Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-10-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Bird flu test results available next week, Farm Minister says

[02] National Council on Foreign policy convenes

[03] PASOK discusses land registry and public works

[01] Bird flu test results available next week, Farm Minister says

Within the next seven days the results from the viral tests being conducted by the national reference laboratory in Thessaloniki and the national reference laboratory in London will be available, he said.

Until then, the precautionary measures that have been adopted in the Prefecture of Chios will remain in force, he added.

Basiakos further said that nine samples from turkeys of the Oinousses farm were found negative in re-examination. The re-examination was ordered by Basiakos following Sunday's discovery of a sample which was positive to the virus H5.

Basiakos said that the precautionary measures which have been taken and checks in the prefecture of Chios will be maintained for seven days.

He also said that the current EU British presidency congratulated the Greek government for the measures it had taken to handle the situation.

[02] National Council on Foreign policy convenes

Molyviatis told reporters that he touched on Turkey's EU prospects by noting that the "commencement of accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU was achieved under conditions that fully ensure both Greece's and Cyprus' positions and goals".

Regarding last week's proposal by a UN mediator over a possible solution to the "name issue" still plaguing relations between Athens and Skopje, the Greek FM reiterated that the Greek side flatly rejected the proposal, while continuing to view the entire matter "calmly and responsibly".

On his part, former EU Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, a high-ranking main opposition PASOK cadre and deputy, cited what he called a lack of "insight, boldness and decisiveness" on the part of the government vis-?-vis major foreign policy challenges.

Nevertheless, Papoutsis said efforts to find consensus on foreign policy issues was a political choice for PASOK, although he clarified that "we cannot, however, speak of carte blanche or consensus to cover-up responsibilities in specific decisions."

Finally, he reiterated his party's support for Balkan countries' European prospects while again stressing that the "name issue" should be resolved under a mutually acceptable proposal envisioning a unified name, "with respect to cultural, historical and political elements of the region".

Former Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party leader Nikos Constantopoulos stressed the need to avoid past mistakes in foreign policy issues, as well as to avoid petty partisan political battles on such matters.

He also said proposals envisioning possible referenda and threats to use Greece's veto power were "off-the-mark".

The Council was convened following a request by Synaspismos.

The Council is comprised of senior representatives of political parties represented in Parliament, along with high-ranking diplomats and academics. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has said it will not attend such meetings.

[03] PASOK discusses land registry and public works

Rapporteur in both the topics was alternate coordinator Costas Spiliopoulos.

Regarding the land registry it was assessed that Minister of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works George Souflias "is completey following the institutional framework, the planning and methodology which was followed by the government of PASOK."

An extensive discussion took place on public works about which Papandreou said that PASOK "is interested in the quality of the works and the effectiveness in their construction," stressing, however, that "he will make note of any mistakes that are being made."

Papandreou asked of Spiliopoulos to start the procedure on which system PASOK will use for the assignment of public works "when it returns to government."

Spiliopoulos noted that for more than 50 per cent of the works, the contracts have not yet been signed.

Spiliopoulos also said that there "is a great crisis in the construction sector with dismissals having reached 50 to 60,000."

Ministry responds

The Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Ministry in an announcement on Tuesday evening termed as "inaccuracies, distortion and populism" what was announced from the meeting earlier in the day of the coordinating body of the Parliamentary Group of the main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) concerning public works.

The ministry's announcement said among other things:"We have repeatedly answered to inaccuracies which PASOK has announced. Today, we are compelled to also answer to inaccuracies which went out to the mass media with 'leaks'. It is completely inaccurate that 'the public works are stagnant due to the discounts and recourses'. The truth is that with the new law the discounts are on average 26.25 per cent, against the very low pre-agreed discounts of the dirty mathematical type, which took place at the expense of the Greek taxpayer and so much the Greek people paid!"

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