Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] Premier to chair inner cabinet meeting on Tuesday

[02] FM statement on Karadzic arrest

[03] Tsipras meets with Siemens workers

[04] Wildfires under control

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Premier to chair inner cabinet meeting on Tuesday

"The citizens are well aware of this. The most serious problems that we face today (debts, deficits, high prices, unemployment, and corruption) are 'achievements' of an establishment regime of the past. Unsolved cases that are now being uncovered or investigated and dealt with (corruption in justice, stock markets, DEKA, land register, arms procurements, TOR-M1, Siemens) were born and grew yesterday," Karamanlis stressed.

In his speech, the premier also acknowledged that mistakes had been made by his own party, noting that he had never denied this, nor that there had been delays in taking action or that behaviour counter to the party's principles had occurred. He stressed, however, that he was not going to give "discounts on matters of principle".

Karamanlis underlined that these problems were "born and raised within a system of power that did not see, did not hear and did not react. They were born and raised under the cover of a system that sneered, smeared and denigrated those who dared talk about them. They were born out of ways of thinking that made graft a regime, corruption a daily practice, illicit transactions socially acceptable".

He accused past PASOK governments of tolerating kickbacks and illegality while protecting those responsible, even to the extent of passing legislative measures.

Karamanlis stressed that this situation had now changed and would continue to change, while those responsible for corruption would not be protected but made to answer for their actions.

Regarding reforms, he underlined would he neither tire nor hesitate nor give in to the resistance of privileged special-interest groups and the setbacks of the global environment, whatever they may be.

Karamanlis also stressed that he would not be lenient in dealing with the practices, viewpoints and mindsets that clashed with the principles and pledges of the government to society, or compromise with "pressures that run counter to the national, social and collective interest".

"This is a message in every direction. My strength is your faith in me. My strength is the faith of the citizens," he stressed.

The prime minister referred at length to the government's work in all areas, as well as the government's policy toward the victims of fire and earthquake in the Peloponnese, with the prefecture of Ileia being among the hardest hit.

He pointed out that basic infrastructure had been repaired in these areas and dozens of improvement projects planned, while compensation to the region's farmers exceeded one billion euros and the debts of local businesses and professionals had been settled and grants given under developmental law increased by 60 percent.

Individual victims had also received the larger subsidies, which exceeded 250 million euros, and further assistance had been given to the unemployed, pensioners and students in fire-stricken regions.

The Greek premier ended his speech by encouraging young people to become involved in politics and advised them to "deny those that deny them, ignore those that ignore them and doubt those that doubt them".

"Resist those that try to convince you that nothing can change. Reply with optimism, vision and new ideas. Reply with proposals, actions and boldness," the premier concluded.

[02] FM statement on Karadzic arrest

"This, in our view, is particularly positive. Greece, as you know, supports this course of Serbia with all its strength," she added.

In a statement issued later by the foreign ministry, Bakoyannis said: "Serbia is being freed from a past that has been condemned outright. It can now look with optimism upon the future and its European perspective, of which Greece will continue to be a firm and ardent supporter.?

[03] Tsipras meets with Siemens workers

"Siemens is not as generous towards its employees as it has apparently been with the authority and its political cadres," Tsipras said.

He said that hundreds of employees who have been working for decades at Siemens were currently at immediate risk "because the parent company has decided to change direction and reduce its production activities in our country".

Tsipras said that the government must assume its responsibilities, but added, however, that "we have a government that is incapable of solving any problem whatsoever, and a prime minister who is outside the realms of reality, and who goes to burnt Ancient Olympia for youth fiestas," referring to premier Costas Karamanlis' address to the ruling New Democracy (ND) youth organization ONNED's annual conference and Youth Festival, which took place in Ancient Olympia this year.

Replying to a question on economic policy, Tsipras said that economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis was unable to tackle the major problems of the economy, adding that society was in a crisis, but despite that the government insisted on "the same tried and failed recipes".

Tsipras further predicted that the social crisis would sooner or later turn into an 'explosion'.

[04] Wildfires under control

Meanwhile, the wildfire that erupted in a pinewood in the municipality of Filippei, Grevena Prefecture in northwestern Greece,on Monday evening has been placed under partial control after burning grassland and a small number of trees. Dispatched to the region are 3 fire engines operated by 9 firemen, and 9 firefighters on foot.

Also, a number of small fire outbreaks along the Thessaloniki-Idomeni railway lines in Akropotamos and Kastana, Thessaloniki region, were extinguished by 2 fire engines and 6 firemen. Train service was temporarily interrupted.

Wildfires in Sella, Kyparissia in Messinia Prefecture southern Greece, in Makrakomi, Fthiotida Prefecture central Greece, and in Kampos, Karystos on Evia were placed under partial control late Monday evening. The fires were contained after burning low vegetation without threatening residential areas. Firefighting forces will remain in the region until the fires are extinguished.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Reactions to FYROM prime minister Nikola Gruevski's letter to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, early election rumors and the government's denial, and the Siemens scandal, were the main front-page items in Tuesday's dailies.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "There is no issue of (early general) elections - Clear position by government spokesman".

AVGHI: "Election rumors in the spotlight - Government concealing the additional collection measures".

AVRIANI: "Elections alert in government - The moves for the creation of a new political party hasten recourse to the polls, in October".

CHORA: "200,000 properties without prospective buyers - After the US and the EU, the crisis hits Greek real estate".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Gruevski's letter changes recipient - They were awaiting it in Athens, but the Mailman took it Barroso in Brussels", adding that, on the pretext of the 'name', FYROM brings to light its irredentist claims, the territorial demands, the 'Macedonian' language, and everything else entailed.

ELEFTHEROS: "Gruevski's new, provocative lies against Macedonia, in letter to Barroso", adding that FYROM was seeking backing in the EU, resorting to blatant lies and ungrounded claims in speaking of a 'political assimilation' of the 'Macedonians' by the Greek state, systematic measures prohibiting the use of the 'Macedonian' language, and of discrimination.

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "DIKATSA (the now defunct Greek authority for the accreditation of degrees and diplomas obtained abroad) is history - With an automatic procedure, without examinations, foreign degrees will henceforth be recognized by the DOATAP (the body which has replaced DIKATSA)".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "How the 34 million euros became 85 million - This is how the Siemens kickbacks are justified for the OSE (Hellenic Railways Organization) wireless communication network (GSM-R)", saying that the 'now suspect ERGOSE (OSE's project management subsidiary) project' for the GSM-R network, in which the Siemens 'black' funds are involved, suffered another 'derailing', adding that the GSM-R, in the 2000-2008 strategic plan the project is estimated at 34.22 million euros, ERGOSE locked in the tender at 67.7 million euros, followed by a 'tail' of an additional 17 million euros, and now 'beheadings' were expected in the ERGOSE leadership and in the OSE upper echelons.

ESTIA: "Merciless war against Vourloumis (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization-OSE chairman and CEO)".

ETHNOS: "He's provoking now in Europe, too - Gruevski: Second round of irredentism via correspondence".

KATHIMERINI: "The delay in (budget) revenues collection worries the government - The economy and finance ministry's plans for the second half of 2008".

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