Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-06-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU leaders: There is no 'Plan B'

[02] Mid-term plan passed in principle by com't

[03] Samaras: 'No' to mid-term plan

[01] EU leaders: There is no 'Plan B'

In a written statement issued in Brussels, the Commissioner stressed that:

"This week Greece faces a critical juncture. Both the future of the country and financial stability in Europe are at stake. I fully respect the prerogatives and the sovereignty of the Greek Parliament in the ongoing debate. And I trust that the Greek political leaders are fully aware of the responsibility that lies on their shoulders to avoid default.

"The only way to avoid immediate default is for Parliament to endorse the revised economic programme. The programme includes both the medium-term fiscal strategy and the privatisation programme. They must be approved if the next tranche of financial assistance is to be released. (ANA-MPA)

"To those who speculate about other options, let me say this clearly: there is no Plan B to avoid default.

On their part, European Council President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also appealed to Greece's political leadership, MPs in particular, to vote for the medium-term fiscal strategy in Parliament.

Both underlined that "there is no other way" and that those, who misleadingly maintain that there is, should assume their responsibility for likely "grave consequences". (ANA-MPA)

Speaking before the European Parliament here, they stated that in case of a negative vote, the consequences will be heavy not only on the Greek and the European economy but on the global economy as well.

Barroso underlined that the Greek economy should regain its lost credibility, adding that the lack of it is apparent considering the mass transfers of Greek capital to banks abroad. He said that the process is painful, adding that there is no magic solution and pointed out that there is no other way than the materialization of the programme agreed between Greece, the EU and the IMF.

He stressed that for years, Greece had lived beyond its means and that today the EU is willing to help it correct the imbalances provided that Greece wants to be helped. He expressed the wish that the Greek MPs, whose opinion he will respect, will opt for the one and only correct path there is.

European Council President van Rompuy praised the Greek government's determination to implement the necessary measures despite the social tension, adding that he is fully aware of how difficult a task this can be from the time he served as the finance minister of Belgium. (ANA-MPA)

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[02] Mid-term plan passed in principle by com't

A second reading will be completed later in the afternoon, while an urgent debate and roll call vote will take place in the Parliament's plenary session on Wednesday. A vote on a related enabling law will come on Thursday.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos tried to assuage (ANA-MPA) MPs fears as regards the privatisations, assuring them that Parliament will monitor the process closely.

Several ruling PASOK party MPs maintained that privatisation procedures should not be sped up, stressing that public assets should not be sold during a recession to avoid losing on their value. They referred to an inability to collect revenues, underlining that valuable time was lost and insisted on structural changes in favour of taxpayers who are hit the hardest by the austerity measures.

On their part, main opposition New Democracy (ND) party MPs said that, in principle, they will vote down the law and will present the party's position on certain articles of the draft law in Wednesday's plenary session debate. ND accused the government of being inconsistent and lacking credibility, characterising the measures unfair and ineffective. (ANA-MPA)

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[03] Samaras: 'No' to mid-term plan

Samaras also criticised Prime Minister George Papandreou, accusing him that with his policy "he achieved both socialism and barbarism."

The ND leader called on deputies to reject the (ANA-MPA) "false dilemmas and to vote against the government's deadlocks" and accused the ruling PASOK party of "having a talent in blackmailing the people."

Samaras pointed out that "Mr. Papandreou lately invokes patriotism when he is about to take painful measures. But patriotism means a collective effort so as to make our country better. PASOK remembers patriotism when it is going to blackmail for even worse woes. For us patriotism has a meaning when it speaks the language of freedom, not coercion, and when it opens paths of prospect and hope." (ANA-MPA)

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos replied to Samaras, accusing him of being "absent from the effort for the salvation of the country" and as having "an impressively conventional speech, built on the traditional antiquated conception that the government is to blame for everything," adding that "Mr. Samaras is holding safety distances, he is thinking on the basis of his party interest, without thinking of the country's growth prospect." (ANA-MPA)

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