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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 15-08-02Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Weekend News BulletinSunday, August 2, 2015 CONTENTS
[01] International Economic Relations gen sec Tsipras signs memorandum on energy cooperation with VenezuelaThe Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry George Tsipras and Venezuela's Vice Minister of Hydrocarbons Angel Gonzalez signed a memorandum for cooperation in the energy sector within the framework of further strengthening of cooperation between Greece and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.The signing of the memorandum was made during Tsipras' five-day visit to Caracas from July 28 to August 1. During the visit, Tsipras had meetings with senior officials, including the Minister of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, Delcy Rodriguez and Oil and Mining Minister Asdrubal Chavez. In his address during the ceremony, Tsipras noted that the signing of the memorandum on the energy sector is a first step towards the strengthening of cooperation to benefit the two peoples and further strengthening of the bonds of friendship linking the two countries. [02] Gov't Vice President Dragasakis sees recovery as of second half of 2016"The risk of a Grexit still exists," Government Vice President Yiannis Dragasakis on Sunday said in an interview with Realnews, adding that it will decrease after the voting of the agreement and its completion that will render the public debt sustainable.Dragasakis presented the "roadmap" for the lifting of capital controls and stated that "restrictions will continue to loosen day after day. However, the complete lifting of restrictions on banks coincides largely with the "roadmap" to restore confidence in the credit system and the economic outlook in general." He stressed that "deposits under 100,000 euros are protected and if the protection is removed, then there will be an irreparable crisis of confidence for banks not only in Greece but also in Europe. A possible haircut on deposits would be a punishment for individuals and businesses that kept their money in the country, compared with those who have transferred their money abroad." He added that the consolidation of Greek banks' subsidiaries abroad is on the table. This issue needs to be pushed forward and some steps have already been made towards this direction. The Government Vice President estimated that recession, without any measures, may reach 4-5 percent, depending on international developments and will culminate in the next 6 to 8 months. Recovery could begin as of the second half of 2016, he underlined. [03] SYRIZA central committee sec gen: We need a plan that will not make the memorandum our policySYRIZA's central committee secretagy general Tasos Koronakis, in an interview with Avghi newspaper on Sunday, stressed the need to set up a plan that will not make the memorandum a SYRIZA policy."We must at all costs avoid a government of special purpose or national unity," he underlined. "I think that after our conference process, we will all be invited to serve the plan that we will decide collectively. Hence the period of the different attitudes in the parliamentary group ends with the extraordinary congress," he added. "The Left does not make strategic plans based on currencies, but on the policy designed to benefit the people," Koronakis noted. [04] The destabilization of currency disrupts the proper functioning of the regime, Alternate Citizen Protection Min Panousis saysThe destabilization of the currency disrupts the proper functioning of a country's regime, Alternate Citizen Protection Minister Yiannis Panousis said in an interview with Sunday's Vima newspaper.According to Panousis, "the destabilization of the currency, the currency-exchange security detachment and therefore the disturbance of social peace pose directly an issue of disruption of the smooth operation of the Regime, Article 134, paragraph 2, of the Penal Code." Asked on the possibility of drafting plans for a change of currency, the minister said: "I remind that the Constitution and laws support the civil parliamentary democracy, the popular sovereignty and not the popular democracy. We have a change of government, but not a change of regime." [05] Alternate Culture Min Xydakis represents Greece in international conference in MilanROME( ANA-MPA/ Th. Andreadis-Syngelakis)---Alternate Culture Minister Nikos Xydakis represented Greece in the international conference "Culture: an instrument of dialogue among peoples", with the participation eighty-three countries, organized by the Italian government in the premises of the International Exhibition of Milan Expo 2015."Cultural heritage," Xydakis stressed, "was always essential to the identity of my country. It is an important element in any future attempt to build a peaceful coexistence with specific objectives." The minister spoke in favor of promoting partnerships to reduce damage to historical and archaeological sites in case of natural disasters, and asked to take into account the vulnerabilities of each site and monument, and make further research in order to set up guidelines to protect cultural heritage, considering important the help of new low-cost technologies. Financial news [06] Greece suffered million euro losses from mismanagement in state TV and radioThe Greek state has suffered losses of millions of euros from the mismanagement and fraud in public broadcaster ERT during the administration of Christos Panagopoulos and the radio station 9,84 in the period 2001-2010, according the findings of the auditors.Sunday's newspaper "To Vima" reported that the former chairman of ERT Christos Panagopoulos will be tried for felony, while a dozen of executives in the public radio station will be tried for the embezzlement of 35 million euros. General News [07] 37-year old Russian tourist dies on RhodesA 37-year old Russian tourist died on Saturday after being hit by a speedboat while she was swimming on Rhodes island.The port authority of Rhodes have arrested a 43-year Swiss man as suspect. [08] Weather ForecastFair weather and northerly winds are forecast for Monday. Wind velocity will reach 6 on the Beaufort scale. Fair in the northern and the western parts of the country with temperatures from 21C to 37C. Fair in the eastern parts with temperatures from 22C to 35C. Sunny weather over the Aegean islands and Crete, from 24C to 31C. Fair in Athens, from 24C to 33C. Same weather in Thessaloniki, from 23C to 33C.[09] Athens Headlines at a glanceAVGHI: Anxiety and dilemmas for the next dayDIMOKRATIA: Mystery over (former Finance Minister Yanis) Varoufakis ETHNOS KYRIAKIS: Hard game for taxes and banks KATHIMERINI: Greece trapped in SYRIZA's impasses O LOGOS: Pension cuts PROTO THEMA: New Alexis Tsipras, new party and elections on September 20 REALNEWS: A nightmare on pension street RIZOSPASTIS: Rupture with the capital and the EU to save the people from the memoranda TO ATHRO: At the mercy of apprentice wizards TO PARON: Shock and awe TO VIMA: (SYRIZA MP Panagiotis) Lafazanis wanted (German Finance Minister Wolfgang) Schaeuble's Grexit VRADINI: 13 bitter settlements in social insurance 36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE - TEL: 64.00.560-63 - FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana.gr - E-MAIL: anabul@ana gr - GENERAL DIRECTOR: Michalis Psilos Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |