Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 11-05-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM: Leave Greece in peace to do its job

[02] PM meets with local authorities on Lefkada

[03] FinMin: Next moves discussed at Luxembourg meeting

[04] Greek 'euro exit' speculation denied

[05] EU officials' clarifications on Juncker-presided meeting

[06] Opposition parties react to 'secret' meeting in Luxembourg

[07] Greece's lawyers turn down meeting with Troika

[08] UN chief to meet with Greek FM, Turkish PM, on sidelines of conference in Istanbul

[09] Greece to abolish 7 Consulates General , 2 Consulates abroad

[10] Opinion poll

[11] Development minister: Positive growth indices in early 2012

[12] Qatari interest in Ellinikon investment 'alive', ambassador says

[13] Decision on modernisation of fishing vessels signed

[14] Foreign Exchange rates - Monday

[15] Police break up gang that supplied stolen car to killers of police in Rendi incident

[16] Police arrest third man wanted in Rendi shootout case

[17] Two injured in sport fan rumble

[18] 32nd Marathon Peace March on Sunday

[19] Religious service at Greek Mauthausen memorial

[20] 5R quake in Dodecanese, aftershocks in progress

[21] Arsonists target apartment used as Muslim place of worship

[22] Police find 100 kg of unprocessed cannabis in parked car

[23] Panathinaikos wins Euroleague basketball cup

[24] Greece's Diamantidis wins Euroleague trophy

[25] Rainy on Monday

[26] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

[01] PM: Leave Greece in peace to do its job

"I call on everyone, especially in the EU, to leave Greece in peace to do its job," Papandreou stressed on Meganissi on Saturday, on the sidelines of the 4th national Conference of Small Islands, and passed off the speculations as "irresponsible".

Papandreou stressed that his government is managing the country's debt with responsibility and seriousness, with the interests of the Greek people as its criterion.

The premier charged that certain individuals attempted on Friday to spread fear for "speculative purposes", and warned of dangers lying in wait and provocations, stressing that no scenario of Greece's exiting the euro was discussed at Friday's informal meeting chaired in Luxembourg by Eurogroup president Jean-Claude Juncker.

He warned that the Greek government must not become embroiled in the "scenario-talk" that frequently touches the "verge of criminality", and negatively affects the psychology of the Greek people and investors.

The effort being made by the Greek people cannot be undermined by various scenarios, Papandreou warned.

Addressing the Greek people, the prime minister said that "we hear the most outrageous scenarios" and "those spreading them are not considering the country's interests".

To those seeking "alibis" and "resorting to prefabricated stories" of a supposedly pre-decided recourse to the IMF, "we reply that we are on a course that is saving the country, saving salaries and wages, and saving the economy".

"No provocation can bend the psyche of this proud people," Papandreou stressed, and called for unity because "we constantly face analyses and recommendations and speculative attacks".

The premier stressed that the changes will proceed, and must be fair and more determined.

"We will attain our goal...for a fair, sure and viable Greece for our children," he said.

PM in Lefkada

Speaking on Lefkada later in the day, Papandreou reiterated that there were never conspiracies or pre-determined decisions for the country's recourse to the EU-IMF Support Mechanism.

He described the 110 billion euro EU-IMF support loan as a "breather" so as to gain time to make the necessary changes to the institutions, the state and the mentality in country, noting "that we are passing in these positions, but the state remains and has continuity".

Papandreou said that no one likes the medicine he must take when he has a long-standing problem, but taking the medicine is necessary to pass into a different state "when we are not healthy".

"We took tough decisions which, despite the logical criticism, are understood by the great majority of the Greek people," he said.

Papandreou stressed the need for introducing a new develop-mental model.

[02] PM meets with local authorities on Lefkada

He said the great changes and growth must be effected in crisis conditions, and stressed that the working people and pensioners more easily realise the necessity of the measures than the various organised interests with their privileges.

Development, he continued, will be the result of an overall change, and not minor interventions, while he also placed special weight on education issues, stressing that the schools need to open up to the local societies.

