Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 13-12-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] FinMin on new real estate taxation bill: 'It's time for the Ekali landlords to pay'

[02] PM Samaras chairs meeting on negotiations with troika

[03] SYRIZA on gov't negotiations with troika

[04] Moody's upgrades Greece to Caa3 from C

[05] Venizelos to meet with S&D president Swoboda

[06] Foreign Minister, Deputy to speak at Hellenic- American Chamber event

[07] Russian Defence Minister expected in Athens Dec. 2-3

[08] Turkish EU affairs minister gives interview to Sunday paper

[09] KKE leader: Neither 'success story' nor 'West side story'

[10] Louka Katseli reelected president of Social Agreement party

[11] Opinion poll shows ND's marginal lead over SYRIZA

[12] SYRIZA leads New Democracy by 2 percentage points in poll

[13] EOPYY not in danger of shutting down, management says

[14] Health Minister issues message on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1)

[15] Albanian Interior Minister thanks Greek authorities for cooperation in fugitives' arrest

[16] Bulgarian officials visit Evros borders with Greek chief of staff

[17] Prosecutors to meet Dec. 11, trials interrupted for the day

[18] Incidents at regional meeting for Vouliagmeni real estate prompts parties' reactions

[19] Antifascism march in downtown Athens

[20] New geothermal energy centre named after pioneering Dutch developer

[21] Storms in Peloponnese flood city of Argos and block parts of the highway

[22] Cruiseship at Evia shipyards on fire, no injuries

[23] Professors get sentence lowered for death of student during class

[24] Gas canisters blow up at ATM in Thessaloniki; minor damages

[25] Three undocumented migrants missing in Evros river

[26] Kyllini-Zakynthos ferry link closed due to strong winds

[27] Super League results

[28] Rainy weather on Monday

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

[01] FinMin on new real estate taxation bill: 'It's time for the Ekali landlords to pay'

Stournaras said that the tax burden for the consistent taxpayer has reached its limits and for this reason he resorts to higher taxation to real estate properties with objective value over 300,000 euros as well as to the participation, even with small amounts, of farmland owners.

He also announced that the new bill will include regulations against tax evasion with first step the partial audit of the accounting records and the economic condition of the taxpayers in order taxes to be collected and fines to be imposed without delay.

[02] PM Samaras chairs meeting on negotiations with troika

All pending issues were reviewed, as the government aims at reaching an agreement for the next loan tranche by the end of December - before Greece assumes the revolving EU presidency on January 1.

The most difficult issue relates to seizure of property, especially families' first homes, over unpaid debts and subsequent auctioning off. "We are pressing to cover as many (home owners) as possible, without allowing opportunists to take advantage of regulations in order to avoid paying," Development and Competitiveness Minister Costis Hatzidakis said at the end of the meeting.

Participants in the meeting included among others Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras and Deputy Development Ministers Notis Mitarakis and Athanassios Skordas.

The troika was scheduled to return to Greece on Monday, but Stournaras, in earlier statements, said the representatives of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund would return after December 9 and the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels.

[03] SYRIZA on gov't negotiations with troika

"In reality we experience the total strategic impasse of the government's policy that has led to the deep recession and to the incontrollable poverty and misery.

"If we leave them (the government), the so-called negotiations will lead our country even lower, me must stop them", concluded SYRIZA.

[04] Moody's upgrades Greece to Caa3 from C

In an announcement, it said that the short-term ratings remained Not Prime (NP).

Among the reasons for the upgrade, Moody's Investors Service cited "the significant fiscal consolidation that has taken place under Greece's structural adjustment programme despite low growth and political uncertainty," and assessed that "the government will achieve (and possibly outperform) its target of a primary balance in 2013, and record a surplus in 2014 in accordance with the adjustment programme."

Other reasons also included improvement in Greece's medium-term economic outlook supported by a cyclical recovery in the economy; progress made in implementing structural reforms and rebalancing the economy; and the significant reduction of the government's interest burden following previous restructurings and official sector repayment assistance.

"The key drivers taken together reduce the likelihood of further Private Sector Involvement (PSI) being undertaken as a condition for further financing," it said, adding, "Concurrently, Moody's has today raised the local and foreign-currency ceiling of Greece to B3 from Caa2.

Greece had been assessed with a C rating in May 2012.

[05] Venizelos to meet with S&D president Swoboda

Venizelos will brief S&D president Hannes Swoboda and the group's vice presidents on the Greece's EU presidency priorities as well as on the course of the institutional developments in EU during Greece's presidency in first six months of 2014.

