Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-12-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papoulias hosts reception for media; top political leadership attends

[02] Athens pleased with EU deal on bloc' 2007-13 budget

[03] Papandreou: Audit caused most economic problems

[01] Papoulias hosts reception for media; top political leadership attends

In brief statements to reporters, Papoulias appeared particularly pleased with results of the previous day's European Summit in Brussels, saying a last-minute compromise deal over the Union's 2007-2013 budget was a "kiss of life" for Europe.

On their part, main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou and former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, the honorary president of ruling New Democracy, expressed diametrically opposing views over the summit's outcome.

Papandreou, a former foreign minister, said Athens did not have a plan heading into the summit, whereas the Greek delegation arrived and left with the same offer (20.1 billion euros) as a previous June proposal tabled by the British EU presidency.

Conversely, Mitsotakis said he did not expect such a positive conclusion, adding that the Greek side achieved more than it had hoped.

"This is undoubtedly a success, but I am saddened by the pettiness of (political) opponents," the former premier said.

Practically all of the country's political leaders, including Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, attended the event at the presidential mansion.

Caption: President Karolos Papoulias, centre, enters the reception hall of the presidential mansion on Saturday, accompanied by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, second right, and Natasa Karamanlis. Athens Journalists' Union (ESHEA) President Panos Sobolos is at left. ANA / M. Kiau.

[02] Athens pleased with EU deal on bloc' 2007-13 budget

"Many more parties were challenging for a slice of a smaller pie," was amongst Karamanlis' first statements to reporters after the EU Summit. He also referred to the expectedly tough negotiations that preceded the agreement over the 25-member bloc's 2007-2013 budget, saying that Athens worked hard to ensure that nary a euro was lost for the east Mediterranean country.

Karamanlis cited a figure of 20.1 billion euros in cohesion support for the country during the period.

Regarding the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) -- an issue of major importance to Athens because of the farm subsidies funneled into the country's provinces -- the Greek prime minister reiterated that no changes will be made before 2013.

"... We had stated from the beginning that we would not accept a revision of CAP before 2013, and that we would insist on what had been agreed to during the Brussels summit of 2002. We persisted on this point. Put simply, CAP will remain as is until 2013. Discussions and preparations for what follows will take place, but only up to that point," the premier said.

Turning to Greece, Karamanlis said increased absorption of EU funds and continued development are the keys to the future, saying high growth rates in the country -- amongst the highest in the 'euro zone' -- have disproved Cassandras that predicted a slackening of GDP growth after the 2004 Olympics.

Caption: Greek PM Costas Karamanlis, foreground, addresses reporters after the successful conclusion of a two-day European Union summit in Brussels. Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, left, sits next to the premier. ANA / M. Marogianni.

[03] Papandreou: Audit caused most economic problems

In published comments coinciding with the commencement of Parliament debate on the draft 2006 state budget, Papandreou charged that the latter was misleading, while also saying that envisioned increases in revenues will come from wage-earners and via indirect taxes.

"We believe in a correct redistribution of the developmental dividend in favor of the weaker classes, and certainly not for the purchase of more F-16s," the former foreign minister said in citing the government's recent decision to buy up to 40 new US-made warplanes.

He added that a PASOK government would have tabled a completely different draft budget because it would not have proceeded with what he called a "false audit" undertaken by the Karamanlis government late last year -- a pre-election commitment by ruling New Democracy party that led to significantly higher deficit figures being reported than the ones previously announced by successive PASOK governments.

The interview was carried in the Sunday edition of the paper "To Vima".

ANA photo

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