Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras: 'Open fronts will soon close and Greece will turn a page'

[02] After weekend respite farmers return to road blocks next week

[03] Thousands demonstrate in Kos against building of hotspot, tear gas fired

[01] Tsipras: 'Open fronts will soon close and Greece will turn a page'

"The open fronts do not frighten us," he was quoted as saying, adding that the government will manage in the most "effective and decisive" manner these three challenges. "When these fronts are closed - and will close very soon, Greece will have turned a page," he said.

Commenting on the ongoing negotiations over the country's adjustment program, the prime minister warned that delaying the negotiation "serves no one" and called on those who are "unilaterally stalling the positive completion of the first assessment to stop." He said the government sent a month and a half ago its proposals for social security reforms and the institutions have not commented, while he noted that the program is being delayed because the institutions are disagreeing among themselves.

On the refugee crisis, Tsipras said the key to resolving the issue is transferring the management of the refugees to Turkey, as it has already been agreed between the EU and the neighboring country and explained that Greece accepted the intervention of NATO "under the very strict condition that they will respect our sovereignty and that both Greece and Turkey will operate within their own territorial waters."

He also dismissed any scenarios for early elections, noting that they were held three months ago and that the government's overall policy has already been judged by the people three times in less than a year.

[02] After weekend respite farmers return to road blocks next week

During the weekend, farmers from around Greece staged a massive protest rally in central Athens, demanding that the government withdraws its proposed social security and pension reform bill and starts dialog from scratch.

Tempi Valley had remained open over the weekend so that protesters could attend the labour action in the capital. Farmers at Tempi, along with their colleagues at Mikrothives, central Greece are still expecting an invitation from the government on the proposals they submitted last week with improvements to the bill.

Further north in the region of Rodopi, farmers announced they will close the Greek-Bulgarian border crossing at Nymphea for 72 hours as of Monday. This means that for three days no cars or trucks will be able to cross from Greece into Bulgaria and vice versa.

Until Sunday and until midnight, farmers at the block said they will open the crossing every two hours and for 15 minutes to allow trapped drivers to pass through.

In Xanthi, northeaster Greece, farmers announced they will close the bridge at Nestos River, on the Egnatia Highway for seven hours as of Monday noon and until 17.00 (local), according to statements made to ANA-MPA by the representative of the roadblocks in the region, Kostas Dalatsis.

[03] Thousands demonstrate in Kos against building of hotspot, tear gas fired

Protesters are demanding that the government reconsiders its decision to build the so-called "hotspot" in the area of Pyli, where work is already underway. Kos is among the several islands near the country's borders with Turkey which has borne the brunt of the refugee crisis.

Earlier, riot police clashed with protesters and tear gas was fired to disperse the crowd, after a group of people tried to enter the construction site.

On Tuesday, the municipal council on Kos is expected to convene to decide the way in which it will conduct a local referendum on whether to construct the center. The decision to hold the referendum was taken earlier this week by the council.

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