Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-12-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] President Pavlopoulos pays official visit to Bulgaria

[02] Greek debt's restructuring on the cards, head of European Academy of Berlin tells ANA-MPA

[03] By no means will we set at risk the sustainability of PPC, Energy Min Skourletis says

[04] 2016 marks the beginning of a new course for National Bank, its governor Katselli says

[05] Depression hits the Greek population

[01] President Pavlopoulos pays official visit to Bulgaria

According to the official schedule, the first day of his visit Pavlopoulos will meet privately with Plevneliev and afterwards the delegations of the countries will hold broad talks. The two presidents will make statements to the press after the end of the meetings.

Later, Pavlopoulos will meet with Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boiko Borisov and afterwards the Greek delegation will attend a lunch hosted in their honour by the president of the Bulgarian National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva.

Pavlopoulos and his wife will visit afterwards the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky and its Crypt and the first day of the Greek president's visit will close with the official dinner hosted in his honour by the Bulgarian president.

[02] Greek debt's restructuring on the cards, head of European Academy of Berlin tells ANA-MPA

The "aim of the European Academy is to strengthen the dialogue and the consultation within the European Union," he said, and referring to Greece he added: "The issue is not for Greece to adopt the German views, but to better understand how the Germans think."

Stratenschulte considers that the way the refugees issue was handled was not European, adding that "as long as the crisis was far away we closed our eyes, now that the refugees arrived at our door, we say that we must do something."

However, he estimated that the refugee crisis has brought Greece and Germany closer "although this sounds cynical."

We are "on the same side," he said. "We need each other. It is so simple and at the same time so complex to make a new beginning."

Stratenschulte noted that "the single currency was not a mistake," but it was a political act, the "result of the German reunification" adding that it would be better if it was implemented some other time.

Regarding the eurozone crisis, he said that "it did not concern Greece so much, but the bigger eurozone countries. If the markets' confidence to Greece was reduced, it would be reduced for other eurozone countries too, such as Spain, Italy, even France. And then it would become really dangerous."

On Greece, he underlined that "it is its future not only its past European."

[03] By no means will we set at risk the sustainability of PPC, Energy Min Skourletis says

"By no means will we set at risk the sustainability of PPC," he stressed.

Skourletis said that the control of the networks was always a red line for the government. The new ADMIE will be initially 100 percent state-run, a 29 percent will be then sold through the stock market and a 20 percent will be sold to a strategic partner. Moreover, the majority of the board will be controlled by the state, the managing director will be a person of mutual acceptance and the management will remain to the State.

The PPC compensation will come from the sale of the 49 percent and a part (up to 10 pct) of new ADMIE's profit before taxes (EBITDA). The timetable for the project is also very tight as it should be completed in 2016, Skourletis underlined.

[04] 2016 marks the beginning of a new course for National Bank, its governor Katselli says

Katselli noted that National Bank, with a quality portfolio, will lead the recovery effort of the Greek economy by channeling liquidity to the market.

He described the high interest of investors participating in the capital increase of the bank as a confidence vote in the National Bank of and stressed that the National Banks was the only bank that turned to Greek investors.

On his part, the president of the Athens Stock Exchange Socrates Lazaridis noted among others that the National Bank's strength will boost the stock market to the benefit of the Greek economy.

[05] Depression hits the Greek population

The higher percentage is recorded in persons with low income to whom is also observed an increase of depressive illness.

Moreover, the Greeks' health posts a decreasing trend while 25 percent can't receive their treatment for financial reasons.

According to a research conducted by GPS for the National School of Public Health on the healthcare of the Greek population during the economic crisis, the health of the Greeks is steadily decreasing.

In terms of social dimension, the research recorded that 1/3 of the Greeks can't pay their bills and debts and their health self-estimation is substantially under the average. 25 percent of the population did not take their medical treatment or did not do a check up.

The higher percentages of good health were recorded in Athens and Thessaloniki and the lowest on the Aegean islands and on Crete.

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