Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-08-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Feast of the Assumption - Holiday

[02] Taiwan allows return of two Greek seamen after seven months

[03] Local government employees announce rolling strikes

[04] Foreign exchange rates - Wednesday

[01] Feast of the Assumption - Holiday

The Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin, one of the most venerated religious celebrations on the Greek Orthodox calendar, was observed across the country on Wednesday, with the Cyclades island of Tinos and the Panaghia (Virgin Mary) Soumela monastery in northern Greece attracting the 'lions share' of pilgrims.

Aug. 15 also marks Armed Forces Day in Greece and the 61st anniversary of the sinking of the cruiser ?Elli? in Tinos harbour by an Italian submarine, a tragic prelude to the countrys entry into World War II a few months later.

On his part, Greek President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos celebrated the Feast of the Dormition on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, satisfying, as he said, a long-held wish to spend the Aug. 15 religious holiday on the island.

In northern Greece, thousands of worshippers, mostly descendants of expatriate Greeks from the Pontus region of the southeastern Black Sea coast, congregated on the foothills of Mount Vermio at the Panaghia Soumela monastery.

[02] Taiwan allows return of two Greek seamen after seven months

After preventing their departure for seven months, authorities in Taiwan finally gave the green light for two Greek seamen to return home on Wednesday.

The two men were a captain and engineer of the Greek-flagged freighter "Amorgos" that had crashed onto a reef in Taiwan's waters on January 14.

Since then, Taiwanese officials have not allow them to leave in order to pressure shipowners "Hermes Maritime" to pay for the cost of an environmental cleanup for a large oil slick caused by fuel escaping from the ship.

[03] Local government employees announce rolling strikes

Rolling 24-hour strikes starting on Thursday and Friday were announced by the Panhellenic Federation of Staff in Local Government Organisations until its demands are met.

Local government workers, which include street-sweepers and rubbish collecting crews, are demanding a collective agreement for 2001, equal pay for permanent and temporary workers, productivity bonuses, increased lump sum payments on retirement and other demands.

Due to the strike, the public are requested not to take their rubbish down to the street to avoid creating sources of infestation.

[04] Foreign exchange rates - Wednesday

Indicative buying rates

U.S. dollar 376.935

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 535.526

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 45.414

Swedish kroner 36.697

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 307.175

Swiss franc 223.047

Norwegian kroner 041.896

Cyprus pound 589.003

Canadian dollar 244.914

Australian dollar 194.492

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