Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-04-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader questions PM on privatisations

[01] PASOK leader questions PM on privatisations

According to the PASOK leader, the government "aims at concealing the budget's widening deficits through the liquidation of public property."

"If the government's plans are implemented, Greece will be the only European country in which the biggest ports, all the major airports, telecommunications, the production of electric power and other vital sectors of the economy will either be in private hands or will be controlled by corresponding organisations of other countries," he said.

Papandreou claimed that this "antiquated and failed policy had been implemented in the past by extreme neo-liberal governments, such as those of Margaret Thatcher and Constantine Mitsotakis while today, all governments, even that of the United States, realise the need for the control and regulation of markets for the protection of the economy and of the citizens, while they take measures to shield their strategic corporations, even the private ones, against aggressive buyouts by profiteering capital."

Papandreou calls on the prime minister to clarify the government's intentions regarding the maintenance of public control of public utilities and other socially beneficial strategic organisations.

He also calls for an explanation as to "what benefit the Greek consumer will have if decisions on telecommunications, electric power production and ports are taken by foreign business groups instead of the Greek state, as well as what is the expediency of the full or partial granting of these corporations' administration to private interests, instead of the conclusion of strategic cooperation or individual partnerships between the public and private sectors, where this is deemed necessary and under public control."

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