[03] FinMin: Next moves discussed at Luxembourg meeting

In a statement, Papaconstantinou said that "what we discussed was the course of the (economic) program in a conjuncture in which the markets continue to be disbelieving towards Greece and in which we must also plan our next steps for 2012 and 2013 so that Greece will be able to either return to the markets or make use of the European Council's recent decision enabling the EFSF (European Financial Stability Facility) to purchase bonds".

The minister noted that "the difficulties are well-known, we will continue to have difficulties, we know that the economic situation in our country is tough, but we are moving ahead with absolute determination to complete the task that we have commenced", and stressed that the Athens government "has taken, continues to take and will take very decision necessary in order for the course of the country's salvation to continue".

Papaconstantinou further explained that meetings such as that in Luxembourg between Juncker and eurozone members are frequent and informal, and that is why they are not announced.

He added that the meeting was made public later because Greece's alleged exodus from the eurozone was published in a German magazine. "And if this story was not ridiculous, but also dangerous, it would not have been worth dealing with it. It is evident that such a matter was neither put forward, nor, naturally, discussed," he said.

"What we did discuss was the course of the Economic Policy Programme, on the course of which I was invited to the meeting in order to exchange views," Papaconstantinou added.

He said that the preceding week, the current week and the following week a regular periodic examination of the Economic Policy Program was taking place, in a conjuncture in which the markets continue to be disbelieving towards the country and in which the next steps for 2012 and 2013 must be planned, so that Greece will be able to either return to the markets or make use of the European Council's recent decision enabling the EFSF (European Financial Stability Facility) to purchase bonds".

As everyone very well knows, and above all the Greek citizens, the Greek government has taken and continues to take whatever decisions necessary in order for the course of Greece's salvation to continue, "and that is what I clarified yesterday (Friday)" at the meeting, Papaconstantinou added.

[04] Greek 'euro exit' speculation denied

Asked if it would be easier for Greece, as suggested in a controversial article in the German magazine Der Spiegel, that Greece leave the euro currency, Papaconstantinou replied "no, that is impossible".

"No, that is not possible. First of all because there is no mechanism for a country's exit from the euro. The consequences would be catastrophic: The fiscal deficit would double, the buying power would collapse, the banks would be hard hit, and we would fall into a war-period recession," Papaconstantinou explained.

"There is no sense for that, neither politically, socially or economy-wise. It would be a disaster which, in reality, no one desires, not even those who are professing such a prospect in the countries of the North. The analysts who last year were writing that we would default entertain me. Now they are writing 'OK, it did not happen, but you'll see, it will happen in the coming years'."

On restructuring of the state debt, Papaconstantinou said he continues to maintain that the cost of a restructuring largely outweigh any possible positive effects, warning that if Greece unilaterally imposed losses on holders of state bonds, the markets would exclude it for a very long time because the consequences to the banking system would be incalculable.

He noted that all the relevant theories seeing the light of day concern countries which, in the past, were in a totally different situation, and added that in the case of Greece "one of the chief dangers would be a chain reaction of consequences for other countries".

The finance reiterated that only intensification of the streamlining measures, with the achievement of a primary surplus and return to growth can, in the medium-term, convince the markets.

On Greece's return to the international markets, Papaconstantinou noted that six months in a huge space of time, and expressed his belief that after the summer, when the streamlining and privatisations plan will have progressed, the markets will settle down.

An alternative, he continued, is that the ability exists for one to ask that a European Rescue Fund purchase our bonds from the primary market. "In this way, the 25 billion euros we need for 2012 could be covered by the European Rescue Fund"

"We will make it," the finance minister assured, but added that "otherwise, a parachute would exist".

Asked if Greece would be willing to make additional efforts if asked, Papaconstantinou noted that "many are forgetting that in 2010 we materialised the biggest effort to reduce the deficit in European history, and that in the midst of a crisis. We believe that the privatisations and the 26 billion euros will be sufficient from now up until 2015".

