Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-08-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis to address ND's main campaign rally in Athens on Sept. 14

[02] Papandreou addresses PASOK's candidates

[01] Karamanlis to address ND's main campaign rally in Athens on Sept. 14

Meanwhile, on Monday, new ND party spokesman Constantinos Arvanitopoulos announced the first part of ND's campaign schedule, with rallies set for Agrinio on Sept. 1; Larissa on Sept. 2; Irakleio, Crete on Sept. 10; Thessaloniki on Sept. 12, and finally, the main campaign rally in Athens, on Sept. 14 - two days before the election.

Other addresses and rallies will be scheduled, the spokesman said.

Earlier on Monday, Karamanlis was briefed by Interior and Public Administration Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, whose portfolio includes most of the state apparatus that will organise and manage the election process.

A day earlier, in addressing supporters at a rally in the northern town of Drama on the occasion of a ceremony naming an amphitheatre in the township after his namesake and uncle, late statesman Constantine Karamanlis.

Karamanlis reiterated that not one of his government's commitments is being abandoned.

"The first step is the immediate implementation (following the elections) of draft laws already tabled in Parliament. We are creating a national social cohesion fund, we will be granting, from the beginning of 2008, the large family allowance to families with three children; we are increasing the unemployment allowance even more and, of course, we are increasing the EKAS allowance and the pensions of the Farmers Pension Fund (OGA). All this, of course, constitutes basic ingredients of the next budget," the prime minister said.

Referring to the Sept. 16 elections, Karamanlis spoke of a crucial juncture, since, as he said, decisions will have to be taken that will have an impact on the future of the country and of its children.

"There is only one path for us, the path of work and of results, the path of changes and of reforms," he further said, adding that "we are calling on the Greeks to ratify this strategy with their vote in the elections. We are forging ahead for a new and strong mandate to enable us to continue and to complete the strategy of changes and of reforms."

Finally, Karamanlis accused the opposition of having a "nihilistic attitude" towards the work of his government. He predicted that tension and polarisation on the part of the opposition will heighten in the near future -- stressing that his New Democracy party will not follow this path.

"It is our decision to leave them alone on the downhill path that they are following. The citizens have condemned these practices and reject them. We are defending the mild political climate; we are turning our backs on practices that have led to dissention in the past. We are looking ahead. We respect all citizens. We are proud of our work and we shall continue the reforms and changes that the country needs," the prime minister said.

Karamanlis also made a brief account of the government's work, stressing that the positive results of his government's policy have been recognised by international organisations and by the country's partners in the European Union.

CAPTION: ANA-MPA file photo of Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

[02] Papandreou addresses PASOK's candidates

Papandreou, the former foreign minister, repeated that a PASOK government elected on Sept. 16 will "reverse wrongs and redistribute income", as he met and shook hands with practically all of the party's announced candidates for every election district in the country.

"(Ruling) New Democracy is leaving under the weight of its policy impasses, which had started to turn into impasses for the country and Hellenism. Fortunately, ND's supposed work was left in the middle," he said, while charging that the ruling party was without a plan for the future and lacked direction.

In again centering on the issue of questionable purchases of structured bonds by state-run pension funds, particularly one bought by the civil servants' fund early in the year, Papandreou reiterated his call for "all money to be returned before the elections."

Additionally, he charged that Premier Karamanlis was forced to call early elections because of his government's inability to implement the ongoing state budget or even draw up a draft budget for 2008.

Finally, he flatly disputed the notion that both main parties are "the same thing" - criticism often aired by leftist parties - saying that there is both a major substantive and ideological difference between them.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Papandreou

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