Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-11-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou visits Nikaia hospital

[02] Athens Stock Exchange: Rise

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Papandreou visits Nikaia hospital

Papandreou said that, instead of doing better, "we are doing worse", and stressed that care and investment was needed on the part of the state, even if that meant that the deficit would "go slightly higher, which is what the socialists and progressives are saying throughout Europe".

The main opposition leader said it was unacceptable that staff was leaving the public hospitals, and called the citing of delays by the ASEP (public sector hirings examination board) in the hiring of personnel as "excuses".

PASOK's commitment, he said, was to guarantee quality public health services to the citizens, while it would also ensure the necessary personnel for the operation of the state hospitals through the hiring of 3,000 staff members.

Papandreou met with representatives of the hospital employees and scientific personnel, who briefed him on the shortages in medical, nursing and administratie staff, as well as lack of specialized equipment.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou

[02] Athens Stock Exchange: Rise

Individual sector indices were moving mostly upward, with the biggest gains in Health, up 5.88 percent; Telecoms, up 5.57 percent; Chemicals, up 5.21 percent; and Food and Beverages, up 3.54 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 2.83 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 2.34 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 1.16 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 127 were up, 23 were down, and 25 were unchanged.

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Early general elections rumors and the EU Commission's measures for the recovery of the European economy announced by Commission president Jose Barroso on Wednesday, dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis does not foresee early elections......barring the unexpected".

APOGEVMATINI: "Tranfer to a different University School without examinations. -The Education Ministry's new regulation revealed".

AVGHI: "European Commission's stability pact torn to shreds - EU becomes flexible in its neoliberalism".

AVRIANI: "Meimarakis warning of an apostasy danger - Recourse to general elections only in case a traitor (among ruling New Democracy deputies) votes against the State Budget or a crucial governmental draft law".

CHORA: "The light blue (color of New Democracy) liturgy - Thousands of euros changed hands via the monasteries, with the odor of money laundering".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Almunia relaxes the Stability pact and FinMin George Alogoskoufis is free to give benefits, but he hesitates to take measures to unburden the citizens and relieve the market".

ELEFTHEROS: "Meimarakis launches rockets against Karamanlis - He openly ponts the finger at the premier and preannounces toppling of government and early general elections".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "3 billion euros safety cushion - Tax alleviations package via EU Commission's 200 billion euros rescue plan".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Tax rate reduction through...increase in tax rate - Government takes relief measures for the lower income strata".

ESTIA: "The opposition and the media are sabotaging the economy".

ETHNOS: "Vatopedi monastery''s abbot Ephraim had accounts in seven banks ".

KATHIMERINI: "Almunia's directive: EU fiscal relaxation except for Italy and Greece".

LOGOS: "EU 2-year 200 billion euros plan aiming at recovery of EU economy".

NIKI: "Abbot Ephraim, the secretary of Vatopedi monastery and two other monks have scads of money in 17 banks".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist party of Greece (KKE) Central Committee's decision: Social coalition and action against the administration of the financial crisis and the bipartisanism".

TA NEA: "Greece in the midst of the crisis with its hands tied- Alounia states: You have the highest loan interest".

TO VIMA: "The benefits dilemma - Contradictory recommendations to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on administration of the financial crisis - Barroso's measures divide the government".

VRADYNI: "SOS plan against the crisis - European Commission's two year programme unveiled ahead of the EU Summit".

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