Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-02-04

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Furor continues over unprecedented mobile phone-tapping case, charges already been filed

[02] Coalition leader says PASOK, ND agreed to third-country phone-taps

[03] Vodafone denies link between employee's suicide and phone-tapping

[04] National interests at the heart of Greek foreign policy, FM Molyviatis tells new diplomats

[05] Interior minister replies to PASOK party deputies on 'violations of constitution and of European law'

[06] Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos begins visit to Panama and Mexico

[07] Trade unionist's alleged assailants to plead case on Monday

[08] SEECP conference to be held in Greece next week

[09] Event held in Athens in memory of Lebanon's victims of independence and freedom of speech struggle

[10] EIB approved 1.5 bln euros in loans to Greece in 2005

[11] Greek gov't does not intend to use securitization proceeds to boost budget

[12] Eurostat accepts securitization proceeds as budget revenue

[13] Gov't announces plan to build a new airport in Heraclion, Crete

[14] FinMin, Athens Mayor agree on funding of Votanikos project

[15] Gov't sets priority on opening markets

[16] Health Commissioner Kyprianou says 'EU's budget for consumer protection reduced'

[17] EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas addresses international conference on refuse

[18] Organic farming doubled in 2005

[19] Court allows tender for undersea tunnel to go ahead

[20] PASOK expresses support for bank workers' union

[21] Greek mutual funds' assets up 1.1 pct in January

[22] Building activity sharply up in November, yr/yr

[23] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks decline in late selling

[24] Rescue squad member found dead after fall on Mt. Olympus

[25] Two weak earthquakes jolt Kastoria, no damage reported, seismologists reassuring

[26] Desertification threatens 84 pct of Greek land, expert claims

[27] Thirteen illegal immigrants arrested on Samos

[28] Spokesman Lillikas: Cyprus problem is a European issue for Turkey

[29] Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish violations of air space

[01] Furor continues over unprecedented mobile phone-tapping case, charges already been filed

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, one of three ministers that disclosed the hi-tech conspiracy on Thursday following a same-day front-page article in the Athens daily "Ta Nea", said the actions of Vodafone's leadership, including managing director and Vice-president George Koronias, are the object of a judicial investigation.

Charges have already been filed by a relevant prosecutor, while the judicial probe will also consider espionage charges.

The government on Thursday said the entire phone-tapping plot was discovered when some type of glitch was detected in Vodafone's systems on March 4, 2005, with the suspect software pinpointed by software experts from multinational Ericsson on March 7, 2005.

An order to disable the "ghost program" was given the next day, March 8, 2005, whereas the government was notified by the company two days later.

One of the primary questions that swirled around the east Mediterranean country since Thursday morning is why Vodafone disabled the "ghost program", an action that reportedly made tracing the perpetrators difficult.

Conversely, in a press release issued on Friday, Vodafone Greece said it was obligated to disable the unknown software immediately, but that it first "kept and saved a copy of it (software)."

The company also noted that its network's status and situation before the software was disabled has been precisely recorded and retained.

A day earlier, Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis explained that 14 pre-paid mobile phones are believed to have been planted in fixed positions within the radius of targeted individuals' offices and homes in downtown Athens. Additionally, the 14 phones also received calls, with authorities tracing the identities of callers, which however, did not turn up any wrongdoing. All 14 pre-paid cell phones ceased to function after the "ghost software" was disabled, the ministers said.

Voulgarakis' comments, during the Thursday press conference, initially cited a costly software program by Ericsson (low phone interception) that was "not purchased" or activated by Vodafone -- as conflicting press reports over the past 24 hours listed the program as either belonging to Ericsson or comprising a "phantom software".

Asked why the government waited 11 months before revealing the plot and did not previously inform political party leaders and other institutional officials, Roussopoulos said the government immediately briefed the judiciary, as it was obligated. He added that the other individuals, whose mobile phones were tapped, including Greek EU Commissioner Stavros Dimas, were not informed earlier because the surveillance had ceased.

According to an ANA dispatch from Brussels, a spokeswoman for Dimas, a former New Democracy minister, on Friday expressed her confidence in Greek authorities' ability to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. She also said that Dimas' bugged mobile phone was his personal phone and not the one used for Commission business and discussions.

Finally, the spokeswoman said the EU Commissioner was informed on Thursday of the case, whereas the Commission is awaiting the results of Greek authorities' investigation.

