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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-01-18
CONTENTS
[01] PASOK plan vs corruption to President
[01] PASOK plan vs corruption to President
Widespread phenomena of corruption evident in public life dominated
talks held on Friday by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou
and President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias. The meeting was
requested by Papandreou, who stressed that these were difficult times
and that the Greek people were shocked by developments, with corruption
being an undermining factor targeting democratic institutions, the
credibility of the political system and the self-confidence of the
Greek people. Papandreou underlined the need for solutions, pointing
out that this was the reason for his meeting with the President, in
order to seek his advice and contribution. On his part, President
Papoulias told Papandreou that his request for a meeting was a
well-thought-out decision. During the meeting, Papandreou delivered a
memorandum in which he outlined his proposed plan for combatting
corruption. Papandreou called on the President to convene a meeting of
the political party leaders in order to adopt these proposals or even
formulate additional ones. In statements he made after the meeting
that lasted over an hour, Papandreou stressed that his proposals are
designed to combat the generalized crisis in values, moral degradation
and corruption. He stressed that the government is part of the crisis
producing scandals and corruption. Papandreou stated that a
Constitutional revision is not necessary in order to deal with
corruption issues, stressing that political will is imperative in such
cases and accusing Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis of lacking the
same. The leader of PASOK stated that his proposals include the
establishment of a mandatory phase of public dialogue on all draft laws
before being tabled in parliament, monitoring of budget implementation
by a special parliamentary committee and reinforcement of the Supreme
Staff Selection Council (ASEP) procedures in the appointment of public
employees. Also, all transactions and decisions by state officials
concerning supplies, tenders and funding should be made public on the
internet, while all government ministry special accounts should be
abolished. Papandreou called for the establishment of a parliamentary
special permanent committee on armaments' programmes, strict control on
political funds, mass media transparency, establishment of a national
transparency council and corruption prevention institutions at a local
level, as well as adoption of an election system based on the German
model to safeguard the autonomy of the political system. Government's
reply to Papandreou Responding to the main opposition leader's
statements, alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros
dismissed them as "play-acting and hypocrisy" and stressed that Prime
Minister Costas Karamanlis had stated his position in such a way as to
leave no doubt about the government's stance or intentions. Regarding
Papandreou's proposal for a meeting of the party leaders' under the
president, meanwhile, Antonaros said that the prime minister was at the
disposal of any political party leader that wanted to present proposals
on any issue. "On issues of transparency, the government has steadily
and unswervingly for about four years reinforced transparency in the
public sector with proposals, initiatives and laws," the spokesman
said. In addition, during the process begun by the government for
revising the Constitution that was now in its final stages, specific
proposals for protecting transparency had been made, he added and urged
PASOK to take part in the revision process. Antonaros also underlined
his faith that justice would uncover the truth about the latest scandal
involving the former culture ministry general secretary Christos
Zachopoulos, in response to a question noting that justice had failed
to find the culprits in similar high-profile cases of the past. "We
support [justice] and let it do its work. Justice works and must work
independently in our country," he noted.
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