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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-02-29Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Weekend News BulletinCONTENTS
Politics [01] The agreement we signed is our limit, says gov't vice president Dragasakis"We do not talk about additional cuts in pensions or additional measures. The agreement we have signed is our limit and we are following it" said government Vice President Yiannis Dragasakis in an interview with Realnews newspaper."Therefore, whatever problem, whatever demand outside the agreement is not only our matter but a matter of Europe and its institutional bodies" he added. Dragasakis estimated that the refugees issue in not directly linked with the first review, adding however that "the sooner the evaluation is completed and positive prospects for the Greek economy and society are formed, the higher our possibility to contribute in solving the problem". Finally, on New Democracy's proposal over the establishment of an examining committee on the banks' recapitalisation, Dragasakis said that "the examining committee should not be presented as a threat but as an opportunity to investigate those that have happened in the banking sector. [02] We are not the ones that will dissolve EU, says Alt. Migration Minister MouzalasAlternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas on Sunday referred to the refugees issue at a SYRIZA event held at Haidari city hall."Greece has submitted to EU an emergency plan in which Greece requests 450 million euros for goods and hirings outside the memorandum for the needs of the temporary camps expected to be set up for the refugees that will be trapped in Greece. The government is taking all the necessary measures as if the borders have closed for good by activating the plan B" he underlined. "We lost 20 days of preparations due to the sudden closing of the borders. We have seen it coming, but the agreement the status quo in Idomeni (of this unofficial hole at the borders with FYROM), to remain existed until the next summit on March 7. The agreement was violated and five countries' police chiefs reversed it" adding that in fifteen days the condition will get better because those migrants not entitled to asylum will be sent back and the condition will return to normal. On NATO's presence in the Aegean Sea, Mouzalas estimated that the national sovereignty is not at risk. "The plan is Frontex to be under NATO's umbrella and to be able to send the boats back to Turkey. If a boat capsizes and the people are in danger, it is a matter of protection of the human rights. We will be there to monitor that these rights are not violated" he said. Mouzalas also stressed that the government uses all the legal weapons it has "we are using the diplomatic channels, we are following the law and the right. We lose and we win. We want EU and we defend it, we are not the one that will dissolve it". [03] Pope Francis refers to refugees and sends message of support to GreeceROME (ANA-MPA/Th. Andreadis)---Pope Francis on Sunday referred to the refugees' crisis and sent a message of solidarity and support to Greece."In my prayer and in yours is always present the dramatic condition of the refugees that try to get away from the war and other inhuman situations. Particularly Greece, as well as other countries that are in the front line, offers to the refugees a generous assistance which needs cooperation from all the countries. A collective, united answer can be effective for the just allocation of the burdens. For this reason, and without reservations but with determination, negotiations must be set as target. [04] Kavala has turned into an open hotspot, says city mayor TsanakaThe number of refugees currently hosted at the northern Greek city of Kavala has reached 1,500. On Saturday, 900 refugees arrived at the port of Kavala from Mytilene with the ferry Nissos Mykonos.Kavala mayor Dimitra Tsanaka in statement to ANA-MPA sounded the bell and said that "the city has turned into an open hotspot without plan, programme and infrastructures and most of all nobody knows for how long these people will stay in the area". [05] Large number of identified refugees ready to leave from Mytilene and ChiosApproximately 2,500 refugees and migrants are identified and ready to depart from Mytilene to Piraeus and Kavala.On the island of Chios are roughly 650 migrants and refugees at the same condition and are currently hosted at the hotspot of VIAL and at Souda camp. Two boats leased by the Shipping Ministry are at the ports of Chios and Mytilene have not been used. Meanwhile, the arrivals recorded on Saturday were low despite the good weather conditions. 900 migrants and refugees arrived on Lesvos and 300 persons arrived on Chios. [06] Refugees block the railway tracks at IdomeniRefugees blocked earlier on Sunday the railway tracks in Idomeni at Greece-Fyrom buffer zone. The refugees sat on the tracks demanding from Fyrom to open the crossing point.Fyrom's authorities closed the crossing point at 20:00 on Saturday after allowing to only 300 refugees from Iraq and Syria to get into the country. According to police, roughly 6,500 refugees are currently hosted at Idomeni camp waiting to cross the border. [07] FM gen. sec Paraskevopoulos to meet with Turkish FM under sec. Sinirlioglou on MondayGreek Foreign Ministry general secretary ambassador Dimitrios Paraskevopoulos will receive on Monday the under secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Turkey ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglou at the Foreign Ministry in Athens.The two officials will discuss bilateral and European issues as well as the developments in the region and worldwide. The meeting is held within the framework of the regular political deliberation meetings between Greece and Turkey. [08] Theodorakis re-elected Potami party leaderStavros Theodorakis on Sunday was re-elected by a large majority leader of Potami party after the completion of the voting procedure for the election of the party's new leadership.Theodorakis received 715 votes (88.16 percent) while the second candidate Pavlos Eleftheriadis received 96 votes. [09] Weather ForecastPartly cloudy and northerly winds are forecast for Monday. Wind velocity will reach 7 on the Beaufort scale. Clouds and rain in the northern and western parts of the country with temperatures ranging from 07C-22C. Partly cloudy in the eastern parts and temperatures between 07C-22C. Scattered clouds over the Aegean islands and Crete, 12C-22C. Mostly fair in Athens, 08C-20C. Partly cloudy in Thessaloniki, 08C-18C.[10] Athens Headlines at a glanceAVGHI: Save Europe and the refugees.ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: Greece and ...Tsipras (Alexis, prime minister) under siege ETHNOS: The eight-day double battle. KATHIMERINI: Brussels' emergency plan. PROTO THEMA: Another 120,000 (refugees) ready to pass. REAL NEWS: Europe's foundations are shaking! RIZOSPASTIS: New fight to start for the pension system. TO PARON: Forget the ecumenical government. TO VIMA: From the opportunity to the failure. 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 |