Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 06-02-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis visits Ireland, holds talks with Irish PM Ahern

[02] New FM Bakoyannis assures of continuity in Greek foreign policy

[03] Bakoyannis gives first interview as foreign minister in Berlin

[04] Turkish PM congratulates newly-appointed Greek FM

[05] Congratulations to Bakoyannis from FYROM's foreign minister

[06] Former Turkish president Suleyman Demirel congratulates new FM Dora Bakoyannis

[07] Thessaloniki a city of tolerance and coexistence, Israeli President Moshe Kitsap says

[08] New Macedonia-Thrace minister asks cooperation for region's development

[09] Papandreou convenes PASOK MPs, demands early elections

[10] Ruling ND party 2.3 pc ahead of PASOK, MRB poll says

[11] Greece to take action over EU internal document on FYROM

[12] European Commissioner outlines environmental priorities for 2006

[13] Environmental issues main cause for Greece's referral to ECJ in 2005

[14] PASOK Eurodeputies abstain from voting on Bolkestein directive

[15] New Athens mayor to be elected on February 23

[16] UN High Commission for Refugees in Greece beginning campaign

[17] Gov't aims to relieve wage earners from heavy tax burden

[18] Greek gov't launches program to offer financial support to SMEs

[19] FinMin urges for more inspections to combat smuggling, tax evasion

[20] Favorable EU response to Greek growth report

[21] Pay rise talks in deadlock, trade unions to discuss strike mobilizations

[22] Bank workers to strike on Friday over labor pact

[23] Merchant marine minister receives Panhellenic Maritime Organisation representatives

[24] Part-time employees for local gov'ts in high unemployment areas

[25] Greek tourist enterprises expect better year in 2006

[26] Greek harmonized inflation slowed to 3.0 pct in January, yr/yr

[27] Transport minister on OA flight schedule from Thessaloniki

[28] Major Greek presence at 2 Plovdiv trade exhibitions

[29] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in brisk trade

[30] Ombudsman meets deputy mayors for talks on restricted parking system in Athens municipality

[31] Fire on boat endangers 18 illegal immigrants

[32] Train-truck collision in N. Greece reportedly results in fatalities

[33] Papadopoulos and Annan to discuss ways to prepare the ground for talks

[34] UN: Annan and Papadopoulos to review situation in Cyprus

[35] Rice on US funding for UNFICYP mission on Cyprus

[36] Argentinian Major General appointed as new UNFICYP Commander

[01] Karamanlis visits Ireland, holds talks with Irish PM Ahern

DUBLIN,17/2/2006 (ANA - L. Tsirigotakis)

The main issues discussed were the European Constitutional Treaty, the cohesion of the European Union and European enlargement in the Balkans, as well as bilateral relations between Greece and Ireland.

Summarizing his talks with Ahern, Karamanlis noted that bilateral relations between Greece and Ireland were excellent and that the two countries had very useful and effective cooperation in the international forums where they both participated.

"There are, of course, many opportunities and much potential for expanding and developing this cooperation even more, so a large part of our talks was devoted to this issue," he noted.

The Greek premier also pointed out that he had last visited Dublin for the celebrations marking the accession of the 10 new member-states of the EU. Stressing that the EU now faced "new challenges of major importance for the future," Karamanlis said that he and Ahern had carried out an overview of these challenges and exchanged views concerning the future of Europe, its enlargement and ways to approach the issue of the EU constitutional treaty after the end of a period of reflection.

"Greece wants to see a new energy in our efforts and the continuation of dialogue with careful exploration of future prospects. In this process, we must pay due attention to the concerns of the citizens and the need to restore their trust in the European enterprise," he said.

Karamanlis noted that achieving better conditions for the development of EU economies and creating new jobs would help significantly in this direction.

"In this framework, we also examined the progress of the Lisbon process with Mr. Ahern and agreed that even more must be done in order to achieve our targets," he added.

The Greek premier also briefed Ahern on Greece's positions on issues of regional and broader international interest, particularly the situation in the Balkans, Turkey's prospects of EU accession, the Cyprus problem and the Middle East.

Karamanlis was accompanied by newly-appointed Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis and a Greek delegation.

Immediately after the talks, the Greek premier and the Greek delegation left for Athens.

[02] New FM Bakoyannis assures of continuity in Greek foreign policy

BERLIN, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA)

Moreover, she also gave assurances of continuity in Greece's foreign policy, following Tuesday's government reshuffle.

Bakoyannis, who was sworn-in as foreign minister hours before accompanying Karamanlis on the first leg of visits to Berlin and Dublin, told reporters that the talks between the Greek prime minister and his German counterpart had been "talks of substance and depth", focusing on a review of and strategy on the course and future of the European Union, and international developments, with the main thrust on the matters of particular interest to Greece, such as the Cyprus issue and developments in the Balkans ahead of the commencement of the process for the determination of the future status of Kosovo.

Bakoyannis and deputy government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros briefed reporters on the Greek-German talks late Wednesday, following a lengthy 2 1/2 hours working dinner.

No specific reference was made to the differences in Athens' and Berlin's approaches on issues such as Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's recent proposals on the Cyprus problem -- which Athens and Nicosia have rejected as a rehashing of earlier, unacceptable positions, and which Berlin has not publicly rejected but has said it is 'studying' -- or to the FYROM name issue. Both Bakoyannis and Antonaros, however, said talks provided an opportunity for an "extensive and in-depth analysis" of the Greek government's position, which they said was "very important".

Replying to questions prompted by articles appearing in certain Greek and Cypriot newspapers speculating on a change of policy over the Cyprus issue following Bakoyannis' assumption of ministry, the former Athens mayor stressed that Greece's "foreign policy has continuity" and was "a cause of the collective government"

She also emphasized that "the first and last word belongs to the prime minister".

Bakoyannis further stressed that she could never use her capacity as prime minister to exercise personal policy.

Regarding her own meeting with her German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Bakoyannis said their discussion centered mainly on developments in the Middle East and on the issue of Iran.

She also denied reports that she would be going to the United States on March 11 for a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"I have not yet replied to the invitation," Bakoyannis clarified, referring to a comment on Tuesday by a State Department spokesman regarding the change at the helm of the Greek foreign ministry and a statement that Rice looked forward to meeting with her new Greek counterpart.

Regarding a question over Greek-German cooperation in the field of armaments, Bakoyannis confirmed that the German side had put forward anew the issue of a possible procurement by Greece of Eurofighter jetfighters. The Eurofighter Typhoon (previously called the Eurofighter 2000) is a multinational effort by European nations to produce a cutting-edge 21st century fighter aircraft, co-produced by the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.

"The armaments issue and the Eurofighter will be examined by summer, and under the prism of the fact that the European defense policy comprises a fundamental axis of the EU's prospect," Bakoyannis explained, adding however, that this was not the only prism under which the matter will be mulled.

Karamanlis and the Greek delegation left Thursday morning for Dublin, where they were scheduled to hold talks and have a working luncheon with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

[03] Bakoyannis gives first interview as foreign minister in Berlin

BERLIN, 17/2/2006 (ANA - P. Stangos)

Bakoyannis arrived in Berlin on Wednesday, the same day that she was sworn-in as minister, accompanying Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on an official visit to Germany.

During the interview, the new foreign minister stressed that Greece's foreign policy had both consistency and continuity.

"It is government policy. I will offer my abilities to reinforce this policy and the effort Greece is making to be present, to defend matters of Greek interest in the best possible way and to be an active player in the European Union at a time when, as you see, there are common problems and concerns," she said.

Listing a series of issues such as bird flu, Europe's future course and the situation that had arisen after the Euro-Constitution was put on hold, Bakoyannis noted that these concerns were shared by both Germany and Greece, as well as the rest of Europe.

Concerning Turkey's prospects of EU accession, in the light of Ankara's continued refusal to recognize EU member-state Cyprus, Bakoyannis underlined that Greece's support was conditional on Turkey's acceptance of EU rules and its fulfillment of all commitments.

"First of all, we must say that a European prospect for Turkey has been a standing position for Greece in the past years. Turkey, however, must itself wish to become a member of the EU, accepting and implementing all the agreements it has signed. In other words, the commitments that Turkey has made to the EU must be kept.

"For this reason, the paradox to which you refer [Turkey's refusal to recognize an EU member-state] - which is paradox of both institutions and essence - is not something that can continue. I believe that during [the accession negotiations], during which the EU will monitor the implementation of Turkish commitments, we will be able to draw final conclusions on whether Turkey truly desires to become a member of the united European family," Bakoyannis said.

Questioned about the other thorny issue in Greek foreign policy - the dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the republic's adopted name of 'Macedonia' - and how Greece's stance was viewed by other European countries, the Greek foreign minister pointed out that the EU had agreed that accession negotiations with Skopje should begin using the name FYROM.

"This shows that there is complete sensitivity and under-standing for the problem, for which negotiations to find a solution of the name issue are underway at the United Nations. I believe that the rest of our European partners understand that Greece has shown its good will in various instances and on several occasions," she said.

Greece was now waiting for the negotiations to yield a result that showed a corresponding good will on FYROM's part, she added.

The Greek foreign minister also underlined Athens' positive stance to the accession prospects of its Balkan neighbors Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, stressing that the benefits would outweigh any problems caused by their relative economic weaknesses.

"We believe that this entire region (southeast Europe) should have as a goal its eventual accession to the EU. Economically they are not countries that will cause the EU a problem, they are small countries. But for the wider region and for stability, which we are striving for, this prospect is very important. We support it and I hope that other types of thoughts and concerns within the EU will not influence the other countries in the direction of refusal," she stressed.

At the same time, she underlined that the criteria set by the EU for candidate-countries must be fulfilled and that this applied to all countries.

Regarding Greece's stance on the future of Kosovo and whether it could help in reconciling the widely different positions of the two sides in the negotiations, Bakoyannis reiterated that any solution regarding Kosovo's status should be the product of real negotiations and not one imposed from above.

Noting that Greece was a "strong presence" in the region, she stressed that Athens' goal was peace and stability, which were a self-evident precondition for achieving any kind of solution, and that it would support the process that was due to begin.

Finally, regarding the results of the visit to Berlin by Karamanlis and herself, Greece's foreign minister described the meeting between Karamanlis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel as "exceptionally useful, with was an honest and substantial exchange of information and very good chemistry".

She said that Greek and German views coincided on several issues, including the need to revive the Euro-Constitution, while pointing out that Germany was Greece's strongest rading partner.

Concerning her own impressions of Chancellor Merkel as another woman in politics, Bakoyannis said that she knew Merkel from earlier on and noted that the press always showed particular interest in women because there were so few in politics, both worldwide and in Europe.

"Notwithstanding, the first 87 days [since Merkel became Chancellor] have shown, I believe, that she has both the sensitivity and the ability to reconcile difficult or even outwardly irreconcilable issues. Let us wish her good luck, for the good of the German people but also of Europe, in which Germany is a pillar of European stability," she said.

[04] Turkish PM congratulates newly-appointed Greek FM

ANKARA, 17/2/2006 (ANA)

Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, being the president of the European Union's Council of Foreign Ministers, and French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy also communicated with Bakoyannis to congratulate her on the assumption of her duties and to wish her every success in the mission she is undertaking.

[05] Congratulations to Bakoyannis from FYROM's foreign minister

SKOPJE, 17/2/2006 (ANA)

Mitreva notes in the telegram that Bakoyannis' appointment coincides with a period that is particularly important for the incorporation of southeast European countries in the European family.

"I grasp this opportunity to hail the course of cooperation between our two countries, which I believe we will enrich with joint efforts for a united, democratic and prosperous Europe," she added.

In days leading up to the government reshuffle in Greece, FYROM media had given emphasis to an upcoming visit to Skopje by Deputy Foreign Minister Evripides Stylianidis on March 7-8, seeing it as a sign of an upswing in relations between Greece and FYROM.

[06] Former Turkish president Suleyman Demirel congratulates new FM Dora Bakoyannis

ISTANBUL, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA - A. Kourkoulas)

Bakoyannis was appointed Greece's first woman foreign minister by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis earlier this week and resigned her post as Athens mayor, which she had held since 2002.

[07] Thessaloniki a city of tolerance and coexistence, Israeli President Moshe Kitsap says

THESSALONIKI, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Minister of Macedonia and Thrace George Kalantzis hosted a luncheon in Thessaloniki for President Kitsap and Greek President Karolos Papoulias. He also gave commemorative gifts to the two presidents.

