Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-03-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't spokesman appears optimistic over negotiations' outcome

[02] President Pavlopoulos:Fair settlement of Cyprus issue is in the interest of Turkey and EU

[01] Gov't spokesman appears optimistic over negotiations' outcome

He said that a Eurogroup meeting "should take place soon, it will be useful" and added that "during the EuroWorking Group meeting on Wednesday there will be a briefing by the institutions that negotiate in Brussels, where a lot of work has been done."

Regarding the government's positions on the negotiations with the partners as well as the red lines, he responded: "The answers have been given; the people can judge the stance of the government and of each party. Both sides have presented arguments for the agreement. The policy of the memorandum has ended. What (Prime Minister Alexis) Tsipras said on Monday is that you cannot tighten the belt further, austerity is over. In a negotiation, both sides need to make concessions. The red lines are pensions, the labour issues and the VAT increase."

Asked on the possibility of the government having to choose between "repaying the IMF tranche or paying pensions and wages," he responded "there is no need for posing a dilemma between pensions and IMF. Whatever we are doing, we are doing it by making sure that we will not reach this point."

On the Uniform Real Estate Ownership Tax (ENFIA), he said "the government will not collect it for 2015" since it will be abolished, explaining that another law for property should be drafted.

On deposits, Sakellaridis said: "We all know who has taken money abroad. Many lists have appeared and the question is what has been happening in the last period of time."

Referring to the Parliament's Plenary session on Monday, he noted that "the Prime Minister presented all the actions, all the steps that were taken until we reached the point that we now stand."

[02] President Pavlopoulos:Fair settlement of Cyprus issue is in the interest of Turkey and EU

Looking at the deserted area of the buffer zone – once a thriving part of Nicosia – he expressed his grief because an EU area is under military occupation. This, he said, cannot be tolerated. The fair settlement of the Cyprus issue, he noted, is in the interest of Turkey and its European course and at the same time in the interest of the European Union. The Greeks of the metropolitan Greece and the Greeks of Cyprus will fight for a united front.

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