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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-16Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greek PM stresses crucial nature of Thursday's EU summit at EPPBRUSSELS (ANA - A. Panagopoulou) Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Thursday stressed the crucial nature of the European Union summit beginning later that day, while addressing a meeting of the European People's Party (EPP) in Brussels.Karamanlis said that European leaders will assess the situation after the French and Dutch rejected the European Constitution Treaty and discuss the repercussions of this rejection on the process of ratifying the Euro-Constitution, as well as the next steps. "This is a great challenge and all must rise to the occasion so that the European affair can progress," the Greek premier stressed. Referring to the EU budget for 2007-2013 and the strong disagreements between many of the member-states, Karamanlis said that achieving an agreement will be a very complex and difficult enterprise. "At the present political conjunction, the EU must send out a clear signal and a message of effectiveness to all its citizens," he added. The Greek premier is due to meet Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos on Friday. [02] Greek inflation slowed in May, Eurostat saysGreek annual inflation slowed to 3.2 percent in May from 3.3 percent in April and was the fourth higher rate in the EU-25, Eurostat said on Thursday.The EU executive's statistics agency said the inflation rate fell to 1.9 percent in May from 2.1 percent in April in the EU-25, with Sweden (0.2 pct), Finland (0.6 pct), Czech Republic (0.9 pct) and Holland (1.1 pct) recording the lowest inflation rates. Latvia (6.5 pct), Luxembourg (3.7 pct), Hungary (3.5 pct) and Greece (3.2 pct) recorded the highest inflation rates. The monthly inflation rate rose in Germany, Italy and Malta, it fell in 19 member-states and was unchanged in Ireland, Luxembourg and the UK. [03] Capital Markets' Commission intensifies inspections in listed companies, securities firmsGreece's Capital Market's Commission is intensifying inspections in listed companies and securities firms aiming to ensure the implementation of corporate governance principles in the domestic market, the Commission's president Alexis Pilavios said on Thursday.Speaking to reporters, during a news conference, Pilavios said the Capital Markets' Commission would include special inspections to securities firms to its activities and noted the Commission was recommending that a new draft legislation on the domestic capital market, drafted by Economy ministry, would offer incentives to setting up investment firms, since their role was steadily weakening after several banks absorbed their investment subsidiaries string their names off the board. Pilavios said the commission was recommending that investment firms could borrow up to 35 percent of their assets and pledged rapid procedures in setting up investment companies. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |