The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 02-02-13

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] NEWS IN ENGLISH

13/2/2002 11:25:00 рм

[02] NEWS HEADLINES

- Papandreou-Cem agree to begin exploratory meetings

- EU Finance ministers approve Greek stability plan

- Meeting for collective employment contract

- Mobilisations with T.E.I

- Papoutsis PASOK's candidate in next mayoral race

[03] Weather forecast

In the north, temperatures will range from 1C to 17C; in the rest of the mainland and Ionian from 3C to 19C; and in the Aegean from 7C to 18C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 7C and 19C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 5C to 17C.

[04] New measures to be taken on Public Administration

The issues to be discussed will be related to payments, hirings, evalutation of employees and measures for transparency aiming at the civilians' service.

[05] Papandreou-Cem agree to begin exploratory meetings

The two men reasserted their willingness to begin exploratory contacts so as to find out if there is a framework for a wider dialogue.

Mr Papandreou stressed that "we should not be afraid (of such a dialogue) based on the fact that we are securing our sovereign rights".

The European framework is an important guarantee, he added, expressing the hope for a common rapprochement.

In these exploratory contacts Greece will be represented by the foreign ministry's civil director ambassador Alexandros Skopelitis, while Turkey's representative has not yet been named.

From his side, Mr Cem described their meeting as positive.

Meanwhile, Turkish-Cypriot representative Rauf Denktash reiterated provocatively that the refugees in Cyprus should forget their homeland.

[06] EU Finance ministers approve Greek stability plan

Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis told reporters after a meeting with his 15 counterparts in the Belgian capital that despite the endorsement, Greece needed to continue lowering its public debt and allocate more funds to social policy.

In the text of the approval, which is called an opinion, the ministers also warn that vigilance should be maintained over price shifts, especially in the context of wage negotiations.

The stability plan forecasts inflation of 2.8 percent in 2004 from 2.7 percent in 2003 and 2.8 percent in 2002. Growth is set in both 2004 and 2003 at 4.0 percent from 3.8 percent in 2002.

In addition, the budget surplus is seen at 1.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2004, 1.0 percent of GDP in 2003, and 0.8 percent of GDP in 2002.

Furthermore, unemployment is forecast at 9.0 percent in 2004, 9.8 percent in 2003, and 10.5 percent in 2002; and the plan contains real wage rises of 2.3 percent and 2.5 percent.

Policy will be based on curbing consumerist spending in the public sector, completing a tax overhaul in the second half of 2002, and advancing privatisation that is expected to bring revenue of 1.7 trillion drachmas over the three-year period.

Finally, the plan contains a worst case scenario to take adverse global conditions into account. The new computation envisages a rate of growth over the three year period that will be an average of 0.6 percentage point lower, and an average rise in real wages of 2.1 percent against 2.4 percent in the main scenario.

The ministers also said that Greece needed to speed up structural reforms in products, services, labour and pensions.

The government had pledged to begin talks with the social partners on social insurance reform at the end of March, Christodoulakis said

[07] .

[08] Meeting for collective employment contract

From its side, the Confederation of Greek Workers is demanding a 6.7% rise on lowest salaries and wages and the decrease of working time less than 40 hours per week.

According to information its seems that the two sides are willing to agree on pay rises of about 5%.

[09] Mobilisations with T.E.I

The issue is expected to be discussed today between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Minister of Education Petros Efthymiou.

[10] Papoutsis PASOK' s candidate in next mayoral race

In making the announcement, PASOK secretary Costas Laliotis added that the until recently Merchant Marine minister will be received by Prime Minister Costas Simitis at his office on Tuesday, whereas he voiced his complete disagreement with certain assessments claiming the mayoral race will undoubtedly tilt to main opposition New Democracys side if Dora Bakoyianni decides to enter.

No election battle is lost from the on-set, Laliotis said, adding that anyone that underestimates Athenian voters' power will be surprised by the election results.

Meanwhile, in terms of a possible Bakoyianni candidacy, the high-profile deputy and former minister will reportedly meet this week with ND leader Costas Karamanlis.

While press speculation over the past few months has repeatedly cast Bakoyianni as ND' s candidate in Athens, no official announcement has been made, either by the main opposition party or the one-time minister.

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