Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 14-01-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] FinMin Stournaras says eurozone did not diagnose Greek economy's problems in time

[02] State revenues exceed targets in November, Theocharis reports

[03] Messages of unity, fortitude on Epiphany

[04] Epiphany celebration at Kolonaki reservoir

[05] Epiphany celebration held at port of Piraeus

[06] PM and PASOK leader to meet on Tuesday, PASOK sources say

[07] FM Venizelos attends ACCI event for launch of Greek EU presidency

[08] FM Venizelos to inspect Zappion Mansion premises on Tuesday

[09] European Parliament denies Samaras intervention to postpone Karas visit

[10] SYRIZA allegations over postponed Karas visit

[11] Deputy FM Kourkoulas says strategic importance of Greece and Cyprus upgraded

[12] Opposition disputes Stournaras' upbeat prediction of economic recovery

[13] Former PM Simitis expresses fears of Greece's eurozone exit

[14] SYRIZA comments on new hospital admission fees, pension cuts

[15] Independent Greeks party tables amendment to abolish 25-euro hospital admittance fee

[16] DIM.AR stresses need for universal healthcare

[17] Embassy attack will not disrupt Greek-German relations, ambassador tells 'Kathimerini'

[18] Police not working blind in embassy hit investigation, minister says

[19] Ministerial decision introduces discount power rates on smog alert days

[20] Military plane air-lifts transplant patient to Pisa, Italy

[21] Six arrested, dozens detained at match between AEK Athens, Egaleo team

[22] Police crackdown on illicit trade, begging in Central Macedonia

[23] Two arrested on Salamina island for contraband cigarettes

[24] Two arrested in Hania for armed robberies

[25] Five arrested after police operation at Thessaloniki Aristotelio University

[26] Three arrested for stealing oil from trucks

[27] Fires in ATM machines, cars in Piraeus

[28] Valtetsi municipal unity inhabitants react to creation of refuse management unit

[29] Super League results

[30] Rainy on Tuesday

[31] The Saturday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance Politics

[01] FinMin Stournaras says eurozone did not diagnose Greek economy's problems in time

He stressed that the country's negotiating position (n May 2010) was as a matter of fact difficult, due to its inability to secure access to markets, and pointed to a series of factors that functioned negatively in achieving the targets of the first memorandum, as its ambitious targets on the deficit and the debt were and failure to evaluate the repercussioons of fiscal adjustment on the real economy and the greater recession it caused.

The minister also said that, among other things, there was a delay in the implementation of reforms, in tax administration on combatting tax evasion and the handling of bureaucracy in the public sector, that he termed as being of vital importance for the Greek programme's success.

[02] State revenues exceed targets in November, Theocharis reports

Commenting on the January-November 2013 results, General Secretary for Public Revenues Haris Theocharis said that the improvements in achieving targets were now "clear and irreversible" at the end of a difficult year for Greek tax-payers and the tax collection mechanism.

"This success is credited not only to the staff in taxation management but mainly to the conscientious tax payers that participated in the common effort to reorganise the national economy for the fastest possible exit from the crisis".

Total revenues for the January-November 2013 period fully recovered and moved into positive territory for the first time since March, exceeding targets by 0.4 pct. Targets were also exceeded by 500 million euros for tax rebates, which came to 3.06 billion euros instead of the initially forecast 2.56 billion euros.

Tax offices exceeded targets for VAT collection by 1.8 pct in November, while the target was exceeded by 3.3 pct on an 11-month basis since the start of the year.

The secretariat also reported a new rise of total overdue debts to the state, which reached 63.337 billion euros in November from 62.880 billion euros in October.

According to the finance ministry, total collection of overdue debts in the 11-month period is estimated at 2.86 billion euros and increased by 30.1 pct (680 million euros) relative the same period in 2012 (2.19 billion euros). The ministry reported record collections performance during the month and an encouraging reduction in the number of individuals (108 pct) and legal entities (4.8 pct) with debts to the state.

[03] Messages of unity, fortitude on Epiphany

"All together we must overcome the last difficult measures of this crisis," he said.

The blessing was carried out by the metropolitan of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalea Paisios. President Papoulias talked after the ceremony with inhabitants of the island on special problems they are facing.

