealt with, in cooperation
with the troika, so that the relevant provisions of the bill will be
functional and will be accepted as positive by the market and society.

PASOK believes it would be a mistake for the public discussion to focus
on the prime minister's decision to establish new posts of alternate
ministers, not so much because this decision was taken in absentia
of PASOK, but because such a discussion would downgrade the need for
updating the three parties' programme agreement.

[04] SYRIZA speaks of government policy's 'disastrous deadlock'

The main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA), in an announcement
on current political developments, said that (Prime Minister Antonis)
"Mr. Samaras and his partners may be trying to convince that 'the
climate is improving', but reality itself and inexorable data disprove
him absolutely".

SYRIZA added that "the social security funds' 4 billion deficit, the
official unemployment rate of 27.2 percent, the reduction by 3.1 billion
of the citizens' available income, during the 4th quarter of 2012 and
the continuation of the recession in 2014 as well bring down to earth
even the most naive and leave no margin of doubt for the absolute and
disastrous deadlock they are leading us to".

[05] FM in Luxembourg, Brussels, for EU, NATO ministerial meetings

Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos leaves for Luxembourg on Sunday
to attend the Council of EU Foreign Ministers-General Affairs on Monday,
which will discuss preparations for the EU summit on May 22 and the
long-term fiscal framework and the reports on FYROM., Serbia and Kosovo
to be presented by the European Commission.

ON Sunday night he will attend an informal working dinner hosted by
Luxembourg foreign minister Jean Asselbom, during which the ministers
will discuss the situation in Syria.  He will also attend the Foreign
Ministers' Council on External Affairs, which will discuss the Eastern
Partnership and the Southern Neighborhood, with the focus on Syria,
Lebanon, Erupt and the situations in Mali and Myanmar.

On Tuesday, Avramopoulos heads to Brussels for the opening of the Spring
Session of the NATO foreign ministers, which will include briefing on
the latest developments in Syria, the Middle East and North Africa and
the prospects for further developing partnerships with the countries of
the Mediterranean Dialogue.

While in Brussels he will further take part in the NATO-Russia Council
metering and attend a working lunch for the NATO foreign ministers.

[06] FM Avramopoulos hails Belgrade-Pristina dialogue agreement

Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos hailed in a statement the
agreement reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, stressing that
"this development, after long and difficult negotiations, confirms the
political will and determination of the two sides to settle considerable
pending issues, for the benefit of their peoples, who can now aim at
their accession to our large European family with greater optimism. This
agreement confirms, at the same time, the adherrence of their leaderships
to the European perspective, that Greece steadfastly supports".

Avramopoulos added that "the consistent implementation of the agreement
will constitute a considerable step for the consolidation of peace and
stability in our region and in all of Europe" and reiterates that "a
position of principle for Greece is that the open issues in Southeastern
Europe can and must only be handled through diplomacy and dialogue,
with respect for International Law and with the aim of achieving viable,
mutually acceptable solutions. These issues must not be perpetuated,
nor can they be brought unsolved into the European Union".

The Foreign minister believes that the agreement "opens new prospects
and possibilities, paving the way for a common European future" and
"for this reason it has Greece's full support".

[07] Deputy FM: Future of Med will depend on outcome of economic crisis

Many things on the future of Europe in the Mediterranean and of the
Arab Spring will depend on the outcome of the economic crisis that has
hit chiefly the Mediterranean countries, Greek deputy foreign minister
Dimitris Kourkoulas told a round-0able discussion on "Action for the
Mediterranean" organised in Marseilles by the newspaper Liberacion.

Kourkoulas said in a phone interview with ANA-MPA that he and Michel
Wozel, the socialist regional director for southeastern France both
stressed that Europe must put emphasis on growth.

Kourkoulas stressed that the Greek crisis brought the Greek- French
friendship to the forefront both at the level of the political elite
and at the level of societies.

The coming months, he said, will be critical for the development of the
Arab Spring, and we will see whether it will lead to the consolidation
of democratic regimes with respect for human rights or encouragement
of extremist forces, which in turn will lead to Europe's isolation from
the Arab world.

