Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-01-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] Alcohol, cigarette, parental property transfers taxation amendment withdrawn, will be re-tabled in autonomous bill

[02] Humanitarian aid to Haiti

[03] Greece at Vienna Tourism Fair

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Alcohol, cigarette, parental property transfers taxation amendment withdrawn, will be re-tabled in autonomous bill

In an announcement, the ministry said that "given the obvious need for immediate regulation of those matters, but also given the government's desire for adherence to procedures that promote transparency in the legislative function, the finance ministry intends to replace the above amendment through the immediate tabling of a draft law on increasing the tax on alcohol and cigarettes and the regulation on taxation of parental real estate transfers, for a priority debate".

The amendment in question was tabled in parliament last Thursday, incorporated in a bill that was unrelated to tax issues.

According to the ministry, this had been done because the country's exceptionally adverse fiscal situation required the speediest possible activation of the measure to raise the tax on alcohol and cigarettes from the beginning of 2010, and thus it had been decided to incorporate the amendment into the first bill tabled and voted on in parliament "since every week of delay costs the state approximately 13 million euros".

As for the provision on parental property transfers, the regulation was included in the same amendment in an effort to confront the flurry of mass transfers of large real estate holdings that occurred in December, in anticipation of the measure, in select areas, and mainly in Athens.

[02] Humanitarian aid to Haiti

City of Athens Homeless Foundation volunteers collected and prepared the items.

Mayor Kaklamanis expressed Athens' unreserved support for the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, noting: "Thousands of our fellow humans are suffering in Haiti and we are obliged to act quickly to support them."

The City of Athens conveyed its support via Haitian Consul Yvelt Lebrun.

Caption:Dozens of people without shelter in the square in front of the National Palace in Puerto Principe, Haiti, 13 January 2010, after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday afternoon.ANA-MPA/ EPA/Orlando Barría

[03] Greece at Vienna Tourism Fair

The Greek pavilion will host a number of events including meetings with reporters and tour operators, Greek music concerts, wine tasting and Greek cuisine presentations.

Based on figures released by the Austrian statistical agency and tour operators, roughly 500,000 Austrian tourists visited Greece last year despite the negative impact of the global economic crisis on the tourist sector.

Greece remains the most popular holiday destination for Austrians (18 pct). In 2009, roughly 400,000 Austrian tourists visited Greece by air, while 100,000 arrived by boat or by car.

The increase recorded in commercial flight arrivals compared to chartered flights shows that Austrian tourists seek new destinations in Greece.

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Prime Minister George Papandreou's reassurance that the country will neither exit from the eurozone nor take recourse in the IMF, the withdrawal of the amendment on parental gifts and Moody's report on the Greek economy, dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Sales period price reductions will exceed 60 per cent".

APOGEVMATINI: "Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader attack against government".

AVGHI: "Government debacle ...ahead of Stability plan - Government withdrew the amendment on parental gifts, cigarettes and alcohol".

AVRIANI: "Citibank's board to face court, charged with felony".

CHORA: "Zero visibility! - Papandreou admits mistakes but does not give a specific perspective".

ELEFTHEROS: "Civil war among ruling PASOK MPs over the economy".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Outburst against ministers - PASOK MPs attacked government and destroyed Prime Minister's fiesta for the first 100 days in the country's helm".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "2010 to be a Calvary for all".

ESTIA: "Tax policy a Waterloo - State revenues are not guaranteed".

ETHNOS: "Express decisions for tax measures".

IMERISSIA: "Papandreou's message on taxes and pensions: Measures will be imposed rapidly".

KATHIMERINI: "The measures of the 100th day".

LOGOS: "Papandreou: "New start, it's now or never".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "No to scenarios on IMF and exit from eurozone".

NIKI: "PASOK's Guernica - Civil war in government".

RIZOSPASTIS: "No to "Kallikratis" plan which reinforces the urban state in the interest of capital".

TA NEA: "First 100 days' account".

TO VIMA: "Funds empty, 2010 will be a Calvary ".

VRADYNI: "PM Papandreou spoke as if the prime minister of another country: Money exists and we will...borrow it".

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