Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-06-06

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

Monday June 6, 2016

CONTENTS

[01] President highlights dangers of climate change in World Environment Day message

[02] Gov't cannot be intimidated, Gerovasili comments after attack on minister's home

[03] PM Tsipras: 'We are entering a new period of growth with fairness'

[04] ND condemns attack near Flambouraris' residence in Exarchia

[05] Foreign ministry urges Albanian leadership to show 'seriousness' in response to 'unacceptable statements'

[06] No one will be 'let off' by previous legislation on offshore firms, Alt. Justice minister says

[07] Seven in 10 Greeks agree with measures regarding offshore firms, Palmos Analysis poll shows

[08] The government is voting for everything 'without inhibitions,' ND's Staikouras tells ANA-MPA

[09] New reforms will cut the 'umbilical cord' between media owners and state, Gerovasili says

[10] Minor to light earthquake recorded south-southeast of Crete

[11] Metro and tram staff begin warning strikes on Monday morning

[12] Police bust arms-trafficking ring operating since 2007

[13] First day of 2016 Rockwave Festival, with Dropkick Murphys and The Last Shadow Puppets headlining

[14] Reactions in Greece to plans for Koran readings in Hagia Sophia

[15] Weather Forecast

[16] Athens Headlines at a glance Politics

[01] President highlights dangers of climate change in World Environment Day message

"An immediate response, through honest and coordinated global cooperation, is our minimal obligation, especially for the generations to come," Pavlopoulos said. Any negligence, he added, activated two disastrous results, among many others: First, it endangered the living conditions and by extension the survival of humanity on the planet, putting its future at risk; and secondly, it inevitably led to increasing the already huge inequality between states and people, bringing the degradation of people and resulting, among others, in uncontrolled and for this reason extremely dangerous migration flows.

"The last phenomenon is already more than visible," Pavlopoulos noted, adding that, in the light of these facts, "World Environment Day cannot have the character of an anniversary. It must be the starting point for thought, of understanding our responsibilities and taking the imperative, brave decisions."

[02] Gov't cannot be intimidated, Gerovasili comments after attack on minister's home

"For the third time in a very short period [his] house was the target for a violent attack that, this time, led to a person's injury," Gerovasili said. "We inform all types of hooligans, as well as their willing instigators, that no one can either intimidate or blackmail the members of this government."

Gerovasili was referring to an incident that occurred at 4:00 in the morning on Sunday, when a MAT riot police platoon stationed near the minister's house in Exarchia was attacked by 30 unidentified individuals throwing stones and other objects. During the incident, one officer sustained slight injuries to his hand and three cars parked in the area were damaged.

Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Terens Quick, from the government's junior coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL), joined in condemning the attack and stressing that the government will not be intimidated.

"All those circles that either hide behind all manner of hooliganism or encourage, with their variegated and multi-level language, these sorts of attacks against one of the top mebers of the government are mistaken if they think that they can frighten us, individually or as a government whole, or intervene in the functioning of democracy," he said.

[03] PM Tsipras: 'We are entering a new period of growth with fairness'

"Growth because the country and the economy are entering a phase of reconstruction. And fairness because such growth only has meaning when its benefits are spread throughout society," Tsipras said. He explained that growth will be accompanied by ever stronger social protection, support for labour and the small and medium-sized economy and a proportional distribution of the benefits, in the same way as the burdens had been distributed during the crisis.

The prime minister said he was satisifed with the agreement on the debt, saying it was the best that could be achieved given the circumstances and was the first time Greece was given clear commitments and not just promises. Most important of all, he added, the agreement called for a "debt-capping" mechanism that will ensure the country will "never pay more than 15 pct of its annual GDP on debt repayment."

Regarding the upcoming negotiations for the second review of the Greek programme, Tsipras said the government will "protect labour, in the same way that we did for primary residences and pensions." The involvement of the European Parliament and the International Labour Organisation in the talks will, in any case, "broaden the alliances we have already formed," he added. Greece was now able to draw "red lines" and defend them effectively, the prime minister said, as it had not done in the previous five years.

