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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-22Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] We will defend the European social acquis, says Alt.FM KatrougalosAlternate Foreign Minister George Katrougalos briefed on Wednesday the members of the special committee for Foreign Affairs noting that Greece will insist on the need to protect the European social acquis."We can't speak of the European acquis disregarding what is happening in Greece. We can't speak of the social dimension and the European social model when the IMF does not want the collective negotiations in Greece, which is something that constitutes the core of the European social model" said Katrougalos and briefed the members of the committee that Greece has set an amendment, which will be adopted on Saturday, that refers to the need for the absolute protection of the European social acquis, the labour and the issues of collective negotiations. "I am optimistic over Europe's future for the simple reason that the current status quo is not defensible", concluded Katrougalos. [02] Greece remains fourth largest foreign investor in BulgariaGreece remained the fourth largest foreign investor in Bulgaria, after Austria, Holland and Germany, with total investments of 2.501 billion euros at the end of September 2016, from 2.441 billion in the same period in 2015, the Greek embassy said in a report.Direct foreign investments to Bulgaria totaled 38.7 billion euros in the third quarter of 2016, while in 2016, foreign direct investments totaled 682.8 million euros, or 1.5 pct of the country's GDP (from 1.692 billion or 3.7 pct of GDP in 2015). In 2016, the largest direct foreign investments to Bulgaria came from Luxembourg (135.6 million euros), Holland (128.1 million) and the UK (118.1 million). Bilateral trade between Greece and Bulgaria grew slightly (2.0 pct) in 2016 reflecting a 7.1 pct increase in Bulgarian imports, while Greek exports fell 3.5 pct in the year. As a result, the Greek trade deficit with Bulgaria more than doubled in 2016. The trade balance between the two countries was traditionally in surplus until 2012. Hellenic Statistical Authority data showed that a decline in Greek exports to Bulgaria reflected lower exports of fuel and oil products, while increase Bulgarian exports to Greece reflected higher exports of cereals, clothing, plastic materials, tobacco, vehicles, chemicals. The top Greek export products in 2016 were fuel, tobacco, aluminium, games, cigars and fruit. Imports from Bulgaria were mainly electricity, wheat, sunflower oil, poultry, clothing and cheese. [03] French tourists vote Rhodes this summerThe island of Rhodes is expected to attract a large number of tourists this summer as the messages from the International Tourist Exhibition "Salon Mondial du Tourisme 2017" were very optimistic.The region of Southern Aegean was the only one representing Greece in the exhibition that was held between March 16-19. France is a traditional market for Rhodes and according to Rhodes Airport's data, arrivals of French tourists posted a 5.74 percent increase in 2016 compared to 2015. The islands of Patmos from the Dodecanese as well as the Cycladic islands of Kea, Paros, Folegandros, Amorgos, Tinos, Milos, Syros, Andros and Santorini were also hosted at the southern Aegean region pavilion. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |