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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-08-03Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Greek budget revenue up in Jan-July, down in July, says Alt. FinMinGreek budget revenue surpassed targets by 1.02 pct in the January-July period, although July revenues fell short of targets by 9.6 pct, Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis said on Wednesday.In a report released by the ministry, Alexiadis said that excluding tax returns, budget revenues surpassed targets by 621 million euros. Net revenue amounted to 4.854 billion euros, from a budget target of 5.367 billion euros. In the seven-month period, net revenue totaled 25.811 billion euros from a budget target of 25.550 billion. Tax returns totaled 388 million euros in July, surpassing a budget target of 208 million. In the seven-month period, tax returns totaled 1.860 billion euros up from a target of 1.5 billion. Alexiadis, in comments made in a radio interview said: "We are way above budget targets in revenue in the first seven months and if this positive course would be continued we won't have to activate the automatic spending cut mechanism". [02] Europe needs a 'Plan B' for migration problem, Greece's Mouzalas says to 'Bild'Europe definitely needs a "Plan B" for the refugee and migration issue, Greece's Alternate Minister for Migration Policy Yiannis Mouzalas said in an interview with the German newspaper "Bild" published on Wednesday. The minister expressed the Greek government "deep concern" at the statements made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu about Turkey possibly backing out of the EU-Turkey agreement on the refugee crisis.According to Mouzalas, the EU must prepare for the possibility that Turkey will once again open its borders and allow migrants to reach Europe. He also asked for greater willingness on the part of EU member-states to accept some of the refugees. "The refugees must be distributed equally in all the member-states," he said. Asked about the same issue and whether the EU needs a plan B on Tuesday, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the newspaper "Rheinische Post" that "we must stick to what has been agreed" and that there was no point to threats and ultimatums. [03] ND leader: All sides must join forces to restore damages from north Evia fireVisiting the fire-stricken town of Limni in northern Evia on Wednesday, main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said all sides had an obligation to set aside their differences and pool their forces to restore the damage after such a major natural disaster.Mitsotakis attended a meeting of local bodies and thanked the men and women of the fire brigade, the volunteers, the municipality, regional authority and General Secretariat for Civil Protection for their efforts to put out the blaze. He stressed that the immediate priority from here on was prevention and ensuring that there were no new fires, since the summer was not yet over. ND's leader also said the damage must be fully recorded and work begin on anti-flooding protection measures for the winter. During the meeting, Central Greece Region governor Kostas Bakoyannis announced measures to promote Limni as a tourism destination, with an ad campaign to ensure that the tourism season isn't lost. [04] Archaeological Council approves restoration work at Parthenon's western pedimentThe Central Archaeological Council (KAS) approved on Wednesday two projects for the restoration of the upright marble slabs and background wall of the drum which form part of Parthenon's western pediment.According to the researchers who presented the two studies, the work involves rescue interventions aimed at dealing with the problems found by restorers in that section of the pediment – mainly cracks formed by various causes. In the future, the studies could be used to evaluate whether it would be useful to add material in place of the two missing slabs, they said. The process which will be followed will involve removing the oxidized iron parts (from the intervention of Nikolaos Balanos in the early 20th century), completing the structural restoration of each architectural part and systematically conserving the surfaces of the ancient marbles. The crew will also partially dismantle the wall and supplement it with stone plinths, where needed, to ensure its structural integrity. [05] Hundreds of Yazidi Kurds plead to be relocated in center with co-religionistsMore than 420 Yazidi Kurds from northern Iraq living in the refugee center of Nea Kavala in Kilkis, northern Greece, said on Wednesday they want to be relocated to a different venue that houses people of the same religious affiliiation and nationality.The group, most of them women and children, held earlier this morning a protest rally outside the center and later packed up their belongings and walked to a nearby field about 100 meters from the venue. According to the police, the Yazidis have contacted the relevant authorities asking to be relocated, as they argue that their religious beliefs cause frictions with other refugees. The center in Nea Kavala hosts about 4,100 refugees and migrants (including the Yazidis), most of them from Iraq and Syria. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |