Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-10-27

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Government on economic policy

[02] ND leader in Brussels for EPP summit

[03] Greek business capital investments in Turkey at 5 billion euros

[04] Siekaczek confirms that Siemens paid politicians in Greece

[05] Nike Monument unveiled at new Acropolis Museum

[06] KKE: Reject 2 main parties

[07] ASE opening: Decline

[08] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Government on economic policy

He pointed out that "the apparently upward revision of the 2009 deficit will not bring more measures," clarifying that there will be "no more salary and pension cuts."

Speaking during a regular press briefing in Athens and in response to repeated queries, Petalotis said that the government is trying to avoid implementation of measures that have been already scheduled for 2011, by considering alternative scenarios.

Referring to the upcoming Nov. 7 local government elections, Petalotis said that "in the period we are going through there is no vote of discontent but, on the contrary, there is a vote for political stability."

He stated that "the citizens do not want their sacrifices to go to waste and jeopardise the future of their children by leading the country back to 'point zero'."

He underlined that there was "no blackmail on behalf of the prime minister," stressing that during his all-channel televised interview on Monday evening "the premier underscored the responsibility we all have in view of the elections."

The government spokesman said "the state of alert is still on and consequences will be fateful if the country's course out of the crisis is upset."

"It is clear that the government's intention is to continue a difficult course and not call early elections," he said, adding that "we all need to realize the usefulness of this course."

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[02] ND leader in Brussels for EPP summit

Samaras will meet with EPP President Wilfried Martens and later in the afternoon he will visit the European Parliament. On Wednesday evening, he will host a dinner for ND's affiliated MEPs.

Ahead of the EPP Summit on Thursday, Samaras will meet with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[03] Greek business capital investments in Turkey at 5 billion euros

The value of bilateral trade transactions between Greece and Turkey reached 3.5 billion dollars in 2008, but fell to 2.8 billion dollars last year.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[04] Siekaczek confirms that Siemens paid politicians in Greece

While in Munich, the MPs will also question former Siemens Hellas CEO Mihalis Christoforakos, a fugitive from Greek justice, who is due to testify before the Greek Parliamentary delegation on Wednesday.

The main administrator of Siemens slush funds, Siekaczek said he was aware that kickbacks were being paid to political parties in Greece but did not reveal any names, saying that he did not know who the names of the politicians that accepted the funds. He suggested that the MPs question Christoforakos regarding the identities of the recipients.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[05] Nike Monument unveiled at new Acropolis Museum

In statements at the unveiling, Geroulanos emphasised the importance of the monument 2,500 years after the historic battle, an event broadly regarded as a pivotal moment in the history of European culture.

In 490 B.C. when the Battle of Marathon took place Callimachus was then a 'polemarch' or supreme military commander of Athens. With the 10 Athenian generals evenly divided over whether to do battle or surrender to the Persian invasion force, it was he that cast the deciding vote that sent the Athenians into battle and on to their final victory over the Persian Empire.

"Everything now rests of you," Geroulanos said, quoting directly from the description given by the ancient historian Herodotus of a hypothetical conversation between Callimachus and Miltiades - the general that led the battle and earned Greeks their victory - just before the polemarch cast his vote.

"Today we are not unveiling the monument of just another general but a monument to a democratic process that changed the course of history," the minister stressed.

Callimachus took part in the battle himself, leading the right wing of the Greek army, but was killed during the fighting. His statue was erected atop of the Athens Acropolis.

According to Prof. Dimitris Pantermalis, the curator of the new Acropolis Museum, the monument has been reconstructed in a modern fashion, using only the original shards in their correct positions, so that a visitor might be able to see the authentic version.ANA-MPA

The remnants of the 4.68-metre monument have been affixed to a metal column that holds the various parts in place and is built so that additional fragments might be attached if they are found. It is on display in the museum's Archaic Monuments' section.

A short distance from the original there also stands a copy showing archaeologists' best estimate of what the monument might have looked like when it was whole.

The unveiling of the Nike monument was among a series of events scheduled by the culture and tourism ministry to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary since the Battle of Marathon, which will culminate in the holding of the 28th Classic Athens Marathon on Sunday, in which more than 20,000 athletes from all over the world will take part.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[06] KKE: Reject 2 main parties

In a press conference at the KKE headquarters, Papariga referred to Monday night's all-channel televised interview of Prime Minister George Papandreou, charging that the dilemma he put to the people, namely, vote for the policy implemented or face the likelihood of early elections, is "pure blackmail".

She called on voters not to give in to blackmail, as she charged, while terming as a "ludicrous lie" a statement made by the PM that no new measures will be imposed.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[07] ASE opening: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving downwards, with the biggest gains in Chemicals, up 1.55 percent; and Personal Goods, up 1.04 percent.

The biggest losses were in Banks, down 1.62 percent; and Health, down 1.60 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 1.09 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.60 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.14 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 16 were up, 44 were down, and 12 were unchanged.

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

[08] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The Bank of Greece's (BoG) monetary policy interim report and its recommendations for exiting from the recession and the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) opposition to the prospect of early general elections, mostly dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Bank of Greece proposals for a smaller state and tax reductions".

AVGHI: "PASOK is not convincing".

AVRIANI: "Government collapses with the economy".

ELEFTHEROS: "Provopoulos (BoG chief): Mr. Papandreou, cut the crap - Early elections will blow away the streamlining programme".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Between two evils".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Prime Minister with an expiration date after the....self-goal".

ETHNOS: "IMF's veto on early elections".

IMERISSIA: "BoG's recommendations for exit from the crisis: Shut down state services".

KATHIMERINI: "Early general elections dilemma raises storm".

LOGOS: "No room for new taxes".

TA NEA: "Papandreou's dilemma singes main opposition New Democracy".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "BoG's recipe for cuts in state expenditures".

NIKI: "In the IMF era we are surviving on a diet of yoghurt".

RIZOSPASTIS: "People will not succumb to the government's and capital's blackmail".

TO VIMA: "BoG governor George Provopoulos' new memorandum: Close the Open Seniors Citizens' Centers!".

VRADYNI: "No to fascism: The Memorandum".

More details on the subscriber's page of APE-MPE | Subscription request form

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article