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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-13Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] BoG chief: Completing program review a matter of 'common sense'Concluding Greece's second program review is a matter of "common sense" and the country must not miss this opportunity, Bank of Greece governor Yannis Stournaras said during a briefing of the parliament's finance committee on Monday."We have achieved the largest part of the [economic] adjustment and it is a matter of common sense to close this agreement. The Greek economy has shown strong resistance during the crisis. The sacrifices which have been made are too big. We're too close to exiting the crisis. We must not lose this opportunity as, I'm sorry to say, we missed in the past," he told lawmakers. Asked who is to blame for the delay in the completion of the review, the central banker said all sides share a part of the responsibility. "It may be a tactic, but it is in our power to refute it. And I say this because we have a lot of experience now. We have been negotiating since 2010. Of course, BoG's choice is to make the agreement now, which is a much better scenario than all the others. It will be good for the economy to close [the review] now. Unfortunately we do not have time, because we are very close to the German, Dutch and French elections. A few months later, things will be worse," he said. Commenting on the creditors demand for a lower tax-free threshold, he said this can be implemented through rationalization and a tiered system. Stournaras also said he wasn't opposed to the idea of legislating measures in advance, noting the 3.5 percent primary surplus target can be achieved, on condition that a reverse mechanism will be put in place to abolish austerity measures when the country achieves its goals. [02] Farmers planning protest rally in Athens on TuesdayA protest rally by Greek farmers throughout the country is planned in central Athens on Tuesday afternoon, taking place at Vathy Square at 13:30. Among their main demands, as expressed by the National Roadblocks Committee is the abolition of recent increases to their social insurance contributions to the farmers' pension fund OGA, a reduction in the minimum age of retirement, and a tax-free income allowance of 12,000 euros a year (increased by 3,000 per child.They also demand that a "unseizable" limit of 15,000 euros, tax-free fuel, minimum guaranteed prices for farm products and haircuts for their debts. The employees' association at the rural development ministry has declared an Attica-wide work stoppage from noon until the end of the shift on Tuesday. Farmers had announced their intention to hold a protest rally after last Friday's talks with the ministry's leadership ended in deadlock, with the ministry refusing to meet their demands. Talking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) on Tuesday, Rural Development Minister Vangelis Apostolou again underlined that the fiscal conditions made any further financial assistance to farmers impossible, while his willingness to take measures that will lower their production costs. Farmers throughout the country have set up protest road blocks on national highways and even closed borders in the past weeks, warning that their action will escalate if their demands are not met Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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