Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM visits EKAB headquarters

[02] Papandreou chairs Coordinating Committee

[03] Testimonies on Zachopoulos affair

[04] Olympiakos fan killed

[05] Greek Cup results

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM visits EKAB headquarters

Karamanlis said that the next Centre will be opened in Thessaloniki, while health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos elaborated that the target was to open up new centres in Thessaloniki and Patras in the next year, and in the remaining five administrative Peripheries of the country by the end of 2009.

Thus, he said, a network of direct communication among all the Centres will be established, aimed at the best possible coordination of the health services in the event of major disasters and crises, such as in the case of a pandemic, for example.

Karamanlis, accompanied by the health minister, visited the Centre in the morning, where he was briefed by Centre director Professor Panos Efstathiou.

The premier observed an EKAB report to the Centre on a direct link. There were 75 EKAB ambulances, 10 EKAB mobile units and three EKAB motorcyles on the streets at the time, while an airlift of a patient by an EKAB helicopter was also underway at the time, with the Centre seeking a bed for the patient in an intensive care unit.

A meeting followed at the Centre, during which Karamanlis was briefed on the coordinating body's activities over the past year.

Asked what the next steps would be, Karamanlis was informed that the four-digit telephone number 1535 used to schedule patient appointments with doctors in hopsitals would be extended from the 40 hospitals currently in the system to all 132 of the country's public hospitals by Easter, thus cutting the current three-month waiting list for such appointments by half. It was pointed out to Karamanlis that making such an appointment in Britain required a five-month wait.

Avramopoulos said that the Centre, following its networking and expansion throuhout the entire country, would become one of the best and most reliable problem management systems not only in Europe but in the world.

Karamanlis said afterwards that many and important things have been achieved in the field of Health, but added that much remained to be done in order to meet the expectations and fair demands of the citizens.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Papandreou chairs Coordinating Committee

On Tuesday PASOK's spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis insisted that the revelations concerning former culture ministry general secretary Christos Zachopoulos had a strongly political hue and could not be dismissed as a sex scandal.

"PASOK told the Greek people frankly from the first that the Zachopoulos affair was a deeply political affair, a [New Democracy] affair and not a [sex scandal]. From the first moment we have asked the prime minister and the government to tell the whole truth," PASOK spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis said.

He also stressed that the latest round of, as yet unconfirmed, revelations concerning the head of the Special Audit Service (former economic crimes unit SDOE) Spyros Kladas and a ruling party MP demanded that the government state its position. Pointing out that Kladas had so far failed to make an official denial of the allegations, Ragoussis added that these would be a "foremost issue" if proved true.

"The country can no longer wallow in this mire, which for Greece's poor fortune is linked to the inner core of the prime minister's [circle]," he said, adding that PASOK MPs intended to table a question in Parliament on this issue later on Tuesday.

Asked if PASOK agreed with the allegations made by TV journalist Makis Triantafyllopoulos about Kladas, Ragoussis said the main opposition demanded that the government state its own position first and would then unveil its position depending on developments.

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

[03] Testimonies on Zachopoulos affair

An additional testimony was also made Thursday by Zachopoulos' wife, Persa.

Persa Zachopoulou was among the first witnesses that the examining magistrate had called when he took the case.

Zachopoulou refused to make any statements to the press after the conclusion of her testimony.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Christos Zachopoulos

[04] Olympiakos fan killed

The two victims, both Olympiakos Piraeus fans, had returned, together from a Greek Cup knockout match in which their team beat Panathinaikos Athens 4-0. They were with the 24-year-old's father, who left them at the cafeteria before returning home.

The victims' relatives accused four Panathinaikos fans -- three Greek citizens and an Albanian national from nearby Rafina -- as the perpetrators.

The four people named had earlier caused incidents at other cafeterias with Olympiakos fans.

The Northeastern Attica Security Police, which was investigating the case, told ANA-MPA that all possibilities were being examined, and a manhunt was launched for the perpetrators.

According to eye-witnesses, the perpetrators went to the cafe where the two victims and another Olympiakos fan were drinking coffee, and apparently knew each other because none of the individuals involved were wearing team emblems.

The cafeteria was closing up at that time, and the owner asked them not to cause any trouble in his cafe.

When the two groups went outside, the seven youths became embroiled in a clash, resulting in the stabbing of the two Olympiakos fans, who were rushed by ambulance to the Athens General State Hospital, where the 24-year-old succumbed to his wounds in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo showing Olympiakos fans

[05] Greek Cup results

Olympiakos' goals were scored by Lua Lua in the 6th minute, by Vassilis Torosidis in the 63rd, by Darko Kovacevic in the 66th and by Leonel Nuniez in the 80th.

The match was played at Piraeus' Karaiskaki Stadium. It was the second match played between the two arch-rivals in a space of four days. Last Sunday, Olympiakos Piraeus and Panathinaikos Athens drew 1-1 in Piraeus for the Greek Super League championship.

In another knock out match for the 5th round of the Greek Cup Atromitos won 1-0 Asteras Tripolis in Tripoli.

The Cup's programme will be concluded on Thursday with the match Iraklis Thessaloniki-Panionios that will be held in Thessaloniki.

Caption: ANA-MPA photo of Greek Cup soccer match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, in Piraeus, January 16, 2008./Spyros Pantazatos.

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The continuing testimonies on the Zachopoulos affair and the prospect of Zachopoulos testifying when his condition improves dominated headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Which reporter, which MP? -Zachopoulos serial continues- The side-effects - The new and old protagonists parade before the examining magistrate".

APOGEVMATINI: "Storm over the parliament - High-ranking PASOK MPs turned parliament topsy-turvey for two hours during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Cultural Affairs".

AVGHI: "Government hampers parliamentary investigation of Zachopoulos scandal- Public outcry of collusion and under-the-table money".

CHORA: "Internal affairs - Government circles claim that the mutual accusations being cast at 'Proto Thema' newspaper concern internal affairs of the newspaper".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Themos Anastasiadis (Proto Thema newspaper co-publisher) designated former Finance Minister (PASOK government) and leader of the now-defunct DIKKI party Dimitris Tsovolas as his attorney".

ELEFTHEROS: "Judges outraged over accusations that they cover up scandals after politicians' intervention".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Testimonies concerning Culture Ministry issues 'burn' Zachopoulos".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Cover-up operation continues - After the DVD courier ...government now also concealing (the name of) a parliament member".

ESTIA: "Reforms are the only way out -- The country must disengage itself from the nasty climate".

ETHNOS: "Former Culture Minister Petros Tatoulis' testimony 'burns' Zachopoulos on his management of the Third Community Support Framework funds handled by the Ministry".

KATHIMERINI: "Public life is in a dangerous quagmire - Gossip, rumours and inertia".

LOGOS:" 'Proto Thema' newspaper out of control".

NIKI: " The crisis out of control - Scandals 'black hole' widens".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Popular front against plutocracy".

TA NEA: "Burning triangle threatens Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) -Thriller with the parliament deputy".

TO VIMA: "New Democracy (ruling party) MPs' grumbling worries government.-Side-effects of Zachopoulos scandal".

VRADYNI: "New testimonies, fresh questions - Investigations digging deeper, expected to shed light soon on Zachopoulos affair".

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