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Friday, 22 November 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-26Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM Alexis Tsipras inaugurates off-the-agenda debate on pension reform in ParliamentGreek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday began an off-the-agenda debate in Parliament on the government's proposed pension reforms, noting that all the political parties were obliged to adopt a position on an issue of such gravity, i.e. the viability of the country's pension system."If future generations are to have social insurance, there is no room for stalling or prevarication," Tsipras said, pointing out that the system was not currently viable. "Unless we take measures, it will collapse," he added. The prime minister blamed 40 years of state pension fund mismanagement and "looting" under New Democracy and PASOK governments for the system's current problems, as well as an aging population and "political choices in the year of crisis that shrunk GDP by 25 pct and shot unemployment up from 7 pct to 25 pct." He was followed on the podium by main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Updates pending. [02] Greek, Israeli DMs urge Turkey to join 'axis of good' against terrorismGreek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos received his Israeli counterpart Moshe Ya'alon in Athens on Tuesday, for talks focusing on cooperation between Greece, Israel and Cyprus and the possibility of adding Bulgaria, Jordan and Egypt to a so-called "axis of good" aimed at countering terrorism and fundamentalism in the wider region.At the same time the two ministers called on official Turkey to change its stance and also join in this axis, noting that it was up to the Ankara government to take a decision "to stop supporting terrorists". Ya'alon warned that the west would face a major period of destabilisation in the wider region due to the instability in the Middle East, caused by the internal conflicts between Shiite and Sunni Muslims in the area. He noted that there were no specific enemies but "specific hostile situations" and warned of the risks of terror attacks in Europe by a "complex network of terrorists with legal weapons of mass destruction". Kammenos said the international community must work together, including an exchange of information, in order to combat terrorism. He noted that innocent refugees were being used as a means to promote terrorism and that a solution to the migration issue was to create conditions for growth in the countries refugees were fleeing, so that they could return. Cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, he added, could help control the financing of terrorism, especially its reliance on illegal trafficking in fuel, weapons, drugs and people. The Israeli defence minister commented on Turkey's role, saying the country was responsible for the deterioration in its relations with Israel. He urged Turkey to "stop financing terrorism, activity for which there is evidence" and to stop allowing the migration of jihadists to Europe. He also accused Turkey of protecting Hamas in Istanbul. [03] Prosecutors to freeze assets of 24 depositors on Borjans listGreece's financial prosecutors on Tuesday ordered the freezing of all assets and property belonging to 24 individuals in the so-called 'Borjans list' - a list of tax payers with large deposits at UBS given to Greek authorities by the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The prosecutors announced that the next package of orders freezing the assets of individuals on the 'Borjans list' and the so-called 'portfolio list' was on the way.The order immediately freezes all real estate property, bank accounts, securities and other assets owned by the suspects under investigation for tax evasion and, in some cases, legalising income from illegal activities. The aim is to pressure the suspects into a settlement of the unpaid taxes and fines so they can thus avoid further criminal prosecution. The team of financial prosecutors said they already had a clear picture regarding several individuals with unjustifiably large deposits abroad, compared with the income they declared at home and that the asset freeze orders were issued mainly for such cases. [04] Farmers decide to further escalate protest actionRepresentatives of farmers at 37 protest road blocks throughout the country on Tuesday decided that they will further escalate protests against proposed pension reforms and tax measures, after a meeting in central Greece.They announced plans to extend their blockades of national highways to six hours a day, at times to be decided by the individual protest blocks, though their intention is for road blocks to be coordinated and occur at the same times. They will also seek to join forces with other social groups, participating in other strike action, such as the Feb. 4 general strike. Regarding the prospects of dialogue with the prime minister, the farmers said the government must first take its proposals for pension reform and taxation off the table, starting dialogue on these issues from scratch, while the talks must also examine the matter of production costs. A decision to escalate action was also reached by a farmers' meeting in Sindos, Thessaloniki on Tuesday, where 66 groups of protesting farmers were represented. Participants repeated their refusal to meet the prime minister unless the draft legislation with the tax and pension reforms was first withdrawn. They also refused to meet the leaders of any of the political parties unless they first receive guarantees about the stance the parties' will adopt. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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