Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Chouliarakis: A good deal today is preferable to a better deal tomorrow

[02] Bomb squad neutralizes explosive device left near police station in Dafni

[01] Chouliarakis: A good deal today is preferable to a better deal tomorrow

For Greece to be included the deal with the country's creditors should be completed at a technical level and the medium-term measures for debt relief should be specified, the minister told the paper. If the agreement concludes swiftly on a technical level, countries such as Germany and the Netherlands will have no excuses to delay the specialization of the medium-term measures, if they want the IMF to participate.

"So the completion of the deal is not only necessary to protect the economy from the dangers of uncertainty but is a valuable tool for an indirect pressure on our creditors, particularly at a time when the elections in these countries are working against us. Therefore, a good deal today is better than a better one tomorrow," he was quoted as saying.

Chouliarakis said the completion of the deal will shift pressure from the Greek government to the institutions to take the necessary steps for the IMF to participate in the program and the Greek bonds to be included in QE.

"We believe the country will be included in the quantitative easing program of the ECB right after the completion of the agreement," he said.

[02] Bomb squad neutralizes explosive device left near police station in Dafni

An unknown man called police in the early hours of the day and said an explosive device had been left at the park behind the police station and would explode in 40 minutes, noting it was not a prank call. According to sources, the caller said before hanging up that the device was planted "for Lambros". On March 10, 2010, biologist and anarchist Lambros Foundas died after a clash with policemen in the area.

After the call, a bomb squad found the device, sealed off the area and neutralized it. It was comprised of a hand grenade, a timer, a detonator, a nine-volt battery and an explosive substance. The case is being investigated by the antiterrorism unit.

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