Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-08-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis cites falling unemployment since 2004 as major gov't achievement

[02] Alavanos on upcoming elections

[03] Funds accept JP Morgan bond offer

[01] Karamanlis cites falling unemployment since 2004 as major gov't achievement

Karamanlis, who declared early elections for Sept. 16 last week to essentially renew his mandate for reforms, reminded on Wednesday that unemployment stood at 11.3 percent when he took over in early March 2004.

"We made good on our pledges; we achieved what was unattainable by other past governments. However, this is not enough; we do not say that we have solved the problem, we are still not satisfied," Karamanlis said at the OAED office in the Ilion (Nea Liossia) district.

The prime minister and ruling New Democracy president again called joblessness the biggest social problem facing the country, an issue that requires "constant vigilance, persistent efforts, comprehensive planning and radical policies to deal with the problem at its root."

In touching on the coming elections, Karamanlis said the government is presenting citizens with the truth and its work over the past three and a half years, calling on Greek citizens to evaluate what the government has done.

"Those who are responsible for the explosion in unemployment today dare to act the part of critic, closing their eyes and ears, trying to fish for votes while playing with the justified concern of young people," he stressed.

New armed forces chief appointed

Earlier in the day, Karamanlis met with Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias, shortly after chairing a meeting of the government's high-ranking defence and foreign affairs council (KYSEA), whose members unanimously approved the appointment of a new national defence chief of staff.

The out-going armed forces chief of staff, Adm. Panayiotis Hinofotis, resigned on Tuesday and was replaced on Wednesday by the current head of the army's general staff, Gen. Dimitris Grapsas.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of PM Costas Karamanlis.

[02] Alavanos on upcoming elections

The goals set are making the upcoming elections the elections of the new generation and highlighting the major issues facing the Greek people, such as pensions, remuneration, ecological issues, education, health, etc.

At this point, Alavanos criticised the two major parties, saying that an effort is being made for the elections to focus only on the field of corruption and no discussion to be held on the other major problems.

Alavanos said that he condemns the tactics of the ruling New Democracy party in a series of incidents, as he cited the mobile phone tapping incident, the bonds affair and claims by a group of Pakistanis that they were illegally detained. He also accused both major parties of cover ups, as he said.

[03] Funds accept JP Morgan bond offer

According to the president of the civil servants' supplementary fund (TEADY), Andreas Kintis, JP Morgan agreed to pay the interest on the bond up until the day it is repurchased, while he said Aug. 31 is probably the day when the transaction will occur.

The four funds include TEADY, the newspaper vendors' fund, the pharmacy employees' fund and the supplementary fund for social security funds' employees (TEAPOKA).

Political reverberations continue

Meanwhile, pre-election charges and counter-charges, particularly between the government and main opposition PASOK, reached a fever pitch earlier on Wednesday in the wake of a finalised independent prosecutor's probe into the structured bonds affair that dominated the political limelight throughout the spring and early summer.

A report detailing the investigation's findings, overseen by independent prosecutor and head of the money laundering watchdog authority, George Zorbas, was officially filed last week, although the report remains confidential.

On Wednesday Justice Minister Anastasis Papaligouras, himself at the centre of much of PASOK's criticism, reiterated that the justice ministry and the government "do not interfere with the independent justice system."

"PASOK, on the other hand, is attempting the crudest of interventions, abusing and threatening judicial officers because they are not complying with their (PASOK) partisan indications. In this way, it is turning directly against the independence of justice, treating it with contempt and undermining the institution. The only necessary replacement is the replacement of PASOK's partisan animosity with basic, to say the least, political seriousness," the minister said, in response to repeated opposition calls that he step down.

On his part, ND party spokesman Constantine Arvanitopoulos said that there should be no "shadows" on the issue and ample light must be shed. The spokesman recalled that it was the ND government that had revealed the issue and had referred it to justice, while also sacking the persons involved.

He further stressed that the Zorbas report is part of the evidence that the judiciary will be taking into consideration in its investigation on the bonds issue.

Asked whether there had been money illegally funneled to ND's campaign coffers - a charge repeated on Wednesday by a portion of the press -- Arvanitopoulos was categorical in refuting the media claims.

PASOK reaction

Referring to the same issue, main opposition PASOK spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis said PASOK "sees" expediency in the proclamation of elections on Sept. 16. He added that bonds issue determined "the date of the elections ? in order to avert revelations about the outgoing government."

Ragoussis added that developments have vindicated the longstanding positions of PASOK leader George Papandreou on the issue, and pointed out that PASOK's president, "being tomorrow's prime minister, is the only one who can guarantee a law-abiding state in which institutions will function without being influenced and will provide equality before the law and of rights."

Asked to comment on statements by Papaligouras, Ragoussis reiterated his call for the minister to resign.

Also commenting on the "Zorbas report", the PASOK spokesman said "it reveals an obscure backstage, a picture of institutional decline on the bonds scandal that has appeared over our country."

Caption: File photo of TEADY president Andreas Kintis.

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