President Papoulias then went to the island of Pserimos in a helicopter, an island that had suffered severely from bad weather last November and where damage had been caused, mainly for infrastructure projects. He was due to hold meetings with inhabitants and local agency representatives. Later in the day, President Papaoulias will be going to the island of Kalymnos where a luncheon will be hosted in his honour by the Kalymnos municipality.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras attended the Epiphany celebration in the city of Kalamata, Peloponnese, together with local political, military and judicial authorities, as well as large crowds of people.

The blessing of the waters ceremony was held at the port where many young men, as well as women, jumped into the sea to collect the cross.

Samaras, accompanied by Kalamata mayor Panayiotis Nikas, went to the Moreas workshop and was briefed on the construction of the Nedontas bridge and the completion of the Kalamata perimetric motorway.

He also visited the Chorou mansion, that was completed last summer, that will serve culture and be able to host conferences and other events.

Samaras arrived in the city on Sunday and hosted a dinner at a coastal restaurant in Kalamata for Messinia Metropolitan Chrysostomos, Peloponnese regional governor Petros Tatoulis, the deputies of his New Democracy party in the prefecture and the mayors of Messinia.

[04] Epiphany celebration at Kolonaki reservoir

The ceremony was attended by Athens mayor George Kaminis, Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyianni, Deputy Development Minister Notis Mytarakis and the deputies Andreas Psycharis and Vassilis Kikilias.

"This year's Epiphany celebration finds Greece at a crucial intersection. We showed last year that we can set targets and achieve them. 2014 can be a year in which we can achieve even more at all levels. To show that Greece can be a country that wins", Kefaloyianni said in a statement.

[05] Epiphany celebration held at port of Piraeus

Frogmen of the harbour corps and the navy jumped into the sea to collect the cross. The Piraeus Metropolitan gave each of them a cross after the ceremony as a souvenir.

Arvanitopoulos said in a statement that 2014 is the year of the final effort for the country to exit from the crisis and stressed that "we must do what we have to this year, united and with determination for the country to exit from the crisis to enable the younger generations to hope, to be able to obtain the right to employment, to be able to obtain the right to hope".

[06] PM and PASOK leader to meet on Tuesday, PASOK sources say

The meeting is expected to cover issues relating to Greece's EU presidency and the new round of talks with the troika, ahead of its arrival in Athens.

According to the PASOK sources, Venizelos is also expected to raise the issue of higher hospital admission fees - raised to 25 euros since the start of the year - in the framework of PASOK proposals for improving social policy for vulnerable groups.

[07] FM Venizelos attends ACCI event for launch of Greek EU presidency

During the event, at which the ACCI also cut the traditional 'New Year' cake, Venizelos stressed that 2014 would be the year of a final exit from bailout memorandums and the crisis and stressed that the government was "banking on the real economy" to achieve this.

He also expressed his conviction that things were changing and that the major sacrifices demanded of the Greek people were finally beginning to yield results.

ACCI President Costantinos Michalos said that 2014 will be a "landmark-year" for Greece but stressed that growth could not recover as long as households and businesses continued to be squeezed by high taxes.

[08] FM Venizelos to inspect Zappion Mansion premises on Tuesday

The opening ceremony of the Greek Presidency will be taking place on Wednesday, in the presence of European Council president Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and the College of Commissioners.

[09] European Parliament denies Samaras intervention to postpone Karas visit

The decision to postpone a visit to Greece by a European Parliament delegation was taken by European Parliament President Martin Schulz, without any intervention by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a press spokesperson for Schulz clarified on Monday. The delegation led by European Parliament vice-president Othmar Karas had planned to visit Athens this week as part of an inquiry into the role and operations of the troika in European countries that received bailouts.

The press spokesman said the decision was taken after Schulz consulted with two rapporteurs of the EuroParliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, due to the events taking place in Athens for the start of the Greek EU presidency in the first half of 2014, which meant that the interest of the media in the delegation's work could not be taken for granted.

Sources close to Schulz said that the European Parliament president contacted Samaras on the telephone on Sunday night to express his regret that he was unable to attend the events in Athens due to other engagements. They said the Greek premier had not made any request concerning the delegation's arrival in Athens.

[10] SYRIZA allegations over postponed Karas visit

SYRIZA had earlier accused the government of seeking to delay the visit "in panic", with the support of the European Parliament President Martin Schulz. It also asserted that the government "trembled" at the thought of a discussion on the aims and repercussions of the bailout memorandums, as well its own share of responsibility in adopting "a disastrous programme that plunged the country into a deep recession."

