In Brief
EXTRADITION REQUEST
Government says will do its best to get former magistrate back to Greece Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said yesterday that authorities will do their best to extradite former magistrate Constantina Bourboulia to Greece soon, but added that he could not predict when this is likely to happen. Bourboulia, who was arrested in Paris on Wednesday, was sentenced last year to three years and 10 months in jail after being found guilty of mishandling a probe. Sources said that French officials will examine Greece’s request for her extradition on Wednesday. MOSCOW VISIT Papadopoulos to seek Putin’s support for efforts to solve Cyprus problem Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, who arrived in Moscow yesterday for talks with Vladimir Putin, said he will ask the Russian leader for his support for Nicosia’s efforts to find a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem. Questioned by reporters in Nicosia prior to his departure about whether he would ask Putin to intervene in the dispute, Papadopoulos said that the Cyprus problem is being handled by the United Nations and that the UN secretary-general is under the Security Council’s orders. ADEDY ACTION Workers threaten strike, plan rally The Civil Servants’ Union (ADEDY) yesterday threatened to call a strike if the government goes ahead with plans to put an end to permanent jobs in the public sector and said it would organize a rally at Syntagma Square on February 5. Yesterday, debate by ADEDY’s general council members was dominated by the planned revision of the constitution. Bad weather Weather authorities issued a warning yesterday about bad conditions hitting different parts of the country as of tomorrow around midday. Heavy rainfall is expected on Crete, the Cycladic Islands, the Peloponnese, and eastern parts of central Greece, including Attica. Snow is expected in northern Greece, particularly in Macedonia and Thrace. Migrant smugglers Two men in Thessaloniki were arrested for transporting illegal immigrants yesterday, police said. The first man, aged 65, was arrested after police caught him transporting four immigrants in his car. Shortly behind him was a second vehicle that was transporting another four illegal migrants. Sales inspections The Development Ministry will step up inspections in the retail market as of Monday, when the sales period is to start. Authorities will be visiting stores to detect any illegal practices, such as retailers using the sales as an excuse to dump inferior quality goods or presenting fake price reductions to customers. The sales period is scheduled to run for five weeks. Blaze controlled Firefighters got under control yesterday a blaze that broke out at an abandoned clinic for mental health patients in Thessaloniki. The operation required 12 firefighters using five trucks. Suspended sentence A court official in Alexandroupolis got an eight-month suspended jail sentence yesterday for verbally abusing police. The official allegedly abused law enforcers at Alexandroupolis airport on Thursday when he was asked to show identification. Flood aid Residents in the region of Preveza, northern Greece, whose homes were damaged at the end of last year due to flooding, can seek compensation, authorities said yesterday. The government has put aside 1.1 million euros for state aid which includes interest-free loans. Armed robbery Two armed men held up a branch of Eurobank in Ilissia, Athens, yesterday and made away with an unknown amount, police said. The men held up the branch about midday and emptied the banks’ tills before fleeing the scene. Professors opposed The Union of University Professors announced yesterday their opposition to government plans for a revision of the country’s constitution that will pave the way for the recognition of graduates from non-state universities. The professors argue the move will hurt the public education system.