He underlined the importance of the Mediterranean to the sector of energy,
both due to the possible reserves and to the fact that it is a hub of
energy resources to Europe.

He further warned that a huge humanitarian disaster was in progress
in Syria that appeared to have no end, with millions of refugees in
neighboring countries, and anticipated that Egypt's course in the next
two years will also be critical. Noting that Greece has historic bonds
with Egypt and interests, he pledged that the Greek presidency of the EU
in the first half of 2014 will contribute to strengthening the European
policies for supporting new democracies that have emerged from the Arab
Spring, in the direction of democracy and respect of human rights.

[08] SYRIZA leader in Portugal this week

Main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras will pay a twoday visit to
Portugal on Thursday and Friday, heading a party delegation.

According to a SYRIZA announcement, the visit is taking place on the
occasion of the anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, Tsipras will take
part in a march on the anniversary, and will address a public gathering,
while he will also have a series of meetings with officials of political
parties and institutional bodies of Portugal.

President: 'Democracy has enemies'

Democracy has enemies, and it is undermined and weakened when phenomena
of anti-parliamentarianism, intolerance and racism emerge, President of
the Republic Karolos Papulias warned on Sunday. all the more so when those
who are nostalgic for and reminisce of the days and doings of the junta,
he added, in a message marking the 46th black anniversary of the April
21 declaration of the military dictatorship in Greece.  "46 years ago
today, democracy was dissolved and black period began of non-freedom,
oppression and cultural back-tracking which resulted in the tragedy in
Cyprus," Papoulis said.

"It is important that we honor those who fought against the
dictatorship. It is meaningful for us to remember what preceded, to
realise that democracy is not self-evident," the President said.

[09] Government spokesman on military coup anniversary

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou, in a statement on the 46th
anniversary of the military coup on April 21, 1967, said that "the black
anniversary of the coup reminds all of the paramount duty towards the
country:shielding our Democracy".

[10] SYRIZA says struggle for democracy and freedom always timely

The main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA), in an announcement
on the anniversary of the military coup on April 21, 1967, stressed that
the struggle for democracy and freedom is always timely and unbreakably
linked with the struggle for socialism.

The announcement added that "46 years after the imposition of the
military dictatorship in our country, we are being faced with a frontal
attack against the rights of the working people and of youth, as well
as democracy itself".

It goes on to say that "today's message of resistance is against the
government's memorandum policy, authoritarianism, the suppression of
struggles and the restriction of popular rule".

The announcement also said that SYRIZA honours the members and cadres of
the Left who played a leading role in the seven-year antidictatorship
struggle, as well as all the fighters of democracy who defended human
dignity, democracy and freedom.

[11] KKE party on anniversary of military coup

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE), in an announcement over the weekend
on the anniversary of the military coup on April 21, 1967, said that
"the military dictatorship of April 21 1967, that had the support of
the U.S. and the bourgeoisie class in Greece, was able to be imposed
because it did not find before it an organised people, determined to
defend their rights, also utilising the intensified contrasts of the
bourgeoisie political system".

The announcement added that despite the initial "numbness" of the
people, the movement against the dictatorship developed with the great
contribution of the communists and other fighters.

It further said that "the international solidarity of the socialist
countries, the international labour movement constituted considerable
help for the people".

KKE further stressed that "international historical experience proves
that the military dictatorships always constitute solutions for the
plutocracy, when it is unable to promote its antipopular plans with
Parliamentary means".

[12] KKE must become 'all-weather' party

The new leader of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas
said that a new beginning must be made within the continuity of the great
experience the party has acquired in the last 20 years, so as to meet the
demands of the recent 19th Congress that is encapsulated in the phrase
"We must become an all-weather party", in an interview appearing Sunday
in the Rizospastis newspaper.

