Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-09-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM tours Thessaloniki Metro worksites, airport expansion project

[02] Fiscal restructuring satisfactory, FinMin

[03] Greek households spend more money on holidays

[04] Imports, exports record rise in July

[05] Euro-plan for rural, island cultural heritage OK'd

[01] PM tours Thessaloniki Metro worksites, airport expansion project

Karamanlis was briefed by Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias on progress in the timetable for completion of the projects and, speaking at Macedonia Airport, the premier stressed that the residents of Thessaloniki had for many years been hearing announcements of major projects which, however, had remained only on paper.

New Democracy, he continued, had committed itself to changing page and to change the rhythms, and to turn the words into action. And this was what the entire government was doing, this was what the ministry was doing in the area of public works, Karamanlis said.

He said the Metro, a long-standing the dream of the Thessaloniki residents and the largest public works project ever in Thessaloniki, with a budget that exceeded one billion euros, was today being realised and progressing. In a few years' time, when it was completed, it would be even better than the Athens Metro, the most modern Metro in Europe, the premier said.

Also of great importance was the expansion project at Thessaloniki's Macedonia Airport, for reasons that were self-evident, for Thessaloniki's role in the future, Karamanlis said, adding that the project was proceeding at a rapid pace, and upon completion would render the airpot international, capable of safely receiving all types of airplanes and overseas flights without intermediate stops.

Also, he continued, the contract would be signed in the next few days for construction of the underwater artery, which would begin early next year. This major project, Karamanlis said, combined with the Metro, would ease the city's traffic problem and improve the environment.

[02] Fiscal restructuring satisfactory, FinMin

Eurozone member-states should be allowed to revise their stability and growth plans in the middle of the year, while all Eurozone member-states should commit themselves to achieving their medium-term fiscal goals by 2012, Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis told a Eurogroup meeting in Helsinki on Friday.

The Greek minister said the course of a fiscal restructuring in Greece was satisfactory and that goals were achieved through a policy mix promoting both economic growth and employment.

Alogoskoufis said the country's state budget was moving within targets for the year, while next year's budget would be fully compatible with a stability and growth plan.

[03] Greek households spend more money on holidays

The report said that spending on vacations and holiday travels of at least three overnight stays accounted for 2.7 pct of total household budget. The statistics service said 49.6 percent of Greek households have spent money for their holidays, while 18.3 percent of Greek households said they owned a holiday home in 2005, up from 14.5 pct in 1999.

The biggest part of holiday homes was found in the regions of Attica (20 pct), Cyclades (10.3 pct), Chalkidiki (6.3 pct), Korinthia (4.3 pct) and Thessaloniki (3.8 pct). A total of 34.1 pct of Greek households spent their holidays at their relatives or friends holiday homes, the report said.

Greeks preferred their holiday homes for their vacations (25.3 pct), hotels (22.7 pct), rented rooms (14.3 pct), camp (2.2 pct) and rent home (0.7 pct).

Central Macedonia (15 pct), southern Aegean (13.7 pct) and Attica (13 pct) were the main destination for vacations, while Attica (13 pct), Cyclades (10.4 pct), Chalkidiki (8.3 pct), Magnesia (4.2 pct) and Evia (3.8 pct) were the main regions both for vacations and holidays.

[04] Imports, exports record rise in July

According to ESYE, the total value of imports in July 2006 rose to 4,082.1 million euros, up 12.5 percent from 3,627.3 million euros in July 2005.

The total value of exports in July 2006 rose to 1,403.7 million euros, up 9.5 percent from 1,282.3 million euros in July 2005.

[05] Euro-plan for rural, island cultural heritage OK'd

Sifounakis, who chairs the Europarliament's committee on culture and education, told a press conference at the EU offices in Athens on Friday that these settlements could organise cultural activities in accordance with the traditions of each region, thus increasing cooperation among the well-preserved traditional settlements in Europe, allowing them to highlight their local cultural uniqueness, while at the same time giving incentives to other traditional architectural communities in Europe to project their own unique characteristics.

This could be partially implemented in the framework of long-term cooperation plans under the EU's 2007-2013 culture programme, with the establishment of a network of noteworthy small architectural communities with populations of up to 1,000 people.

The report further calls for a new European legislative initiative according to which, following the model of the Cultural Capitals institution, a new institution would be established under which one or two small traditional communities in each member state would be selected each year where integrated actions would be taken throughout that year for the preservation and projection of the architectural and more general cultural heritage.

Caption: A file photo of the Saronic island of Hydra, a protected cultural heritage site in Greece. ANA-MPA.

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