Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-10-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] New PM Papandreou sworn in

[02] First candidacy for ND leadership announced

[03] Change of faces in new parliament

[04] Greek Superleague results

[05] Áthens Newspaper Headlines

[01] New PM Papandreou sworn in

Papandreou was sworn in by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, in the presence of President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

The new prime minister immediately afterwards headed to the Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) for the official handover from outgoing New Democracy (ND) premier Costas Karamanlis.

Papandreou is due on Tuesday afternoon to announce the composition of his Cabinet, which will be sworn in on Wednesday morning.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of elect Prime Minister George Papandreou

[02] First candidacy for ND leadership announced

Psomiadis, the first to announce candidacy for the post, made the announcement on a morning news magazine program on private television.

He said he was "taking a front seat" and contesting the ND leadership, but left open the prospect of eventually backing some other "major" candidacy that would convince him it represents "the platform of the broad center-right" wing.

"I am taking a front seat in this common effort, together with other worthy, capable cadres...I am taking a front seat and declaring myself 'present' for the large, victorious center-right wing. If, however, some other candidacy convinces me that it credibly expresses an ideological platform, the ideological identity of the center-right sphere, then I have no problem of backing it," Psomiadis said.

He also urged that "we must all work towards a single candidacy".

[03] Change of faces in new parliament

Of the 96 seats (in the 300-member parliament) that changed 'occupant', 74 now belong to MPs elected for the first time, and the remaining 22 to deputies who had served in past parliaments but had not been elected in the preceding general elections in 2007, or who had resigned from parliament to contest European Parliament elections.

From the former ruling New Democracy (ND) party, a large number of prominent cadres were left out of the new parliament, such as ND party secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, former ministers George Alogoskoufis, Fani Palli-Petralia, Chrisos Folias Antonis Bezas, Evangelos Basiakos, Yiannis Valynakis and Theodoros Kassimis, the late ND founder and statesman Constantine Karamanlis' brother Achilleas, former ND parliamentary group secretary Apostolos Stavrou, former parliament vice-president George Sourlas.

[04] Greek Superleague results

In other action:

Panthrakikos Komotini-Aris Thessaloniki 1-1

PAS Yiannina-Kavala 2-1

Asteras Tripoli-Ergotelis Crete 2-4

Panionios Athens-Atromitos Athens 2-1

PAOK Thessaloniki-Iraklis Thessaloniki 1-0

Standings after six weeks of play:

1. Panathinaikos 18 points

2. Olympiakos 16

3. Ergotelis 11

4. Asteras 11

5. Aris 11

6. Kavala 10

7. PAS Yiannina 9

8. PAOK 9

9. AEK 7

10. Iraklis 7

11. Xanthi 7

12. Panionios 5

13. Levadiakos 4

14. Larissa 3

15. Atromitos 2

16. Panthrakikos 1

Caption: Highlight from the match Panathinaikos - Larissa for the Greek Superleague on Monday 5 October at the Athens Olympic Stadium. ANA-MPA/ George Mattheos

[05] Áthens Newspaper Headlines

Developments in New Democracy after the elections result, former Ministers George Alogoskoufis' and George Souflias' retirement from politics and speculations on the composition of the PASOK government, dominated the headlines on Tuesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "George Souflias resigned following the people's rage against him".

APOGEVMATINI: "Souflias and Alogoskoufis retire from politics".

AVGHI: "The party's over ...The names that will make up the new government to be announced on Tuesday".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Souflias could not withstand the pressure and the accusations for the crushing defeat".

ELEFTHEROS: "Karamanlis resigned but the guilty remain in their positions".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "After Karamanlis' resignation, Souflias abandons politics for good".

ESTIA: "The 'morning after' in New Democracy - Selection criteria for the new leader".

ETHNOS: "10 steps to changing the country's course - PASOK leader (and prime minister elect) first initiatives and proposals".

KATHIMERINI: "ND in introversion period".

LOGOS: "Smaller cabinet and new names - First priorities after the victory".

NIKI: "Cheaper money for all".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Stronger and more experienced in the organisation of the popular counter-attack".

TA NEA: "Reversals with younger members and more women - George's government will be small and flexible".

TO VIMA: "First vote of confidence - Positive reaction from Federation of Greek Industries, markets and international media".

VRADYNI: "Time for (former Interior Minister) Prokopis Pavlopoulos to resign".

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