Asked to make an assessment of main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis since his election as party leader, the prime minister criticised him for adopting "extremely divisive language, launching insults and criticisms at every opportunity." While denouncing populism, Mitsotakis adopted political positions that were a rehash of headlines in 'Proto Thema', the most populist and sensationalist of the country's media, Tsipras added.

He also accused the main opposition leader of lacking binding proposals for reforms beyond dismissals and the abolition of the municipal police and school caretakers, which were his own reforms as a minister. "The only time that he tried to talk about the issues was ...to the Washington Post. And he defended the reform proposals of the International Monetary Fund."

The prime minister went on to announce the government's intention to launch a dialogue on changing the election law, which must be completed in time for the next elections in 2019, while also referring to the role of the European Left.

"We are investing in a reconstruction of the European Left and the realignment of alliances in Europe," he said, noting that serious talks were taking place with all forces, and sometimes with great difficulty, "because we believe that such a realignment of alliances and correlations is the path toward a political reorientation of Europe."

[04] ND condemns attack near Flambouraris' residence in Exarchia

"The attack on Mr. Flambouraris' residence is absolutely condemnable. Steadfast in our positions, we condemn violence wherever it may come from," Koumoutsakos said.

[05] Foreign ministry urges Albanian leadership to show 'seriousness' in response to 'unacceptable statements'

"Albania needs to realize that its European course depends on the faithful implementation of the European Union's five principles, among which is respect for justice and rule of law. This presupposes that it will respect court rulings, especially when they concern war crimes, and, instead of raising non-existent issues, implement the prerequisites and its commitments with regard to protection of the rights of the indigenous Greek National Minority," the announcement said.

It also urged "seriousness" and "respect for the accurate facts of history" and "a vision for relations based on building...a future that ensures substantial progress in bilateral relations and contributes to security and stability in the wider region."

Rama and Bushati have both referred to the existence of a "Cham issue" in statements made in recent days, ahead of a visit by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias to Tirana, despite warnings from the Greek foreign ministry that the issue "does not exist" for Athens.

Foreign ministry sources, talking a few weeks earlier, had noted that the Chams, who had collaborated with Axis forces during the German occupation of Greece, had then departed from Epirus on their own initiative, permanently and as a group, following the retreating enemy forces.

[06] No one will be 'let off' by previous legislation on offshore firms, Alt. Justice minister says

The minister went on to attack main opposition New Democracy for its decision to walk out of Parliament when the measure was being discussed and voted on.

"Those who lost and fell into the hole that they had dug themselves were all those in the opposition that were rending their garments for four days and then fled from the room at a run, because they couldn't stand to hear the names Papastavrou, Panama lists, Lagarde, Borjans and all the other places where their members are," he said.

Papaggelopoulos was confident that the new law on offshore firms will stand up in the courts. "The law that was amended concerns a special category of persons, politicians. It is linked to the public interest and for this reason, we consider that it will stand up in the courts. If, however, some minister or elected official is found to have a company abroad, after the specific legislation, and seeks salvation in the European court, it will be interesting to see what party [he or she] belongs to and what statements [he or she] has made these days on morality," he said.

[07] Seven in 10 Greeks agree with measures regarding offshore firms, Palmos Analysis poll shows

Based on its results, 67 pct of New Democracy voters agree with the government measure and only 28 pct are opposed. Another seven in 10 Greeks disagrees with ND's decision to walk out of the debate in Parliament on the measure, while this number falls to 52 pct of ND voters, with 38 pct of ND voters expressing agreement with the decision.

Among all respondents, 61 pct said that ND's Parliamentary group walked out of Parliament in order to protect party members and political figures that participate in offshore firms, while this number drops to three in 10 of ND voters. Only 9 pct of Greeks said they were convinced by ND's argument that the measure is unconstitutional.