[05] EU officials' clarifications on Juncker-presided meeting

In the statement, the Eurogroup notes that in a follow-up to the annual meeting in Washington last April, French finance minister Christine Lagarde, whose country currently holds the G20 presidency, and Luxembourg prime minister and Eurogroup president Jean-Claude Juncker, decided to call an informal meeting of the finance ministers of the eurozone countries participating in the G20 in order to discuss matters concerning the G20, which took place on the afternoon of March 6 (Friday) in Luxembourg.

During the G20 meeting in Washington, Greece had been the subject of several discussions and, for that reason, Luxembourg prime minister Juncker decided to also invite Greece's finance minister George Papaconstantinou to Friday's meeting in order to exchange views with the other ministers in attendance on the current situation.

In a separate statement on Saturday, Amadeu Altafaj, a spokesman for the EU's economic and monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn, said that Friday's meeting was not a "crisis meeting on Greece".

He said that Papaconstantinou outlined the situation in Greece, the ongoing efforts being made by the government for implementation of the economic adjustment program, and all the recent measures taken by Athens.

Altafaj once again reiterated that restructuring of the Greek debt "is not an alternative on the table", given that neither the Greek government nor the European Commission are examining such a prospect, "the results of which would be extremely negative for Greece and the eurozone in its entirety".

"Press reports founded on anonymous sources about a possible withdrawal by Greece from the euro are, simply, lies and ill-intentioned," Altafaj stressed, in reference to a controversial article appearing in the German magazine Der Spiegel that Greece was contemplating an exit from the euro currency and return to the drachma that drew sparks and denials from the Greek government and EU officials.

[06] Opposition parties react to 'secret' meeting in Luxembourg

"The real subject of the secret meeting remains a mystery," main opposition New Democracy (ND) spokesman Yiannis Michelakis charged, and accused the government of "finally confirming, at midnight yesterday (Friday)", that the finance minister took part in a "secret meeting" in Luxembourg.

The government, he added, has the duty of clearly and responsibly informing the public on the "negotiations that have been taking place since yesterday afternoon in Luxembourg", adding that "at this critical time, minced words and vagueness do not help".

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) called on the Greek people to "realise that the government and the political system in general, together with the plutocracy, are posing as the victims of an attack, while the reality is that the are competing day and night with the corresponding forces in the EU for who will benefit more from the bankruptcy of the people".

That, the KKE said, is the substance of the Der Spiegel article and the meeting in Luxembourg and of other similar meetings that will follow "and which the government is concealing".

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), in a statement, said that the vagueness of the finance ministry's first announcement on the extraordinary meeting in Luxembourg chaired by Juncker, in conjunction with the timing of its issue, at midnight Friday, intensify the fears and agonies of the sorely-tried Greek people.

LAOS called for clarifications because "Monday morning may be hiding surprises".

The Coalition of the radical Left (SYRIZA parliamentary alliance) said that the panic sparked by the Der Spiegel article once again indicated the very difficult and marginal situation into which Greece has entered due to the failed policy of the Memorandum.

SYRIZA said the situation is "aggravated by the persistence in that very same policy and from the secret discussions on restructuring (of the Greek debt) by a government that lacks popular legitimacy and credibility".

[07] Greece's lawyers turn down meeting with Troika

The Bar Associations' presidents held an extraordinary plenary session on Sunday to discuss a proposed meeting a Troika delegation on Tuesday afternoon, of which justice ministry secretary general Athanasios Xiros had informed plenary president Yiannis Adamopoulos.

The plenary voted against the meeting with 33 votes against only 9 votes in favor of the meeting, and said in a statement that the country's lawyers acknowledge as their interlocutor only the justice minister as the institutional representative of the country's elected political leadership and the authoritative official for the issues of their sector, adding that the lawyers are always in absolute cooperation with the minister for the resolution of their institutional issues.

However, the statement continued, the lawyers "in no instance agree to take part in the meeting, with representatives of the Troika as the interlocutors", adding that they do not acknowledge the Troika as an institutional body nor legitimise their presence in Greece.