President Kitsap said in his address that Thessaloniki is the city of Artistotle and the city in which Rabbi Slobo Alkabes was born, whose psalms are used by Jews in every corner of the earth. He further said that the city embraced the Jews who had left Spain and the history and culture of Thessaloniki Jews began developing in the 15th century.

He also referred to the great blow experienced by the Jews of Thessaloniki, since 50,000 lost their lives in Nazi concentration camps.

President Kitsap expressed his conviction that relations between Greece and Israel will improve and thanked President Papoulias for the invitation he extended to him, adding that he will welcome him in Israel with great pleasure.

The President of Israel is due to make an address at the Jewish Synagogue later in the day and he will also be proclaimed an honorary member of the Israelite community in Thessaloniki.

Meetings in Greece 'fruitful', Israeli President says: Israeli President Moshe Kitsap, on an official visit to Greece, described his meetings with Greek political leaders as 'fruitful' on Thursday.

Kitsap, in Greece with his wife Gila, met with President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki, main opposition PASOK President George Papandreou, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Aleka Papariga, and Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) President Alekos Alavanos.

Greek-Israeli relations have never been better he said, speaking at an event held at Thessaloniki's Monastirioton Synagogue.

He noted that relations between the two countries are sincere and based on common values, adding however that there is room for improvement.

Kitsap was named honorary member of the Thessaloniki Jewish Community and was given a medal by the Community's President David Saltiel.

[08] New Macedonia-Thrace minister asks cooperation for region's development

New Macedonia-Thrace minister George Kalantzis on Thursday called for everyone's cooperation for the region's development, during the handover ceremony in which he took over the ministry's portfolio from Nikos Tsiartsionis.

"I ask all of you for your cooperation for development. We must accelerate our effort because Thessaloniki Macedonia and Thrace are tired of waiting and demand solutions," he said, and assured that no one could be spared on the developmental course. He also called for coordination and comradery so that the government's goals could be achieved, adding that his door was open for all the citizens.

"We can achieve, and we deserve, a better Thessaloniki, a better Macedonia and Thrace," Kalantzis said, adding that he feared no one, but needed the love and support of everyone.

Kalantzis praised his predecessor, whom he said he had met a decade ago in the effort to back prime minister Costas Karamanlis' assumption of the New Democracy party's leadership.

Greeting the new minister at Thessaloniki's City Hall, Tsiartsionis said that "politics is 'us', not 'I', and those who adopt the 'us' are the ones who prove worthy", adding his certainty that Kalantzis would not compromise with personal aspirations and interests "that lead nowhere". He further expressed satisfaction with the work accomplished at the ministry, backed by the prime minister's interventions.

Tsiartsionis said he was turning over a "well-oiled engine" that responds to the challenges it meets, "a battleworthy and tightly-knit team that brings results, so that Thessaloniki will comprise the centre of the Balkans and play the lead role in store for it in the course", and called on his successor to give that team the opprotunity to carry on, after checking it out.

"We believed in the Macedonia-Thrace ministry's institutional role as the developmental headquarters for Macedonia and Thrace," he said, and thanked the ministry's secretary general Prof. Loukas Ananikas and the staff, as well as all the agencies, companies and organizations under its jurisdiction for their assistance.

Referring to the companies, he made special mention of Helexpo-TIF, opining that the proposal put forward for the upgrading of TIF was a strong proposal that "stirred up the waters" and would be discussed at a more mature time, while he praised Helexpo for the freshness it gave to the exhibitions sector.

Tsiartsionis presented Kalantzis with a book on the history of the ministry.

Present at the handover ceremony were Thessaloniki prefect Panayotis Psomiadis, and representatives of the region's local governments, police and city agencies.

[09] Papandreou convenes PASOK MPs, demands early elections

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

He held Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis responsible for "leading the country downhill" and said that PASOK had a duty to take the lead in political developments until the next elections, while noting that the sooner these were held, the better it would be for the country.

He also called on MPs to "lead PASOK's struggle alongside all democratic citizens of the country" to replace the present conservative government with one that was "democratic and progressive".

