Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 13-12-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek Parliament passes 2014 budget aimed at leading economy back to growth rates

[02] Prime Minister Samaras says "first step has been made toward our disengagement from the memorandum"

[03] SYRIZA has turned the people's agony into a petty partisan fair, Venizelos said in parliament

[04] Voting for the state budget would mean that the disaster will continue, SYRIZA leader Tsipras told parliament

[05] Voting against the state budget is an act of responsibility, AN.EL leader Kammenos said

[06] DIM.AR leader Kouvelis says "fiscal adjustment programme has failed".

[07] Golden Dawn spokesman Kassidiaris says "the government was elected by lying to the Greek people"

[08] KKE parliamentary group president Papariga addresses parliament on the state budget

[09] Demonstration against state budget ends in Athens

[10] "It is impossible not to reach an agreement with troika," Venizelos said

[11] Troika to return to Athens on Tuesday, after Eurogroup

[12] Power will be reconnected immediately to poor households, energy minister announced

[13] "I want to be useful not likeable," Finance Minister Stournaras said

[14] SYRIZA leader Tsipras addresses party Central Committee; gov't spokesman Kedikoglou's statements

[15] SYRIZA accuses the government of being tied to the German chancellor's chariot

[16] Gov't vice-president replies to cleric over same-sex cohabitation agreements

[17] Justice minister presents Greek presidency priorities for justice in Brussels

[18] Communist Party of Greece celebrates 95th anniversary

[19] Classes to resume at Athens University Law School on Monday

[20] Defence Minister Avramopoulos will represent the Greek government at Mandela's funeral

[21] Greece, US chiefs of armed forces discuss developments in eastern Mediterranean

[22] "Ports should be treated as strategic growth points," Shipping Minister Varvitsiotis said

[23] Central bank revokes licence of three cooperative banks, transfers deposits to Alpha Bank

[24] Greek mission met its goals in WTO Ministerial Conference, deputy minister said

[25] European Commissioner Damanaki meets with fisheries sector representatives

[26] Police officer, two foreign nationals killed in shootout in northwest Greece

[27] DIM.AR party expresses condolences for policeman killed in line of duty

[28] Guns and bullets found in Kinouria, southern Greece

[29] Contraband cigarettes confiscated in Attiki

[30] Local residents protest against toll increase in Afidnes

[31] Taxi driver arrested for transporting illegal migrants

[32] Super League results

[33] Fair weather giving way to overcast skies on Monday

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

[01] Greek Parliament passes 2014 budget aimed at leading economy back to growth rates

Speaking to reporters, shortly after the vote in Parliament, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that the 2014 budget "was a budget of recovery, prospect and hope". "The voting (of the budget) is a very positive step," the Prime Minister stressed.

Prime Minister Samaras, political party leaders, address parliament before roll-call vote on the 2014 state budget

"For the first time in years our country will not be needing a loan," Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said in his speech in parliament on Saturday ahead of the roll-call vote on next year's state budget.

"All of us seek the disengagement from the memorandum and this is the first step. This way our true national independence is being safeguarded. Not with loans," he said.

He put an emphasis on the results of the 2013 state budget and the primary surplus boosting the country's negotiating ability, saying that "this is the real revolution and not the revolution of lies told this evening by (main opposition SYRIZA leader) Mr. Tsipras".

"Like in every revolution, there were many sacrifices," he said, adding that "we have managed to put the country on the path of economic growth".

"Greece did not go bankrupt and this is a success. And while we were collapsing in terms of competitiveness now we are improving in all indices and this is a reality only the populists do not see," he said.

Speaking in parliament, PASOK leader and government vice-president Evangelos Venizelos lashed out at main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras.

He said that Tsipras uses dilemmas based on plausibilities and exploits human suffering because he lacks a proposal, adding that he throws away the sacrifices made by the Greek people for the sake of rising to power.