It is noted that the Board of Directors of the Athens Bar Association was also convened urgently on Friday, and it also turned down the justice ministry's invitation to meet with the Troika. The Athens Bar Association also said that the problems are resolved through understanding and a frank disposition for cooperation with the authoritative institutional agencies alone, as has been repeatedly proved.

The Athens Bar Association and various trade union and other bodies have taken recourse in the Council of state against the Memorandum, and a relevant ruling is pending.

[08] UN chief to meet with Greek FM, Turkish PM, on sidelines of conference in Istanbul

In statements to Turkish news agencies, the UN chief said that progress has been noted in the talks on Cyprus with respect to matters related to the economy and the EU, but there are more things that need to be addressed, such as the property issue and security.

Ban appealed to the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to reduce the differences in a spirit of compromise and a "win-win" mentality, adding that it is necessary, at this stage, for the leaders to display flexibility and to examine the various matters in depth.

The UN secretary general said that he will be meeting with Erdogan to ask him to urge the Turkish Cypriot side.

Cyprus foreign minister Markos Kyprianou will be taking part in the conference.

[09] Greece to abolish 7 Consulates General , 2 Consulates abroad

Under the Presidential Decrees, the Greek Consulates General in Brussels, London, Paris, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig and Naples and the Consulates in Nice and Durban will be abolished, while Consular offices will be established in three embassies -- in Brussels with all of Belgium as its area of authority, in London with all of the UK as its area of authority, and in Paris with all of France as its area of authority with the exception of the areas belonging to the regional authority of the Greek Consulate General in Marseilles.

Also, regional authorities of Greece's consular authorities in Brazil, Germany, Italy, S. Africa and Serbia will be redistributed, while the composition of Greece's permanent representation to the European Union (Brussels0 will also be redetermined.

[10] Opinion poll

According to the poll results, PASOK was preferred by 24 percent of the respondents, against 20.2 percent for ND, and followed by 7.8 percent for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), 6.8 percent for the Popular Orthodox Rally party (LAOS), 3.3 percent for the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRI?? parliamentary alliance), 2.9 percent for the Democratic Alliance party, 2.6 percent for the Democratic Left party, 2.4 percent for the Ecologists-Greens, 5.17 percent for other parties, while 7.95 percent were undecided and 16.4 percent opted for blank votes or abstention.

Also, 68.8 percent of the respondents were against early general elections, while 50.3 percent believe that the current PASOK government will not complete its entire four-year term in office.

Further, 67.7 percent of the respondents said the government should continue with its planned reforms, 59.7 percent were in favor of abolishing tenure in the civil service, and 63.7 percent agreed with privatisations and exploitation of the state property.

Regarding the composition of the government, 77.3 percent of the respondents said they would prefer the participation of technocrats, while 64.8 percent desired a smaller government scheme and 17.8 percent agree with the current number of ministers.

Financial News

[11] Development minister: Positive growth indices in early 2012

"We are not here to serve the Memorandum as a Gospel. We are here to change Greece," he added.

Describing IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn as "cynical", Chrysohoidis said that the former could serve his political ambitions "without sounding cynical about the leaders and peoples of other countries".

On growth, Chrysohoidis predicted that "we will have positive indices" in early 2012.

[12] Qatari interest in Ellinikon investment 'alive', ambassador says

[13] Decision on modernisation of fishing vessels signed

The programme amounting to 25,000,000 euros appeals to fishermen desiring to proceed with the replacement of their fishing tools that are on board.

Meanwhile, the subsidisation programme for the replacement of fishing vessels over 10 years old is also under way.

[14] Foreign Exchange rates - Monday

U.S. dollar 1.471

Pound sterling 0.897

Danish kroner 7.568

Swedish kroner 9.156

Japanese yen 118.25

Swiss franc 1.285

Norwegian kroner 8.064

Canadian dollar 1.418

Australian dollar 1.378

General News

[15] Police break up gang that supplied stolen car to killers of police in Rendi incident

Two officers were shot dead and two injured when fleeing suspects during a car chase opened fire on police in pursuit.

