Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-11-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't spokesman: Eurogroup outcome not an easy process

[02] Ceremony at Tel-Aviv embassy returns citizenship to 6 Holocaust survivors

[03] OECD: Greece's economy back to growth by end 2014

[01] Gov't spokesman: Eurogroup outcome not an easy process

"Thanks to the sacrifices of the Greeks, Greece remains alive in the heart of Europe," the government spokesman and deputy minister to the prime minister said in an exclusive interview on the AMNA web TV.

He also welcomed the Eurogroup decision as a "generous decision by our partners, who appreciated the super-effort being made by Greece".

"We had great support. It was not an easy process," Kedikoglou added.

Kedikoglou said that the decision had not at all been expected, and the more than 12 hours of deliberations at Monday's Eurogroup meeting, which lasted into the early hours of Tuesday, "disprove the insinuations of 'rigged games' and 'foregone decisions'."

"Things were tough, but Greece managed. Now different difficulties begin, we need to prove that the sacrifices of the Greeks have not been in vain, we need to pass on to recovery in order to be led to growth. The first criterion is the creation of jobs, because the biggest 'monster' in our society is the monster of unemployment," Kedikoglou said.

He added that the reduction of the interest rates on the bailout loan and the banks' rebates of profits to Greece are an answer to criticism that everything was being done for the banks and prove that everything done was for the citizens, "and our partners proved their solidarity".

Asked what the citizens should anticipate in their everyday lives, Kedikoglou said that the citizens are waiting for results and to see their lives changing for the better, because "we all very well know that the Greek society has reached its limits...that there are vulnerable social groups living in extremely difficult circumstances".

The prime minister himself has set that we were obliged to take painful decisions, some of them unfair, "and we must look to their relief as soon as possible, in other words, as soon as the economy provides us, to begin relief with them first," the spokesman continued.

"The most important thing, however, is that we have prospect. Those who were saying that Greece is being destroyed are being belied. Those who aspired to play the role of Cassandra (doom-sayers) did not succeed. We do not concern ourselves with them. We are concerned with building a better future for the Greek people," he stressed.

Asked if, with the liquidity to the banks, they will start extending loans to the market, to the small and medium size enterprises ((SMEs), Kedikoglou replied in the affirmative.

"First of all, the deposits are secured -- this is a parameter that has not been sufficiently mentioned -- the banking system operates, which is for a national economy what the circulatory system is for a living organism. The banks will finally be able to provide liquidity to businesses. Think only of how many healthy businesses are at risk of closing just because they did not have liquidity. Particularly the export businesses, which are necessary for our economy, because our economy must become outward-oriented. Now the conditions are being offered for them to be able to operate, to give yield and to create new jobs but also the national wealth that we need," Kedikoglou explained. AMNA

[02] Ceremony at Tel-Aviv embassy returns citizenship to 6 Holocaust survivors

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: In brief remarks after an emotional oath-taking ceremony, Greek ambassador to Israel Kyriakos Loukakis expressed his satisfaction over the adoption and implementation of recent legislation reinstating citizenship to members of the Jewish community lost through the latter's emigration. He also emphasised the significant role of the Greek-Jewish community as a bridge between Greece and Israel.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: Another 160 requests for the reinstatement of citizenship to Greek Jews that emigrated from the country in the wake of the war are pending, according to the Greek envoy, who expressed his optimism that they will soon be fulfilled.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: On his part, the chairman of the Association of Survivors of Concentration Camps of Greek Origin living in Israel, Moshe Haelion, thanked the Greek government for the initiative as well as the diplomatic staff for their work towards fulfilling the long-standing demand by the Greek-Jewish community.mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;

"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419; AMNA

[03] OECD: Greece's economy back to growth by end 2014

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: In its six-month economic outlook report, published in Paris, the OECD noted that Greece must implement all fiscal adjustment measures agreed and stressed that if economic growth proved to be less that provisions included in a fiscal program, then automatic stabilizers should be activated, even if that meant the targets set will not be achieved.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: OECD said the Greek economy will shrink by 6.3 pct this year and by 4.5 pct in 2013 and 1.3 pct in 2014. The unemployment rate is forecast to rise to 26.7 pct in 2013, from 23.6 pct this year and to 27.2 pct in 2014. The general government's fiscal deficit is projected to fall to 5.6 pct of GDP in 2013, from 6.9 pct this year, and to 4.6 pct of GDP in 2014, while the country's current account deficit to shrink to 4.6 pct of GDP in 2013 and to 2.3 pct in 2014, from 5.5 pct of GDP this year.10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: The inflation rate is expected to turn negative (-0.2 pct) in 2013 and in 2014 (-0.8 pct), from 1.3 pct this year. The organization said the most vulnerable sections of the Greek society should be better protected from cuts in social benefits and noted that a recapitalisation of the banking system must be a priority to strengthen credit channels supporting economic growth.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0F1419;mso-fareast-language: The OECD underlined the need to implement structural reforms, combating tax evasion, promoting a more efficient public administration and lifting hurdles in competition.

AMNA

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