In Brief
ATHENS QUAKE
Epicenter on Mt Parnitha, again A moderate earthquake, measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale, shook Athens on Saturday but there were no injuries or reports of damage. The quake, which had its epicenter on Mount Parnitha, north of Athens, struck at 9.25 a.m., the Athens Geodynamic Institute said. A 4.5 tremor shook the same region last November, and the 5.9 earthquake of September 1999, which killed 143 people, was centered in the same seismic area. Laliotis on justice PASOK General Secretary Costas Laliotis on Saturday criticized a court ruling which on Thursday cleared six people facing criminal charges over the collapse, during the 1999 earthquake, of an Athens apartment block in which 16 residents died. Laliotis, who claimed to respect the court’s decision, said the exonerations «were not compatible with the sentiments of the public who want to see justice served.» The court decided the four-story building, in Metamorphosis, western Athens, was constructed sufficiently long ago to preclude the prosecution of the four apartment owners, the contractor and civil engineer. Back to Go A group of 52 Turkish Kurds attempting to illegally enter Italy aboard a Greek ship were intercepted yesterday at the southern port of Bari by Italian authorities, who also arrested the Greek driver of a Dutch truck in which the migrants were hidden. All 52 were sent back to Patras yesterday on the same ship. More immigrants Three Turkish nationals were charged yesterday with people-smuggling after being caught late on Friday carrying 130 illegal immigrants on a fishing boat off the island of Aghios Efstratios, in the northeastern Aegean. The three were identified as Uygun Coskun, 41, Kartal Syreya, 36, and Ozmet Asiz, 38. Euro ‘unconstitutional.’ An Athens lawyer has applied to the Council of State for the abolition of what he calls «unconstitutional» legislation introduced at the start of 2002 to support the euro. According to the lawyer’s claim the euro could only have replaced the drachma if voted in by three fifths of Parliament and approved by referendum. Train arson Vandals believed to be AEK football supporters set fire to a train sitting at the Ano Patissia station early yesterday morning – before the service started – ahead of an evening match between their team and Olympiakos. An anonymous caller told Antenna radio station the attack had been a warning for the train company not to carry Olympiakos fans. – Doctors at Social Security Foundation (IKA) hold a four-hour work stoppage demanding permanent status for those working on contract.
