Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-06-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Continouous decrease of deficits

[02] Gov't tables Medium-Term Framework

[03] Athens Special Olympics flame lit

[04] Illegal immigration issue

[05] Road tolls to drop

[06] ASE opening: Rise

[07] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM: Continouous decrease of deficits

"Our fundamental goal is that we will not need increasingly more loans in order to survive," underlined Papandreou, adding: "This is my patriotic stance. No to creditors. We will change Greece'.

The premier said that the reduction of the deficit by 5 percent is a "record", adding that "hope indeed exists that in 2012 we will have a primary surplus". He also referred to deep changes, such as the privatisations, adding that these would be carried out "always with transparency and always at the best prices".ana-mpa

Papandreou further said that emphasis will be placed on competitiveness, quality and exports, but also on education and health services.

"The greatest social injustice and counter-incentive to development is tax evasion" he reiterated, adding that "our aim is a wider political system that is trusted by the people. The debt will become manageable and we will proceed with changes in order for our economy to become viable," the premier stressed.

On the country's future, he said "We will change Greece. Not only will we have a different Greece but we will also have solved the huge issue of the debt for the next generations, for a Greece never again come under supervision.

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[02] Gov't tables Medium-Term Framework

Tax measures are expected to generate 6.537 billion euros by the end of the current year, of which 700 million euros will be from cutbacks in the national Public Investments Program.

The Medium-Term fiscal framework program was tabled in parliament late Thursday after its discussion and finalisation earlier in the day during a lengthy Cabinet meeting.

The planning includes an extraordinary "solidarity contribution" by all taxpayers above a specific amount of declared income, which is not included in the main body of the medium-term program but will be contained in legislation on implementation of the program after deliberation is held on the precise percentage of the contribution vis-a-vis income and the income threshold which, according to sources, is initially planned for annual incomes of over 8,000 euros, and on the duration of its application.

The Medium-Term program hopes to raise nearly 28.3 billion euros, distributed over 2011-2015. The measures plan to generate: 6.5 billion euros, or 23.1 percent of the overall amount, in 2011; 6.8 billion euros, or 24 percent, in 2012; 5.2 billion euros, or 18.5 percent, in 2013; 5.4 billion euros, or 19.3 percent, in 2014; and 4.3 billion euros, or 15.1 percent, in 2015.ana-mpa

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[03] Athens Special Olympics flame lit

Acting in the role of an ancient high priestess, Iliana Symeonidou, a Special Olympics athlete herself, passed on the torch to Special Olympics organising committee president Joanna Despotopoulou, who handed it to two Greek athletes, Giorgos Papadopoulos and Georgia Gerakari, to begin a relay through the city. The latter concluded at the Zappeion Hall in downtown Athens, where a special ceremony was held. (ANA-MPA)

On Friday, the torch will begin its long journey across the world carried by runners before returning to Athens' Panathinaiko Stadium on June 25 for the official opening of the Games. Roughly 15,000 athletes, thousands of coaches and visitors from 185 countries are expected in the Greek capital for the games that will end on July 4.

Present in the ceremony was Special Olympics International Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver and government representatives.

Alternate Culture and Tourism Minister Tilemahos Hitiris underlined that Greece is experiencing tough economic circumstances but has proved that it can be trustworthy when it comes to the obligations it has undertaken toward the international community. (ANA-MPA)

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[04] Illegal immigration issue

"The Greek citizens, in Evros, in Athens, the islands of the Aegean, Igoumenitsa and Patra are European citizens and demand the taking of immediate measures so that they can feel the European solidarity in their daily life," the minister also said. ana-mpa

Papoutsis further said "they want interventions and initiatives that will curb the repercussions of illegal immigration and of organised crime in their daily life. To their fair appeal our reply, the Europeran reply, must be immediate and effective."

He also signed a draft Presidential Decree on the organising and functioning of the Service for Managing European and Development Programmes.

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[05] Road tolls to drop

The two sides reached a memorandum of cooperation and understanding envisaging completion of national road works, while representatives of the banks funding the projects also expressed their support for the projects.

Speaking to reporters, Infrastructure, Networks and Transportation Minister Dimitris Reppas said the final agreement would be completed by the end of July, with road tolls expected to be cut, by the end of summer, by 25-30 pct throughout the network and by 50 pct on sections under construction.

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[06] ASE opening: Rise

Individual sector indices were moving upward, with the biggest gains in Insurance, up 0.32 percent; Technology, up 1.71 percent and Food and Beverages, up 0.55 percent.

The biggest losses were in Health, down 1.00 percent; Travel and Recreation, down 0.82 percent and Oil and Gas, down 0.60 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 0.32 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.21 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.30 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 27 were up, 34 were down, and 21 were unchanged.

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[07] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The Cabinet's approval of the mid-term fiscal programme and the measures it foresees, dominated the headlines on Friday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Storm in ruling PASOK's Political Council meeting".

AVGHI: "The final blow"

AVRIANI: "They unanimously voted the new memorandum of shame and penury".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Taxes, cutbacks and express sell-off of state property".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "4-year 'tax collection' nightmare".

ESTIA: "Delusions over the mid-term programme".

ETHNOS: "The government has cast the die".

IMERISSIA: "New tax wave everywhere".

KATHIMERINI: "The battle on the new measures now transferred to parliament".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Fierce tax attack against economic development".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Rise up in order to stop the new slaughtering measures".

TA NEA: "Blood and tears of more than 100 billion euros".

VRADYNI: "Final blow to salary earners and pensioners".

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