Back in Athens, when asked about an even more "cloak-and-dagger" aspect of the ongoing investigation, namely, the suicide of Vodafone's network design department manager during the period when the phone-tapping was discovered, Roussopoulos said the incident is "real" and is being investigated by police.

In response to certain local press reports on Friday implicating the US embassy in Athens vis-à-vis the affair -- given that the embassy building stands more-or-less in the middle of a cellular phone triangle where the government says the phone tapping occurred -- Roussopoulos strenuously rejected any notion that the government "even indirectly" pointed to US intelligence as behind the affair.

The spokesman noted that Public Order Minister Voulgarakis simply cited the spots where cell phone transmitters were located -- Lycabettus Hill, Mavili Square (adjacent to the US embassy), a nearby skyscraper and hospital (Lefkos Stavros).

One of the 46 individuals whose mobile phones were tapped was, in fact, identified as an employee of the US embassy in Athens.

On his part, Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, one of the individuals who retained a mobile phone that was targeted, dismissed any notion that the revelations damaged or hindered the country's foreign policy.

"Absolutely not ... The government fully briefed public opinion over this issue, and I believe that complete explanations were provided," Molyviatis said.

High-ranking main opposition PASOK cadre Evangelos Venizelos, meanwhile, echoed the previous day's criticism by PASOK, charging that the government is "attempting to appear as either a victim or a mere observer of events."

He also sharply criticized the government for keeping the investigation into the case absolutely top secret for 11 months.

Furthermore, in Thessaloniki, four of the individuals whose mobile phones were tapped, filed a lawsuit against Vodafone and the Greek state for not ensuring the confidentiality of their phone conversations and for not safeguarding evidence necessary to lead authorities to the perpetrators.

The 46 individuals listed as having fallen victim to the mobile phone tapping include Karamanlis, the foreign minister, defense minister, the public order minister, the justice minister, the deputy foreign minister, former PASOK minister Yiannos Papantoniou, the mayor of Athens, a few journalists, police officials, diplomats, defense ministry cadres and attorneys, as well as mobile phones belonging to ruling New Democracy party.

Other targeted individuals include a bevy of known anti-state, anti-war or out-of-Parliament leftist activists, along with 11 individuals with Arab surnames, including a correspondent for "Al Jazeera" and a former correspondent in Athens for a Syrian newspaper.

Papandreou attacks gov't handling of phone-tap issue: The leader of main opposition PASOK George Papandreou launched a scathing attack on the government on Friday over its handling of the illegal phone-tapping affair, during a tour of Florina prefecture.

According to Papandreou, the government had covered up the truth instead of revealing it, had shown incompetence and had increased feelings of insecurity among Greek citizens.

"We had ministers who for three hours described detective stories that revealed, however, the weakness, irresponsibility and mistaken handling of the government. We, as PASOK, are always ready to contribute to the major problems of the country. But how? We are not informed nor is there any desire to cooperate with us on major issues, which they themselves admitted were even issues of national security," he said.

Greek citizens were unable to feel that their rights and basic freedoms were protected, he added.

Papandreou also accused the government of being caught up in its internal problems and intrigues, rather than dealing with the problems of the electorate.

During talks with local residents at the village coffee-shop in Sitaria, meanwhile, he reiterated a demand for a heating subsidy and accused the government of failing to implement promises it had made to farmers before the elections.

Referring to his recent elections as president of the Socialist International, meanwhile, he stressed that the problems of Greek citizens remained his top priority.

Papandreou on Friday evening again attributed "responsibility to the government for not briefing the President of the Republic (Karolos Papoulias), the Confidentiality Protection Authority and the main opposition" on the phone-tapping issue which was brought to light on Thursday.

Speaking at a party political gathering in Florina, Macedonia, the PASOK leader thanked Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "for briefing him on the revision of the Constitution," but observed that the premier could have also briefed him during the meeting they had, on the phone-tapping issue and not hear about it himself "from articles and non-institutional centers".

Papandreou said that the phone-tapping issue "revealed that the Greek citizens cannot rely on the government of Mr. Karamanlis for their security."

