Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-12-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] OLP president on agreement with port workers

[02] Environment minister meets U.S. under secretary for energy

[03] Almunia on PM's statements

[04] Deputy Min. Rovlias resigns

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] OLP president on agreement with port workers

He also announced policies for the development of Greece's ports.

[02] Environment minister meets U.S. under secretary for energy

Specifically, they agreed to promote cooperation between the Greek Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the U.S. with emphasis on matters relating to smart grids, smart metering and methods for conserving energy and using renewable energy sources in the domestic and service sectors.

The two officials agreed to arrange a meeting between delegations from the two countries to discuss these issues in the near future. They also exchanged views on climate change and the negotiations underway in Copenhagen on achieving a global treaty to cut down carbon emissions.

[03] Almunia on PM's statements

"We note the Greek government's pledge, which was repeated yesterday by the Prime Minister George Papandreou, to reduce the fiscal deficit and public debt through permanent cutbacks in spending and an increase in revenues. Mr. Papandreou has boosted the intentions of the Greek government for structural reforms in social insurance, in drafting the budget in the taxation system and in collecting statistical data," he said.

[04] Deputy Min. Rovlias resigns

Government spokesman George Petalotis clarified that the minister denied the documents presented in the programme originated from his office but had decided to offer his resignation, which was accepted by the prime minister, in order to avoid casting any aspersions that the present government was involved in clientelism.

Petalotis also noted that Prime Minister George Papandreou had noted the need for a code of conduct to be drawn up for all such issues, which would be binding for all members of the government from this point on, and had assigned the task of drawing this up to government Vice President Theodoros Pangalos.

In a statement regarding his decision to resign, Deputy Interior Minister Dinos Rovlias on Tuesday outlined the reasons for his decision and said his resignation had been accepted by Prime Minister George Papandreou.

"Today I submitted my resignation to the prime minister after media reports claiming that my political office was involved in applications for transfers of police and armed forces officers.

The prime minister accepted it.

I accepted political responsibility and submitted by resignation independent of the substance of the charges, in order to avoid causing even the slightest problem for the government, especially during this critical time for the country. I consider that in this way I serve the principles and values of my party," he said.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The government's measures on the economy and EU Commission's reservations, and the political leaders' meeting chaired by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on corruption and transparency in public life, dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Peace over Piraeus port - Dockworkers and Piraeus Port Authority shake hands".

APOGEVMATINI: "At last, the political leaders agreed on something, the battle against corruption".

AVGHI: "Meeting off the point".

AVRIANI: "Political leaders unanimously agreed on the establishment of three examining committees".

CHORA: "They agreed to become honest".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Ruling PASOK's guillotine takes the first head - Dinos Rovlias (deputy interior minister) finished".

ELEFTHEROS: "Main opposition ND leader Antonis Samaras' resounding message to government".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "They forced Mr. Clean to resign - Government ousts Dinos Rovlias".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou's overture to Germany to secure their support".

ESTIA: "The government's measures are shallow".

ETHNOS: "Period of agony extended till January - Brussels awaiting specification of the measures".

IMERISSIA: "Markets skeptical - First impressions on the loan are lukewarm".

KATHIMERINI: "Consensus against corruption - Papandreou, Samaras agree on 11 essential directions".

LOGOS: "Consensus of optimism".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Markets skeptical and EU leery".

NIKI: "Greece in a tunnel".

RIZOSPASTIS: "The battle against corruption will not improve the people's lives".

TA NEA: "Stop to bonuses, meanwhile the markets are coercing for new measures".

TO VIMA: "The first small steps towards consensus".

VRADYNI: "The 'favours'....were Dinos Rovlias' fall - Prime Minister George Papandreou faces the first crisis of reliability ".

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