Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-06-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM calls for party unity to pull PASOK out of the doldrums

[02] Turkish warplanes violate Greek airspace

[03] Athens public transport workers to strike June 18

[04] Seamen to launch rolling strikes from June 19

[05] EU proposes rule to make feta cheese exclusively Greek

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

[08] Greek stocks end 2.31 percent lower on Friday

[01] PM calls for party unity to pull PASOK out of the doldrums

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Friday called for unity to overcome the general malaise and infighting that have dogged ruling PASOK in recent months, while addressing a meeting of the party's Central Committee to prepare for a PASOK conference on July 5-6.

He said the party, which has been flagging in the latest opinion polls, was capable of leading the country with safety and stability into the future and could give substance to the vision of convergence with the European Union, which would bring palpable change to the lives of ordinary people once it had been achieved in all areas.

The prime minister stressed that the government ruled according to a plan and that the results of its work were not seen from one Sunday to the next nor from one opinion poll to the next but came at their own time as this plan was implemented.

Simitis then called for an end to the 'vicious circle' of internal bickering and jockeying for position within the ruling party, which presented an outward image of division and sent mixed messages to the public.

Stressing that the voters disliked a party that appeared divided and preoccupied with itself, Simitis underlined the need to highlight political problems as opposed to petty party-politics and to focus on issues that concerned society.

Turning to the upcoming local government polls, the prime minister said the crucial factors in the electoral race in each region would be the ideas, proposals and work of the candidates.

He then appealed to all 'progressive citizens' to rally around the party in the municipal and prefectural elections, so that local government could ''contribute to transparency, modernisation, development and convergence.''

He slammed main opposition New Democracy for what he called its lack of policies for local government, which it covered by a storm of negative criticism, and said that local authorities with a right-wing leadership had failed to meet their responsibilities.

''All [ND] can offer is its thirst for power and an obsession with holding office,'' he said.

[02] Turkish warplanes violate Greek airspace

A total of 25 Turkish warplanes infringed air traffic rules in the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) on Friday, while the infringements developed into violations of national airspace in the regions of the northern and southeastern Aegean.

According to reports, the Turkish warplanes were identified and intercepted in all cases by Greek aircraft and in three cases the interception process turned into an engagement.

[03] Athens public transport workers to strike June 18

Workers on Athens buses and the old metro line are to stage a 24-hour strike on Tuesday to protest against a government overhaul of the social insurance system.

The transport employees are joining a strike called by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece and the civil servants union against the government pensions bill, currently being debated in parliament.

On Wednesday, staff on the old Piraeus to Kifissia metro line will stage a walkout from 1300 to 1700.

Also taking part in Tuesday's strike are civil aviation workers. Disruption of flights is expected.

[04] Seamen to launch rolling strikes from June 19

Seamen are to launch rolling 48-hour strikes beginning on June 19, the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation said on Friday.

The strike call is for seamen on all categories of ships to press for a signed agreement with Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis on social insurance coverage, and the creation of a sector unemployment fund.

[05] EU proposes rule to make feta cheese exclusively Greek

BRUSSELS (ANA/M.Spinthourakis) - Greece, which has been producing feta for over 6,000 years, will gain the right to exclusivity over its traditional sheep and goats milk cheese under the terms of a proposal by the European Union's executive Commission released on Friday.

The recommendation the Commission will make to EU ministers is that feta cheese should received geographical protection status, eliminating production elsewhere.

''Protection of geographical names is key to promoting quality produce and increasing transparency. Feta cheese should not be an exception,'' EU Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler told reporters.

Under the proposal, the production of feta will be limited to certain areas in Greece, and strict product specifications must be followed.

Greece has been trying for eight years to attain geographical name protection for its traditional cheese.

EU ministers have up to three months to issue a ruling. If no decision is made, the Commission's proposal automatically takes effect.

Manufacturers in other EU states, or Greek producers that fail to adhere to specifications, will have five years to halt production or change the name of the cheese they produce.

Feta cheese from other countries is usually made of cow's milk, using a different technology.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro until Monday

U.S. dollar 0.955

Pound sterling 0.647

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.239

Japanese yen 118.6

Swiss franc 1.487

Norwegian kroner 7.474

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.476

Australian dollar 1.685

[07] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Saturday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with a little scattered cloud on the mainland from early evening. Winds north-northeasterly, light to very strong, turning gale force in parts of the central and southern Aegean. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 16C to 33C; on the rest of the mainland from 18C to 34C; and in the Aegean islands from 19C to 29C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 20C and 33C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 19C to 32C.

[08] Greek stocks end 2.31 percent lower on Friday

Greek stocks ended the last trading session of the week sharply lower, hit by a negative climate in international markets and by a new sharp fall in Hellenic Telecommunication Organisation's share price in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index ended 2.31 percent lower at 2,225 points, with turnover a hefty 772 million euros, reflecting the transfer of a block trade in OTE's shares, worth 691.7 million euros.

OTE's share prices fell 2.83 percent to 16.50 euros equalling the price offer in the latest sale of a 8.0 percent equity stake to foreign and domestic institutional investors on Friday.

The Banks, Investment, Construction, IT and Telecommunications sector suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.78 percent, 2.75 percent, 2.65 percent, 2.09 percent and 2.04 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks dropped 2.40 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 1.71 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.64 percent down.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 296 to 40 with another 27 issues unchanged.

The general index ended the week with a net loss of 3.06 percent.

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