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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-11-11Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Government to revise GDP increase, finance minister saysFinance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis, speaking on Saturday at an insurance company conference on the issue of "Private Insurance Day", said that the government will revise predictions on the increase in GDP. The conference was held on the occasion of the celebration for Private Insurance Day, while the minister also announced the gradual abolition of the 2.4 percent stamp duty imposed on all insurance rates.Alogoskoufis stressed that growth exceeded predictions during the third quarter of the year and the percentage is expected to be announced within the week and will be in the region of 4.3 percent. The finance minister further said that tax rates in the second and third stages of tax reform will develop as follows:25 percent for incomes between 12,000 and 30,000 euros and 35 percent for incomes of up to 75,000 euros, while from then on the rate will be 40 percent. Lastly, the minister said that the Private Insurance Committee will be undertaking the supervision of the insurance market at the beginning of 2007. Parliament President Anna Benaki-Psarouda also said in her address that the appropriate functioning of insurance companies benefits both the citizen and the state. Awards were given during the conference to the Honourary President of the Union of Insurance Companies of Greece, Dimitris Kontominas, and for the best performance of the year in the police force, the traffic police, the fire brigade and the harbour authority. [02] KKE leader addresses communist and labour party conferenceCommunist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga addressed an international conference of communist and labour parties in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday, stressing the need for an ideological counter-offensive by communist parties to confront "the policy of the forces of imperialism" and adding that a reshuffle is currently under way in the international imperialist system."Relations between the two strongest imperialist centres, the United States and the European Union, are becoming more complex and competitive, while contrasts in the ranks of the EU itself are worsening," she said. The KKE leader proposed initiatives and joint action in the near future concerning EU presidencies and summits, as well as action against anti-communism. Papariga further proposed campaigns for the withdrawal of foreign occupation forces from Iraq and against the NATO alliance and foreign military bases, as well as an anti-NATO meeting of parties and movements from the Balkans in Thessaloniki in May 2007. Lastly, she proposed action against the plan for a "Wider Middle East" and solidarity missions to Lebanon, Syria, Palestinian territory and Israel by representatives of communist parties. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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