Papandreou noted:"This issue is the tip of the iceberg of intransparency, the decomposition of the state and irresponsible political handling which is added to all those which we are observing. Stolen military vehicles, unhindered fugitives, murders of police officers, interrogation of Pakistanis, thefts in the centre of Athens, a fiasco at the Port of Piraeus, islands which remain in the dark for days. And finally the beating up of the president of the greatest labor union (General Confederation of Workers of Greece President Christos Polyzogopoulos). All these compose a picture of deep decay."

[02] Coalition leader says PASOK, ND agreed to third-country phone-taps

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

During this he also revealed that, under a PASOK government in 2000, Greece had signed an EU directive allowing one EU country to monitor the telephones of another without any technical involvement by the country under surveillance.

He called on the present New Democracy government to terminate the contract signed by its predecessor and the Independent Authority for the Protection of Privacy to take immediate action and assign blame and the appropriate fines where they were due.

Alavanos noted that ministers of the present government had signed a presidential decree on the procedures and techniques for lifting telecommunications privacy about a year ago, shortly after the government had found out about the phone-taps.

The Coalition president stressed that Vodafone bore a high degree of responsibility, both for covering up the affair but also for destroying the pirate 'ghost' software and thus making it impossible to detect the receptors of the "hijacked" calls.

Alavanos announced that he will be beginning a series of meeting regarding the phone-tapping affair from Monday with the President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, ministers, the Privacy Committee, the Greek intelligence service EYP, while on Thursday the Coalition will organize a protest rally at Propylaia on this issue.

[03] Vodafone denies link between employee's suicide and phone-tapping

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

There is absolutely no connection between the suicide of Costas Tsaklidis, former supervisor of the company's network design department, and the phone-tapping issue, Vodafone said in a statement, adding its regret that an effort was made to bring Tsaklidis' name into the matter.

[04] National interests at the heart of Greek foreign policy, FM Molyviatis tells new diplomats

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Molyviatis added that "we protect and service them (the country's national interests) with prudence and sobriety, but also with unshakeable determination".

"We will not ever allow the falsification of our country's rights and interests," the foreign minister added, while Papoulias told the new diplomats: "do not forget our country's need that you serve it with patriotism and devotion".

Molyviatis explained that the foundations of Greece's foreign policy were "respect of international law, the international treaties, and international lawful order".

"Our firm goal is peace, security, stability, friendship and cooperation with all the countries of the world, and particularly with the neighboring countries. We extend our friendship and cooperation to all those who respond to this policy of ours," the minister said.

The backbone of Greek foreign policy was the European Union, Molyviatis said, adding that "we want a Europe that is united, not only economically and monetarily, but also in the political and defense areas".

"However," he continued, "this does not hinder us at all from maintaining excellent relations with all the countries of the world, particularly with the US, Russia, Japan, China, and the countries of the Balkans and the Middle East."

Both the foreign minister and the President underlined the complexity of modern-day diplomacy, while Molyviatis noted that "there are many forms of diplomacy", and cited "multilateral diplomacy, parliamentary, cultural and, perhaps above all, economic diplomacy".

Papoulias expounded on the importance of economic diplomacy, and called on the new diplomats to "open up the roads of the Greek national economy" while, with respect to cultural diplomacy, he cited as an example the cultural cooperation with Italy, which he visited recently.

"You will wage the battles in the difficult missions before you, for tackling the problems faced by Greece, a small country, in its region and the wider region," Papoulias said.

The President also told the graduates that 50 years ago he, too, had been in their place, and had spent 12 years in the foreign ministry.

Archbishop Christodoulos said "you know the demands of the Greek people, and we are certain that you will respond with all your powers to the patriotic, as the President said earlier, duty that our country bestows on you".

Also present at the ceremony were deputy foreign ministers Evripides Stylianidis and Panayotis Skandalakis, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos, and many diplomats.

[05] Interior minister replies to PASOK party deputies on 'violations of constitution and of European law'

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

The minister noted a series of violations of European law by PASOK governments (they amount to 88) during the last four years alone of the country's governance by the Simitis government.

Pavlopoulos queried "where were all these 'authorities' of PASOK when our country was being referred, in various ways, to relevant European Union bodies for violations of European law. During the years 2000-2004 alone 88 violations of European law are registered in the European Union's official Internet website and not according to subjective assessments."

