Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-09-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis gives interview to ANT1

[02] Papandreou addresses rally in Tripoli

[01] PM Karamanlis gives interview to ANT1

"Of course, we all know that it is a difficult struggle, but we have a clear message, a clear position and I believe that what we must do and we are doing is to work very hard and explain to the citizens what is at stake on October 4," he added.

Referring to the Siemens affair, the prime minister said that "New Democracy did not have, nor has it received a sponsorship, or whatever you want to call it, from the company in question. And I am saying it very clearly, very rationally and as I have repeatedly said, New Democracy's books are open to any Authority wishes to make whatever check. The Factfinding Committee, political probing can take place always and I have said it and I have committed myself on this, but it cannot coincide with the judicial probe."

Commenting on the economy, Karamanlis said that the country's big weakness "is the structural fiscal imbalance. A very big debt, a huge debt, that renders all moves difficult and which is certain, if we let it go on developing, will ultimately lead to the taking of much more difficult, or if you prefer the term, unbearable measures and will obstruct the restarting of the economy when we exit from the crisis."

He further said that "now, what is necessary to handle it is an even greater tightening of public expenditures, which we are already doing. The second is war on tax evasion. It is a phenomenon that we all know, we all agree on and it is time for us to combat it and effectively. And if you wish I can describe specific measures then."

Thirdly, the premier added, "the great structural changes. The opening, for example, of closed professions. Only this, it has been assessed by International Organisations, could add almost 2 percent to the growth rate that we have every year."

Concluding, Karamanlis accused the main opposition PASOK of "deceiving citizens". The easy solution PASOK proposes with pleasant recipies are in essence worthless, he said.

[02] Papandreou addresses rally in Tripoli

Papandreou further said that "the time has come for us to speak to our neighbour, the disappointed voter of the New Democracy party, and tell him whether you vote, or whether you do not vote for PASOK we shall struggle to make you proud."

He added that "the decline that we are experiencing is not a simple economic crisis, but an economic, of values and institutional crisis which will not pass simply when the international economic crisis is over."

The PASOK leader referred to the differences between PASOK and ND, stressing that his party "is aware that every day that it gains the confidence of the citizens the more its responsibility towards the country and them increases."

Papandreou pointed out that "the country needs a serious plan and we are already prepared for the plan of the first 100 days, an 'emergency' plan to back the market, support middle-level and low incomes and to curb state extravagance."

The PASOK leader concluded his address by saying that "only together shall we put Greece ahead and create a better tomorrow that has to give to all of us and not only to the greens, the reds and the blues and this effort shall succeed in a Greece having a political leadership that owes to no one, only to the people themselves."

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