Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM briefed by education minister

[02] Restoration of Hagia Sophia

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM briefed by education minister

According to Stylianidis, a draft bill will be tabled in Parliament next week regarding the tenure process for thousands of teachers currently employed on a contract basis.

In response to a press question, the minister said the Greek government is awaiting a ruling by the European Court regarding the professional recognition of graduates of colleges affiliated with European higher education institutes. He added that the government is committed to tabling legislation making the country compatible with the EU standard, although this will not occur over the summer.

Stylianidis, a former deputy foreign minister, was also queried over an initiative to restore the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul as a place of worship, regardless of religious affiliation. He merely reminded that Greece continues to promote the need for protection of human rights, respect of religious freedom and the best possible preservation of cultural monuments.

[02] Restoration of Hagia Sophia

Spyrou, who heads the New Hampshire-headquartered Free Hagia Sophia Council of America, spoke to reporters from the European Parliament's liaison offices in Athens, where he said the letter towards Erdogan, requesting rehabilitation of the pre-eminent Christian Orthodox cathedral, was also communicated to Pope Benedict XVI, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, as the current chairman of the EU Council.

Among others, the group calls for the restoration of the cathedral into a place of worship for all religions.

The organisation also unveiled a series of photographs taken inside the Hagia Sophia, which today serves as a top museum and tourist attraction in Istanbul, depicting what it called improper art and fashion exhibitions as well as art bazaars and even "happenings".

"It is a shame, in the civilised world of 2008, for Hagia Sophia to be transformed into a sanctuary for vermin, pigeon-feeding and as an exhibition hall for cheap art and products," Spyrou, a former head of the Democratic Party in New Hampshire and one-time gubernatorial candidate in that state, stressed.

Caption: Turkish policemen walk through downtown Istanbul and in front of the Hagia Sophia, in a file photo dated Monday, 27 November 2006, ahead of a visit at the time by Pope Benedict XVI. ANA-MPA/ EPA / KERIM OKTEN

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Crime statistics, the government's planned measures to alleviate the repercussions of the economic crisis on the weaker financial brackets, and main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou's letters to premier Costas Karamanlis and parliament president Dimitris Sioufas on the Siemens scandal were the main front-page items in Friday's newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "MPs free to express their opinions - One step forward for the government".

APOGEVMATINI: "Papandreou seeks 'mercy' - Letter to premier on confronting corruption phenomena".

AVGHI: "Alavanos (SYRIZA parliamentary group leader): The Siemens scandal is not the exception - Greece reminiscent of Yeltsin's Russia".

AVRIANI: "The Patriot (missiles) exploded in Geneva, as prosecutor summons the middle-man in the acquisition of the Rusian arms weapons system Vlassis Kampouroglou, for questioning".

CHORA: "The Simitis (PASOK former prime minister) gang mired in the scandals - Pavlopoulos (interior minister) volleys in parliament over the iniquitous period".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Criminality changing face - 'Explosion' in robberies, break-ins and fraud - Povery and living conditions 'boosting' crime, experts say".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "This is the dilemma, Mr. Prime Minister - Papandreou letter to Karamanlis - Alavanos proposals for transparency".

ESTIA: "Rapid growth in Eastern Europe - Recession tendencies in the older members of the EU".

ETHNOS: "Robbers without...cops - Dramatic rise in everyday crimes".

KATHIMERINI: "Dangerous escalation of tension with Iran - New arms testing by Tehran - Barrak (Obama, US presidential candidate): Israel is not hesitating".

LOGOS: "Package of measures for the low incomes - Governmental initiatives on the horizon".

NIKI: "They (government) crushed the Greeks - The government's economic policy is catastrophic".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Professional illnesses plaguing workers, but are not recorded anywhere".

TA NEA: "Crime rate reaches record highs, while increasingly fewer culprits are brought to justice".

TO VIMA: "Benefits by the droplet - The 'black hole' (in the economy) binds the government's hands - Marathon Karamanlis-Alogoskoufis (economy and finance minister) meeting yesterday (Thursday) on the economy".

VRADYNI: "Far-reaching projects for the fire-stricken farmers - 1 billion euros in interventions announced by (agricultural development minister) Kontos".

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