Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-07-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Public order minister: We've dealt a powerful blow against terrorism

[02] Giotopoulos continues to maintain he is not a member of 'N17'

[03] PM, parties issue messages on democracy's restoration

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

[05] Weather Forecast: Mostly hot and sunny on Wednesday

[06] Selective demand leads ASE higher on Tuesday

[01] Public order minister: We've dealt a powerful blow against terrorism

The authorities had dealt a powerful blow against terrorism that amounted to a victory for democracy, Public Order Minister Mihalis Chrysohoidis said on Tuesday, in a press conference that outlined the progress made by police so far in cracking open the November 17 case.

Ten people had so far been caught in connection with N17's activities, he stressed, while another was being sought by the authorities. In the meantime, police were still sifting through the evidence to find clues pointing to the existence of yet more N17 members and their activities.

''Through systematic and methodical effort, with respect for the fundamental rights of Greek citizens, democratic legitimacy, the Constitution and the law we have dealt a severe blow to the terrorist organisation N17,'' he said, describing those now in custody as a ''significant portion of the organisation.''

He also underlined, however, that the investigation would continue in every direction until it was absolutely certain that all the guilty parties had been brought to justice.

''The investigation will go right to the end of the line,'' he stressed.

Chrysohoidis underlined, however, that the real victory against terrorism had been a moral victory won by the force of ideas.

Chrysohoidis described the group as a ''shadow of violence'' that spread doubts and attempted to usurp the will of the majority in Greece's hard-won democracy, which for the first time in the country's modern history was nearing three decades of uninterrupted operation.

The minister also referred to those who had struggled for the return of democracy under the 1967-1974 military junta in Greece, particularly to the student uprising that was crushed by the junta on the bloody night of November 17, when armed troops stormed the barricaded Athens polytechnic with tanks.

''I express the entire government when I say that no one can slander their struggles and sacrifices, their years in prison and exile, the years of their lives that were lost so that we can all live free today in democratic Greece.

[02] Giotopoulos continues to maintain he is not a member of 'N17'

Alexandros Giotopoulos, said to be a leading member of the ''November 17'' terrorist group, continued to maintain on Tuesday that he is not a member of the group.

He remained for more than one hour at the office of investigating magistrate Theoni Bouri on Tuesday.

Giotopoulos was among two other men accused of being members of the urban guerrila group to give testimony before the magistrate on Tuesday. The others were Vassilis Tzortzatos and Theologos Psaradellis. All three were imprisoned after giving testimony.

His lawyer Yiannis Rahiotis in a statement after his client's testimony said Giotopoulos ''of course denies the charges.''

Rahiotis said Giotopoulos declared that the charges were based on preliminary testimony given by others accused, which were ''lies''.

[03] PM, parties issue messages on democracy's restoration

Prime Minister Costas Simitis and political parties issued messages on Tuesday on the 28th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in the country following seven years of military dictatorship between 1967 and 1974.

Referring in his message to developments regarding the crackdown on terrorism, Simitis said ''the 28th anniversary of the restoration of democracy coincides with the heightening of the struggle to break up terrorism. Terrorism was the stigma and shame of the post-dictatorship period.''

Main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis said all should help to have the authorities' preparation, possibility and opportunity to put a final end to terrorism utilised to the full.

He added that all perpetrators, as well as their accomplices and leaders, should be detected and brought before justice and a complete breakup of terrorist organisations should be achieved, as well as the final ideological crushing of the phenomenon.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said in its message ''the quality of democracy being experienced by our people is judged by the presence and exercising of the terrorist policy of NATO, the United States and the European Union with the pretext of breaking up terrorism. It is judged by the government's frontal attack against the fundamental rights of working people. State violence and suppression are the order of the day'', adding that ''the case of 17N is being utilised to shield hypocritical democracy and deal a blow at the anti-imperialist and anti-monopoly struggle and the right of the people to select the path they want.''

The Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) said the breaking up of terrorism will rid the country's political system of acts poisoning public life.

''Our democracy, despite existing problems, is proving itself strong in this case as well and it will prove itself even stronger after this case is resolved completely,'' it said.

Democratic Social Movement (DHKKI) leader Dimitris Tsovolas said in his message ''due to vested interests, the sovereignty of the people has been replaced to a great degree by the sovereignty of big economic and publishing groups. The Greek people is treated with contempt, having to listen monotonously that their impoverishment is a so-called one-way path for the modernisation of the country and society.''

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Wednesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.998

Pound sterling 0.637

Danish kroner 7.492

Swedish kroner 9.540

Japanese yen 117.3

Swiss franc 1.466

Norwegian kroner 7.608

Cyprus pound 0.579

Canadian dollar 1.575

Australian dollar 1.837

[05] Weather Forecast: Mostly hot and sunny on Wednesday

Hot sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country. Showers and storms will break out in the northern Ionian, Epirus and western Macedonia overnight. Winds north-northwesterly, light. In the north, temperatures will range from 20C to 37C; on the rest of the mainland from 22C to 39C; and in the Aegean islands from 24C to 36C. Temperatures in Athens between 26C and 39C; and in Thessaloniki from 24 to 37C.

[06] Selective demand leads ASE higher on Tuesday

Selective buying for bank stocks offered support to the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday pushing the general index slightly higher after several sessions of declines.

The index rose 0.12 percent to end at 2,085.89 points with turnover an improved 109.9 million euros.

The Bank, Wholesale and Holding sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (0.75 percent, 0.74 percent and 0.66 percent, respectively), while the Insurance, Food-Beverage and Telecommunications sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses (1.25 percent, 0.99 percent and 0.97 percent).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.18 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.04 percent higher and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index eased 0.34 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 170 to 122 with another 68 issues unchanged.

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