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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-02-23Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM confers with Defence MinisterPrime Minister George Papandreou conferred on Tuesday with defence minister Evangelos Venizelos and Minister of State Haris Pamboukis.Venizelos told reporters afterwards that the discussion focused on his ministry's critical and open issues, including armaments and the future of the shipbuilding sector. Naturally, he added, they also touched on the fiscal problem and the measures that need to be taken to exit the crisis and give a prospect to the Greek economy and the Greek citizen "who is prepared to contribute, but wants to know that a prospect and security exist, and which we want to give since we are asking in return for his assistance and support, which is painful because it means sacrifice". [02] Nimetz statement on NET ahead of Greece, FYROM visitGreece-FYROM relations are at a "critical crossroad", the UN secretary general's special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz said Tuesday in statements to Greek state television channel NET ahead of his visit to Athens and Skopje.Nimetz also noted Greek prime minister George Papandreou's influence, with his initiatives in the region of the Western Balkans. According to NET, Nimetz is bringing to the two capitals a package of ideas based on discussions with the two sides and earlier proposals he had made. Nimetz said that the relations between the two countries were at a critical crossroad, and the international dimension of the issue has become very important. He expressed hope that the two countries will manifest leader abilities and creativity and make efforts so that progress may be achieved in his upcoming visit. The UN mediator further said that the present Greek government has placed the name issue among the top items of its foreign policy agenda. From the very beginning it put importance and the issue, and let him know that it was treating it with extreme seriousness, Nimetz continued. He further said that the Greek prime minister has personal influence beyond the name issue, and in the wider region of the western Balkans as well, as a member of the European Union, with his 2014 Agenda and his initiatives in bilateral meetings. [03] Tsipras on civil service tenureCoalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA parliamentary alliance) parliamentary group leader Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday tabled a current question in parliament on "the consequences from the implementation of the extraordinary measures and the (government's) proposal for abolishing tenure (in the public sector)".In the question addressed to prime minister George Papandreou, Tsipras speaks of "the harsh neoliberal policy of PASOK and (main opposition) ND, which the country's working people are paying". He adds that the new harsh measures on the economy that the government has decided to take, with the agreement of Ecofin, "lead, among other things, to further deregulation of labor relations and suspension of the collective labor agreements". [04] No to fact-finding commissionANA-MPA/Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis announced on Tuesday that his party will not participate in the fact-finding commission on the economy that the government intends to set up, warning that setting up such a commission is inappropriate at the given time, since the issue is currently being investigated by prosecutors.He also called on the government to abandon its moderate stance and demand from Germany the war reparations owed to Greece. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |