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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-06-07
CONTENTS
[01] Greece repeats deficit reduction vow
[01] Greece repeats deficit reduction vow
The government is clearly committed to attaining a fiscal deficit below
3.0% of gross domestic product, the European Union's ceiling, in 2006
and 2007, Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after sessions of EU and eurozone finance
ministers, Alogoskoufis said that monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin
Almunia had made a positive recommendation on reducing Greece's fiscal
deficit during a sidelines meeting.
The Greek official that eurozone ministers agreed that Europe was
seeing an economic upturn, despite hazards from the global scene,
especially rises in oil prices and turmoil in financial markets.
Asked to comment on the euro-dollar parity, he said that the rate was
not worrying, and would not play a decisive role in Europe's large
economy. Exports would be affected, but the continent's economic
recovery was independent of the foreign currency parity.
Finally, the Alogoskoufis reported that EU ministers had endorsed a
proposal by the bloc's executive Commission and European Central Bank
that Slovenia should join the eurozone.
"This is a major decision. There is a clear preference on the part of
the new member states to take part in the eurozone, and I hope this
will occur for all the old members as soon as possible, as this would
benefit the overall European economy," he added.
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