Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 14-09-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Samaras on Ukraine: Determination and cautiousness

[02] PM Samaras meets Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels

[03] Greece satisfied over decisions at EU Summit, diplomatic sources say

[04] ND Political Committee's secretary: PM will present a map with tax reliefs at TIF

[05] Gov't Vice-president Venizelos to propose 'employment clause' at Monday meeting

[06] Gov't spokeswoman dismisses SYRIZA criticism, accuses party of 'fantasizing'

[07] SYRIZA on government's stance ahead of meeting with troika

[08] Head of Tsipras' political office: SYRIZA does not rule out cooperation with other political forces

[09] KKE criticises EU decision for more sanctions against Russia

[10] DIMAR leader Kouvelis on presidential election

[11] 'I do not want to be a minister,' Potami leader Theodorakis stressed on Lesvos.

[12] NATO defence planning to change in response to Ukraine crisis, NATO Asst Sec. Gen. tells 'Kathimerini'

[13] Development Minister Dendias: Bad loans a time bomb

[14] Tourist arrivals up in 2014, Alpha Bank says

[15] Extrovert Policy Coordination Com' to convene on Monday

[16] New finds at Amphipolis as excavation proceeds

[17] Transfer of women inmates in Korydallos to higher floor postponed

[18] Wildfire in Kissamos under partial control

[19] Superleague results

[20] Partly cloudy on Monday

[21] The Sunday edition of Athens' newspapers at a glance Politics

[01] PM Samaras on Ukraine: Determination and cautiousness

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Sunday recommended determination and cautiousness on the Ukrainian issue upon his arrival for the EU Summit in Brussels.

"Regarding the unrest in Ukraine we should be determined and cautious" said the Greek premier adding the European leaders are called to elect "those who care and work for the stability and Europe's strengthening with focus on the growth".

[02] PM Samaras meets Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met on Saturday in Brussels with the new president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker on the sidelines of the European Peoples' Party (EPP) Summit.

According to government's sources, Samaras and Juncker exchanged views on the current issues as well as on Juncker's preparations regarding the persons and the responsibilities that will form the new Commission.

Moreover, a special reference was made on the positive developments in the Greek economy as well as on the positive prospects ahead of the next evaluation of the Greek programme and after its completion.

[03] Greece satisfied over decisions at EU Summit, diplomatic sources say

Greek diplomatic sources early Sunday expressed their satisfaction over the European leaders and EU governments' decisions at the EU Summit in Brussels.

Regarding the sanctions against Russia, they noted that following Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' intervention, the European leaders underlined, in their final communiqu?, that the liquified natural gas could become an alternative source of energy for Europe in case of an escalation of the crisis with Russia.

According to the same sources, the Greek side set the issue of the Greek economy's losses by EU's economic sanctions against Russia underlining that is relatively larger among the other country-members of the European Union.

[04] ND Political Committee's secretary: PM will present a map with tax reliefs at TIF

"Samaras will lead the country out of the memorandum and will offer us a very specific vision of a new Greece that the country and the people need" added Papamimikos.

[05] Gov't Vice-president Venizelos to propose 'employment clause' at Monday meeting

According to the same source, Venizelos will have a meeting with Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis after the meeting of the Government Council for Employment.

[06] Gov't spokeswoman dismisses SYRIZA criticism, accuses party of 'fantasizing'

"At a time when the government is fighting step by step with reality, leading the country to an exit from the crisis, SYRIZA who specialises in fantasies and 'realistic utopias', continues on the road of deception. Among others, it is fantasizing that it has already found 5.0 billion euros in order to tackle unemployment," Voultepsi said.

"I imagine that in the same way they will also find the remaining billions that the country needs in order to continue meeting its needs," she added, saying that reason ended where SYRIZA's 'fantasies' began.

[07] SYRIZA on government's stance ahead of meeting with troika

The main opposition party noted that "ahead of the meeting with the troika in Paris, the government brings again on stage the 'red lines' show. Unfortunately, we all know that our lenders set the red lines and the government follows them" said SYRIZA adding that "while the society is being devastated by the Real Estate Ownership Uniform Taxation (ENFIA) and nine of ten citizens demand its cancellation, the government hypocritically speaks of tax reliefs".

