Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-07-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM, finmin discuss economic policy for announcement in Sept

[02] Amendment to up national cell phone capacity tabled in view of 2004

[03] OWHC symposium to take place in Rhodes in September

[04] Gov't takes potato wholesaler to court for profiteering

[05] PM, finmin discuss economic policy for announcement in Sept

[06] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Tuesday

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

[08] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks end down, depressed by markets abroad

[01] PM, finmin discuss economic policy for announcement in Sept

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Monday met Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis for talks on economic policy in 2004, which is due to be announced at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair in early September.

Simitis is to outline the means of achieving closer economic alignment with the European Union in policy that will carry a strong social and development angle, the finance minister told reporters.

In addition, policy will aim to align the country's regions more closely with each other, he said.

[02] Amendment to up national cell phone capacity tabled in view of 2004

Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis on Monday tabled an amendment in Parliament that aims to increase the country's mobile telephony capacity in order to avoid network overload during the Olympic Games in 2004.

Added to a bill for the Greek Post Offices, the amendment allows the town planning department to approve the installation of new mobile phone antennae, the temporary operation of vehicle-mounted mobile phone antennae and temporary assignment of wavelength to various kinds of wireless connections.

[03] OWHC symposium to take place in Rhodes in September

The Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) 7th international symposium will take place in the medieval city on the island of Rhodes between Sept. 23 and 26, under the auspices of UNESCO and the International Center for the Study, the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property.

Technocrats and scientists will participate in the symposium along with mayors and other political representatives of cities participating in the OWHC. Some 110 lectures were submitted to date.

[04] Gov't takes potato wholesaler to court for profiteering

The government has taken court action against a potato wholesaler in the capital's central fruit and vegetable market for overpricing his wares, development ministry sources said on Monday.

The wholesaler, who was reportedly selling imported potatoes at 30 percent above market prices, was to hear charges before a public prosecutor in the case brought by the development ministry, the sources said.

In addition, a number of street-market sellers and producers are to be fined for overpricing, they added.

Also on Monday, Deputy Development Minister Kimon Koulouris met representatives of a fruit and vegetable wholesalers' trade group in the market, who pledged that their members would contain prices, although only 9.0 percent of trade passed through the central market.

The government has launched a campaign to crack down on profiteering following a barrage of complaints from consumer groups and members of the public since introduction of the euro in Greece.

[05] PM, finmin discuss economic policy for announcement in Sept

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Monday met Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis for talks on economic policy in 2004, which is due to be announced at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair in early September.

Simitis is to outline the means of achieving closer economic alignment with the European Union in policy that will carry a strong social and development angle, the finance minister told reporters.

In addition, policy will aim to align the country's regions more closely with each other, he said.

''This (economic) roadmap will include specific commitments on employment, participation and social policy,'' he added.

Replying to a reporter's question, Christodoulakis acknowleged that high prices for consumer goods were a problem in certain sectors.

''That is why we are systematically working to boost competition among products, which will be sold on the basis of production cost and a reasonable profit, without profiteering,'' the minister noted.

''We are also employing policies to increase both market controls and information for consumers, so that we can uproot these phenomena wherever they appear,'' he added.

[06] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Tuesday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country. Winds northerly, light to very strong, likely to turn gale force in parts of the Aegean. In the north and west, temperatures will range from 17C to 35C; on the rest of the mainland from 19C to 34C; and in the islands from 23C to 31C. Temperatures in Athens between 24C and 33C; and in Thessaloniki from 21C to 33C.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.137

Pound sterling 0.714

Danish kroner 7.494

Swedish kroner 9.350

Japanese yen 134.9

Swiss franc 1.550

Norwegian kroner 8.424

Cyprus pound 0.592

Canadian dollar 1.601

Australian dollar 1.755

[08] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks end down, depressed by markets abroad

The Athens bourse finished lower on Monday with a downturn on markets in Europe reversing an early rise and attracting profit takers, traders said.

The general share index shed 0.60 percent to end at 2,073.01 points. Turnover was 192.7 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.83 percent down; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.07 percent lower; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 1.26 percent.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 174 to 164 with 33 issues remaining unchanged.

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