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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-09-30Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] DM on combat readiness of armed forcesDefence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis, addressing Parliament on Sunday during the three-day debate on the government's policy statements, stressed that the strength of the Greek armed forces is consolidated by the qualitative supremacy of the combat readiness of their human potential."We are moving on and placing emphasis on improving training and living conditions for the members of the armed forces, as well as for professional recruits and those retired," the minister said. Meimarakis said that the ministry's plans include increasing the number of professional recruits from 25,000 to 40,000, "also contributing in this way to the restriction or urbanisation and placing particular emphasis on border regions." Also referring to the possibility of military service being reduced, the defence minister said "a decrease in military service might be possible in the future with the utilisation of the reserves as well, but with the modern-day conjunctures no discussion is possible." Meimarakis also expressed his satisfaction over the contribution of the armed forces towards combatting the summer's wildfires, stressing that "all hailed their good, correct and dominant intervention in this issue." CAPTION: ANA-MPA file photo of Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis. [02] Education minister on new government policyEducation Minister Evripidis Stylianidis addressed Parliament on Sunday during the three-day debate on the government's policy statements, sending a message of consensus, cooperation and understanding to all political forces in the country.Stylianidis termed as a "focal political challenge the revision of article 16", with the aim of achieving coexistence between public universities and non-state, non-profit higher education foundations, while committing himself on the qualitative upgrading of public universities. He announced the taking of measures to support education for students from minorities and from sensitive social groups such as immigrants, Rom and detainees. The education minister defended the national character of education, saying that "national education is not a copy of foreign models and the cloning of other cultures, but the development of our own living culture." Lastly, Stylianidis said that the government wants the introduction of new school books to be based on serious preparation and the responsible assessment of their substantive content. CAPTION: ANA-MPA file photo of Education Minister Evripidis Stylianidis. [03] Merchant marine minister on policy statementsMerchant Marine and Island Policy Minister George Voulgarakis, speaking in Parliament on Sunday during the three-day debate on the government's policy statements said that the consistent policy started in March 2004 and being implemented by the government, based on development, competitiveness, employment and the quality of services, will be continued.Voulgarakis said that "reforms will be promoted for the modernisation of Greek ports and for the development of an integrated coastal shipping communications system aimed at increasing employment for Greek seamen," adding that contacts between the public and private sectors for the acquisition of new ships will be encouraged. Lastly, Voulgarakis expressed his conviction that a national Greek shipping fleet will be created that will have modern and high-level infrastructures to enable Greece to become an international intersection. CAPTION: ANA-MPA file photo of Merchant Marine and Island Policy Minister George Voulgarakis. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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