[08] Head of Tsipras' political office: SYRIZA does not rule out cooperation with other political forces

Pappas did not exclude, despite their differences, a cooperation with Independent Greeks noting that "Nothing can't be ruled out; SYRIZA's rescue government could possibly be supported by political forces from the wider area".

[09] KKE criticises EU decision for more sanctions against Russia

"The trade was of the European Union and Russia primarily strikes worker-popular classes in order to benefit the interests of the monopolies of the two sides. For this reason the Greek people must condemn the stance of the Greek government, demanding that Greece have no part in the plans of the EU and NATO," KKE added.

[10] DIMAR leader Kouvelis on presidential election

Kouvelis addressing his party's Central Committee that convenes to decide on the procedures and the date of DIMAR's congress said "Any game with the institutions is not acceptable. The Hellenic democracy is a mature democracy. The President's election issue is a matter of broader consensus and it will be judged at the right time and that time is not now" he said.

[11] 'I do not want to be a minister,' Potami leader Theodorakis stressed on Lesvos.

"I do not want to be a minister. Potami was not created so that it could participate in a government with five or six ministers and use them to build up an electoral clientele. But I must make something clear. Potami will not participate in a government with a far-right minister. Nor again in any government with a minister who represents an area that is against the country's European prospects and the idea of the European Union," he said.

Theodorakis, at the head of a delegation of Potami party candidate MEPs, was speaking at a gathering for supporters of the party, including fishermen and farmers, in Skala Kallonis. The discussion focused mainly on policy for farming and fisheries in the region and the lack of a specialised policy for islands.

[12] NATO defence planning to change in response to Ukraine crisis, NATO Asst Sec. Gen. tells 'Kathimerini'

"In light of recent developments the chances of restoring NATO-Russia relations are declining," Stamatopoulos said, announcing that the Alliance will adopt a 'Readiness Action Plan' at the summit Cardiff, Wales next week that is tailored to the new security environment and prompted by recent developments but not targeted against any country, including Russia.

According to Stamatopoulos, it will be a purely defensive plan that will provide security assurances chiefly for the eastern NATO allies. He also emphasised that NATO will not be taking action against the Islamic State at this phase but this could quickly change if IS attacked a NATO member-state or its forces stationed in the region, since that state could then activated article 5 of the NATO treaty on collective defence.

Regarding the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), he said that the Cardiff summit would be no exception to those preceding it and that an invitation will be extended to FYROM to start accession talks with NATO only after it has resolved the name dispute with Greece. On the Cyprus issue, also, he said that this would likely be overshadowed by developments in the Middle East, despite a recent upsurge in US interest in this issue.

Financial News

[13] Development Minister Dendias: Bad loans a time bomb

He said that the troika of Greece's lenders had sent a few days ago its first comments regarding his ministry's proposal on the bad loans.

Dendias noted that "currently we are at the stage of exchanging views with the troika on the draft plan of our proposals regarding the businesses bad loans. We have sent our proposals on time, before August 15, as we had engaged to do and we received troika's first comments a few days ago".

Asked on whether Bank of Greece's (BoG) code of conduct on the bad loans can solve by itself the issue when they exceed 70 billion euros, Dendias said "BoG's code of conduct is a very useful tool in our effort to solve a 'time bomb' issue for the economy. However, it regulates the relations between credit institutions and their clients and does not always identify with the legislation for these relations which will be of a broader and binding nature".

He underlined the need for "an overall approach that will refer to the total of the businesses debts" adding that? our volition is the protection of the first house. Besides, I don't think that a new wave of mass seizures will facilitate anyone. It will only drag down the rates in the real estate market". (Cont. p.3)

Referring to government's negotiation with the troika in Paris, he noted that it is an agenda of return to normality and not an extraordinary situation management agenda.

[14] Tourist arrivals up in 2014, Alpha Bank says

The tourists from EU countries that visited Greece posted a significant rise while tourist arrivals from non-EU countries particularly from Russia were also up. A substantial increase was also recorded in tourist arrivals from USA.

Alpha Bank's analysts said that these developments indicate the definite elimination of Greece's negative picture abroad and the promotion of Greece's real comparative advantages in tourism services of all categories even in the winter.

[15] Extrovert Policy Coordination Com' to convene on Monday

The committee chaired by Deputy Development Minister Notis Mitarachi will convene at the Development and Competitiveness ministry at noon.