He explained that the phrase meant that the KKE is capable of fighting
under whatever circumstances aiming to gather forces, prepare for the
moment when the class struggle will put the issue of the conquest of power
by the working class with the support or tolerance of other alliances of
popular strata enters the daily agenda for their permanent disengagement
from exploitation and suppression.

It also meant a KKE capable of responding to attacks by the opponent
and contribute to the labor movement.

He noted that the KKE's position is that "socialism is the only realistic
path for abolition of exploitation, for the reactionary class that
is currently in power and exercises a modern-day dictatorship of the
monopolies to become a thing of the past, and he listed a number of
fundamental popular needs that will be solved with socialism, including
the disengagement from the imperialistic alliances of the EU, NATO and
the IMF that "tighten the noose around the neck of the working class
and the other poor and oppressed".

[13] Poll shows ND party narrowly ahead of SYRIZA

The monthly barometer by Metron Analysis publicised in the "Kyriakatiki
Eleftherotypia" newspaper shows the New Democracy party leading the
Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) by a narrow margin, while a large number
of respondents said that they shall not vote in the next elections or
that they have not yet decided.

The poll shows ND garnering 18.7 percent of preferences and following
are SYRIZA 18.1, Golden Dawn 7.4, Independent Greeks 6.6, PASOK 5.5,
Democratic Left 3.9 and Communist Party of Greece (KKE) 3.8, while 21.1
said that they have not yet decided or will abstain.

On the question of who they think will win the next elections ND leads
SYRIZA by 48 percent to 39.

As regards suitability for the premiership, 30 percent said Prime
Minister and ND leader Antonis Samaras and 14 percent SYRIZA leader Alexis
Tsipras. However, 38 percent of respondents believe that no party leader
is suitable for the position.

Furthermore, 68 percent believe that things in the country are worse
than they were a year ago and 74 percent that the country is moving in
the wrong direction.

[14] Defendants in attack on foreign workers case to testify before
magistrate on Monday

The three people arrested and who are being charged with an attack
on foreign workers in Nea Manolada, in the prefecture of Ilia in the
Peloponnese, will be testifying before an investigating magistrate
on Monday.

A prosecutor in the city of Amaliada has charged the three, aged 39,
21 and 27, among other offences, for the illegal possession and use of
weapons and causing grave bodily injury.  As regards the side of the
defendants, the 39-year-old's lawyer said that his client denies his
involvement in the incident and added that it was the foreigners who
had acted in a threatening way.

Meanwhile, the businessman exploiting the strawberry cultivations, and
who is continuing to be treated in a hospital in the city of Pirgos,
is expected to testify before an investigating magistrate on Monday.

Manolada inspections

The Financial Police have launched a series of inspections on farm produce
packaging and distribution companies, agricultural cooperatives in the
region of Nea Manolada, Ileia prefecture, it was announced on Sunday.

The inspections were launched on the heels of an incident in which 28
fieldworkers were injured when three armed foremen opened fire on foreign
fieldhands working the local strawberry cultivations demonstrated to
seek payment of six months in back-pay.

The Greek Police (ELAS) said Sunday that 17 inspections have already
been conducted, specifically on 8 packaging and distribution companies,
two cooperatives, and in seven instances of distribution of farm
goods by private trucks.  Police said that during the inspections a
book-keeping violation regarding the recording of workers turned up
at a farming cooperative and a 3,500 euro fine was imposed, while two
similar violations were found in packaging and distribution companies,
the responsible executives of which were arrested.

[15] Tsohatzopoulos trial begins Monday

The trial of former PASOK defence minister and 18 others implicated in a
money laundering and kickbacks in armaments procurement programmes opens
Monday in an Ahens court.  Tsohatzopoulos and another 18 defendants
are accused of 'political money laundering' from Greek state armament
procurement programmes.

The former minister, who is in custody pending trial, on Friday sent
letters to 10 former members of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs
and Defence (KYSEA) of that period, asking them to appear in court and
testify in his trial just hours before it begins. All were in office
when the purchase of the German submarines and the Russian-designed
anti-aircraft missile system TOR M1 was approved.

