Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] House president expresses New Year's wishes

[02] Sports minister hopes for violence-free stadiums

[01] House president expresses New Year's wishes

In her message, Psarouda-Benaki also makes reference to issues affecting most societies throughout the world, such as unemployment, economic recession, environmental damage and violation of human rights.

For these issues to be addressed, a common strategy and cooperation are necessary, she stressed.

The battle must be won first on a European level, she added.

"The efforts to create a European Constitutional Treaty failed at the initial stage, but the struggle for a strong Europe with a common strategy on key issues continues," Psarouda-Benaki noted.

Referring specifically to Greece, Psarouda-Benaki emphasised the importance of Greece's role, particularly with the EU accession and candidacy of Balkan countries.

According to Psarouda-Benaki, Greece must capitalise on its position and advantages not only to benefit itself but the region in general.

"It is our duty to support democracy and to protect its true expression which is parliament," she said.

The Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party reiterated that it will continue to fight for a better future for the country and its citizens, in a message it issued on Thursday ahead of the New Year.

"Solidarity and social struggles, anti-war movements and resistance to neo-liberal globalisation is the path that we, as the Left, have chosen so that hope for peace, humaneness, life and rights in our times can exist," the message said.

[02] Sports minister hopes for violence-free stadiums

"We hope that 2006 will be a decisive year. It will contribute effectively in allowing society to win the battle; for sports fans who genuinely love sports to be back in the stadiums," Orfanos said.

He also referred to a relevant ministerial decision which calls for the recording of ticket buyers' names.

Reviewing 2005, Orfanos said that progress had been made in terms of better organisation and the creation of new sports infrastructure, but admitted that more needs to be done.

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