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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-02-09Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM: Changes essential, even without crisis(ANA-MPA) -- Even if Greece had no debt or deficit problem, the radical changes made by the government would have been necessary to avoid debts and deficits in the future, Prime Minister George Papandreou told a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday."The emergency measures that we took last year were essential and their aim was to save the country," he emphasised in a review of the government's course until now. Papandreou said that PASOK had sought power in order to make major changes and that its policies sought to create the conditions to change people's lives for the better. (ANA-MPA) "We want Greece to be open and fair and economically strong and stable," he added, noting that the changes to economic policy, the state, health, the labour market and education were "self-evident" and should have been made years ago. The prime minister urged a final break with clientelist politics and asserted that the vast majority of the electorate support the effort for change. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [02] Piraeus Bank to issue 1.25-bln-euro covered bond issue(ANA-MPA) -- Piraeus Bank on Wednesday announced a plan to issue a 1.25-billion-euro covered bond issue, as part of a plan to further boost its liquidity. (MORE)More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [03] BoG: Greek banks' lending/deposit interest up in 2010(ANA-MPA) -- To view the article please contact the ANA-MPA's subscription department at 2106400560.More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [04] Doctors hold protest rally, march to Parliament(ANA-MPA) -- Health sector unions held a rally outside the health ministry on Wednesday, followed by a march to Parliament in order to protest against an omnibus bill for health sector reforms that is to be voted on by Greek MPs on Wednesday night.Participating in the rally were the Hellenic Medical Association, the Federation of Hospital Doctors Unions of Greece, the Athens-Piraeus Hospital Doctors Union, the nationwide IKA-ETAM health staff union federation and the nationwide pharmacists association. They were also joined by striking public transport workers and teachers. A delegation of doctors presented a resolution outlining their objections to Parliament, after which striking doctors will return to the health ministry on Wednesday afternoon for a general meeting to decide their next course of action. Their representatives said that doctors were determined to continue mobilising even after the bill is passed. Hospital doctors said they will not cut short a strike that will include Thursday, while IKA doctors are continuing strike action until Friday. (ANA-MPA) According to government regional health authorities, however, nationwide participation in the strike by doctors in hospitals and health centres was just 2.4 percent, while in Attica it was just 2.2 percent. Meanwhile, a draft bill on structural changes in the health care system was ratified by a majority, in principle, on Wednesday evening. The main opposition New Democracy (ND) party, the Communist Party (KKE), the Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) and the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) voted against. Debate on draft law at the plenum will continue on its articles and is expected to be concluded after midnight, in the early morning hours of Thursday. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [05] UNSG on 'name dispute', CyprusNEW YORK (ANA-MPA) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has expressed hope that a mutually acceptable solution to the dispute over the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) will be found, ahead of talks on Wednesday between representatives of Greece and fYRoM, mediated by UN envoy Matthew Nimetz.The UN chief made the statement on Tuesday, after briefing the UN Security Council on the results of his recent tour of Europe and Africa. Responding to questions about the meeting with Nimetz, he said that the envoy was continuing talks to find a solution. He urged the leaders of both countries to resolve the issue of the name as soon as possible so that fYRoM, in particular, might be able to progress toward accession of NATO and the European Union. "There are many important issues that must be dealt with as soon as possible for peace and security in the region," he added. The UN Secretary General also expressed an intention to meet again with the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on Cyprus but did not specify when and where, indicating that this would depend on the results of the meetings being held in Cyprus by the UN special envoy for Cyprus Alexander Downer. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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