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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-12-10Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] SYRIZA: Tax bill tailor-made to Troika's measuresAMNA--"The new tax bill is tailor-made to the Troika's (EC, ECB, IMF) measures and is accompanied by the usual blackmail over the disbursement of the tranche," main opposition SYRIZA charged in an announcement on Monday.The SYRIZA announcement predicted that very soon new barbarous Memorandum measures will follow in order to "correct' the failure of the preceding measures. Even before the ink has dried on the ratification of the Mid-Term programme and the 2013 state budget, and after the standard reassurances that these will be the last austerity measures, the new tax bill shows the government's strategic persistence with the policy of austerity, recession and unemployment.amna The announcement also added that the government is fully aware of the paralytic repercussions of the new tax-looting measures on the economy and the dramatic consequences that this will bring to the salary earners, the professionals and the small and medium size enterprises, and opts for austerity instead of growth, excessive taxation of the weaker and the medium strata instead of the taxation of wealth and clamping down on tax evasion.amna According to SYRIZA, society and the economy are collapsing under the weight of the troika and the government, adding that this policy cannot continue. On the contrary, only a strategic plan that will overcome austerity, support development and promote social justice can guarantee the country's recovery and a socially just exit from the crisis. [02] Samaras in Oslo to attend Nobel prize ceremonyAMNA--Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was in Oslo on Monday for the annual Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, which he will attend together with 20 more EU leaders.The European Union is the recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for its role in Europe's transformation 'from a continent of war into a continent of peace". The three presidents of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and the European Parliament Martin Schulz will be presented with the Prize during a special ceremony at Oslo's city hall at 14:00 (Greek time).amna Among the EU leader who will be attending the ceremony are German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, with whom Samaras may have brief meetings in private. [03] DM in Qatar; meets with successor to the throneAMNA--Defence Minister Panos Panayiotopoulos, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met on with the successor to the throne Sheik Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha and discussed issues regarding defence and military cooperation between Greece and Qatar, the developments in the Middle East and the wider region of the Southeastern Mediterranean as well as investments in the Greek defense industry.Panayiotopoulos said that Qatar is interested in the Greek government preparations for a series of privatisations in the Greek defence industry. Qatar is open to investing immediately in other sectors in Greece, he added.amna "They are waiting for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' official visit to Qatar in early 2013 and believe that by then the conditions will have matured in order to proceed with specific proposals, with specific investment plans, in Greece. I believe that a wider field is opening up and is substantive for specific actions that will bring new investments to Greece and will also bring the two peoples closer". In his statements, Panayiotopoulos reiterated the two countries' volition to proceed more quickly in defence and military cooperation, both in the Navy and the Airforce as well as with joint exercises of the Armies' Special Forces".amna Panayiotopoulos also met with the Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Hamad bin Ali al Attiyah. The Greek Defence Minister's visit to Qatar will wind up with a tour of Qatari military bases and meetings on defence cooperation issues in all sectors. The Greek delegation will return to Athens on Tuesday. [04] China, Greece sign memorandum on culture and tourismAMNA--The China Cultural Heritage Protection Center and Geo Routes Greece have signed a cooperation memorandum in Beijing aiming to further enhance the cultural and tourism bonds between the two countries.The China Cultural Heritage Protection Center, which operates under the jurisdiction of China's Ministry of Culture, is the only national body for the protection and promotion of China's cultural heritage.amna In his statements, the president of the Center Qiao Shenqian underlined that the two countries, with their important cultural contribution to humanity, are today closer than ever. "We are pleased about our cooperation with an organisation that highlights and promotes Greece's cultural heritage and contributes to society's development". On his part, the head of Greece's Geo Routes Yannis Balakakis said that every effort will be made for the facilitation, by the Greek authorities, for the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens who are interested in visiting Greece, which will decisively contribute to increasing the tourist flow to Greece.amna Geo and Aegean Routes are thematic routes of a cultural nature, under the auspices of the EU and UNESCO, aiming to showcase the unexplored Greece, promote the country's cultural heritage and contribute on the development of the local societies via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |