Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] It is in everyone's interest to conclude the second programme review as soon as possible, EU Commission VP Dombrovskis says

[02] ECB wants Greece's participation in QE, banking officials say

[03] The islands must acquire the right of equality and enjoy appropriate policies, says gov't VP Dragasakis

[04] Local growth is the best shield for our islands, says ND leader Mitsotakis

[05] Greek economic sentiment index down significantly in Feb

[06] Refugees and migrants arrivals on Greek islands significantly down in February

[01] It is in everyone's interest to conclude the second programme review as soon as possible, EU Commission VP Dombrovskis says

In reply to a question of the European Parliament Vice President Dimitris Papadimoulis on whether the second programme review is feasible - and particularly a staff level agreement - before the Eurogroup on March 20, he said: We agree that it is in everyone's interest to conclude the second programme review as soon as possible. The main issues of the agreement were agreed at the last Eurogroup and the institutions have returned to Athens in order to resume negotiations and come to a staff level agreement. We have indeed met the 2016 target and we are well on course to meet the 1.75 percent of GDP primary surplus target for 2017. We are also well on course to meet the 3.5 percent primary surplus target for next year. What we need now is an urge from all sides, all the institutions, the Eurogroup and the Greek authorities to solve the pending issues and come to an agreement on the second programme review- hopefully before the next Eurogroup.

[02] ECB wants Greece's participation in QE, banking officials say

Besides, according to Kathimerini newspaper, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reassured ECB president Mario Draghi that she is prepared to do whatever it takes so that the programme review is concluded and Greece participates in ECB's QE provided that Greece agrees on the package of measures including pensions cuts and a lower tax free threshold amounting at roughly 2 pct of GDP.

According to Kathimerini's sources, Merkel has, to this end, already seized the initiative and met with ECB head Mario Draghi.

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, in reply to a question by European Parliament Vice President Dimitris Papadimoulis, said that the negotiations on the Greek programme continue and it is in everyone's interest to have the second programme review concluded as soon as possible.

[03] The islands must acquire the right of equality and enjoy appropriate policies, says gov't VP Dragasakis

Dragasakis referred to the policy already in effect but also to those that will start in the next period and underlined that the government claims the institutional changes in the decision making in order to include the insularity clause not only in the national but also in the European policies. The establishment of an islands cohesion and development fund is also in the government's plans.

The geo-strategic position of the Dodecanese, its natural wealth and the people's natural ability to take risks, to create and succeed turn the island into a bone of contentions for empires and invaders. In parallel these islands were a place of co-existence and cooperation and a crossroads of trade and for this reason they were important culture, trade and communications hub between the north and the south the west and the east.

Meanwhile the issue of the European islands policy is set for the first time taking into consideration that the island of Malta is holding the EU presidency. "We claim the institutional changes in the decision making that will include the insularity clause not only in the national but also in the European policies" he explained.

[04] Local growth is the best shield for our islands, says ND leader Mitsotakis

The main opposition leader underlined that the "best shield for the islands is the local growth" and what is needed, he said, is a 'targeted policy'. "All united we must work for the insularity clause that will take into account the islands' particularities and needs, especially those of the very small islands."

The liberation of the Dodecanese, said Mitsotakis is an example for all "History has taught us the nothing is gifted even if you are right. It needs hard and serious efforts and strong support. The support of the international community is neither self evident nor granted. This makes it imperative to know Greece's position at the international scene. What history says is that success is not the result of easy opportunistic tricks but is based on the harsh systematic effort and in being realistic and this is what we should do and today in every sector of our policy," concluded Mitsotakis.

[05] Greek economic sentiment index down significantly in Feb

In its monthly report, IOBE said that despite the February decline, the index remained higher compared with February 2016 levels (89 points). All sectors, with the exception of industry, recorded declines in February, mostly in retail commerce and constructions. Consumer confidence also fell significantly, falling to April 2016 levels (which was the lowest since August 2013).

An uncertain economic environment, because of prolonged negotiations to conclude a second review of the program and continuous postponement of any possible positive effects from completing a review on liquidity and labour market, were leading enterprises to review downwards their plans for the current year.

More specifically, business expectations in the industrial sector improved markedly over production levels in the coming months, while estimates over inventories rose and negative estimates over new orders and demand slightly improved.

In the services sector, business expectations over the current situation of enterprises turned negative, although estimates over short-term demand improved and estimates over current demand remaining almost unchanged.

In the retail commerce sector, positive business expectations over current sales de-escalated, along with estimates over short-term sales and estimates over inventories turned slightly negative.

In the construction sector, pessimistic estimates over work program deteriorated further although negative estimates over employment slightly improved.

In consumer confidence, the index fell as households' became more pessimistic over their finances and the country's finances in the coming months.

[06] Refugees and migrants arrivals on Greek islands significantly down in February

According to the official figures, a total of 699 persons arrived on the islands, 252 on Lesvos, 275 on Chios and 172 on Samos. The arrivals in January 2017 was 1,012.

This decline had a positive effect to the number of stranded migrants and refugees that have sought for asylum which has not been examined yet. The total number of persons hosted in hotspots in February reached 9,209 while on January 31 the number of hosted refugees and migrants was 10,123 and on January 1 11,078.

The nationalities of the refugees and migrants were: 252 from Syria, 13 from Egypt, 12 from Ethiopia, 3 from Ivory Coast, 39 from Algeria, 17 from Afghanistan, 2 from Ghana, 11 from Guinea, 29 from Erytrea, 1 from Zimbabwe, 1 from Jordan, 63 from Iraq, 15 from Iran, 69 from the Republic of Congo, 26 from Congo, 14 from Cameroon, 29 from Kuweit, 4 from Pakistan, 9 from Palestine, 2 from Lebanon, 10 from Morocco, 1 from Benin, 4 from Nigeria, 4 from Uganda, 2 from Sierra Leone and 2 from Somalia, 2 from Sudan and 10 from Turkey. Finally, 10 people came from the Carribean and 45 of unkown nationality.

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