[06] Foreign Minister, Deputy to speak at Hellenic- American Chamber event (RECAST)

Venizelos will deliver a statement at the congress, which is on "The Hour of the Greek Economy: Greece's new economic and productive model: Reforms, Investments, Growth," at 13:45.

Kourkoulas will be the main speaker in the session on "The Greek Presidency in EU: Priorities and Challenges," at 16:30.

[07] Russian Defence Minister expected in Athens Dec. 2-3

Russian Federation Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will sign an agreement on defence and technical cooperation during his two-day visit to Athens beginning Monday, December 2, Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said in Moscow on Friday.

At a press conference, Antonov said that the agreement between Greece and Russia will bring to completion the legal basis of their collaboration in this sector.

He said that Shoigu would present long-range plans and that he had scheduled meetings with his counterpart Dimitris Avramopoulos and military and political leaders.

The visit, he added, "will be, as always, dynamic, brief, condensed and full of specific meetings and talks." There is no doubt, he added, that after this meeting the collaboration between the two countries will increase and fly forward," he added.

[08] Turkish EU affairs minister gives interview to Sunday paper

"The Cypriots are like a married couple. If they don't get along, they should get a divorce," Bagish was quoted as saying.

In his interview, the Turkish minister also claimed that if the plan by then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had been accepted (calling for a two-state federation), the island would not now be in dire economic straits.

According to Bagish, "natural gas is an opportunity for the island's economic prosperity. But no international investor would like to invest his billions to drill the Mediterranean seabed if there is no stability on the island.

[09] KKE leader: Neither 'success story' nor 'West side story'

Koutsoumbas said socialism was more urgently needed now than ever before, and charged the parties with trying "to influence the people through rubbing shoulders with the system's think tanks and through their lectures at plutocracy's gala events," in reference to lectures given overseas by SYRIZA's leader.

"The (fiscal) measures they have instituted and those they will introduce will be permanent and be extended," the party leader said, "that's what the return to capitalist growth demands - the exit from the crisis to the benefit of capital, to which both the New Democracy-PASOK government and SYRIZA and other Euro/one-way parties swear by."

Speaking about SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, Koutsoumbas said, "He may be an opponent of the government's so-called success story, but he is a follower of the so-called West side story."

[10] Louka Katseli reelected president of Social Agreement party

"We commit to fighting for the creation of a social front to democratically overturn the governing policy, and to deconstruct the propaganda that the policy being followed is the only way out," Katseli said.

In a resolution approved by the congress, the party said it was devoted to contributing "to the ideological, political and organisational restructuring of the socialist left."

[11] Opinion poll shows ND's marginal lead over SYRIZA

According to the poll results, ND was leading with 23 percent, followed by SYRIZA with 22.4 percent, ultra-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) with 7.9 percent, PASOK with 6.1 percent the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 5 percent, Independent Greeks with 4.5 percent and Democratic Left (DIMAR) with 3.4 percent, while the unidentified vote was 16.8 percent.

In response to who would be most suitable for prime minister, current Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (and ND leader) was preferred by 45.5 percent of the respondents, followed by SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras with 32.3 percent and 20.2 of the respondents said none of the above.

[12] SYRIZA leads New Democracy by 2 percentage points in poll

In intention of vote, SYRIZA got 29.7 percent compared with 23.2 percent in an October 2013 poll by the same company, while New Democracy got 27.8 percent over 21.8 percent, respectively.

Extreme-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) party remained third in popularity, with 8.8 percent (over 6.9 pct in October), Independent Greeks/ANEL 8.8 pct (6.9 pct), Communist Party of Greece 6.6 pct (5.1 pct), PASOK 6.4 pct (5 pct), and Democratic Left/DIMAR 5.8 pct (4.5 pct).

Invalid or blank voting preference was chosen by 6.5 pct of those polled, while the "Don't Know" responses came to 15.3 pct.

[13] EOPYY not in danger of shutting down, management says

Greece's largest health insurance organisation, with 10 milllion insured people, is under control and payments for services are being processed more regularly, they said in an announcement, adding that doctors, medication and tests were all guaranteed.

"EOPYY will continue to provide quality services to the insured and serve them the best way possible. Today's problems will be resolved with the help and responsible attitude of all involved parties," the announcemenet said.

EOPYY staff and doctors are on strike to protest transfers and layoffs as part of a mobility scheme to reduce the size of the public sector. Meetings of doctors with the Health minister have not succeeded in resolving the impasse.