Venizelos said "no" to additional fiscal measures and "yes" to structural reforms, to the support of real economy, to measures aimed at protecting social cohesion and the vulnerable social groups.

Referring to the ban on home foreclosures, he said that Tsipras "violates open doors" by tabling his amendment considering that if there is no agreement with the troika of the country's creditors (the protection of the first home owners ends on December 31) it will be extended unilaterally through a legislative initiative to be undertaken by the government.

He also said that banks are forbidden to sell packages of unserviced loans.

Venizelos said that the state budget will lead the country out of the memorandum, will bring surplus and fix injustices. It will reduce fiscal deficit to under 3 pct of the GDP, restore the current account balance equilibrium and return to a positive economic growth rate.

The budget will allow the reset of the real economy and consolidate the sustainability of public debt, he said.

Addressing parliament main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras said that "today we are talking about the country's present and future," underlining that the country is experiencing a humanitarian crisis.

Tsipras said that "voting for the budget would mean that the disaster will continue while the powerful will be appeased," noting that the country has never faced such a situation before and that the memorandum was a disaster for the country.

He said that there is huge political responsibility and accused the government of imposing a policy that delivered a blow to the economy, tripled unemployment and led the people to poverty.

He noted that "using as a pretext the goal to keep the country in the euro, you have made the euro disappear from Greece," adding that now everybody knows that Greece's rescue was a disaster except from the government that thinks otherwise.

"You are saying that you have saved the country. But who exactly did you save," he wondered.

Tsipras said that the troika's plan is to turn Greece into a colony of debt, noting that the plan is for "the country to change hands".

He said that the fiscal multiplier error, based on which the IMF calculated the consequences of the memorandum, was "intentional" and stated that the home foreclosures and mass layoffs constitute a "red line" for SYRIZA because they will destroy the middle class by depreciating mortgaged property and creating the preconditions to be sold off "to market vultures".

Tsipras said that if the ban on home foreclosures is lifted it will put at risk the peoples bank deposits and the banks themselves will be completely destroyed, "the banks that you have supported with the people's money but you have left them in the hands of an elite that is responsible for the crisis".

The home foreclosures will be the Trojan Horse that will be used for the country to change hands, he noted, adding that they will undermine and abolish national independence.

Tsipras said that the humanitarian crisis the country is going through can be tackled and the country's reorganization can be achieved if the memorandums are contested and the debt is renegotiated through a plan that is based on three points. Namely, stabilization of the economy with a socially fair and sustainable primary surplus, an emergency plan to serve as a social protection shield for the unemployed and the very poor households ("new Seisachtheia") and the reorganization of the country's production basis with a special purpose bank to support the primary sector with an emphasis on "national industry" (ensuring low cost energy with an employment clause and taxation on profits and not on production).

The confrontation between the government and main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) will escalate, opposition Communist Party (KKE) parliamentary group president Aleka Papariga predicted speaking during the stated budget debate and noted that the confrontation is focused on who will be the winner in the next elections.

Papariga criticized the coalition government parties of New Democracy (ND) and PASOK and main opposition SYRIZA of engaging in an empty confrontation.

She predicted that it wouldn't make a difference if the government will be led by ND or SYRIZA because "the decisions will be made by the monopolies. That's why KKE will not back any government".

Papariga said that part of the business sector supports ND and another supports SYRIZA, noting that the Greek people should take under consideration what kind of a confrontation is going on between ND and SYRIZA.

"SYRIZA is a well-dowried bride. The people should fear of their strategy," she said, noting that the people are called to choose between the corrupt or the virtuous capitalism and that's why the disengagement from the European Union is the most realistic proposal.

Opposition Democratic Left (DIM.AR) leader Fotis Kouvelis lashed out at the government and main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) addressing the parliament on the draft state budget.

He said that the fiscal adjustment programme has failed, adding that the new state budget includes injustices. He expressed opposition to the lifting of the ban on foreclosures and called for a fairer taxation system.

