The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 10-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Contacts on Economy- Reactions on Articles in Press

Article Index

Contacts on Economy- Reactions on Articles in Press

Έντονες αντιδράσεις για τα δημοσιεύματα γερμανικών περιοδικών

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Additional measures to bring fiscal deficit down seem inevitable, while measures are expected to be reached in the next days according to Finance Minister G. Papakonstantinou statements. The government is trying to put an end to scenarios about new measures stressing that all these talks could only bring panic. Successive meetings of the Prime-minister with top ranking Ministers as well as talks of the European auditors group with Finance Ministry officials focused on state deficit and measures to bring it down. In the meantime, the government has strongly reacted to stories on Greece's economy in German magazines.

On Tuesday, Prime-minister G. Papandreou continued contacts with top ranking Ministers on measures to boost development and bring state deficit down while the team of technical experts had contacts with government officials to check materialization of Growth and Stability Plan.

The team of auditors from the EU Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund has already met with George Zanias, president of Finance Ministry Economic Experts Council and Bank of Greece officials while they will meet with Employment Ministry officials on Wednesday. It is believed that they may propose further measures to bring deficit 4% down before their departure at the end of the week.

The EU College of Commissioners meeting on March, 9 is centered on Greece's economy while the next crucial date is March, 15 when results of measures will be examined. Eurogroup Finance Ministers' Council is allowed to take measures in the absence of Greece as provided by article 126(9). εξειδικευω

Towards New Measures

The government will take decisions necessary to achieve targets of Stability Plan while whatever decisions taken will be announced when talks with EU auditors wind up, said Finance Minister George Papakonstantinou.

Greece is trying to achieve eurozone political support through determination of a specific mechanism and gain time to convince Europe and markets that it is feasible to bring deficit 4% down in the current year in order to secure the necessary loan.

According to reports Greece has neither intention nor willingness to refer to IMF but all possibilities are open.

"...the government takes decisions only after serious consideration and its only criterion is to serve public interest..." George Petalotis

Government spokesman, G. Petalotis condemned endless talks about measures, stressing whatever measures would be reached after serious consideration and always with only criterion to protect the income of Greek people. He added that endless talks about measures only created panic and stories in press are most of the times groundless.

He said that the government is many times forced to take specific economic measures to save the country. The Prime-minister himself has many time repeated "unfortunately we have to take painful measures" but the government spokesman underlined that there was no question raised about abolition of 14th salary.

Defense Minister E. Venizelos spoke of measures to face the economic crisis and give prospect to the sacrifices of the Greek people after a meeting on armament and shipyards program.

The governor of the Bank of Greece George Probopoulos spoke of urgent need for structural reforms to boost competitiveness of economy and added that the present financial crisis could not be dealt throuth reasoning of other eras.

Strong Reactions to Articles to Stories in German Magazines

News item: 33706

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