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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-03-07Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Weekend News BulletinMonday March 7, 2016 CONTENTS
[01] PM Tsipras: Pressure on Turkey to accelerate readmission proceduresPrime Minister Alexis Tsipras in his address on Sunday to SYRIZA Central Committee said that the respect to EU agreements on the migrants and refugees issue and the pressure on Turkey to implement and accelerate the readmission procedures will be his main positions on Monday' EU Summit with Turkey.Moreover, Tsipras sternly attacked the European extreme-right, the main opposition New Democracy and the collusion that wants, as he said, the destabilisation of this government. Tsipras committed to continue his policy on the refugees issue which highlights Europe's humanitarian face without this meaning that Greece will become a warehouse of souls. Referring to the negotiations on the programme's review by the institutions he underlined that "the first review will be completed despite IMF's delaying tactic. Veto must be used with prudence and without fear, says FM Kotzias Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias did not rule out the possibility Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to veto at the EU Summit on the refugees issue. "The veto is a negotiation tool, a tool to promote right positions. It must be used with prudence and without fear" he noted in an interview to the Sunday newspaper Realnews. On whether the refugees issue can have an effect on Greece's relations with its neighbouring countries, Kotzias underlined that "there are some that show that they do not consider a problem the disruption of the countries relations in our region. The neighbours that might blindly trust these "third persons" will do a huge mistake and there will also be consequences". Kotzias answers to those that accuse his of "hard foreign policy" that "the defence of the country's needs and interests...is a very important issue and can not be dealt with endless retreats and concessions." [02] Econ Minister Stathakis: First review a key for the course of the Greek economyThe completion of the first review is a key for the course of the Greek economy, said on Saturday Economy Minister George Stathakis addressing an event held at Chania Chamber of Commerce."The completion of the first review will form a much more stable macroeconomic environment that will be able to boost the economy" noted Stathakis and in parallel he underlined that despite the difficulties in 2015 the real economy resisted. "The real economy, the productive part of the economy despite the pressure and the macroeconomics shows a dynamic, endurance and in parallel it paves the way for positive impact in the second half of 2016 if the right measures are imposed". Referring to the programmes of the new NSRF, he stressed that they are adapted to Greece's new growth model because they represent the new growth model that focuses on the fields of the economy that are characterised by extroversion, innovation, high added value and special emphasis on the ecological dimension of the whole plan. [03] FM announcement on an article in the "Sunday Kathimerini" regarding a text submitted by the head of the Turkish representation to NATOThe 17-point text submitted by the head of the Turkish representation to NATO, Ethem Buyukisik, on 15 February 2016, and published in the "Sunday Kathimerini", was never the subject of substantial negotiation, because it was rejected, in its entirety, by the Greece representation and the other NATO allies."So one might well wonder as to the sources, the aims and the ends served by the leaking of such documents to the press by circles that want to act to undermine the national effort to deal with the refugee/migration issue, especially at a time when significant ground has been gained during the negotiations in question" said the Greek Foreign Ministry annoucement. [04] By the end of the week the condition will be better, estimates Alt. Defence Minister VitsasAlternate Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas estimated on Sunday that by the end of the week the condition with the refugees will be much better.Vitsas paid a visit to the refugees' temporary hosting areas at Piraeus port and afterwards toured the same areas in Elliniko and Eleonas. "We are here with Shipping Minister Thodoris Dritsas to inspect the hosting areas because we are trying to coordinate our actions and to find the most decent way to host these people with aim in a short period the port to be decongested and to find a specific place to temporarily host these people. We are not only doing our humanitarian duty but also our duty to the country and to Europe. There are difficulties and I want to say that this week will be difficult but I believe that when it end we will be in a better condition" said Vitsas. [05] No to unilateral actions, says German Interior Minister on refugees issueGerman Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere stressed that "in the refugee crisis nobody can believe that the permanent solution lays in unilateral national actions. Moreover, such measures are against some state-members, as it is now for Greece" he said in a statement to Sunday newspaper RealNews.De Maizier expressed the certainty that "at the end the negotiations will bear fruit and the number of refugees that reach Schengen's external borders will be significantly lower. Greece must contribute in this through total identification, effective hotspots and readmission of migrants to Turkey". [06] IMF is responsible for the delay of the programme's review, says parliament president VoutsisParliament President Nikos Voutsis put the blame for the delay of the review on the IMF in an interview to the Sunday edition of Ethnos newspaper. "The delay is the direct undermining of Greece and the current government's effort in order the appropriate conditions to be formed that will lead us to growth. The Fund's responsibility is huge for this delay..." he noted.On the refugees issue he said that the access to the Europe for those entitled must be ensured based on the agreements as well as Turkey's participation in the implementation of the decisions. Voutsis ruled out scenarios of an ecumenical government and called untimely and irrelevant whatever discussion for early elections noting that this issue is set by particular parts that "feel that their short-term economic interests are affected by the current government's policy". [07] We must be prepared for a large number of refugees, says Alt. Migration Minister MouzalasAlternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas referred to the condition of thousands of refugees that are stranded in Greece, in his address on Sunday to SYRIZA Central Committee.Mouzalas said that a huge effort has been done in the last period during which 850,000 refugees and migrants passed from the country and reiterated that we must be prepared for a large number of refugees adding that for the time being the effort focuses on where these people will be temporarily hosted. He underlined that SYRIZA government was forced to face this issue and referring to the condition in Idomeni (Greece-Fyrom buffer zone) he said that the refugees must understand that this way is closed. Referring to Europe he said that "we had a bad time but not because it is our fault". Mouzalas said that Greece needs economic support noting that a huge bargaining will be held in Europe on this issue. He clarified that Greece's will is the money to be channeled to the national planning because "those who come to work here will use the country's infrastructures". General News [08] 5,245 migrants and refugees ready to leave from the Aegean islands5,245 refugees and migrants are identified and ready to depart from the islands of the northeastern Aegean for the port of Piraeus.The number of persons stranded on Lesvos reached 3,550 while 542 migrants and refugees were identified at Moria hotspot in the last 24 hours. On the island of Chios were identified 389 refugees while 1,422 persons are ready to leave for Piraeus. Finally, 273 migrants and refugees were identified on the island of Samos. On Saturday, 50 migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh were sent to camps in Xanthi and afterwards will be deported to Turkey. [09] Wildfire on SkopelosA wildfire that broke out on Sunday afternoon on the island of Skopelos is burning a forest with pine trees.Two firefighting aircrafts assisted by 5 fire engines and a large number of volunteers are currently in the area battling the blaze. [10] Weather ForecastHeavy rain in the northern parts, fair weather in the eastern parts and southerly winds are forecast for Monday. Wind velocity will reach 7 on the Beaufort scale. Temperatures in the northern and western parts will range from 04C-19C. Possibility of rain in the evening in the eastern parts, 06C-21C. Scattered clouds over the Aegean islands and Crete, 09C-20C. Fair in Athens, 07C-19C. Rain in Thessaloniki, 07C-17C.[11] Athens Headlines at a glanceAVGHI: Guinea pig for the second time? Forget it!ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: Keep refugees and the review in installations. EPOCHI: STOP to xenophobia and to the war. ETHNOS: IMF sets the debt as wedge in the review. KATHIMERINI: Turkish claims on the table via NATO. KYRIAKATIKI DIMOKRATIA: The dice will be rolled tomorrow RIZOSPASTIS: Communist Party's announcement on the current economic and political developments. TO PARON: Permanent hotspot in Greece for 300,000 refugees. TO VIMA: Minister blackmails prosecutor! 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 |
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