[14] Health Minister issues message on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1)

In statements to ANA-MPA television, Georgiadis said, "Greece had great success in 2013; we checked the high increase rate of AIDS cases in Greece which had reached epidemic proportions from 2008 to 2012, mostly among heroin users, who had very high rates of infection. But this success does not mean we must relax our vigilance. We are still very high (in numbers), this scourge exists, unforturtunately, in Greece, and our country must work with NGOs whenever necessary so we may all contribute to obliterating this scourge.

He added that this year's World AIDS Day motto was "Getting to Zero" and this should be everyone's goal, to lower infections and deaths. He also called on individuals to take charge of their life and act responsibly.

[15] Albanian Interior Minister thanks Greek authorities for cooperation in fugitives' arrest

Albanian Interior Minister Sajmir Tahiri thanked Greek Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Dendias on Greek police and authorities' contribution and cooperation on the arrest of the three Albanian convicts that escaped from Drenova prison in Korca.

In a letter addressed to Dendias on Saturday, the Albanian Minister said that "this recent incident is another proof of our common determination to tackle crime in both countries and particularly of our cross border cooperation against crime.

"Mr. Tahiri repeated its personal and institutional commitment to extend the cooperation in the interest of safety, stability and peace in the wider region" said Tahiri's press office.

The three fugitives were among seven long-term convicts who escaped last Sunday while in custody at the Drenova pprison. The other four fugitives were arrested by the Albanian police.

[16] Bulgarian officials visit Evros borders with Greek chief of staff

The visiting officials were also briefed about and given a tour of the works erected to stop illegal border crossing in the Kastania-Nea Vryssi area.

[17] Prosecutors to meet Dec. 11, trials interrupted for the day

Court cases will not be tried during this time.

In a resolution on Sunday following their regular meeting, the magistrates called on the government to "take all necessary measures that will gurantee the smooth and fast dispensation of justice," to hire more prosecutors and to guarantee the safety of all.

[18] Incidents at regional meeting for Vouliagmeni real estate prompts parties' reactions

The meeting to vote on the report relates to an overall project to cede land in Vouliagmeni, on the coast, to Astir Vouliagmenis resort and includes other provisions for land exploitation by private investors.

The meeting of the Regional Council of Attica pitted council members affiliated with New Democracy, PASOK, and main opposition party SYRIZA against each other, with residents shouting their own opposition to the report and council members charging that the study conflicted with environmental protection laws for the area.

SYRIZA deputies Stathis Panagoulis and Dimitris Tsoukalas verbally assaulted Attica Regional director Yiannis Sgouros, who had postponed the first attempt at a meeting on the report over similar opposition.

The report was approved by votes of councillors affiliated with New Democracy and PASOK, while the incidents prompted responses from all three parties on Saturday.

In a statement Saturday, Tsoukalas accused Sgouros of trying to sell off a prime asset and blamed him for the incidents. "It's not enough they're selling off everything," he said of the government, "they're beating us up, too."

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou called on SYRIZA to condemn the incidents, which prompted the party to charge him with resorting to "mudslinging and dirty propaganda." This prompted another response by Kedikoglou on what he said was the party's attempt to "ignore detailed media reports and victims' charges about its deputies' violent acts".

PASOK, in its own announcement, charged the deputies with using violence to dissolve the meeting and called on them to explain "how they can reconcile their so-called environmental sensitivities with the presence among their supporters of representatives of large-scale interests in the area and the occupation of the Voula and Vouliagmeni camp site."

[19] Antifascism march in downtown Athens

The rally began shortly after 16:00 at the Academy of Athens area and participants are now marching to Panepistimiou Street despite a Greek Police announcement banning marches today.

Participants include members of main opposition SYRIZA, Leftist movements and groups and representatives of immigrant communities.

By order of police, the Metro stations of Syntagma, Panepistimiou and Monastiraki are shut down and subway trains will not be making stops there.

Financial News

[20] New geothermal energy centre named after pioneering Dutch developer

The centre honours a pioneer who helped through research, insight and decisiveness to put in place the foundations of rural development in the greater Nestos River valley, Versteeg said, and spoke of the role of agriculture in improving the economy of a country.

Tsaftaris said van der Plas was beloved in the area of Chryssoupoli, near Kavala, and was the first to speak in Greece of the power of agricultural cooperatives, which he did in 1956.

Charles Van Der Plas was a governor of East Indies (Java) from 1936 to 1942, and worked as a United Nations expert to Greece on community development (1956-1960). He helped farmers become involved in trying new methods and introduced practical ways to help them develop their region in the areas of farming, culture, the arts and technology.

