Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-09-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Venizelos dismisses scenarios of early elections

[02] Zanias, president of the Hellenic Bank Association, confident Greece will present primary budget surplus this year

[01] Venizelos dismisses scenarios of early elections

Addressing an event at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Venizelos said there was never a plan B and noted that things could have been done differently only before the crisis, in 2007, 2008 or early 2009, and if there was social consensus which even today was not enough. He accused SYRIZA main opposition party that after a period of wavering it returned to the logic of unilateral attact against the lending agreement and debt write off. Referring to small private bondholders he said: "We have not forgotten them and we must take care of them".

The dismissed scenarios over early elections and noted that government stability was a precondition for development in the country. We need to respect the tolerance limits of the society, we need solidarity to have its consensus, Venizelos said.

He stressed that a VAT reduction in the restaurant business did not have the expected results. "If the results were better we would have a negotiating card to lower a special consumption tax on fuel," Venizelos said while he admitted there were failures in certain tax measures. He said that a primary budget surplus will help to improve the daily life of citizens, while commenting on a programmatic agreement between New Democracy and PASOK he noted that the agreement did not cover only the two political parties but the society in general, because it is a national strategic development plan.

"It was the patriotic duty and the agony for the weak and the middle people, that led us to take this difficult choices. That's how people are saved," Venizelos said while he attacked political parties opposing the memorandum saying they were playing games on the back of the people who are making sacrifices.

Venizelos earlier met with the management of Thessaloniki International Fair-Helexpo SA and was briefed over the characteristics of this year's fair and the merger plan between the two companies. Tasos Tzikas, president of TIF-Helexpo said TIF was making a restart and asked for the support of the Foreign ministry to mobilizing the Greek diaspora in supporting commercial and trade fair activities.

[02] Zanias, president of the Hellenic Bank Association, confident Greece will present primary budget surplus this year

Commenting on the Greek banking system, Sanias said banks lost a lot during the crisis, with non-performing loans totaling 60 billion euros, while a recapitalization plan restored stability in the sector. He noted that banks must thoroughly examine businesses and their potential to avoid creation of a new round of non-performing loans in the country.

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