Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-06-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Environment Day messages

[02] 'Liberty Ship' comes to Greece

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Environment Day messages

In a message on the occasion of World Environment Day on Thursday, he said "this demands the consolidation of an environmental and cultural conscience, individually and collectively, as well as the activation of society in its entirety. It demands a new way of thinking."

According to the Greek president, the struggle for the environment's protection also "demands that we place the interest of future generations above the short-term cost of our immediate action. It demands that we place the interests of those we possess nothing above the interests of those who possess so much. It demands vigilance and continuous struggle: a struggle for the right to the environment."

Other messages

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Wednesday issued a message in view of Thursday's World Environment Day.

Thirty six years after the establishment of June 5th as World Environment Day by the United Nations, "the reality which is appearing on the Planet with regard climatic changes, the greenhouse effect, the reserves of natural resources, and the laying in waste, is an enormous threat for mankind. All recognize the need for there to be an immediate world mobilization to overcome, even now, this catastrophic course. Because the effective protection of the environment and the securing of viable conditions for the next generations does not constitute a problem which one country or a group of countries can confront by itself," Pavlopoulos said.

Education Minister Evripidis Stylianidis said in a message that the participation of all in the overall mobilisation to save the environment is imperative, adding that the key-sense in this collective awakening effort is "education", because "everything is a matter of education."

The minister further said that "education on the environment and sustainable growth is considered one of the most effective tools today to build personalities with friendly attitudes towards the environment and to develop capabilities among our young people to enable them to influence social options in the direction of sustainable growth."

In a message on the same issue, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos said that "the natural environment is none other than the home of God in which he placed man for him to live and manage the material products that he is providing for him. In order for him to enjoy these products, he must live a spiritual life."

The Archbishop went on to say that "we must think that we must behave towards the environment as Orthodox Christians and responsible citizens. Speaking usually about the environment, we mean our fellow man, the family, friends, society."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo

[02] 'Liberty Ship' comes to Greece

The top US maritime official, Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton, signed a memorandum of understanding for the transfer of the vessel with Merchant Marine Minister George Voulgarakis, in the presence of US ambassador to Greece Daniel Speckhard.

Also present at the signing ceremony was Rhode Island State Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, a prominent Greek-American who championed the ?Liberty Ship? project. In addition, several Greek officials and ship-owners who have played vital roles in advancing the project were recognised, including Deputy Minister Panos Kammenos, Spyros Polemis and Vassilis Konstantakopoulos.

Caption: Merchant Marine Minister George Voulgarakis speaks at Posidonia 2008 exhibition. ANA-MPA/Geoge Christakis

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The World Environment Day celebrations, the high cost of living and the government's draft law to ease the situation dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Benefits and retroactive payment, as of 1.1.2008 for 140,000 families with 3 children and over".

APOGEVMATINI: "25 university professors in captivity for 10 hours - 40 leftist students went too far in Thessaloniki ".

AVGHI: "Radical change of policy, new development model - To save the enviroment".

AVRIANI: "Large companies and supermarkets cut prices - Following Development Minister's warning".

CHORA: "Fires were lit in Brussels - The poverty plague takes on huge dimensions".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "(Popular actor Nikos) Sergianopoulos was found murdered in his house in Athens".

ELEFTHEROS: "(Former Education Minister Marietta) Giannakou states: Members from inside the party undermined me".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Nuclear dump in Athens - Roughly 10 million tons of nuclear dust in the industrial park of Schisto, ajacent to Athens".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "World Enviroment Day: Hope sought".

ESTIA : "Why (French President Nikolas) Sarkozy's proposal on reduction of fuel taxes was rejected".

ETHNOS : "Scenes of perversion in Universitiies - Professors were held hostage for 10 hours by university students' group in Thessaloniki".

KATHIMERINI: "Macedonia University defeated the depravity with daring - The 'hostage' rector and University Congress enforced the law".

LOGOS: "Express measures for the weaker citizen - Government's action against high cost of living".

NIKI: "High cost of living is a black hole for ruling party New Democracy (ND) - Government uses tricks to tackle it".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist party of Greece (KKE) Political Bureau announcement on high cost of living: Immediate points for the relief of the working class".

TA NEA: "Alarm over the lost water - Reserves will be reduced to half in two years' time".

TO VIMA: "The enigma called Obana - What black candidate for the White House promises".

VRADYNI: "Universities in captivity - New round of uprises in Macedonia University in Thessaloniki".

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