Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Collective interest is in the changes and reforms

[02] Karamanlis, Papandreou cross swords in parliament

[03] US envoy at Vergina

[01] PM: Collective interest is in the changes and reforms

Referring to the reactions against the denationalisations, Karamanlis said that everyone was free to choose his own path: "It is the inalienable right of the working people to demand, to strike, to conduct mobilisations, but violence is no one's right, extremes and extreme actions are in on one's interest, and no one can emply undemocratic practices. It is a matter of social responsibility and, on the bottom line, a matter of Democracy," he said.

Karamanlis accused Alavanaos and SYRIZA of "barren rejection to everything, without presenting a proposal and without contributing to the achievement of solutions".

He said that the denationalisations aimed at boosting healthy competition, tackling the deficits that buren the taxpayers, and exploitation of the advantages of Greece's geographical position.

The premier reiterated the government's commitment to "fully ensure, in every instance, the rights of all the working people" in the Thessaloniki and Piraeus port authorities and in Olympic Airways.

"We will not overlook the workers interests. We will not benefit monopolistic situations. But neither will we stop the reforms that are necessary for the country to move forward. We will not forget the taxpayers who are paying. This is our commitment," he said.

Alavanos accused the government of undermining the public sector, and called on the people to back his Synaspismos party's new governmental proposal "that believes in the development of the public sector" and was outlined on Thursday at the opening session of his party's 5th Congress.

He asked the prime minister whether he would advise a small-scale businessman to sell his profitable enterprise and, if not, then why was he selling all the prime companies of the public sector. He also asked whether the prime minister would advise a businesman to sell his business in the event that he found out that its manager was stealing, referring to the Siemens kickbacks case, adding that the cost of the deal would be for the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) was, and in "which pocket" it ended up in.

Alavanos further spoke of a "schizophrenic" situation when on the one hand increases in the retirement ages were planned in the framework of the social security reforms and on the other the procedures regarding the ports, OSE and the stock exchange provided for "voluntary exodus" (voluntary early retirements).

Replying to Alavanos, Karamanlis said that SYRIZA could not on the one hand make charges of "morbid phenomena" while on the other opposing every reform that aimed at tackling such phenomena.

He said that populism did not help the situation, nor did reactionarism, adding also that there was no validity to the claims that the denationalisations meant deterioration of services and increase in prices.

Quite the contrary, he added, citing as an example the effects of the liberalisation of telecoms on prices and quality of services, as well as the creation of new jobs that ensued.

Caption: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis during the Hour of the Prime Minister in parliament.ANA-MPA/PANTELIS SAITAS

[02] Karamanlis, Papandreou cross swords in parliament

Replying to questions tabled, Karamanlis reassured that "nothing will be covered up" and "nothing will remain in the dark", while he also criticised Papandreou of exploiting the question tabled regarding the PPC in order to "cause noise" and to aggravate and polarise the political climate.

Regarding the Siemens case and PASOK's proposal that a parliamentary fact-finding commission be set up to investigate it, Karamanlis said that the justice sector's investigation into the affair was progressing "and will be completed".

"We will not allow anything to delay it. Let Justice carry on with its task without diversion. Parliament will still be here, then. Parliament is here and is ready to deal with this issue when the investigation is completed," Karamanlis said.

The premier expressed doubt over PASOK's intentions regarding the fact-finding commission, accusing the main oppoosition party of following a tactic of "the best defence is offence".

"Can't you see that your cadres have already started accusing each other and that they have accused the government of which you were a member?" Karamanlis asked.

As for the PASOK demand that he himself appear before the Parliamentary committee on cultural affairs, as Former Culture Minister, to speak on the Æachopoulos affair, Karamanlis said that "I am here for you, the plenary, to ask me whatever you want to ask", but added that "I will not take part in games of impression".

On the PPC's developmental initiatives, Karamanlis stressed that the prospect was being examined of cooperation with RWE, but "there is no agreement".

Karamanlis also referred in detail to the government's actions aimed at reducing the country's oil dependence and at the utilisation of mild and alternatative energy sources, stressing that the prospect of hard coal (anthracite) being added to Greece's energy balance was being examined. However, "such units will arise after an appraisal".

He said that the PPC's business decisions were taken exclusively by the company's board of directors and "not in dark rooms", adding that the PPC management "decides by itself on its business collaborations", and stressing that interventions in its choices would be "suspicious and condemnable".

Papandreou, in turn, charged a "cover-up of the cover-up" in the cases of the phone-tappings, the structured bonds scandal, the cartels, the "relatives" and the culture ministry, and accused the prime minister of refusing to appear before the parliamentary committee on cultural affairs to "give account" to the Greek people out of fear.

He reiterated the PASOK demand for a fact-finding commission on the Siemens case, speaking of "lies, intransparancy and cynicism" on the part of the government.

Caption: Main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou during the Hour of the Prime Minister in Parliament on Fri. 8 Feb.2008 ANA-MPA/PANTELIS SAITAS

[03] US envoy at Vergina

"These finds bear witness to a glorious and rich history," the envoy told reporters, adding that they had carried him back thousands of years into the past.

Speckhard said he intended to visit all regions of Greece and to strengthen Greek-American relations of friendship.

After the Vergina site, located west of the port city of Thessaloniki in the central part of the Macedonia province, the US ambassador visited the Byzantine Museum in Thessaloniki.

Caption: US ambassador to Greece Daniel Speckhard views an artifact during his tour of the Vergina Museum and the Royal Macedonian Tombs on Friday, 8 Feb. 2008. ANA-MPA/TASSOS ASSIKIDIS

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