Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-07-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Tsipras: Greece has its roots in the west but spreads its branches to the east, the north and the south

[02] Europe will face difficult problems in the next 20 years, says Austrian President Fischer

[03] FinMin Tsakalotos on fair growth

[01] PM Tsipras: Greece has its roots in the west but spreads its branches to the east, the north and the south

Earlier, Tsipras had a meeting with the president of Wanda Group Wang Jianlin that is activating in the sectors of real estate, financing and culture. Wanda Group is the largest cultural organisation of China with four areas of activities, the movie production, organisation of sports events, tourist enterprises and children entertainment.

During the meeting the president of Wanda Group, whose father was Mao Zedong fellow traveller in the historic Long March, expressed the Chinese group's interest in the mass promotion of the Chinese tourism in Greece and the creation of infrastructures of tourist development. They also discussed the possibility of creation of movie production studios in Greece. They also agreed a Wanda Group delegation to visit Greece in two months and after the necessary preparations are completed.

On Saturday afternoon, the Greek prime minister gave an interview to CCTV that is the dominating state-run broadcasting organisation of China.

In his interview, Tsipras referred to the mutually beneficial agreement with Cosco that paves the way for the upgrading of the strategic cooperation between Greece and China.

On the economic crisis, Tsipras noted that it was a difficult crisis adding that "the difficult is behind us" noting that the Greeks have shown endurance and patience. "For the first time the way opens for the debt relief" said the prime minister "the conditions for investing confidence now exist" as well as "the possibilities to return to growth".

Regarding the refugees issue, Tsipras said that Greece is a stable power of peace and cooperation in an unstable region "We are proud that we have shown Europe's humanitarian face at a time when other turned their backs to the problem" he said and underlined that "the refugee crisis is not responsible for the safety crisis. A safety policy with return to the value of dignity is needed".

He stressed that Greece is an exceptional destination for the Chinese citizens because it is at a strategic position and this coincides with the Chinese strategy "one zone, one way".

The government aims the import of knowhow and innovations and the Greek exports along with the cooperation in the shipping sector. Greece seeks the repair of Chinese ships in Greek shipyards and the cooperation between Greek and Chinese shipping companies.

Moreover, provided that Greece is the first stop to Europe, a series of investments as a logistic center in the port of Piraeus can be developed along with infrastructures for assembly and other opportunities the upgrading of Piraeus port.

Referring to the attraction of investments, Tsipras noted that Greece is friendly to investors that seek the mutually beneficial cooperation. Greece decided to become member of the Asian Investment Bank to support the financing of Greek investments in the countries of Asia and Asian investments in Greece. He also referred to the prospect of Greece's cooperation with Brics bank and noted that "Greece is a tree that has its roots in the west but spreads its branches to the north, the south and the east.

[02] Europe will face difficult problems in the next 20 years, says Austrian President Fischer

I was very interested in Greece since I was a pupil. I studied Ancient Greek in school and Iliad and Odyssey was our guidelines in the class.

The Austrian president whose office ends on July 8 said he is pleased over the good impression created in Greece on Austria's stance regarding the economic crisis in Greece and noted that "Greece is considered a devoted member of EU and eurozone and for this reason Austria supported EU's policy and has accepted to bear part of the burden. I believe that Greece has overcome the difficult part, the climate in Europe for Greece is more friendly now and I wish this procedure to continue and that there will be patience and wisdom that will offer Greece the opportunity to stand on its own feet" he said.

Referring to the refugee crisis, the Austrian president said that his country was a corridor and a hosting country for over 880,000 refugees and has offered asylum to almost 90,000 people. However, in January the government changed its stance and agreed with other countries to close the so-called Balkan route which created major problems and the trapping of thousands of refugees in Greece.

"The problem is huge and very difficult and there is no easy solution. Those who say it is easy do not stand on solid ground. The number of asylum applications in Austria has reached 88,000 in 2015 and this demanded huge efforts which attracted the public opinion and paved the way to populist and nationalistic forces" said Fischer adding that "Austria together with Germany tried to make possible the crossing of refugees and to accept asylum applications adding that the German government made an agreement with Turkey as a solution to the problem.

On the future of the European Union, Fischer said to ANA that he is quite certain that Europe will face more problems in the next 20 years that those it had to deal with in the previous years. "The Europe of the future will have a plethora of difficult missions, there will be different growth rates and things will be totally different than those we used to have in the past. National tensions and the pressure from areas outside Europe will probably increase. There are places in Europe, as the British referendum proved, that an anti-European climate is being cultivated but on the other hand I estimate that there is no alternative for the European social model, no other way. Despite the turbulences, I believe that EU will endure and meet the challenges and we will be able to maintain the course of a democratic a pluralistic society that will focus on cooperation.

Concluding, Fischer referred to the course of his country after WWII saying that the Second Austrian Republic after 1945 was a story of success. Austria evolved into one of the most stable and financially successful countries of Europe.

[03] FinMin Tsakalotos on fair growth

Firstly, is the fair re-distribution of the value that derives from production as collective contracts and other forms of cooperative entrepreneurship. Secondly, the environmental justice where the burdens and the benefits of growth will be fairly and equally distributed according to the geography and topology, said Tsakalotos.

Finally, the third factor is justice on decision-making through agreement and common decisions between the central government and the local authorities, the official agencies of the productive groups and mostly those not represented in the official procedures.

Tsakalotos underlined the need the government to have a "specific and prioritised programme.

On the result of the British referendum he stressed that "it is another moment of the plebeians' disobedience against the country and Brussels' elite. However, he noted that the Left did not succeeded to turn this protest into a political protest and "the extreme right took advantage to turn it into an anti-migration and racist argument".

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