He also accused SYRIZA of investing in the deterioration of the crisis and also of seeking to create fabricated polarization.

"DIM.AR will vote against the state budget," he said, adding that his party will not consent to the continuation of the same policy.

Kovelis said that after four years of fiscal adjustment introduced in a painful way, the programme has failed because it made the country poor through an unfair and uneven burden distribution.

"The government has failed to form a policy that could lead the country out of the crisis. The fiscal programme was socially unfair and ineffective," he said.

The DIM.AR leader also underlined that the way surplus is calculated makes it non sustainable unless the policy followed is changed.

Referring to SYRIZA, he accused the main opposition party of rejecting even the necessary reforms.

Kouvelis called on the government not to accept new ineffective and painful measures that will deteriorate the state society is in.

Opposition Independent Greeks (AN.EL) leader Panos Kammenos said that the 2014 state budget is "a new act in the tragedy of the Greek people" and that voting against it is not a treason but an act of national responsibility.

He underlined that voting against the state budget is not a defection but an act of responsibility toward the expectations of the Greek people and called on government MPs to cast a negative vote.

Kammenos doubted that it will be a surplus budget and accused the government of supporting the banks and not the people.

Addressing parliament ultra-right Golden Dawn (GD) parliamentary spokesman Ilias Kassidiaris said that the new state budget "is just another state budget that will lead the Greek people to indigence".

He also accused the government that "was elected by lying to the Greek people".

[02] Prime Minister Samaras says "first step has been made toward our disengagement from the memorandum"

"All of us seek the disengagement from the memorandum and this is the first step. This way our true national independence is being safeguarded. Not with loans," he said.

He underlined that Greece is starting to become a normal country and responding to SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, he assured that the ban on home foreclosures for poor and middle class social strata will not be lifted.

He underlined the importance of the bank recapitalization which soon will increase liquidity.

The prime minister said that in the past year four real revolutions were made in Greece namely, achieving primary surplus, eradicating deficit in the balance of trade, meeting and exceeding the goals of the 2013 state budget and turning toward economic recovery.

He put an emphasis on the results of the 2013 state budget and the primary surplus boosting the country's negotiating ability, saying that "this is the real revolution and not the revolution of lies told this evening by Mr. Tsipras," who had referred to the issue of the forced occupation loan extracted from Greece by the Nazi regime in WWII and how it can be used to solve the country's problems.

"Like in every revolution, there were many sacrifices," he said, adding that "we have managed to put the country on the path of economic growth".

"Greece did not go bankrupt and this is a success. And while we were collapsing in terms of competitiveness now we are improving in all indices and this is a reality, only the populists do not see," he said.

He said that "almost everybody believes that 2014 will be a year of economic recovery after six years of recession and everyone, except SYRIZA, believes that primary surplus is the first step toward the disengagement from the memorandum. This way our national independence is being safeguarded."

Samaras said that the homes of the financially weak and those with an average income will continue to be protected. Commenting on Tsipras' reference to the banking system he said that "the Greek banking system is more protected because the banks were recapitalized".

[03] SYRIZA has turned the people's agony into a petty partisan fair, Venizelos said in parliament

He said that he uses dilemmas based on plausibilities and exploits human suffering because he lacks a proposal, adding that he throws away the sacrifices made by the Greek people for the sake of rising to power.

Venizelos said "no" to additional fiscal measures and "yes" to structural reforms, to the support of real economy, to measures aimed at protecting social cohesion and the vulnerable social groups.

Referring to the ban on home foreclosures, he said that Tsipras "violates open doors" by tabling his amendment considering that if there is no agreement with the troika of the country's creditors (the protection of the first home owners ends on December 31) it will be extended unilaterally through a legislative initiative to be undertaken by the government.

He also said that banks are forbidden to sell packages of unserviced loans.

Venizelos said that the state budget will lead the country out of the memorandum, will bring surplus and fix injustices. It will reduce fiscal deficit to under 3 pct of the GDP, restore the current account balance equilibrium and return to a positive economic growth rate.

