Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-03-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Deputy Dev't minister comments on milk issue. ND deputy keeps all options open. PASOK deputy says he will vote against

[02] PASOK deputy says he will vote against milk regulation

[01] Deputy Dev't minister comments on milk issue. ND deputy keeps all options open. PASOK deputy says he will vote against

Skordas referred the issue of milk production cost to the Rural Development ministry and claimed that reforms in the milk market would benefit and not harm cattle breeders.

"Do we want the price of milk to be lowered or not? I don't think that someone can claim there is no cost issue in production, this falls within the Rural Development ministry's jurisdiction," he pointed out.

"We all have to realize this whole story with milk freshness is sort of silly. Since milk is pasteurized, it becomes a standardized product," he said and clarified the term "fresh" is used for marketing reasons.

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, speaking on the same TV station, referred to the issue: "After going through all that (hard negotiation), it would be a joke to have this agreement terminated just on the issue of milk's shelf-life."

New Democracy (ND) deputy George Vlachos on Friday kept all options open regarding his vote on the fresh milk issue.

More specifically, he told private TV station ANT1 he would wait for an official briefing to decide whether he would vote for or against the relevant legislation. He also claimed there was an alternative proposal that could lead to an agreement.

Asked on his stance in case a party discipline issue is raised, he replied: "Party discipline for the issue of the shelf life of milk? That seems inconceivable to me. If I vote against the 11-day fresh milk, would that be a party misdemeanor?"

PASOK deputy Thanos Moraitis on Friday said he planned to vote against the regulation on milk.

"Anyone that reads my announcement could not possibly believe I may as well vote for the specific provision for milk," Moraitis told To Vima radio station.

"I will vote against that specific issue. I am clear and so will other deputies be. I did not wake up in the morning and simply decided on that stance. The 90 percent of the announcement is a unanimous decision by PASOK's parliamentary group, which a week ago decided that the provision on milk would be the last ‘red line' in OECD's toolkit. Someone has to convince PASOK deputies that this provision is in a positive direction and will have positive results," he pointed out.

He said that other PASOK deputies, who have not made their intentions known yet, will keep the same stance on the issue. "I have been in touch with deputies. They have not made their position known but I don't think they will vote for that specific provision on milk. In a time like this, we should not poison parliamentary procedures. We need to finally allow deputies express their views and participate in the process of how certain issues are passed. They cannot just monitor."

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras on Friday will brief a delegation of PASOK deputies on the issue of milk and other points included in the agreement with the troika, according to PASOK's parliamentary spokesman Paris Koukoulopoulos. The briefing will take place at 16.00.

"It will be the first official briefing to us on the agreement. We will see all the final wording on all issues and not just milk. Some issues may arise. We will consider them. We will not alter the core of the agreement though," Koukoulopoulos told Skai TV.

Regarding banks, he said PASOK would be united in that vote, as it did in September 2011 when it voted for the recapitalization of the banks.

According to Koukoulopoulos, ECB and European Competition Authority representatives will be asked to appear before the relevant parliamentary committee during the debate of the bill so that they brief deputies on the banks' recapitalization procedure in the EU.

[02] PASOK deputy says he will vote against milk regulation

"Anyone that reads my announcement could not possibly believe I may as well vote for the specific provision for milk," Moraitis told To Vima radio station.

"I will vote against that specific issue. I am clear and so will other deputies be. I did not wake up in the morning and simply decided on that stance. The 90 percent of the announcement is a unanimous decision by PASOK's parliamentary group, which a week ago decided that the provision on milk would be the last ‘red line' in OECD's toolkit. Someone has to convince PASOK deputies that this provision is in a positive direction and will have positive results," he pointed out.

He said that other PASOK deputies, who have not made their intentions known yet, will keep the same stance on the issue. "I have been in touch with deputies. They have not made their position known but I don't think they will vote for that specific provision on milk. In a time like this, we should not poison parliamentary procedures. We need to finally allow deputies express their views and participate in the process of how certain issues are passed. They cannot just monitor."

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