Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 10-12-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM calls for discussion on revised Lisbon Treaty

[02] ND spokesman on PM's address

[03] PM welcomes EU decision for permanent stability mechanism

[04] PM on Padoa-Schioppa's death

[05] FinMin addresses 2011 state budget Parliamentary debate

[06] Debate on 2011 budget begins

[07] Third instalment of IMF loan approved

[08] Protests on Wednesday

[09] Public transport strikes to continue all week

[10] Greece pays tribute to Jacqueline de Romilly

[11] NSW premier supports return of Parthenon Marbles

[12] Tasso Kavvadia passes away

[13] Tanker runs aground at entrance to Amvrakikos Gulf

[14] Olympiacos Piraeus widens Super League lead

[15] Cloudy and wet on Monday

[16] Agreement with Israel consolidates sovereignty, indicates Nicosia Politics

[01] PM calls for discussion on revised Lisbon Treaty

Papandreou put the idea forward on Saturday, during a meeting of ruling PASOK's Parliamentary group before the start of the debate on the 2011 budget, saying that such an initiative would be addressed to all European citizens, trade unions, national parliaments and non-governmental organisations.

He also called for a working group made up of PASOK MPs and MEPs to promote the initiative, suggesting several former ministers such as Vasso Papandreou, Petros Efthymiou, Nasos Alevras and others.

The prime minister also announced plans for a party congress to decide on policy concerning the country's course in the new European and international environment.

At another point, he appeared optimistic that Greece's partners would agree to extend the repayment for the loans given under the stability mechanism.

Regarding the debate on the budget, he urged PASOK MPs to "send out strong messages in Parliament and to all Greek society" and to "stand united for the sake of the country and Greeks".

Referring to the European Union's summit that took place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, Papandreou said that he began his intervention at the dinner for the EU's leaders saying that "either we shall write history or history shall write us off" since he believes that the EU has reached a crossroads and despite the positive decisions taken at the summit the dilemma of "further deepening of the EU, or breaking of its political, social and economic cohesion" remains.

"We either proceed to a powerful economic and political governance, at least of the countries of the euro, or we shall become witnesses of a new, easy, but also destructve nation-alism, of introversion and mutual accusations," the prime minister said, stressing that Europe's joint reply, as in Cancoon recently, can in the same way provide solutions to the issue of poverty and to chronic rivalries in the wider region from the issue of Cyprus to the Middle East question.

"A powerful Europe can reply to the appetites of markets which, either fear to invest in countries facing difficulties, or speculate shamelessly against them, through the so-called 'derivatives'," Papandreou told his party's deputies, stressing that in this framework Greece has been tabling proposals for months on the creation of an apparatus that under different names "reaches the central idea of a Fund, with the eurobonds as the epicentre."

Papandreou further said that "the eurobond, among other things, will also reply to the markets, from where Europe will borrow for member-states, constituting a considerable shield against the high interest rates and the phobias of markets. But it would also be a strong guarantee for the international markets, that will no longer panic."

The prime minister also referred to other proposals that are being promoted through the Party of European Socialists (PES) and the Socialist International (SI) on the tax on stock exchange transactions and the tax on greenhouse gases that could constitute own resources for the EU.

[02] ND spokesman on PM's address

Panayiotopoulos added that "if Mr. Papandreou does not change his policy immediately, for us to pass to the recovery and growth of the economy, the dramatic recession, to which he himself has led us, will drag us to the bottom."

[03] PM welcomes EU decision for permanent stability mechanism

He also welcomed the decisions taken as a "first step" toward a more powerful economic governance of the EU.

"We started out 14 months ago as a newly elected government in exceptionally difficult conditions and, at a very rapid rate, we diagnosed the extent of the crisis, made proposals, fought for European policies and at the same time struggled to restore our credibility and to strengthen Greece's voice," the Greek premier said in a statement.

He said the systematic effort had paid off and Greece was once more seen as credible by its European partners.

"We knew that the crisis in our country had its basic roots and causes in viewpoints and practices that had to be changed. And we are doing this. We are changing Greece," he added.

According to Papandreou, the Greek government had managed to convince its European partners that the economic problem was not confined to Greece but also a matter of supporting and coordinating policies on a European level.

