Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-07-22

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with interior minister Pavlopoulos on cutting red tape

[02] Synaspismos leader supports evacuation of Gaza Strip after meeting Israeli envoy

[03] President Papoulias presents ceremonial swords to graduates of military nurses academy

[04] PASOK's Papandreou slams government's 'lack of tourism policy' during Pieria tour

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with interior minister Pavlopoulos on cutting red tape

Pavlopoulos told reporters after the meeting that he briefed Karamanlis on progress achieved in cutting red tape through the ministry's efforts, particularly in matters concerning services to the citizen, such as reduction of the number of certificates required and abolition of time-consuming procedures for verification of authenticity of a signature.

He said he also briefed the premier on the course of three projects concerning his ministry, making special reference to the computerisation of public administration and the technical organisation of the country's Internet portal.

Regarding the efforts to cut red tape, Pavlopoulos said they concerned the credibility of information on the part of public administration, without the citizen being required to submit certificates anew. He said this also enabled the citizen to communicate with public administration electronically.

Pavlopoulos said that prime minister Karamanlis placed particular importance on those matters, adding that progress was very satisfactory. However, he noted, bureaucracy was a matter that needed to be consistently dealt with, and no complacency was justified. In that respect, the government would proceed with institutional changes so that, by the end of 2006, the results would be not only tangible but capable of being evaluated in action.

[02] Synaspismos leader supports evacuation of Gaza Strip after meeting Israeli envoy

Alavanos was speaking after a meeting with Israel's Ambassador to Athens Ram Aviram.

"For us, it is extremely important to solve the key problem in the region - the Palestinian issue and the problem of Jerusalem - based on the resolutions of the United Nations. In this way, this will lift a major load, which contributes to tension that is no longer confined to the Middle East. As we can see, its consequences are also manifested in Europe through the extreme method of terrorism, which we naturally all condemn," he said.

Commenting on the latest multiple terrorist attacks against London, Alavanos said that the EU had to understand that the safety of citizens was of the highest importance and could not be secured through measures that restricted individual freedoms and the protection of personal data but through building up trust between the countries of Europe - the so-called Christian world - and the Moslem countries.

On his part, Aviram said that "we are all of us, throughout the world, going through a difficult period and, by joining our forces, I believe that we will arrive a solution that is democratic and peaceful for all," he said.

[03] President Papoulias presents ceremonial swords to graduates of military nurses academy

He was accompanied by Defence Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos.

Among the officers taking the oath on Friday were five Albanian women and one Cypriot woman.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of Parliament and the political parties, the leadership of the Armed Forces and various friends and relations of the new graduates.

[04] PASOK's Papandreou slams government's 'lack of tourism policy' during Pieria tour

He criticised the new tourism ministry created by the government, saying it was more effective at promoting Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos than the tourism industry in Greece, and called for a shift toward more specialised, quality tourism products.

Papandreou also claimed that 3rd Community Support Framework funds were in danger of being lost due to the government's inertia.

Local tourism bodies, on their part, noted problems caused by the non-completion of Axis 10 and the delays in the issue of visas to prospective visitors to Greece.

Reacting to Papandreou's comments, Avramopoulos pointed out that occupancy rates for tourist enterprises in Pieria, where Papandreou had "finally remembered tourism", had this year risen to 67 per cent, after the region had languished empty of tourists in previous years.

Papandreou began his tour in Pieria's Litochoro, where he will also meet representatives of the commerce sector. His next stop is the presidium of the local Labour Centre in Katerini.

In the afternoon, Papandreou will tour Pella, where he will visit the Association of local Agricultural Cooperatives and meet with producers' groups in Kyrros municipality, while he will also hold talks with Edessa mayor Ioannis Siontras.

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