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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-18Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Papandreou, SI leaders visit Mt. AthosMain opposition PASOK's President George Papandreou on Friday visited the semi-autonomous monastic community of Mount Athos located on a promontory of Halkidiki prefecture, accompanied by Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Socialist International General Secretary Luis Ayala and other delegates of the PASOK-sponsored Symi Symposium.Papandreou was received by the Mount Athos governor George Dalakouras at the Dafni harbour and then paid a visit to the Mount Athos capital of Karyes and the Xenophon Monastery, where he was warmly welcomed by the monks and thanked for his help in arranging for the reconstruction and restoration of the buildings when he was foreign minister, a post that retains the portfolio for Mount Athos affairs. At Karyes, Papandreou and his entourage were received by the current clerical administrator of the community, the abbot of the noted Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Hilandarion (Hilandar), Stefanos. Replying to the abbot's address, PASOK's leader expressed his personal interest and respect for the all-male Athos community and highlighted the interest shown by PASOK governments in works to maintain and preserve this through generous funding. He also pledged to fight alongside them in order to protect Mount Athos from fires, stressing that the zeal shown by the monks had to be supported by the State as well. Caption: A recent file picture of the Hilandarion Monastery, run by Serb Orthodox monks, on the Mount Athos peninsula of northern Greece. Mount Athos is home to a semi-autonomous monastic community that dates back to the 5th century AD. ANA-MPA/ NIKITAS KOTSIARIS [02] Âudget deficit rises in Jan-MayGreece state budget deficit jumped to 6.783 billion euros in the five-month period from January to May 2008, up from 4.396 billion euros in the corresponding period in 2007, official figures showed on Friday.The General Accounting Office, in a report, said revenues pre-tax returns grew by 5.3 percent in the five-month period, while net revenues were up 3.5 pct over the same period. Revenue growth lags official budget targets as the government awaits a package of measures (single real estate duty and fuel tax) to begin bearing fruit in the coming months. Primary spending grew by 12.1 pct in the January-May period, while interest payments fell by 3.9 pct. In total, regular budget spending grew by 8.4 percent, while revenues in the Public Investments Programme fell by 13 pct and spending was up 31.4 percent in the five-month period. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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