Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras: Combating corruption is an issue of social justice. Greece is once again at the bottom of transparency lists, says Theodorakis

[02] ND leader Mitsotakis in Germany on Monday; to meet with Chancellor Merkel

[03] SEV warns over dire consequences of a Grexit

[04] Light tremor shakes again the island of Lesvos

[01] Tsipras: Combating corruption is an issue of social justice. Greece is once again at the bottom of transparency lists, says Theodorakis

The increasing corruption is inherent to a political and economic power network built in the country, especially in the period of the post-junta regime, Tsipras noted and added: a moral attitude is needed to tackle corruption, and our government has proved that it can do so.

The prime minister stressed that combating corruption is a priority despite the resistance of the various interests. "I will be concerned when the attacks stop," he underlined.

Regarding the Novartis scandal, he said that it concerns a non-transparent pricing of drugs and the data on the case will be brought before the prosecutor.

Greece is once again at the bottom of transparency lists, Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis stressed in Parliament.

More specifically, he said that during the SYRIZA-ANEL governance, the country lost 11 places and ranks 69th among 168 countries.

Theodorakis added that corruption in Greece is estimated at 20 billion euros annually. "Corruption in combination with black economy create a closed system that distort competition and support those that tolerate or promote corruption," he underlined.

[02] ND leader Mitsotakis in Germany on Monday; to meet with Chancellor Merkel

Mitsotakis will meet on Monday, at 13:00, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at CDU headquarters.

At 17:30, he will meet with CDU party MPs at the parliament.

On Tuesday, Mitsotakis will have a meeting with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble at the Finance Ministry at 11:30 and at 13:00 he will attend a working luncheon with representatives of German trade and business agencies.

[03] SEV warns over dire consequences of a Grexit

"In both cases, naively some people believe that a third person will pay our debt. There is no one to take over our debt and no one will make it easier for us to live at the expense of others. Our debt must be paid in euros and if not properly repaid, the country risked to be isolated from international community, undermining all its economic and social achievements," SEV said in its weekly bulletin on the Greek economy.

SEV described the consequences of a Grexit, noting that the country will not be able, largely, to cover its imports of goods and services (53 billion euros), while its production structure will collapse. The country's dependence from the EU in meat and dairy products reached 100 pct, in cereals 62 pct, in livestock feed 53 pct, while 70 pct of net imports in goods are inflows to the production process, a 25 pct of our imports are re-exported and the vast majority of our trade transactions are made with the EU. SEV noted that the biggest cost for the country is that Greece will be marginalized and Greeks will become much poorer. We will not only lose the euro currency but will be forced to leave the EU as well.

A Grexit and the transformation of Greek banks' assets and liabilities to a new undervalued currency -since their debt to the European Central Bank will remain in euros- will force banks to record a negative net position, or differently, to bankrupt and be nationalized. All these will happen in an environment of hyper-inflation. In real terms, poverty will reign and misery without any improvement in wages and pensions. SEV warned that deposits in Greek banks will lose a significant part of their value.

[04] Light tremor shakes again the island of Lesvos

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