Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 10-11-29

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Major reforms will proceed; status quo unbearable

[02] IMF official: Greece can extend loan repayment period; radical reforms necessary

[03] German Dep. FM on Athens-Berlin relations, eurozone support

[04] Ministry concerns over possible prison mobilisations

[05] Bakoyannis equally critical of ND, PASOK

[06] 3 ferries bring produce from Crete despite strike

[07] New extension of seamens' strike

[08] Actor Giorgos Foundas dies

[09] 68th anniversary of Gorgopotamos bridge demolition commemorated

[10] Freighter towed to safety

[11] Stun grenade blast seriously injures officer

[12] Truck driver arrested after migrant-laden lorry intercepted

[13] PAO on top; AEK triumphant

[14] Results after 12 weeks of play

[15] Cloudy, rain

[16] The Sunday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

[01] PM: Major reforms will proceed; status quo unbearable

"We are absolutely determined to proceed, and we can do this because society backs this effort," Papandreou said in answer to a question on whether his government is willing to clash with "vested interests" and the unions, especially over reforms in loss-making public sector utilities and enterprises.

Moreover, he noted that the current year, in despite of the dire economic conditions at hand, witnessed an "unprecedented" social peace.

"I am not afraid, especially when right is on our side, to speak the language of truth to the citizens; to explain to them what the problem is; when we make them partners in the solutions ... we have serious problems as a country, long-standing ones; problems that were heightened during a ND (government), to such a degree that our very existence was threatened," he said, adding:

"Greek citizens know this very well, they know that we want to solve these problems."

Asked about privatisations in 2011, Papandreou didn't go into specifics, merely noting that in some cases a continued state presence will be sought, while in others the state will eliminate its presence when necessary.

Queried over changes in the election law, Papandreou said the exact date for its tabling in Parliament has not as yet been determined, although the issue remains a primary commitment and priority for the government.

Furthermore, the Greek premier said the 110-billion-euro support mechanism agreed to with the EU-ECB-IMF 'troika', codified with the oft-cited Memorandum, was the "result of a multi-level crisis that plagued the country, and not the beginning (of the crisis). If we had the time we would have chosen to deal with the country's problems at their root. But there was no time, not only because the problems were huge, but because we faced a solid wall of suspicion due to the accumulated unreliability of the country."

In echoing the finance minister, Papandreou said no further cuts in civil servants' wages or pensions will be taken in 2001, nor will new taxes be levied, beyond those already announced.

The interview was published in the Sunday edition of the paper "Kathimerini".

[02] IMF official: Greece can extend loan repayment period; radical reforms necessary

Thomsen, amongst others, said the situation in Greece's wider public sector cannot continue as is.

"The time for radical structural reforms ... the public sector must be curtailed; there have to be radical reforms in the healthcare sector and in improvement of the tax collecting mechanism's operation," he was quoted as saying in an interview published by the weekly "Real News".

Moreover, Thomsen said the IMF has the ability to extend the repayment period for loans issued within the memorandum's framework, from six to 11 years, in case the government fails to proceed with "deep and radical" reforms in 2011.

Asked about swirling press speculation over a Greek "debt restructuring", Thomsen clarified that this "is not a solution ... Greece's major problem is not the level of the debt, but a lack of competitiveness."

He also expressed a conviction the benefits resulting from whatever debt restructuring will, in the long term, be much less than the costs and negative developments.

Asked if the fourth tranche of a loan to Greece is threatened with delay, Thomsen replied that this depends on how the government deals with the structural problems he just listed.

Moreover, when asked if he would invest in Greece if he headed up a multinational, Thomsen answered in the affirmative, stressing "I have confidence in the country ... the right time to invest is when others don't want to invest; I would do it (invest) now".

Finally, Thomsen estimated that the first signs of an economic recovery in Greece will come at the end of 2011.

[03] German Dep. FM on Athens-Berlin relations, eurozone support

German Deputy Foreign Minister Werner Hauer (FDP) estimated that in Germany "the courage and determination necessary for an elected government to pass on to its citizens extremely heavy burdens is being underestimated".

By contrast, he said Greece has launched a "huge reforms process that entails heightened burdens for each citizen."

"It's a decision could be implemented in only a few countries around the world," he noted, adding that "respect and understanding for Prime Minister George Papandreou's government should be more obvious to other countries." Hauer's comments came on Friday during a Germany-Greece conference on the urgent problem of illegal immigration.

Asked about differing positions by Athens and Berlin regarding a permanent support mechanism for the eurozone, the German official said that "even if some small differences prevail, we all have a major and common goal, which is to preserve the EU and to further develop it ... it is our common ground to confront the globalisation".

