Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou lashes out at government

[02] FinMin on EU economy

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Papandreou lashes out at government

Papandreou called the Constitutional revision process "dead", and prposed the commencement, with the agreement of all the political parties, of a new revisionary procedure focusing mainly on a national plan to combat corruption and aiming at the autonomy of the country's political life.

Responding to Papandreou's statements, Pavlopoulos rejected his proposal as "barren and unconvincing", and accused PASOK of being at a loss and sacrificing "this top parliamentary procedure" on the altar of its internal problems because "it lacks positions and also because it fears the voting".

Ruling New Democracy (ND) party Panos Panagiotopoulos also accused PASOK of "opting for the easy, barren and dangerous path in order to cover its internal problems, which have relapsed recently".

Replying to Papandreou's proposal for a new revisionary process, parliament president Dimitris Sioufas said that, although he would not comment on the content of the proposal, he nevertheless bore the responsibility, as president of Parliament, to point out that the present parliament was a Revisionary Parliament based on the vote of the Greek people (in the last general elections, which re-elected the ND government, with Constitutional revision being one of the main objectives in its platform).

He explained that the Constitution contained provisions in the event of inability of the revisionary, according to which a new revisionary process may be commenced after completion, with the revant voting, of the current revisionary procedure.

Papandreou replied that his proposal aimed at Greece's exit from the political impasse, which he said downgraded the institutions and Parliament.

On the Zachopoulos affair, Papandreou launched a personal attack against prime minister Costas Karamanlis, calling him "weak, dependent, and a hostage", and earned that the government was slipping onto a danger road of corruption and decadence.

Pavlopoulos replied that the prime minister was not a hostage, but was powerful and supported by the people. "He is the prime minister who introduced a new ethos in the political life of the country, and is neither coerced, nor coerces".

The PASOK leader also accused the prime minister and the government of being incapable of tackling the dangerous crisis in moral values and disdain of the institutions, at a time when the Greek citizens felt insecure and unprotected from the 'opportunists of authority'.

Papandreou further attacked the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) over their criticism that the two mainstream parties (ND and PASOK) were "one and the same thing", noting that "historically, populism never benefited the Left but, rather, the ultra Right".

The climate became even more heated when Papandreou questioned the timing of Karamanlis' official visit to Turkey, which begins on Wednesday, saying he had big reservations, although expressing the hope that it would go well, drawing accusations from Pavlopoulos that the PASOK leader, with regard to such a crucial visit, had half-heartedly wished the prime minister a good trip, only to retract it with insults.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou

[02] FinMin on EU economy

Alogoskoufis said that although there were hazards for the US economy, the European economy was doing very well due to the reforms being made, and also due to the Stability Pact and the Lisbon Strategy.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis(R) and Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis(L)

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Prime minister Costas Karamanlis' official visit to Turkey, which begins on Wednesday, the first such visit by a Greek PM in 48 years, the expected filing of charges by the examining magistrate on possibly four more persons in the case of coercion against former culture ministry secretary general Christos Zachopoulos, and the US central bank's (Federal Reserve, or Fed) slashing of its base short-term interest rate by an unprecedented three quarters of a percentage (0.75) on Tuesday to 3.50 percent in a bid to reverse the negative climate and slump on international money markets, dominated headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The serious wound is child molestation- Cry of agony in parliament after a survey by Attica security police".

APOGEVMATINI: "7,240 hirings in public sector - Tenured and seasonal personnel".

AVGHI: "Greenhouse 'Souflias' - Show of strength with victim the enviroment".

AVRIANI: " 'Pimps feigning to be virgins'- Mass media 'pimps' attempt to load press' stench on Themos Anastasiadis (PROTO THEMA newspaper co-publisher) - Unbelievable imbecility and Makis Triantafyllopoulos'( PROTO THEMA co-publisher) arrogance".

CHORA: "New axis over citizens safety -Crime targeted - Inner Cabinet approves Action Plan".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "In May 1959 the Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis (uncle of today's PM) payed an official visit to Turkey - Now, Karamanlis junior, like his uncle, follows the same path with the same thoughts".

ELEFTHEROS: "Mutual backstabbing between main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou and high ranking member, former candidate for PASOK leadership Evangelos Venizelos - Conflict out of control".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Time for blackmail charges to be pressed over Zachopoulos DVD - Prosecutor and examining magistrate target four persons on felony charges - The journalist-courier of the DVD will be also charged".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Charges and questions - The examining magistrate proceeds but the landcape is still obscure".

ESTIA : "Insecurity over economy- Poor shielding against international crisis".

ETHNOS: Flurry of charges - Examining magistrate 'ties up' four more persons".

KATHIMERINI: "FED makes spectacular move - Interest slashed by 0.75 percent - Market's reaction unstable".

LOGOS: "First charges in Zachopoulos affair on the threshold - Information claims that the examining magistrate has reached a decision on the courier".

NIKI: "Battle of the dauphins breaks out in ruling party New Democracy (ND)".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Dynamic message from thousands of workers (at rally) on Tuesday".

TA NEA: "Felony charges for four persons - Final countdown to charges".

TO VIMA: "Slash of interest rates is the life raft for markets - Unprecedented 0.75 percent slash decided by United States- Reversal struggle in stockmarkets"

VRADYNI: "Visit with expectations and thorns - Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in Ankara on official visit"

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