Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-07-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Tsipras introduces the seven pillars of the government's social policy

[02] Cracks appear in employers' unions relations

[03] Greece needs to promote a social insurance consciousness, IKA governor says

[04] Turkish military officers granted extension from Greek Asylum Service

[05] Significant increase in migrants and refugees arrivals on Lesvos

[06] Identified migrants and refugees hosted in Greece exceed 57,000 on Wednesday

[07] Last migrants and refugees leave Piraeus port for other areas

[08] European Commissioner Avramopoulos visits Senegal

[09] 'Nobody's listening,' to PM's 'pompous pronouncements,' Koumoutsakos comments

[10] SYRIZA-ANEL gov't continuing class politics of their predecessors, KKE claims

[11] Parliament passes bill amending customs code

[12] Thessaloniki Mayor and Flambouraris discuss city's prospects, needs

[13] Tourism minister attends inaugural session of National Coordinating Committee for Cruises

[14] Culture minister receives WHIA board members in Athens

[15] Greek banks' deposits up 1.04 bln euros in June

[16] Bank credit to private sector at -2.0 pct in June

[17] Development law will be in full operation in September, Economy Minister says

[18] TRAINOSE was sold at a very low price, says company's managing director Tsalidis

[19] Greek bond market closing report

[20] Greek stocks end up, turnover falls further

[21] ADEX closing report

[22] Museum dedicated to author Iakovos Kambanellis opens on Naxos

[23] Alexandroupolis Regatta 2016 sets sail on Wednesday

[24] Chania, a top destination for cruiseships

[25] Two Rhodes-Jordan 'pilot' flights to be tested in September

[26] Shipping minister at launch of fully refurbished 'Nissos Samos' ferry

[27] Silent grief for 18-year-old Muslim boy shot in Munich mall

[28] Mostly fair on Thursday

[29] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance Politics

[01] PM Tsipras introduces the seven pillars of the government's social policy

"The first pillar of the plan we implement refers to the upgrading of the health system. The creation of a comprehensive and adequately staffed primary health system" stated Tsipras adding that "The first units will be ready in 2017".

The second pillar of our plan refers to the social insurance "We have succeeded the establishment of the national pension" said Tsipras.

The third pillar is the protection of the socially weak while the fourth and the fifth are related with the protection of the employment and the tackling of unemployment.

The sixth pillar is the housing policy with first priority the protection of the first home, something that has been already succeeded and finally the seventh pillar is education. New special schools will be founded and in September we will start the huge effort for the integration of all children refugees in the Greek education system.

[02] Cracks appear in employers' unions relations

In an announcement released on Wednesday by the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), the union warned that unless a common front was maintained during talks in September...things will become much worse and business labor contracts will prevail once and for all over sector labor contracts.

ESEE president, Vasilis Korkidis, in a statement said that in an agreement reached in July 19 between social partners on five basic points ahead of the autumn negotiations between Greek authorities and the institutions, all parties played a major role, including SEB, SETE, ESEE and GSEBEE. Korkidis noted it would be better to limit old-fashioned sideways talks and that everyone should adjust to a framework of a new social dialogue principle of the European Union and to learn to deal with all labor unions as equals during negotiations. He stressed that a model of two standards should be abandoned and that Greece should not always be a permanent European exception case. Korkidis said that ESEE respects its signature in a joint declaration made by social partners and urged those who disagree to respect the signature of SEB (Federation of Hellenic Enterprises - the country's largest employers' union) as their official representative.

ESEE said it was imperative to have a common front in negotiations on labor relations in September and stressed "it is not necessary always to have a joint front between government and social partners, but it is imperative to have a common front between social partners, that a government can take advantage in negotiations".

ESEE said that the 13th and 14th wages in the private sector should not be abolished, or integrated in monthly wages and that Greece should accept a European directive to raise the ceiling of group dismissals from 5.0 pct to 10 pct.

[03] Greece needs to promote a social insurance consciousness, IKA governor says

Kalamatianos noted that a large part of a overdue debt worth 16.6 billion euros to social insurance funds belonged to companies that no longer exist or were under liquidation and stressed that only one-third of this sum was considered to be eligible for collection. He said that the Center of Collection Social Insurance Debt has managed to collect 385 million euros of such debt in the first half of 2016.

Kalamatianos said that overdue debt to social insurance funds grew by 900 million euros in the second quarter from the first quarter of the year and noted that authorities were focusing on collecting debt from large debtors. He said that the "black" labor market was not easy to be measured and the country needed to cultivate a social insurance consciousness.

