Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-02-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] SYRIZA leads ND by 0.9 pct, poll shows

[02] Samaras: No more cutbacks in minimum salary

[03] PM to meet with Venizelos and Kouvelis on Monday

[04] The Sunday edition of Athens' dailies

[05] National Bank's tender offer accepted by Eurobank

[01] SYRIZA leads ND by 0.9 pct, poll shows

According to the poll results, SYRIZA leads with 20.45 percent followed by ND with 19.5 percent, Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) 8.5 percent, PASOK 5.6 percent, Communist Party of Greece (KKE) 4.8 percent, Independent Greeks 4.6 percent and Democratic Left 4.1 percent, Ecologists-Greens 1.2 percent and Drassi 1.1 percent while 4.2 of the respondents expressed support for other parties. The unspecified vote reached 36.1 percent.

[02] Samaras: No more cutbacks in minimum salary

"We do not negotiate in public, these (negotiations) become known when we announce the results, because usually when you preannounce them, you burn them...", the premier explained..

Samaras underlined that if the recession caused is higher than the predictions, then there will be no more measures for this reason, and conversely, when we surpass our targets we should be allowed to give relief to the people. Provided that we keep to our commitments. amna

According to Samaras, all the above have been included in the new loan contract because it was understood that the preceding conditions were leading us to a vicious circle of recession, and he also underlined that what will change is that wasteful state expenditures will be halted, the structural changes will move forward, a blow will be dealt to bureaucracy and the privatisations will proceed..

Asked what Greece seeks from its lenders, Samaras stressed that by adhering to our commitments we can seek changes to all those (measures) that do not function or that bring the opposite results, and referred to the citizens' ability to pay their obligations to the Tax Bureau and to the banks. He also said that the target for 2013 is to achieve a primary surplus and underlined that this programme can work and meet its targets. However, he warned, "If we have strikes every day, takeovers of streets public offices, Athens' centre is blocked or the circulation is prevented on national roads and everything is paralyzed, then no programme can work. He said that this was what some aspire todo " but we will not let them". amna

Furthermore, Samaras voiced his full support for Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras while, questioned on the prospect of a government reshuffle, said that it will take place "whenever necessary".

Referring to main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, he said that the latter "imitates the worst political attitudes of the past, although he is young himself.. "He hastened to become old," Samaras added. amna

On the farmers' demands and mobilisations, the premier said that his government has done everything it could possibly do, but there are no more margins, and "I do not want and cannot deceive them".

[03] PM to meet with Venizelos and Kouvelis on Monday

The meeting will be held at Maximos mansion (government's headquarters) and according to information the three leaders will discuss issues regarding the government's priorities against unemployment, the management of National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) funds and the government's work in each ministry.amna

According to sources, starting from Wednesday, Samaras will have a series of meetings in private with each minister in order the government's work to be accelerated.

[04] The Sunday edition of Athens' dailies

AVGHI: "Nationwide strike on Wednesday a message for unemployment and salaries".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Role to the citizens says monthly barometre of Metron Analysis for Eleftherotypia".

ETHNOS: "Fire to public sector - Troika's (EC,ECB,IMF) veto for layoffs".

KATHIMERINI: "Alarm in Maximos mansion (government's headquarters) - Concern over privatisations, revenues and troika's arrival".

LOGOS: "Liquidity injections to small and medium size enterprises".

REAL NEWS: "Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' exclusive interview : I pledge for the minimum salary".

RIZOSPASTIS: "All to the strike on 20 February and to PAME (labour organisation affiliated to Communist Party) rallies".

TO ARTHRO: "Government forced for layoffs in public sector under troika's pressure".

TO PARON: "Washington's suffocating pressure to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras - Rubin(Eric, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and the Caucasus) brought ultimatum".

TO VIMA: "Ultimate opportunity for tax arrangements with low installments and high penalties".

TYPOS: "Troika gave the 'green light' to Labour Ministry - Mammoth arrangements for debts to Tax Bureau and social security funds".

VRADYNI: "Exclusive: Labour Ministry's omnibus bill ".

[05] National Bank's tender offer accepted by Eurobank

The official outcome of the tender will be made on Monday, to be followed by a board meeting by National Bank on Tuesday.

Following completion of the public offer, Eurobank will operate as a subsidiary of National Bank Group for a few months, until completion of the legal merger of the two banks. The new National Bank Group will have assets totaling 174.2 billion euros, a loan portfolio of 113 billion euros and deposits of 84.6 billion euros. The merger will allow synergies worth 570-630 million euros annually from the end of 2015 through a rationalization of its branch network and ATMs in Greece and Southeastern Europe.

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