Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-08-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Pavlopoulos visits island of Rhodes

[01] Pavlopoulos visits island of Rhodes

Earlier in the day, he chaired a meeting at which taking part were Southern Aegean Region secretary-general Haralambos Kokkinos, Dodecanese Prefect Yiannis Maheridis, deputies Anastasios Karamarios and Vassilis Chrysis and the administrative council of the Local Union of Municipalities and Communities.

"The declaration by the prime minister (Costas Karamanlis) that the time has come for the regions was not simply a signal but a government priority," said Pavlopoulos, stressing that "the country's future depends on the progress of the regions and of local government and this is seen also by the 4th Community Support Framework (CSP) with which this priority becomes action."

The minister accused the main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement of "hopelessly attempting to distort the truth" and presented data showing that the absorption of funds for the Regional Operational Programmes "has more than doubled and the funds to local government has tripled."

He said that "in no way will the administrative infrastructure of the country change," adding that "the five supra-regions which will be created will be apparatuses of support of the municipalities and prefectures for the implementation of the projects of the 4th Community Support Framework."

On Sunday, Pavlopoulos reiterated the need for local government to be further strengthened and for particular emphasis to be given in the development of the regions, noting that this was the government's priority.

Pavlopoulos inaugurated on Sunday the municipal stadium of Kamiros, a project which started being built 13 years ago. He said that this fact "consitutes a characteristic example that the State in previous years did not help local government as much as it should have."

He added that "our committment is that local government should have all the necessary means to operate according to its needs."

He later visited the hotel complex "Elafos and Elafina" in the region of Profiti Ilia which operates under the responsibility of Kamiros municipality.

At noon on Sunday, he vistited Attavyros municipality where he inaugurated the new town hall. Its construction cost 1,250,000 euros.

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