[04] Turkish military officers granted extension from Greek Asylum Service

The officers were accompanied by their lawyers and requested an extension to be better prepared for the interviews.

The interview dates were set for 19, 23, 24 and 25 August.

The Turkish officers have applied for asylum after fleeing from Turkey during a failed coup, when they crossed the border in a helicopter and landed in the northeastern Greek city of Alexandroupolis.

The interviews are part of the process of evaluating asylum applications made by the eight last week. Under the law, applicants have seven days after their application is submitted in which to prepare for the interview. Once the interviews are complete, an asylum service employee will announce the primary-level decision. If asylum is refused, the applicants can appeal and their application is then reviewed again in a secondary process.

[05] Significant increase in migrants and refugees arrivals on Lesvos

50 to 100 people arrive every day on Lesvos while on Tuesday three boats carrying approximately 100 migrants and refugees arrived at Chios.

The incidents have posted a significant increase after the failed coup in Turkey.

No there were no arrivals on the island of Samos for a long time.

[06] Identified migrants and refugees hosted in Greece exceed 57,000 on Wednesday

According to the Refugee Crisis Management Coordination Body's figures, 22,692 of the refugees were recorded in northern Greece, 10,168 are hosted in the region of Attica and 2,530 are hosted in facilities of central and southern Greece. 7,229 refugees and migrants are hosted in several facilities rented by the UNHCR, and 1,800 persons are living outside organised facilities.

9,140 refugees and migrants were recorded on the eastern Aegean islands.

[07] Last migrants and refugees leave Piraeus port for other areas

On Tuesday there were roughly 850 migrants and refugees staying in the port, of which 56 had departed for Oinofyta and 294 took public transport buses to destinations of their choice.

According to the coordinating body for managing the refugees, there were a total of 1039 migrants and refugees in Piraeus last Monday, 887 on Tuesday and 426 on Wednesday morning.

There are currently no refugees and migrants in Piraeus and port cleaning crews moved in to clean up the area.

[08] European Commissioner Avramopoulos visits Senegal

Avramopoulos met with the President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall, the Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye and with Interior Minister Daouda Diallo.

"This is my first visit to Africa to discuss issues of migration and safety. I chose Senegal because I believe that our cooperation will be a model for the whole region. We have developed a structured political dialogue and we want to have specific results through the implementation of the new partnership relation in the next months" noted Avramopoulos in his statement.

[09] 'Nobody's listening,' to PM's 'pompous pronouncements,' Koumoutsakos comments

"Nobody is listening. Nobody believes them. The same is true...for today's announcements about so-called social sensitivity made from the safety of the cabinet meeting," Koumoutsakis added.

If the prime minister wanted to find out what was really happening, he should have direct contact with those on low pensions, the jobless, the farmers, the heads of large families, small business owners and freelance workers and especially young people, who are unable to make ends meet because of his policies and have lost all hope of improving their lives.

[10] SYRIZA-ANEL gov't continuing class politics of their predecessors, KKE claims

[11] Parliament passes bill amending customs code

Concluding the debate in Parliament, Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis noted that the collection of tax revenue was going well and that an automatic spending cuts mechanism will not need to be activated. At the same time, he noted that the government was "not happy and will do the things that we have promised to the Greek people."

In addition to changes to the national customs code, the bill also founded a Coordinating Centre for Combatting Illegal Trade.

[12] Thessaloniki Mayor and Flambouraris discuss city's prospects, needs

There was also discussion about the need to set up a committee to study the prospects of linking Thessaloniki with central Europe via an Axios, Morava and Danube rivers route.

[13] Tourism minister attends inaugural session of National Coordinating Committee for Cruises

She noted that the new committee could be a valuable tool in the national effort to develop marine tourism and the cruise market, noting that all sides must join together in a targeted and coordinated effort to tackle the challenges, exploit opportunities and produce the best results.

Greece had 'won the wager' for the development of its sea tourism in 2015, despite the difficulties of that year, with arrivals increasing to 26 million from 22 million in the previous year and revenues rising to 14.5 billion euros, from 13 billion euros in 2014, Kountoura said.

The minister noted that 2016 would be another difficult year due to external and unforeseeable factors that were beyond Greece's control and would have to be managed.

Shipping and Island Policy Minister Thodoris Dritsas also pointed to the huge potential of cruise tourism in Greece and highlighted the need for cooperation. Replying to criticism that the committee was overly large and unwieldy, he noted that such a body should primarily not be inclusive and democratic. He noted that its role would be focused more on planning future strategy than analysing past performance.

