Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-01-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras asks for 'greater acquiescence' among parties

[02] PASOK leader Venizelos lashes out at SYRIZA

[01] Tsipras asks for 'greater acquiescence' among parties

Nevertheless, Tsipras still asked for an indisputable absolute parliamentary majority mandate from the people, while also noting that the memorandum "finishes on the 25th of January", the day of the forthcoming parliamentary elections. He also said, that there will be no more austerity and no more troika, as the representatives of Greece's creditors have come to be known. Tsipras emphasized that PM Antonis Samaras' commitments towards Greece's creditors are also not included in the next day for Greece.

SYRIZA leader reiterated, that if he becomes the prime minister his government will create a more fair tax system "which will, at last, touch the financially strong". He said that the controversial uniform property ownwership tax ENFIA shall be abolished and will be replaced by a large property tax which will be gradual. Tax-free income thresholds will also be raised, while "objective property value rates" - the ones which the State determines for all property transactions and taxing - shall be "widely adjusted".

Tsipras concluded, that "the only ones who should fear are the ones who up until today are either tax-evading or tax-avoiding".

[02] PASOK leader Venizelos lashes out at SYRIZA

"There is a public dialogue ethic. For issues that are serious, political, which belong to history, we have to be accurate and honest", Venizelos noted.

In response to main opposition Radical Left Coalition SYRIZA party leader Alexis Tsipras' public call to the electorate to offer him (to Tsipras) absolute majority in Parliament at the forthcoming elections of January 25th, Venizelos said that Tsipras uses the absolute majority argument "sometimes as a threat, other times as an alibi, or even as an assertion". He added that "SYRIZA denied to offer political acquiescence and now he's going to have a hard time finding it".

Venizelos at Ioannina

Speaking at a political rally at Ioannina, Venizelos warned the electorate, that they "will suffer a great shock on the 26th of January" - a day after the national elections - especially the ones who abandoned PASOK. He emphasized that "In search of paradise lost, one might find themselves in an economic and social hell".

Venizelos went on to address the Greek people, asking them to vote for PASOK, which he views as a "critical and useful" act. "The stakes of the elections are not about who will govern, but how the country will be ruled", he said. To his view, "We are witnesses to a blind clash" between senior government coalition partner New Democracy party and SYRIZA, who polarize people. "One of them terrorizes people, while the other is being complacent", as Venizelos put it.

Article of Venizelos in "Kathimerini" newspaper

In an article by Venizelos published in "Kathimerini" newspaper, he said that during February 2012 Greece managed to complete the largest debt "haircut" in history, by getting rid of 180 billion euros of debt in net present value (NPV).

To Venizelos' view, it was even more important that the remaining debt was restructured, as 90% of it was taken outside the markets, in the hands of members of the European Union. He said, that the total arrangements agreed with Greece's creditors practically amounted to a 60% haircut.

Venizelos emphasized that it's absolutely necessary for Greece to complete its exit from the memorandum and the troika supervision and to safeguard a precautionary credit line. Especially because Eurogroup already "has officially agreed and pledged that it will offer further debt relief once Greece attains a primary surplus and completes its adjustment programme. It's the point we're at today", he concluded.

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