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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-16Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] We do not wish Trump and US to decide on Greece and eurozone's future, says EPP's president Weber to ANABRUSSELS(ANA/M. Spinthourakis) --- "We do not wish Donald Trump and US to decide on Greece and eurozone's future. EU is in the position to address its problens with its own powers" stated the president of the European Peoples' Party Manfred Weber to Athens Macedonian News Agency on Thursday.[02] Greek Econ minister optimistic over second review talksGreek Economy Minister Dimitris Papadimitriou, speaking to reporters on Thursday, expressed his optimism that a political push will be given at a Eurogroup meeting in February 20 to complete a second review of the Greek programme, while Economy Alternate Minister Alexis Charitsis noted that the Greek government has made all necessary work to reach an agreement and that the institutions must keep their part of the agreement. "Nothing beyond that," he said.Addressing an event organized by European Investment Bank, Papadimitriou asked for a further expansion of EIB's contribution in restarting the Greek economy with additional funding, emphasizing on infrastructure projects, energy, logistics, tourism and SMEs. The Greek minister underlined the importance of EIB's contribution in the planning of an agenda to develop regions hit by the refugee crisis. Papadimitriou said that following the set up of an Equifund, the Economy ministry plans to set up an Infrastructure Investment Fund, managed by EIB, with a portfolio of 400 million euros to fund infrastructure projects in renewable energy sources, energy saving and urban development. He noted there were three basic preconditions to attract investments: adhering to a fiscal stabilization programme, supporting business plans and lifting counter-incentives for investments. The Greek minister reminded that EIB has offered funds worth 30 billion euros to Greece since 1960 and has approved loans worth 3.4 billion euros in the 2015-2016 period. [03] ND spokesman Kikilias on Mitsotakis' trip to GermanyNew Democracy (ND) spokesman Vassilis Kikilias referred to ND's leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis' trip to Germany where he held a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, during his briefing to the press on Thursday.Kikilias said that the main opposition leader presented to Merkel and Schaeuble his party's programme to exit the crisis and emphasised on investments and the refugees issue. Mitsotakis, said the main opposition spokesman, "conveyed the Greek people's hard efforts underlining that their sacrifices should not be in vain. Mitsotakis clarified that Greece's position in the very heart of Europe and rejected scenarios for return to the drachma". Kikilias accused the government of a series of contradictory statements adding that ND's position is that "the second review should have been completed a long time ago and in the best possible way". [04] 11 investment plans, worth 1.1 bln euros, submitted to Enterprise GreeceThe Greek Economy ministry and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are in advanced talks to expand cooperation in funding investment plans and planning new development interventions and tools, Economy Alternate Minister Alexis Charitsis said on Thursday.Addressing a seminar organized by the ministry and EIB in Athens, Charitsis said talks are focusing on the energy sector - the main priority in development planning for the Greek government. "We steadily attract significant private investments. A total of 11 investments worth 1.1 billion euros - submitted to Enterprise Greece - are in advanced stages so far, a sign that the climate is changing and confidence in the Greek economy's prospects are restored," Charitsis said. He underlined that the Economy ministry was also giving a priority to actions to deal with a disinvestment trend by offering fundamental liquidity in the economy and stressed that the EIB has been a valuable support in this effort. [05] Greece expressed content over NATO's activities in the AegeanBRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Spinthourakis) - Defence Minister Panos Kammenos on Thursday, in Brussels, expressed his satisfaction over the continuation of NATO's activities on the dealing with the refugee crisis in the Aegean shortly after the conclusion of the two-day Ministerial NATO Summit.Kammenos made the following statement: The decision of the Council of Defence Ministers of NATO member states to continue the SÍÌG-2 mission in the Aegean despite the opposition of Turkey is an important national success. The absolute majority of the Defence Ministers, with the exception of Turkey, accepted that the operation was successful. The reduction of refugee flows with the presence of NATO vessels will continue as long as there are candidate migrants or refugees on the other side of the Aegean who want to enter Europe. I also raised the issue of the 15,000 refugees stranded on the Greek islands and asked the acceleration of the procedures. The Council of Ministers accepted and I want to thank especially my counterparts in NATO for welcoming the Greek positions. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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