Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-03-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND accuses government of party bias

[02] Christofias in Athens

[03] FinMin presents new tax bill

[04] GNTO pavillion in Moscow

[05] IMF recourse inevitable

[06] ASE opening: Decline

[07] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] ND accuses government of party bias

The main opposition opposed the bill on the grounds that it opened the way for party bias in the appointment of senior public-sector staff. Among other accusations of political bias traded before the plenum was a barb that the present government had signed for the release from prison of drug dealers that were "friends" of PASOK, that drew an angry response from Justice Minister Haris Kastanidis, who demanded that this claim be retracted.

[02] Christofias in Athens

On Friday afternoon, the Cyprus President is to unveil a monument for the missing sergeant Christos Grivas at the Square of the Achaian Fallen in the port city of Patras. While in the city, he will be named an honorary professor at Patras University.

On Saturday afternoon, the Cyprus president will inaugurate the new Cyprus Embassy building in Athens, at 2A Xenophontas Street, while on Sunday he will speak at a political memorial ceremony for Eleftherios and Sophoklis Venizelos in Hania, Crete.

[03] FinMin presents new tax bill

The bill will be discussed at an Inner Cabinet meeting chaired by prime minister George Papandreou on Thursday afternoon, after which it will made public. The bill will then be put for approval before the Cabinet on Tuesday, after which it will be tabled in parliament for debate and vote.

Papaconstantinou said that the new bill respects the principles of justice, as everyone will contribute equally, has a redistributive nature, does not burden the low and middle income brackets, is efficient, simple and transparent.

[04] GNTO pavillion in Moscow

"We are aiming at making Greece a destination for the whole year and not only for the summer months. And with this thought, we are creating continuously new 'reasons' for one to visit our country," Gerekou said in her address, terming the crisis "an opportunity that we have to turn a page towards the future."

The deputy minister inaugurated the pavilion of the Greek Tourist Organisation EOT at the exhibition, stressing with her presence that "for this year in particular Greece constitutes for Russia an even more attractive destination.

Referring to the visa issue, Gerekou said that very soon the Greek government will be in a position to announce specific facilities regarding the provision of visas, starting from the issuing of at least six-month visas to Russian citizens, according to the models of Spain.

Many Russian travel agents specialising in Greece assess that initial bookings show an upward trend of up to 30 percent on average, a fact considered encouraging to stem last year's decrease in tourists from Russia and for the share secured by Greece from the Russian market to start recovering again.

[05] IMF recourse inevitable

He also opined that whatever conditions set out by the IMF will not be stricter than those set by the eurozone's major powers.

"Up until now we have only received best wishes from Europe. Therefore, may we need to stop this policy, which he termed as masochistic.

Finally, referring to internal developments in main opposition New Democracy (ND) party, Karatzaferis ridiculed any notion of a recent "catharsis", referring instead to governance by a "rabble".

[06] ASE opening: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Health, up 1.43 percent; and Oil, up 1.23 percent.

The biggest losses were in Insurance, down 2.75 percent; Travel and Recreation, down 2.21 percent and Banks, down 1.74 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 2.04 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 1.09 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.64 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 16 were up, 59 were down, and 22 were unchanged.

[07] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Prime Minister George Papandreou's meeting on Wednesday with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels and political support for Greece, Germany's tough stance on Greece, the new tax bill and the changes regarding the acquisition of a first residence, and Environment Minister Tina Birbili's announcement of a home energy efficiency improvement plan, dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Ruling PASOK party sets up a partisan state".

APOGEVMATINI: "Et tu, Angela? German chancellor Angela Merkel indirectly threatened Greece with expulsion from the EMU if the deficit and the debt are not reduced".

AVGHI: "Labour union umbrella federation GSEE on the crisis - Citizens demand strikes and dynamic confrontation with the government".

AVRIANI: "Our... friends and... allies abandoned us! Merkel preannounced Greece's expulsion from EMU and ruled out the possibility of economic support".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Tax shock on first residence and small and medium size incomes".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Germany's refusal to support Greece's rescue plan gives rise to reactions by EU and France".

ESTIA: "We are heading towards an impasse - Continuing borrowing is not the solution".

ETHNOS: "Additional taxes for the first house - Radical tax changes in real estate conveyances".

IMERISSIA: "EU's manoeuvre/safety belt for Greece - Ultimate effort to reach an agreement".

KATHIMERINI: "The expenditure in medicines is outrageous and manipulated".

LOGOS: "Barroso pointed at a European solution but.....Prime Minister George Papandreou left all possibilities open!".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Germany 'freezes' EU's support to Greece".

NIKI: "For our nation's honour and pride ...to the IMF - Enough with Merkel's other European allies' provocations".

RIZOSPASTIS: "New blow against collective labor agreements and social security".

TA NEA: "Tax even on the first home - The new tax bill will be discussed on Wednesday at the Inner Cabinet meeting".

TO VIMA: "The new taxation bill will be harsher".

VRADYNI: "Chaos prevails in labour market - Violation of workers rights".

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