[06] Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos begins visit to Panama and Mexico

ISTANBUL, 4/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/A. Kourkoulas)

"The program of these visits includes many manifestations in honor of the Patriarch by the ecclesiastical, political and academic authorities, as well as worshipping manifestations in which he will bless the Orthodox faithful of the two countries, conveying to them the affection and interest of the Mother Church," said an announcement by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The Patriarch is being accompanied on his trip by the Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia Stefanos and the Metropolitan of Philadelphia Meliton, as well as by other ecclesiastical officials.

He will be in Panama between February 3-8 and then travel to Mexico.

In another development, the Patriarch commented on the issue created with sketches of Mohammed appearing in many European newspapers, saying that "we must all respect the religion and faith of all."

He further said that "I hope these ugly things will stop", speaking at Ataturk airport in Istanbul before leaving on his visit to Panama and Mexico and adding that these are "shameful things."

[07] Trade unionist's alleged assailants to plead case on Monday

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Nikos Kountardas, 29, and Stelios Malindretos, 41, are accused of attempted homicide, robbery and inflicting obvious damage.

Kountardas has denied the charges, claiming that he was elsewhere at the time of the attack, while Malindretos has claimed that he was forced to attack Polyzogopoulos at gunpoint by three Jehovah's Witnesses. He claimed to be carrying the air-gun and wooden club found on him at the time of his arrest out of fear for his life.

Polyzogopoulos did not recognize Malindretos in a line-up, however, though he could not explain how the man's fingerprints had been found on his car, while he said that Kountardas had features resembling those of a young man that approached him on Tuesday night shortly before he was attacked.

The two men were identified and arrested on the basis of finger prints found on the car Polyzogopoulos was driving when he and his associate professor Savvas Rombolis were attacked by a group of youths, while they were also recognized by eyewitnesses.

[08] SEECP conference to be held in Greece next week

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Ministers from Greece, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, FYROM, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro and Turkey will be participating in the two-day conference to be held February 7-8.

Additionally, EU President Austria will also be represented as will international organizations.

Justice Minister Anastassios Papaligouras and Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis will be holding a joint press conference at the summit's conclusion.

[09] Event held in Athens in memory of Lebanon's victims of independence and freedom of speech struggle

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Speakers invited to the event were distinguished personalities from Lebanon, who are at the same time relatives of victims of the situation prevailing in the country over the past 18 months.

The speakers invited were Gisele Khouri, a known journalist and presenter of political programs at the Al Arabija channel, wife of the journalist and university professor Samir Kasir who was assassinated in Beirut on June 2, 2005.

Ali Hamadeh, a known journalist and television program presenter and brother of Telecommunications Minister Maruan Hamadeh, who survived an assassination attempt in October 2004.

Yasma Fulleihan, wife of Parliamentary deputy Basil Fuleihan, who was the latest victim of the assassination of Rafik Hariri since he had been seriously injured at the time and had died 65 days later.

Khouri referred to her husband's struggle for "a free state of Lebanon, a democratic Syria and an independent and democratic Palestine, also in the framework of the movement of the democratic Left", of which he was a co-founder, adding that "faith in democracy and development can coexist with the moslem world."

Hamadeh, referring to the assassinations, said that they have a double objective, "on the one hand to terrorize Lebanese elements that have reacted to the extension of the president's period of office and, on the other, it is a message to the world that Syria can do what it likes without anybody controlling it."

The event was coordinated by Athens News Agency (ANA) Managing Director Nicholas Voulelis, who said in a brief address that "a Greek voice could not be absent from such a manifestation, as an expression of solidarity for a friendly people and because the values lying at the centre of this manifestation, independence, freedom of speech and the sacrifices of a people for them are values for which this country has shed blood many times."

Voulelis also said that our region is full of common stories of people from Greece and Lerbanon and that never in our relations, social, economic or personal, has there been an obstacle or religious or national differentiation, adding that in difficult times of wars and persecutions Greeks took refuge in Lebanon and Lebanese people in Greece or Cyprus.

[10] EIB approved 1.5 bln euros in loans to Greece in 2005

4/2/2006 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters, after the signing of a loan agreement, worth 45 million euros, between EIB and DEPA, Greece's natural gas grid operator, Genuardi announced a loan of 50 million euros to Emporiki Bank to fund small- and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing, tourism and services sectors. Similar loan agreements have been signed with Alpha Bank and Eurobank, while EIB is also discussing the approval of new funds, the European banker said.

