Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-12-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou addresses prosecutors' assembly

[02] Egyptian President Mubarak to visit Athens

[03] LA.OS leader adamant over FYROM 'name issue'

[04] AEK, Olympiakos victories on Sunday

[01] Papandreou addresses prosecutors' assembly

In his address, the minister stressed that "the weakening of the state corrodes citizens' respect for the law. At the same time, their (citizens) willingness to abide by the primary (state) institutions diminishes in the face of new institutions. These new institutions are often implemented with the fanaticism of a convert. I refer here, in particular, to the otherwise useful independent authorities, such as the Personal Data Protection Authority. This independent authority, in applying its policy, outflanked the rights of other unprotected citizens, and of course, often violated social rights, in attempting to bypass our institutional state system," the minister said, adding:

"The justice ministry's effectiveness is based on specific pillars, specifically in the acceleration in the administration of justice, increasing human resources in all sectors of justice, securing dignified conditions in detention centres, and respect of the personal but also the social rights of citizens. At the same time, I feel the need to declare yet again that we trust the justice system."

On his part, main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou mainly criticised the current government.

"The evaluation of the New Democracy government in the sector of justice is not at all positive. And there are crucial questions, which have been raised for our democracy, such as the issue of the intervention of justice, the major structured bonds scandal, about which we have not yet learnt the truth, and whether the guilty parties will be punished, as well as what happened with the Zorbas report; why is the prime minister is afraid and does not want, even in Parliament, to discuss it.

"The downgrading of the independent authorities, the intense partisan manipulation of public administration by non-transparent partisan systems and, of course, the lack of meritorious hiring in the public sector..."

Responding to Papandreou, Hatzigakis said that as long as long as he has been at the helm of the ministry, "there have been no interventions in justice," adding that "we honor the work of the justice system and we safeguard it in order for it to operate as an independent institution."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of main opposition leader George Papandreou.

[02] Egyptian President Mubarak to visit Athens

On Monday afternoon, the Egyptian president will attend a symposium organised by the Friends of the Library of Alexandria.

On Tuesday, he will meet with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and attend a reception hosted by the premier in his honor. A meeting with main opposition PASOK party president George Papandreou is also scheduled.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian president will address a Greek-Egyptian economic forum and meet with Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

Caption: File photo of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. ANA-MPA/EPA/Khaled El Fiqi.

[03] LA.OS leader adamant over FYROM 'name issue'

Specifically, referring to the re-surfaced FYROM 'name issue', Karatzaferis, a former Euro-MP, reiterated that the neighboring northern state should not use the title "Republic of Macedonia ... because, firstly, Macedonia is Greek, and secondly, it's debatable as to how much of a republic it really is."

He also expressed his satisfaction that the Greek government is discussing the possibility of vetoing the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) course towards NATO accession, while demanding a referendum on FYROM's Euro-Atlantic prospects and not the customary ratification by Greece's Parliament.

Moreover, he said time is working in favor of Athens and not in Skopje's favor, citing fluid developments over Kosovo.

Finally, he referred to some 187,000 ethnic Greeks, as he said, in land-locked FYROM that need Athens' protection.

In an unrelated issue, Karatzaferis referred to a pending visit this week to Greece of Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, as well as the latter's tour of the northeast Thrace province, saying that Athens has continually made concessions to Ankara without getting anything in return.

Along those lines, he called on Greek leadership to follow the example of French President Nicholas Sarkozy.

Caption: LA.OS party leader and founder George Karatzaferis addresses his party's central committee in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007. ANA-MPA / A. SIANNIS.

[04] AEK, Olympiakos victories on Sunday

AEK's sole goal came in the 82nd minute on an own-goal by the home side, as AEK revved up its engines in the second half, with Brazilian international Rivaldo leading the way.

The game, played at Thessaloniki's Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, was delayed for one hour during halftime when authorities ordered roughly 800 visiting AEK fans expelled from the venue due to the firing of flares in the first half.

In other action:

Panionios Athens - Iraklis Thessaloniki 1-1

Asteras Tripoli - PAOK Thessaloniki 2-0

Veria - Ergotelis Crete 1-1

OFI Crete - Larissa 0-0

Apollon Kalamaria - Levadiakos Livadia 2-0

Standings after 10 weeks of play:

AEK 24 points

Panathinaikos 21

Olympiakos 21

Asteras 18

Aris 16

Atromitos 16

Panionios 15

Iraklis 14

PAOK 13

Apollon 11

Levadiakos 10

Xanthi 9

Larissa 9

OFI 8

Veria 7

Ergotelis 6

Caption: AEK Athens striker Nikos Limberopoulos, in yellow, battles with Aris Thessalonik's Ronald Garcia Nacho during the Aris-AEK match on Sunday Dec. 2, 2007, which ended 0-1. ANA-MPA/ INTIME SPORTS/N. MAKRIS

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