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

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND's campaign committee meeting on Monday

[02] Papandreou to attend event in Cyprus

[03] ASE: Decline

[04] Athens Newsaper Headlines

[01] ND's campaign committee meeting on Monday

On Sunday, Karamanlis, addressed an event of the ruling New Democracy party's women sector and severely criticised main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou for his comments on the economy, made the previous and same day on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki International Fair.

Karamanlis accused Papandreou of "exceeding every limit in vagueness, generalities and wellwishing," adding that the lack of any serious economic policy measure proves that PASOK has no plan to confront the crisis and the only thing it possesses are unattainable promises to all and extraordinary grants in every direction.

"He is giving promises that no government can keep in the coming years; he only cites uncoordinated, pleasant measures. Even one unpleasant and necessary measure in the crucial conditions we are experiencing is absent," the prime minister said.

Karamanlis went on to ask, out loud, how "the consequences of such a serious international crisis can be tackled only with pleasant generalities? Where will the unbelievable amounts of money to fulfill the so many promises be found?"

Karamanlis stressed that the aim of the PASOK leader's address was to mislead citizens. He added that no one can ignore the truth and that the huge public debt that the PASOK governments created and bequeathed must be tackled now.

He also stressed that PASOK's promises are completely unrelated to reality, the economy cannot stand them, they will lead to major economic impasses; valuable time will be lost and problems will multiply.

"We are appealing to all citizens with a clear message, with a clear gambit, to make the difficult decisions today so that our children can have a secure future tomorrow," the prime minister further said and underlined that 2011 must be the beginning of a new perspective and the international crisis must be turned into a national opportunity.

Karamanlis also pointed out that 2010 will be decisive for the course of the economy. The extent, intensity and duration of the unfavourable consequences will depend on the policies that will be implemented, the endurances of the economy will be determined and the future of the country will be determined.

The prime minister accused the main opposition party of failing to realise the seriousness of the current situation. He said that in government, PASOK received the public debt at 30 percent and ballooned it to 100 percent, obliging the country to pay 12 billion euros a year for interest alone, "and in opposition they always say a monotonous 'no' to every necessary change."

Karamanlis referred to his government's reforms, ones he said have strengthened the economy's endurance, "the unprecedented infrastructures programme that changes our country's image, the national land planning, the path for the green economy that opened with projects and not with words and the big energy agreements that have included our country on the global energy map, the educational reform, the social security reform, the improvement of all the economic indexes and the continuous decline of unemployment."

The prime minister concluded his address by saying that "I am determined to meet your expectations, determined for us to make the victory of New Democracy -- a victory against the crisis, a victory for our country."

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Papandreou to attend event in Cyprus

Kranidiotis, the Greek politician of Cypriot origin that first envisaged Cyprus' entry into the European Union, was killed in a freak accident shortly before midnight on September 14, 1999 when a plane carrying a Greek diplomatic mission to Bucharest hit an air pocket and plummeted some 17,000 feet in the air prior to landing. A total of six people died in the accident, including the Kranidiotis' 25-year-old son. The plane dropped from an altitude of 23,000 feet to 6,000 feet, before pilots landed the aircraft safely at the Bucharest airport.

On Saturday,

[03] ASE: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving downward across the board, with the heaviest losses in Banks, down 2.97 percent; Mass Media, down 2.47 percent; Public Utilities, down 2.01 percent and Commerce, down 1.41 percent.

The biggest gains were in Health, up 1.31 percent and Food and Beverages, up 0.68 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 2.08 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.87 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.90 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 34 were up, 81 were down, and 19 were unchanged.

[04] Athens Newsaper Headlines

Main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou's address at Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) and main policies if he wins the elections along with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' reaction dominated the headlines on Monday in Athens ' dailies.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Words, words, words! Papandreou's speech in Thessaloniki an essay".

APOGEVMATINI: "Karamanlis criticises George Papandreou for outrageous promises, if implemented they'll exasperate problems in the economy".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "George's fishing net full of holes".

ELEFTHEROS: "George gave us promises without any explanations - All crucial questions left unanswered".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Papandreou previews Barack Obama recipe and three years of austerity".

ESTIA: "Ruling New Democracy (ND) makes unbelievable mistakes and makes PASOK's mission easier".

ETHNOS: "Clear cut words from George".

TA NEA: "Dominant in Thessaloniki - George's triumph at TIF".

VRADYNI: "Karamanlis' answer to Papandreou's generalities: Papandreou lies to people".

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