Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-02-08

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

Monday February 8, 2016

CONTENTS

[01] Greece can become 'conduit' between Iran and EU, Tsipras says

[02] PM Tsipras visits SNF Cultural Centre

[03] Greece promptly warned EU and international community about refugee crisis, Dep. FM Amanatidis tells ANA-MPA

[04] Controversy over planned hotspots continues on Sunday

[05] Dragasakis: 'We are not looking for an escape route'

[06] 'Unreasonable demands' by the institutions could lead to early polls, ANEL's Kammenos warns

[07] Farmers at Nikaia meeting decide to take the fight to Athens

[08] Patriarch Bartholomew addresses message of peace and friendship, in statement to ANA-MPA

[09] Six arrests, 16 detained over petrol bomb attack on MAT riot police in Exarchia

[10] Greece can have up to four nationwide television channels, European University Institute study finds

[11] Council of State upholds compensation awarded to Cypriot in police brutality case

[12] Singer Haris Alexiou holds concert in Izmir concert hall

[13] Athens hosts feline festival 'All About Cats' in Marousi expo

[14] Athens Headlines at a glance Politics

[01] Greece can become 'conduit' between Iran and EU, Tsipras says

Tsipras, who has arrived at the head of a large and high-ranking government delegation, outlined a framework of what he called strategic cooperation with Iran, during his visit to the Pardis Technology Park (PTP), where he noted that the two countries could collaborate in the areas of technology and innovation, energy, trade, culture and shipping.

Receiving the Greek prime minister, PTP President Mahdi Safarinia said that Tsipras was "the most independent leader in Europe" and explained that the PTP's membership included 30 hi-tech companies employing more than 3,000 scientists. He said the Greek premier's visit could be the start of cooperation between the two countries in technology, noting that Iran currently ranked seventh in the world in the development of nanotechnology.

Safarinia invited Greek companies involved in research and technology to participate in the major innovation and technology exhibition taking place in Iran in May.

Tsipras replied by referring to the historic bonds between the two countries and noting that the Greek government had made a choice to develop ties of a strategic nature with Iran. He also highlighted that Greece had significant human resources in the technology sector.

"Our two countries are joined by the important bonds of two strong cultures but we can also be joined in the future through cooperation in a series of areas, such as new technologies," he said.

Tsipras also noted that Greece has an independent foreign policy and, in spite of the crisis, was spreading its wings to cooperate with important countries in the region, such as Iran.

The Greek prime minister, who departed for Tehran at the head of a large government delegation on Saturday, is to visit the Iranian capital for two days on Sunday and Monday. He is expected to have a series of significant meetings and discussions on bilateral and

regional issues, being the first western leader to visit Iran after an agreement was reached on Iran's nuclear programme.

The Greek government sees the visit as a "strategic choice" that will lay the foundations for expanding relations with Iran and also highlight Greece's positive role in the region. Officials in both Athens and Tehran have expressed an intention to give a powerful boost to bilateral relations and to act as factors for stability in a troubled region of the world.

Government sources noted that Greece was proceeding to rekindle its relations with Iran, after reaffirming the strategic cooperation of Greece and Cyprus with both Israel and Egypt, and establishing relations with "a regional player having considerable influence, who is returning onto the global scene after having normalised relations with the west."

The focus during bilateral contacts is expected to centre on energy and renewable energy sources, construction, water management, tourism (with a view to attracting Iranian tourists to visit Greece), culture, finance, food and the pharmaceuticals industry.

Apart from the prime minister, the Greek delegation also includes Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, Economy, Development and Tourism Minister George Stathakis, Environment and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis, Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas and the foreign ministry's General Secretary for International Economic Relations and Developmental Cooperation Giorgos Tsipras.

Starting the visit at the historic city of Isfahan, the Greek delegation will then have a series of meetings in the Iranian capital, including ones with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, leading to the signature of several agreements.

[02] PM Tsipras visits SNF Cultural Centre

During the tour, which took place on Saturday morning, the centre's staff presented the progress of the project, which is now in the final stages of construction and will be donated to the Greek state, which will take over its exclusive management and operation.

The building is designed to house the collection of the National Library and Greece's National Opera in a facility described as "one of the most modern worldwide, combining high-quality aesthetics with the foremost acoustic and modern technological capabilities." It will be set in 17 hectares of parkland and, according to a culture ministry announcement, is expected to attract visitors both in Athens and around the world.

