Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-09-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM confers with Interior Minister

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM confers with Interior Minister

Regarding administrative reform, Pavlopoulos told reporters after the meeting that the the next round of deliberations would take place after the assembly of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), adding that the government was proceeding in cooperation with KEDKE&lt;=, while matters concerning the local governments' finances were being discussed with the economy ministry.

On immigration, Pavlopoulos said this was a "very big issue", and noted that Europe was, for the first time, acquiring a single immigration policy on key areas such as legal immigration, illegal immigration, asylym, and guarding Europe's borders.

Particularly regarding the role of FRONTEX (the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the EU), which was of great importance to Greece as the country was facing a large wave of illegal immigration, Pavlopoulos said that Thursday's decision would be decisive for many matters for Greece, whose contribution to the final stipulation of the text has been significant.

On the Transparency International report on corruption in 2008, Pavlopoulos said that, regarding Greece, problems exist, as did matters of mismanagement and corruption, but added that the fact that Greece was making progress could not be disputed, based on the report, which was released on Tuesday, contrary to the situation before 2004.

Pavlopoulos said it sufficed to compare Greece's rating in the report in 2003 with the rating in 2008 to realize that progress was being made. Greece, he added, was proceeding in the direction of transparency, which was acknowledged by everyone, and added that the government would continue and complete the effort.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "According to the NGO 'Transparency International' Greece leads in corruption among the EU countries in 2008".

APOGEVMATINI: "Private high school teacher killed his wife and buried her in a park in the Athens suburb of Filothei".

AVGHI: "Privatisation in the midst of the fiscal crisis is a 'greenhouse' of scandals".

AVRIANI: "Greek banks and economy withstanding the crisis".

CHORA: "Meimarakis calls for unity in New Democracy".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Difficult week ahead for FM Dora Bakoyannis on administration of crucial national issues".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Nightmare in Europe over the contaminated milk from China - Red alert in EU countries over the imported milk".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Headlock in Maximos mansion (premier office)".

ESTIA: "The law of political deterioration is merciless".

ETHNOS: "Rendez-vous for government reshuffle".

KATHIMERINI: "Crucial meetings and decisions will be taken in New Democracy within the next 48 hours ".

LOGOS: "ND party members in search of a way out of the crisis".

NIKI: "Strife in ND, as Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis attemts to lift the party supporters' spirits".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Europarliament members' attack on Stalin indicates their fear in the face of the peoples' disappointment".

TA NEA: "Poverty rate escalates and puts Karamanlis in awkward position".

TO VIMA: "Rift in ruling New Democracy's right wing - ND's deputies meet with Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) members."

VRADYNI: "Breather for bank borrowers - Inner Cabinet gives 'thumbs up' to Alogoskoufis bill

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