Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM chairs Inner Cabinet meeting

[02] PASOK unveils proposals on election system

[03] Donation to IOM for Lebanon

[01] PM chairs Inner Cabinet meeting

On Monday, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis called for an off-the-agenda debate in parliament on the topic "Reform for a modern, socially just and viable Social Security System", in a letter submitted to parliament president Dimitris Sioufas in which the premier noted that reform of the social security system was "imperative" and a matter of responsibility for all the political and social bodies.

In his letter, Karamanlis noted that his government, in its preceding term in office, had committed itself, immediately after the general elections, to setting in motion a broad political and social dialogue for a moderate and just reform that would rid the social security system of the distortions, inequalities and injustices of the past. "Reform for a modern, socially just and viable social security system, without increasing the general retirement ages, without increasing contributions, without reducing pensions. Reform, over a period of time that will guarantee social security benefits and pensions for everyone."

Karamanlis, in the letter, said that his government had succinctly developed the fundamental axes of its positions and targets, both before the elections and in the government's Policy Statement afterwards, adding that it had inaugurated, and was continuing with, a broad parliamentary and public dialogue, in that context, precisely in line with its commitment.

"We aspired to, and continue to aspire to dialogue of substance with all the political forces and all the social partners, without conditions and prerequisites, without dogmatisms, without previously taken decisions. We are discussing frankly and responsibly, without fixations, excesses and rigidness. We were and are open to every fruitful proposal, view and idea, aiming at their synthesis and the formulation of the largest common denominator," the letter continued.

It said that this process was a democratic and progressive process of political and social responsibility, and was being carried on, consistent with the commitments and devotion to the targets that have been agreed with the citizens. "It is, furthermore, the common conviction that the reform of the social security system is exigently necessary and socially imperative. It is an obligation to the many, to the financially weaker, to our youth, to the present and the coming generations."

"Given the above, and because the reform of the social security system is a matter of responsibility of all the political and social bodies, the government seeks the holding of an off-the-agenda discussion on the topic 'Reform for a modern, socially just and viable Social Security System', in accordance with Article 143 of the Rules of Parliament," the prime minister's letter concluded.

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

[02] PASOK unveils proposals on election system

Main opposition PASOK party on Monday unveiled its own counter-proposals for changing the electoral system and the overall political system in view of the discussion of the government-proposed measures on Tuesday by the Parliamentary committee. PASOK Secretary Nikos Athanassakis and other party officials presented a detailed outline of the party's proposals during a press conference.

PASOK Secretary Nikos Athanassakis, the head of the party's political planning office and former minister Miltiades Papaioannou and PASOK press spokesman Yiannis Ragoussis presented a detailed outline of the main opposition party's proposals, noting that PASOK had for a long time pointed out the need for a major change in the political system, combined with a change in the election law, that aimed at greater autonomy in politics.

They criticised the government's proposals for changing election rules as "incidental, fake and opportunist" and said that PASOK's proposals would retain the current system's high level of proportional representation of 87 percent, whereas the government's proposals reduced this to 83 percent.

Papaioannou also noted that a number of points in its proposals had been left open to discussion with the other political forces of the country to achieve the greatest possible political and social agreement regarding the election law, which would go into effect in the next elections after it was passed.

Caption: Main opposition PASOK party secretary Nikos Athanassakis (ANA-MPA/A. Beltes).

[03] Donation to IOM for Lebanon

Greece had also responded immediately to the appeal by the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), at the start of the crisis in the refugee settlement Nahr el Bared in June 2007, donating the sum of 500,000 euros in aid of the Palestinian refugees which live in the settlement.

Caption: File photo taken during a demonstration in Athens in August 2006 against the bombings in Lebanon (ANA-MPA/S. Pantzartzi).

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