Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 05-06-24

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] GREECE ON STRIKE

[02] GREEK SUPPORT TO A UN SECRETARY-GENERAL INITIATIVE

[03] EARTHQUAKES IN SAMOS-EVIA CAUSE NO ALARM

[04] ARMED BANK ROBBERY

[01] GREECE ON STRIKE

The General Confederation of Labor Unions held a 24-hour strike today with the participation of public service companies, DEKO, while the public employees unions' association held a 4-hour work stoppage in the public sector.

The bank employees union, OTOE, decided unanimously to continue the strike on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Meanwhile, the strike caused serious problems to transportation.

In a statement issued yesterday by the General Confederation of Labor Unions is stressed that the labor unions and the workers will not allow the state to place the burden of 15 billion euros on the Social Security Fund, IKA, the poor and society in general favoring the banks and businesses.

Strike rallies will be held in Athens and Thessaloniki.

[02] GREEK SUPPORT TO A UN SECRETARY-GENERAL INITIATIVE

Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos reiterated Greece's support to the good services mission of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the belief that through careful planning progress can be achieved in the issue of Cyprus.

It has become obvious that all sides have a genuine will and are interested in the resumption of negotiations aimed at reaching a viable solution to the problem even though it appears that in terms of essence the distance between the positions adopted by the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots has become greater, stated Mr. Koumoutsakos.

[03] EARTHQUAKES IN SAMOS-EVIA CAUSE NO ALARM

Seismologists stated that the two earthquakes recorded in the eastern Aegean island of Samos and in Evia, central Greece, are no cause for alarm.

The first tremor measuring 4.8 was recorded at 01:45 today and its epicenter was located in the sea region 4 km northeast of Karlovasi in the island of Samos.

Another tremor measuring 4.2 was recorded at 06:47 and its epicenter was 40 km northeast of Athens in a region south of Aliveri in southern Evia.

No injuries or material damage were recorded to police in both cases.

Thessaloniki Aristotle University Geophysics Laboratory seismologist Manolis Skordilis stated to MPA that there is seismic activity recorded in the region after last week's earthquake in the Ionian Sea island of Zakynthos. However, this activity is within normal limits. There is no intense seismic activity anywhere in Greece and only isolated incidents are being recorded, stated Mr. Skordilis.

[04] ARMED BANK ROBBERY

The bank strike did not stop two armed robbers, who entered a Bank of Piraeus branch in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki operating on skeleton staff due to the on going bank strike and left with a considerable amount of money.

According to police, two hooded men holding guns attacked the bank employee working at the time and forced him to hand them the money. The two robbers left on foot and disappeared.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article