As a result, a support mechanism had been set up that now acted as a shield and allowed Greece the time to carry out the necessary changes that would allow the country to eventually stand on its own feet and emerge from the crisis.

According to the Greek premier, the crisis was a painful experience but one that could also act as an opportunity, both for Greece and for the European Union.

Concerning the idea of issuing eurobonds, the premier pointed out that this was a Greek proposal that had also been repeated and adopted by others and he expressed satisfaction that a dialogue was now underway in Europe on this issue.

He said that this discussion in Europe was "a challenge for further deepening cooperation and coordination between the members and institutions of the EU".

[04] PM on Padoa-Schioppa's death

Schioppa was at a dinner when he started to feel unwell on Saturday night. He rushed to a hospital in Rome but doctors were unable to help him, pronouncing his death as a result of a massive heart attack.

"He was an exceptional person and a great scientist," Papandreou said in a statement, hailing the Italian economist's priceless contribution to the creation and course of the euro and describing him as "a great European".

The Greek premier stressed that Schioppa had immediately responded to the Greek premier's proposal that they work together in tackling the great crisis that had erupted in Greece:

"He knew well that the crisis that began in Greece had European dimensions. And he contributed to the proposals that Greece presented in recent European summits for dealing with a generalised economic crisis," Papandreou said, expressing his deepest condolences to the family.

[05] FinMin addresses 2011 state budget Parliamentary debate

Papaconstantinou further said that despite the efforts that Greece will make, its ultimate success will depend on the recovery and protection of the eurozone and for this reason the upgrading of Greece's image and prestige is of great importance to enable it to participate with its own say in crucial European decisions.

"We are proving on a daily basis that all the sacrifices we called for, we are not squandering them on personal strategies, but on a stronger voice for the country and its prime minister, for a reliability and prestige that Greece thought it had achieved, but that that it lost over the past 5-6 years," the Finance Minister said.

Papaconstantinou underlined that the government received a huge deficit amounting to 36 billion and a public debt of 300 billion and has undertaken to reduce the deficit by 30 billion in four years.

[06] Debate on 2011 budget begins

In general terms, the government has defended the new budget and the opposition parties have largely rejected it as fake.

Following the party rapporteurs, it is now the turn of government ministers and party sector-heads to address the Parliament and the debate will culminate on Wednesday with the speeches of the party leaders.

The debate will close shortly before midnight on Wednesday with an address by Prime Minister George Papandreou and a roll-call vote will begin at precisely 12:00.

Financial News

[07] Third instalment of IMF loan approved

With the release of the third instalment, the total amount loaned to Greece by the IMF so far comes to 10.5 billion euro.

In statements after the meeting, IMF deputy managing director Murilo Portugal said that the IMF programme in Greece was continuing to yield results and that Greek authorities "commended for their determined implementation of difficult and ambitious macroeconomic policies and structural reforms."

He noted that inflation was falling and competitiveness in Greece was improving while stressing the continued importance of comprehensive and timely reforms to safeguard the impetus for growth and viable levels of public debt.

IMF officials appeared confident that under-execution of the budget will allow Greece to achieve the fiscal targets for the end of the year and that the repercussions of the recently revised deficit figures would be fully offset by the government's intention to continue working toward the original programme targets for 2011.

They underlined the need for more aggressive fiscal structural reforms in order to achieve lasting results, noting that taxation administration and the handling of public finances remained a priority, requiring comprehensive action plans with specific deadlines for reforms in state enterprises, the health sector and others.

Emphasis was also given to labour reforms, such as opening closed professions and market deregulation in tourism and the retail sector.

[08] Protests on Wednesday

The rally is being organised by the umbrella trade union groups General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE), representing the private sector, and the civil servants union federation ADEDY.

In an announcement on Sunday, highschool teachers also announced their intention to join the rally, calling two-hour nationwide work stoppages between 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Wednesday for the morning shift and 2:00-4:00 p.m. on Wednesday for the evening shift. Similar protests and demonstrations will also be held in other Greek cities.

[09] Public transport strikes to continue all week

Strikes announced so far include a 24-hour strike on Monday by all means of public transport, except buses that will run on a reduced schedule between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

This will be followed by a four-hour work stoppage by all means of public transport on Tuesday, between the hours of noon and 4:00 p.m. and a further 24-hour strike by all means of public transport on Wednesday.

