Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Interview: Auditors Court chief

[02] Papariga press conference

[03] Amnesty International exhibition

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Interview: Auditors Court chief

He also said that the new authorities of the Court of Auditors, which is a supreme administrative court as well as an administrative organ, included audit of the programmes financed by the European Union, as well as auditing of the state subsidies to Sports Clubs.

Kourtis explained that the differences resolved by the Court of Auditors are clearly set out in Article 98 of the Constitution, a major category of which concerned differences arising from the audit of accountable entities, namely entities who are liable to render accounts, that manage public revenues, as to whether the public revenues were channelled in accordance with their destination.

Other issues handled by the Court of Auditors concerned disputes over the veracity of the "source of wealth" statements submitted by MPs and other public officials, and disputes arising from audits of public contracts of large financial value, elaborating that the cases all had to do with the public sector.

He said the Court of Auditors also monitors some 10,700 legal entities, namely approximately 1,400 Public Law Legal Entities, in addition to the Local Government Organisations and about 8,200 legal entitites dependent on the Local Government Organisations.

Kourtis said that the Court of Auditors further provides consultory rulings on all draft laws which regulate the bestowal of pensions by the State, adding that, if the ruling is not taken into account, this creates invalidity of the law.

He said that the Court of Auditors also has another privilege emanating from the Constitution, which was to provide consultory responses on financially-related questions submitted by ministers, adding that no other court in Greece had such an authority.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Court of Auditors president George Kourtis

[02] Papariga press conference

On Tuesday, Papariga met with port workers and stated her opposition to the privatisation of the country's two largest ports, those of Piraeus and Thessaloniki.

Replying to a press question about high-ranking SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) member Alexis Tsipras' proposal to collaborate with the KKE, Papariga said that KKE is a party that doesn't play games with such issues.

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of Aleka Papariga

[03] Amnesty International exhibition

Passengers and visitors to the airport will be able to learn about the organisation's actions and campaigns. The exhibition will present 30 new works by Greek graphic artists who, with their talent and expressiveness, are inspired by the vision, targets, and the ideals of the global movement for human rights.

In staging this exhibition, the Athens airport hopes to contribute to the organisation's work.

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of International Athens airport

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The questions about the mysterious reporter who handed over the Zachopoulos DVD to PM's office, and the increase in oil prices and how it will affect the Greek economy dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Major drug addiction problem in Greece".

APOGEVMATINI: "8,248 hirings in public sector".

AVGHI: "Government persists on concealing who handed over the Zachopoulos DVD despite public opinion's pressure"

AVRIANI: "Raid being prepared on suspects', involved in Zachopoulos affair, residences, offices and bank accounts".

CHORA: "Government threatens to clamp down on profiteers".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Government determined to stop profiteers".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The vise closing for the reporter 'phantom' in Zachopoulos affair".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: " Government hiding behind Andrianos (PM's press office director) - Government insists that PM was unaware of the existence of the DVD"

ESTIA: "Itās a mistake to change the electoral law".

ETHNOS: " Unprecedented protection measures in Intensive Care Unit where Zachopoulos remains".

KATHIMERINI: " UN report on climate change a disgrace for Greece - Experts say Greece miscalculated greenhouse gas emissions for base year 1990".

LOGOS: "Government safari against profiteering - High cost of living and inflation troubles government".

NIKI: "Warning bell sounds for (main opposition PASOK leader George) Papandreou - PASOK is not taking advantage of Karamanlis' deterioration (of his public image)".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Wages and pensions sufficient to meet the public's real needs".

TA NEA: "Zachopoulos belies Maximos Mansion (PM's office) - What he confided to a close friend".

TO VIMA: "Turmoil and fear in ruling party New Democracy over Zachopoulos affair".

VRADYNI: "Profiteers in the target sights - Government action to halt price increases".

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