Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-09-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Alexis Tsipras to meet U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday

[02] State minister meets US envoy on energy in New York

[03] Greek budget records 3.756-bln-euro primary surplus in Jan-Aug

[04] After Lesvos, Chios municipal council meets to discuss migration

[01] PM Alexis Tsipras to meet U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday

The Greek prime minister repeated Greece's support for the talks between the two communities on the island and Greece's steadfast position in support of a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus issue, based on UN resolutions.

In the meeting with Biden, sources said the Greek government will note that a Cyprus solution will be one more step in the direction of stability in the wider region. Athens considers that progress has been made and supports the talks but notes that the withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops is a condition for a solution, while asserting that the guarantees regime is outdated and should be abandoned.

Concerning the debt, sources said, Athens considers that the discussion on debt relief is continuing and that the second review of the Greek programme must also be accompanied by an agreement for debt relief outlining specific steps on a short-, medium- and long-term level.

The prime minister was also due to present Greece's position and prospects in a speech at the Concordian Summit in New York on Tuesday afternoon and later address the UN Summit on Migrants and Refugees.

Greek government sources noted that the government's aim since the start of the crisis was to start and keep up a discussion on the refugee crisis and its management on a European level, while the focus now was to start a discussion on a global level.

Tsipras is also scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May on the sidelines of his visit for talks on Brexit and the prospects of Greeks currently working and studying in Britain.

[02] State minister meets US envoy on energy in New York

They also agreed for the need to promote as soon as possible the gas pipeline projects that will help Greece develop into a regional energy hub.

Pappas discussed with Hochstein the Greek government's position that there is now an urgent need for an immediate and definitive settlement of the country's debt, as it has been agreed and without further delay.

He said servicing the country's debt is very important but should not hinder economic growth.

[03] Greek budget records 3.756-bln-euro primary surplus in Jan-Aug

In the eight-month period revenue surpassed targets by 494 million euros, while in August regular budget revenue surpassed monthly targets by 62 million.

The general government's deficit was 1.035 billion euros in the January-August period, from a deficit of 1.104 billion euros in the same period last year and a budget target for a deficit of 3.880 billion euros.

Net state budget revenue was 31.950 billion euros, down 1.8 pt from targets. Regular budget net revenue was 29.883 billion, up 1.6 pct from targets. Tax returns (excluding returns from a state arrears settlement program) was 1.907 billion euros in the six-month period, up 97 million from targets. Public Investment Programme revenue was 2.067 billion euros, down 1.048 billion from budget targets.

In August, state budget net revenue was 3.952 billion euros, up 58 million from monthly targets, while regular budget net revenue was 3.932 billion euros, up 62 million from targets. Tax returns in August amounted to 187 million euros, down 122 million euros from the previous month.

State budget spending in the January-August period totaled 32.985 billion euros, down 3.429 billion from targets, while regular budget spending was 30.813 billion euros, down 2.546 billion from targets.

Regular budget spending were up compared with the same period last year (+507 million euros). Public Investment Programme spending was 2.172 billion euros, down 883 million from targets. State budget spending was 4.155 billion euros in August, down 133 million from targets, while regular budget spending was 3.688 billion euros (down 151 million).

[04] After Lesvos, Chios municipal council meets to discuss migration

At the same time, journalists on the island met with the local prosecutor to whom they expressed their concerns and difficulties they face covering the refugee crisis, following attacks against them by extreme right groups last week. Journalists said they are being targeted, abused and beaten by specific people, noting how this impacts their work and their efforts towards pluralism in the media.

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