Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Massive farmers' protest at Syntagma square

[02] PM Tsipras and ND Mitsotakis speak to ANA-MPA

[03] Body of missing helicopter crew member found on Kineros islet

[04] We need a politically and socially sustainable Europe, says Italian parliament president Boldrini to ANA-MPA

[01] Massive farmers' protest at Syntagma square

Farmers are requesting that the government withdraws its proposed social security and pension reform plan.

According to the organizers, more than 35 busses are expected to arrive in Athens on Friday morning, while many others will join then in private cars.

Protesters are expected to meet at Omonoia square and walk towards the Parliament on Syntagma square, where they will set up tents to house farmers who will remain there for the entire weekend.

Farmers from Crete have already arrived in Athens while farmers from other regions and 65 blockades around the country are expected to arrive in Athens by 18:00.

Meanwhile, the police have set up their own road blocks across the national high ways in order to prevent farmers from driving their tractors to Syntagma.

"The representatives of the coordinating committees need to isolate such incidents and condemn extremist views," Agriculture Minister Evangelos Apostolou on Friday said upon his arrival to Parliament on the clashes between farmers and police.

"The scenes that took place today in the Ministry of Agriculture aimed to discredit the farmers' struggle," he stated. "Damages were reported on the first floor of the ministry and fortunately there were no employees injured," he added.

"The representatives of the coordinating committees need to isolate such incidents and condemn extremist views. It is a shame to add such dark pages in the history of the agriculture movement," he underlined.

Apostolou concluded that there is only one way and stressed the importance of dialogue in order to solve the farmers' problems.

[02] PM Tsipras and ND Mitsotakis speak to ANA-MPA

"There are moments in history that the geographical position and wealth of our islands force us to assume great responsibilities; responsibilities that sometimes are beyond us. But we have repeatedly demonstrated that we can face the challenges and also defend our values and our culture successfully," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said.

The Greek Coast Guard and other authorities, volunteers and residents are making a superhuman effort in the name of the European culture and human values: they protect the life, the asylum, the dignity of refugees. This effort has already granted the global recognition of the public opinion and the media, the prime minister said.

"However, only our efforts are not enough. They are not enough because in fact they will never be able to address the root causes of the refugee flows, nor to fully cover the needs of the refugees," he underlined.

The permanent and effective response to the refugee crisis is a collective responsibility of the European Union and the International Community. The effective management of the refugee issue is exclusively based on the implementation of the collective plan and the responsibilities that each one has assumed. Europe has to develop a plan. Greece meets its commitments. It is the time of responsibility for the other partners. The solution lies in the implementation of agreements and action plans, and not in the adoption of an anti-European, xenophobic agenda, Tsipras noted.

On his part, main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his article to ANA-MPA's magazine said that New Democracy will do its national duty.

"The condition is extremely crucial. Amidst adverse conditions, Greece is called on to respect human lives and at the same time to protect its borders and security.

"The first task is consistent with our culture and humanism that historically characterizes Greece and the Greeks. The second one is a national obligation and top mission in order our country to not be left unguarded. We need to fulfil both," he underlined.

Mitsotakis stressed the importance of the government meeting its commitments, Europe implementing a solidarity policy to Greece, as well as Europe putting pressure on Turkey.

He concluded: "The first and main responsibility lies within the government. We will do our national duty as always. Soberly and with strong determination. My message is clear: We will protect the human life as well as Greece's security."

[03] Body of missing helicopter crew member found on Kineros islet

The captain's body was found near the spot where that bodies of the two other crew members and the remains of the helicopter were found near a hilltop on Kineros.

[04] We need a politically and socially sustainable Europe, says Italian parliament president Boldrini to ANA-MPA

In an interview with ANA-MPA, she said that she came to a country that is trying hard because she deeply believes in the European family and the eurozone.

"We support choices that were painful, but with a high sense of responsibility," she underlined.

During her meeting on Friday with Tsipras, Boldrini said that she wants to be briefed by the Greek prime minister on the developments. "I know that he does everything to bridge the harsh austerity measures of the memorandum with social cohesion, something that is very difficult," she said adding that "if today the issue of Europe is so timely in the political debate, we owe it to Alexis Tsipras who highlighted the austerity issue last July and upgraded it to a key issue at an international level, something that I also share."

Boltrini stressed that austerity alone cannot continue and it cannot be implemented at any cost if we want to maintain the democracy in our countries.

"We must have a more political and socially sustainable Europe," underlined Boldrini.

The Italian top official, that has served as UN representative for the refugees in the past, will visit the island of Lesvos.

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