Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-12-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM to inaugurate social dialogue on Monday

[02] ND leader announces 'shadow government'

[03] Katseli: Triple goal

[04] Lecture on New Acropolis Museum in NY

[01] PM to inaugurate social dialogue on Monday

Papandreou announced last week that he intends to take a series of decisions and initiatives on the difficult situation Greece is facing, with the first initiative being the commencement of a broad dialogue with the social partners and society in order to create a large alliance of social forces for the advancement of major changes needed on the countryâs chronic problems, and especially in the operation of the state.

The premier also asked President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias to convene a meeting of the council of political party leaders on the problem of corruption, which will take place on Tuesday chaired by the President.

[02] ND leader announces 'shadow government'

Former minister Dimitris Avramopoulos was designated chief of the foreign affairs and policy division (shadow foreign minister), Costas Tasoulas was designated defence issues director (shadow defence minister).

The labor and social security issues chief is Yiannis Vroutsis (MP for the Cyclades islands), and former minister Costis Hatzidakis assumes the development and competitiveness portfolio.

Also, the domestic affairs and public administration portfolio has been assigned to Christos Zois, and the citizens' protection portfolio was assigned to Nikos Dendias.

Samaras, an economist, assumed the economy portfolio himself, with MPs Christos Staikouras (economic policy) and Theodoros Karaoglou (taxation) as alternate shadow ministers.

Meanwhile, ND press officer Panos Panagiotopoulos announced that the main opposition will take part in the meeting of the political party leaders, to be convened on Tuesday by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias following a request by prime minister George Papandreou.

ND, he said, has always and continues to seek cooperation among the political forces of the country on the major issues that concern all the citizens and determine the country's course.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ND parliamentary group will meet in parliament's Senate hall, chaired by Samaras, to discuss "the Greek economy and global economic crisis".

[03] Katseli: Triple goal

However, she warned, "if we give them one hand, the will cut off our other hand as well".

Katseli stressed that the government must implement its program immediately. "It must materialise the measures on the basis of its commitments and incorporate them in the Stability and Growth Program. It would be useful if the measures are announced immediately. We knew that the market does not make discount. Consequently, it is necessary to immediately boost credibility," she added.

Asked to comment on recommendations for a "freeze" of salaries, along the lines of the Irish model, Katseli replied that, at this time, the country's fiscal problem will not be solved, and the markets will not be convinced, with a salary freeze or reduction, not only due to the fact that the working people are not the ones who should shoulder the cost but, above all, what comes first and foremost is effectively bringing the fiscal deficit under control.

In Greece, she explained, bringing the fiscal deficit under control has to do with stamping out tax evasion and reducing the wasteful spending of public sector resources.

It is necessary to convince the markets that Greece is determined to take the measures necessary to achieve its triple goal of fiscal streamlining, and rekindling the economy and production, Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping minister Louka Katseli said in a newspaper interview.

[04] Lecture on New Acropolis Museum in NY

Pandermalis made a historic review of the landmarks in the search for the appropriate site for the New Acropolis Museum, the obstacles that arose along the way, the excavations that necessitated a change of plan, and the final result that he said enchanted humanity.

Speaking to a packed auditorium, which also included the Museum's architect, Bernard Tschumi, Pandermalis also outlined aspects unknown to the wider public concerning the entire course from inception of the idea of the New Acropolis Museum to the completion of the project.

Pandermalis also noted the "great advantages" of the Museum, such as the exploitation of natural light, and its roof, which functions as a "fifth facade".

The lecture was given in conjunction with the exhibition on the New Acropolis Museum running at Columbia University's Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery through December 19.

Opening just four months (October 21) after the new Acropolis Museum itself (June 20), the exhibition focuses on the building itself - its innovative architecture and the major role it plays at the nexus of Greco-Roman cultural and archaeological history, according to the organisers.

Sited to be in visual dialogue with the Acropolis, The new Acropolis Museum creates a direct association between the displayed objects and their original context. For the first time, all significant archaeological finds from the area are consolidated into one, state-of-the-art museum, highlighting the importance of the site in shaping artistic expression in Greco-Roman antiquity and its continuing influence on perceptions of Greek art. At the heart of the Wallach exhibition is an array of full-scale casts of prime examples of the sculpture that the museum was built to house, together with casts of pottery that was unearthed during excavations for its foundation. The casts, on loan from the museum in Athens, are complemented by color photographs of the building.

Introducing the exhibition are planning documents from Bernard Tschumi Architects, the firm that designed the museum. These materials include preparatory sketches, working drawings and architectural models. Tschumi, a New York-based Swiss architect, is a member of the faculty of Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where he served as dean from 1988 to 2003.

Early archaeological work on the Acropolis is illuminated by illustrated books from Columbia's Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. Copies of archival documents from the American School of Classical Studies in Athens outline the pioneering studies of William Bell Dinsmoor, a Columbia faculty member from 1919 to 1963 and one of the few foreign scholars allowed to conduct excavations on the Sacred Rock. Ioannis Mylonopoulos, professor of Ancient Greek art and archaeology in Columbia's department of art history and archaeology, is serving as curator of this exhibition.

The exhibition winds up on December 19.

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