The same poll found that six in 10 Greeks disagree with ND's demand for early elections, especially after the government concluded the first review of the programme. Just 36 pct of Greeks wants elections, which are also rejected by four in 10 ND voters.

The Palmos Analysis poll was conducted nationwide on June 3-4 using a sample of 1,014 voters with proportional distribution among the country's prefectures, based on those registered on the electoral rolls.

[08] The government is voting for everything 'without inhibitions,' ND's Staikouras tells ANA-MPA

He pointed out that the government was only due to get 7.5 billion euros in exchange for the very tough measures it had taken, whereas the original agreement had been for the disbursement of 15 billion euros when the review was concluded. "This is not what one would call success," he quipped.

Staikouras also criticised the strategy adopted by the government, saying it had deprived the Greek economy of liquidity, and openly accused the prime minister of deceiving the Greek people, while noting that the road map for settling the debt remained "vague".

Commenting on ND's call for early elections, Staikouras said that ND and its leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis considered that "the cost of this government remaining is greater than the cost of its removal," and that this cost was not confined to the economy alone. He referred to problematic actions and statements by members of the government over the entire spectrum of public life, especially the efforts for structural reform and privatisations.

[09] New reforms will cut the 'umbilical cord' between media owners and state, Gerovasili says

The new licensing procedure for television channels will "for the first time introduce order" and make owners pay for the concession of a public good given for their use, Gerovasili noted. According to the spokeswoman, a shortlist of possible participants in the tender will be announced in July, followed by the final list of participants in August. She said that the procedure will adhere to the strictest standards of transparency, monitored by an international firm of chartered accountants selected by open tender. She also predicted that the changes will put an end to the "media sweat shops" denounced by many journalists in the sector, introducing laws that protected labour.

Referring to the new regulatory framework for internet news services, which Minister of State Nikos Pappas will unveil on Monday, Gerovasili said this would impose order on an "anarchic landscape that breeds corruption". She pointed out that a ring of blackmailers recently exposed had operated via such news websites and suggested that the blackmailers' links to main opposition New Democracy had not yet been satisfactorily explained.

"Our predecessors allowed another wound in the area of news and information to fester. I am talking about businesses with an unknown ownership status and "third-class" employees, without rights and on starvation wages. We are closing this wound," she said.

The government's measures will also seek to ensure transparency in media funding, especially from state-sector and bank advertising spending, Gerovasili said. She noted that this was the limit of the government's permitted role and that issues pertaining to publication, code of conduct and the standards of news coverage, were the responsibility of journalists themselves, with the public as final judge.

According to Gerovasili, the current state of Greece's ailing journalism sector was reflected in the Journalists Without Borders report, where the country tumbled 64 places in the world rankings since 2009 to reach an all-time low of 99th in 2014. This was the largest drop in the world, she added, noting that it occurred in a democratic country, where journalists were not persecuted for their beliefs or jailed, nor targeted with violence, and she linked the phenomenon to the harsh austerity programme imposed on Greece.

"The implementation of the memorandum revealed something that, of course, we already knew. The relationship of dependence between the media and the state, public money and the banks," she said. "As soon as the state funding dried up, the pre-existing crisis took on explosive dimensions and for the next years, the large media firms continued to exist only due to bank lending." In what she described as a further scandal, Gerovasili pointed out that lending to some media companies had not dropped in the crisis years, even when it had completely dried up for other sectors of the economy.

General News

[10] Minor to light earthquake recorded south-southeast of Crete

[11] Metro and tram staff begin warning strikes on Monday morning

Urban Rail Transport (STASY) staff have announced work stoppages on the following days and times:

Monday, June 6 from the start of the shift until 10:00

Wednesday, June 8 from 12:00 to 16:00

Friday, June 10 from 22:00 to the end of the shift

Monday, June 13 from the start of the shift until 10:00

Wednesday, June 15 from 21:00 until the end of the shift

Friday, June 17 from 12:00 to 17:00

[12] Police bust arms-trafficking ring operating since 2007

The suspects under arrest will face criminal and misdemeanour charges for arms offences and include a special guard and police officer serving in Crete, as well as a special guard serving in Attica. The case also includes a further 28 individuals that will face charges for similar offences.

