Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-04-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greeks-"Righteous of Nations"-Israel

[02] Crete-Pakistani fighter jet-emergency landing

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates-Thursday

[04] Athens Conference Centre-Travel Firms

[05] Greece - Denmark - FMs meet

[06] Thessaloniki-Car Show

[07] Greece - Bulgaria - Visa-less travel

[08] Weather Forecast-Thursday

[09] ASE-close

[01] Greeks-"Righteous of Nations"-Israel

Twenty-three Greeks on Wednesday were awarded Israel's supreme honourary distinction, the title of "Righteous of Nations", for contributing with self-sacrifice and self-denial to the salvation of Jews persecuted by the Nazis during World War II.

The

ceremony was held at the residence of Israeli ambassador to Athens Ran Curiel.

The awards are part of events marking Thursday's Holocaust victims' memory day taking place all over the world.

In his address, Curiel thanked the honoured persons and acknowledged the help offered by the Greeks to the Jewish people.

"The perpetuation of the memory of the Holocaust will shield humanity from similar phenomena which are reappearing menacingly, such as racism and xenophobia," he said.

[02] Crete-Pakistani fighter jet-emergency landing

A Pakistani airforce fighter jet made an emergency landing at the Iraklion airport in Crete, on Wednesday, as its jet engine malfunctioned.

The French made "Mirage FIII" fighter jet was on its way from France to Pakistan and while over Crete the pilot requested permission for emergency landing at the civilian airport.

Along with the fighter jet, a second aircraft with a team of engineers, also landed.

Both planes departed once the engine was repaired.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates-Thursday

Thursday's buying rates

U.S. dollar 385.071

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 549.100

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.299

Swedish kroner 37.369

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 313.506

Swiss franc 221.151

Norwegian kroner 41.943

Cyprus pound 584.266

Canadian dollar 245.479

Australian dollar 191.228

[04] Athens Conference Centre-Travel Firms

The Association of Tourism and Travel Bureaus in Greece (HATTA) on Wednesday welcomed a plan by the government to build a conference centre for Athens.

In a letter to Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis, HATTA asked for extension of the deadline in a tender the government has called for the project.

The letter said the conference centre's location on the site of the old Hellenikon airport, which closed at the end of March, was suitable, although the building should also be designed to house events including trade fairs and arts performances.

[05] Greece - Denmark - FMs meet

EU expansion and the situation in the Balkans, along with the dire economic crisis plaguing neighbouring Turkey, dominated talks here on Wednesday between the Greek and Danish foreign ministers.

Danish FM Mogens Lykketoft later told reporters that Copenhagen was in favour of including as many candidate countries as possible in the Unions upcoming expansion, while noting that Denmark is keenly following Greeces efforts to bring Turkey closer to the principles laid out during the EU summit of Helsinki.

On his part, Greek FM George Papandreou added that Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue were discussed in the talks, as Denmark will precede Greece in assuming the rotating, six-month EU presidency during the latter half of 2002.

[06] Thessaloniki-Car Show

A four-day trade fair entitled Car & Motor Accessories and Hi Fi Show 2001 begins in Thessaloniki on Thursday.

The fair, organised by Promotion, will include a display of antique cars from the northern port city's Technical Museum as well as luxury and sports automobiles.

Among corporate promotions, Lotus' Elise model will make its Greek debut.

The event is to be held in the grounds of Thessaloniki's international trade fair.

[07] Greece - Bulgaria - Visa-less travel

SOFIA (ANA) Some 11,000 Bulgarian citizens visited Greece since April 10, the day when visa requirements were lifted for travel to Schengen Pact member-states, the Greek embassy here announced on Wednesday.

Conversely, 320 Bulgarian citizens were denied entrance, as computer checks revealed various past offences recorded in Schengen states.

Others blocked from entering Greece included minors who did not have the written approval of both parents to travel abroad, as required by provisions, as well as individuals that authorities deemed as ?likely to engage in illegal employment? within Greece or another Schengen Pact member.

?The free passage of Bulgarian citizens without visas in no way translates into a right to work in Schengen Pact states,? an embassy release noted in response to several local press reports.

?The exercise of artistic or business activities, seasonal employment and international transports (TIR) still necessitate the approval of relevant Greek authorities and the granting of visas by Greek consulates,? the embassy release further emphasised.

[08] Weather Forecast-Thursday

Scattered cloud is forecast throughout the country on Thursday, possibly turning to light rain in the northern Ionian, Epirus and Macedonia. Winds variable, light to moderate. Temperatures in the north will range from 5C to 22C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 8C to 24C; and in the Aegean islands from 11C to 21C. Scattered cloud in Athens, with temperatures between 10C and 23C. Same in Thessaloniki with limited visibility in the morning. Temperatures from 7C to 20C.

[09] ASE-close

Strong buying interest for blue chip stocks combined with an improved turnover and a positive climate in international markets, pushed Greek equities sharply higher on Monday with the general index breaking the 3,300 resistance level to end at the highest levels since January 3, 2001.

Traders said activity, by domestic and foreign institutional investors, focused on blue chip stocks included in the MSCI Greece index ahead of an official decision to upgrade the Athens Stock Exchange into a mature market in May.

The telecoms index led the rally with Panafon (8.52%), Hellenic Telecoms (4.39%) and Cosmote (3.84%) scoring the biggest gains, followed by banks (Piraeus Bank +4.37%, Alpha Bank +4.03%, Commercial Bank +4.02% and National Bank +3.46%).

The general index ended at 3,316.17 points, up 4.10 percent, with turnover an improved 284.78 million euros, or 97.04 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 4.14 percent higher at 1,947.46 points, and the FTSE/ASE 20 index rose 2.85 percent to end at 381.39 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended at 330.88 points, up 2.16 percent.

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