Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-06-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis in Brussels for EU summit

[02] Opposition leaders on OTE-DT agreement

[03] Nafplion Music Festival

[04] Ieronymos receives Alavanos

[01] PM Karamanlis in Brussels for EU summit

The European Union, he said, must manifest, in action, that it can effectively meet the challenges facing it.

First of all, there is the problem of the high cost of living that was affecting all of Europe, and particularly the lower income brackets, Karamanlis said.

He recalled his recent letter to European Commission president Manuel Jose Barroso in which he pointed out the need for discussion of this problem at the EU summit, aimed at "finding a common denominator of action".

Second, Karamanlis continued, was the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty, which he said myst continue for the good of Europe and its citizens.

FYROM prime minister Nikola Gruevski is taking part in the EPP summit as an observer.

The EU summit opens at 5:00 p.m., and will be followed by the traditional working dinner of the EU heads of state and government.

On Friday morning, Karamanlis is scheduled to meet with Belgian prime minister Yves Leterme, before heading for the second session of the Summit.

The Greek prime minister will make statements to the press afterwards, before returning to Greece.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of prime minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Opposition leaders on OTE-DT agreement

On their part Communist Party of Greece (KKE) rapporteur Spyros Halvatzis, Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alekos Alavanos and Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) party leader George Karatzaferis referred to "a selling out of an organisation of strategic importance for the country."

Defending the government's policy, Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis charged that the main opposition PASOK party "in front of its impasses it resorts to pure negation and a rhetoric of nihilism, denouncing at the same time its own recent government past."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou

[03] Nafplion Music Festival

The Festival, the recipient of the Association of Critics of Greece prize, is dedicated this year to Austria and its artists.

It is the only classical music festival in the Peloponnese, and attracts thousands of classical music enthusiasts every year.

Each year, the Festival honors a different counry with performances held at exquisite historical sites.

The Festival in the scenic coastal town of Nafplion, on the eastern shores of the Peloponnese, is organised by artistic director is Yiannis Vakarelis in collaboration with the Phorminx concert society and the assistance of the Austrian Embassy in Greece.

This year's Festival program includes works by Mozart, J. Strauss, Schubert, Haydn, Alban Berg, all of whom hailed from Austria , many of which will be performed by Austrian musical ensembles, including the Vienna Mozart Children's Choir, the Penta wind quintet of Salzburg, the Artis String Quartet, the soprano Marlis Petersen and other internationally acclaimed artists.

The Festival will run through June 29.

Tickets for the performances can be bought in advance over the Internet at the address www.ticketquest.gr and can also be obtained at the venues where the performances are held up to one hour before the performance begins.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Palamidi castle in Nafplio

[04] Ieronymos receives Alavanos

Both described the meeting afterwards as "useful", while Ieronymos said that they discussed matters concerning quality of life and the needs of the people, which he said was the Church's mission.

Alavanos said that a discussion could be entered into with the Church, even on matters on which the two sides had different approaches, such as Church-State relations, and proposed that an inter-party parliamentary be set up for this purpose, as well as a committee representing the Churcy, so as to proceed to "sensible and speedy solutions" on a variety of issues, such as cremation, for example.

SYRIZA parliamentary spokesman Fotis Kouvelis, who also attended the discussion, told reporters that he had reiterated SYRIZA's position on the distinct roles of the Church and State, which he said served the prestige of both the State and the Church.

Caption:ANA-MPA file photo of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos

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