PASOK defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and 18 other defendants
accused of receiving kickbacks and of 'political money laundering' from
Greek state armament procurement.

A Council of Court of Appeals Judges has indicted Tsohatzopoulos, his
wife Vicky Stamati, his daughter Areti Tsohatzopoulou, his former wife
Gudrun, his close aide and former armaments secretary general Yannis
Sbokos and 13 other individuals, on whom incriminating evidence of active
participation in the scandal has arisen during the course of a lengthy
judicial investigation, to stand trial.

Tsohatzopoulos, who is the main defendant in the case, is accused of
money laundering via offshore companies that he owned, which he used for
real estate transactions or other investment activities to legalize the
money he received as kickbacks from military procurement deals signed when
he was defence minister. In his actions he was assisted by businessmen,
lawyers, his former and present wife and his daughter.

The trial will start a year after Tsohatzopoulos was arrested.

Financial News

[16] Mineral wealth a basic support pillar for Greece's new growth model

Greece's mineral wealth is a very basic support pillar of the
country's new growth model, "which must be utilised with responsibility,
persistence, respect for the environment and specific reciprocal benefits
to invest in the local societies... The road is open and it is up to
us to put this in action," PASOK parliamentary group secretary Yannis
Maniatis said in an exclusive statement to ANA-MPA.

Maniatis further expressed satisfaction with the progress in explorations,
saying that "they are at a very good stage", adding that based on the
initial results "we can expect positive results in the Ionian and south
of Crete".

In the autumn, he added, "we will have a full picture of the reserves
in these two regions".

On last week's parliamentary discussion of a PASOK draft law for the
creation of a "Solidarity of the Generations Fund", to which 150 billion
euro would be channeled over the next 30 years from the public revenues
generated from the exploitation of hydrocarbons, he said he considers
it "exceptionally positive that all the parties of the so-called
Constitutional arch appear to accept our proposal", and added that
the creation of such a Fund "will enable us to build a piggy bank for
the future of the social security system and a dignified life for the
Greek retirees".

[17] ESEE chief: 'Battle of Sundays to be waged to the end'

"The battle of the Syndays will be waged to the end," National
Confederation of Hellenic Commerce (ESEE) president Vassilis Korkidis
told the association's annual general assembly on Saturday, referring
to a draft law to be tabled by the government that will allow department
stores and small shops to open on Sundays.

The bill gives the option of opening for business on all 52 Sundays of
the year, and applies to small shops below 250 square meters in area and
will be voluntary. For the larger, department stores, this will apply for
seven Sundays a year.  Korkidis noted that the proposal put forward by
ESEE is for the operation of commercial stores to Sundays in December --
ahead of Christmas and New Year -- one Sunday before Easter and another
Sunday by decision of the local merchants' associations.

He added that some merchant associations have suggested three Sundays
during the Christmas-New Year holiday period and another three by decision
of the local merchant associations.  In any case, Korkidis said, he
believes that Article 6 of the draft law on the Market Code should be
withdrawn so as to leave room for further discussion.

He said it was hypocritical, to say the least, to maintain that the shops'
opening on Sundays would create new jobs, especially when 36,000 shops
went out of business in 2012 and more than 2,000 large enterprises have
already filed under Article 99 of the Bankruptcy Law.

He further noted that ESEE has proposed a series of actions that
would take advantage of the available resources from various European
programmes, which would enable commercial enterprises to evolve from
micro-importing into microexporting companies. He noted that in the area
of food and traditional products an action could develop such as that
in France and we could name it "Greece in your home".

[18] Fur industry can play decisive role for spurring growth in Greece,
minister says

Macedonia-Thrace minister Theodoros Karaoglou stressed the decisive
role the fur industry in western Macedonia can play growth in Greece
on Saturday, opening a three-day exhibition of local fur products in
Sitaitsta titled "Fur in Siatista 2013".  The minister noted that the
fur sector can prove to be a springboard for reducing unemployment in
the wider region of western Macedonia and thus "we can start looking at
the future with more optimism".

Noting that Greece has not yet overcome the crisis, Karaoglou noted
that nevertheless "slowly, day by day, we see light t the end of the
tunnel", which the government had needed to restore credibility in
Greece and unhesitatingly make structural changes that should have been
made decades ago and advance policies that generate recovery and hope in
order to achieve.  He posed the question why isn't Greece a protagonist
in fields other than shipping and tourism, especially at a time when
the Greek fur industry is competitive?

Citing 2011 figures, he noted that last year the fur industry was in
third place in import of foreign exchange into the country after tourism
and shipping, Greek fur held first place in Greek exports to Russia
and fourth place in exports to China.  Further, he said, two years ago
the fur industry accounted for 8 percent of total employment in western
Macedonia, providing work to some 8,000 residents out of a total 94.000
working people.

[19] First ever wine master class in Athens

The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) has chosen its 60th anniversary
to make its first official visit to Greece.

The Institute will hold its first ever master class in Athens on 5
December, to introduce Greek wine professionals to its international
study programme.

The event will be hosted by Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, the only Greek
Master of Wine, and Sarah Jane Evans MW, the Institute's Deputy Vice
Chairman.

The topics to be covered in the master class will include an introduction
to the Institute's study programme and the structure of the Masters of
Wine Examination, covering both theory and practical issues, and a blind
tasting of wines to highlight the Master of Wine approach to tasting
and assessing wines.

Master of Wine is the most highly regarded title in the international wine
community is currently held by 299 individual Masters of Wine, based in 23
different countries.  More than 280 students from 29 different countries
are currently enrolled in the Institute's international study programme,
which prepares candidates for the annual Masters of Wine Examination.

The master class runs from 4pm to 8pm on 5 December 2011 at WSPC, 2nd
Floor, 70 Amfitheas Avenue, Palaio Faliro 175 64, Athens, Greece.

The itinerary for the first-ever visit to Greece includes tours and
taste-testings in wine-producing regions and wineries in Attica, the
Peloponnese, northern Greece and Santorini, and more specifically visits
to Nemea, Naoussa, Epanomi, Amyntaio, Attica and Santorini. Extensive
presentations will take place of the wines of each region of Greece the
IMW will visit.

General News

[20] One killed, two injured in drive-by shooting in Patras, three wanted

One man was killed and two others were injured in a drive-by shooting
attack in the region of Zarouchleika in the western port city of Patras
on Saturday.

According to information, an uinidentified individual riding in a car
with a second man and a woman opened fire against two men riding in a
second car, killing one of the two and injuring two other passengers,
one of them seriously,

The two injured men were rushed to nearby Aghios Andreas hospital whetted
the more seriously injured victim underwent surgery.

Patras police launched a manhunt for the shooter, and have collected
several bullet casings from the scene of the shooting.  Fom eye-witness
accounts, police know the details of the car in which the shooter,
together with a second man and a woman, fled the scene, and have
descriptions of all three, who are wanted.

[21] 98th anniversary of Armenian Genocide remembered

The 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman state was
marked in an event of remembrance in a central Athens hotel on Sunday.

The memorial event, marking the April 24, 1915 arrest and execution of
Armenian intellectuals by the Ottoman state, which was the start of the
annihilation o f more than 1.5 million Armenians, was addressed by Tourism
Minister Olga Kefalogianni, who said that a study of history will help
us see the future rationally, "especially today in a period in which the
economic problems have crated cracks in cohesion, which must be bridged".

Parliamentary vice-president Ioannis Tragakis, addressing the same event,
spoke of one of the biggest human tragedies with global reverberations,
that even today does not let the consciences of people and states rest.

"It is our duty to fight all forms of hatred and fanaticism. It is our
duty to democracy and solidarity, freedom and equality, to justice and
peace," alternate Attica regional director Anna Papadimitriou-Tsatsou
said.

The Armenian Ambassador to Greece and the director of the Panteios
University's Center for Eastern Studies also addressed the event.