In a coordinated operation on Friday, nine people were arrested -- one Greek and eight foreign nationals, mostly Albanians -- who had set up a criminal gang with other accessories that carried out armed robberies and thefts at car dealerships, tool shops and houses.

Police said the culprits would choose their targets and then burglarize or make armed raids, immobilising guards and employees with their guns, while others acted as look-outs, and then would sell the items or give the stolen cars and tools to other criminals.

According to the investigation so far, they gang has carried out a total of 16 burglaries and hold-ups, including that of a used car lot in Nea Erythraia on January 17 from which 9 Volvo cars -- one of which two of the perpetrators (Albanians) had given to the perpetrators of the Rendi shooting.

The gang was also responsible for a hold-up last October of a car transport company in Magoula in which the company employees were tied and gagged and in which the perpetrators took off with 93,000 euros in cash, five cars, and several state car licence plates; a 30 March hold-up in Kapandriti in which seven cars and a safebox containing some 500,000 euros in checks were taken; and an April 1 theft of 190,000 euros in cash from a safebox in a car dealership again in Kapandriti.

In all, police said, the gang had stolen 47 cars from seven car dealerships or car rental companies.

In the arrestees' possession and at several hideouts and warehouses, police found and seized 7 pistols, two hunting rifles and ammunition, a large number of stolen electric and electronic devices, minor quantities of cannabis, a large number of forged ID cards and other documents, 40 cell phones, 2,500 euros in cash, medicines, car keys, cosmetics, tools and other items deriving from thefts.

The detainees were taken before a public prosecutor on Saturday, while the investigation is continuing into possible implication of the gang members in other criminal acts.

[16] Police arrest third man wanted in Rendi shootout case

The man is a 24-year-old known for robberies who, following investigations and information provided, was detected in Menidi and was arrested while walking in a street. He will be led before an investigator on Monday together with the rest.

Police are continuing investigations for the arrest of the fourth, who had been wounded during the shootout with the police.

[17] Two injured in sport fan rumble

Three unidentified persons, believed by police to be Olympiakos Piraeus (OSFP) supporters, opened fire with a Kalashnikov against a group of 7 Panathinaikos (PAO) fans, injuring two of them, aged 27 and 28, in the legs.

The incident was in follow-up to an earlier incident outside an Olympiakos fan club in Corinth when, after the PAO basketball team qualified for the Final Four in Barcelona, a group of celebrating PAO fans went to the OSFP fan club and scuffled with Olympiakos supporters.

Police arrived on the scene and broke up the crowd, but the two sides gave a "rendezvous" for a rumble later to "settle their differences".

Seven of the PAO fans showed up at the meeting place and were shot at by three other youths that also showed up.

The two injured individuals were taken to nearby Corinth hospital, where they are reported to be in a non-life-threatening condition.

Police were searching for the perpetrators.

[18] 32nd Marathon Peace March on Sunday

The peace march set off at 8:00 am from the Tomb of Marathon, with the route passing through Nea Makri, Rafina, Pallini, Aghia Paraskevi, Halandri, Holargos and Papagou, with additional marchers joining the initial march along the way.

This year's peace event will culminate with marchers circling the National Defence ministry "as a form of protest against the Greek governments' policy of sending Greek soldiers to various fronts, from Afghanistan to Libya, and prospectively to Syria," EEDYE president Evangelos Machairas told ANA-MPA.

The history of the marathon peace marches has its roots in April 21, 1963, when the first peace march was organised with the participation of thousands of people who defied a ban by the then government.

The leader of that first peace march was Greek pacifist, politician and track and field athlete, and member of the faculty of Athens University's School of Medicine, Grigoris Lambrakis who, a year earlier, was elected vice-president by the 1st EEDYE national congress, and a month later, on May 22, 1963, was assassinated during the association's first event in Thessaloniki.

The first peace rally was organised on April 21, 1963, despite a ban, and man demonstrators-marchers were arrested, including Mikis Theodorakis.

Protected by his immunity as an MP in the Hellenic parliament, Lambrakis completed the march alone, holding a banner with the peace symbol that he had previously held during the Aldermaston rally in the UK while protesting near the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), and was also arrested afterwards by police.