For Thursday there is a decision by Athens buses to only run between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. but decisions by other groups of public transport workers are still pending.

Finally, there will be another four-hour work stoppage on all means of public transport on Christmas Eve between noon and 4:00 p.m.

General News

[10] Greece pays tribute to Jacqueline de Romilly

Papandreou said that Jacqueline de Romilly honoured Greek thought, devoted herself to the promotion of Greek literature and arts and participated in every public discussion that shed light on the ideas and values of ancient Greek culture.

"With her work for Greece she promoted Greek culture abroad as well. Her incessant contribution to Greek letters was recognised with her election at the Athens Academy, as well as with her naturalisation as a Greek," the prime minister said.

"Jacqueline de Romilly stood by Greece in difficult moments and promoted humanism that distinguishes the Greeks," Papandreou stressed.

Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou said that "Hellenism has lost a great friend and a steadfast ally in its efforts for promoting the Greek language and Greek culture."

On his part, main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras said that Greeks "bid farewell with gratitude to the great Hellenist and Academician Jacqueline de Romilly," adding that "the honour and gratitude which we Greeks owe to her will be everlasting".

The Culture and Tourism ministry expressed its profound sorrow and grief over the death of Jacqueline de Romilly, stressing that more than a friend of Greece, she was a Greek, she was proclaimed a member of the Athens Academy, an ambassador of Hellenism, while receiving Greek citizenship in 1995.

[11] NSW premier supports return of Parthenon Marbles

According to the radio station SBS, Keneally said the demand for the marbles return was "fair" and that they would be returning to their "rightful home".

"The government of New South Wales is proud to support this demand for the return of the Marbles to Greece and its people," she said.

[12] Tasso Kavvadia passes away

She made her name in film by playing the parts of harsh and unforgiving older women that gave the romantic leads a hard time - she was the bad mother-in-law, the unfeeling mother or disapproving sister that tried to prevent things from following their natural course. She participated in some 30 films between 1955 and 2001, her last roles being that of the grandmother in the 2000 film "Beware the Greeks" and the 2002 film "Alexander and Aishe".

Apart from films, she had also worked in theatre and television, where her repertoire was considerably more diverse, while she also did work in radio and as a journalist and writer.

[13] Tanker runs aground at entrance to Amvrakikos Gulf

The tanker, heading for Elefsina, was detached by a tugboat and led to the port of Preveza from where it had set out.

The vessel has been banned from sailing until it has been checked and its seaworthiness ascertained.

Soccer

[14] Olympiacos Piraeus widens Super League lead

In other action:

Kavala-Atromitos Athens 1-1

Panionios Athens-Asteras Tripoli 0-0

Ergotelis Crete-Panseraikos Serres 2-0

Aris Thessaloniki-Xanthi 0-2

Kerkyra-PAOK Thessaloniki 2-1

Standings after 15 weeks of play:

1. Olympiacos P. 36 points

2. Panathinaikos 31

3. PAOK 23

4. AEK 23

5. Kavala 21

6. Xanthi 21

7. Aris 20

8. Ergotelis 20

9. Olympiacos V. 20

10. Kerkyra 19

11. Iraklis 19

12. Asteras 16

13. Atromitos 16

14. Panionios 15

15. Panseraikos 15

16. Larissa 11

Weather forecast

[15] Cloudy and wet on Monday

Cyprus Affairs

[16] Agreement with Israel consolidates sovereignty, indicates Nicosia

The government is always working to defend and strengthen the Republic of Cyprus and to fully utilize any advantages that arise from moves that consolidate its sovereignty, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said, in response to questions about an agreement Cyprus and Israel have signed to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone between the two countries.

The bilateral agreement was signed on Friday between Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyrianou and Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau.

"Efforts to delineate the country's EEZ are being made without any fanfare and in a specific, meticulous manner. The result was the signing of the bilateral agreement with Israel," he told the press, commenting on the agreement.

"The government of Cyprus is always working to defend and strengthen the Republic of Cyprus and to fully utilize the advantages that derive out of procedures which aim to strengthen its sovereignty", the spokesman remarked.

The agreement, he added, has opened up new opportunities and prospects.

Cyprus has already signed similar agreements with Egypt and Lebanon with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ.

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