Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Pavlopoulos to Merkel: Greece will fully comply on refugee crisis, adjustment program

[02] Greece is expanding partnerships and alliances in E. Mediterranean, Balkans, says FM

[03] Bank of Greece to pay 1.2 bln euros dividend to Greek state

[04] Deaths from flu rise to 5 in Greece, health center says

[01] President Pavlopoulos to Merkel: Greece will fully comply on refugee crisis, adjustment program

"Greece will fully meet its obligations and our partners must also fulfill their own obligations. Following the [program] review, which should be finished as soon as possible to avoid a problem with the seemingly positive growth prospects of the Greek economy, it is necessary to immediately start talks on the Greek debt - not for a haircut, as it is not possible by European law, but other methods, which will lead to relief and have been accepted by our partners," he said.

Regarding the refugee crisis, the President described it as an "existential matter" of Europe. "All the peoples of Europe have to fulfill their debt towards genuine refugees without phobias and of course will have to work to end the war in Syria, which is the root of this evil," he noted.

Concerning the guarding of EU's external borders, he recognized the need for collaboration with EU countries and Frontex, but ruled out joint Greek and Turkish patrols.

Focusing on Turkey, Pavlopoulos said the country needs to live up to its commitment to control the flow of refugees and especially economic migrants who leave from Turkey, "often with the cooperation of the Turkish authorities". He also noted the need to reactivate the readmission agreements.

Regarding the threat of terrorism, he said that Europe must be ruthless with terrorists who commit war crimes and must not show any tolerance, but urged people to distinguish between terrorists and refugees.

Closing his speech, Pavlopoulos hailed Merkel's role in the refugee crisis.

In an official luncheon hosted by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Joachim Gauck earlier in the day, Pavlopoulos stressed the importance of Greece's creditors proceeding with the necessary corrections, "especially as regards the sustainability of the public debt and the austerity policy."

"The Greek people will meet their commitments in order to remain in the European family," Pavlopoulos underlined and added: "Then it's our partners turn to proceed to the necessary corrections. Especially as regards the sustainability of Greece's public debt and the so far, extremely dubious, austerity policy."

"Greece cannot even imagine its future without its European perspective, but the EE cannot either exist without Greece being an integral part of it," Pavlopoulos stressed.

Referring to the "unprecedented" crisis that the Greek people are facing, he asked its European partners to take into account the unprecedented crisis that tests the Greek people and to try to establish some mutual understanding despite some initial mistakes, obsessions and misconceptions.

[02] Greece is expanding partnerships and alliances in E. Mediterranean, Balkans, says FM

"We expand our partnerships and alliances in the Eastern Mediterranean and form within the EU a special Balkan cooperation. I think these are two important steps," he told journalists.

He also revealed that there is a request from the Palestinian Authority to form a similar tripartite meeting and the Greek side has already agreed, and there is a request from Lebanon which has not been organized yet.

The ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Jordan discussed a wide range of issues of international and regional interest, with emphasis on the refugee crisis, the escalation in terrorism, the peace process and the situation in the wider Middle East, as well as developments in the energy sector.

They also looked at the prospects for trilateral cooperation in many sectors, including economic and trade cooperation; combating terrorism; security and exchange of information; culture, education and technology; and ways to support Jordan in its relations with the EU. Finally, they discussed the potential for holding a trilateral meeting of the three countries' leaders in the coming time.

Kotzias also met later with the Foreign Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Poposki. During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in the refugee and migration issue, recent developments within FYROM, and the name issue.

The minister said that nothing new came out this meeting and that the two sides simply agreed that "we need to continue our cooperation on confidence-building measures and the political dialogue we have opened."

Kotzias also referred to two bilateral meetings held with Malta and Slovenia, on the refugee crisis and the proposals they submitted to the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker which they will also address to Greece.

Regarding the debate on Syria and Iraq at the EU Council of Foreign Ministers, he said the Greek side stressed the need to end the war and to give money for the refugees in the countries neighboring with Syria so that they do not travel to Europe.

[03] Bank of Greece to pay 1.2 bln euros dividend to Greek state

The central bank's board will seek shareholders' approval to a plan to pay a dividend of 0.6720 euros per share. The Bank of Greece said that net revenue from interest, financial transactions and redistribution of monetary income of the Eurosystem totaled 1.76 billion euros last year, from 1.003 billion in 2014, net revenue from fees and commissions grew 22.2 pct to 89.8 million euros, revenue from shares and participations grew 2.6 million euros to 31.6 million euros, while other revenue totaled 12.3 million euros, up 1.7 pct from 2014.

The central bank said expenses fell to 326.2 million euros from 333.6 million in 2014, helped by lower spending on the monitoring of the financial system. Provision amounted to 408.5 million euros last year.

[04] Deaths from flu rise to 5 in Greece, health center says

"The country is entering a phase of increased flu activity," KEELPNO notes, adding that the epidemic is expected to peak next month, in line with the situation in other European countries.

The center also said that the vast majority of patients who are in ICU had not been vaccinated against the virus despite the fact that they belong to high risk groups.

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