Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou: Reshuffle no fix for problem policies

[02] Bakoyiannis: Priority on Cyprus issue

[03] Greek gov't to offer tax incentives

[01] Papandreou: Reshuffle no fix for problem policies

This was echoed by Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party leader Alekos Alavanos, who said the changes were "shuffling a deck of marked cards, in the sense that the policies are given".

"The policy of the Karamanlis government remains a dead-end policy that does not solve the problems faced by the Greek people concerning high prices, unemployment and protection of their basic rights," Papandreou noted.

The Greek people would opt to condemn the government for the policy it was following at the elections, he added.

Alavanos noted that the changes to some of the ministries showed the government was shifting toward even more Atlantic and neoliberal social directions.

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[02] Bakoyiannis: Priority on Cyprus issue

Molyviatis, a long-standing career diplomat, announced his retirement from public service on Tuesday following the announcement of a major government reshuffle.

During the handover ceremony, which took place after the swearing-in of the new government ministers and deputy ministers, Molyviatis congratulated Bakoyannis, "the first Greek woman foreign minister", on her apointment and expressed conviction that she would succeed in her task.

"Mrs. Bakoyannis needs no introductions. She is a strong presence in public life, with high popularity, and I am certain that she will carry on the same way in the foreign ministry, too," he said, and also outlined the achievements made during his own term in the foreign ministry.

"We gave the Cypriot people the ability to freely decide their destiny, without adverse consequences for either Cyprus or Greece. We continued to improve Greek-Turkish relations, and we rendered the Greek-Turkish matters EU-Turkish matters," Molyviatis said.

"We ensured that Skopje's European course was comprehensible only with the name FYROM and the obligation that it contributes to finding a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue. We strengthened our position in the European Union, where Greece is respected for its determination and constructive attitude," he continued.

Further, "we upgraded our bilateral relations with the US, Russia and other countries. We expanded Greece's influence in the Balkans. We did not allow, nor will allow, the falsification of our national interests. This is the heart and soul of our foreign policy," the 77-year-old retiring career diplomat said.

Molyviatis also thanked all the services of the foreign ministry for their contribution to his efforts.

Bakoyannis, in turn, said that it was a "privilege" to succeed Molyviatis "who, with his long efforts, put his mark on the country's foreign policy and earned respect".

"I believe I speak on behalf of all the Greeks, when I say a big 'thank you'. Your opinion and advice will always be valuable to me," she told Molyviatis.

The new foreign minister said that the New Democracy government's foreign policy was founded exclusively on the national interests, was consistent and had continuity, was exercised above and beyond petty partisan expediencies, and aimed at the greatest possible consensus, in cooperation with the parliament.

Regarding Greece's position on the international scene as a "trusted and credible partner, factor of peace and stability, with great potential for expanding its international role.

"Our foreign policy is exercised with the aim to, and is obliged to, advance the principles of democracy and the peaceful resolution of differences," Bakoyannis said, stressing that she would exercise diplomacy with "principles, a programme, realism, and creativity".

"The compass will be only the good of the people and the nation," she said, adding that she had the honour and pleasure of having the experience and abilities of the ministry personnel at her side.

She further thanked outgoing deputy foreign minister Panayotis Skandalakis -- whose post was one of six deputy minister posts to be abolished in the reshuffle -- for his contribution and work.

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[03] Greek gov't to offer tax incentives

Addressing the annual meeting of the Association of Insurance Companies of Greece, the Greek minister said the government would introduce incentives and abolish all counter-incentives from the market in an effort to promote the use of private insurance as supplement to their social insurance.

Greek citizens have not adequate health or work insurance, Alogoskoufis said and urged for an improvement of product and services offered by private insurance companies. He noted that a Supervisory Commission, recently set up, would have the role of ensuring the private insurance sector's credibility.

The Greek minister said the country's pension problem was more acute compared with other EU member-states and urged all interested parties to a dialogue while reiterating that the government would not take any decisions on the issue during its four-year term.

He stressed, however, that a dialogue on the pension issue was necessary to prevent a "time-bomb" of exploding.

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