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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-02-12Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Gov't spokesman: The word ' extension' cancelled the joint announcementANA/MPA--- The phrase "extension of the memorandum" was the one that led to the cancellation of the joint announcement after the end of Wednesday's Eurogroup meeting" said government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis adding that the Greek side did not accept this expression.Sakellaridis, speaking to ANT1 TV on Thursday morning, explained "the Greek side cannot accept some expressions that point out the existence of an obsession with the former policy". He clarified that the government does not want a rupture with the country's partners adding that he hopes that a mutually beneficial agreement will exist in the next Eurogroup meeting on Monday. Speaking to Mega TV, Sakellaridis rejected Financial Times' article that Government Vice President Yiannis Dragasakis and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had agreed on the wording of the joint announcement after the end of the Eurogroup meeting. "I am in the position to reassure you that both Yanis Varoufakis and Yiannis Dragasakis were spectical over the wording of the joint announcement and their contact with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras confirmed their doubts," he noted. [02] Talks between EU and Greece to continue, Dijsselbloem saysANA-MPA - The talks between Greece and its EU partners on the country's fiscal programme will continue at the Eurogroup meeting of Monday, February 16, Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said at a press conference press early on Thursday morning, adding that there would be no joint statement.Following an extraordinary Eurogroup meeting that began late on Wednesday on Greece's programme which expires end-February, Dijsselbloem joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde and EU Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici in saying that the talks would continue. The IMF, the European Commission and the European Central Bank are Greece's bailout lenders. In statements after the conclusion of the meeting, Luxembourg Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna said that the eurozone finance ministers had agreed to "the road forward," adding that there were no clashes during talks but that the issue of Greece's funding would continue the next few days, leading to Monday's Eurogroup meeting. [03] Economy Minister Stathakis: There will soon be a scheme for the settlement of households' bad loansANA/MPA---Economy Minister George Stathakis on Thursday in statements to Kokkino radio station described the non finding of a solution during the Eurogroup meeting on Wednesday as expected. "The one side insisted on the extension of the programme and our side was seeking the bridge-proposal; the distance (between them) was not covered last night, we are waiting for the leaders' meeting today which will be more political before we move to a solution on Monday," he said according to the radio station website stokokkino.gr.He also said the tender for the broadcasting frequencies would soon be relaunched. On the bad loans settlement he noted that a programme is already being drafted under which the mortgage loans of households close or under the poverty limit will be rolled over from the banks to the public sector and then loans will be adjusted to the actual income figures. The minister added that small and medium-sized businesses will be treated in a similar way, with rules and changes in the existing legislation. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |