In Brief
Inflation accelerates in April; ESYE appeals for restraint Greek consumer price inflation accelerated to 2.9 percent in April, year-on-year, from 2.7 percent in March, the National Statistics Service (ESYE) said. The acceleration was mainly due to rises of 1.3 percent from March in the categories of hotel-catering and transport, attributed to hikes in gasoline prices. Housing costs advanced 0.8 percent and other goods and services 0.6 percent. ESYE head Manolis Kontopyrakis said particular attention should be paid to hotel and catering prices in coming months so that the country does not receive adverse publicity during the Olympic year, and appealed to entrepreneurs to show restraint. He said on condition of such restraint, inflation was projected to be around 3 percent in May, due mainly to fuel prices. Kontopyrakis also announced that unemployment data will from now on be based on the 2001 census. To date, the 1991 census has been used. The April 2003 inflation figure was 3.4 percent. Traders shudder at rumored restoration of old taxation methods The National Confederation of Greek Commerce (ESEE) said a proliferation of media reports on government plans to reform taxation is causing anxiety among its members and «undermining the joint effort by government and business to promote a tranquil entrepreneurial environment.» ESEE said that references to the planned restoration of presumed criteria of revenue, so-called «objective,» and to the abolition of important measures of recent years, were causing «near-panic anxiety.» It said the old system enjoyed no confidence among taxpayers and urged the government to officially confirm that all reform issues will be exclusively considered by the committee specially set up for this purpose. Q Telecom Mobile operator Q Telecom announced the commercial launching of an LMDS fixed wireless telephony network for corporate users, titled «Q Broadband Wireless Business Services.» The network covers four areas of the country, Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa and Oinofyta, north of the capital. BSc in finance The Hellenic Management Association (EEDE) said it is launching six bachelor of science degree programs for school leavers in the areas of banking and financial management from October, in collaboration with the London School of Economics. For more details, contact Nicola Stoeber, at 210.211.2000 (e-mail: [email protected]). AIA Athens International Airport (AIA) said yesterday that three new carriers launched scheduled flights from the Greek capital in the spring – Scandinavian Airlines, Air Polonia and Helios Airways. Helios, a Cyprus-based carrier, will operate daily flights between Athens and Larnaca in Cyprus in cooperation with privately held Aegean Airlines. Aegean will start flying to Cyprus from May 28. (Reuters) DEPA A general meeting of the Public Power Corporation (DEPA) approved the appointment of Raphael Moyssis as president and of Michalis Karamanis as vice president. Aristeidis Vakirlis remains managing director.
