Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-01-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece must win the battle for growth

[02] SYRIZA motion for parliamentary probe committee on Lagarde list case

[03] Greece in grips of snow, sub-zero temperatures

[04] The Tuesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

[05] Greece raises 2.6 bln euros from Treasury Bills auction

[01] Greece must win the battle for growth

Speaking during a dinner he hosted at the Bellevue Presidential Mansion in honour of visiting Greek President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, Gauck added he was convinced that Greece was an inseparable part of the euro zone.

According to the same reports, Gauck said he was optimistic for Greece's recovery, while he reiterated Germany's continued support to Greece's efforts, referring in warm words to the presence of Greeks in his country and the excellent level of bilateral relations.

Papoulias, on his part, placed emphasis on winning the fight for growth, stressing the sense of solidarity as a fundamental value between European partners. He also referred to Greeks' contribution to German reunification.

[02] SYRIZA motion for parliamentary probe committee on Lagarde list case

According to SYRIZA, the committee must probe possible penal responsibilities of former finance ministers George Papaconstantinou and Evangelos Venizelos "in relation to their actions and omissions concerning the managing of the Lagarde list". The party also attributes "great political responsibilities" to the prime ministers who supervised the two ministers - mainly George Papandreou, as well as Lucas Papademos and Antonis Samaras.

SYRIZA also criticised another motion for a committee voted by deputies of the coalition government parties, because it only focused on Papaconstantinou, saying "is nothing more than a crude trick by the present government so as to obscure the case in all its apects and to protect every other person involved, including in particular the useful Mr Venizelos".

Both motions are expected to be discussed in the parliament's plenary session by this coming Tuesday and must be approved by 151 deputies in the 300-member parliament for the committee to be set up.

[03] Greece in grips of snow, sub-zero temperatures

Several parts of the Attica suburban road network were closed, while snow chains were required for others. The upper part of Mt. Parnitha has been closed to traffic since Monday, while temperatures in Athens were not expected to exceed 5C.

Due to the extreme cold, the City of Athens has opened up three municipal buildings on a 24-hour basis to provide shelter and warm beverages to the homeless, and has activated a four-digit hot-line, 1960.

Piraeus municipality has taken similar precautions, opening up all its senior citizen centers (KAPI) to provide warmth and shelter.

Meanwhile, northern Greece was facing snow and sub-zero temperatures for a second day. In western Macedonia, the thermometer fell to -6C in Florina and -5C in Kozani on Tuesday morning, while in central and eastern Macedonia the temperature dipped to -5C in Polygyros, -4C in Kilkis and -2C in Serres and Veria, and to zero in Thessaloniki.

The biggest dive, however, was in Nevrokopi, where the temperature plunged to -10C early Tuesday.

The freezing weather is expected to continue on Wednesday, while a gradual rise in temperatures will begin on Thursday.

[04] The Tuesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

AVGHI: "The omerta must be broken, justice must be attributed - SYRIZA tables motion for establishment of parliamentary preliminary investigation committee into possible penal ministerial accountability of Papaconstantinou (PASOK finance minister) and Venizelos (who succeeded Papaconstantinou as finance minister, and is now the PASOK party leader) over the handling of the Lagarde list".

DIMOKRATIA: "Jail for debts (to state from taxes and surtaxes) of 1,000 euro".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Show of strength by Israel and Russia over our...heads".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "The changes in transfers of professors".

ELLADA: "Papaconstantinou fingers Venizelos".

ESTIA: "Incomprehensible injustices in taxation".

ETHNOS: "The tamperer of the Lagarde list left traces".

IMERISSIA: "Strong interest in investments - PM Samaras' visit to Berlin".

KATHIMERINI: "Perpetuating storm over the Lagarde list".

LOGOS: "Referral of Venizelos (over Lagarde list) a cause of war".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Changes in transactions between businesses and tax bureau".

NIKI: "Drop in commercial value benefits overindebted households, reducing their debt (to banks) by up to 58.9 percent".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Take measures to protect the people in light of the bad weather".

TA NEA: "The memory stick (on which the original Lagarde list was copied) spoke - What its date of 'birth' shows".

VRADYNI: "Public sector: How 15,000 civil servants will be 'moved' by June".

6DAYS: "Head-on collision without mercy - Tabling of motion that includes Venizelos aggravates the war between SYRIZA and PASOK".

[05] Greece raises 2.6 bln euros from Treasury Bills auction

The organization also accepted non-competitive bids worth 600 million euros.

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