[04] Ministry concerns over possible prison mobilisations

According to reports, prison overpopulation and a list of other demands will be set forth by inmates and supporters.

[05] Bakoyannis equally critical of ND, PASOK

"It is ND that has defected from its progressive identity," Bakoyannis said.

Moreover, in describing her differences with ND and its leader Antonis Samaras, she said ND is turning into a "protest party", merely investing in demagoguery and isolationism vis-?-vis the European developments, "while acquiring even more intense anti-European, anti-liberal and populist characteristics in its statements".

Turning to the ruling party, Bakoyannis charged that PASOK "cannot escape from its old identity or break its bonds with statism, in order to proceed with necessary breaks (from the past)".

Bakoyannis' interview was published in the Athens weekly "Real News".

[06] 3 ferries bring produce from Crete despite strike

[07] New extension of seamens' strike

The union, which has been on strike since Tuesday, decided to hold another 48-hour strike starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The extended strike is expected to cause problems for Greek islands that are currently cut-off from the mainland, while there are already protests from farmers on Crete who are unable to transport their goods.

The PNO demands a new collective labour agreement for its members working aboard ferries and freighters in the Mediterranean and Greek waters.

[08] Actor Giorgos Foundas dies

Foundas was born in 1924 in the village of Mavrolithari, in the Parnassida district of central Fokida prefecture, while he studied drama in Athens.

His first cinematic role was in the 1944 film "Hirokrotimata".

Foundas was widely acknowledged for his roles in the international hit "Alexis Zorbas" (1964), the milestone Greek-language movie "Stella" (1955) and Jules Dassin's "Never on Sunday" (1960), the latter two co-starring with Melina Mercouri.

His funeral will be held on Tuesday in the First Athens Cemetery.

[09] 68th anniversary of Gorgopotamos bridge demolition commemorated

Citizens Protection minister secretary general Theodoros Boufis represented the government, while political parties and local authority officials as well as representatives of the Greek wartime resistance groups attended the event.

[10] Freighter towed to safety

The vessel, identified as the "Geri II", first experienced engine trouble near the island of Kythera. It was carrying a cargo of wood from Montenegro to Egypt.

[11] Stun grenade blast seriously injures officer

The riot police unit officer was in patrolling in downtown Athens at the time of the incident.

According the police his condition described as serious.

[12] Truck driver arrested after migrant-laden lorry intercepted

The truck was searched shortly before boarding an Italy-bound ferry boat.

Sports

[13] PAO on top; AEK triumphant

[14] Results after 12 weeks of play

ERGOTELIS Crete - LARISSA 2-1

AEK Athens - OLYMPIAKOS Piraeus 1-0

OLYMPIAKOS Volos - KAVALA 1-1

ASTERAS TRIPOLIS - XANTHI 1-2

PANIONIOS Athens - IRAKLIS Thessaloniki 1-0

PAOK Thessaloniki - Atromitos Athens 0-1

KERKYRA - PANATHINAIKOS Athens 0-2

STANDINGS

Panathinaikos 27

Olympiakos 27

AEK 19

Kavala 19

PAOK 17

Aris 16

Olympiakos Volou 16

Iraklis 15

Atromitos 14

Asteras Tripolis 14

Xanthi 14

Panserraikos 14

Kerkyra 13

Panionios 13

Ergotelis 13

Larissa 11

Weather Monday

[15] Cloudy, rain

[16] The Sunday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

AVGHI: "They're destroying wages, collective bargaining -- Up to 30 percent".

AVRIANI: "All of the thieving politicians and US agents in Greece and around the world uncovered (via pending Wikileaks release)" the paper claims.

CHORA: "(Political) stowaways should leave New Democracy party".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Merger plan for 120 hospitals".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Radical plan for public sector".

EPOCHI (weekly): "Europe sinking because it's not changing".

ETHNOS: "Up to 30 percent 'haircut' of public sector via express procedures".

KATHIMERINI: "Papandreou: Changes a one-way street; society approves".

LOGOS: "Games on the people's back".

PARON (weekly): "They're giving up everything in Aegean, Cyprus -- George (Papandreou), Dora (Bakoyannis) and the rest of the 'alliance of the willing'."

PROTO THEMA (weekly): "He's (FinMin) counting down days until deadline (for measures implementation); commitments to 'troika' drowning minister".

REALNEWS (weekly): "Secret supper for 11 (PASOK) MPs".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Uprising now so plutocracy's pays", writes the communist party's paper.

TO VIMA (weekly): "Incentives for car, real estate purchases (by banks)".

VETO (weekly): "Bankruptcy -- all of the advantageous solutions for your money".

VRADYNI: "New wage scale in public sector".

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