Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis: Reforms continuing in all sectors, points to privatisations

[02] PASOK, Coalition over bonds issue

[03] KKE, Synaspismos on PMās speech

[04] FM announces plans for Mid-East tour

[01] Karamanlis: Reforms continuing in all sectors, points to privatisations

"We are obliged to dare making the necessary reforms and prepare ourselves in order to take advantage of all the opportunities," Karamanlis said, warning that inertia, conservatism and persistence on outdated models constituted "recipes for failure".

The new age demands reforms," he added, speaking in the auditorium of the Evgenidios Foundation.

Karamanlis noted that privatisations are continuing, making special mention of the further privatisation of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) and the Post Office Bank, the better use of the public sector's assets, and preparation for the Public Gas Corp.ās (DE.PA) listing on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE).

He further made an extensive reference to the achievements of the Greek economy, placing emphasis on the reduction of the fiscal deficit by give percentage points over the last few years, while at the same time maintaining high growth rates of over 4 percent, and the containment of unemployment to below 9 percent for the first time.

The premier also spoke of the role played by Greece as a commercial and transit hub in the wider region of Southeast Europe.

"Greece is attracting today new and dynamic investments. It is providing significant opportunities for business initiatives in sectors such as tourism, renewable sources of energy, and in general, energy infrastructure," Karamanlis told the gathering.

Karamanlis pointed to the unprecedented activity in the country in the energy sector with the signing of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline deal and ongoing construction of a Turkey-Greece natural gas pipeline and its extension, the Greece-Italy underwater pipeline.

In focusing on the massive role played by Greek-owned shipping interests in the economy, the prime minister said development of an international shipping and business centre on 64 hectares of land in a former Piraeus port area translates into a one-billion-euro investment.

Regarding the equally crucial tourism sector, Karamanlis said the long-term strategy aims at offering significant subsidization and increased incentives for all forms of tourism in tandem with the establishment of new zoning and town planning guidelines for tourism investments.

Finally, the premier said Greece backs the German EU presidencyās proposal regarding a new Euro-constitution.

"There is no doubt, furthermore, that all of the Union member-states owe a great deal of their economic and social achievements to the coordination of our forces and efforts, within common trans-national bodies," he added.

[02] PASOK, Coalition over bonds issue

PASOK spokesman Petros Efthymiou said that "the operation to cover up ths scandal with the looting of social insurance funds is collapsing."

Efthymiou further said that the issue of the social insurance funds "is a major political issue with global originality, since it concerns the seizure of money by one part of the public sector from another part."

Lastly, commenting on a statement by Employment Minister Savvas Tsitouridis that employees must not be concerned about their pensions, which the government guarantees, Efthymiou said that Tsitouridis should have explained why it did not guarantee the property of the social insurance funds.

Referring to the same issue, Coalition party leader Alekos Alavanos said that Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "is not convincing us", adding that the prime minister and the New Democracy party government have hot questions to answer to.

"Why is there such unaccountability? How will the money be returned which some have looted from the social insurance funds? Will it (the government) agree to the creation of a Factfinding Committee that the Coalition party has requested and the other opposition parties have also accepted?" Alavanos added.

[03] KKE, Synaspismos on PMās speech

?The prime minister said thousands of truths in his speech to the capitalists and ship-owners, referring to his governmentās work for them, regarding their profits, which are mythical, about the motives and tax exemptions, and perhaps he has not said enough? the KKE announcement said.

The announcement added that the main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) ?has every reason to protest, the prime minister covered-up that in the work of the enormous profit by capitalists and ship-owners, it (PASOK) too had a great contribution.?

According to the KKE, the government ?is obliged to explain, given as it claims, that working people also gain from the profit of capital, as the profits are mythical, 8.5 billion euros, were the profits only from the entrants at the Bourse for 2006, why the workers received an increase of 77 cents and the working class family is in heavy debt??

?Mr. Karamanlis made clear in the most unpretentious way that the policy he is implementing and intends to escalate, in the name of āreformsā aims solely to turn the country even further to a āparadise' of general asylym for domestic and mainly foreign capital,? Synaspismos Political Bureau member Panagiotis Lafazanis announced.

?However, a government which reaches the point of giving away to ship-owners even the insurance contributions and seeks at all cost the praise of the Londonās financial circles, it is natural for it to receive, with its options, maritime tragedies, such as that of Sea Diamond, and scandals of the type of āstructured bonds,? Lafazanis said.

[04] FM announces plans for Mid-East tour

She also anticipated that "important talks" would be held between the Greek government and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who is due to visit Athens in the coming days.

The first section of the conference was on "The present and future in the Middle East", while scheduled speakers after Bakoyannis included U.S. Ambassador to Athens Charles Ries, Israeli ambassador to Athens Ali Yahya, and Egyptian Ambassador to Athens Hamdi Loza.

Ries focused mainly on the issue of energy security and the role of the Middle East as a major energy supplier, pointing out that consumer countries risked becoming "hostage" if they did not differentiate their energy sources.

The Israeli ambassador spoke of a conflict between moderates and extremists in the region and stressed the dangers of Iran's suspected nuclear arms programme, while the Egyptian ambassador focused on the Palestinian problem, contrasting the swift resolution sought by the international community in Kosovo with the 40-year-long ongoing crisis in Palestine.

Greek minister calls for "comprehensive strategy" for Middle East

Bakoyannis said the various problems in the Middle East could not be addressed separately but needed a comprehensive strategy, with the participation of all the players, including Iran and Syria.

She also underlined the need for realism, positive signals and presenting a vision for the peoples in the region, saying the international community had to strengthen the international call for stability and peace while isolating "extremist voices" that sabotaged dialogue.

The minister emphasised the potential role of the European Union in the region, saying that it could play an important political, humanitarian and economic role in resolving the Palestinian problem, which lay at the heart of the problems in the Middle East.

She also noted the role of EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Defence Javier Solana in Iran and referred to the EU as a "gentle power" that could act in complement to the other powers, such as the U.S., build bridges and inspire trust.

Referring to Iraq, Bakoyannis pointed out that instability remained after four years of conflict, with massive human casualties that included many non-combatants. Commenting on projectios that saw Iraq fragmenting, she underlined that Greece and the other EU countries staunchly supported territorial integrity and cohesion for Iraq.

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