The budget will allow the reset of the real economy and consolidate the sustainability of public debt, he said.

[04] Voting for the state budget would mean that the disaster will continue, SYRIZA leader Tsipras told parliament

Tsipras said that "voting for the budget would mean that the disaster will continue while the powerful will be appeased," noting that the country has never faced such a situation before and that the memorandum was a disaster for the country.

He said that there is huge political responsibility and accused the government of imposing a policy that delivered a blow to the economy, tripled unemployment and led the people to poverty.

He noted that "using as a pretext the goal to keep the country in the euro, you have made the euro disappear from Greece," adding that now everybody knows that Greece's rescue was a disaster except from the government that thinks otherwise.

"You are saying that you have saved the country. But who exactly did you save," he wondered.

Tsipras said that the troika's plan is to turn Greece into a colony of debt, noting that the plan is for "the country to change hands".

He said that the fiscal multiplier error, based on which the IMF calculated the consequences of the memorandum, was "intentional" and stated that the home foreclosures and mass layoffs constitute a "red line" for SYRIZA because they will destroy the middle class by depreciating mortgaged property and creating the preconditions to be sold off "to market vultures".

Tsipras said that if the ban on home foreclosures is lifted it will put at risk the peoples bank deposits and the banks themselves will be completely destroyed, "the banks that you have supported with the people's money but you have left them in the hands of an elite that is responsible for the crisis".

The home foreclosures will be the Trojan Horse that will be used for the country to change hands, he noted, adding that they will undermine and abolish national independence.

Tsipras said that the humanitarian crisis the country is going through can be tackled and the country's reorganization can be achieved if the memorandums are contested and the debt is renegotiated through a plan that is based on three points. Namely, stabilization of the economy with a socially fair and sustainable primary surplus, an emergency plan to serve as a social protection shield for the unemployed and the very poor households ("new Seisachtheia") and the reorganization of the country's production basis with a special purpose bank to support the primary sector with an emphasis on "national industry" (ensuring low cost energy with an employment clause and taxation on profits and not on production).

[05] Voting against the state budget is an act of responsibility, AN.EL leader Kammenos said

He underlined that voting against the state budget is not a defection but an act of responsibility toward the expectations of the Greek people and called on government MPs to cast a negative vote.

Kammenos doubted that it will be a surplus budget and accused the government of supporting the banks and not the people.

[06] DIM.AR leader Kouvelis says "fiscal adjustment programme has failed".

He said that the fiscal adjustment programme has failed, adding that the new state budget includes injustices. He expressed opposition to the lifting of the ban on foreclosures and called for a fairer taxation system.

He also accused SYRIZA of investing in the deterioration of the crisis and also of seeking to create fabricated polarization.

"DIM.AR will vote against the state budget," he said, adding that his party will not consent to the continuation of the same policy.

Kovelis said that after four years of fiscal adjustment introduced in a painful way, the programme has failed because it made the country poor through an unfair and uneven burden distribution.

"The government has failed to form a policy that could lead the country out of the crisis. The fiscal programme was socially unfair and ineffective," he said.

The DIM.AR leader also underlined that the way surplus is calculated makes it non sustainable unless the policy followed is changed.

Referring to SYRIZA, he accused the main opposition party of rejecting even the necessary reforms.

Kouvelis called on the government not to accept new ineffective and painful measures that will deteriorate the state society is in.

[07] Golden Dawn spokesman Kassidiaris says "the government was elected by lying to the Greek people"

He also accused the government that "was elected by lying to the Greek people".

[08] KKE parliamentary group president Papariga addresses parliament on the state budget

Papariga criticized the coalition government parties of New Democracy (ND) and PASOK and main opposition SYRIZA of engaging in an empty confrontation. She said that it wouldn't make a difference if the government will be led by ND or SYRIZA because "the decisions will be made by the monopolies. That's why KKE will not back any government".

