Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-11-24

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

CONTENTS

[01] President of China arrives in Athens

[02] PM Karamanlis visits Transport Ministry

[01] President of China arrives in Athens

Hu Jintao is on a three-day official visit in Greece, during which he will also be present at the signing of a Piraeus port container terminal contract between the Greek state and Cosco Pacific Ltd.

On Monday afternoon, the Chinese leader will be received by Greek President Karolos Papoulias, followed by talks with Karamanlis.

Caption: Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis greets the President of China Hu Jintao at Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos Iternational Airport on Monday, 24 November 2008. (ANA-MPA/G. Antoniou).

[02] PM Karamanlis visits Transport Ministry

Karamanlis underlined that OA and OSE burden Greek tax payers by 2.7 million euros per day, adding that it is a pity for so much money to go to waste instead of being chanelled to citizens in need.

"Besides OA's denationalisation, our target is also to streamline OSE and to cut down its operational deficit to 80 million euros by 2010," said the premier.

He also referred to the regional airports modernisation program via concession contracts, without, however, altering the status of the Civil Aviation Authority (YPA) staff, but aiming at modernisation of the entry ways of the foreign visitors and also to open new opportunities and jobs through new investments so that young people will stay in their places of residence.

"The economy," said Karamanlis "is the big stake in the midst of the international financial crisis, with the aim that, when the crisis ends, the Greek economy will accelerate.

"This stake concerns all the citizens and all political forces of the country," he said, noting that the government has chosen responsibility, and stressing that, today, the reform are more imperative than ever.

Replying to press questions on the increased revenues from taxes contained in the 2009 draft budget, the prime minister stressed that they will be generated from the enhanced measures against tax evasion and the growth of the economy, adding that in no new taxes will be imposed in 2009. On the contrary, he said, there was a provision for reduction of the tax rates on physical entities to 25 percent.

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