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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-01Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Papandreou lists 10 'non-negotiable' PASOK positionsThe leader of main opposition PASOK George Papandreou outlined the main principles of his party's new programme on Thursday, emphasising that it would be forward-looking, with a "strong social hue" and addressed to the "broad social alliance" that had traditionally supported PASOK over the years. He was addressing a joint session of PASOK's Political Council, Parliamentary Council and Programme Committee.While not going into specifics, which he left to Programme Committee chairwoman Anna Diamantopoulou, Papandreou referred to 10 "non-negotiable" points in the programme that he would personally guarantee to carry out if the party were re-elected to power. One of these was to establish a "new model of governance", which he followed by pledges for increases in social spending in a number of key areas. Among these he listed an increase in spending on education and establishing a minimum standard of living through a basic pension of 950 euros a month for couples and 550 euros a month for singles above retirement age - including farmers - even if they were not fully covered by their pension contributions. In addition, Papandreou pledged to extend the EKAS low-pension supplement to another 300,000 pensioners. Another series of measures listed by PASOK's leader targeted families and included the payment of a 2,000-euro benefit for the birth of every child, for which a further 1,000 euros would be placed in a time deposit investment account. For young people, he promised to ensure four years of employment with full social insurance coverage and to bring unemployment benefit to 70 percent of the basic wage within the government's term, while he also pledged to set up a agricultural cooperatives' school providing certificates and higher degrees in farming-related disciplines. The environment would also take priority in PASOK's programme, acquiring its own ministry and a commitment to produce at least 10 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2012, he noted. Closing his address with a diatribe against the present government, Papandreou said that it was an "obstacle" to the country acquiring a dynamic course. He accused the government of "creating polarisation and conflict everywhere" for the sole purpose of serving "petty party-political and big economic interests". Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of PASOK leader George Papandreou [02] Total lunar eclipse to begin on Sat. nightStargazers in the east Mediterranean country on Saturday evening will have a chance to witness the first total lunar eclipse since Oct. 27, 2004, as the celestial phenomenon will begin at 10:30 p.m. and be completed by 4:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.The moon will be inside the earth's shadow for one hour, from roughly 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. early Sunday morning, with the phenomenon reaching its peak over Greece at 01.20:56 (23.20:56 GMT) on Sunday morning, March 4. The eclipse will also visible in Europe, Africa, western Asia and partially visible from the rest of the planet. Observation of lunar eclipses is perfectly safe with the naked eye as opposed to solar eclipses. The next total lunar eclipse visible from Greece will take place on Feb. 21, 2008. Caption: The moon a day before the a lunar eclipse over Sofia, Bulgaria on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004. ANA-MPA / EPA/ V. DONEV [03] Sarbel to represent Greece at Eurovision 2007Young pop singer Sarbel will represent Greece at this year's 54th Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Helsinki in May, with his dance/pop song "Geia Sou Maria", composed by Alex Papaconstantinou and Marcus Englof.The 25-year-old Sarbel (pronounced Sharbel), a recent newcomer to the Greek musical scene, was chosen in the early hours Thursday as Greece's entry in the 2007 Eurovision through televoting and a jury panel in Wednesday night's Greek national final among the three contestants that made it to the final, winning out pop/rock composer and singer Christos Dantis and his "No Madonna", and Tamta, another recent newcomer originally from Georgia, performing her ballad "With Love". The ethnic rhythmical "Geia Sou Maria" clinched the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest with 39.69 percent, followed by 31.28 percent for No Madonna and 29.02 percent for With Love. Guest performers included DJ BoBo, who will represent Switzerland at this year's Eurovision, Cyprus' entry Evridiki and Dimitris Korgialas, as well as Mihail Traistariu, who placed fourth for Romania in last year's Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Tornero". ANA-MPA file photo of the performer. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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