Papariga said that part of the business sector supports ND and another supports SYRIZA, noting that the Greek people should take under consideration what kind of a confrontation is going on between ND and SYRIZA.

"SYRIZA is a well-dowried bride. The people should fear of their strategy," she said, noting that the people are called to choose between the corrupt or the virtuous capitalism and that's why the disengagement from the European Union is the most realistic proposal.

[09] Demonstration against state budget ends in Athens

The Syntagma metro station has reopened.

[10] "It is impossible not to reach an agreement with troika," Venizelos said

Referring to the negotiations with the country's troika creditors, he noted that "it is impossible not to reach an agreement with the troika because we have met all our contractual obligations for the disbursement of the tranche".

On the issue of the home foreclosures, he underlined that first-home owners, who are poor or have an average income, will be protected.

[11] Troika to return to Athens on Tuesday, after Eurogroup

The immediate goal of the Greek side is to reach an agreement on prior actions for the next tranche of bailout loans, amounting to 1.0 billion euros, by the end of this month.

The troika's return during the week was also confirmed by a European Commission spokesman on Sunday, who said, however, that reaching an agreement within December was unlikely.

[12] Power will be reconnected immediately to poor households, energy minister announced

The decision concerns consumers who are not on Social Residential Tariff available by PPC S.A. to vulnerable social groups of consumers and particularly for persons with low income, families with 3 children, long-term unemployed, disabled people as well as people on life support.

Maniatis told ANA-MPA that Attiki region and Thessaloniki residents who are on Social Residential Tariff (roughly 272,000 consumers) will not be charged for the power they consume on days with high levels of air pollution in an effort to limit the use of alternative heating (stoves, fireplaces, etc).

The goal set is to have power reconnected to all poor households, that are unable to pay their bills, before the Christmas holiday.

[13] "I want to be useful not likeable," Finance Minister Stournaras said

He underlined that "we are very close to meeting our goals and enter the big negotiation with our partners to reduce the debt and exit the crisis".

[14] SYRIZA leader Tsipras addresses party Central Committee; gov't spokesman Kedikoglou's statements

He referred extensively to the municipal elections and the euro-elections next May, underlining that the government, "being in a state of panic for its imminent crushing defeat, considers various election systems and scenarios".

Tsipras repeated his proposal on hold thematic conferences that will prepare positions and lasting committees, constituting a Lasting Forum for the transformation of society, the economy and the state that will change the fate of the people and the country.

He said that the state budget voted in parliament will not be executed in its present form, noting that it will be revised to include new measures when an agreement will be reached with the troika on the size of the fiscal gap in 2014.

He said that the troika representatives want first home foreclosures to go ahead and demand mass layoffs in an country where unemployment has reached 30 pct.

Tsipras accused the prime minister of lying when he insists that the German left does not want a loan "haircut" and refuses to discuss the issues of the WWII reparations and the forced occupation loan extracted from Greece by the Nazi regime in WWII.

The SYRIZA leader repeated that "the system is trying to stay alive using the only recipe it knows, tough austerity measures, criminalization of resistance, scandals and gifts to the representatives of the establishment.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou lashed out at the SYRIZA leader commenting on the latter's speech before his party's Central Committee.

"Mr. Tsipras continues his known delirium. He forgets what he and his party used to say about the drachma during the election campaign. He is trying to make his party forget what he said to the contrary when he was recently in Texas," Kedikoglou said.

He accused the SYRIZA leader of "withholding the fact that the government has already managed to reduce debt and cut interest rates which he promises to do" and that he also "withholds the fact that the marginal European political parties supporting him vote against the additional help to Greece which he publicly declares".

"We wish success to the thematic conferences aimed at drawing up a policy agenda for SYRIZA. Because what the party professes at the moment constitutes a return to the impasses and will lead the country to disaster," the government spokesman said.

