Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-10-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM confers with ministers

[02] Cultural Capitals' Networks proclamation

[01] PM confers with ministers

After his meeting with the premier, Molyviatis told waiting reporters that he had briefed Karamanlis on all foreign policy issues, adding that it had been a usual meeting in the context of his regular contacts with the prime minister.

Kefaloyannis told reporters after his meeting with the prime minister that he had briefed him on matters falling under his ministry's competency, including the recent unanimous adoption by parliament of a new law on recreational scuba diving, which lifted existing restrictions.

In past years, recreational diving was strictly restricted in Greece in order to deter antiquities smugglers, with diving only permitted in specific, closely-watched locations.

The new law further contains provisions to boost Greek cruise shipping and a six-year chartering of ships to serve routes to the country's remote islands.

Kefaloyannis also said a bill would be tabled soon providing for the upgrade of the Merchant Marine Schools to university-level institutions, as well as one for enactment of the 3 billion euros Protocol signed between Greece and the European Investment Bank (EIB), adding that the first project to be funded under the Protocol would be announced on October 21.

The minister was referring to a protocol agreement with the EIB he signed in July for financing a project to upgrade the country's major ports, the overall cost of which has been estimated at 6.0 billion euros, with the loan agreement with the EIB covering half the outlay at favourable terms.

The 25-year loan has a grant period of seven years, a low interest rate and does not need the guarantee of the Greek state. EIB's money will cover a wide gamut of projects. The money from the loan will be used exclusively to fund investment programmes included in a National Port Policy, drafted by ministry for the period 2005-2015.

The national programme was based on individual programmes submitted by the country's 12 major ports. The ministry also plans to hold a tender to find a consultant for the project.

[02] Cultural Capitals' Networks proclamation

Representatives from cultural capitals' networks from around the world - Europe, central Europe, the Volga region of Russia, America, Canada, the Catalonia province as well as the Mediterranean Women Artists' group - spoke at the event, including Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Culture and composer Faustas Lat?nas and the head of the culture department at the municipality of Amsterdam, Hanna Beliot.

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