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Wednesday, 4 December 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-05-05Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM: Perpetrators will be found, tried(ANA-MPA) -- Political leaders expressed their shock and condolences on Wednesday in the wake of a bank torching in central Athens that left three bank employees dead, as news of the abhorrent attack found Parliament in session to debate the latest round of government-announced austerity measures -- the reason unions were holding street protests outside the legislature.Tensions were heightened inside Parliament as well, especially after verbal sparring between Communist Party (KKE) deputies and MPs from the opposite side of the aisle, namely, from Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) party. Prime Minister George Papandreou referred directly to a murderous attack, while promising that "the perpetrators will be located and will stand trial." Moreover, the Greek premier called on all Parliament-represented parties to unequivocally condemn the violence and "not to hide behind the decisions to save the country, which the government was forced to take, because otherwise the country would be led to bankruptcy." (ANA-MPA) [02] ND leader: Critical moments for Greece(ANA-MPA) -- Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras stressed on Wednesday that the country is going through "critical moments", while he also expressed his grief and condolences for the innocent victims of "fanaticism and random violence".Samaras made the statement in the wake of a bank torching in central Athens that claimed the lives of three bank employees during demonstrations, as parliament was in session to debate the government's new austerity measures that the unions were protesting against. (ANA-MPA) "... As a Parliamentary democracy we must, jointly, raise our voice and declare that there is room for disagreement and protests but not violence ... We are the guarantors of normality, the country has gone through worst times, and we must remain calm," Samaras added. (ANA-MPA) [03] 12 arrests reported in AthensTwelve people were arrested and 28 taken in for questioning by police in connection with the violence earlier on Wednesday that broke out during unions' protests against the government's austerity measures, while 29 police officers were injured.A downtown branch of Marfin Egnatia Bank was torched earlier in the day, claiming the lives of three bank employees who were trapped in the building and died of smoke inhalation. The three victims were identified as two women -- Paraskevi Zoulia, 35, and Angeliki Papathanassopoulou, 32 -- and a man, Epaminondas Tsakalis, 36. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |