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Wednesday, 4 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-11Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Bird flu: Presence of H5N1 virus confirmed in three dead wild swans in GreeceThe Agricultural Development and Foods Ministry in an announcement on Saturday regarding bird flu (avian influenza), said that "it was confirmed today by the relevant EU Reference Laboratory of London of the presence of the H5N1 virus in the three samples which were sent the day before yesterday of the dead swans which migrated to our country from our northern and eastern borders." The ministry said that "all the obligatory veterinary and precautionary health measures have already been taken in every region where a swan was found to be positive, in accordance with the already known to the relevant services, of the Greek and European Union legislation and no issue arises for additional measures to be taken."The announcement said "there is no cause for concern or panic." The ministry announcement further noted:"The foreseen and implemented measures by the relevant veterinary services of the prefectural local governments, in cooperation with the relevant EU authorities are the same, either in a case of H5 or H5N1, which concern, as in the present case, wild birds. Therefore, the issue does not arise for additional measures to be taken." ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. [02] Suspect case of bird flu on wild goose in SkyrosAgricultural Development and Foods Minister Evangelos Basiakos on Saturday revealed that Thessaloniki's National Veterinary Laboratory, which monitors bird flu (avian influenza), isolated, following tests, the H5 bird flu virus, in a sample from a wild goose on the island of Skyros. Basiakos said that in the course of the day, the sample will be sent to the EU's laboratory in London in order for tests to be made whether the existence or not of the H5N1 virus is ascertained.The Agricultural Development and Foods Ministry's services informed the relevant national and European Union authorities and all the foreseen measures from the national and EU legislation are being taken, while already the country's prefectural local governments have been notified of the European Commission's decision plan which formally is valid as of Saturday in the regions where the suspect cases of bird flu have been detected. ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. [03] Justice minister on phone-tapping scandalJustice Minister Anastasios Papaligouras on Saturday reffered to the mobile telphone-tapping case in Greece - which was brought to light on February 2 - and to this Monday's meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis for the strengthening of the legal framework in the sector of telephone conversations. Addressing the General Assembly of the Union of Administrative Judges, Papaligouras said that "the government confronted the issue with clarity and responsibility."He added that it was now up to "independent justice" to have its say "and we are all obliged to let it do its job unhindered." He said that " what was revealed from this national scandal is that the government was the first main target, that we need additional measures so as to assure that the citizen will be able to phone freely without being monitored." The justice minister further noted:"We must strengthen the institutional framework which protects him (the citizen) on the level of his personal rights. This is the meaning of the initiative which the prime minister is personally undertaking at Monday's meeting." ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. [04] SEB president: 'Phone-tappings intensify insecurity'Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) President Odysseas Kyriakopoulos said on Saturday that the revealing of phone-tapping of conversations "has intensified the insecurity of the business world." He said "business needs security, a predictable environment, certainty and the unfortunate story of the phone-tapping has intensified the insecurity which businesspersons feel in our country."Central Union of Chambers President George Kassimatis noted that "the businessperson has nothing to fear, but our country's image is not that which it should be and there must be a forecast for the future." Athens Commercial and Industrial Chamber President Dr. Fountoukakos added that the phone-tappings "neither benefit the economic or the political environment," concluding that "the businessperson wants a stable climate." ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. [05] Sioufas on 'We listen to businesses'Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas had a meeting in Athens on Saturday with the country's presidents of chambers and business associations who said that the greatest problems which the business world faces is with local government and the lack of town planning. The presidents' first meeting with the Development Ministry's leadership had as its theme:"We listen to businesses. Development action: Evaluations, proposals, prospects".The position voiced was that the national reforms plan had deficiencies and that what was required was immediate reaction to maintain Greece at a high rate of growth. Sioufas said that a similar meeting was planned with representatives of local government so as to simplify bureaucratic procedures. "The state will institutionalise the legislative framework," said Sioufas in reply to Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) President Odysseas Kyriakopoulos who said that "the national reforms plan has deficiencies, a fact which has also been repeatedly noted in European Union reports." Kyriakopoulos added that what was needed was "immediate action and committment by the state with a specific timeframe for the elimination of pending matters." ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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