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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-10-02Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PASOK on pension systemMain opposition PASOK party on Tuesday announced that it will participate in sessions of relevant standing Parliament committees focusing on reform of the Greek social security system, following an invitation to political parties issued by the government earlier in the day."PASOK tabled its views on the social security issue in the summer of 2005, and in its (election) programme. It is self evident that, with these positions and proposals, it will participate in the meetings of the standing Parliament committees within the context of its parliamentary obligations, as it always does," spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis said. He added that a "credible dialogue pre-supposes the existence of clear positions on the part of all those taking part. The government has until today avoided taking a position on the issue in an official and valid manner." [02] KKE, SYRIZA on dialogue on pension systemThe Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) party announced on Tuesday their decision not to take part in dialogue on reforming the Greek pension system, following the invitation, earlier in the day, to the political parties issued by the government.The KKE indicated in a statement that it had no intention of participating in the dialogue but would do everything in its power to organise a mass, united popular resistance and counterattack to the proposed measures. It also dismissed the dialogue as a "ruse" and said that the ruling New Democracy party had essentially decided on the measures in advance in accordance with "EU guidelines and the demands of plutocracy". On his part Radical Left Coalition party leader, Alekos Alavanos more-or-less refused to commit to any participation in the government-sponsored dialogue. Alavanos, moreover, warned of demonstrations on the streets instead of dialogue over the issue, speaking on the same day as a letter was sent out by the relevant employment and social insurances minister to opposition parties calling on them to send representatives to such a dialogue. ?Workers, pensioners, the young people who will be primarily hurt (by prospective social security reforms), will answer in the same manner in which they replied to the call for dialogue by Mr. (Tassos) Yiannitsis and Mr. (Costas) Simitis,? Alavanos said, referring to an ill-fated attempt by a former PASOK employment minister and the one-time prime minister, respectively. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |