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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-01-18
CONTENTS
[01] PM Karamanlis confers with ministers of defence, public order
[01] PM Karamanlis confers with ministers of defence, public order
Prime minister Costas Karamanlis conferred Thursday morning with
national defence minister Evangelos Meimarakis, and later with public
order minister Vyron Polydoras. On Thursday night, Karamanlis will
attend a reception in honour of the Diplomatic Corps at the
Presidential Mansion. The first priority is commencement of the
materialisation of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)
for the period 2007-2013, national economy and finance minister George
Alogoskoufis said Wednesday after a meeting with the prime minister,
adding that the drafting of the relevant bill was in the final stages,
with its approval by the European Commission slated for the first
quarter of 2007. Earlier Wednesday, the prime minister also met with
culture minister George Voulgarakis to discuss matters falling under
the ministry's competency.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis held talks with Economy and Finance
Minister George Alogoskoufis on Wednesday to discuss upcoming
legislation being prepared by the finance ministry.
After the meeting, Alogoskoufis said that the top priority was to start
implementing the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) for
2007-2013.
The ministers said that the draft bill was now in the final stages of
preparation, with the European Commission's expected to give its
approval in the first trimester of 2007. It is expected to go into
effect in the first half of the year, by which time the relevant
legislation will have been passed.
The National Strategic Reference Framework is a new document required
by EU regulations, in which member states outline their strategy for
spending Structural Funds. It relates to the overall Community
Strategic Guidelines which apply to the whole of the EU. The whole
process is very closely aligned to the Lisbon agenda and each NSRF has
to clearly show how the actions it proposes will further the EU push
for competitiveness, growth and more and better jobs with increased
social cohesion.
Karamanlis also conferred on Wednesday morning with culture minister
George Voulgarakis on matters falling under the ministry's jurisdicion.
Voulgarakis said after the meeting that 2008 would be the year of
Greece in China, and this required the mobilisation of many
ministries.
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