During Wednesday's inaugural meeting, attended by 28 representatives of private and public sector bodies, the Committee outlined its framework of operation. According to sources, it was agreed that it should convene four times a year and set up an executive committee of seven members to coordinate and manage the issues and mode of operation of specific working groups.

The Executive Committee will include two general secretaries from the shipping and tourism ministries, a representative from the interior ministry, one from the naval chamber, one from the Union of Ports of Greece and one from the Union of Cruise Ship Owners and Shipping Bodies (EEKFN).

[14] Culture minister receives WHIA board members in Athens

"Greece's voice in UNESCO is there and is becoming ever stronger. Cultural diplomacy has succeeded in bringing many voices to our side on issues such as reuniting the Parthenon Marbles. With initiatives such as your own, the issue takes on a more global dimension. As we continue to investigate the legal avenue, we are trying - mainly - to enlarge the base of support for Greece in its demand for the integrity of the Parthenon, which is a symbol of UNESCO and a symbol of culture worldwide. Our arguments meet with significant support, even in Great Britain," Baltas said.

"We are trying as a government to follow a multi-dimensional policy in the area of tourism, strengthening our country's ties abroad," Baltas said, referring to his recent trip to China and the possibilities for cooperation in culture it revealed.

The meeting also focused on ways to link culture with tourism and exporting the country's modern culture and culture-related knowhow.

Attending from the WHIA were its President Thomas Katsiantonis, a state senator for New Hampshire in the United States, Vice-President Peter Katsambanis, elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council, Canadian Senator Panagiota Merchant, U.S. Senator for Rhodes Island Leonidas Raptakis, Canadian MP Gerasimos Sklavounos, Swedish MP Sotiris Delis, Swiss MP Philippe Kitsos, Australia's Victoria State MP Steve Dimopoulos, U.S. Senator for New York Nicole Malliotakis, former Victoria State MP John Pandazopoulos, U.S. Senator for New Hampshire Efstathia Booras and former Victoria State industry minister ?heo Theophanous.

Financial News

[15] Greek banks' deposits up 1.04 bln euros in June

The central bank, in a monthly report, said that deposits by households and enterprises totaled 122.7 billion at the end of June from 121.7 billion a month earlier. Bank deposits amounted to 123.37 billion euros at the start of the year and were 122.3 billion euros in June 2015.

[16] Bank credit to private sector at -2.0 pct in June

The central bank, in a monthly report said that the monthly net flow of total credit to the domestic private sector was positive at 479 million euros, compared with a negative net flow of 357 million in the previous month.

In June 2016, the monthly net flow of credit to corporations was positive at 566 million euros, compared with a negative net flow of 68 million in the previous month, while the annual growth rate of credit stood at -1.0 pct, against -1.2 pct in the previous month. In particular, the annual growth rate of credit to non-financial corporations stood at -0.7 pct, unchanged from the previous month and the monthly net flow of credit to non-financial corporations was positive at 355 million euros, against a negative net flow of 70 million in the previous month. The annual growth rate of credit to insurance corporations and other financial intermediaries stood at -6.0 pct in June 2016, from -8.7 pct in the previous month, while the monthly net flow of credit was positive at 211 million euros, compared with a positive net flow of 2 million in the previous month.

In June 2016, the monthly net flow of credit to individuals and private non-profit institutions was negative at 97 million euros, compared with a negative net flow of 275 million in the previous month, while its annual growth rate stood at -3.0 pct, from -2.9 pct in the previous month.

[17] Development law will be in full operation in September, Economy Minister says

The government was now working on the administrative acts needed after the development law was passed, he said.

[18] TRAINOSE was sold at a very low price, says company's managing director Tsalidis

On TRAINOSE's sale to the Italian railways he said the price was very low while referring to the next day of TRAINOSE, Tsalidis said that priority will be given to the workers and the clients until the transfer of the shares to the Italian company is completed underlining that the management will continue its development work.

[19] Greek bond market closing report

In interbank markets, interest rates were mixed. The 12-month rate fell to -0.049 pct from -0.048 pct, the nine-month rate rose to -0.120 pct from -0.121 pct, the six-month rate was -0.187 pct, the three-month rate was -0.298 pct and the one-month rate was -0.371 pct.

