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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-23Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] IMF experts submit package of recommendations to Finance ministryANA-MPA/The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday submitted a package of recommendations to the finance ministry for improvement of Greece's fiscal management and taxation administration.The text of the document, submitted by a team of IMF experts jointly visiting Greece with European Commission and European Central Bank (ECB) officials and titled "Basic guidelines and recommendations by the IMF technical assistance for improvement of the fiscal management and taxation administration in Greece", notes inter alia that the effort for fiscal adjustment focuses mainly on the state budget, but the immense overshooting of expenditures mainly concern the general government (health and social security system). From the basic guidelines and recommendations of the IMF technical assistance, it arises that immediate actions are needed to regain control of the fiscal finances. [02] Memorial service for late statesman Constantine KaramanlisÁna -MpaThe annual memorial service for the late statesman and founder of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party Constantine Karamanlis was held on Friday at the Konstantinos Karamanlis Foundation in the Filothei suburb of Athens, marking the 12th anniversary of his death.The memorial service for the former prime minister and president was attended by former President of the Republic Costis Stephanopoulos, the late statesman's nephew former prime minister Costas Karamanlis, the leader of main opposition New Democracy Antonis Samaras, the deceased's brother former MP Achilleas Karamanlis, former president of parliament Dimitris Sioufas, his close associates, ministers and ND officials. [03] Arrest in 'Cells of Fire' investigationANA-MPA/Counter-terrorism police arrested a 19-year-old woman on Thursday evening, on the basis of an arrest warrant for involvement in the case of the "Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire" terror group.The arrest warrant was one of the first six that had been issued after the discovery of a group safehouse in the Athens suburb of Halandri. According to police sources, the warrant was issued on the basis of fingerprints found in the Halandri safehouse and on other objects. The woman was arrested while speaking from a cardphone in downtown Athens' Klafthmonos Square. She will be brought before the special investigating magistrate on Friday. [04] Greek team of mountaineers conquer "Island Peak" in the HimalayasA Greek Mountaineering team has successfully concluded its "Nepal 2010" expedition for scaling "Island Peak" at an altitude of 6,189m in the Himalayas mountain range. The Greek team from Thessaly departed on March 26 and returned to Greece on schedule on April 11. The team of four men and two women aged between 20 and 40 was headed by veteran mountain climber Nikos Magitsis, who conquered Mt. Everest, the world's highest peak, in May 2004. Magitsis is one of the select few summiteers in the world to have scaled the highest mountains on all seven continents.[05] IMF head: Greek situation 'serious'WASHINGTON (ANA-MPA/ T. Ellis) - International Monetary Fund general director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, replying to a question by the ANA-MPA, assessed that the state of the Greek economy is serious and efforts are required from the country's government and people to tackle it.Speaking during a press conference given in the framework of the start of the IMF and World Bank's spring conference, Kahn said that "until now we have not participated in negotiations, we merely offered technical support," while discussions with the Greek government have started. "It is clear that the situation in Greece is a very serious one, both from the view of Greece's macroeconomic stability, for the government of Greece, as well as a very serious situation for the Greek people," Kahn said. [06] Tempi open for weekendANA-MPAThe Tempi section of the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway will temporarily open for the next two weekends to facilitate drivers and May Day holidaymakers. According to authorities the section will open on Friday at 8am and will re-close Monday morning at 6pm.The Tempi section of the country's main north-south highway has been closed to traffic since December 17, 2009 following a massive landslide, which claimed the life of an Italian engineer who was project director of a bridge being constructed at the site while arriving to inspect damage caused by falling rocks. With most of the repairs completed, Tempi was also reopened temporarily for the Easter holiday. Traffic is currently being diverted along other routes. [07] ASE opening: RiseEquity prices were rising at the opening of trade on Friday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with the basic share price index up 1.04 percent, standing at 1,882.66 points at 11:00 a.m., and turnover at 29.711 million euros.Individual sector indices were moving mostly upward, with the biggest gains inTravel and Recreation, up 1.85 percent; and Raw Materials, up 1.15 percent. The biggest losses were in Health, down 5.10 percent; and Financial Services, down 1.81 percent. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 1.38 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.41 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.06 percent. Of the stocks traded, 36 were up, 25 were down, and 27 were unchanged. [08] Athens Newspaper HeadlinesThe Friday edition of Athens' dailies at a glanceEurostat's upward revision of Greece's 2009 fiscal deficit to 13.6 percent of GDP, the skyrocketing of the Greek 10-year bond spread to nearly 600 basis points, and Thursday's nationwide strike in the public sector mostly dominated the headlines on Friday in Athens' newspapers. ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Unionists give the final blow to coastal shipping with new strikes in ports". APOGEVMATINI: "Government, abashed and confused, is watching the economy collapse, entrepreneurship dying out and unemployment skyrocketing". AVGHI: "Unconditional surrender". AVRIANI: "National rescue government needed to bring country out of the crisis - Politicians have huge responsibilities that led us to bankruptcy". ELEFTHEROS: "Social security and labour issue: How Employment Minister Andreas Loverdos deceives the workers - He tabled a different draft law in parliament from the one he had presented". ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "IMF ultimatum to George Papandreou - Dominique Strauss-Kahn makes shocking statements: He devastated the European support mechanism". ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Out of control - The vise gets tighter - EU considers new increase in deficit probable". ESTIA: "Eurostat report indicates that Europe is over-indebted". ETHNOS: "Immediate recourse to the support mechanism - Ministers' pleas of agony to Prime Minister George Papandreou". IMERISSIA: "Thriller over the recourse". KATHIMERINI: "Dangerous games with time - Arguments and hesitation in government". LOGOS: "IMF sets the rules ...for the assistance to Greece". NAFTEMPORIKI: "Crucial decisions for the Greek economy". NIKI: "How we will save our money - Unbelievable! Speculators are betting on Greece's bankruptcy". RIZOSPASTIS: "Workers, professionals, farmers, young people and women stood up for their rights in the 48-hour strike". TA NEA: "IMF's hour - Bargaining, behind-the-scenes and statements". TO VIMA: "Last-ditch bargaining for cutbacks in salaries, too - Dramatic climate at (Thursday's informal) Inner Cabinet meeting". VRADYNI: "They will exhaust us in order to ...save us - Cutbacks in salaries in public and private sector". Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |