Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-04-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Tsipras to visit Belgrade early May

[02] Defence Minister Kammenos: No cutbacks in pensions and salaries

[03] Productive Reconstruction Min: SYRIZA government must be a government of progressive reversals

[04] Economy Minister: Agreement with lenders within the next days

[01] PM Tsipras to visit Belgrade early May

Tsipras visited Serbia when SYRIZA was main opposition on December 6, 2014 and had a meeting with Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

The meeting's agenda will focus on the further development of the bilateral relations and Athens' support in Serbia's European prospect along with the condition in the Balkans.

[02] Defence Minister Kammenos: No cutbacks in pensions and salaries

Kammenos clarified that even if Greece's partners insists on painful measures, the government will remain adamant and left open the possibility of a rift "Agreement if we are in the framework of the orders we have received from the Greek people in the general elections. Rift if the European Union and the 'institutions' or the International Monetary Fund decide they want a rift" he noted.

He said he is against early elections and sternly attacked main opposition New Democracy leader and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos and ruled out the possibility of an ecumenical government.

[03] Productive Reconstruction Min: SYRIZA government must be a government of progressive reversals

The minister underlined that the government will not make a single step back from its commitments not for reasons of in-party pressure, but because such a retreat will mean a real 'waterloo' for the government and mostly for the country.

Lafazanis said that the 'institutions' and mostly the German establishment face with dogmatic prejudice the government and the country as a half-colony "They are not interested in the context of our proposals but that it comes from a radical left government that wants the country to be independent and to have a progressive course. That's what bothers them up to hysteria" he said and warned that if the deep conservative and neoliberal Europe continues on the same course and does not change thoroughly it will confront decadence and dissolution.

Referring to his recent visit to Moscow, Lafazanis estimated that it may open a new historic chapter not only in the energy but also in the economic and political relations of Greece and Russia which, as he said, it is possible to be sealed during Tsipras-Putin's meeting on April 8 in Moscow.

Finally, the minister reiterated that privatisations, particularly of strategic companies and excellent properties will not take place.

[04] Economy Minister: Agreement with lenders within the next days

The minister left open the possibility of a special law for borrowers in Swiss franc and insists on the debts' haircut via a special fund that will be established especially for the 'bankrupt' households.

He said that the major motorways will be completed in 2016 and aims to link the new development law that he will bring to parliament before summer with the so-called "Juncker package".

He also preannounced that shops will not open on Sundays (except in special cases).

Moreover, government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis in an interview to the same newspaper, made clear that the installment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be paid on April 9 and called 'midnight summer dreams' the scenarios of an "ecumenical government".

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