Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-08-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] Papandreou with social partners, unions

[02] Pireaus Port reports 32.3% rise in H1 turnover

[03] Gov't on wildfires, Siemens, PASOK

[01] Papandreou with social partners, unions

Papaspyrou said the ADEDY council will confer on Friday to decide over the mobilisations that will take place during TIF in Thessaloniki.

During a later meeting, General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) President Yiannis Panagopoulos, speaking after his meeting with Papandreou, said that "the meeting with the leader of the main opposition party was held in a supposed election period and it is evident that this political period will be having clearer characteristics at this TIF. For this reason, we did not request the typical assistance of the main opposition party that is contesting power, but we called for, on the basis of all the factors, commitments on all issues concerning labour: Income, labour relations, social security."

He added that "the president of PASOK promised to us that everything that he has announced at times regarding anti-labour and anti-social iunsurance laws and the abolition of the law concerning public utilities are valid in full" and that "he also told us that, apart from the major first stage demand of redistribution for the benefit of the many, he will promote a new growth model focusing on the working man."

[02] Pireaus Port reports 32.3% rise in H1 turnover

The company said its car terminal business reported a 50.63-pct drop in revenues in the January-June period because of a recession in the car industry, while other operating revenues fell 15.43 pct to 3.43 million euros.

Spending rose 13.51 pct to 61.47 million euros, reflecting higher payroll expenses. Amortization of fixed assets, integrated in the operating costs, rose 1.20 pct to 5.15 million euros, while net financial results were down 35.91 pct. Net pre-tax results totaled 3.24 million euros, after a loss of 3.62 million euros last year.

[03] Gov't on wildfires, Siemens, PASOK

Asked whether the prime minister will be taking initiatives amid plans for union mobilisations, Antonaros said the government takes initiatives that are feasible, within the framework of the country's economic possibilities

In response to a question on scathing criticism by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou, Antonaros urged the latter, "who has a good knowledge of the English language", and to read the latest edition of the "Economist" and the statistics featured on the last page.

The spokesman said Mr. Papandreou will ascertain that the country, compared with other countries, has the smallest deviation in the predictions for the growth rate, from the real one.

"All this did not take place with a magic wand," he further said, and pointed out that those who have been pretending for months that there is no international economic crisis must not pretend not to understand.

"Unless Mr. Papandreou and his leadership group have returned to their old position that there is no international economic crisis," he said.

Wildfire aftermath

Antonaros also announced that a meeting was held at the Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Ministry under the chairmanship of George Souflias on immediate and necessary action for essential flood-protection and anti-corrosion projects to go ahead with the fewest possible administrative procedures.

He also said that Souflias communicated with the military chief and asked for aerial photos of the affected regions to go ahead.

On the question of water quality from Marathon Lake, he said that from the very first day Souflias had requested from the EYDAP water supply service to intensify checks and clarified that analyses and data at the disposal of all show that the quality of water remains excellent.

"Our position is clear. The owners of unauthorised buildings will not be compensated," he also clarified when asked.

Siemens

Questioned over a letter given by the lawyers of Mihalis Christoforakos to PASOK, the government spokesman stressed that if one reads it he will ascertain a great contrariety between the text of the letter, the introduction made by PASOK's press office and the real incidents that the main opposition PASOK party has invoked.

"This method of presenting a letter of reply, as well as the supposed presence that PASOK had invoked to write its own letter shows that there were certain thoughts behind this entire story," he said, adding that the result is that Papandreou chose with his party's seal to become the interlocutor of a defendant sought by our country.

The letter, he further said, does not say what PASOK is claiming, that there is no evidence.

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