Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-09-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM visits TIF, talks of 'new patriotism' after August fires

[01] PM visits TIF, talks of 'new patriotism' after August fires

Karamanlis promised that this new sense of social responsibility will be the rule in every aspect of public life. On relations between the state and citizens, he said that they would be relations of trust based on respect and dignity.

He underlined that the TIF had proved to be an important institution of international trade and economic life, which was adapting to the new conditions and highlighting Thessaloniki's role as an economic, commercial and cultural centre for the surrounding regions.

The 72d TIF followed hard upon the crisis of the fires in the Peloponnese and Evia and it was everyone's duty to contribute actively to the effort for the reconstruction of the burned areas, the prime minister added.

Karamanlis arrived at the TIF administrative building accompanied by his wife Natasha and was received by ministers, MPs, Thessaloniki Prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis, Thessaloniki Mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos and the presidents of TIF's two company Aristotelis Thomopoulos and Dimitris Bakatselos, who briefed the premier on the details of this year' s fair.

Thomopoulos said that the trade fair's organiser HELEXPO had increased its turnover by 40 percent in the first half of 2007 and that the 72nd TIF would be a celebration of international commerce, innovation and opportunities.

Bakatselos informed the premier that TIF SA had completed the business plan it had submitted in 2004 and stressed the need to create a new exhibition centre in Thessaloniki.

PM tours 72nd TIF

Karamanlis toured a number of pavilions at the trade fair immediately after his meetings with the management of the TIF's organisers HELEXPO SA and TIF SA.

Karamanlis went around the fair accompanied by ministers, stopping at the Thessaloniki Municipality pavilion, the fire brigade's pavilion and then those of the Hellenic Post Offices (ELTA), the sports secretariat, the development ministry, the police and the Thessaloniki prefecture, while he also passed in front of the pavilion set up by ATEBank.

During all his stops, he was briefed by the ministers in charge about the products on display and the activities of the organisations supervised or run by their ministry.

Caption: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis (centre) and his wife Natasha (right) toured the pavilions at the Thessaloniki International Fair shortly after its official opening on Saturday, 8 September 2007. Seen on the left is Thessaloniki Prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis. ANA-MPA/PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE/GOUILIELMOS ANTONIOU

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