Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Russian President Vladimir Putin in Greece next week for pipeline deal

[02] PASOK examines social security issues

[01] Russian President Vladimir Putin in Greece next week for pipeline deal

President Putin will be arriving in Athens on March 15 to participate in the Russo-Bulgarian-Greek conference that will lead to the signing of a tripartite agreement "on the construction and exploitation of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli oil pipeline," according to an announcement by the Kremnlin.

���������������������Earlier in Athens, the Greek government announced that the signing of a final and binding text for the construction of the long-awaited Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline will take place in Athens over the coming weeks. The signing follows more than 15 years of on-again, off-again negotiations between Athens, Sofia and Moscow to get the project off the drawing board.

Moreover, following a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday, Russian ambassador to Greece Andrey Vdovin told reporters that he brought up the issue of Russian President Vladimir Putin's participation at the signing ceremony, while calling the project a "significant step for the three-country cooperation. We hope it will be implemented."

On his part, Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said he will sign the agreement on behalf of the Greek government along with high-ranking representatives of Russia and Bulgaria, and specifically, Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko and Bulgaria Regional Development and Public Works Minister Assen Gagaouzov.

Sioufas also noted the interest by Putin and Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev to attend the signing ceremony, which he said will come in the second 10-day period of March.

In announcing the development, Sioufas also praised cooperation between his ministry and the Greek foreign ministry, mentioning by name former FM Petros Molyviatis and current Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, as well as development ministry general secretary Nikos Stefanou along with Athens' envoys to Moscow and Sofia, Elias Klis and Danae Koumanakou, respectively.

The pipeline, connecting the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas with the Greek port of Alexandroupolis in the northeastern Aegean, is expected to transport 35 million tons of crude oil per year with the possibility of increasing output to 50 million tons. It will be 280 kilometres long, of which 155 kilometres will be on Bulgarian territory.

The pipeline is expected to serve as an auxiliary route, by virtue of bypassing the congested Bosporus Strait, for Russian and Caucasus crude oil.

Caption: Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, at the Maximos Mansion in Athens on Monday, Sept. 4, 2006. ANA-MPA / G. Antoniou.

[02] PASOK examines social security issues

Commenting on the issue, party official Maria Damanaki said during a press conference that PASOK considers Employment Minister Savvas Tsitouridis "politically and absolutely responsible for the 'blue scandal' at the Civil Servants Auxiliary Social Security Fund, that brings to the forefront the serious issue of the economic management of the reserves of Funds," putting at the same time the question to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "whether he is providing coverage for Mr. Tsitouridis."

Damanaki, presenting PASOK's initiatives on the issue of the management of the reserves of the Civil Servants Fund by the "Akropolis" stock exchange company, pointed out that a relevant question will be put in Parliament at an initial stage, while at the same time the issue will be raised at the Parliamentary Transparency and Institutions Committee.

Minister Tsitouridis, replying to Damanaki, said that the government is "shielding and modernising the management system of the mobile and fixed property of social security funds with the aim of achieving absolute transparency and measurable effectiveness."

"I realise that there are many who are harmed by this policy of ours," the minister said.

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