Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-12-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Venizelos: No new loan means no new memorandum

[02] Tsipras to visit Strasbourg on Dec. 11-12

[03] Contracts for the restart of road network projects to be ratified on Tuesday

[01] Venizelos: No new loan means no new memorandum

However, Venizelos clarified that Greece will be under supervision, as there is with other European countries.

Regarding his relation with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Venizelos said that he has exceptional relations adding that the European Parliament elections are of secondary importance and will not affect the government's future.

Referring to the election of the president of the Greek Republic in 2015, he said that is possible the future candidate gets the requisite 180 necessary votes in order to avoid going to general elections and said that the new president may come from the sphere of culture, maybe someone like composer Mikis Theodorakis.

On government's negotiations with the troika of Greece's lenders, Venizelos said that "there is no question whatsoever to renege on what those we have said" and reiterated the government's four 'nos' in the negotiations with the troika: "No horizontal measures, no new taxes, no home foreclosures, no mass layoffs".

At a query on Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras' statement that the Greeks are not being over taxed, Venizelos said that a unjust taxation system is applied in Greece, with some citizens being overtaxed and others tax evading, and this an unjust situation.

Venizelos strongly attacked SYRIZA saying that its criticism offends his personal political persona, adding that the main opposition party has initiated a political besmirching campaign against him with the cooperation of interests and of persons of the secret services.

On the prevailing condition in his PASOK party, Venizelos admitted that PASOK made mistakes "for which we all paid" and referring to the period 2009-2010 said that "we were not all prime ministers or finance ministers or among the decision-makers".

Moreover, Venizelos said that in the local administration elections in May his party will not cooperate with others parties but will support persons like mayors of Athens George Kaminis and Thessaloniki Yiannis Boutaris. On PASOK's stance in the euroelections he said that the issue is open; however his intention is to have a single central-left list and invited former and old PASOK cadres to participate in PASOK's Congress in January during which all open issues will be discussed.

[02] Tsipras to visit Strasbourg on Dec. 11-12

[03] Contracts for the restart of road network projects to be ratified on Tuesday

He underlined that the bill demonstrates EU partners and European Investment Bank's confidence in Greece since they invest 1.7 billion euros for the next 30 years. "At the end of 2015 when the projects will have been completed, the country will have a modern road network," he said and clarified that road toll fees will not be increased.

The contracts for the restart of road projects are expected to be ratified by the plenary on Tuesday.

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