The ring operated by transporting gun parts or non-working guns by courier, which they then converted to working guns and sold on the domestic market.

Authorities found and confiscated 45 pistols, 9 rifles, three hand-grenades, 22 shotguns, 11 air-guns and large amounts of various types of ammunition during their raids.

[13] First day of 2016 Rockwave Festival, with Dropkick Murphys and The Last Shadow Puppets headlining

TLSP is a group formed by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane (The Rascals & solo project), who met up in 2005 during an Arctic Monkeys tour in the UK. They were joined by James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco, Simian) and Zach Dawes (Mini Mansions) to release their debut album, "The Age of Understatement," in 2008.

Eight years later, TLSP have returned with the release of their second album "Everything You've come to expect" that includes the singles "Bad Habits" and "Aviation" and are now on tour to promote the new album, making a first stop in Athens at the now 21-year-old Rockwave Festival.

The Dropkick Murphys have been with us since the mid-1990s, ever since they released their legendary album "Do or Die, and will head a high-octane line-up that also includes the Norwegians Turbonegro (also in Greece for the first time), the Greek punk band Despite Everything and Athens-based punk rock band Wish Upon A Star opening.

Appearing on the Terravibe stage before TLSP are Suede, who are returning to Greece to promote their new album "Night Thoughts" and the UK bank The Subways, as well as Greek bands The Callas and Whereswilder opening the set.

The second day of the festival on July 19 will feature Lana Del Ray headlining, with the band Allah Las opening.

The festival is scheduled to open with Wish Upon A Star at 15:30 and end with "The Last Shadow Puppets" about half an hour after midnight.

[14] Reactions in Greece to plans for Koran readings in Hagia Sophia

According to the same sources, the announcement "appeared to come from another age" and "any such actions are anachronistic, incomprehensible and display a lack of respect toward religious monuments that are symbols of the world's cultural heritage."

The decision was also strongly criticised by main opposition New Democracy, which noted that Hagia Sophia was an age-old symbol of the Orthodox Christian church and this selfevident fact had been respected without fail by all governments of the modern Turkish state, which had treated the monument as a museum.

"The decision by Turkish authorities to programme recitations of the Koran in Hagia Sophia for the next month essentially converts it into a mosque for the first time after 80 years. It is an action that is provocative, incomprehensible and a sign of lack of respect toward Orthodox Christians throughout the world, which is not compatible with Turkey's European course," an ND announcement said.

It also called on the foreign ministry to take the necessary action and "leave aside pointless blustering through ministry sources," noting that the issue was too important to handle by trying to keep all sides happy.

Hagia Sophia is a former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica, later an imperial mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. For 917 years from the date of its construction in 537 AD, it served as an Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople. The building then became an imperial mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931.

It was then secularized and opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". It remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520.

[15] Weather Forecast

[16] Athens Headlines at a glance

DIMOKRATIA: Cuts to all pensions every three years!

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: Suffocating pressure on borrowers.

ETHNOS: The new public sector with fast track procedures

KATHIMERINI: Taxes bringing a 'black out' for the economy

LOGOS: New privatisation fund a stumbling block for the agreement.

PRIN: Greece-France Alliance with fights and strikes!

PROTO THEMA: Tuition fees and barriers to universities.

Real News: Tsipras ambush with simple proportional representatiom!

RIZOSPASTIS: No compromise with the labour galleys and the new anti-labour measures

TO PARON: Public Prosecutor Tsatani 'above' Parliament!

TO VIMA: Abolition of the 13th-14th wages on the table

VRADYNI: Triple vice on pensions and contributions

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