Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-08-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cabinet approves bill on use of EU funds from NSRF for 2007-2013

[01] Cabinet approves bill on use of EU funds from NSRF for 2007-2013

National economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis told reporters after the meeting that Greece was slated to receive from the EU nearly 24.5 billion euro, in current values, under the NSRF, adding that it was a very large developmental opportunity for the country.

"It is, perhaps, the last major opportunity for taking advantage of such resources, and it is of great importance that those funds are utilised in the best possible way," he said.

"We have learned from past experiences, and the draft law approved today by the Inner Cabinet provides for a much simpler system," Alogoskoufis said, explaining that it provided for fewer operational programmes (13) -- eight sectoral and five regional programmes -- as well as fewer programme materialisation agencies.

He said it was a major opportunity for regional development, given that 80 percent of the funds would be chanelled to the periphery, and also for the technological upgrading of the Greek economy, the quality of life in Greece, and improvement of the human potential so as to render the Greek workers better tained and capable of competing in the modern-day global environment.

Alogoskoufis further said that "we are almost ready" also with respect to the National Social Cohesion Fund issues, explaining that in the next few weeks the Inner Cabinet would discuss the relevant draft legislation.

He said there were three important initiatives currently in progress at the present time: the NSRF bill for the country's development, the draft law on tax-evasion which was slated for tabling in parliament later on Wednesday and which "will help, in a just way, to having the funds necessary for the function of the social state", and the National Social Cohesion Fund bill which aims at "improvement of the social state and confrontation of poverty, which is a large social problem".

Deputy economy minister Christos Folias, in turn, said that the NSRF 2007-2013 bill was the result of wider deliverations and acceptable to the whole of the country, adding that it was a landmark in the management of programmes as it ensured greater transparency and yield.

Folias said that NSRF's 13 operational programmes had been drafted early and approved by the EU, making Greece one of the first member states to submit the relevant plans.

Regarding compensations for losses suffered in the recent wildfires, Folias said that a final census would be drafted, after which the relevant application would be submitted to the EU.

To a question on main opposition party PASOK's stance on the issue, Folias accused PASOK of "criticism before the fact and distrust", saying it was shameful that it was exercising opposition "over the ashes".

CAPTION: ANA-MPA file photograph of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

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