[15] SYRIZA accuses the government of being tied to the German chancellor's chariot

"It is widely known that the Samaras-Venizelos government, by implementing the memorandum policy of extreme austerity, has increased the debt while, at the same time, destroying society and the economy. In this catastrophic course they have been tied to Mrs. Merkel's chariot that shows them the way," SYRIZA underlined.

[16] Gov't vice-president replies to cleric over same-sex cohabitation agreements

Venizelos presented the arguments in favour of the proposal on a legal and religious basis and, commenting on the metropolitan's reference to excommunicating MPs that vote in favour of the proposal, he said he took this as "just an expression and not a bishop's position requiring theological and ecclesiastical justification".

He also suggested that this was an issue on which the Synod of the Church of Greece should adopt a position as whole, pointing out that it was not an issue of local interest.

Referring to relations between the Church and State, Venizelos stressed that "regulation of social issues between citizens and individuals that are part of the Greek and by extension the European rule of law is a matter that is within the purview of the State and its international obligations and not the Church."

He pointed out that a swathe of similar issues, some of them a great deal more important than the cohabitation agreement - including abortion, premarital relations, civil marriages, divorce and others - had been settled in this way for decades.

According to Venizelos, Greece's national and Orthodox identity was not at risk he stressed that it could not govern all issues relating to human rights that "now move in a global sphere of values with multiple origins and influences in a pluralistic international society".

In his letter to Venizelos, the Piraeus metropolitan had strongly criticised an extension of the cohabitation agreement right to same-sex couples as "an outrage toward God" and asked him not to proceed with plans to bring the proposal to Parliament.

[17] Justice minister presents Greek presidency priorities for justice in Brussels

Athanassiou said that the Greek presidency intends to continue the efforts of the EU member-states to ensure a "fairer Europe" that cared for and was closed for all European citizens, adding that its policies will be based on democracy, equality before the law and respect for human rights.

He thanked the Lithuanian presidency for its efforts in the justice sector and said that Greece hoped to also actively contribute to the progress of measures and initiatives in the framework of Justice to promote growth, data protection and initiatives in penal law.

He said the Greek presidency aims to continue work on developments relating to freedom, security and justice (the post-Stockholm period) and intends to set strategic directions in legislative and operational programming.

"Reforms to legislation on data protection are a key priority for the Greek presidency," he underlined, adding that negotiations seeking progress on a series of legislative proposals for data protection will continue. These measures will seek to harmonise the rules and principles on European level, protecting personal privacy and promoting the development of a single digital market and innovation throughout Europe.

[18] Communist Party of Greece celebrates 95th anniversary

"The KKE has never repudiated its role as a party of the working class, the class whose historic mission it is to lead a revolutionary remaking of society, the building of a socialist-communist society. In spite of its shortcomings, it has never abandoned its strategic role, socialism, nor renounced class struggle and socialist revolution," Koutsoumbas stressed.

He underlined that the KKE has always been at the forefront of every struggle fought by the Greek people and said his party addressed its message to all, calling on them to look back with hindsight and reassess the KKE's warnings concerning the European Union and NATO.

"All the treaties of the EU had and still have but one goal - to lower payment for labour as much as possible, to create workers without rights, to make business monopolies stronger," he said, adding that the other political parties had systematically sought to conceal this truth with false promises.

He also warned of the danger that Greece will become embroiled in new imperialist wars and stressed that "KKE and the people must fight for their own power, in which the KKE will take over its responsibilities."

The evening concluded with a concert featuring works by Mikis Theodorakis and other composers.

[19] Classes to resume at Athens University Law School on Monday

"The classes of the winter semester 2013-2014 begin on Monday, December 9, in accordance with the timetable released," the announcement said.

Though the strike is officially continuing, support for continuing strike action has waned and the majority faction in the union board is in favour of suspending strikes and continuing dialogue with Education Minister Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos with the university open.

