Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM confers with finmin Alogoskoufis on economy, reforms

[02] PM and interior minister hold meeting to discuss fundamental overhaul for state sector

[03] Greek Tourism Minister meets China Tourism Administration chief during official visit to Beijing

[04] Greek-German journalism prize 'Eleni Vlachou' awarded to Costas Iordanidis

[01] PM confers with finmin Alogoskoufis on economy, reforms

Alogoskoufis told reporters after the meeting that an ad-hoc parliamentary committee would begin discussion later in the day on the amendements concerning the bank employees' social insurance and the restructuring of the OTE Hellenic Telecoms Organisation, and the bill on the capital market.

He said that the solution being forwarded by the government on the bank employees' social insurance was a balanced one, since it would boost competitiveness, and resolve the social insurance problem without harming the rights of the employees affected, and without cost to the taxpayers.

Asked to comment on the bank employees' reactions, Alogoskoufis said that the government had exhausted all the margins of dialogue, which had lasted for six months, adding that all the views had been heard. He stressed that the government had provided a solution without taking the side of one or the other view.

Questioned on the Fourth Community Support Framework (CSF), Alogoskoufis said that the agreement achieved in the EU was relatively satisfactory, and that issue at hand was for the country to secure the relevant funds over the coming months, intimating that the government opposed a change of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which he said certain other EU member countries wanted.

[02] PM and interior minister hold meeting to discuss fundamental overhaul for state sector

In statements afterwards, Pavlopoulos stressed that the premier was greatly interested in these issues and in the reorganisation public administration, while more meetings on the same issue will follow and the main framework for the reforms will be complete by autumn.

The minister also announced that a draft bill on immigration policy is to be tabled in Parliament shortly, while the civil servants' code and the municipality code were now nearing completion.

The civil servants' code addresses issues such as transfers and promotions, making the former voluntary and giving incentives for staff in remote or problem areas, as well as making criteria for promotion more objective.

Regarding civil service wages, Pavlopoulos said that this was a issue for negotiation with the civil servants' union ADEDY. These negotiations are set to being in early July after an invitation to attend talks is sent out to ADEDY from the government. ADEDY's agenda for the talks includes discussion on benefits and the placement of certain categories of employees into the heavy and hazardous labour bracket for pension purposes.

[03] Greek Tourism Minister meets China Tourism Administration chief during official visit to Beijing

In statements afterward, Avramopoulos said that important facts had emerged during the meeting and that a visit by a Chinese minister to Greece might be expected in this context.

The two men discussed future estimates of tourist traffic between Greece and China, with Greece anxious to increase the numbers of Chinese tourists visiting the country. According to Avramopoulos, the Chinese show a great interest in Greek culture but Greece had failed to make it onto the 'map' of favourite destinations for the Chinese in recent years.

Later on Tuesday, Avramopoulos inaugurated an exhibition of contemporary Greek art in Beijing entitled "The Art of Greece meets China", while on Wednesday he will be inaugurating the tourism trade fair BITE, at which Greece is the honoured country, as well as an office of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) in Beijing.

[04] Greek-German journalism prize 'Eleni Vlachou' awarded to Costas Iordanidis

The prize was awarded by Parliament President Anna Psarouda-Benaki during a special ceremony at the Zappion Building in central Athens. Among those attending were German Ambassador to Athens Albert Spiegel, alternate government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros, the president of the National Broadcasting Council Yiannis Laskaridis and the president of the assessing committee for the prize Dimitris Glavas.

Also among the speakers was the general director of the Athens News Agency (ANA) George Tambakopoulos, who was one of the members of the assessing committee, who spoke about Iordanidis' life and work as a journalist.

Also present at the ceremony were former ANA general director Andreas Christodoulides, Communications general secretary Margarita Papada, among others.

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