Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-11-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM calls for political, social consensus

[01] PM calls for political, social consensus

Addressing an event organised by the Hellenic-American Chamber, Papandreou added that he intended to summon in the weeks to come the "political parties, the sides concerned and society for a broad dialogue on issues that need to be handled jointly."

The changes that the government intends to promote concern the state, the taxation system, the managing of public finances, the country's growth model, combatting corruption, the change of the political system, the public administration, local government, the social security scheme, education and health, the prime minister said.

He added that the government would present a specific dialogue framework on which all, and above all the government itself, would be called to assume responsibilities and commitments.

Papandreou further said that the country "cannot waste any further time and for this reason the government has opened almost all the fronts regarding the economy".

The prime minister stressed that his government "will not adopt recipes whose only outcome would be the sinking of the economy into greater recesssion and crisis."

Noting that the country "goes through an unprecedent state of emergency and difficulties", the prime minister nevertheless expressed his certainty that Greece could overcome the crisis through Green Development, which "will signal a great revolution in technology, production and consumption."

He said that the current world economic crisis would not end soon and accused the banks which, as he said, could help towards an exit from the crisis.

As regards Greece, Papandreou said that, despite existing problems, it presented many advantages, although it had to change a growth model by adopting Green Development which "is a condition of survival as well as a precious opportunity for a country like Greece."

The prime minister added that the government would be presenting a specific plan on speeding up investments that utilise renewable energy sources.

Papandreou also referred to problems that the governent had to tackle and which, as he said, the previous government tried to cover up and as a result the country lost a valuable capital of credibility.

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