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Friday, 19 April 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-04-17Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] FinMin: IMF not discussing debt restructureWASHINGTON (ANA-MPA) -- International Monetary Fund (IMF) General Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn reiterated the IMF's position that a restructuring of the Greek debt at this time will not help because the cost would be greater than any benefit, during a discussion in Washington with Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou, the Greek official said after their meeting on Sunday."They are not discussing it," Papaconstantinou told reporters after the meeting, adding that "I am tired of saying it", that debt restructure is not on the table, and denied rumors that the Greek government has asked for extension of the repayment period for its entire debt. (ANA-MPA) Asked if he was telling the truth, the minister replied: "We are telling the truth to the Greek people every day." Papaconstantinou said the talks with Strauss-Kahn covered the course of the Greek program and the first signs of recovery appearing despite the fact that "the climate continues to be heavy". The IMF chief seemed pleased with the effort so far which, Strauss-Kahn is cited as saying, is going through its most difficult phase politically, given that the measures are causing expected reactions without the results having begun yet to be visible, and adding that this development is similar with that of programs in other countries in the past. (ANA-MPA) Strauss-Kahn considers the denationalisations program to be of key importance, and reiterated the need for the reforms to continue at a rapid pace, while he also touched on the issue of the shortfall in revenues. Caption: ANA-MPA / EPA file photo. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [02] Samaras: No consensus to econ policy(ANA-MPA) -- Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras once again ruled out any consensus with the economic policy being carried out by the PASOK government, even if this means the collapse of the government and snap elections, in an interview appearing in the Sunday edition of an Athens daily.Samaras stressed that ND is prepared for the prospect of early elections and opined that, in such an eventuality, his government will emerge with a clear mandate by the Greek people to implement its integrated program. He further said that if the government seeks to pass its medium-term economic programme for 2012-2015 with an increased majority of 180 votes in the 300-member legislature, ND "will not succumb to such a blackmail". More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [03] International Cycling Tour of HellasCyclists participating in the 17th International Cycling tour of Hellas (Greece) pass in front of the hill of the Athens Acropolis, with the western side of the temple of the Parthenon showing, on a chilly and raining Sunday morning, April 17, 2011. ANA-MPA / S. PANTZARTZIMore details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [04] Exodus of Messolonghi events(ANA-MPA) -- President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias made note of the dire economic crisis and the country's exit from it, speaking in Messolonghi, where he attended events marking the 185th anniversary of the heroic Exodus of Messolonghi during the Greek War of Independence."For true change to come about, our mentality must change...Not to demonise or victimise ourselves, but to realise that national is the true, as our great poet Dionyssis Solomos once said, even if it is an awkward truth," Papoulias said during an official luncheon. "Many things do not depend on us, but on the decisions taken by the leaders of the European Union. Others, however, are exclusively our own obligation," the president continued, citing inter alia the modernisation of the state, the streamlining of the fiscal finances, the eradication of the black economy, consolidation of rules of transparency, equality before the law and the state, the restoration of confidence between the citizens and the state. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [05] Opinion poll results(ANA-MPA) -- Greek voters appear to be turning their back on the two mainstream political parties -- ruling PASOK and main opposition New Democracy (ND) -- although more-or-less opposed to early general elections, according to results of two opinion polls appearing in newspapers on Sunday.According to a Public Issue opinion poll appearing in the Sunday edition of Kathimerini, respondents indicated that the best choice for the country's future would be an all-party government, a choice backed by 23 percent of respondents, following by a collaboration government of PASOK and ND (12 percent), a self-sufficient PASOK government (8 percent) and a self-sufficient ND government (6 percent). Regarding a question on the most critical aspect of the current situation in Greece, a majority of 69 percent of the respondents cited the economy, while 35 percent said it was unemployment. In a second opinion poll, conducted by Kapa Research and appearing in the weekly 'To Vima', a majority of the respondents said they were against early general elections, while voters who in the past had preferred single-party (self-sufficient) governments now prefer an all-party government. Lastly, ruling PASOK's percentage of voter intent (which party the respondent would vote for if general elections were held the following Sunday) dropped to 21.7 percent, with ND remaining second with 20.1 percent, while the undecided vote remained a high 30.1 percent. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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