Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-10-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: 82pct of 4th CSF funds for Greece will go to the periphery

[02] PASOK leader visits Aspropirgos, Elefsina

[03] KKE leader on education, local elections

[01] PM: 82pct of 4th CSF funds for Greece will go to the periphery

The Cabinet, chaired by Karamanlis, met Wednesday with the exclusive item on the agenda being the distribution of the 4th CSF funds.

Karamanlis said that after long and tough bargaining, the government had ensured for Greece 20.4 billion euros from the EU's three Structural Funds while, together with the funds to be received from the agricultural development and the fisheries financing instruments, the EU's overall participation in the 4th CSF funding to Greece was 24.4 billion euros and, adding the national participation in the funding, the total CSF sum for Greece was 36.4 billion euros.

Of that total, the prime minister continued, indicatively, 42 percent would be channeled to infrastructures, 21 percent to innovation, digital convergence and competitiveness, 12 percent to employment, and 14 percent to the education sector.

Karamanlis said that utilisation of the CSF resources would guarantee comptetitiveness and dynamic growth, stressing that management of the resources would be conducted with transparency and efficiency.

The premier explained that from the very beginning the basic goal had been and continued to be the country's strong, sustainable and balanced development, adding that the specific plan of changes and reforms being applied by his New Democracy government was yielding results and indicated that "we are on the right path".

However, "we are not complacent", the premier said, stressing that "we are progressing with firm steps towards a constant increase in the national product produced and towards social cohesion".

The premier said that the government has unwaveringly chosen the path of responsibility, and was addressing itself to mature citizens, whom it had confidence in, aiming at a strong, competitive, socially just Greece with national confidence, far removed from mentalities and rationales that have proved harmful to the country.

[02] PASOK leader visits Aspropirgos, Elefsina

Speaking in a district mainly inhabited by people of Black Sea origin, Papandreou said that his party "honours Black Sea Hellenism with deeds and not words and never thought of doubting the Greek nature of Black Sea Greeks, as the New Democracy party did because some votes did not go to it."

Papandreou, who expressed confidence that PASOK will come to power in the next national elections, said that a special committee has already been created in his party to handle issues concerning Black Sea Greeks returning home.

Earlier, the PASOK leader visited nearby Elefsina and the election centres of mayoral candidate George Ambatzoglou and of prefectural candidate of Western Attica Aristidis Arkoudaris, while in Aspropirgos he visited the election centre of mayoral candidate Thanassis Serepas.

[03] KKE leader on education, local elections

"What is needed today is a more brave and dynamic struggle for education, in comparision with the great struggles of 1998-1999," Papariga said.

The KKE Secretary-General said that the struggles are necessary "for free schooling for all, without private tuition centres, and well rewarded teachers."

Referring to the local government elections, Papariga stated:"One of the most fundamental messages of the ballot-box should be that the working people are punishing those who for years now to the present, say that the economy cannot withstand, in order for there to be free Education, free Health and free Welfare. Those people must be harshly punished."

She was directing her fire against the New Democracy (ND) government and the main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

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