Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-06-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] KKE leader at Athens rally

[02] NBG head: Crisis ending

[01] KKE leader at Athens rally

Papariga spoke of a "massive attack against social security, health and welfare from the day after the elections, based on the decisions taken in Prague," while noting that they are issues to which neither the government nor the main opposition PASOK party refer to.

KKE, she further said, "remains an irreconcilable rival of the bourgeoisie political system which is rotten, not only due to the scandals but above all because this system organises the accumulation of capital, strengthens monopolies everywhere. It legalises antilabour and antipopular laws that lead to the continuous worsening of day-to-day life."

Papariga went on to say that a strong radical pole must be created that will constitute the rival awe for the dominant policy, the monopolies, in cooperation with every radical movement in European countries and even further.

"In KKE we are not alone, we are many, let us show our strength on June 7 an as of June 8 we shall go for new and more effective struggles," she concluded.

[02] NBG head: Crisis ending

Arapoglou, addressing an annual regular general shareholdersâ meeting, said banks were now able to be in a position to support real economies at the time it was most needed.

?We expect that recent few signs of stabilization in the global economy would multiply in the second half of 2009 preparing a slow but steady recovery in 2010. We must not be complacent, however,? he added.

Commenting on the Greek banking system, the Greek banker said it was widely acknowledged that it was healthy, with adequate capital and liquidity to deal with the consequences of the economic recession in the country and in Southeast European countries.

Greek banks have never posted negative results, they cannot be blamed for irresponsibility or lack of transparency while they continue to be profitable despite the crisis, he noted. Arapoglou said a state-sponsored programme to boost liquidity in the Greek economy offered the necessary support to the domestic banking system.

National Bank is capable of exiting the current turmoil in the global financial system unscathed and to maintain its high returns to shareholders, allowing it to continue its independent, autonomous growth and taking advantage of major opportunities created in foreign countries of strategic interest for the bank, Arapoglou told shareholders.

He stressed that National Bankâs lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises totaled 1.3 billion euros in the first quarter of 2009.

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