The claims drew a sharp response from government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou, who accused SYRIZA of being "stuck on conspiracy theories and attempts to defamate the country" and of making "wild and outrageous allegations".

The delegation's visit was originally scheduled for January 8-9.

[11] Deputy FM Kourkoulas says strategic importance of Greece and Cyprus upgraded

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas, speaking in an interview with the newspaper "Fileleftheros", stressed that "the experience of the crisis is offering to us the tools to exercise the duties of the Presidency with a 'fresh glance'."

He added that "precisely because we are aware of the real repercussions of the crisis we also have a strong incentive for promoting and implementing policies that will take us out of it".

Kourkoulas, replying to questions on the issues of energy and the role of Greece and Cyprus, stressed that the upgrading of the strategic importance of Cyprus and Greece is a fact that is due to many factors, energy ones as well as factors related to instability and liquidity in the wider region.

The Greek deputy minister said that Greece and Cyprus, despite the deep economic crisis, constitute irreplaceable poles of stability.

[12] Opposition disputes Stournaras' upbeat prediction of economic recovery

Main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA), in an announcement, stressed that Stournaras "lost no opportunity to confirm that he is out of touch with reality, even when the European Commission demolishes the stage sets of artificial optimism."

According to SYRIZA, the minister was seeing recovery "amid the ruins of a government policy he takes pride in and handing out cheap promises to the Greek people, due to be fulfilled at the Second Coming."

Similarly, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said the finance minister's promises of years of recovery, return to the markets and an end to memorandums were 'fake' for the people, since even without memorandums the recovery of the capitalist economy will not bring relief to the masses nor stop the implementation of anti-popular measures.

"In any case, the goals of competitiveness of capital to which the minister refers demand new burdens for the Greek people and all peoples of Europe, which in 2014 will be imposed with strict supervision of member-states by the EU.

Independent Greeks party spokesman Notis Marias referred to "promises of a so-called recovery" at a time when Greeks had been impoverished by austerity policies, accusing Stournaras of seeking to boost the ruling coalition's lowered morale with a "psychological massage' that was disputed by even his most fervent supporters in the EU.

[13] Former PM Simitis expresses fears of Greece's eurozone exit

"In Germany, Austria, Holland, as well as in other countries, a large section of the population considers solidarity for Greece excessive. They are calling for Greece's departure from the eurozone", he said.

The former prime minister added that "the scenario of Ifighenia, Greece to be sacrificed for a 'fair wind' to return to the eurozone remains possible. Because the Greek debt is not sustainable in particular and will not be limited to 124 percent of GDP in 2020, as the target remains".

Simitis further said that "the EU has financed Greece in various ways up to the beginning of 2013. The amount of the funds and guarantees that were given reaches about 340 billion. It is unprecedented funding at international level".

Minister says 25-euro hospital charges can be 'swapped' for equivalent measures; medical association presents proposals

The higher 25-euro fee for each patient admitted to state hospitals could be scrapped only if an equivalent measure was agreed, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Monday to SKAI radio station.

He announced a meeting within the week with members of the ruling coalition's junior partner PASOK in order to find such measures and exempt certain classes of unemployed from the measure.#

"I consider the 25-euro measure a reform, I consider it correct and defend it, but I also respect the differences with PASOK and will talk with them," Georgiadis said. He explained that the troika did not object to the abolition of the 25-euro fee as long as there was an increase in patient contribution to the cost of medical tests and other procedures.

In an announcement issued after the minister's interview, the Athens Medical Association counterproposed cuts to hospital spending in order to 'rationalise' the health system and warned that many patients needing treatment in hospital would be deterred because they were unable to pay the admission charges.

The medical association also suggested an income-correlated fee scale and other measures to lower hospital costs - including the creation and monitoring of hygiene protocols to cut down on hospital infections that often doubled or tripled the length of hospital stays and other organisational changes. Until these proposals took effect, meanwhile, doctors stressed that the unemployed, disabled, imprisoned and those with chronic ailments should be exempted from the 25-euro admission rate.

[14] SYRIZA comments on new hospital admission fees, pension cuts

A party announcement noted that the "internal squabbles" a few months before the specific measure was passed by both ruling coalition parties showed that it was yet another measure "seen as an opportunity for cost-free communications games" at the expense of the Greek people suffering as a result of their policies.