[22] Police discover firebombs at soccer fan union's offices

Police discovered firebombs while carrying out an inspection at the
offices of a fans' union of a big Super League club in the city of Hania,
on the island of Crete, late on Friday night.

The police found 26 firebombs ready for use on the terrace of the building
housing the union, as well as a large number of smoke bombs. The police
arrested the person in charge of the union's operation and are carrying
out a preliminary investigation.

[23] Firebombs hurled at riot police in Exarchia

A group of youths hurled firebombs at a riot police unit in Navarinou
street in the Athens district of Exarchia at 11 on Friday night. No one
was wounded in the attack, while the police arrested one person who will
be brought before a prosecutor on Saturday.

[24] Funeral service in New York for journalist Mirella Georgiadou

NEW YORK (ANA/MPA - P. Panagiotou)

Journalist Maria-Mirella Georgiadou, who died in a hospital in Manhattan
on Tuesday aged 87, had her funeral service held at the church of
Saint Nicholas in Flashing on Friday in the presence of friends and
associates. Georgiadou was the ANA's correspondent in New York from 1977
until 2002. She was a person with character who served journalism with
humility, seriousness and reliability.

Sports

[25] Thessaloniki Alexander the Great Marathon: 'From Thessaloniki
to Boston'

The 8th International "Alexander the Great" Marathon took place in
Thessaloniki on Sunday with a very large turnout.  The more than 12,500
runners wore black armbands with the slogan "Thessaloniki to Boston"
and patches asking "Why?".

Ethiopia's Metaferia Teklu Geto won the marathon for the second
consecutive year, with another Ethiopian, Tefera Dedas Abate placing
second and Greece's Antonis Papadimitriou placing third.

The 42,195 kilometer course set off from Pella, birthplace of Alexander
the Great and finishesenear the White Tower in Thessaloniki, the last
capital of Ancient Macedonia. The Marathon was first held in 2006.

The Alexander the Great Marathon received IAAF Bronze Label Road Race
status in 2010, and is an AIMS (Association of International Marathon
and Distance Races) certified race.  In addition to the Marathon, the
day's events included 5km and 10km 'fun run' road races, as well as a
1,000 meter (1km) charity run for primary school pupils.

Weather forecast

[26] Local showers forecast on Monday

Local showers beginning in the west and gradually spreading to central
Greece and the north are forecast for Monday, with a slight rise in
temperatures.

Athens will be overcast, with temperatures ranging from 10C to 23 C. The
same in Thessaloniki, with chance of local rainfall and temperatures
o 8-22C.

Basketball

[27] Olympiacos loses from Anadolu Efes 74-73 in Euroleague basketball
game

Olympiacos Piraeus lost from Anadolu Efes of Turkey 74-73 in a Euroleague
basketball game played in Istanbul on Friday evening. The playoff
series is now level 2-2, in the bid for the London final four games,
and Olympiacos will be playing at home next week and trying to qualify
for the 8th Euroleague final four in the club's history.

The 10-minute intervals had the following results: 12-20, 38- 44,
56-58, 74-73.

[28] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

AVGHI: "Samaras (prime minister) 'killing off' pensions and family
silver".

DIMOKRATIA: "Merlin's debt to Greece is 510 billion euos".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Siemens' golden invoices".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Layoffs of tenured employees coming".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Endless madhouse".

EPOCHI: "Society with 19th century conditions".

ETHNOS: "1,800 hirings and 1,800 layoffs in May".

KATHIMERINI: "Towards reversal of hierarchy list and reduction of
fuel tax".

LOGOS:"How the new arrangement of mortgage loans will be made".

NIKI: "Loans; What to do if you can't repay them".

REALNEWS: "The entire plan for express layoffs".

RIZOSPASTIS: "With a fighting spirit, hope and optimism at the forefront
o the class struggle".

TO ARTHRO: "Samaras commissioners at the ministries".

TO PARON: "They're sequestering deposits".

TO VIMA: "Installments for all - Way out for 2.7 million debtors".

VRADYNI: 'Retire earlier with successive social security".

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