Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-03-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Papoulias: Greek revival an obligation to younger generations

[02] Venizelos: 'No new fiscal measures, no new memorandum'

[01] President Papoulias: Greek revival an obligation to younger generations

"Today we are at a threshold and the crossing over, the final exit from the crisis, depends on whether a national plan of reconstruction beyond the memorandum and the memorandum's mentality is implemented," Papoulias said.

The president also stressed that "fulfilling fundamental targets on a specific timetable is not just an option, it is an obligation before the new generation, which has been greatly wronged by older generations."

Referring to the struggle for independence from Ottoman rule that broke out in 1821, Papoulias said "the impossible can become possible through harmony (among us), courage and decisiveness," very much like the fighters of the time, whose "self-denial and faith in ideal and noble visions always serve as a source of inspiration and lessons on how national trials and tribulations may be overcome."

"Our country has gone through a lot since them - wars, civil war anguish, bankruptcies. Today we belong among the most developed countries in the world and at the core of the European Union, having gone through four hard years because of the economic crisis," he said, noting that "several of our fellow countrypeople are being tried harshly, the social cohesion has been in jeopardy, and even the quality of our democracy has become opaque."

Papoulias also said that "our thoughts are also with Cyprus, as 40 years after the Turkish invasion it remains partitioned and our Cypriot brothers are being harshly tried because of the economic crisis."

[File photo of Papoulias from 2013 March 25 celebrations, ANA-MPA/Orestis Panagiotou]

[02] Venizelos: 'No new fiscal measures, no new memorandum'

"I am saying this categorically, for yet another time: No, there will be no need for a new loan - and therefore a new memorandum - and there will definitely not be a need for new fiscal measures; only measures to strengthen growth, competitiveness and social cohesion," Venizelos was quoted as saying.

Venizelos also termed the loan "viable" since "80 percent is with institutional investors, not speculators," and said that "the 'haircut' of the debt held by eurozone members is an aggressive move against the voters and parliaments of those member-states."

The VP said that "fundamental issues will be judged" in the May elections, therefore "there must be no relaxing" of efforts. Asked what he would do if he did not do well in elections, he said, "I am not concerned with my 'career', because if that were my concern, I would have made other choices and protected myself. I am also not interested with so-called conventional politics. The most critical and final stage of politics for nations, people, and each of us, at his own micro-microlevel, is history itself."

Venizelos also levelled strong criticism at main opposition SYRIZA, sayind that the party "identifies with ultra-conservative circles in Germany and other countries that express doubt about the success of the Greek programme," and said that "the opposition feels sadness at the prospect of Greece's exiting the memorandum and the crisis."

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