Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-06-14

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK: 8-point plan for zero illegal migration

[02] FinMin: Restoring confidence

[03] New Acropolis Museum website

[01] PASOK: 8-point plan for zero illegal migration

According to Papandreou, the New Democracy (ND) government, in its five years in office, has lacked a migration policy. "The lack of such a policy by ND has made our society an open field. And we are all living this anomy. In Omonoia square, in the historic center of Athens In Kypseli and in Patras, from Agathonissi island to Aghios Panteleiomonas and so many other areas of our country," Papandreou wrote, adding "this can't go on".

He charged that, instead of having a serious and responsibile policy on the issue, ND had opted for "spasmodic policies" for the sake of impressions, with vote-attracting aims, "which are based on intolerance and racism" rather than "a well[governed democratic state that guarantees the just state for every person".

PASOK, he continued, has a specific plan regarding the phenomena of migration, political refugees and illegal migration, "a plan that ensures that the migrant in our country, the political refugee, will creatively contribute to our country's development, prosperity, culture and its presence in international affairs".

PASOK's plan comprises eight points: zero tolerance for illegal migration, aimed at 0 percent illegal migrants; reinforcement of guarding of the country's borders and strong demand in the EU for further funding and support for the protection of "our common borders"; implementation of the international and bilateral agreements, and particularly the Illegal Migrant Readmission Protocol that has been signed and was in the past applied with Turkey; drafting of a common humanitarian policy by the EU that will guarantee the equal assumption of the burdens regarding political refugees by all the EU member states, and not only by the countries of entrance of the refugees; clarification of Greece's policy on refugees, speedy ruling by the Greek authorities on who is eligible for political asylum and on who is a non-legal migrant and should be readimitted to the country of origin; assimilation of legal migrants into the Greek society through serous policies on education, combatting black (uninsured) work, granting of citizenship to those who fulfill the requirements, and especially to second-generation youths; formulation and implementation of a planned policy to attract workers in sectors with large seasonal or more permanent needs, and a comprehensive approach to migration policy in Greece by a ministry with specialised services; and a special program for the reorganisation of the country's cities and neighborhoods, with special focus on the neighborhoods that are turning into ghettos, through substantial public investments, a systematic housing policy for migrants, and guarantees for peaceful coexistence and social cohesion in the Greek society.

PASOK, Papandreou concluded, will continue its initiatives in that area. It will continue to unfold its polices on the issues faced by the Greek society, aiming at a well-governed state and the security and protection of the citizens' human rights.

[02] FinMin: Restoring confidence

Papathanassiou opined that it was not the government's overall work that had been disapproved of in the Euroelections, but rather the low result in specific areas. "This is why I fervently believe that whatever bothered, embittered and enraged the citizens must be changed," he added.

On the government's plan to conserve resources, Papathanassiou said that "the lies and excuses have ended...either we decide to reduce the deficit and debt, or we will then truly sink all together", adding that "there are no magic recipes for reducing the deficit".

Asked on the prospect of new taxes, Papathanassiou noted a pre-electoral statement by prime minister Costas Karamanlis that in June the course of execution of the state budget would be assesses and, if required, the necessary adjustments would be made, including the imposition of taxes if needed. "I said the same thing pre-electorally. We have never hidden the truth, as all the others have done," the minister added.

[03] New Acropolis Museum website

The website introduces the Museum to online visitors, enabling them to tour the display areas, and to read up on its history and operation.

The site is a virtual electronic map that takes the vistior on a tour of Greece's unique cultural heritage, unfolding the route from antiquity to the present that encompasses not only the exhibits and Greece's history, but also modern-day Hellenic culture.

The site will also apply an e-ticketing system, for the first time by a Greek museum, enabling future visitors anywhere in the world to book entry to the New Acropolis Museum at a specific date and time. This innovative application will enable the Museum to manage visiting hours while at the same time decongesting possible waiting lines at the entrance.

The Museum's electronic gate will open on Monday, June 15, at 11:00 p.m. (local time), while the Museum itself will be inaugurated on Saturday, June 20, by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

Entry to the Museum on its first three days of operation (Sunday, June 21 to Tuesday, June 23) will be available only to holders of e-tickets, while tickets will begin to be sold at the Museum beginning on Wednesday, June 24.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article