The party's head of Parliamentary control of the labour ministry Dimitris Stratoulis, meanwhile, forecast the "absolute annihilation of supplementary pensions or, at best, their restriction to a bare minimum" in response to press reports on this issue.

According to Stratoulis, the government and troika were pushing for major cuts to supplementary pensions and lump sums from the start of the year, with more cuts to main pensions after the EuroParliament elections "that will lead pensioners to absolute financial destitution and poverty".

[15] Independent Greeks party tables amendment to abolish 25-euro hospital admittance fee

Party spokesman Notis Marias was scathing in his criticism of the "memorandum majority of ND-PASOK", noting that they had voted the unconstitutional Medium-Term strategy legislating for the measures in 2012 and were now "shedding crocodile tears" about the new charges faced by patients.

"This slapstick comedy with the MPs of the memorandum coalition government must immediately end," he added, noting that the impoverished Greek people, reeling from constant austerity measures and mass unemployment, could not withstand yet more financial burdens in the sensitive area of health.

[16] DIM.AR stresses need for universal healthcare

The party stressed that providing universal healthcare was an obligation of the state that must not be put off, especially in a period marked by high unemployment and lower incomes.

"No fiscal goal should put the lives of citizens in danger," the announcement stressed.

[17] Embassy attack will not disrupt Greek-German relations, ambassador tells 'Kathimerini'

"It would appear that there are some people out there that would like to push the country off course and believe that the signs of economic recovery do not serve their goals," the German ambassador said a few days after the attack. "Attacks of this sort will not succeed in disrupting Greek-German relations," he added, stressing that the friendship between the two countries was built on firm foundations.

"We consider our country one of Greece's closest friends and we will continue to support Greece in its difficult course toward recovery. The Greek EU presidency can count on our support," the ambassador said, adding that Greece remains a safe country.

[18] Police not working blind in embassy hit investigation, minister says

The minister said the same was true of other cases and clarified that the distance between this stage and drawing up charges was "huge".

During the interview, Dendias criticised judges for permitting the release of the now fugitive suspected terrorist Nikos Maziotis after the 18-month maximum for incarceration on remand had expired and also hinted at evidence of an 'osmosis' between ordinary criminals and terrorism.

[19] Ministerial decision introduces discount power rates on smog alert days

The decision stipulates that the discount will apply when smog alerts are announced, calling for short-term measures to reduce the level of airborne particles released by fires burning solid fuel. The discount is for the "competitive-section" of power tariffs and is equal to 70 percent of the region's domestic rate, for all domestic consumers with a four-month consumption of up to 2000 kWh and for a number of days equal to the days of the implementation of the measures.

The cost will be covered from the state budget and is estimated to reach roughly 40 million euros annually.

Previous JMD's have already introduced zero 'competitive-section' charges for double the number of days of smog for households already included in the power company's 'social residential tariff' for vulnerable consumers, such as the unemployed or those with serious health issues, and for welfare structures.

Power suppliers now have an obligation to inform their customers about the measures via the bill they issue.

The ruling coalition's junior partner PASOK expressed "satisfaction" with the JMD in an announcement released by the party's press office on Saturday.

"PASOK had pointed out early on the need to adopt the proposal made by [PASOK leader] Evangelos Venizelos for the implementation of a significant discount to power rates for low and medium-consumption households not included in the social tariff," the announcement said.

The party also reiterated previous proposals for dealing with the problem of smog pollution, including 'time windows' when cheaper heating oil with lower tax will be available and faster payment of heating benefits.

General News

[20] Military plane air-lifts transplant patient to Pisa, Italy

The patient was accompanied by a team of doctors and the plane then returned to the 112 Battle Wing in Elefsina. The costs of the flight were covered by EOM.

[21] Six arrested, dozens detained at match between AEK Athens, Egaleo team

Most of the arrests took place in and around the Egaleo municipal stadium before the start and after the end of the game.

Commenting on the violence that marred the 3rd division match, Deputy Minister for Culture and Sports Yiannis Andrianos said the "unacceptable incidents must meet with the clearcut and unequivocal condemnation of the entire sports world of our country" and said he had contacted the prime minister over the incident.

"The will of the prime minister and the government is clear and given: outbreaks of violence, as with every kind of antisocial behaviour, must be tackled with absolutely no tolerance," he said.

[22] Police crackdown on illicit trade, begging in Central Macedonia

In various regions of the Pieria, Imathia, Pella, Kilkis, Serres and Halkidiki prefectures, a total of 578 checks took place between December 30 and January 3.