General News

[16] New finds at Amphipolis as excavation proceeds

One of the latest discoveries revealed by the archaeologists' trowel include a section of a floor made of irregular pieces of white marble in a red background, in excellent condition, located in the antechamber behind the wall with the two sphinxes, as well as the remains of a fresco with traces of blue colouring on the first diaphragmatic wall behind the sphinxes.

Archaeologists said that all three chambers discovered behind the sealing wall, created by transverse diaphragmatic walls, had been filled with loose sand up to the height of the tholos at the time when the tomb was sealed up, with the diaphragmatic walls acting partly as a support to contain this loose material.

Both the gap in the external sealing wall and the gaps in the diaphragmatic walls, possibly caused by the removal of stones or by failure to insert stones, appear to be a part of the sealing of the tomb. The existence of three chambers along the length of the tholos is also seen as another unique feature of the monument on Kasta Hill, archaeologists said.

The ministry announcement said that the first diaphragmatic wall after the entrance had been revealed up to the Ionic architrave, which was decorated with carved rosettes, while the western section of this is missing.

The entrance leading to the next area of the monument is expected to be discovered once the earth has been removed, while work is continuing to protect the monument from unexpected weather conditions and to dig channels to guide rainwater away from the monument.

Work must also be done to structurally support the tomb and to protect its integrity, especially from pressure exerted by the large quantities of earth within the next chamber.

[17] Transfer of women inmates in Korydallos to higher floor postponed

The women occupying the ground floor of the wing, where six jailed members of the far-right Golden Dawn party are also currently being held, were to be transferred to the upper floor to make more space below.

According to their representatives, a justice ministry official paid a visit to the prison on Friday and officially promised that the transfer will be postponed until the necessary preparations had been made to accommodate the larger number of women and their needs.

"Apart from the phones and the toilets that must be installed, what continues to be important is that there is an exercise yard where we can exercise and that our rights are not violated. We remain on standby and know that our rights are only won through our struggles," the women prisoners said in a statement.

The women had begun protest action against the planned move last week, which they said was consigning them to cramped conditions, lack of facilities and also robbed them of an adequate exercise yard.

[18] Wildfire in Kissamos under partial control

According to first estimations the fire has burned 300 hectares of olive trees and brushland and two old and abandoned farmhouses.

Firemen remain on high alert to prevent rekindling given that strong winds are still blowing in the area.

Sports

[19] Superleague results

In other action:

Kalloni-Ergotelis 2-0

Panthrakikos-PAS Giannena 1-1

Panetolikos-Olympiakos 1-1

Xanthi-Kerkyra 0-0

Asteras Tripolis-Levadiakos 2-1

Platanias-PAOK 0-4

Panathinaikos-Panionios 2-1

OFI Crete-Veria 1/9

Standings after 2 weeks of play):

1. Atromitos 6

2. Olympiakos 4

. Panathinaikos 4

. Kalloni Mytilini 4

. PAS Yiannena 4

. Kerkyra 4

. PAOK 4

8. Veria 3 (1st round)

. OFI Crete 3 (1st round)

. Asteras Tripolis 3

. Panionios 3

12.Levadiakos 1

.Panthrakikos 1

.Panetolikos 1

.Xanthi 1

16 . Ergotelis 0

. Plantanias 0

. Niki Volou 0

Weather forecast

[20] Partly cloudy on Monday

[21] The Sunday edition of Athens' newspapers at a glance

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: Tax reliefs on the way to Paris.

EPOCHI: Midnight in Paris.

ETHNOS: Tango in Paris and hard rock in Athens.

KATHIMERINI: Bras de fer (trial of strength) in Paris.

KYRIAKATIKI DIMOKRATIA: Landing in Paris.

KYRIAKATIKI ELEFTHEROTYPIA: Properties to foreign hands.

KYRIAKATIKOS RIZOSPASTIS: PAME (Labour organisation affiliated to Communist Party) rallies against capital, government and EU at TIF (Thessaloniki International Fair)

LOGOS: All 'closed professions' liberalised.

PROTO THEMA: 'Victim of the crisis' by law .

Realnew: Five 'red lines' for Paris.

TO VIMA: Before a new polarisation.

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