Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-02-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] Traffic chaos, problems as strikes continue

[02] International exhbition on 20th century Nobel Prizes

[03] Parcel bomb intercepted

[04] Egypt evacuees land in Athens

[05] Plan to preserve jobs

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines 

[01] Traffic chaos, problems as strikes continue

Workers in the Athens metro defied a court order to end their strike, which had been declared illegal in a ruling on Monday, picketing key stations to ensure the strike was not broken.

The only public transport running on Wednesday were the tram and Proastiakos railway line, producing gridlock on all major Athens roads.

Public transport staff accuse the transport ministry of not conducting true dialogue on the proposed reforms and stressed that they were also fighting against an excessive increase in fares, which jumped from 28 to 80 percent as of February 1. The breakdown in talks ensued when the ministry went ahead and tabled the draft bill in Parliament, virtually unchanged, while talks with the unions were still continuing.

The government has so far proved reluctant to resort to civil mobilisation measures used to break strikes by lorry drivers and dock workers in the summer.

Apart from public transport staff, doctors in state hospitals and social insurance fund health centres are also escalating protest and strike action. Doctors were continuing an occupation of the health ministry on Wednesday in protest against proposed health sector reforms, while hospital doctors announced a last-minute 24-hour strike.

Social Insurance Foundation (IKA) doctors are also on strike until Friday, causing major disruption for IKA insured, while pharmacists intend to shut their pharmacies once again on Friday and next Monday.

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[02] International exhbition on 20th century Nobel Prizes

Described by international media as "a unique opportunity for the global scientific and cultural projection of Greece", the exhibition is organised in the context of the 2011 International Year of Chemistry.(ANA-MPA)

Rare objects of research, unpublished documents, photographs, diaries, books and other items from Alfred Nobelâs (1833-1896) Chemistry Products Factory in the Italian town of Avigliana will be presented for the first time in Greece (at the National Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens) and in Italy (Avigliana municipality, Turin, on the 150th anniversary of the Republic of Italy 1861-2011).(ANA-MPA)

All the items of both Exhibitions belong to the Museum of the Hellenic Nobel Collection, the result of 20 years of methodical work and research throughout the world.(ANA-MPA)

A rare Collection of precision scales used by Alfred Nobel in Avigliana for his chemistry experiments (1870-1895), the invention of dynamite (1866) and tens of other patents, will be on display for the first time, and only in Athens.(ANA-MPA)

Also on display, in both exhibitions, is a unique collection of photographs from the Avigliana laboratory, which belonged to the personal collection of the German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941), later a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Museum of the Hellenic Nobel Collection discovered Kaiser Wilhelmâs II photography Collection in Argentina and acquired it in 2000.(ANA-MPA)

On display for the first time to the Greek public are:

1) Stamps: Special editions and commemorative envelopes of postal services on Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Chemistry laureates of the 20th century.(ANA-MPA)

2) Rare commemorative medals of Alfred Nobel and the 20th century Nobel Chemistry laureates.(ANA-MPA)

3) Research objects from Alfred Nobelâs laboratory at the Avigliana factory.(ANA-MPA)

4) Original British patents and explanatory drawings, color and black & white lithographs of Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Chemistry laureates of the 20th century.(ANA-MPA)

5) Rare photographs with the signature of the Nobel Chemistry laureates of the 20th century.(ANA-MPA)

The exhibition is prologued by 12 Nobel Chemistry laureates, and will be on display through March 12.(ANA-MPA)

Caption: A first-day circulation envelope with a commemorative stamp honoring Alfred Nobel issued by the postal service of Italy. (ANA-MPA/Museum of the Hellenic Nobel Collection)

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[03] Parcel bomb intercepted

The parcel aroused the suspicions of ministry staff, who took it outside the building and called the police. Upon inspection by bomb disposal experts, it was found to be a makeshift bomb.

According to police sources, the mechanism used was similar to that of the parcel bombs sent to embassies and other targets in November. Two people are now in custody for the spate of parcel bombs sent in November but so far there is no information on whether there are any links between those and the bomb intercepted on Wednesday.

The case has been assigned to the Greek Police counter-terrorism service.

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[04] Egypt evacuees land in Athens

The three planes had flown to Alexandria on Tuesday morning to pick up the Greeks wishing to leave the country following the upheaval in the country in recent days.

The aircraft had taken off from the Elefsina military airport on Tuesday morning, one of them carrying deputy foreign minister for overseas Greeks affairs Dimitris Dollis, who went out on the first plane in order to coordinate the evacuation.

"I believe that the matter will have been organised by the time we arrive there. We have arranged things in the best possible way, but naturally in a fluid situation one cannot everything to go perfectly. The anxiety is for our people who are having a tough time. For us, it is relatively easy to go get them. We are trying to do is to allay their fear," Dollis said.

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[05] Plan to preserve jobs

Labour & Social Insurances Minister Louka Katseli presented the proposal,which primarily aims to combat unemployment by subsidising entrepreneurship. Another goal is to extend the tourism season in the country, thereby boosting tourism sector-related businesses.

Additionally, the initiative envisions greater incentives to preserve existing jobs spots in areas with high unemployment.

In later statements, Papandreou appeared optimistic over the economic prospects of both Greece and Europe, adding that Athens reversed the perception of "Greece being the only problem of Europe to now being an active part of the solution".

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[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Strikes and the ensuing gridlock, demonstrations in Egypt but also market optimism over developments concerning Greece's debt were the main front-page items in Athens' dailies on Wednesday.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Wage cuts with individual contracts and the dilemma 'dismissal or new labour relations'".

AVGHI: "PASOK - ND preparing 4th Reich Constitution"

AVRIANI: "Greece will not avoid default".

CITY PRESS: "Egyptian domino".

DEMOKRATIA: "Medicines being brought from Israel"

ELEFTHEROS: "Mammoth field of natural gas between Greece, Cyprus"

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "[Labour Minister Louka Katseli] torpedos [Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou]".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Chaos for the duration" (article on strikes in February).

ESTIA: "At an impasse due to strikes".

ETHNOS: "Directive for mass closures of schools".

IMERISSIA: "Spreads falling, ASE rallies. Markets certain of solution for debt".

KATHIMERINI: "They're insisting on strikes".

LOGOS: "Day two of traffic chaos".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Greek scenario brings profits to bonds and shares".

NIKI: "Abolition of 13th and 14th wages in the private sector".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Public transport: Prohibition of strike illegal".

TA NEA: "Greek-madness! Judicial coup by Council of State for migrants vote".

VRADYNI: "Chaos. Purgatory for commuters, IKA insured, patients and students".

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