[03] Greece promptly warned EU and international community about refugee crisis, Dep. FM Amanatidis tells ANA-MPA

Amanatidis made the statement from Izmir on Saturday, where he attended the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for Saint Voukolos led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

He pointed out that Greece has for some time focused on two points: firstly on controlling refugee flows coming from Turkey but chiefly on the political solution that must exist in the Middle East, so that there can be peace and the refugees stay in their homes.

[04] Controversy over planned hotspots continues on Sunday

He asked that the prime minister order the withdrawal of MAT riot police troops from Kos in order to avoid a further escalation of tensions and violence and for the government to revoke a decision to set up a hotspot on Kos.

The mayor asked the government to discuss the municipality's proposal that Kos should only have a single area for registering illegal migrants and refugees, with those registered departing within 24 hours.

"There is a real danger that we will mourn victims and be led to uncontrollable situations. I ask the government to accept the only realistic and socially acceptable proposal submitted by the municipality," he said.

In Athens, meanwhile, the Hellenic Police headquarters announced the start of an internal inquiry into the actions of police on Kos, based on the video footage released on Saturday by websites and news programmes showing MAT riot police "behaving inappropriately" toward local residents.

Some 600 people gathered near a planned hotspot in Sindos, northern Greece, on Sunday morning and demonstrated for roughly 2.5 hours against plans to create a refugee relocation point at the former Anagnostopoulou army camp in the area, where work is now underway.

Among those demonstrating were several local mayors.

Work at the base stopped until Monday afternoon, so that a meeting can take place between the mayors and a union of municipalities' delegation with Defence Minister Panos Kammenos and Alternate Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas, who are now in charge of completing the reception facilities for refugees and migrants.

Unlike his counterparts in the north, Perama Mayor Yiannis Lagoudakis on Sunday issued a written statement said the municipality was "ready to assume its share of responsibility, guided by the need to protect the local community and our humanitarian duty" with regard to plans for a refugee centre at Schisto.

The board of the Schisto Industrial Park has expressed strong objections to the prospect, however, while a protest rally by Piraeus residents against the refugee centre will take place at 12:30 on Monday, after an earlier counter-rally at noon.

[05] Dragasakis: 'We are not looking for an escape route'

Such a government could not call early elections, he pointed out and noted that it was now "seeking the social and political conditions that will allow us to do what we said."

He also noted that a very difficult year had ended with some positive signs, such as zero recession and a small rise in employment, "that we can build on" and that the proposed pension and tax reforms will be easier to face if the economy is on a path to growth.

"We do not want to spoil this, we don't want to be responsible for this scenario being overturned or altered, we will do whatever we can for this scenario to continue," he said.

In some ways, Dragasakis said, the situation in Greece resembled a country emerging from war and needing major reconstruction, which history had shown could not be undertaken by a single party but required a coalition of social and political forces.

In this context, he said that a change in election law will help everyone because they must reposition themselves based on the future.

"What we have now is SYRIZA with a fresh mandate, a programme that has generally been approved two times, we have an axis and basis on which to talk about broader convergences," he said.

Commenting on the review of Greece's programme, he stressed that this was important because the government's entire plan for the country depended on concluding this successfully and rapidly. Regarding the protests against pension reform and by farmers, Dragasakis said that the country could not move forward by sweeping problems under the rug. "For example, with this pension system we cannot promise our children pensions if we don't change it," he pointed out.

[06] 'Unreasonable demands' by the institutions could lead to early polls, ANEL's Kammenos warns

"If there are unreasonable demands that cannot be accepted by the Greek people, the Greek people will once again have their say," he said, though noting that the Greek electorate had 'spoken' only recently and should do so again in 2019, when the next elections were due.

Asked if the government can survive the reactions in society, he said the government had been given a mandate for four years, by voters that "knew" about the third agreement.

Kammenos agreed with the prime minister's evaluation that "organised interests" were trying to take down the government.

"We are living through a time we experienced once before with Costas Karamanlis in 2007...the organised interests must understand that it's over. The 'pimps' will not govern the country, the country will be governed by its elected government," he said.

On the refugee issue, Kammenos said he was certain that Greece will not be pushed out of the Schengen zone and that "all those using such scenarios will once again be proved wrong."

Commenting on the clashes over the hotspots on the island of Kos, he said those protesting were not local residents but those who opposed hotspots so that refugees and migrants are forced roam at large and can be exploited financially.

General News

[07] Farmers at Nikaia meeting decide to take the fight to Athens

During the coming week, meanwhile, they will step up mobilisations by extending the length of road blocks in coordination with each other. They also decided not to take part in a meeting called by Rural Development and Foods Minister Vangelis Apostolou in Parliament, before the appropriate Parliament committee. The same stance on the Tuesday meeting in Parliament will also be adopted by the farmers that did not take part in the Nikaia meeting, they said.

The farmers also agreed on a series of demands, including a tax-free allowance of 12,000 euros a year, that the government withdraw proposed legislation on tax and pension reform, that it abolish tax measures recently taken for the farming sector and 'standard of living' wealth indicators. Other demands include tax-free diesel and abolition of VAT on farming equipment, settlement of overdue loans to avoid home foreclosure and the abolition of a new tax on wine and the Greek spirit 'tsipouro' made from grapes.

The farmers gathered at Tempi, who did not take part in the Nikaia meeting, went ahead with plans to again close the national highway at Tempi for 24 hours after 18:00 on Sunday, with police directing traffic to alternative routes.

Also to close from 17:00 to 20:30 is the Larisa-Agias road at Gerakari.

Meanwhile, the movement of traffic continued to be seriously hampered in the two main roads in Messinia, in the southern Peloponnese, where farmers at Asprohoma closed the road for 12 hours from noon until midnight, and those at Kalonero blocked traffic from 15:00 until 19:00.

Long delays and tailbacks also awaited drivers on the Tripoli-Argos national road, which farmers blocked shortly after 13:00, and at the Isthmus, where farmers also blocked the old national road at Kalamaki at 15:00 and stopped all traffic heading to the Peloponnese and western Greece until 22:00.

[08] Patriarch Bartholomew addresses message of peace and friendship, in statement to ANA-MPA

"We remembered the old glorious days of Smyrna and Ionia generally but also the old, tragic days for our people. We remembered the victims of the tragedy of the 1920s and prayed for the refugees that facing such dangers cross the Aegean, trying to secure a better future for themselves and their children," he said.

"And we especially wanted through our worship here and all that was said to contribute to further cementing relations between Greece and Turkey, two neighbouring and allied people.

We are happy to be informed that the ANA-MPA shares the same convictions and the same goals and wishes to also contribute in the same direction of friendship and creative cooperation between Greece and Turkey," he said, expressing his best wishes for the success of these endeavours.

Talking to ANA-MPA General Director Michalis Psilos, he also gave his blessing for the agency's recently launched new website in Turkish.

[09] Six arrests, 16 detained over petrol bomb attack on MAT riot police in Exarchia

[10] Greece can have up to four nationwide television channels, European University Institute study finds

The institute, which works closely with the European Commission and the European regulatory authorities for electronic communications, notes that there are European conditions and international treaties with which Greece must comply regarding the number of licences for nationally broadcasting channels that are issued.

In a technical report, it points out that since each multiplex can carry at most two HD channels, the total number of private channels broadcasting nationally in Greece can be up to four.

[11] Council of State upholds compensation awarded to Cypriot in police brutality case

The then 24-year-old Cypriot student from Paphos was severely beaten by police officers in both uniform and plain clothes during a march in 2006, on the anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising. He later exhibited signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder continuing to the present.

The police denied hitting Dimitriou, despite his injuries, saying that he injured himself in an attempt to escape by falling onto a motorbike and plant pot.

[12] Singer Haris Alexiou holds concert in Izmir concert hall

Among those in the audience during the Saturday night concert, held to celebrate the feast of Izmir's first bishop Saint Voukolos, was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who led a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the saint on Saturday.

[13] Athens hosts feline festival 'All About Cats' in Marousi expo

The festival was also envisaged as an opportunity for each cat person to "celebrate and share the ultimate experience of living, taking care of and share your life with a cat," bringing them in touch with breeders, cat specialists and secrets to caring for your felines.

[14] Athens Headlines at a glance

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: To universities with fees

EPOCHI: Open issues, clear limits

ETHNOS: Five open fronts

KATHIMERINI: Mr. Tsipras' double 'Plan B' for pensions, election law

KYRIAKATIKI DIMOKRATIA: Erdogan preparing Armageddon

LOGOS: The state a 'partner' in Greeks' houses

PROTO THEMA: FIERCE SLASHING of double pensions

REAL NEWS: Kammenos threatens troika with elections

RIZOSPASTIS: We keep on - escalate the popular struggle

TO ARTHRO: The noose is tightening

TO PARON: TSIPRAS TO QUIT if creditors insist on raw blackmail, pension cuts and savage taxation of all Greeks

TO VIMA: The 'rich' of 22,000!

VRADYNI: BLIND CONFRONTATION between government, creditors

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