Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader blasts government, policies

[02] Agriculture minister presents Greek positions at WTO

[01] PASOK leader blasts government, policies

On his part, government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said that the main opposition insisted on "lies and twisting the truth", in response to Papandreou's criticism.

Papandreou said the government was "teetering", opining that while the ruling New Democracy party (ND) had assumed the government with arrogance and the certainty that it would rule the country for an eight-year tenure (two terms in office), now its cadres were unsure, from month to month, whether they would succeed in exhausting even the four-year term.

He said that ND entered the government with a slogan championing transparency and against collusion, "but today we have entered a crazy asylum of mutual accusations in which half the government accuses the other half and sends it before the public prospecutor" while the prime minister, playing the role of Pontius Pilate, washes his hands of the situation although hie is mainly responsible for this chaos.

Papandreou said that the country's governance under ND was developing into a negative chapter for Greece "which the Greek people will soon close by placing their confidence once again in PASOK".

The main opposition denied talk that PASOK and ND were "two of the same", saying that while the Karamanlis government was "with the few", PASOK was "with society". "While they hide behind lies, we seek the truth," he added.

"ND and Karamanlis have failed and disappointed (the people). PASOK expresses hope. The ND government is dissolving social cohesion, whereas PASOK is advancing a new national and social pact," Papandreou said.

Turning to the discussion in the EU on the community budget, Papandreou warned the government that it cannot lise another opportunity for the country, and called on the government not to lower the standard "as he does in difficult negotiations, resulting in the country missing out on historic opportunities". He set the "standard" at 28 billion euros, which he said the preceding PASOK government had secured from the Third Community Support Framework (CSF) and farm subsidies for the period up to 2013.

He criticised the government's economic policy, saying that it was accumulating additional burdens for everyone, making major changes in critical sectors for the citizens, increasing insecurity among the working people, leading to a reduction in investments and closure of business enterprises, and abandonment of the periphery.

Papandreou further accused the government of initiating a pogrom against the most capable officials in public administration, and of fearing to undertake diplomatic initiatives and missing opportunities.

On the issue of terrorism, Papandreou said it was a complex problem that could not be tackled with weapons and armies, but through combatting inequalities and backing a new internationalism with solidarity, principles which he said he would promote from the post of president of the Socialist International that he was slated to assume at the end of January 2006.

Government responds, accuses PASOK of 'twisting truth'

The main opposition insisted on "lies and twisting the truth", government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said on Thursday in response to Papandreou's criticism.

"The citizens are well aware that we are not all the same and can see the differences between today and yesterday [under PASOK governments]," he said.

Stressing that the government was honouring the mandate it was given to change things and its promise to show zero tolerance toward corruption, Roussopoulos accused PASOK of saying 'no' to all reforms and of having "shone for 20 years in total cover-ups and complete licence".

Now, he added, the main opposition was daily sliding down the dead-end path of irresponsible populism.

[02] Agriculture minister presents Greek positions at WTO

Bassiakos, who leads a Greek delegation at the meeting, underlined the need to continue protections for Europe's farmers as decided in a recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for nearly all agricultural products.

He also asked for the opening of markets in developing countries in order to facilitate exports of non-agricultural products to these markets and the deregulation of trade in services.

Bassiakos also took part in bilateral and multilateral meetings and discussions, including the EU General and External Affairs Council, to monitor the progress of talks and to promote Greek positions.

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