"There is another way, which is guaranteed by PASOK," Papandreou stressed.

Among a litany of ills he blamed on the government, the main opposition leader particularly stressed the phone-tapping affair, which he described as a "scandal". He also accused Karamanlis of cover-ups and concealing the truth about the affair and asked why the premier had taken no measures to protect telecommunications security and privacy, even though he had known about the affair for 11 months.

Dismissing a call from Karamanlis for consensus and cooperation concerning the phone-tap affair, he said PASOK would not "rush to conceal ND's responsibilities" and claimed that the government had proved itself untrustworthy by ignoring the opposition parties on major issues of foreign policy, such as the Cyprus problem or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The main opposition leader also charged the government with "arrogant indifference" to the problems faced by the vast majority of Greeks, who he said were living in an unprecedented climate of corruption, economic insecurity and general impasses.

Papandreou dismissed reforms being attempted by the government as failed, while noting that unemployment was rising and the rights of workers under collective agreements, as well as individual rights and freedoms, were being eroded.

Criticizing the recent government reshuffle, meanwhile, he said Karamanlis was "hiding from the problems, reality and his own responsibilities behind a recycling of party members.

"This is just a desperate attempt, because the electorate know and are not fooled by New Democracy's propaganda machine," he added.

Several of the ministers that left the government during the reshuffle were targeted for criticism by Papandreou, including veteran diplomat Petros Molyviatis who he accused of "dismal failure" on the Cyprus issue.

The main opposition leader was also highly critical of New Democracy's decision to leave the Athens municipality - the largest and most influential municipality in the country - without a leader, following the departure of Dora Bakoyannis from the mayor's office to take over leadership of the foreign ministry.

He accused the government of treating ND in an unacceptable way and stressed that local government must be relieved of the "partisanship of the Right".

The reshuffle was not a new beginning but the beginning of the end for the government, Papandreou stressed.

Pledging to govern with sincerity, transparency and respect for citizens if elected, he also made a personal commitment for a "different relationship of ethics and power with the citizens", in which the voice of every citizen was heard and government was "sensitive, with knowledge and experience, with respect and confidence in democratic institutions, to values, meritocracy and changes without fear for the new".

Government reaction to Papandreou: Reacting to Papandreou's criticism on Thursday, government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos accused the main opposition party of "remaining stuck in its past as government, in modes of thinking that were conservative and practices that had led nowhere, that had been tried and had failed."

The Greek people paid and were still paying for their results, he added.

"The citizens appreciate the need for changes and for this reason they support the great institutional reforms of the government," he said.

[10] Ruling ND party 2.3 pc ahead of PASOK, MRB poll says

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

According to the poll, ND garners 36.2 percent, PASOK 33.9, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) 6.8, the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party 4 and the Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology 3.5, while 0.8 opted for other parties and 14.7 remain undecided.

On the question of which of the two mainstream party leaders is more suitable to be prime minister, 46.6 percent said ND leader Costas Karamanlis and 34.4 PASOK leader George Papandreou, with 17.4 saying that neither of them is suitable for the job.

Moreover, 66.4 percent said the prime minister's decision to make a reshuffle earlier this week to improve the government's performance was necessary.

Lastly, 52.5 percent of respondents expressed agreement with the prime minister's move to offer the candidacy for the Athens mayorship (municipal elections will be held in the country in October) to Nikitas Kaklamanis, while 44.2 think it was a mistake.

[11] Greece to take action over EU internal document on FYROM

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

He was responding to questions concerning a report on an internal document circulated by the European Commission that apparently advises Commission staff not to use the name FYROM when addressing the country's residents, because they considered it an insult.

Koumoutsakos pointed out that the European Council had decided to give FYROM the status of a candidate-country but without any agreement on when and if accession negotiations with the EU would begin.

"At the same time, EU decisions make it clear that the further European course of the neighboring country and the specific steps in the course that it will follow will take place under the name 'Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia', unless a mutually acceptable solution to the unresolved issue of its name is achieved in the meantime," the spokesman stressed.

"It is self-evident that this decision is fully binding for all EU organs in all their actions," Koumoutsakos noted, adding that this was the basis on which Greece was taking action within the EU concerning the document.