Although the demands of the peace march vary year-to-year depending on the current political affairs, the primary demand for peace and detente has remained unaltered.

[19] Religious service at Greek Mauthausen memorial

The memory of 3,700 Greeks who lost their lives in the former Nazi concentration camp of Mauthausen, in Upper Austria during World War II, was honoured at the Greek memorial there on Sunday with a religious ceremony, speeches, the laying of wreaths and the presentation of the work "Mauthausen" of composer Mikis Theodorakis.

The religious ceremony at the Greek memorial of Mauthausen was held in the presence of representatives of the Greek state, headed by the Greek ambassador in Austria Panayiotis Zografos, of the Republic of Cyprus and Greek mass agencies, as well as members of the expatriate community in Austria.

The Greek ambassador expressed the wish in his address that such a crime will never be repeated in the history of mankind, stressing the need for respect for values, principles and human ideals that lacking any ideology Nazism tried to eliminate with its atrocities.

The musical group of Vienna "The Greeks" then presented at the Greek memorial Theodorakis' "Mauthausen", with poetry by Iakovos Kambanellis, flanking it with parts of the composer's two other works "Epitafios" and "Axion Esti."

[20] 5R quake in Dodecanese, aftershocks in progress

The quake was recorded at 9:50 a.m., with its epicenter between the islands of Kos and Nisyros.

According to seismologists, post-quake activity was currently in progress, with the largest aftershocks so far registering 3.8 and 3.6 on the Richter scale.

[21] Arsonists target apartment used as Muslim place of worship

According to firefighters, unknown persons, at 3:17 a.m., broke the windows of the ground-floor apartment and set fire using flammable liquid.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, while an investigation was launched for the discovery and arrest of the perpetrators.

[22] Police find 100 kg of unprocessed cannabis in parked car

The police had been shadowing the car for two dats and opened it after no one appeared. The vehicle has Greek licence plates and had been stolen in Athens.

Sports

[23] Panathinaikos wins Euroleague basketball cup

The "King" of Greek basketball returned to its "throne" and made its titles six(1996, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011). Panathinaikos' coach Zelimir Obradovic increased to eight the trophies he has won.

The 10-minute intervals had the following results: 15-22, 30-33, 43-54, 70-78.

[24] Greece's Diamantidis wins Euroleague trophy

This marks the sixth time in the seven seasons since its inception that Diamandidis has won the Best Defender Trophy, and was also the first recipient of the award seven years ago.

This season, Diamantidis was the overwhelming top choice of Euroleague head coaches, who gave him more than double the votes of any other player.

Diamantidis was followed in the coaches' voting by three more players who put their teams in the Final Four: power forward Shaun Stonerook of Montepaschi Siena, and the Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv duo of guard Doron Perkins and forward Chuck Eidson.

Weather Forecast

[25] Rainy on Monday

[26] Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

AVGHI: "Secret diplomacy on debt and 'family silverware'."

AVRIANI: "Don't anyone dare to sign the new Ultra-Memorandum decided in Luxembourg because they will find themselves behind bars".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Heavy price for extension/breather to Greece".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Default on payments of 10 billion euros by the public sector".

EPOCHI: "They're saving us in order to milk us...".

ETHNOS: "New Memorandum in exchange for extension".

KATHIMERINI: "Luxembourg and the morning after".

KERDOS: "Extension with Memorandum no. 2, and early elections on the horizon".

LOGOS: "Who will gain from the debt restructuring".

PROTO THEMA: "Blackmail with the drachma - Greece-Germany war over the scenario".

REALNEWS: "New Memorandum on the horizon".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Strike on Wednesday, May 11, against the anti-popular policy".

TO ARTHRO: "Return to drachma, or bankruptcy - Der Spiegel reveals the government's and prime minister's secret plans to face the economic and political impasse".

TO VIMA: "Dramatic bargaining for extension, new measures".

VRADYNI: "Heavy and hazardous work - The salary reductions in the new list".

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