Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-09-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader sets two options before voters

[02] Tsipras on health care system

[03] Vartholomeos honoured

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PASOK leader sets two options before voters

"If you want to continue the course of the six-year governance by New Democracy, vote for Mr. Karamanlis," he said and added that a different course "is not easy but it is feasible" and called for the confidence and the Parliamentary majority vote of the Greek people.

Papandreou stressed that the country "is experiencing crucial moments and noted that two different options exist for Greece. The one is the continuation of the policy of decline, untransparency, the serving of clientele interests that places burdens on the average Greek family and the other is to have a government with determination and strength that will go ahead with the necessary changes and give hope to citizens and the country."

The PASOK leader further said that with ND's policy, "Greece fell 40 points in competitiveness" and recalled a statement by former economy minister George Alogoskoufis who had said before the international crisis broke out that "we reached the bottom."

Referring to the two mainstream parties' philosophy, he said that ND considers the social state "as a tip for the family and promotes the compression of salaries and benefits."

He added that the other "invests in the country's human potential, provides security and confidence for the citizen and defends the rights of working people, while subsidising the contributions of young people to find work."

Papandreou also said that, if elected prime minister, he would request a meeting of party leaders with the President of the Republic to discuss transparency issues and put an end to "the squandering" of the Greek people's money.

Turning to environmental issues, the PASOK leader focused on green development to enable the country to move to a different production basis with a different technology and for new jobs to be created.

On the question of national issues, Papandreou said that he "backed" Karamanlis on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), setting a national red line and will be moving along it as prime minister.

The PASOK leader expressed disagreement with the government's handling of issues concerning Greek-Turkish relations, saying that Karamanlis lost historic opportunities to have the neighbouring country's stance towards Greece evaluated and he did this twice.

Papandreou further stressed that he considers Turkey's stance unacceptable with continuous violations of national airspace, pointing out that he will not tolerate this stance as prime minister.

Regarding the issue of Cyprus, Papandreou underlined that the Annan plan "is dead" and added that he will struggle with Cyprus President Demetris Christofias for a solution that will be based on UN resolutions and the acquis communautaire.

Papandreou also said that "we have a 100-day plan to enable the Greek economy to get moving again."

The PASOK leader mentioned that the citizens have to choose between a government that "is continuing to waste on clientele favours and which failed in the economy and a government that is committed to tidying up the economy and that will provide a breather for the market and hope and prosperity for the average family."

Papandreou stressed that a PASOK government will find funds for its programme, that he roughly assessed at 2.5 to 3 billion euros, in the part of taxes that have not been collected, the utilisation of ESPA funds and the utilisation of the public sector's real estate.

He further pointed out that the people are aware of dangers, following 6 years of New Democracy governance, while on the other hand there is the proposal by PASOK on tidying up, the serious redistribution of wealth and the toning up of the economy. "This is the difference between PASOK and ND," he concluded.

[02] Tsipras on health care system

He stressed that reforming and upgrading the state health system would be at the centre of the programme proposals presented by SYRIZA, the leftwing party alliance that has SYN as its largest component member.

Tsipras said these reforms would aim to set up a reliable network for primary health care and a reliable overall health system that would give every person living and working in Greece access to quality health services.

SYN's leader noted the lack of staff in hospitals and the need for proper management, saying that nursing staff and doctors were fighting a battle to keep hospitals open and prevent their collapse.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party leader Alexis Tsipras

[03] Vartholomeos honoured

Earlier, he was declared honorary citizen of the fire ravaged community of Kato Asea in the municipality of Valtetsi and inaugurated the recently constructed village square named after him.

The Ecumenical Patriarch completed his visit to the region that was devastated by wildfires with a symbolic gesture by planting two trees, a sycamore and a fir, characterizing as "criminals targeting humanity" all those who deliberately set fires and destroy the "house of God, the natural environment which is our home."

Caption : ANA-MPA file photo of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Vartholomeos)

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Īne on one TV debate between Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou on Tuesday evening dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The Prime Minister demolished the populist - Karamanlis' clear superiority in the debate".

APOGEVMATINI: "Karamanlis cast down the gauntlet at George for a second debate - PM dominated in debate".

AVGHI: "Naked princes - Karamanlis and Papandreou were exposed in the debate".

AVRIANI: "The country is on the verge of bankruptcy and the two mainstream parties (ruling ND and main opposition PASOK) do not offer a reliable proposal against the crisis".

CHORA: "PM won points but did not manage to recoup the losses".

ELEFTHEROS: "Karamanlis' superiority on all levels".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Karamanlis' performance of defeat - He called for a second debate".

ESTIA: "The difference was revealed - Karamanlis' superiority was clear.

ETHNOS: "Finishing stroke for Karamanlis".

KATHIMERINI: "The political parties' staffs assess the debate's result ".

LOGOS: "Debate without a winner or loser".

NIKI: "George appeared confident and ready to become prime minister".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist Party leader Aleka Papariga in Thrace: Put your trust now in the KKE".

TA NEA: "George's clear victory in one-on-one debate - Karamanlis burned his last card".

TO VIMA: "Debate revealed the winner of the general elections - Mr. Papandreou won the impressions".

VRADYNI: "Debate: Civilised but without nerve".

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