Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-07-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis calls for intensified efforts on economy

[02] PASOK leader on Corfu visit

[03] ANA-MPA system upgrade-Temporary service disruption

[04] Decline at ASE opening

[01] PM Karamanlis calls for intensified efforts on economy

Karamanlis noted afterwards that the global financial crisis has impacted all countries without exception, explaining that the Greek economy was facing severe pressures, on top of its chronic structural weaknessed.

The biggest burden on the Greek economy was the state debt, the servicing of which will require 12 billion euros in 2009 alone, he pointed out.

This year will be a difficult one, the prime minister warned, but added on the upside that Greece is the only European Union member country with a positive growth rate prediction, while unemployment is anticipated at one percentage point below the eurozone average.

"This, however, does not mean that we will be complacent. Our targets are not easy ones, and the first priority is to increase the state revenues" the premier continued, adding that "we are determined to combat tax evasion", which he described as an extremely anti-social attitude and sternly instructed his ministers and deputy ministers to exhaust all penalties provided by law on public servants who violate their responsibilities.

Karamanlis further noted the efforts being made to curb expenditures, stressing that changes and reforms were mandatory, and announced that the government will draft a new salary scale for newly-hired employees, the 'opening' of the so-called closed professions, the abolition and merger of state agencies, checks and controls on medicines, and other steps.

The premer also pointed out that the EU's Third Community Support Framework (CSF) has been completed, while more than 50 percent of the projects included in the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) have already been tendered. Further, regarding the Public and Private Sector Collaborations (SDIT) program, Karamanlis noted that the construction has begun of the first such projects, while from here on one new project will be tendered each month.

Finally, Karamanlis said he called for further intensification of efforts, so that "not a single day, not a single hour, will be wasted".

[02] PASOK leader on Corfu visit

Addressing a meeting of party officials in Corfu on Thursday night, Papandreou said that PASOK had achieved a very significant victory in the recent European Parliament elections, which gave the message that an alternative solution existed for the country, and that solution was embodied by PASOK and its efforts.

However, he continued, "we have ahead of us the major battle of the national elections", noting that PASOK has called for early general elections the soonest.

[03] ANA-MPA system upgrade-Temporary service disruption

We thank you for your understanding.

[04] Decline at ASE opening

Individual sector indices were moving downward nearly across the board, with the only gains in Travel & Recreation, up 0.33 percent.

The biggest losses were in Banks, down 2.69 percent; Health, down 2.59 percent; Industrial Products, down 2.45 percent; and Raw Materials, down 2.45 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 2.09 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 2.18 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 1.97 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 11 were up, 96 were down, and 23 were unchanged.

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