Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-01-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou accuses gov't of 'petty politicking'

[02] Cabinet discusses bill for restructuring National Printing Office

[01] Papandreou accuses gov't of 'petty politicking'

Addressing a meeting of the PASOK parliamentary group's coordinating committee, Papandreou said that the government, unable to tackle the major problems, was "tossing the ball into another court" and attempting to "change the agenda" with the Constitutional revision issue.

However, he added, the government had shown that it was unable to play ball in the economy's court, nor in the Constitution's court.

He further accused the government's officials of contradictory statements and contradicting goals.

Papandreou warned that in 2006, "just as in 2005", major problems would arise in the economy, "which is not in good condition due to the government's choices which, instead of leading to growth were leading to regression".

On the upcoming local government elections, he said the municipal and prefectural polls were a "wager of renewal" for PASOK, and a "wager of new prospects" for the local governments themselves.

Reviewing the parliamentary group's activities in 2005, he said the group had had a very good presence in parliament, but also more generally in all areas of the country. "We forged cohesion, unity and a serious presence, which was also indicated at the end of the year during the debate on the budget," he said.

Papandreou said that another of PASOK's achievements in the preceding year had been bringing politics back to front-stage, adding that the people were demanding much from PASOK, whose responsibilities were consequently increasing "because the people are looking to us once again, and we must once again become the great force of change".

[02] Cabinet discusses bill for restructuring National Printing Office

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that the bill aimed to improve services to the public and formed part of the policy for the refoundation of the state.

The bill will give the public free access to all copies of the government gazette via the Internet.

It will also create a museum and library for the National Printing Office that will be open to the public, while book-binders and skilled craftsmen at the Printing Office will be able to offer seminars to young people interested in learning their craft.

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