"Greece is continuing the moderate and constructive policy that it implemented last December concerning the neighboring country's European course, but at the same time it is clear that it will take all action necessary for the full observance of the agreements made at December's European Council," he concluded.

[12] European Commissioner outlines environmental priorities for 2006

BRUSSELS, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/M. Spinthourakis)

"I am determined to maintain the strong momentum created in 2005, which was a landmark year for climate change with the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol exactly a year ago, the take-off of EU emissions trading and the launch of global talks on future action," he said.

"It was also a breakthrough year for a new wave of environmental policies that will bring both environmental and economic gains. While building on these achievements, this year we must also increase efforts to tackle the deterioration of ecosystems, as shown by the continuing decline in biological diversity, which threatens to undermine the very basis on which our economies depend," he added.

This year's priorities will be combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, promoting environmental technologies and eco-innovation, and helping member states implement EU environmental directives effectively and on time.

[13] Environmental issues main cause for Greece's referral to ECJ in 2005

BRUSSELS, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/V. Demiris)

Greece was referred to the ECJ for its failure to comply with waste treatment directives, treatment of hazardous waste in Thriassio Pedio, reducing air pollution generated by the Public Power Corporation's facilities on the island of Crete, and the sustainable management and protection of Lake Messologhi.

According to the court, Greece has had 283 cases filed against it since 1981 when it joined the then European Economic Community.

[14] PASOK Eurodeputies abstain from voting on Bolkestein directive

STRASBOURG, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/O. Tsipira)

In a statement released after the voting, PASOK explained its reasons for abstaining.

While PASOK was satisfied with the changes it was able to effect to the original proposal in cooperation with the PES Socialist Group and thus changing the "initial neo-liberal direction of the Bolkestein Directive," the party felt that certain clauses remained vague and contradictory.

For these reasons, PASOK said it chose to abstain from voting and will "continue its struggle" during the upcoming negotiations with the European Commission and the European Council concerning the directive.

"We believe that the text needs to be further improved for the benefit of workers and small- and medium-size businesses in Greece and in Europe, for the development of social cohesion," the party stated.

In closing, the party's MEPs said that following the 'battle' in the European Parliament, the responsibility now lies with EU member-states.

The Greek government, they said, must prevent any negative development and must push for improvements during negotiations with the European Council, PASOK said.

[15] New Athens mayor to be elected on February 23

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

According to regulations governing the election of the new mayor, the municipal councilor who was elected with the most votes and who is caretaker mayor, Fotini Pipili, on Thursday summoned the municipal councilors of the "Athens tomorrow" group for a meeting next Thursday to elect the new mayor.

[16] UN High Commission for Refugees in Greece beginning campaign

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The campaign makes a comparison between children's games and the "games of life" those refugees, who are victims of persecution due to race, religion, ethnic origin, political convictions or participation in a special social group, are obliged to experience.

Caren M. Farcas, the High Commission's representative in Greece, said "countries have the legal right to control their borders in light of increasing illegal immigration and security issues also related to terrorism. However, among this great influx of people into Greece exists a small number of men, women and children who are seeking security."

The campaign focuses on issues requiring handling, including difficulties faced by refugees in their effort to enter Greece and appeal for asylum and the limited number of people who are given asylum.

[17] Gov't aims to relieve wage earners from heavy tax burden

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Speaking to reporters, the Greek minister said he planned to reduce tax burdens for wage earners and to simplify tax procedures, while he reminded that other important reforms would be introduced, such as reforming the bank pension system, promoting joint ventures between the public and private sectors and launching a Special Inspectors Corp to monitor public spending.

Alogoskoufis acknowledged that most pensions were at low levels and stressed that the government intended to raise a supplementary pension pay and farmers' pensions over the next few years to reach 230-330 euros, respectively.

He emphasized on the need to interconnect spending to cover needs, such as pension payments, with tax evasion. Pensioners' average income was 8,898 euros annually, while the average income declared by a restaurant or bar manager was 8,154 euros, he added. Alogoskoufis underlined that all listed companies in the Athens Stock Exchange were not considered state-owned enterprises.

