Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader: No to double name for FYROM

[02] KKE rally on Balkan developments

[03] New SYN Central Committee

[04] 'Sober Driver' campaign

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PASOK leader: No to double name for FYROM

He further spoke of PASOK's prospects following its latest Congress, and noted an "open" possibility for cooperation with the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN), while he also said he was unwavering on the issue of transparency.

Papandreou said that PASOK, both as government in the past and as the main opposition today, explicitly ruled out the prospect of a double name for FYROM, and accused the government of "agreeing to negotiate a double-name solution". He also described as a "most adverse development" the "unilateral recognition (by countries) of Kosovo, outside the framework of the UN", and called on the government not to unilaterally recognise Kosovo independence.

He also endorsed the undertaking of "all the necessary initiatives in the UN and the EU for resolution of the Cyprus issue" and pledged that he will be at the side of the new President of Cyprus to emerge from this weekend's run-off election, both as president of PASOK and as president of Socialist International (SI).

Papandreou further differentiated himself from the stance of former (PASOK) prime minister Costas Simitis, who had backed a special relationship between the EU and Turkey, stressing that "our stance must remain that Turkey has the right to become a member of the EU, but also the obligation to fulfill, without divergence, the commitments it has undertaken towards all the EU member states".

To a question on there being possible political expediency behind PASOK's proposal for the setting up of a parliamentary fact-finding commission on the Siemens scandal, Papandreou replied that "our proposals are not revengistic", adding that "PASOK has nothing to fear in the Siemens case" and that his party "has not hesitated in taking difficult decisions in matters of transparency".

Asked whether members who had taken sides with Evangelos Venizelos or Costas Skandalidis in their candidacies for the party leadership against Papandreou would also be included in the PASOK organs, he said that "everyone has their work, role and responsibilities", while clarifying at the same time that "the rationale of sharing out positions and posts does not suit us".

Asked whether the idea of governmental cooperation with SYN had permanently collapsed, Papandreou replied that "the ability of programmatic cooperation is, for us, open...the quandary lies with the other side".

Caption: File photo of main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou. (ANA-MPA/K. Mavrona)

[02] KKE rally on Balkan developments

The demonstration and march were organised by the KKE and its youth organisation KNE.

"Kosovo is one more result of imperialistic policies, with the singularity that it comprises an American protectorate with a European army," Papariga said, addressing demonstrators gathered outside Athens University in downtown Athens.

"However, not only is imperialistic war tragic, but also imperialistic peace, which closes the moughts of the peoples," she said, and called on the Greek government to not recognise Kosovo independence and to not approve Greek participation "in the new occupation army in the region".

She spoke of a commencement of mass mobilisations in the Balkans in order to avert "the climate of war being cultivated by the major powers, in the name of their anti-popular interests".

Referring also to the FYROM name issue, Papariga accused the government of "lying about the exercise of a veto on the name issue" because "it is playing its own game with the US and the EU".

The demonstrators marched afterwards to the EU offices on central Vassilissis Sophias Avenue, with the main slogan "Rejection of US and NATO", and then on to the US Embassy on the same street.

Demonstrators also burned American flags as they gathered outside the Embassy, before dispersing.

Caption: Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga. (ANA-MPA).

[03] New SYN Central Committee

In his opening address, Tsipras criticised the government over its stance on major issue that have already been "shelved", such as the telephone tappings and the case of the Pakistanis while, with respect to the Siemens graft case, he charged that the two mainstream parties (the ruling New Democracy party and main opposition PASOK) were refusing to "cut the umbilical cord with collusion".

Tsipras stressed the necessity of promiting unity of the Left, and blamed the government for the high cost of living, which he attributed to the "action of cartels".

On the FYROM name issue, he said that SYN's positions had been vindicated, and called on the prime minister to select a composite name containing a geographical determination, adding that prime minister Costas Karamanlis must abandon any thought of "exchange of the FYROM name with recognition of Kosovo".

Tsipras, who was elected to the SYN helm during the party's recent 5th Congress, said that "we want the Church at our side", adding that the change in the Church's stance with the new Archbishop was "encouraging", given that "we did not see calls for rallies on the FYROM issue". He also spoke positively of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, stressing the primate's "ecological sensitivities" and calling him a "Green Patriarch".

The new SYN leader further proposed the established of a new elected party organ, an Executive Secretariat, which would be responsible for materialisation of the party's decisions, and which would comprise 17 members -- 15 members responsible, one each, for every region of the country, plust the president and the Secretary of the party.

The proposed Executive Secretariat should also have a sufficient period of time -- two years, for example -- to make an account of its actions and, if required, a new Secretariat should be elected at that time.

Tsipras also proposed the re-election of Nikos Hountis as party Secretary.

The Central Committee was due to elect the party's new Political Secretariat and new Secretary in the evening.

Caption: New Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) leader Alexis Tsipras. (ANA-MPA/P. Saitas)

[04] 'Sober Driver' campaign

The health ministryâs campaign which is taking place with the organisation ?Sober Drivers?, is aimed at making people aware of the catastrophic consequences which the abuse of alcohol has in life and mainly to drivers.

Health and Social Solidarity Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, on the occasion of the campaign, which is titled ?Sober Driver?, on Friday made clear that he will immediately proceed in the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and alcohol to youth under the age of 18.

Caption: Health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos announced the 'Sover Driver' campaign. (ANA-MPA).

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The FYROM name issue and prime minister Costas Karamanlis' message, the Kosovo issue, social security reforms, the economy, and the Presidential elections in Cyprus were the main front-page items in Saturday's dailies.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "FYROM issue: Government discussing two (of the five) options (contained in the Nimetz proposal): 'Republic of Upper Macedonia' or 'New Republic of Macedonia' ".

APOGEVMATINI: "One dead from the rudderless train in Piraeus".

AVGHI: "Change in Cyprus with Christofias, who unites".

AVRIANI: "Electoral alert following the impasse in the FYROM name issue".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Second wave (of reform) on the social security system in public sector".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Kosovo ignites fires".

ESTIA: "Ultimatum to Skopje".

ETHNOS: "Plan to regain the lost honor of the (nationwide university entrance) exams - Draconean measures".

KATHIMERINI: "No solution means no invitation to NATO".

LOGOS: "No solution, no invitation - Karamanlis message to FYROM".

NIKI: "The veto is Karamanlis' last-ditch card".

PRESS TIME: "Veto to the 'made in USA' plan - They trapped us with the double name - Nimetz's tricks".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Everyone show up today (Saturday) at noon at the Propylae and march to the American embassy".

TA NEA: "The government is sinking the counry - George Papandreou (main opposition PASOK leader) interview with TA NEA".

TO VIMA: "The Balkans in turmoil once again - Kosovo brings unrest to Skopje and Bosnia".

VRADYNI: "Cold War in the Balkans".

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