Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-09-27

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Businessman Ivan Savvidis tells ANA he's ready to pay TV license installment

[02] Greek state budget records primary surplus of 3.751 bln euros in Jan-Aug

[03] Vote on prior actions bill on Tuesday night effectively ends first review, gov't sources tell ANA

[04] Former head of Greek Church NGO to face trial on serious embezzlement, breach of trust charges

[05] Athens airport voted first in its category at 2016 World Routes

[01] Businessman Ivan Savvidis tells ANA he's ready to pay TV license installment

"I have no pending issues. As far as my financial ability is concerned, everything is transparent. I'm waiting for the order to immediately pay the first installment," Savvidis told the Athens-Macedonian New Agency when asked when he will pay for the license.

Asked whether he is negotiating to acquire Alpha TV channel, which didn't secure a broadcasting license in the recent tender, he said: "From what the owner's attitude shows, we will probably not negotiate with him … From what I understand, his friends will not allow him to maintain the [current] jobs. He is definitely anxious, but he must learn to lose apart from winning."

Savvidis also said that if the attempted deal falls through, he will try to open a new TV channel, but added he's certain he will eventually acquire the license.

[02] Greek state budget records primary surplus of 3.751 bln euros in Jan-Aug

Regular budget revenues surpassed targets by 458 million euros, the finance ministry said in a report on state budget execution on an amended cash basis, released on Tuesday.

The general government's deficit was 1.040 billion euros in the eight-month period, from a deficit of 1.104 billion last year and a budget target for a deficit of 3.880 billion.

State budget net revenue was 31.945 billion euros, down 1.8 pct from targets, while regular budget revenues amounted to 29.878 billion, up 1.6 pct from targets.

In the January-August period, revenues surpassed targets in corporate tax (14.1 pct), direct taxes (14.1 pct), VAT on tobacco (13.5 pct), other VAT (4.9 pct), insurance VAT (14.5 pct), car registration duties (55.5 pct), other special consumption taxes (9.2 pct), non-tax revenue (17.1 pct). On the other hand, budget revenues fell short of targets in: income tax revenue (0.4 pct), special category income tax (7.3 pct), property tax (34.6 pct), VAT on oil products (13.5 pct), other consumption taxes (40.0 pct), revenues from ANFAs and SMPs (37.5 pct) and privatization proceeds (59.5 pct).

The Finance ministry attributed a decline in revenue from property taxes on the postponement of payment of a first tranche of a special property tax (ENFIA) for September instead for August.

Public Investment Program revenue totaled 2.067 billion euros, down 1.048 billion from targets.

In August, state budget net revenue was 3.947 billion euros, up 52 million from monthly targets. Regular budget revenues was 3.926 billion euros, up 57 million from targets. Public Investment Program revenue was 20 million euros, down 5.0 million from monthly targets.

State budget spending in the January-August period was 32.985 billion euros, down 3.429 billion from targets. Regular budget spending was 30.813 billion euros, down 2.546 billion from targets, but up 507 million from the same period last year. Public Investment Program spending was 2.172 billion euros, down 883 million from monthly targets.

In August, state budget spending was 4.155 billion euros, down 133 million from targets, while regular budget spending was 3.688 billion euros, down 151 million from monthly targets. Public Investment Program spending amounted to 468 million euros, up 18 million from targets.

[03] Vote on prior actions bill on Tuesday night effectively ends first review, gov't sources tell ANA

Noting that these were prior actions that have been outstanding since last May, the sources noted that negotiations for the second review were also underway and should be completed in good time. They also accused various quarters of hoping to 'capitalise' on a stalling of the review process while various issues were still 'open', such as the ongoing process for awarding television licences.

"We had said that everything will be done on schedule and we delivered on this. We are now going for the second review and for the debt," the government sources said. They noted that a completion of the second review will also set in motion new developments, such as a solution to making Greece's debt sustainable and its inclusion in the ECB quantitative easing programme.

[04] Former head of Greek Church NGO to face trial on serious embezzlement, breach of trust charges

The four will be tried before a Three-member Criminal Appeals Court. They include the NGO's manager Dimitris Fourlemadis, an associate of the late Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, as well as former Court of Audit commissioner Georgia Lymberi and two former church finances inspectors, Ioannis Petsos and Theologos Makris.

The case concerns the amount of 5.6 million euros given by the foreign ministry to supply food aid to Iraq. The sum was an advance on a total sum of 7.0 million euros that the charity was to use in order to send 2.65 tonnes of frozen poultry to Iraq over a period of six months, from September 2006 until March 2007.

According to the charges, the charity only bought 371,093 kilos of frozen poultry in total, which was stored at a warehouse in Rendi until declared unfit for consumption by the veterinary service. The foreign ministry then terminated the contract and demanded the return of the 5.6 million euros but the NGO returned only 500,000 euros. The remainder, according to the charges, was illegally appropriated by Fourlemadis, who had complete financial control over the charity. There are also charges connected to smaller amounts given for projects that were not fully completed, such as the construction of a museum in the Alexandria Patriarchate, a school in Indonesia and a shelter for battered women in Romania.

Lymberi is accused of using her position in the Court of Audit to assist Fourlemadis in embezzling the funds, while the other two defendants falsely claimed that the sums were still in the NGO's accounts when they had disappeared.

The charges are also compounded by the heavier penalties imposed by law for embezzlement of public funds.

[05] Athens airport voted first in its category at 2016 World Routes

This is the 16th route award received by "Eleftherios Venizelos" airport in the last 12 years.

At the highly significant Routes Conferences, airlines evaluate the airports' marketing plans and programs, rewarding the ones that address most efficiently the airlines' efforts to develop new routes, enhancing, at the same time, their presence in the local markets.

This year's event was held in Chengdu / China (September 24-27) with the participation of 3,500 aviation professionals (300 airlines – 700 airports).

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article