Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with employment minister

[02] FinMin at Nat'l Exports Council

[03] Fires in Oropos, Aspropyrgos

[04] 2009 Eurovision Song Contest

[01] PM Karamanlis confers with employment minister

Petralia explained that the initial unifications have been completed, while a second round of unifications will enter into force as of August 1, and by October first the entire program of unifications will have been completed.

"We will not overshoot the timetable by even a single day," the minister told reporters after the meeting.

She also announced that, as of September 1, a daycare program for infants and pre-schoolers will enter into operation for working mothers, for mothers without steady jobs, mothers of children with a disability, and for single-parent families.

Petralia said that a large portion of the EU funds for the 2007-2013 period are earmarked for active policies in support of the weaker strata and for the development of employment.

At this difficult international conjuncture, the government was introducing a social policy that would support each and every citizen, Petralia added.

[02] FinMin at Nat'l Exports Council

Alogoskoufis said that the government has provided solutions to many of the problems faced by export companies, and called on the representatives of the relevant associations to pinpoint their needs and problems so that solutions may be forthcoming.

He added that one should not view the present international conjuncture only as an obstacle, but also as an opportunity "to learn".

Alogoskoufis said that the credit crisis continues to create many problems, particularly regarding increases in interest rates, expansion of the interest margins, the euros rising parity with the dollar which, from a certain point on negatively influences exports, and the spiraling oil prices.

On the performance of Greek exports, Alogoskoufis said that a substantial recovery has been marked following 2004, with exports accounting for 9.6 percentage points of GDP in 2007.

In the first quarter of 2008, exports posted a decline of 4.6 percentage points, Alogoskoufis continued, due to difficulties caused by the negative international conjuncture, but the situation would have been much more difficult if the government had not gone ahead with the reforms it has materialized.

He said this was no reason for discouragement but, instead, for intensification of the efforts.

Alogoskoufis further spoke of "guild interests" in the country's ports that obstructed their smooth operation and the related benefits for exports, adding that the government has a long-term port policy and would complete it.

The minister further reaffirmed that the government will continue with the reforms it has planned and with fiscal streamlining, given that the difficult international conjuncture has not ended and was still ahead of us.

The two sectors with the best exports performance were those of Food and Beverage, and of Construction Materials, Alogoskoufis said, noting that food and beverage exports rose by 7.2 percent in the first four months of 2008, while exports of construction materials rose by 7.5 percent during the same period, adding that targeted actions were needed in other export branches in addition to the two aforementioned.

Via the Hellenic Exports Promotion Organization (HEPO), 1,150 companies took part in 82 actions in 40 countries in the first half of 2008, the minister said, adding that 634 companies have taken part in 50 international exhibitions, compared with 458 companies that had taken part in 39 international exhibitions in the first half of 2007.

Also, a total of 22 business missions took place in the first half of the year, compared with 19 in the corresponding period in 2007, with the participation of 307 companies compared with 238 in the first half of 2007. Further, a total of 2,910 business meetings took place in the first half of 2008, against 2,043 in the first half of 2007, marking a 42 percent increase.

Deputy foreign minister Petros Doukas, who also addressed the Council, outlined the government's activities aimed at the extroversion of the Greek economy, adding that the reforms being materialized were the only path, despite the reactions by certain "interests".

Caption: Economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis. (ANA-MPA/M. Kiaou)

[03] Fires in Oropos, Aspropyrgos

The fire broke out near the Markopoulos beach at 12:03 p.m. and, fanned by high winds, spread towards Skala Oropos, burning forest expanse on its way and threatening nearby homes.

The Fire Brigade said the firefighting effort was very difficult, as strong winds were hindering the effort and also entailed the risk of the fire front changing direction at any time.

A strong force of 60 firemen with 24 fire engines, assisted by 7 scooping planes and 3 helicopters, were battling the blaze.

Meanwhile, another fire broke out at at 3:00 a.m. near Aspropyrgos, but had been put under control by the early afternoon while efforts were continuing to fully extinguish the blaze.

The Aspropyrgos fire has burned 6 company warehouses and a small number of smaller storage facilities, and 20 stremmas of brush, while no residences have been damaged, according to the Fire Brigade.

[04] 2009 Eurovision Song Contest

Pop heartthrob Rouvas, a second-time Eurovision contestant, made his Eurovision debut in the 49th Contest in 2004 in Turkey, where he placed third with the song Shake It.

Caption: Pop star Sakis Rouvas, who will represent Greece at the 2009 Eurovision song contest in Moscow, during his performance at the 2004 Contest in Turkey, where he won third place. (ANA-MPA/O. Panagiotou)

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