Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-25

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras: We must fight to change Europe from within

[02] Greek PM's initiative on labour relations found support in EU, European sources say

[03] 'We must all protect Cyprus,' Kotzias says, attending Nicosia's parade for March 25

[04] Clocks forward one hour for return to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday

[01] Tsipras: We must fight to change Europe from within

Tsipras said that he had put the crucial issue of the EU's social acquis and whether this was equally accessible to all EU member-states at the centre of the discussion. "Obviously, the answer I was given was positive but it remains to be seen whether rhetoric and the action continue to diverge. We will see this very soon," he added.

Regardless, he said, the reply given by the heads of European institutional bodies, saying that Greece was no exception to Europe's social acquis, "encourages us to continue in a struggle that concerns the workers and people of Greece as much as the workers and all the peoples of Europe."

Tsipras was also critical of trade unions in Greece, which he said were "in the rear guard and not on the front lines, as in other countries in Europe."

[02] Greek PM's initiative on labour relations found support in EU, European sources say

The European sources pointed to Tusk's statement during Saturday's press conference and Juncker's letter replying to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which both confirmed the European leadership's resolve to make the social acquis a priority for Europe in the coming decade, especially with respect to labour relations.

Despite the fact that there was no change to the text of the Rome Declaration after last Monday, sources close to the European Council presidency noted that Tusk had been in "close contact" with the Greek prime minister in order to respond to his call for support. Tsipras and Tusk had spoken on the phone on Tuesday, they said, at which time Tsipras raised the issue of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) delays in completing the second review of the Greek programme, which were focused on labour issues and specifically the return of collective bargaining. This was then followed up by the Greek prime minister's letter and Tusk's reply on Saturday that Europe will continue to work with the social partners to implement a high level of social protection and "best practices in labour relations throughout Europe, including Greece."

According to the same sources, meanwhile, the final text of the Rome Declaration had very strong references to the social acquis and to specific points that concern the European South, such as fighting unemployment and protecting the role of the social partners. These references were included as a result of the process that began in Bratislava last September and the political discussion that followed, the sources noted.

They also told the ANA that a more specific commitment in the Rome Declaration was not possible due to "legal constraints" - namely, because social policy is not an EU competence in certain countries. In any case, they added, the Greek prime minister's initiative did not concern the Declaration itself so much as the delays in completing the second review and the pressures exerted by the IMF against the return of collective bargaining in Greece. This, they noted, was covered by Tusk's statement on Saturday.

Regarding Juncker's response, a community source said that the European Commission president's letter sent a clear message to the heads of the institutions and especially the IMF to speed up the completion of the review, officially setting April 7 as the new milestone.

[03] 'We must all protect Cyprus,' Kotzias says, attending Nicosia's parade for March 25

Cyprus is "emotion, love and hope," the Greek foreign minister said, adding that "we must all protect Cyprus, support and embrace its people."

"Together we can solve the problems that exist," Kotzias said.

Also among the officials that attended the parade before the Greek Embassy in Nicosia were Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos, the Greek ambassador in Nicosia and Cyprus' political and military leadership.

[04] Clocks forward one hour for return to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday

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