|
|
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-16
CONTENTS
[01] Tsipras speaks to Guterres, Juncker about ongoing Cyprus talks
[02] ND officials criticise government for missing civil servants hired
to work in hot-spots
[01] Tsipras speaks to Guterres, Juncker about ongoing Cyprus talks
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras discussed developments on Cyprus talks
in phone calls to the Secretary-General of the United Nations António
Guterres and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude
Juncker, his office said on Monday.
Tsipras also discussed the new phase of the Cyprus negotiations which
will start in Geneva on January 18.
"In this context, the prime minister stressed the commitment of the
Greek government in finding a just and viable solution [for Cyprus],
on the basis of UN resolutions and Cyprus' status as a member-state
of the European Union. A solution which will eliminate guarantees and
ensure the withdrawal of occupation forces, which will benefit all the
people of Cypriot, as well as peace and stability in the region," the
press release said.
[02] ND officials criticise government for missing civil servants hired
to work in hot-spots
Two New Democracy (ND) officials accused the government on Monday of
hiring thousands of civil servants to work in island hotspots, many of
which appear to have never showed up, as it was revealed by a minister
on Monday.
Deputy Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas admitted on a talk show on Skai
TV channel that several employees hired to work in refugee centers never
show up for work. "We have already noticed that what is alleged is true
in many places. That while they were hired by municipalities [to work at]
the [refugee] centers, not all of them go, primarily because there isn't
an organized structure for how to operate the centers," he told Skai.
"The domestic and international embarrassment suffered daily by our
country due to the refugee-migrant issue continues to intensify. The
revelations about the thousands of hirings made by the government for
non-existent jobs in hot-spots are now added to the shameful images
published daily and the complaints of international organizations," ND's
shadow migration policy minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis and administrative
reconstruction Giorgos Georgadas said in a joint press release.
Varvitsiotis and Georgadas also accused Migration Policy Minister Yiannis
Mouzalas of trying to avoid responsibility for the situation on the
islands. "One day, he blames the opposition and the alleged 'character
assassination' plot formed against him. Another day he blames the
international organizations, the mayors, the inhabitants and the hoteliers
in some region. Will he now start blaming his 'comrades' who recently
were added to the long list of those who are complaining?" they asked.
|