Ten illicit trade offences were confirmed during the checks and administrative fines were imposed and four misdemeanour offences for begging, while 263 products and illicit trade items were confiscated.

[23] Two arrested on Salamina island for contraband cigarettes

[24] Two arrested in Hania for armed robberies

The first robbery occured at about 8 in the evening when two armed robbers entered the fuel station and seized at gunpoint what money they could find in the cash desk.

Two hours later, a hooded gunman entered the Propo agency in the city of Hania and made his getaway with about 800 euros.

Police, acting on information received, detected the two men speedily. An ensuing interrogation revealed that the two arrested men were the perpetrators of seven armed robberies that had taken place in Hania recently.

[25] Five arrested after police operation at Thessaloniki Aristotelio University

Charges were filed against the five regarding the infringement of laws on "substances addiction", "weapons" and "foreign nationals".

More specifically, two Greeks and a foreign national were arrested for possessing small quantities of hashish and pills, one foreign national was arrested for possessing a flicknife and another foreign national for whom two pending convictions were pending and who lacked necessary documents to stay in the country.

All the arrested persons will be brought before a prosecutor.

[26] Three arrested for stealing oil from trucks

Police detected a car with the three men on Saturday evening at a parking lot located on the Komotini-Xanthi motorway, while they were stealing oil from a truck.

The three attempted to escape, but police reacted immediately and arrested them. An ensuing investigation revealed that during the same evening they had stolen a total of 200 litres of oil from two other trucks.

[27] Fires in ATM machines, cars in Piraeus

Fires also broke out in two cars parked at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus at dawn. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage. The Fire Brigade did not rule out the possibility of this case also being the result of arson.

[28] Valtetsi municipal unity inhabitants react to creation of refuse management unit

The inhabitants and agencies termed the study by the contractor company unprepared and criticised local authorities. They also spoke of the location's unsuitability and stressed that the study is illegal since existing legislation is being violated.

Sports

[29] Super League results

In other action:

PAS Yiannena-Asteras Tripolis 0-2

Ergotelis-Atromitos 0-1

Panetolikos-Panathinaikos 1-0

Veria-Platanias 2-2

Panthrakikos-Levadiakos 1-0

Panionios-OFI 0-0

Xanthi-PAOK 1-2

Aris-Apollon Smyrnis 0-2

Standings after 18 weeks of play:

1. Olympiakos 52

2. PAOK 42

3. Atromitos Athens 35

4. Panathinaikos Athens 30

5. Asteras Tripoli 29

6. Xanthi 24

7. Panetolikos 24

8. Panthrakikos 24

9. PAS Yiannena 23

10. OFI Crete 22

11. Panionios Athens 21

12. Ergotelis 20

13. Kalloni Mytilini 19

14. Platanias Hania 19

15. Levadiakos 17

16. Apollon Smyrnis 17

17. Veria 15

18. Aris Thessaloniki 11

Weather Forecast

[30] Rainy on Tuesday

[31] The Saturday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

AVGHI TIS KYRIAKIS: "Smokescreen for measures and debt'

EPOCHI: 'Christmas goblins in Athens'.

ESTIA: 'Employers' poverty breeds unemployment'

ETHNOS TIS KYRIAKIS: 'The unknown 2014'.

KATHIMERINI: 'Dendias: "We are not working blind on embassy hit".

KYRIAKATIKI DIMOKRATIA: '(Former PM) Simitis breaking out in cold sweat'

KYRIAKATIKI ELEFTHEROTYPIA: 'Everything turned topsy-turvy for supplementary pensions'.

KYRIAKATIKOS RIZOSPASTIS: '"Long-term" memorandums for all the peoples of Europe.

LOGOS: 'Contradictory messages about Greek economy'.

NAFTEMPORIKI: 'Greece's exit to the markets in a 'murky' vista'

PROTO THEMA: 'Leopard + Thomas = Giannos'.

REAL NEWS: '2014 The political calender'.

TO PARON: 'Germany a champion in corruption'.

TYPOS TIS KYRIAKIS: 'Council of States puts the brake on lump sum reductions'.

VIMA TIS KYRIAKIS: 'Whither goes Greece, Europe, the world'.

VRADYNI TIS KYRIAKIS: 'Establish pension with fewer work stamps, at a younger age'.

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