In Brief
BABY SELLERS
Three Romanians caught on Crete for allegedly trying to sell child A Romanian couple and a fellow countryman have been arrested on Crete on suspicion of trying to sell their baby for 17,000 euros, police said yesterday. Officers were tipped off about the couple’s alleged intentions and an undercover policeman arranged a meeting with the Romanians pretending to be interested in buying the baby. A third Romanian has also been arrested on suspicion of acting as a middleman and translator for the couple. OPINION POLLS Last surveys before election to be made public by August 31 The results of opinion polls relating to next month’s general election can be published up until August 31, the National Council for Radio and Television said yesterday. Research can still be conducted into public opinion regarding the September 16 elections but no results can be made public until after the election. FORGED MONEY Father and son arrested in Serres A 60-year-old man and his 35-year-old son, both foreign nationals, were arrested after allegedly attempting to use counterfeit 200-euro banknotes in Serres, northern Greece. The pair, who reportedly made purchases of a specific item priced at 21 euros at four different pharmacies, were later arrested by a border patrol officer in northern Greece while leaving the country. Greek and Bulgarian police are conducting a joint investigation into the possibility of a Greek-Bulgarian counterfeiting racket, reports said. Knifeman surrenders A man suspected of stabbing to death a 42-year-old in the central Athens district of Aghios Panteleimonas earlier this week turned himself in to police, officers said yesterday. The Albanian national allegedly stabbed his Greek victim after the latter tried to stop a fight between the suspect and another man. The two had been arguing over a woman. Cash stolen Police in Kozani, northern Greece, were yesterday looking for two men suspected of stealing a bag containing 27,000 euros from a car while its owner was changing a flat tire. The victim said that the incident occurred at around 10.30 a.m. when the bag containing the money as well as several check books went missing from the vehicle. He added that he did not notice anything suspicious while he was changing the tire. Acheloos protests Citizens from the area of Trikala yesterday continued a three-day camping protest, which concludes tomorrow, in Mesohorato to complain about the planned diversion of the Acheloos River to the heavily farmed plain of Thessaly. The camping protest was held on the outskirts of the village where the first of the dams for the project has been built. Protesters describe the planned diversion of the river as «catastrophic.» Last month the Council of State threw out an appeal filed by organizations opposed to the planned diversion. Combustible machines A batch of washing machines, manufactured by Brandt Industries, should not be used as tests show they could pose a risk to consumers, the Development Ministry said yesterday. Inspections on a sample of the machines revealed defective timers that could cause combustion after a few months of use, the ministry said. Consumers who bought a Brandt machine between July 2005 and August 2006 are advised not to use it and to call the distributing company on the freephone number 801.11.700.800 as of Monday. US Embassy closed The Consular Section of the United States Embassy in Athens will remain closed to the public on Wednesday, August 29 for internal administrative reasons, it said in a statement. The closure affects the embassy’s non-immigrant visa unit, immigrant visa unit, federal benefits unit, American citizen services unit, and the passport unit. In case of emergencies on this day, individuals may call 210.721.2951 between 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and 210.720.2490 or 210.720.2491 after 5 p.m. Courts adjourned Courts will be closed between September 12 and 19 due to the general elections, which are scheduled for September 16. The Athens Court of First Instance will be closed until September 21.