The law school is the first UoA department to officially announce that it will reopen, while classes are also set to begin at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), where administrative staff have suspended their strike.

A new NTUA staff general meeting is to be held on Thursday, however, to discuss the implementation of commitments made by Arvanitopoulos.

[20] Defence Minister Avramopoulos will represent the Greek government at Mandela's funeral

Mandela, who died on Thursday at the age of 95, will be laid to rest on December 15 at his ancestral village of Qunu, south of Johannesburg, in a plot where three of his children and other close family members are buried.

[21] Greece, US chiefs of armed forces discuss developments in eastern Mediterranean

Gen. Dempsey, who arrived in Greece on Saturday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Gen. Kostarakos, also met with Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos and was received by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. His visit was scheduled for last September but it was postponed because of the developments in Syria.

On Saturday, the two chiefs of staff visited NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) at Souda Bay, Crete.

Financial News

[22] "Ports should be treated as strategic growth points," Shipping Minister Varvitsiotis said

"Every port is a different story and each port can be developed differently. It can be done by allocating the majority of shares, privatization or sale of a piece of the port, or assignment of specific uses or cooperation strategy for the use of a service," he added.

The minister underlined that the recent agreement with the Chinese Cosco provides for investments of about 230 million euros and increases the container capacity by two thirds.

According to Varvitsiotis, Cosco has assured the Greek government that it will be interested to participate in a tender for the privatization of Piraeus Port Authority, when announced, probably in early 2014.

As regards the taxation of Greek shipowners, he said that the ministry has concluded an agreement with them to voluntarily pay tonnage tax even for Greek-owned ships under a foreign flag.

"Over 80 pct of the Greek-owned ships will pay twice the tonnage tax for the next three years," he said and committed to ensuring there will be no further taxation for shipowners.

Revenues collected by combating tax evasion will be larger than estimated, Public Revenues Secretary General Theoharis says

Wage earners and pensioners with a single source of income will no longer have to submit annual tax forms as of 2014, Secretary General for Public Revenues Haris Theoharis said in an interview published in Kathimerini newspaper Sunday issue.

"Now that we have met our goal to have virtually all tax returns submitted electronically we can move to the next phase and remove the obligation to submit declarations as of 2014," Theoharis said.

He underlined that the government is confident that revenues from the ongoing crackdown on tax evasion will be more than what the troika representatives think.

Theoharis added that the amount to be collected by tackling tax evasion will be significantly larger than 350 million euros estimated by the troika for 2014, noting that the government is confident that revenues could be more than 500 million euros.

Referring to the creditors' expectations as regards the course of the revenues, he said that they tend to be more conservative.

[23] Central bank revokes licence of three cooperative banks, transfers deposits to Alpha Bank

According to the central bank announcement, the decision was taken after deadlines given for the recapitalisation of the three banks expired without the necessary funds being raised, for the protection of the clients' deposits. The deposits were undertaken by Alpha Bank, following a successful bid in a bidding process conducted in accordance with the relevant 2007 legislation.

The three cooperative banks will be placed in special liquidation, the result of which will satisfy demands of third parties in the order set out by law, with the firm Ernst & Young (Hellas) Chartered Accountants SA appointed as liquidator. The funds deposited in interim accounts for the capital increase will be returned.

Alpha Bank, meanwhile, issued an announcement stressing that all the deposits it has undertaken are fully guaranteed and that it will exclusively assume the deposits and not any other assets and/or liabilities of the three banks.

Upon completion of the accounts' transfer process to its systems, Alpha Bank will notify their beneficiaries, as to the commencement date of their servicing through its branch network.

Alpha Bank also announced its intention to maintain a physical presence through its branches in certain remote areas where the cooperative banks have been operating, as well as plans to offer employment opportunities to the personnel of the three banks, following a selection process.

[24] Greek mission met its goals in WTO Ministerial Conference, deputy minister said

The Greek mission raised the issues of the Protected Destination of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products and their recognition on international level, the transit transportation and the validity of bilateral agreements, as well as, guarantees that the food reserves created by developing and least developed countries will not have a negative effect on the market.

