In Brief
BOOK ROW
Minister slams PASOK’s alleged map comments as ‘exploitative’ Education Minister Marietta Giannakou yesterday reacted sharply to alleged criticism by opposition PASOK of a secondary school history book containing a Nazi-era map that refers to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) as Macedonia and draws the Greek border at Kavala, some 50 kilometers south of today’s border. Giannakou accused the unnamed critics of «exploiting nationalist issues for political ends.» According to Giannakou, former PASOK minister and unofficial campaign manager Costas Laliotis had brought the map to the party leadership’s attention. The academic Constantinos Svolopoulos, one of the book’s editors, said the map «illustrates an illegal Nazi Europe» and said it was an «error to attribute any probative value to such a paranoid plan.» (Editorial, Page 2) Smuggler nabbed Trafficker and wife caught after smashing through police block A suspected migrant smuggler and his wife yesterday smashed through a police block near Thessaloniki with his car as he tried to evade arrest but was caught a little later when he tried to escape on foot. Police said the unnamed 37-year-old was being treated in the hospital for minor injuries. His 42-year-old wife was also arrested in Palaiokastro. They were allegedly transporting two Albanian couples who had entered the country illegally. The migrants have also been detained. Nobody else was injured during the chase but two police patrol cars were damaged. US ambassador Speckhardt to arrive in Athens Washington is expected to officially announce the appointment of Daniel Speckhardt as the new US ambassador to Athens within the next few days, sources said yesterday. Speckhardt replaces Charles Ries who left Athens for the US Embassy in Iraq in June. Speckhardt was America’s ambassador to Cyprus from 1997 to 2000 and subsequently worked as an aide to NATO’s secretary-general. Cat burglar A 21-year-old man has been arrested in Halkidiki, northern Greece, on suspicion of breaking into at least 13 homes in the Cassandra region. Police said the unnamed suspect began his spree in May and forced his way into houses while the owners were asleep. Ready for vote The majority of the 10,000 judicial representatives that will help oversee the electoral process at voting booths across the country on Sunday have been notified of their duties, court officials said yesterday. Just over 100 representatives had yet to receive their notices. All other procedures regarding the appointment of election officials have also been completed, officials added. Illegal immigrants The coast guard yesterday arrested 70 illegal immigrants on the Aegean island of Samos who had crossed over from Turkey on board a plastic boat. The Merchant Marine Ministry said the illegal immigrants, from different countries, were found in the beach area of Kourountere. They were then taken for medical checks before being led to a local detention center. Armed raid Two armed men held up a branch of Emporiki Bank in Thessaloniki yesterday and made off with 85,065 euros in cash, police said. The men, who were wearing motorcycle helmets, walked into the bank in the Peraia area of the city shortly before 10 a.m. and threatened staff with handguns. They made off on a motorcycle. Drug arrest A 27-year-old man was arrested in Thessaloniki yesterday after he attempted to sell to an undercover police officer 10 grams of heroin for 200 euros, authorities said. Following a search of the suspect’s home, police found in his possession small quantities of cocaine and heroin. A 24-year-old woman, a foreign national, was also arrested after she allegedly appeared at the suspect’s home to collect money from the sale of narcotics.
