Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] North Rhine-Westphalia FinMin Borjans' exclusive statement to ANA-MPA

[02] Helicopter pilot foils hijack attempt, part of an escape plan for convicted terrorist

[03] 1,130 refugees arrive at Piraeus port on Tuesday

[04] Afghan refugees transferred to Athens from Idomeni

[05] Tsipras' meeting with ministers on refugee issue ended

[01] North Rhine-Westphalia FinMin Borjans' exclusive statement to ANA-MPA

"I can only repeat what I said during my visit to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and to deputy ministers Tryfon Alexiadis and Dimitris Papangelopoulos last month: In 2012 I repeatedly offered cooperation to the representatives of the Greek government. (...) There was no interest from the then government - in contrast to the current government - although German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble had clearly expressed his support to such a cooperation. But it lies within each government to decide whether or not to accept such a cooperation," North Rhine-Westphalia Finance Minister Norbert Walter-Borjans stated.

[02] Helicopter pilot foils hijack attempt, part of an escape plan for convicted terrorist

In 2013, Maziotis was convicted in absentia to 50 years in prison for setting up the now-defunct Revolutionary Struggle terrorist group, simple complicity in attempted murder, and a series of attacks claimed by group. He had been on the run since 2012 and was arrested in July 2014.

According to the anti-terrorist squad, the helicopter was leased by a woman who has since been identified by the pilot as Maziotis' wife, Pola Roupa, at the municipality of Ermionida, in the Argolis regional unit of the Peloponnese on Sunday, and was supposed to fly to the island of Kythnos after picking up six more passengers.

Describing the incident in an announcement, anti-terror police said that the helicopter was near Athens, when the woman pulled out a gun and told the pilot to redirect the aircraft towards the city. The pilot immediately tried to disarm the woman which caused him to lose control of the helicopter and start to lose altitude. During the struggle, the woman shot him three times without injuring him. Instead, the bullets pierced the instruments. Amazingly, the pilot managed to land the helicopter at an uninhabited mountainous area near the town of Thiva. The woman immediately opened the door and run away.

Anti-terror police found Roupa's gun in the helicopter, along with a wig and more objects from which police are expecting to collect DNA data.

[03] 1,130 refugees arrive at Piraeus port on Tuesday

Another ferry "Diagoras" with 10 refugees will dock at Piraeus within the day.

[04] Afghan refugees transferred to Athens from Idomeni

The place where the refugees will be hosted in Athens will be decided a few while before their arrival to the Greek capital and, said Migration Ministry sources.

Currently, the refugees hospitality centers at Eleonas, Elliniko and Schisto are full, however, the Afghans will be sent to the centers depending on the vacancies after the departures that will take place on Tuesday.

[05] Tsipras' meeting with ministers on refugee issue ended

The meeting was attended by the relevant ministers.

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