Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-05-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Lafazanis, Hochstein discuss energy cooperation‏

[02] Greek economy remained deep into deflation in April‏

[01] Lafazanis, Hochstein discuss energy cooperation‏

Speaking to reporters, Lafazanis said "we support the construction of a natural gas pipeline which will reach the Greek-Turkish borders because we believe it will be a project which will benefit the Greek people and support cooperation and energy security in the region and Europe. We seek an energy policy which will bring benefits to the country".

Lafazanis said he had a fundamental and frank exchange of views with the US official and noted it was also useful for the prospect drafted by the country on energy issues.

"We agree on more things than what we disagree," Hochstein told reporters. Commenting on whether a Greek Stream pipeline project was in contrast with a natural gas southern corridor, Hochstein said: "I work on projects that exist and southern corridor is an existing project," adding "we will continue finding ways to cooperate on these issues to the benefit of Greece." The US official noted it was not his first meeting with Lafazanis.

Ministry sources said that the US side did not discuss any "counter offer" on the pipeline project that will carry Russian natural gas.

[02] Greek economy remained deep into deflation in April‏

The statistics service, in a report, said that on a monthly basis price increases were recorded in several products of the so-called "housewife's basket", such as veal (0.6 pct), lamb (2.0 pct), fresh milk (1.5 pct), cheese (0.7 pct), fresh fruit (4.2 pct), potatoes (6.4 pct), petrol (1.5 pct) and hotel (3.6 pct), while on the other hand price declines were recorded in fresh fish (1.2 pct) and vegetables (1.3 pct).

On an annual basis, price increases were recorded in fresh goat (6.3 pct), vegetables (15.2 pct), olive oil (11.1 pct), fresh fish (1.4 pct), feta cheese (2.6 pct), alcohol drinks (2.0 pct), cigarettes (2.4 pct) electricity rates (2.0 pct), transport (10.6 pct) and hotels (4.5 pct). On the other hand, price declines were recorded in bread (1.2 pct), fresh fruit (1.8 pct), sugar (16.5 pct), clothing-footwear (2.0 pct), heating oil (24 pct), petrol (24 pct), theater (14.4 pct) and car insurance (9.0 pct).

The statistic service attributed the 2.1 pct decline in the consumer price index in April to a 2.0 pct decline clothing/footwear prices, a 6.8 pct drop in housing prices, an 1.8 pct fall in durable goods, a 2.1 pct fall in health, a 4.0 pct decline in transport, an 1.8 pct fall in entertainment, a 3.1 pct fall in education, a 0.5 pct fall in hotel/restaurant/coffee prices and a 3.3 pct drop in other goods and services. It also said that food/beverage prices rose 0.9 pct in April, along with alcohol/tobacco prices (1.9 pct).

The consumer price index rose 0.5 pct in April from March 2015. The country's harmonized inflation rate was -1.8 pct in April, from -1.9 pct in March and -1.6 pct in April last year.

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