[20] Greek stocks end up, turnover falls further

PPC (6.64 pct), Viohalco (4.62 pct) and Aegean Airlines (3.79 pct) were top gainers among blue chip stocks, while Metka (2.16 pct), OPAP (1.37 pct) and Piraeus Bank (1.34 pct) suffered the heaviest percentage losses. Among market sectors, Utilities (3.55 pct) and Raw Materials (2.09 pct) scored big gains, while Chemicals (2.03 pct) and Travel (0.79 pct) suffered big losses. National Bank and Piraeus Bank were the most heavily traded securities of the day.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 43 to 40 with another 18 issues unchanged. Newsphone Hellas (10 pct), Intrakat (8.81 pct) and PPC (6.64 pct) were top gainers, while Athina (20 pct), Dionic (20 pct) and Yalco (19.79 pct) were top losers.

[21] ADEX closing report

General News

[22] Museum dedicated to author Iakovos Kambanellis opens on Naxos

The "Theatrical Museum Iakovos Kambanellis" opened its doors to visitors in the Grotta area on Naxos on July 18 and displays the writer's desk, personal effects, documents, portraits, sketches, medals, plaques and other items. Visitors can also examine the writer's works and studies by others about his work, archive interviews with the author and the films that he either directed or wrote scripts for.

Planned activities for the museum include summer workshops for children and teenagers, concerts, book presentations, creative writing workshops and film screenings.

Iakovos Kambanellis was a prominent Greek poet, playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and novelist, born on the island of Naxos in 1922. As a survivor of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, he wrote the lyrics of the "Mauthausen Trilogy" with music by Mikis Theodorakis. He has also written a book known as Mauthausen describing his experiences from the concentration camp. He authored at least 12 films and he directed two of them. In addition, he was known as a verse writer and for his membership at the board of the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece (MIET). Kambanellis died on February 4, 2011 due to complications of his long-term kidney failure.

[23] Alexandroupolis Regatta 2016 sets sail on Wednesday

The Regatta is organised by the Nautical Club of Alexandroupolis (NOA) and will run until July 31.

11 boats and over 150 athletes from all over the world will compete in the race that is included in the calendar of the World Federation for Optimist and Laser class.

"It is is a huge sailing event that also promotes the city and the wider region to markets that we could not reach differently" said NOA president Costas Hatziconstantinou to AMNA.

[24] Chania, a top destination for cruiseships

The Rhapsody of the Seas will arrive on Thursday, the Jewel of the Seas on July 29 and the Thomson Dream on July 31.

According to the port authorities 82 cruiseships carrying approximately 100,000 passengers are expected to arrive at Souda port until the end of November.

[25] Two Rhodes-Jordan 'pilot' flights to be tested in September

The regional authority is hoping to 'unlock' the Jordanian market and will organised two direct flights to Rhodes on September 7 and September 14. It has mobilised the Greek Embassy in Jordan, so that it can promptly issue visas to Jordanians that wish to visit Rhodes in September.

[26] Shipping minister at launch of fully refurbished 'Nissos Samos' ferry

The minister also stressed the fact that the ship, the third fully refurbished ship launched by Hellenic Seaways this year, was repaired at a Greek shipyard.

The ship has a top speed of 21 knots and can carry up to 2,210 passengers and 750 vehicles, in addition to its 94-member crew.

[27] Silent grief for 18-year-old Muslim boy shot in Munich mall

His parents and two siblings escorted him back from Munich to the family's home village in Rodopi, where the teenager had returned each year in the summer.

The funeral was attended by Interior and Administrative Reconstruction Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis, who offered his condolences to the family and also conveyed the condolences of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Parliament President Nikos Voutsis, who each sent a wreath. Three Rodopi MPs - Moustafa Moustafa, Aichan Karagiousouf and Ilhan Ahmet - also attended, as did the Maronia and Komotini Metropolitan Panteleimon, who offered his condolences to the family in a gesture signalling peaceful religious coexistence and solidarity in a multicultural area, such as Rodopi and Thrace.

The funeral was conducted by Komotini Mufti Chief Secretary, in the presence of Komotini Mufti Metso Tzemali, after which the villagers of Aratos lifted the wooden coffin wrapped int he Muslim 'kefen' and transported it to the village graveyard to be buried.

Weather forecast

[28] Mostly fair on Thursday

[29] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glance

DIMOKRATIA: The so-called 'plan x' in the dark forever.

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Chios and the mastic villages send cry of agony.

ESTIA: Seriousness required with the Constitution.

ETHNOS: All the changes after the capital controls relaxing.

IMERISSIA: Alarm signal over the settlement of the non-performing loans.

KATHIMERINI: Contributions' settlement failed.

NAFTEMPORIKI: Bank of Greece sounds the alarm over the bad loans.

RIZOSPASTIS: Operation disorientation of the people by the antipopular attack that escalates.

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