Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-06-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[03] Parliament votes through government pensions bill

[01] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

Sunshine is forecast in most parts of the country, with scattered cloud on the mainland. Winds north-northeasterly, light to very strong, turning gale force in the Aegean. In the north, temperatures will range from 17C to 31C; in the Ionian and the rest of the mainland from 19C to 34C; and in the Aegean islands from 20C to 28C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 21C and 32C. Scattered cloud in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 19C to 30C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.966

Pound sterling 0.647

Danish kroner 7.492

Swedish kroner 9.131

Japanese yen 119.6

Swiss franc 1.481

Norwegian kroner 7.409

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.485

Australian dollar 1.699

[03] Parliament votes through government pensions bill

Parliament on Thursday approved a controversial government bill overhauling the social insurance system, which was carried by the vote of ruling party deputies.

Deputies of the main opposition New Democracy and of the Communist Party of Greece had walked out of debate on the bill in a protest against the reform package, and did not return to vote.

Voting against the bill were the Coalition of the Left and Progress and Stephanos Manos, an independent and former economy minister under New Democracy.

The Coalition complained that only one of 35 amendments it had proposed was accepted, accusing the government of authoritarianism.

The government introduced two last-minute amendments, and accepted a third from deputies of the ruling PASOK party and Coalition.

One amendment allows working mothers to take a year's leave for the birth of their first child, one and a half years for the second child, and two years for the third without losing social insurance contributions.

The remaining two amendments allow a change in legal status for certain supplementary funds; and the merger of supplementary funds belonging to similiar enterprises. In addition, pension rights for a deceased person who married more than once will accrue to all spouses, and not only the latest.

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