[25] European Commissioner Damanaki meets with fisheries sector representatives

They also discussed issues concerning fish trade and the operation of fish-wharfs.

General News

[26] Police officer, two foreign nationals killed in shootout in northwest Greece

During the patrol in the region of Vrontero, the police officers spotted the two suspects in a makeshift shack and when they asked them for their identification they were fired at. A 43-year-old police officer and both suspects, who were armed with a Kalashnikov assault weapon, were killed in the subsequent shootout.

Public Order & Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Dendias expressed deep regret for the loss of the officer, "who fell in the line of duty while trying to protect the life, property and dignity of the Greek citizens".

Opposition Communist Party (KKE) extended its condolences to the family of the fallen police officer.

[27] DIM.AR party expresses condolences for policeman killed in line of duty

"We call on the State to reinforce the police with the necessary technical equipment and infrastructure and to support the family of Ilias Kostenis," the announcement said.

[28] Guns and bullets found in Kinouria, southern Greece

The Coastguard found the weapons after receiving information by a local man.

[29] Contraband cigarettes confiscated in Attiki

Police found in private houses and warehouses a total of 1,605,898 packs of contraband cigarettes and 520 packages of contraband tobacco, weighing 25 grams each, that corresponded to over 5.5 million euros in unpaid tariffs and taxes.

[30] Local residents protest against toll increase in Afidnes

Shortly after 11:30, the protesters staged a two-hour symbolic sit-in in the presence of local mayors without interrupting traffic.

[31] Taxi driver arrested for transporting illegal migrants

The 42-year-old taxi driver was arrested on Friday night when police found in his car two illegal migrants from Syria and Afghanistan.

Soccer

[32] Super League results

In other action:

Ergotelis-Aris 3-3

Levadiakos-Platanias 2-0

PAOK-Apollon Smyrnis 0-0

Xanthi-Veria 3-0

Panthrakikos-PAS Yiannena 2-0

Atromitos-OFI 3-0

Kalloni-Panathinaikos 0-4

Panetolikos-Panionios (09/12/2013)

Standings after 14 weeks of play:

1. Olympiakos 40

2. PAOK 32

3. Atromitos Athens 25

4. Panathinaikos Athens 24

5. Asteras Tripoli 21

6.Xanthi 21

6. Kalloni Mytilini 18

7.Panthrakikos 18

8.Ergotelis 18

9. Panetolikos 17

10. PAS Yiannena 17

11. Levadiakos 17

12. Panionios Athens 16

13. OFI Crete 15

14. Platanias Hania 12

15. Veria 10

16 Apollon Smyrnis 10

17 Aris Thessaloniki 10

Weather forecast

[33] Fair weather giving way to overcast skies on Monday

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

EPOCHI: Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) out of...power

ETHNOS: Credit "freeze" for unemployed and the "have-nots"

KATHIMERINI: No more tax returns for wage earners-pensioners with a single source of income - Interview with Public Revenues Secretary General Haris Theoharis

KYRIAKATIKI ELEFTHEROTYPIA: Troika cynicism on the issue of home foreclosures: "there are homeless all over the West. What's your problem?"

KYRIAKATIKOS RIZOSPASTIS: New slaughtering measures for the people

LOGOS: Indignation shuts down Afidnes road toll station

PROTO THEMA: Fast & Furious tax office, they turn tax officers into headhunters

TO PARON: (Finance Minister Yiannis) Stournaras packs up in the next three months

TO VIMA: Karamanlis, Dora, Tsipras and a...sir. Fermentation is underway, everybody talks to everybody about everything

TYPOS TIS KYRIAKIS: The definitive plan on home foreclosures; to be voted in parliament with the real estate tax

VRADYNI: Pension before the age of 60. Hurry up to take advantage of the favourable regulations

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