The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-10-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] FYROM Recognizes Kosovo

By Nasos Bratsos

France hailed Montenegro and FYROMs move to recognize Kosovos independence. Its two neighbouring countries recognizing Kosovo, along with Portugal on Tuesday, was really good news for stability in the Balkans, said a spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry.

It came naturally for Kosovos Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to voice his satisfaction, stressing that the decisions of Montenegro and FYROM aimed at cementing peace, stability and regional cooperation and accelerating processes that would usher the Balkan countries into the Euro-Atlantic community. So far, 50 nations, including the USA and the majority of the EU member states, have recognized Kosovo as an independent state.

Serbias Reactions

Serbia, on the other hand, following its decision to have the Montenegrin ambassador expelled from Belgrade, it announced it planned to do the same with FYROMs ambassador. Reacting to Serbias decision, FYROMs Foreign Affairs Ministry dismissed the decision as pointless and cursory, stressing that the Serbian ambassador would be welcomed in Skopje to perform his duties, enjoying full cooperation with all state institutions

Translated by Areti Christou

[02] Regulations on Pension Funds

Sources: ΝΕΤ

The Employment Minister, Fani Palli-Petralia, is pushing forward ten norms meaning to govern investments of pension funds reserves, making the relevant procedures much stricter.

The opposition parties blasted the new regulations as pointless, demanding reserves be safeguarded, since it seems that they have not been exposed to the so-called toxic investments. The majority of the pension funds have invested their reserves in Greek bonds.

Harsher rules are to come into force aiming to cement liquidity and return on investments, while constant monitoring of investment risks will also be imposed.

PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) spoke of pointless measures, while KKE (Greek Communist Party) demanded gambling on the pension funds reserves be ended and money be returned, for it is stolen.

"The government is to deliver the final blow to the pension funds," commented SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) spokesman Panayiotis Lafazanis.

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