Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-01-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM inaugurates new natgas refuelling station

[02] Patriarch visits hurricane-devastated Luisiana

[01] PM inaugurates new natgas refuelling station

The station, built and operated by DEPA, the Public Gas Corporation, is the largest of its kind in Europe and environment friendly, as its high-tech facilities ensure zero hydrocarbon emissions.

The project, which cost 4.9 million euros, was funded 25% by the European Regional Development Fund, another 25% through the Development Ministry's 'Competitiveness' operational programme, and 50% by DEPA.

The station has a capacity of refuelling up to 36 buses per hour, and a delivery capacity of 5,000 cubic meters of natural gas per hour.

Some 500 buses will be using the refuelling station at Anthoussa, while 415 will be refuelling at the Ano Liosia station.

Karamanlis said that, under the plan being examined, the replacement of the urban bus fleet would begin in the greater Athens are and Thessaloniki, and gradually spread to other cities throughout the country.

Also addressing the inauguration ceremony, development minister Dimitris Sioufas said that a study for extention of natural gas use to private cars would be completed by summer, while the prospect of purchasing natural gas-powered garbage pick-up trucks was also being examined.

Transport minister Michalis Liapis presented the programme for extention of the mass transport networks for 2006.

Karamanlis

In his address, premier Karamanlis said that his New Democracy government has paved the way for the deep-rooted changes and reforms required by modern-day Greece in the sctors of the economy, the State, health, and education.

He said the focal point was the new energy policy introduced by the government, which contains infrastructure works, liberalisation of the markets, and emphasis on more environmentally-friendly energy sources.

Karamanlis noted that long-pending issues concerning the construction of projects that would render Greece an energy hub -- such as the Burgas-Alexandropoulos oil pipeline, the Greece-Turkey and Greece-Italy natural gas pipelines, and the SE Europe energy community -- have been resolved in recent months.

Also, the institutional framework has been completed for the liberalisation of the electricity and natural gas markets, while an open tender was being prepared, with guarantees of full transparency, for the production of electricity by private concerns, he said.

The prime minister explained that opportunities for large-scale investments by Greek and foreign investments were being created, with the basic target being to reduce the country's oil dependence, the conservation of energy, and the adoption of more environmentally-friendly forms of energy.

He added that the framework for biofuel has already been instituted, while soon a new framework would be introduced aimed at boosting investments in renewable energy sources.

Regarding natural gas, Karamanlis said the process has commenced of upgrading DEPA's liquefied natural gas station in Revythousa, which would ensure the country's safe supply with natural gas, while the natural gas network was also being extended to 13 more prefectures.

Karamanlis also commended work in that area accomplished by the preceding governments, stressing that his government acknowledges all the positive work carried out in previous years.

[02] Patriarch visits hurricane-devastated Luisiana

Vartholomeos, accompanied by Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, visited the hurricane-devastated city of Luisiana, where he stopped at one of the city's main dams, which collapsed on the morning of August 30 from the force of the hurricane.

Vartholomeos and his entourage were greted by the local Catholic Bishop, city officials, and Greece's consul in Atlanta Lambros Kakisis.

In statements to the American media, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his support for the devastated people of New Orleans, and stressed the importance of protection of the environment with "specific and gold" measures.

"We must all develop a spirit of social justice and solidarity," he added.

The Ecumenical Patriarch then visited the Aghia Triada (Holy Trinity) Church, the first and oldest Greek Orthodox parish in the US, which was seriously damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and where he held a te deum for the victims of the hurricane, which was attended by the governor of Luisiana, the mayor of New Orleans, and Senators and Congressmen from the area.

Vartholomeos was due to return to Florida on Sunday to attend a concert by young Greek tenor Marios Fragoulis, accompanied by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Greek Orthodox Archbishopric of America's Youth Choir. The concert will be staged in honour of the Ecumenical Patriarch in the 10,000-seat Sun Dome stadium in Tampa.

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