Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-04-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM criticises what he calls 'Euro-skeptics, Euro-phobia'

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[03] AMA challenges forced prescription of generic drugs

[04] Alliance of European news agencies express support to AMNA

[05] Wife of former minister Tsohatzopoulos also remanded in custody

[01] PM criticises what he calls 'Euro-skeptics, Euro-phobia'

Addressing an exporters' event entitled "national strategy on exports", he said that "stabilisation and the Greek economy will improve and recover in the second half of 2013 if we pursue our goals firmly."amna

He underlined that exports will play a significant role in regaining two-thirds or three-fourths of the country's competitiveness by the end of 2012, compared with its level in 2000, adding that the lost ground will be fully regained by 2013.amna

The prime minister emphasised that "extroversion is the future of the economy if the goal is an economy that will have a future." He underlined that many of the well-targeted actions included in the new memorandum attempt to create the right environment for economy, enterprises and exports through the adoption of tax reform, production and labour cost measures.

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The parties campaigns a week before the general elections mostly dominated the headlines on Saturday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "PASOK 'friends' promoted in public sector one day after the prohibition...".

AVGHI: "SYRIZA short circuits the system".

DIMOKRATIA: "PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos arm-in-arm with former prime minister George Papandreou".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "30 SOS points in income tax statements forms".

EPENDYTIS: "Europe "teetering" and blackmails Greece - Eurozone in a political vertigo".

ESTIA: "Samaras on the imcopatibility".

ETHNOS: "Samaras(Antonis, New Democracy (ND) leader) avoids battle to the very end - He refused Venizelos' last call for television debate".

IMERISSIA: "Ballots of high risk - All options open in elections - Country balances between euro and drachma".

KATHIMERINI: "Elections' dilemmas".

KERDOS: "Banks hostages of ballots".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Spanish 'Titanic' threatens the eurozone".

NIKI: "Seven-days...war".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist Party strong at the ballot and people ready to counterattack".

TA NEA: "Tricks a few days before the ballots - Samaras makes abrupt turn to the Right".

[03] AMA challenges forced prescription of generic drugs

In its case, the Medical Association says that prescribing drugs is an entirely medical act that should be carried out based on the best judgement of the doctor providing treatment, taking into account the case history and traits of each individual patient. It claims that the ministerial decision imposing prescription of generic drugs overlooks the fact that it is a medical act and shifts responsibility for choosing a patient's medication to the pharmacist or the patient himself.amna

It further claimed that in the bid to cut spending on drugs, the ministry had failed to first consult the National Drug Organisation or the Central Health Council or to cite studies proving that the safety and efficacy of generic drugs is guaranteed. Doctors, meanwhile, were being forced to practice medicine using criteria that were not medical but financial.

[04] Alliance of European news agencies express support to AMNA

In a letter, dated April 25, 2012, EANA called on President Papoulias "to secure ANA's basic function as a provider of unbiased and trustworthy news to both Greek and international traditional and new media."

The EANA Board underlined "we urge you to secure ANA's basic function as a provider of unbiased and trustworthy news to both Greek and international traditional and new media. ANA is a member of the international news network and an uncontrolled closing or change of ownership structure of the agency could lead to a seriously negative impact on the Greek voice in the international media community."amna

The letter points out "the EANA member agencies are primarily providers of news stories and also of pictures, graphics, radio and video reports and other information to both traditional media and new media environments created by the rapid development of modern information technology.

News agencies working in accordance with the principles of press freedom and unbiased news are of major importance to the democratic society. To secure an economic and legal environment for news agencies operating in accordance with these rules is therefore one of EANA's main concerns."amna

In conclusion the EANA board members called on President Papoulias to use his authority as a defender of basic democratic values in the country "to ensure that Athens News Agency also in the future will have an independent role as a provider of unbiased and trustworthy news services for both traditional and new media in Greece and abroad."

[05] Wife of former minister Tsohatzopoulos also remanded in custody

She joined Tsohatzopoulos, the former politician's daughter Areti Tsohatzopoulou and his cousin Nikos Zigras, who all face charges in connection with the case.

Stamati denied the charges against her and claimed that the couple's financial affairs were handled exclusively by her husband, while the loan to buy the property near the Acropolis was taken out in her name because her husband was too old to take out a loan.

Her defence lawyers criticised the decision to remand her in custody as unusually harsh and 'unfair', pointing out that their client was the mother of a young child whose parents were now both in jail.

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