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Thursday, 21 November 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-03-28Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] No problem with Greek banking system, depositsPrime Minister George Papandreou, speaking at a press conference in Brussels at the end of a EU Summit, emphasised that "there is no problem with Greece's banking system or bank deposits," while again dismissing press speculation that the country will exit the euro-area."We won a very important decision (on Thursday evening) and we must rise to the occasion," he stated, adding that "we gave and are continuing to give a difficult battle, not just for short-term benefits, but to create a strong Greece, one that does not only overcome difficulties but also sets an example." On his part, Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said, in an interview to the Sunday newspaper "Kyriakatiki Eleftherotypia", that the agreement struck at the EU summit in Brussels on a mechanism to support Greece was "a major victory". He stressed, however, that the government's aim was that the mechanism would never need to be activated. Papaconstantinou also asserted that the IMF would have the smaller, supplementary role and that the deal was in no way tantamount to new austerity measures. "Creating this mechanism was made possible precisely because Greece showed great determination in the effort to solve our fiscal problems on our own, with a serious Stability and Growth Programme and additional tough measures to ensure that we achieved the goals. This was the catalyst and in the final decision there are no additional terms. For us and for everyone it is taken for granted that we will continue with the same determination in implementing our programme," he said. The finance minister said that efforts to create a European Monetary Fund and to issue a Eurobond were not being abandoned and that the summit's decision "was in the direction of creating a new model of economic governance in the eurozone". On the tough austerity measures taken by the government, Papaconstantinou stressed that these were decisions resulting from necessity, not ideology. [02] Panathinaikos nears titlePanathinaikos Athens beat Atromitos Athens 3-0 away over the weekend and needs only one point in the last two games to clinch this year's Greek Super League title, while Olympiacos Piraeus was held to a 0-0 draw at home by struggling Xanthi and AEK Athens was also held to a 1-1 draw at home by Panionios Athens.In other action: Larissa-PAOK Thessaloniki 2-1 Aris Thessaloniki-Levadiakos Livadia 1-0 Asteras Tripoli-Panthrakikos Komotini 3-1 Iraklis Thessaloniki-PAS Yiannina 2-0 Kavala-Ergotelis Crete 1-3 Standings after 28 weeks of play: 1. Panathinaikos 64 points 2. Olympiacos 58 3. PAOK 56 4. AEK 49 5. Aris 46 6. Kavala 38 7. Iraklis 37 8. Panionios 36 9. Atromitos 35 10. Larissa 34 11. Asteras 33 12. Ergotelis 33 13. Levadiakos 30 14. Xanthi 29 15. PAS Yiannina 28 16. Panthrakikos 12 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |