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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cohesion Fund draws opposition criticism

[02] Gov't unveils tender for 5 tourism properties

[01] Cohesion Fund draws opposition criticism

Top main opposition PASOK party deputy and former minister Vasso Papandreou said the New Democracy government has 'set up an electoral poverty fund'. She also said the government's "panic" was clear to all Greeks, as it was unable to move elections beyond early autumn, "since they very well know that due to their policy the developments on the horizon will be onerous for the largest section of the Greek society".

Papandreou further said that the "supposed benefits which Mr. (George) Alogoskoufis (the economy and finance minister) so facilely announces daily are nothing more than a repetition of the promises New Democracy commenced making even before the 2004 elections", adding that "they now hope to once again delude the Greek people by promising the same things, although they know that the next government will be a PASOK government, which will be called on to materialise them".

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said the announcement for the fund and of 'hand-out' benefits by the government are insulting and dangerous measures for the entirety of the working people and pensioners.

In a statement issued by the KKE press office, the party warned that poverty is not combated with 'poorhouse benefits' but with substantial raises in salaries and pensions, and accused the government of attempting to delude working people and of reducing salaries and pensions even further, while escalating the attack on their elementary rights.

KKE demanded steady work for all, a five-day, 7-hour-a-day, 35-hour week regime, a 1,300 minimum monthly salary, a 1,050 euro minimum monthly pension and unemployment benefits for all the unemployed individuals.

Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) party secretary Nikos Hountis called the annual 1,000-euro benefits (to every individual below the poverty level) a "pittance".

"The 2.8-euro per day, the hand-out to be received by a section of those below the poverty level, was christened as a 'social policy' in an impressive public relations manner. Hand-outs that will be negated by the austerity policies the government is preparing for after the elections; beware of a government bearing gifts," he said.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Vasso Papandreou.

[02] Gov't unveils tender for 5 tourism properties

As widely reported over the recent period, the properties include a 120-hectare coastal tract of land at the Anavyssos site, southeast of the greater Athens area; the 131-hectare Afantos golf course and an unfinished resort on the popular Dodecanese island of Rhodes; the Corfu casino, currently hosted within a hotel in the island's same-name capital; as well as two previously state-run resorts, part of the "Xenia" hotel chain, namely, in the mountainous village of Vytina, Arcadia prefecture in the central Peloponnese, and on the holiday island of Skiathos.

All the bids will be linked to obligatory renovations of all five properties and concessions, the tourism ministry announced.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of the Voula beach near Anavyssos, southeast of Athens.

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