EIB focuses on supporting SMEs and seeks closer cooperation with Greek banks - with increasing activity in the Balkans and the Southeast European markets, Genuardi stressed, adding that the European bank was in talks with the municipalities of Athens and Thessaloniki, and another two municipalities in the Attica region for new loans.

EIB's officials expect that total loan approvals to Greece could reach 2.0 billion euros this year. Genuardi said the bank emphasized on supporting joint ventures between public and private sector companies, SMEs, municipalities and underlined the need to expand relations with the private sector.

EIB signed loan agreements totaling 47.4 billion euros with 150 countries last year, up 10 pct from 2004.

Minister welcomes EIB loans: Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas on Friday welcomed the signature of loans from the European Investment Bank to boost the use of natural gas in Greece.

"The Public Gas Corporation of Greece and its board are undertaking projects, and not merely announcing them...The loans demonstrate a great confidence in the outlook for the Greek economy," Sioufas told the signing ceremony.

Sioufas thanked EIB vice-president Gerlando Genuardi for an excellent level of cooperation.

[11] Greek gov't does not intend to use securitization proceeds to boost budget

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

The state budgets for 2005 and 2006 have no provision for securitization proceeds, the announcement said.

Eurostat, with a letter sent to Greece's National Statistics Service on Thursday, said that according to existing EU regulations, the securitization of outstanding debt to the public sector was considered budget proceeds. "The conclusions of a working group on securitization plans, set up by Eurostat in October 2005, are in progress," the letter said.

[12] Eurostat accepts securitization proceeds as budget revenue

BRUSSELS, 4/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/M.Spinthourakis)

Amelia Torres reported that Eurostat had informed the National Statistics Service of Greece of its decision in a letter.

"Eurostat...believes that it is in line with Community rules to enter as revenue in a state budget the proceeds from securitization of debt to the state," Torres said.

The letter was sent on Thursday, she added.

In earlier statements, Torres, asked whether Eurostat has reached a decision on securitization plans said the EU executive's has set up an ad hoc working group and was examining the issue since October 2005. Torres, however, did not exclude a report, in principle, by Eurostat on Greece's securitization plan, although she reiterated that the issue was in progress and that the statistics agency could not make any official announcements.

The Commission spokeswoman said a Fiscal Commission would have to issue an opinion on Eurostat's conclusions.

[13] Gov't announces plan to build a new airport in Heraclion, Crete

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

The plan, budgeted at around 1.1 billion euros, is expected to be completed in 8-10 years. The new airport at Kasteli, will be build in joint venture with private companies and will contribute effectively in the developing of the region of the country's economy in general, Liapis said.

The two ministers visited the "N.Kazantzakis" airport in Heraclion and were briefed by airport authorities over the problems facing the airport. Later on they visited the site of the new airport in Kasteli.

Speaking to reporters, Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis said the project would substantially contribute in the economic growth of Crete.

Liapis said the government was creating the necessary environment to attract new investments and to create new job positions in the region. "I have already ordered the Civil Aviation Agency to proceed with all preparatory actions for drafting a survey on the project," he told reporters.

The Greek minister said the ministry has earmarked 2.1 billion euros for projects to upgrade and modernize the country's regional airports. Liapis said the new airport in Heraclion Crete would have a runway with a length of 3 km, a two-direction ILS, parking slots for 44 aircraft and a terminal able to service 5,000 passengers in peak times.

[14] FinMin, Athens Mayor agree on funding of Votanikos project

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Speaking to reporters, Alogoskoufis said the meeting agreed on final decisions of the number of infrastructure projects needed to the remodeling of Votanikos area.

Bakoyannis said the project was the largest remodeling project undertaken by the municipality of Athens.

Panathinaikos FC, one of Greece's largest soccer clubs, has agreed with the Mayor of Athens on a plan to build its new soccer stadium in the Votanikos area.

[15] Gov't sets priority on opening markets

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

"Today, a wide range in most goods and services is distributed in the Greek market. At the same time there are also markets where monopolies and near-monopolies exist," Papathanassiou told a conference held by the ministry on a European consumer strategy for 2007-2013.

[16] Health Commissioner Kyprianou says 'EU's budget for consumer protection reduced'

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Speaking at an event organized by the Development Ministry on the theme "Strategy for the Consumer 2007-2013", Kyprianou said that the "budget's reduction is regarded certain, a fact which will create dilemmas for the policies which must be abandoned, given that all the countries have not reached a high level of protection for their consumers."

