Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM confers with health minister

[02] Bakoyannis visits Algeria

[03] Zachopoulos case testimony

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM confers with health minister

"We are on the brink of commencing -- within the coming two weeks -- an extensive reform and legislative work," Avramopoulos told reporters after the meeting.

Avrampoulos made particular reference to the primary healthcare bill, which would be tabled with the parliament's relevant committee, adding that "following the necessary preparations, everything is now on a good path".

Asked whether the ministry had received any warning of a prospective earthquake, Avramopoulos replied: "No, we have had no such warning. Besides, you tell me, since when did earthquakes give notice?".

To another question, he said that the National Health Operations Centre was constantly on alert for everything that could arise, whether a natural phenomonon or the management of matters that have to do with the public's health.

Questioned on the FYROM name issue, Avramopoulos, who has served as a career diplomat, said that "we are at a delicate stage", and urged "confidence in the Greek government with respect to its handling at this time".

"In no instance must we pressure our country into a state of 'Balkanisation'," he said, explaining that there were may be crisis spots in the wider region "but distant from Greece".

Greece, he continued, has achieved a high level of culture and democracy, and what was of foremost importance was to continue to formulate policies of national development and progress, to the benefit of not only Greece but also its neighbouring countries, highlighting Greece's stabilising role.

In that light, he added, the issues were being handled "with prudence and seriousness, and the most important of all is the fact that a spirit of understanding and unanimity has been forged, which is necessary at this time for the further steps," Avramopoulos added.

[02] Bakoyannis visits Algeria

In Algiers, Bakoyannis was joined by a high-level Greek business delegation led by foreign ministry general secretary Theodoros Skylakakis, which is the fore-runner of a larger business delegation due to visit Algeria before the end of the year to clarify possible areas of cooperation.

The Greek minister emerged from the presidential mansion accompanied by President Bouteflika - in a departure from protocol - and confirmed the excellent political climate between the two countries. She said her talks with the president had covered all regional issues and that they agreed to boost bilateral economic cooperation.

"Through their presence here, Greek businesses underline their active interest in such cooperation," Bakoyannis added, noting that it was a mutual goal to convert the Mediterranean into a "sea of cooperation and prosperity".

Prior to her meeting with the president, Bakoyannis had also been received by Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem and her Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci.

Shortly before departing for Tunis and the next stop on her tour, Bakoyannis attended a working dinner with the members of the Greek business delegation and five Algerian ministers, including Medelci, Finance Minister Karim Djoudi, Fisheries Minister Smail Mimoune, Transport Minister Mohamed Maghlaoui and Industry and Investments Minister Abdelhamid Temmar.

In a meeting on Monday between the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and members of the Greek business delegation, in which several industrial and professional associations of Greece are represented, the Algerian side expressed a desire for cooperation in the manufacturing sector, tourism, agriculture and the concrete industry.

According to Skylakakis, Algeria has high foreign exchange reserves derived mainly from energy and is now seeking to restructure and diversify its economy in order to reduce its dependence on energy as a source of income. It is also seeking to diversify foreign investments and sources of know-how, making this a favourable juncture for Greece to play an important economic as a friendly country in the Mediterranean that is also a member of the European Union and has expertise in these areas.

He revealed that the foreign ministry plans to open an Economic and Trade Affairs Bureau in Algiers within the current year.

The next and last stop on Bakoyannis' tour of the western Arab states will be in Tunis, where she will wrap up her three-day visit to the region on Wednesday afternoon.

Caption: Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis emerges from her meeting with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika at the presidential mansion in Algiers on Tuesday, February 26. ANA-MPA/Foreign ministry/Antonis Doukas

[03] Zachopoulos case testimony

The woman, who was brought before the magistrate at 9:00 on Monday from Korydallos prison under police guard, essentially the denied all the charges against her, which included attempted extortion, violating laws on personal data and participation in an attempted suicide.

Afterwards, her lawyer Costas Chrysikopoulos said that his client had suggested defence witnesses, presented arguments in her own defence, described her relationship with Zachopoulos and claimed that he had repeatedly promised her a permanent position in the ministry.

She also apparently described when, why and how she had taken a video of her illicit sexual encounters with the ministry secretary general, and given a detailed account of her two visits to media enterprises, claiming that the original material that she had recorded was a video tape and had been copied without her consent during her visit to the "Proto Thema" newspaper and her meeting with its owner Themos Anastasiades and the newspaper's journalist Ioannis Makrygiannis.

According to her lawyer, his client had "proved with a reliability that cannot be disputed that she neither produced nor disseminated the DVD that was included in the evidence," suggesting that justice turn its attention on the person who had supplied the DVD and whose actions, as he claimed, had such disastrous consequences for so many people.

She also filed for her immediate release from prison, where she is being held on remand.

Caption: The woman charged with blackmailing former culture ministry general secretary Christos Zachopoulos was transferred from Korydallos prison, where she was remanded into custody, and led before an examining magistrate to testify and answer the charges against her on Monday. ANA-MPA - Pantelis Saitas.

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The UN-brokered Greece-FYROM negotiations on the FYROM name issue, the planned social security reforms and trade unions' reactions, the uncovering of an alleged blackmail ring on the Internet, and Evi Tsekou's (culture ministry former contract employee and Zachopoulos associate) marathon 15-hour testimony before the examining magistrate on the blackmail attempt against Christos Zachopoulos, the former culture ministry secretary general who jumped off a 4th-floor balcony in a suicide attempt the day after his resignation from the pose, were the main front-page items in Tuesday's dailies.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "40-page deposition by Tsekou - She appeared before the examining magistrate with a 'new look' ", and admitted to having videotaped, herself, her intimate encounters with Zachopoulos.

APOGEVMATINI: "I'm the one who destroyed the original DVD, the 35-year-old woman testified - 15-hour deposition before special examining magistrate Dimitris Economou".

AVGHI: "European Commission: One in four Greek children facing risk of poverty - The social benefits simply 'aspirins' - The reinforcements do not reverse the situation".

AVRIANI: "'Prophecies' of 7 Richter earthquake case terror and hysteria among the public - The prosecutors must put a rein on all the...seismic-terrorists".

CHORA: "Salaries and pensions (increases) above the inflation rate expected to be announced early March by economy and finance minister Alogoskoufis".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Europe: After Kosovo, new 'states' will begin springing up like mushrooms".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Battles over the new ELAS (Greek Police) chief - Sweeping changes in Police at tomorrow's (Wednesday's) KYSEA (Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence) meeting or in the next few days at the latest", in the context of the annual promotions and retirements.

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "(Retirement) At 60 for 'heavy' professions - Social security reforms: Revision of the list (of heavy and hazardous professions) delaying".

ESTIA: "Return to the political issues a way out for the government".

ETHNOS: "War of generals in ELAS - Tough behind-the-scenes with the ministers' 'select' candidates".

KATHIMERINI: "Public life deluged by new 'serial' of charges - From the sex DVD to the 'yellow' blogs".

NIKI: "3.5 percent increases (in salaries and pensions) in the public sector - Austerity keeps down salaries and pensions".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Common front of action against the changes of borders and war - KKE (Communist Party of Greece) central committee event".

TA NEA: "Tsekou 'burns' the DVD courier - Marathon 15-hour deposition".

TO VIMA: "Lumpen information and blackmail on the Internet - To Vima reveals the murky ring of press-gr", adding that a dark ring of distorted information, via the Internet, came to light, implicating journalists.

VRADYNI: "The salary, pension increases in the public sector - Government's incomes policy to be unveiled in early March".

Caption: ANA-MPA file photograph of an Athens newspaper stand outside a kiosk.

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