Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-09-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] Social security reforms

[02] Pavlopoulos on migrants

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Social security reforms

The head of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) Yiannis Panagopoulos, on his part, predicted that pension funds would be plunged into chaos on Wednesday when the reforms went into force, and that pensioners and the insured would suffer as a result.

According to Panagopoulos, the administrative boards of the funds being merged were not properly prepared for the mergers and would cause huge problems in the areas of health care and supplementary pension.

GSEE and the civil servants' union ADEDY also emphasised their determination to press ahead with planned strike action against the pension fund mergers in October, warning that large-scale protests by unions and the workforce in 2001 had brought about the collapse "of another unfair, counterproductive social insurance measure".

The nationwide journalists' union federation POESY has announced a 24-hour strike in the press and media sector next Wednesday in protest over the new pension fund law.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Employment Minister Fani Palli-Petralia

[02] Pavlopoulos on migrants

Pavlopoulos said Turkey has not signed a relevant agreement with the European Union, while it is not honouring the agreement it has signed with Greece.

The minister also said that Greece supports the French initiative on the "European Pact" and stressed that no member-state can manage by itself the volume of the immigrant waves that it is receiving.

According to data provided by Pavlopoulos, third country citizens represent about 3.8 percent of the EU's total population and the annual influx rate in the EU ranges between 1.5 and 2 million people.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of illegal migrants

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The financial crisis in US and the rumbling in the European economy after the rejection of Paulson Proposal by the US Congress and the purported turmoil in ruling New Democracy (ND) dominated the headlines on Tuesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Government faced with the people's every day problems".

APOGEVMATINI: "Crash in Europe - The global banking system is teetering".

AVGHI: "The credit crisis typhoon crosses the Atlantic - Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) plunges 5.7 percent".

AVRIANI: "FinMin George Alogouskoufis completely vindicated - Greece, due to tight and antipopular policy, appears it will remain unaffected by the fiscal disaster that is ravaging the US and Europe".

CHORA: "The typhoon crossed the Atlantic and is sweeping across Europe ".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Karamanlis is looking for a reason to expel ND deputy Petros Tatoulis".

ELEFTHEROS : "Government cadres press Karamanlis for benefits, followed by general elections".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: " Red alert in Europe - The Lehman 'virus' strikes - Panic prevails in Stock Markets".

ESTIA: "Major concern over the economy - Is is not fortified against the crisis".

ETHNOS : "US in shock, Europe in awe - The Congress overruled the 700 billion dollars plan" for the bailout of the US financial system proposed by Treasury Secretary Paulson.

KATHIMERINI: "Dramatic slump on Wall Street - The rejection of Paulson plan plunged Dow Jones 6.68 percent".

LOGOS: "Storm over market - Major downturn in European Stock Markets".

NIKI: "The fiscal crisis strikes in the heart of Europe heart - American cyclone shocks global economy".

RIZOSPASTIS: "The people won't make any sacrifices to plutocracy "

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