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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-02-20Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Papandreou: PASOK against poverty, cheap labourNew Democracy's government wants Greeks subjugated with their heads bowed low, so that they're easy prey for its party leadership, main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou said on Monday during an address in southern Greece, while stressing that his own party was against poverty and cheap labour."We want Greeks to hold their heads high," he told a rally during the second day of his tour in Argolida prefecture. Papandreou particularly stressed his own and his party's opposition to cheap labour and "second-class citizens", which he said ND considered an advantage. "We are against poverty and the reduction of incomes. We are battling for a better future with democratic ethics, transparency and participation, to create a society of values," he said. The main opposition leader again rapped the government for failing to make good on its pre-election promises, saying that unemployment, high prices, poverty had all risen since the elections, while farmers, pensioners and the provinces had been left to their fate. (Caption: PASOK party leader George Papandreou speaks with a young resident of the Peloponnese town of Kranidi, southeast Greece, on Monday during a tour of the area. ANA photo / K. Mavrona) ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. [02] Current accounts deficit up 34.4% in '05Greece's current accounts deficit widened by 34.4 percent in 2005 to 14.047 billion euros, compared with the previous year, totalling 7.8 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product, the Bank of Greece said on Monday.The central bank's governor, Nikos Garganas, sounded the "alarm bell" last Friday over developments in the current accounts balance, saying "it highlighted a serious competitiveness problem facing the Greek economy". The worsening balance mainly reflected high spending to servicing the public debt, with the outflow of interest, dividends and profits up 25.5 percent to more than 8.0 billion euros, from 6.34 billion euros in 2004. As a result, the incomes balance showed a deficit of 1.263 billion euros in 2005, up 30.5 pct from 2004. The trade deficit rose 8.2 pct last year despite a jump in international oil prices. Excluding oil and ships, the trade deficit fell by 341 million euros in 2005. The services balance showed a surplus of 231 million euros, with gross revenues from travel services up 6.7 pct to 689 million euros, with gross payments rose 5.9 pct to 135 million euros. Net revenues from transport services rose by 55 million euros, while the financial transactions' balance recorded a net outflow of 979 million euros in 2005, from a net inflow of 600 million euros in the previous year. This development reflected mainly a net outflow of 767 million euros for direct investments abroad and to inflows of 212 million euros by foreign direct investments. The portfolio investment category recorded a net inflow of 7.323 billion euros, the central bank said. (Caption: A file photo of Bank of Greece Governor Nikos Garganas. ANA / M. Kiaou) ANA-MPA Copyright © 2004-2005 All rights reserved. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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