Alogoskoufis declined to comment over a report, currently drafted, on the country's pension system and noted that structural interventions were necessary, such as more workers in the labor market and integrating immigrants to the country's pension system. He stressed that a solution to the problem needed the widest possible consensus. Alogoskoufis said that competition in the domestic banking market could and must be improved to further cut a difference between lending and borrowing interest rates.

[18] Greek gov't launches program to offer financial support to SMEs

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The program envisages the offering of financial support to Greek SMEs with the aim to boost their competitiveness and to compete with larger enterprises in the sector.

Financial support will be based on the business plans to be submitted with Development ministry authorities by enterprises with a workforce of less than 250 persons, an annual turnover of less than 50 million euros and their annual balance would not exceed 43 million euros.

The Greek state will offer financial subsidy of up to 55 percent for enterprises based in the country's borders, islands with a population up to 3,100 people, or based in the regions of Epirus, Xanthi, Rodopi, Evros, Kavala, Drama, Northern Aegean islands and the Dodecanese. For all other enterprises around Greece, the financial subsidy would total 50 percent. Under the program, each action plan's budget should exceed 1.2 million euros or be less than 100,000 euros.

[19] FinMin urges for more inspections to combat smuggling, tax evasion

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Addressing a ceremony on the inauguration of a new building to house the Special Inspections Agency, Alogoskoufis said the ministry would not tolerate any abuse of power by members of the Agency and stressed that emphasis should be given on inspections in fuel products and night clubs. He underlined that the night club sector was not only committing financial but social crimes as well that needed to be effectively combated.

The Greek minister stressed that a new laboratory of decoding electronic transactions and a new department of e-commerce inspection were the spearheads of the ministry's efforts to combat new forms of electronic crime in the country.

Elias Argyros, the agency's special secretary, addressing the event, referred to the positive results of the agency's activities so far saying that inspections so far have revealed tax evasion cases worth more than 865 million euros.

[20] Favorable EU response to Greek growth report

BRUSSELS, 17/2/2006 (ANA-MPA/V Demiris)

Commission officials said on Thursday that the Commission will state that the target of lowering the fiscal deficit below 3.0% of gross domestic product at the end of 2006 is feasible without the need for additional measures.

The goal can be attained without taking into account proceeds from the securitization of debt owed to the state. At the same time, the budget must be faithfully adhered to, the officials reported the recommendation as saying.

Pending from Eurostat was evaluation of temporary measures taken by the government that represent 0.6% of gross domestic product, the officials said.

Along with the overwhelming majority of EU member states, Greece needed to reform its pensions system, they added.

[21] Pay rise talks in deadlock, trade unions to discuss strike mobilizations

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Employers' groups, mainly the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) are offering pay hikes of less than 3.0 percent, based on the average European inflation rate and a part of a productivity growth rate in the country.

"Trade unions will not agree on such an offer," GSEE president Christos Polyzogopoulos told reporters after the meeting, while he announced a general assembly of GSEE next Tuesday to discuss strike actions for early March, together with ADEDY, the civil servants' union.

Polyzogopoulos said the likelihood of reaching a compromise pay agreement with employers was more distant now. Trade unions see as priority measures to protecting an institutional framework covering collective pay agreements at all levels. "Any attempt to undermine this framework creates a major issue and it is considered as "casus belli" by trade unions," Polyzogopoulos said.

GSEE's head urged the prime minister to intervene in protecting the framework of collective pay agreements between workers and employers.

SEB president Odysseas Kyriakopoulos said employers considered a national collective labor agreement as a framework that has contributed in establishing work-place peace in the country and reiterated his intention not to question the significance of labor agreements in the future.

Kyriakopoulos, however, noted that a minimum wage level was creating problems when rolled over to pay agreements in loss-making sectors. He said the country suffered a competitiveness deficit and said that average minimum wages in Greece, following its entry in EMU, rose by 29.9 pct, compared with a 9.8-percent increase in the Eurozone

[22] Bank workers to strike on Friday over labor pact

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

On Thursday, the sector OTOE trade union called the dispute and walkout a "head-on" clash between workers and the Union of Greek Banks, the banks' trade group.

"The attack by bankers that is backed by the government aims to abolish sector labor agreements, but it will not be allowed to pass," OTOE said in a statement.

