Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-02-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] Five illegals detained by coast guard

[02] KKE to take initiative for an 'int'l communist pole'

[03] ND sec't refers to PASOK, Papandreou in touching on ongoing corruption furors

[04] Greek FinMin unveils new legislation to combat capital market abuse

[05] Central gov't debt down Dec vs Sept 2004

[06] Road fatalities between 2002-04 near 5,000

[07] Municipality of Athens' forum for employment and entrepreneurship opens Thursday

[01] Five illegals detained by coast guard

Three foreign nationals detained in Lesvos after being found without travel documents reportedly told authorities they were ferried over to the eastern Aegean island from the opposite Turkish coast.

In Patras, two foreign nationals were intercepted as they attempted to board an Italy-bound ferry boat with fake travel documents.

[02] KKE to take initiative for an 'int'l communist pole'

According to a relevant decision taken at the party's recent 17th congress and published on Sunday, with the initiative concerning Communist parties around the world which ''are close to each other in their ideological and political positions, defend Marxism-Leninism and the contribution of socialsm as we have known it, as well as the necessity for the struggle of socialism.''

In the decision it is also noted that the formation of the communist pole and the ''common action and cooperation between communist parties will give a new impetus in the effort to build a strong international anti-imperialist movement.''

[03] ND sec't refers to PASOK, Papandreou in touching on ongoing corruption furors

"Mr. Papandreou feels that he is losing the opinion polls, and ahead of PASOKâs congress he's searching for guilty parties," Meimarakis said from Messinia prefecture over the weekend.

"How did such phenomena arise? Who had the government's reins? Wasn't he (Papandreou) the foreign minister?" Meimarakis asked.

Moreover, he said the government backs Archbishop Christodoulos' recently announced initiative to "clean up" the Church.

PASOK reaction

In response, PASOK spokesman Nikos Athanassakis charged that ND "is again relying on its known method of distraction to transfer the issue to PASOK."

[04] Greek FinMin unveils new legislation to combat capital market abuse

Presenting the draft legislation to reporters, Alogoskoufis said its aim was to create a modern, effective and operational regulatory framework for the country's capital market, adopting community laws into Greek legislation.

An innovation in the new regulatory framework is that securities firms will notify Greece's Capital Markets Commission of suspicions that investors' breached market regulation due to insider trading or manipulation of the market.

Alogoskoufis said the draft law aimed to combat the use of "privileged" information and not "confidential" information.

The Greek minister noted that the bill was part of wider legislation aimed to promote restructuring and support of the capital market and would be followed by another draft bill setting preconditions for listing and trading in the market, enhancing the independence of Capital Markets Commission, reviewing a regulatory framework on investment funds, and reforming regulation on the liquidation of securities firms.

[05] Central gov't debt down Dec vs Sept 2004

Of the total debt, 81.6% was in the form of fixed-interest loans and 18.4% floating interest loans, the statement said.

Of the total, 98.8% of the debt was in euros, and 1.2% in currencies from outside the eurozone, it added.

[06] Road fatalities between 2002-04 near 5,000

According to ESYE, road fatalities in 2004 numbered 1,619, only marginally up from 1,615 in 2003. In 2002, 1,654 traffic deaths were recorded.

The appalling figure totals 4,888 road fatalities over the three-year period.

As far as December 2004 is concerned, the last month for which figures are available, 134 traffic deaths were reported, along with 198 serious injuries in a total of 1,386 accidents.

The same figures for December 2003 were 119 deaths, 162 seriously injured individuals in 1,171 accidents.

[07] Municipality of Athens' forum for employment and entrepreneurship opens Thursday

On Monday, Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis presented the objectives and programme of the Forum, during a press conference held at Town Hall. The aim of the forum, in which many companies and public organisations participate, is to inform citizens on labour market, employment and entrepreneurship issues. It is open to the public, particularly to those looking for a job or interested in starting their own business, but also to firms and organisations that want to promote their activities and are looking to hire personnel.

Bakoyannis said she was pleased that she, together with the other organisers of the forum, managed to establish it as an institution for the City of Athens.

She emphasised that the forum brings together companies from the private sector, public organisations and job candidates, encouraging direct dialogue, open communication, and an exchange of ideas. "It also gives visitors the chance to participate in work groups, to speak with human resources directors, and to participate in interviews, as well as to obtain informatioon from public organisations on national and European programmes which support employment and entrepreneurship," she added.

The mayor also emphasised the importance of local government in labour-related issues, saying: "Local government is the institution which is closer to the citizens. It is the government level which knows better the everyday problems and the particular needs of each local community."

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