Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-01-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] Composition of new cabinet

[02] PPC privatisation to stop immediately, Productive Reconstruction Min. Lafazanis says

[03] Labour Minister Skourletis: Minimum wage back to 751 euros

[04] Alt. Administrative Reform Minister: Layoffs against the Constitution will be cancelled

[01] Composition of new cabinet

The new government is as follows:

Prime Minister: Alexis Tsipras

Government Vice-President: Yiannis Dragasakis

Interior - Administration Reconstruction Minister: Nikos Voutsis Alternate Minister for Administrative Reform: George Katrougalos Alternate Minister for Civil Protection: Yiannis Panousis Alternate Minister for Migration Policy: Tasia Christodoulopoulou Deputy Minister for Macedonia-Thrace: Maria Kollia-Tsarouha

Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism Minister: George Stathakis Alternate Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks: Christos Spirtzis Alternate Shipping Minister: Thodoris Dritsas Alternate Tourism Minister: Elena Kountoura

Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Minister: Panagiotis Lafazanis Alternate Minister for the Environment: Yiannis Tsironis Alternate Minister for Rural Development: Vangelis Apostolou Deputy Minister for Rural Development: Panagiotis Sgouridis

Finance Minister: Yanis Varoufakis Alternate Minister: Nadia Valavani Alternate Minister: Costas Mardas

Education, Culture and Religious Affairs Minister: Aristidis Baltas Alternate Minister for Culture: Nikos Xydakis Alternate Minister for Education: Tasos Kourakis Alternate Minister for Research and Innovation: Costas Fotakis Deputy Minister for Sports: Stavros Kontonis

Labour Minister: Panos Skourletis Alternate Minister for Social Solidarity: Theano Fotiou Deputy Minister for Combatting Unemployment: Rania Antonopoulou

Health and Social Insurance Minister: Panagiotis Kouroumblis Alternate Minister for Health: Andreas Xanthos Alternate Minister for Social Insurance: Dimitris Stratoulis

Foreign Minister: Nikos Kotzias Alternate Minister for European Affairs: Nikos Chountis Alternate Minister for International Economic Relations: Efklidis Tsakalotos

National Defence Minister: Panos Kammenos Alternate Minister: Costas Isychos Deputy Minister: Nikos Toskas

Justice Minister: Nikos Paraskevopoulos

Minister of State for Combatting Corruption: Panagiotis Nikoloudis

Minister of State for Coordinating Government Operations: Alekos Flambouraris Deputy Minister: Terens Quick

Minister of State: Nikos Pappas

Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government spokesman: Gavriil Sakellaridis

Proposed Parliament President: Zoi Constantopoulou

The new cabinet was sworn in at Tuesday evening.

[02] PPC privatisation to stop immediately, Productive Reconstruction Min. Lafazanis says

"We will try to reduce the electricity tariffs and boost competitiveness in an effort to help the Greek households," he said.

Lafazanis reiterated the same statements to Mega TV. "The issue is not to sell PPC in order to boost budget revenues, because the cost of these revenues is too high," he stressed and announced the immediate launch of the programme of free electricity to those in need.

Asked whether these announcements will trigger problems in the negotiations with the European partners, he said that the government is held accountable only to the Greek people that have elected it.

[03] Labour Minister Skourletis: Minimum wage back to 751 euros

He also underlined that among the government's first priorities are measures to intercept the humanitarian and social crisis.

Skourletis noted that "we will move at odds with the memorandum demands and directions because that's the people's choice."

[04] Alt. Administrative Reform Minister: Layoffs against the Constitution will be cancelled

He explained that the layoffs that were against the Constitution and those that have not gone through any evaluation will be cancelled as well as the availability "for example of the cleaning staff in ministries, the school guards and the teachers."

Asked on what will happen with ERT (former national broadcaster), he expressed his personal opinion because as he said, the issue does not lie into his authority. "What I have said for the other cases, also applies to ERT staff. A return to ERT does not mean a return to the ERT before the black screen but to the ERT after the black screen," he said. The aim is that "ERT is under the society's control and not under the control of whatever government and its interests."

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