The country's largest trade union umbrella, the General Confederation of Employees of Greece, and the ADEDY civil servants union both backed OTOE's line, the statement noted.

A recent stoppage over the same issue had little impact on private sector banks, with a higher proportion of employees in the state sector staying away from work.

On Wednesday, the chairman and CEO of Athens-quoted National Bank of Greece told parliament that management was making use of the law in bypassing a collective labor agreement for sector workers.

"National is employing the law, and certainly not questioning the acquired rights of workers or collective labor agreements," Takis Arapoglou told parliament's economy committee. "We respect trade unions."

National and other major banks are seeking to make company-by-company pacts, no longer dealing with the national OTOE bank workers union or the Union of Greek Banks.

The decision has brought the ire of trade unions and parties in opposition.

"According to Greek banking statutes and practice in other European states, the Union of Greek Banks is not an employers' association, neither formally nor in practice, that would possess this type of authority," Arapoglou said in the house.

[23] Merchant marine minister receives Panhellenic Maritime Organisation representatives

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

After an exchange of views was made, Kefaloyiannis promised to send a letter to the Organization's Secretary General Yiannis Halas by Friday afternoon, giving a detailed account of the ministry's positions on the demands of Greek seamen.

An announcement said that the merchant marine ministry, recognizing the contribution of Greek seamen, is adopting measures to strengthen maritime labor, safeguard pension rights and restructure insurance funds through dialogue and cooperation with the Panhellenic Maritime Organization and seamen's unions.

The Greek seamen's 48-hour strike will end at 06.00 on Saturday, when ships will be resuming sailings.

[24] Part-time employees for local gov'ts in high unemployment areas

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The decision was announced following a meeting between Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos and new Labor Minister Savvas Tsitouridis.

[25] Greek tourist enterprises expect better year in 2006

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Presenting a report on the challenge of competitiveness and the need to re-issue the Greek tourist product, SETE president Stavros Andreadis expressed his best wishes to new Tourism Minister Fani Palli-Petralia and urged closer cooperation with all related government ministers "to overcome any pathogenic phenomena hitting the Greek tourist product".

SETE said the new minister's main priority should be a review of a policy announcement to subsidize luxury hotel investments around Greece through a new development law. SETE said such a policy could not exist unless it was accompanied by a new town planning plan.

The association's report said the government needed to re-address its policy on tourism in order to succeed in improving competitiveness in the sector and said the only option for Greek tourism was to draft the future with modern marketing tools, ignoring political costs and vested interests, or risk wondering what went wrong.

The report, based on presentations, talks and conclusions of a conference on "Tourism and Development", organized by SETE in October 17-18 2005, also noted that tourist destinations in the future must adapt to a more competitive environment with more complex and difficult viability and profitability prospects. The report stressed Greece could not compete against other countries on the cost level but by diversifying its tourist product

[26] Greek harmonized inflation slowed to 3.0 pct in January, yr/yr

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

NNS, in its monthly report said the harmonized inflation rate, measured by the consumer price index, in January was sharply lower compared with a 4.2 pct rate in January 2005.

The harmonized inflation fell 0.2 pct in January 2006 from December, after a 0.2 pct increase in the same period last year.

[27] Transport minister on OA flight schedule from Thessaloniki

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

Responding to a question by an opposition deputy in parliament, Liapis said these routes were viable and profitable, thus, "there is no reason - and I emphasize - to stop them".

However, he stressed that scheduled flights from Thessaloniki to Dusseldorf and Stuttgart were suffering from low capacity and causing annual losses of around 3.6 million euros for the national carrier. Liapis said he did not expect a recovery in ticket demand, currently falling by an annual 20 percent.

[28] Major Greek presence at 2 Plovdiv trade exhibitions

17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The chamber is also subsidizing the participation of 16 of its members at the exhibition.

Additionally, several Greece-based firms are currently participating at the "Banks, Investments & Money" show in Plovdiv (Feb. 15-17), whereas Greece is participating as a "partner country".

[29] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks rise in brisk trade

ATHENS, 17/2/2006 (ANA/MPA)

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for high capitalization shares ended 1.17% up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium cap stocks closed 0.57% higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap shares finished 0.25% up.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 145 to 131 with 48 remaining unchanged.

Stock Futures: