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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-07-07Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Gov't creating just society with reforms, FinMin saysFinance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis addressed the ruling New Democracy party's 7th Regular Congress on Saturday, saying that the government is creating a just society with its reforms and through a dynamic economy. Alogoskoufis outlined the government's main guidelines for growth, employment and social cohesion, that are restructuring public finances, boosting entrepreneurship, improving the economy's competitiveness and extroversion and creating an effective social state.The finance minister also spoke of the results of economic policy, that are tangible. Alogoskoufis said that public finances are on the right path, the fiscal deficit dropped for the first time to 2.6 percent of GDP, growth is dynamic and it is being strengthened. He stressed that the growth rate is one of the highest in the eurozone and has reached 4.6 percent in the first quarter of 2007. The GDP per capita is nearing 80 percent of the European Union's average. Unemployment is decreasing and the real available income of households is increasing. Alogoskoufis further said that inflation is easing and social cohesion is being strengthened with specific action, while the minimum unemloyment benefit is increasing from 311 to 404 euros. The finance minister also criticised the main opposition PASOK party and made a comparison of the ND government's economic policy with that of PASOK governments, saying that "they, when in power, had undermined the economy and broken the social fabric with their options for a quarter of a century, tripling the public debt, tripling unemployment and turning away investments." Alogoskoufis ended his address by saying that the government is preparing reforms that will secure the continuation of the country's progress. Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Finance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis. [02] Minister of State criticises PASOK partyMinister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos addressed the ruling New Democracy party's 7th Regular Congress on Saturday, attacking the main opposition PASOK party and underlining the differences existing between the two parties. "Yesterday, today, tomorrow we reply to those who have selected the path of tension and polarisation, the path of populism and irresponsibility, the path of nihilism and abuse," he said."We understand them. That is how they have been taught. That is how they are and they will not change," he added. Roussopoulos said that the more national elections approach, the more they will be feeling the shadow of impending defeat and pointed out that "our work is our weapon," while adding that "we have done what they had not dared to do themselves when in power for 20 years, what they had been promising again and again for 20 years and which they had never turned into practice." The minister of state further noted that "our greatest opponent is not PASOK. It is the levelling that is being condensed in the phrase that supposedly they are all the same. This is what the main opposition party is trying to promote in order to conceal the sins of its past when it was in power." Roussopoulos concluded his address by saying that "clear positions are our strength. Because only with clear positions can you create clear relations with the citizens." Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Minister of State and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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