In Brief
EQUALITY BILL
Draft law against discriminatory behavior tabled in Parliament Draft legislation aimed at curbing racism, sexism and other discriminatory behavior in society was tabled in Parliament yesterday by the Justice Ministry. The bill foresees «equal treatment, regardless of sex or racial origin, religious conviction or other beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation.» BORDER ARRESTS Evros authorities detain 30 illegal immigrants, three smugglers Border guards yesterday detained 30 illegal immigrants and their three suspected smugglers – a Greek and two foreigners – following the inspection of a truck near Didymoteicho at the Greek-Turkish border. The three alleged smugglers had collected the migrants, who are of various nationalities, near the Evros River and had been planning to take them to Athens and Thessaloniki, police said. NO LEFT PARTY DEAL KKE won’t join with Synaspismos Communist Party (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga yesterday rejected any prospect of cooperation ahead of the March 7 polls with Synaspismos Left Coalition, saying any such deal would be «insincere.» Synaspismos, which according to recent polls is floundering just under the 3 percent parliamentary threshold, has not made any official overtures to KKE. Official mugged Three unidentified assailants late on Thursday night attacked the deputy prefect for eastern Attica, Dionysis Papoutsis, as he was leaving his house in Rafina before robbing him of cash and his car. The robbers used a gun and a knife to threaten Papoutsis – who is a likely New Democracy candidate in the forthcoming elections – before binding him with masking tape, stealing 600 euros from a paper file and taking the keys to his jeep, in which they escaped. Degrees The Education Ministry yesterday tabled a bill in Parliament that calls for the formation of a new body to replace the state Inter-University Center for the Recognition of Foreign Degrees (DIKATSA). Under the draft law, degrees awarded by all EU universities – in states that joined the Union no less than five years ago – will be automatically recognized, while procedures for recognizing other degrees will be accelerated. Work site death A 22-year-old laborer died yesterday morning after being hit by a truck on a construction site in the Athenian district of Petralona where he was employed. Georgios Alantzopoulos had been digging when the vehicle struck him on turning into the site. It was the third reported work site death in Greece this month. Tasman Spirit Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Loverdos is to meet with General Secretary of the Merchant Marine Ministry Nikos Zachariadis on Monday to discuss developments regarding five Greek crew members of the Tasman Spirit tanker – which broke apart off Pakistan last August, causing extensive pollution – who remain under house arrest in Karachi. One of the five attempted suicide earlier this month. Railway works Kato Patissia station on the Piraeus-Kifissia urban electric railway (ISAP) is to remain closed tomorrow due to works, ISAP said yesterday. Marine safety President Costis Stephanopoulos was yesterday briefed by the secretary-general of the London-based International Marine Organization (IMO), Efthymios Mitropoulos, regarding developments in international shipping which he said should be implemented in the Greek marine sector. The meeting in Piraeus was also attended by Merchant Marine Minister Giorgos Paschalidis. IMO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships. Kifissou Avenue Piraeus-bound traffic on Kifissou Avenue will run as normal between the Petrou Ralli interchange and the Aghia Anna junction this weekend due to the postponement of roadwork scheduled to begin today, the Public Works Ministry said yesterday.
