Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-08-07

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't VP Dragasakis: ‘We're almost ready for a deal'

[02] Main opposition blasts government's ‘resounding failure' in tackling migration

[01] Gov't VP Dragasakis: ‘We're almost ready for a deal'

Asked whether there are any "thorny" issues left in the talks, Dragasakis said "there are just some issues which are being examined, but not ‘thorns'." Commenting on the 100-debt installment scheme, the VP said "some small changes will be made which won't affect the tax payers."

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Economy Minister George Stathakis and Productive Reconstruction Minister Panos Skourletis.

Talks will continue with the institutions on a technical level on Saturday at 11.00 (local time) and will include the following issues: 1) the minimum guaranteed income, 2) the bank recapitalization and 3) early retirement.

[02] Main opposition blasts government's ‘resounding failure' in tackling migration

"[The prime minister] is confusing irregular migrants with refugees. He confesses he has no plan to tackle the problem. He talks about the establishment of a management authority for which the previous government has already legislated, and he has ignored for six months," party spokesman Costas Karagounis said.

He added Tsipras is trying to blame Europe but didn't explain why he hasn't utilized EU funds yet. Karagounis also criticized the government for not continuing the program which returned migrants in their home countries. "In the past two years, the same number of migrants who entered Greece returned to their countries. He's not saying how many migrants were returned in the last six months," he said.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article