Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-06-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Thursday

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[03] Government, main opposition clash over economy

[01] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Thursday

Most parts of the country will see scattered cloud, with isolated storms likely on high ground in Epirus and Macedonia and showers in Crete. Winds north-northeasterly, light to strong. In the west, temperatures will range from 16C to 32C; on the rest of the mainland from 14C to 30C; and in the Aegean islands from 17C to 27C. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 30C; and in Thessaloniki from 16C to 28C.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.178

Pound sterling 0.722

Danish kroner 7.484

Swedish kroner 9.178

Japanese yen 139.7

Swiss franc 1.548

Norwegian kroner 8.142

Cyprus pound 0.591

Canadian dollar 1.598

Australian dollar 1.772

[03] Government, main opposition clash over economy

Prime Minister Costas Simitis on Wednesday stressed that the government's priority up to 2006 is the decrease of unemployment to 7.5 per cent and of the public debt to 90 per cent of the GDP, while he lambasted main opposition New Democracy (ND) for ''its relations with special interests''.

Speaking during an off the agenda parliamentary debate on the economy and the social state, called by ND leader Costas Karamanlis, Simitis stressed that according to PASOK's program workers will not become subservient to the demands of the employers but to have more growth with education and training of workers.

He said, the aim of the government is to decrease unemployment to less than 7.5 per cent by 2006, while speaking of Greece's rate of development, he said that it is the highest of the European Union's member states, despite high defense spending, ''for which no one stepped up to request their decrease''.

He underlined that a second priority for the government is to decrease the public debt down to 90 per cent of GDP also by 2006.

Responding to the prime minister, main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Costas Karamanlis said that ''once again, I am of the impression that (Prime Minister Costas) Simitis is fully cutoff from Greek reality.''

Karamanlis underlined that ''farmers are not happy'', commenting to reactions of PASOK deputies that interrupted him.

''Large portions of the Greek regions are been deserted, live in misery and nationally vital areas are in danger. You (Simitis) claim that farmer borrow money with favorable terms. Where? In the country of the compounded interest?'' Karamanlis said.

''You discovered now the vested interests. During the summer of 2001, you had responded to my letter that the governments of PASOK completed the institutional framework. What happened since them Mr. Simitis? We can talk about this any time,'' Karamanlis said.

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