Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-04-28

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens reacts to Ankara decision over exploration licenses

[02] Two migrant smugglers arrested for torturing families of illegals

[03] Publisher arrested for court order violation; parties charge press freedom attack

[04] Cabinet approves 18-bln-euro support to four largest banks

[01] Athens reacts to Ankara decision over exploration licenses

[02] Two migrant smugglers arrested for torturing families of illegals

The case came to light following an investigation by police, resulting in two Iranians, aged 43 and 24, arrested, with warrants issued for other suspects.

The investigation commenced following pleas by several Iranian illegals, who claimed they were held against their will by several compatriots.www.amna.gr

Authorities said the illegals were transported from Iran, via Istanbul, to Greece with the promise of further transport to another European Union country for a fee of up to 36,000 euros.

Upon their arrival in Athens they were taken to a seedy apartment in the city centre, where they were kept against their will over a period of five months.amna

[03] Publisher arrested for court order violation; parties charge press freedom attack

Liatsos, the publisher of the weekly periodical "Friday 13", was arrested following a lawsuit filed against him by Elena Tzouli, the wife of MP Panos Kammenos, who recently formed his own political party after quitting New Democracy.

Kammenos and his wife have alleged that the weekly violated a court injunction preventing the newspaper from publishing Tzouli's name.

The name of the plaintiff appeared in the newspaper issue published on Friday.

Liatsos was later released in the evening.

Liatsos' arrest generated a reaction by the New Democracy and Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.O.S) parties. amna

ND party spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis accused Kammenos of "openly criminalising freedom of the press, information and the free exchange of ideas ."

He further charged that Kammenos "is attempting to intimidate journalists", stressing that it was unprecedented and unheard of for a political party leader to demand for the arrest and jailing of a journalist for an article in the latter's newspaper. www.amna.gr

LA.O.S' press office charged that the "arrest of journalist Emilios Liatsos, for the publication of an interview, seriously harms freedom of speech ... the repulsive methods of the decade of the 1980s can only be seen as revenge."

[04] Cabinet approves 18-bln-euro support to four largest banks

Under the plan, agreed by cabinet ministers, the four banks (National Bank, Alpha Bank, Eurobank and Piraeus Bank) will be offered funds worth 18 billion euros in the form of EFSF bonds. This capital will be used to allow banks to maintain access to the European Central Bank's funding operations. In a later stage, these capital will be replaced with common shares or convertible bonds, depending on the final decision of a bank recapitalization plan. amna

The final terms of the plan will be decided by the next government, along with decision over the future of two state banks (Hellenic Postbank and ATEbank), while banking sources said that a deadline over a recapitalization programme might be extended by December, instead of September. www.amna.gr

Greek authorities are currently working with the troika on technical aspects of a recapitalisation plan, which is expected to be unveiled after the May 6 general elections. amna

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article