Kyprianou also said that the EU is negotiating with third countries so as to minimize the problems in imported goods. He said of particular interest is the case of China "given that 50 per cent of toys in the EU are from the specific country and that 80 per cent of the EU's imports are from China."

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas, on his part, said that "Greece's legislation for the protection of the consumer will be completed by June." Sioufas added that "for a fully organized system of checks in the market to be formed, emphasis is given on the intensification of checks and the forming of a guide for all the inspection apparatuses for improving the system's capability to react, where and whenever a problem arises."

Sioufas further noted:"The cost of protection from faulty or dangerous products is less than the damage caused by the problem and the cost for their withdrawal from the market. The minister stressed "the importance for all the member-states to join forces in the battle for the protection of the consumer."

[17] EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas addresses international conference on refuse

4/2/2006 (ANA)

Dimas said that in Greece compliance with the requirements of EU legislation on managing refuse is probably the main problem, adding that over half of the open cases regarding Greece's infringements concern refuse management.

The Commissioner further pointed out that despite the fact that Greece has improved its performances in past years "structural problems remain:failure to enact and implement suitable planning in time, the lack of infrastructures, the inadequate utilization of EU funding and the delay in carrying out decisions have brought the country to an unfavorable position."

Referring to the management of household refuse, Dimas said that the production of refuse by each inhabitant in Greece increased by 40 percent between 1995 and 2003 (compared to the EU average of 19 percent).

[18] Organic farming doubled in 2005

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Addressing a seminar held by the organic quality assurance firm in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Sgouros also noted that organic farming was spanning a wider geographical area and more varieties of crop were being employed.

"The growth of organic farming in Greece has been very rapid," he told the seminar, which was held as part of the Agrotica trade fair.

[19] Court allows tender for undersea tunnel to go ahead

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

The court rejected restraining orders sought by firms involved in the tender's first phase.

At the same time, the court also ruled for a change in consortiums that would take part in the second phase.

Barred from the second round were Bouyues TP-ASF with Alte and Volker Stevin, and Trans Port Thessaloniki. Leaving the first round was Poseidon.

Remaining in round two are Thermaiki Odos with Thermaikos Tunnel.

[20] PASOK expresses support for bank workers' union

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

Speaking after a meeting between PASOK officials, the bank workers' union OTOE and the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), she stressed that this was a direct attack on the working regime and labor rights by a sector that was already making massive profits.

"This is the sector with the biggest profits in Greece at this time," she underlined, stressing that PASOK will support OTOE in its struggle.

OTOE president Dimitris Tsoukalas said that OTOE's struggle was really a struggle to protect the rights of all Greek workers.

"The blow they are now trying to deliver to OTOE concerns all workers, because of sector agreements as they have been made since 1930 until now collapse, then it is certain that the Middle Ages and a jungle in labor relations will ensue," he claimed.

[21] Greek mutual funds' assets up 1.1 pct in January

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

A report by the Association of Institutional Investors showed that combined Funds of Funds (52.2 pct), equity Funds of Funds (46.7 pct), and domestic equity funds (16.2 pct) recorded the biggest percentage increase in assets, while the domestic money market fund (7.5 pct), domestic bond (5.7 pct) and foreign bond (4.6 pct) recorded the biggest monthly declines.

The Funds of Funds category also recoded increased market shares in January, while foreign bond funds, domestic bond and money market funds recorded declines in their market share.

The domestic equity fund category recorded the highest percentage gain in monthly returns in January (9.38 pct), exceeding an 8.57 pct rise of the composite index in the Athens Stock Exchange.

[22] Building activity sharply up in November, yr/yr

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

NSS, in its regular report, said a total of 9,535 building permits were issued in November, up from 7,200 in the same period in 2004.

Building activity in the private sector rose by 32.4 pct in permits and by 55.4 pct in volume in November, while its was up 6.9 pct and 14.8 pct in the January-November period, respectively.

[23] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks decline in late selling

ATHENS, 4/2/2006 (ANA)

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 0.46% down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 0.20% higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 0.52% down.

Of stocks traded, declines led advances at 162 to 124 with 38 remaining unchanged.

On a weekly basis, the general index gained 2.27%.

Stock Futures: