In Brief
ILLEGAL HOTEL
Rhodes establishment ordered to close down due to lack of license A committee representing regional authorities in the southeastern Aegean yesterday ordered the closure of the Atlantica Imperial Hotel on Rhodes for operating without a license. The committee unanimously rejected an appeal by the hotel’s legal representatives against an earlier decision to suspend the hotel’s operations. Hotel managers had consistently dragged their feet over submitting documents to apply for a license, the committee added. Last month, a prosecutor investigating allegations of building violations involving hotels on Rhodes faulted three former members of the PASOK Cabinet for allegedly approving the sale of public land to hoteliers. FLOOD COMPENSATION Ministries determine sums to go to businesses affected since 2002 Compensation payments for businesses struck by floods in various parts of the country as long ago as 2002 – and as recently as this year – were only yesterday approved in a joint decision by the Economy, Development and Environment ministries. In eastern Attica alone, prefectural authorities are to receive 372,000 euros to compensate local businesses affected by floods in November and December 2002. WEATHER WARNING Heavy rain, thunderstorms forecast The National Meteorological Service yesterday warned regional authorities to prepare for bad weather across much of the country today. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in parts of the Ionian, Epirus, the western mainland, Macedonia, Thrace and Thessaly. The eastern mainland and the western Peloponnese are also likely to be affected. Hotel strike Striking hotel workers from across Attica yesterday staged a protest march through central Athens, threatening to abandon their duties during the Olympics if they do not receive a bonus. The workers clashed with police outside the offices of the Association of Attica Hotel Owners. Subsequent talks with the association’s chief, Yiannis Tsakiris, did not yield any compromise, neither did talks with Labor Minister Panos Panayiotopoulos. Workers are to meet with the minister for further talks next week. Traffic disruptions Traffic on the Vari-Koropi road in southern Attica will be diverted for the next 20 days, as of today, as work gets under way in the area of Vlachika. Traffic heading toward Athens from Koropi will be redirected via Aghia Marina and Poseidonos Avenue, while traffic heading for Koropi or the airport will be diverted via Poseidonos and Aghia Marina. Today and tomorrow, Lamia-bound traffic will be disrupted on Kifissou Avenue due to works about 500 meters before the Iera Odos flyover. Migrants detained Police in northwestern Turkey yesterday detained 114 illegal immigrants who had been en route to Greece, The Associated Press reported. The migrants – Pakistanis and Iranians – were caught in the Edirne province near the Greek border, AP said. Austrian visit President Costis Stephanopoulos is due in Vienna tomorrow morning where he is to join Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios in attending celebrations marking 200 years since the foundation of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the Greek National School – the oldest Greek community school outside Greece. Stephanopoulos and Vartholomaios are due to meet with Austrian President Thomas Klestil tomorrow. Cyprus assault Police on Cyprus yesterday arrested a 20-year-old Briton in connection with a vicious assault on a Scottish tourist in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa earlier this week, Agence France-Presse reported. David William Evans was tracked down after a photo of him was discovered on the camera of victim Douglas Andrew Neilson, AFP said. Neilson has been in a coma since he was found on Tuesday. Bear attack An 83-year-old man yesterday told police he had escaped an attack by a bear in a forest at the foot of Mt Olympus with cuts and scratches after his son fired a gun in the air. This is the first time in recent memory a bear has been allegedly spotted so far south.
