Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-10-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Deputy French foreign minister to Athens

[02] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections (ADDS 2)

[03] Greek armed forces chief to Cyprus next week

[04] One Greek injured, another feared missing in Bali blast

[05] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections (ADDS)

[06] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Monday

[01] Deputy French foreign minister to Athens

Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to meet visiting French Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Noelle Lenoir, on Monday.

Lenoir will also hold talks later in the day with Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Yiannitsis.

[02] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections (ADDS 2)

Greeks voted in local elections on Sunday to elect mayors and prefects around the country.

Early projections are expected shortly after polls close at 1900 hours.

Registered are about 9.8 million voters. An estimated

3,500 nationals of European Union countries residing in Greece also have the right to cast their ballot.

A second round of voting may be held next Sunday if winning candidates fail to receive 50 percent of ballots plus one vote, as required by law.

Casting his ballot in Athens was Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who underlined the growing importance of local authorities in handling issues involving the quality of life.

Voting in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, main opposition New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis also cited the quality of day-to-day life as a key issue.

In Athens, around 450 taxis and 137 mini-buses were assigned to transport the elderly and handicapped to the ballot box.

Storms and heavy rain in most parts of the country on Saturday hindered voters who travelled to the provinces to vote there the following day. Traffic congestion was reported on several national highways.

During a storm on Saturday night, a northern village school building collapsed that was to have been used as a voting centre. A warden managed to rescue the ballot box before the ceiling caved in.

[03] Greek armed forces chief to Cyprus next week

NICOSIA (ANA/G.Leonidas) - Greece's chief of the armed forces general staff, Georgios Antonakopoulos, is to pay a three-day visit to Cyprus beginning on Tuesday.

On his agenda in the island republic are talks with President Glafcos Clerides and Defence Minister Socrates Hasikos.

[04] One Greek injured, another feared missing in Bali blast

One Greek was injured in a weekend bomb blast that killed at least 182 on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali, and another was feared missing, foreign ministry officials said on Sunday.

Identified as injured and receiving hospital treatment was Ioannis Kaligas of Crete, the officials said.

The name of a Greek reported missing was witheld as it was unclear whether the person in question was present in the area of the explosion, the officials added.

A consular envoy from the Greek embassy in Jakarta has been sent to Bali to report on the attack and its aftermath, they said.

[05] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections (ADDS)

Greeks voted in local elections on Sunday to elect mayors and prefects around the country.

Early projections are expected shortly after polls close at 1900 hours.

Registered are about 9.8 million voters. An estimated

3,500 nationals of European Union countries residing in Greece also have the right to cast their ballot.

A second round of voting may be held next Sunday if winning candidates fail to receive 50 percent of ballots plus one vote, as required by law.

Casting his vote in Athens was Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who underlined the growing importance of local authorities in handling issues involving the quality of life.

In Athens, around 450 taxis and 137 mini-buses were assigned to transport the elderly and handicapped to the ballot box.

Storms and heavy rain in most parts of the country on Saturday hindered voters who left for the provinces to vote there the following day. Traffic congestion was reported on several national highways.

[06] Greeks vote in nationwide local elections

Greeks voted in local polls on Sunday to elect mayors and prefects around the country.

A second round of voting may be held on the same day a week later if

winning candidates fail to receive 50 percent of ballots plus one vote, as required by law.

Athens, the country's largest municipality, set up telephone and internet help lines for members of the public unsure where to vote; and around 450 taxis and 137 mini-buses were assigned to transport the elderly and handicapped to the ballot box.

Storms and heavy rain in most parts of the country on Saturday hindered voters who left for the provinces to vote there the following day, and traffic congestion was reported on several national highways.

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Monday

Cloud often turning to rain and storms are forecast in all parts of the country, with the east and south expected to see the worst of the weather. Conditions will improve by the end of the day. Winds variable, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 12C to 20C; in the west from 14C to 23C; and in the rest of the country from 15C to 24C. Temperatures in Athens between 17C and 22C; and in Thessaloniki from 14C to 19C.

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