The Dutch official came to Greece following a joint request for technical help by Greece, Yugoslavia and Turkey to the UN in 1955, who had asked the organisation to set up a development programme in a Greek village that could then be used by all three countries as a model. A cabinet committee selected Chryssoupoli, because it was equidistant from Yugoslavia and Turkey, had similar cultivations with those two countries, and plans had already been drawn up on using Nestos River waters for an extensive farm irrigation system; it was also the administrative and economic centre of the area.

Older area residents remembered the Dutch developer and said his ideas were extremely progressive for his time. His plans and proposals on the irrigation of the area were put into effect in 1960 by then-prime minister Constantine Karamanlis, eventually reviving the whole Nestos valley.

General News

[21] Storms in Peloponnese flood city of Argos and block parts of the highway

Nearby villages of Nea Kios, Skafidaki and Kefalari also flooded while rising waters made the old Tripolis-Argos national road impassable at the Mylos junction towards Argos.

Sections of the national road were also affected by water overflow, including the Pyrgos-Methoni road and Kyparissia-Kalo Nero. On the Corinth-Tripolis road towards Nemea, the road pavement has sunk and vehicles are being diverted.

Mountain slides have also shut down one side of the old national road of Tripolis-Argos, about 4 km off Achladokambos.

[22] Cruiseship at Evia shipyards on fire, no injuries

Five people on the ship, which is registered in Portugal, were evacuated on time without any injuries.

A fire brigade boat is heading to the ship to put the fire out, it was reported.

[23] Professors get sentence lowered for death of student during class

The young man was being examined on a lesson at the university in the central Greek city of Larissa when he was electrocuted.

The appeals court accepted mitigating circumstances and lowered the original sentence to 20 months for one of them and a year for the other, with a three-year suspension in both cases.

The professors said that the student had a pathological problem that caused his death, and that findings had backed them up.

[24] Gas canisters blow up at ATM in Thessaloniki; minor damages

The police and fire brigade said the device at the Neapoli section of Thessaloniki consisted of two gas kanisters ("gazakia") but the brief fire had stopped burning on its own by the time they arrived. Police are looking for the perpetrators.

[25] Three undocumented migrants missing in Evros river

According to initial information the group of the migrants came to Greece by boat from Turkey.

[26] Kyllini-Zakynthos ferry link closed due to strong winds

The wind velocity in sea region of Zakynthos island reaches 10 on the Beaufort scale.

Sports

[27] Super League results

In other action:

Asteras Tripoli-Panetolikos 3-0

Platanias-Atromitos 1-1

Apollon Smyrnis-Panathinaikos 1-1

Aris-Panthrakikos 2-2

Panionios-Xanthi 0-0

Veria-Levadiakos 4-3

OFI-Kalloni 3-1

Olympiakos-Ergotelis 3-0

PAS Yiannena-PAOK (02/12/2013)

Standings after 13 weeks of play:

1. Olympiakos 37

2. PAOK 28 (12 matches played)

3. Atromitos Athens 22

4. Asteras Tripoli 21

Panathinaikos 21

6. Kalloni Mytilini 18

Xanthi 18

8. Panetolikos 17

PAS Yiannena 17 (12 matches played)

Ergotelis 17

11. Panionios Athens 16

12. Panthrakikos Xanthi 15

OFI Crete 15

14. Levadiakos 14

15. Platanias Crete 12

16. Veria 10

17. Apollon Smyrnis 9

Aris Thessaloniki 9

Weather forecast

[28] Rainy weather on Monday

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

EPOCHI: Government before social turmoil without an escape valve.

ETHNOS: Government, political parties and troika (EC,IMF,ECB) in the trenches.

KATHIMERINI: Objective values of real estate assets fake and unjust- Property owners in despair, market in disintegration.

KYRIAKATIKI ELEFTHEROTYPIA: We reveal the second mobility scheme wave - 6,000 civil servants to be transferred, 2,000 to be laid off.

KYRIAKATIKOS RIZOSPASTIS: Popular interest incompatible with business in Health and Medicine.

LOGOS: Millions of counterfeit food and medicine.

PROTO THEMA: Government against troika while society is a boiler in despair.

TO PARON: Devastation of everything the target.

TO VIMA: Crucial 20 days for taxes and agreement with troika.

TYPOS TIS KYRIAKIS: Exclusive: OECD's report puts a halt to early pensions.

VRADYNI: The favourable arrangements in each social security fund.

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