Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-11-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM chairs meeting on public-sector mobility scheme

[02] SYRIZA the main force for change in Europe, Tsipras says

[03] Mantelis' trial over Siemens postponed, again

[01] PM chairs meeting on public-sector mobility scheme

In statements after the conclusion of the meeting, Stournaras said that a solution will be found in negotiations with the troika, the EU-IMF mission representing Greece's creditors, stressing that this must happen before the start of Greece's EU presidency in January.

[02] SYRIZA the main force for change in Europe, Tsipras says

SYRIZA wants the role of the determined protagonists and not the role of the indignant spectators, Tsipras said, adding that SYRIZA wants the Party of the European Left to be regarded as the only response and the only alternative government solution to neo-liberalism.

"We are the main force for change in Europe. We are the main hope against the risk of being trapped in a long recession-generating austerity with which the people are faced," he said, adding that his party is in favour of the immediate cancellation of the memorandums, the end of austerity and the coordinated revival of eurozone economies.

He also repeated his proposal for a collective, solidarity-based and definitive handling of the debt crisis in the eurozone, in the context of a European Debt Conference modeled after the London Debt Conference in 1953 for Germany's debt.

"We want to be the necessary political counterweight to the 'dark Europe' of the rising extreme right and fascism that grow on the ruins created by austerity, recession and poverty," he said.

Tsipras said that his nomination by the Party of the European Left for the presidency of the European Commission is an honor for him and Greece, noting that it is "an act of political solidarity, doing honour to the Greek people, as well as a act of moral, political and ideological vindication for SYRIZA".

Tsipras said that "it is a recognition of the unfair sacrifices made by the Greek people and symbolizes solidarity with all the peoples in the European south that experience the devastating social consequences of the memorandums of austerity and recession."

Referring to the Greek EU Presidency to be launched on January 1, 2014, he underlined that its political identity and the relevant legislative initiatives have not been defined yet.

[03] Mantelis' trial over Siemens postponed, again

Interrupted because of a strike by judges and court staff, the trial was postponed again after his defence lawyers claimed inability to attend. The court had just rejected requests for postponements filed on Mantelis' behalf.

The former minister is being tried on charges of money laundering and of taking kickbacks from Siemens in 1998 and 2000 from a contract awarded to the German system to digitise the Greek state telecom's systems. According to Mantelis, the money was a campaign contribution for PASOK.

On trial with Mantelis are the businessman Georgios Tsougranis, tax office employee Antonia Markou, former Siemens executive Ilias Georgiou and his associate Aristidis Mantas.

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