Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-02-20

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM to visit Berlin ahead of EU summit

[02] Protest action at toll posts on Sunday

[03] Samaras slams 'paralysed' gov't

[04] Public transport strikes

[05] 'No' to violence in sport

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines 

[01] PM to visit Berlin ahead of EU summit

"Greece's economic situation, as well as the important measures that are being taken by the country in the framework of its public finances' restructuring programme, will be discussed," German government spokesman Stephen Zeibert said here on Friday.

In this respect, Zeibert underlined the "German support towards the great reform efforts that Greece is making."

Papandreou will also be meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, the German Social-Democratic Party (SPD) leader Zigmar Gabriel, the president of SPD's parliamentary group and former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Green party co-president Claudia Roth.

On Monday, the Greek prime minister will give a lecture at the Humboldt University on the theme "The tackling of the financial-economic crisis, an opportunity for Europe".

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form



[02] Protest action at toll posts on Sunday

The planned protests are outlined at the movement's site www.diodiastop.gr and stress that Sunday's action is a message against the government's efforts to criminalise the refusal to pay.

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form



[03] Samaras slams 'paralysed' gov't

"The government has entered a state of semidissolution and semiparalysis," Samaras said and stressed that this was not a case of the occasional hiccup but of systematic inconsistency and back-tracking.

Referring to all that followed a press conference by EU-IMF inspectors, he spoke of a drama with denunciations by the government spokesman, denials by the Finance minister, denials by the prime minister himself and denials of the prime minister's denials.

Also indicative of the government's confusion, Samaras claimed, was the circular on the "semi-outdoor" building conversions that was announced and then withdrawn, public disagreements over the draft tax bill and the role of the financial crime prosecutor, as well as the disagreements between the environment and infrastructure ministers.

Samaras further said that while the government is presenting a picture of dissolution, ND has a plan and added "every day we are signing a contract of dignity with the Greek people."

The ND leader referred to his proposal made last July on the using public real estate.

"We said last year that the memorandum is not succeeding, and also that the memorandum is not stopping but is strengthening and refuelling the momentum of the deficits and of the debt," he stressed and concluded by saying "we were criticised at the time while now they are agreeing with us. When PASOK asked for consensus it really wanted complicity," Samaras said.

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form



[04] Public transport strikes

On Wednesday, February 23, all public transport means will come to a halt as employees will be participating in the nationwide 24-hour strike called by the two leading trade unions, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY).

On Friday, February 25, buses will have a new work stoppage between 11 and 16:30, while on February 28 all public transport means will not be running during the same hours as employees will be holding a joint general assembly at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form



[05] 'No' to violence in sport

"All of us that love sport, who love the virtues and ideals of sport, must range ourselves against violence in stadiums. It is unacceptable that a small minority can cause incidents that blacken sports as a whole. We say 'no' to violence in stadiums," he emphasised.

Papoulias was speaking at a ceremony held to honour his contribution to sport on the sidelines of the game, in which the Greek side emerged victorious with a score of 77-70. Referees in the game were Health and Social Solidarity Minister Andreas Loverdos and Deputy Health Minister Christos Aidonis.

Both ministers also condemned violence linked to sports during statements at the event and encouraged young people to exercise.

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form



[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Alpha Bank's rejection of a merger proposed by National Bank of Greece, the publication of a list of tax evaders and new opinion polls mostly dominated the front-page items in Athens' Sunday newspapers.

APOCALYPSES: "Elections in April with a 'rainbow' government".

ARTHRO: "Mergers a solution (for banking sector)".

AVGHI: "Storm warning for the government, economy".

AVRIANI: "Qatar knew about the government's plan for a merger between Alpha and NBG".

CHORA: "In prison for one euro".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Electoral collapse for 'memorandum' PASOK".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "List of 20,000 tax evaders".

EPOCHI: "We should flood the streets".

ETHNOS: "Alpha-NBG's 'Blood Wedding' and the thriller between the banks".

KATHIMERINI: "Government amidst the Symplegades".

LOGOS: "Pay cuts in the public and private sectors".

NIKI tis DIMOKRATIAS: "We are selling off state land with...Papaconstantinou's seal of approval".

PARON (weekly): "The 'troika' is governing. 'Slap' from 80.5 pct of the public".

PROTO THEMA (weekly): "SDOE (financial crimes investigation unit) freezes 75 accounts for submarine kickbacks".

REALNEWS (weekly): "The bank accounts that 'hog-tie' Akis Tsohatzopoulos!".

RIZOSPASTIS: "With all our strength for the success of the strike".

TO VIMA: "Bankers play poker, anxious government looks on".

VRADYNI: "The new supplementary pensions. Which insurance funds are affected, which are saved".

More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form

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