Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-05-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Samaras: 'Creative shock' steps to restart Greek economy

[02] Nationwide labour strike staged on Wed.

[03] Environment minister confers with visiting EU Climate Action commissioner

[04] Foreign national stabbed to death in Athens

[05] Yannis Moralis exhibition in National Gallery

[06] Papandreou in Oslo

[07] ASE opening: Decline 

[01] Samaras: 'Creative shock' steps to restart Greek economy

At an event dubbed "Zappeion 2", Samaras warned that the country's debt was a "paralyzing" factor and dangerous, and reiterated charges that the government had pre-decided the recourse to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while also criticising the government of not negotiating the terms of the Memorandum.

Greece can emerge from the crisis and become better, without returning to "dependent prosperity", Samaras said, and urged that the "ghosts of populism and fatalism" be laid to rest, adding that he was proposing a "pact of self-confidence and dignity". ana-mpa

Stressing that the economy needs to be restarted, Samaras said a bold and immediate, as well as medium-term, reduction of the tax rates, was the top priority, and proposed a 15 percent rate on corporate profits, a reduction of the highest tax rate from the current 45 percent to 40 percent, a reduction of the highest VAT rate from the current 23 percent to 19 percent, and a 5.5 percent tax rate for tourism businesses.

Caption:Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras unveils his party's proposals to exit from the crisis at an event held in Zappeion, Athens on Thursday 12 May 2011. ANA-MPA/SYMELA PANTZARTZI

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[02] Nationwide labour strike staged on Wed.

Although turnout for the main strike rally in Athens was relatively small, participation in the strike was extensive, reaching up to 100 percent at the countries refineries, shipyards and ships, 95 percent in ports, 90 percent in construction, 80 percent in banks, and 85 percent in public utilities and state organisations (DEKO), according to the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE).

The main rally, organised jointly by GSEE and the federation of civil servants' unions ADEDY, was held at the Pedion tou Areos Park in downtown Athens, followed by a march to parliament where the GSEE and ADEDY presidiums handed a resolution to the parliament president and representatives of the political parties.ana-mpa

The resolution stressed that the working people, pensioners and unemployed will continue their fight against the policies that bring recession, unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, and demanded that the tax "thieves" pay.

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[03] Environment minister confers with visiting EU Climate Action commissioner

Hedegaard said it was an honor for her to be in Greece and that despite the difficult economic conjunction in the country opportunities existed that could be created from the sectors of environment and energy conservation.ana-mpa

The two officials discussed climate change issues and ways in which the EU can secure resources through energy conservation, while they also endorsed a comprehensive and binding global pact.

They also said it is imperative that the EU remain dedicated to the guidelines and targets of the 2050 Road Map, but also noted the difficulties anticipated in its implementation.

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[04] Foreign national stabbed to death in Athens

According to information available so far, two men on a motorcycle chased the victim and when they reached him they stabbed him with knives and fled.

The victim was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.ana-mpa

Although the motives of the killing are not yet known, police are also investigating the possibility of a racist attack, given that according to some testimonies the perpetrators were speaking Greek.

Attica security police are conducting an investigation.

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[05] Yannis Moralis exhibition in National Gallery

The exhibition's aim is to provide an overview of Moralis' entire artistic career as defined by the artist himself through the works he donated to the National Gallery.

The exhibition is augmented by another 14 paintings dating from the artist's last creative period, today in private collections, as well as the large mural that decorated the Mont Parnes Hotel's central dining hall.

Yannis Moralis is an emblematic figure of an artist who left a unique imprint on the identity of Modern Greek art through both his work and his teaching at the Athens School of Fine Arts.ana-mpa

The exhibition dedicated to the artist mainly comprises the artist's substantial donation to the museum, including paintings, drawings and engravings. Six productive decades, from 1930 to the mid-1980s are represented in the art works in the National Gallery collections.ana-mpa

Committed to figurative painting and a lover of moderation, Yannis Moralis assimilated in his own way the lessons of modernism, combining the exciting developments of modernism with a contemporary reading of tradition; the successor of the Generation of the Thirties, the artist is indeed a true 20th-century classic.

Structured around the historic exhibitions by the artist, the display of Yannis Moralis' works is illustrated by their reception from the media in articles in the daily and periodical press, which outline the historical horizon of expectation of both the public and criticism, establishing a dialogue with the works at the time of their emergence.

The exhibition, curated by Annie Malama, will run through August 29.

Caption: ANA-MPA/Orestis Panagiotou

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[06] Papandreou in Oslo

The two-day conference is organised by Policy Network in partnership with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and the participation of the Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg.

At 8:00 p.m., Papandreou will attend a working dinner hosted for the conference participants, while on Friday morning he will address a plenary discussion on the "Future jobs and growth: How can centre-left governments make a difference?".ana-mpa

The Greek premier will further have a bilateral meeting with his Norwegian counterpart and conference host Jens Stoltenberg.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo

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[07] ASE opening: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Public Utilities, up 0.51 percent; and Commerce, up 0.32 percent.

The biggest losses were in Industrial Products, down 1.27 percent; and Food and Beverages, down 0.99 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.63 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.55 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.23 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 24 were up, 37 were down, and 18 were unchanged.

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