Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-01-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras in Drama, urges end to 'destructive austerity' on Jan. 25

[02] PASOK leader Venizelos: 'People should know the real facts'

[03] Journalists cleared of defamation charges brought by jailed GD MP Kasidiaris

[01] Tsipras in Drama, urges end to 'destructive austerity' on Jan. 25

"SYRIZA is placing before the judgement of the Greek people the need to put an end to the destructive course, the country's painful slide, and to start, step by step, with difficulties that we will face with gritted teeth but also with pride, to heal the wounds of the memorandum, the wounds of the humanitarian crisis, creating a framework of justice and meritocracy," he said.

He said that Greece was in the midst of a crucial electoral battle to decide whether to continue implementing measures that led nowhere or whether to first give the spark for a major and necessary change, a shift on a European level.

"Our country today is not only experiencing an economic disaster, it is experiencing a tragedy that is taking on a humanitarian scale. I would venture to say that we are faced with a huge danger. The younger generation, the most dynamic part of Greek society, without future, without prospects, young scientists are leaving the country. The country is losing its most important human resource in order to be able to stand on its feet in the coming years," he stressed.

Especially in Drama, he said that unemployment was at levels that were unacceptable in any European country and its young people were emigrating abroad when their area had significant growth potential.

While in the city, Tsipras took a walk in the Drama shopping district and spoke with people in shops and cafes in the area, who presented their problems. In his discussions, SYRIZA's leader stressed the need for people to support the party's efforts and said that his aim was to restore people's dignity, in spite of the difficult circumstances. He then departed for the city of Komotini, where he is due to address a pre-electionr ally in the city at 18:30.

[02] PASOK leader Venizelos: 'People should know the real facts'

In an article posted on his personal website, Venizelos, whose party is the junior partner in the ruling coalition, underlined that "people have to know the real facts," indirectly criticising both New Democracy (ND), the leading partner in the coalition government, and main opposition SYRIZA for their tactics.

He pointed out that the relation with the European Central Bank is always the secret, adding that the transition to the new phase of the precautionary credit line will have to be completed before the end of the two-month extension given to the programme.

Venizelos underlined that "if we do not solve the pending issues with our partners, we will not receive the 10.7 billion euros of delayed 2014 installments or those predicted for 2015."

[03] Journalists cleared of defamation charges brought by jailed GD MP Kasidiaris

The legal suit concerned an article and video published by the newspaper last December, in which Kasidiaris is shown acting the part of a police sergeant overlooking the beating of a prisoner by two supposed "police men".

The public prosecutor in the case had earlier recommended a guilty charge for the two reporters, on the grounds that the expressions used in their criticism of the MP indicated contempt and exceeded the boundaries of proper conduct expected by journalists in the exercise of free speech, while the video was essentially play-acting and therefore a private moment that could be considered a part of a personal archive.

The court, however, found that the article was not defamatory but "stern criticism" of a public figure and member of Parliament, whose purpose was not to vilify but to inform. It also found that the video did not meet the criteria to be considered part of an archive so the two journalists had not committed a violation of privacy.

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