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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-05-22Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Voting underway on prior actions bill in parliamentThe heated debate on the omnibus bill that includes measures demanded by Greece's lenders to close the first program review concluded in parliament on Sunday, with speeches by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the leaders of the opposition parties.Voting is now underway. [02] PM Tsipras: ND leader identifies with the harshest positions of the institutionsThe main opposition agrees with the harshest measures demanded by the institutions, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in parliament on Sunday, adding that New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis' remark on Greece's debt echoes that of Germany's Finance Minister that the country's problem is not its debt."Your problem is you identify with the worst positions of our creditors," Tsipras told lawmakers during a debate on the prior actions bill demanded by Greece's lenders to close the program review. "You want tough reforms but you don't want a debt settlement. You are on the IMF's side on reforms and on [Wolfgang] Schaeuble's side on the debt issue." He went on to say that Greece's problem is that it is negotiating with many parties, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demanding very tough reforms and additional measures, but also urging for debt cancellation. On the other side, he continued, Europeans say the measures demanded by the IMF are excessive and flexibility is needed, but at the same time cannot allow debt cancellation. "This is the problem of the negotiation," he said. Continuing on the debt issue, Tsipras said his government is fighting to achieve a "realistic solution … a significant debt reduction, so we can take the weight off citizens' backs who will be burdened with the process of reconstruction in this country for the next years." He also cited a statement by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker who said "we've taken a lot from Greeks and given them little" and urged New Democracy to side with the national effort. Tsipras also replied to ND's request for elections: "You told us you will implement your great ideas from 2017 until 2021. What happened Mr. Mitsotakis? We should not leave yet? Shall we wait until 2017?" He went on to say that ND will remain in the opposition until September 2019 and then for at least one four-year term. He then went on to announce the establishment of the Social Solidarity Fund, which he said will fund the minimum guaranteed income and tackle injustices. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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