Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-02-28
CONTENTS
[01] Premier Karamanlis briefed by FinMin Alogoskoufis on ECOFIN
meeting
[01] Premier Karamanlis briefed by FinMin Alogoskoufis on ECOFIN
meeting
Prime minister Costas Karamanlis met Wednesday with national economy
and finance minister George Alogoskoufis, who briefed the premier on
Tuesday's meeting of the EU's ECOFIN Council session in Brussels.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alogoskoufis said that
Greece's Stability and Growth Programme had been assessed during the
ECOFIN meeting, adding that "the evaluation was positive", and that
"the positive course of the Greek economy was acknowledged".
The minister noted, however, that some problems still existed, adding
that consdeuently the fiscal adjustment needed to be continued and more
reforms were also necessary.
Asked when the Greek economy would be removed from the "excessive
deficit procedure", Alogoskoufis replied that the timing and when the
decision would be taken concerned the European Commission and the
Council, adding that "the European Commission will decide when it will
make the recommendation", and referred reporters to statements by EU
Economic Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia.
Almunia said on Tuesday that Greece's exit from the procedure regarding
excessive deficit could take place around May, 2007, provided that
current estimations that Greece achieved stabilisation of its fiscal
deficit at below three per centage points of its Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) in both in 2006 and 2007, were confirmed.
Almunia was responding to questions during a press conference at the
end of an ECOFIN council meeting in Brussels. He also said that he had
discussed the issue with Alogoskoufis earlier in the day.
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