Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-09-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Other opposition parties

[01] Other opposition parties

"There is a whole system of class exploitation. Market means entrepreunial giants and go-betweens and rodents around them. Extravagance in the public sector is little compared to the money which is directed to the coffers of enterprises, bank deposits and the capital expatriated," Papariga said.

The communist leader also said her party proposed 45% taxation on big capital "something on which the two mainstream parties (the ruling New Democracy and the main opposition PASOK) disagree, as well as Brussels, which is interested only in the European capital's profits in its antagonism with the U.S., Russian, Japanese and Chinese capital."

"The people must not be pressed in this antagonism," Papariga said, adding that the measures against tax fraud which are being announced "are directed towards small enterprises and working people."

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) party leader Alexis Tsipras said that "bounced cheques amounting to two billion currently exist, while banks received 28 billion, the small and medium-level entrepreneurs cannot receive loans and the banks are stiffling the commercial world," adding that "difficult days are coming and society shall claim its rights."

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party leader George Karatzaferis said that the country cannot handle so many immigrants and added that there should be a dialogue with the European Union on the issue and termed the policy being applied so far "mistaken". He also said that there is a "great increase in crime and a large percentage is due to illegal immigrants."

The head of the Ecologists-Greens, Nikos Chrysogelos said that economic activity can survive if the economy makes a qualitative turn to "green professions" and pointed out that it is something that Europe has already started to turn to.

Foreign Policy

KKE Secretary General Papariga, asked how she envisages Greece's survival outside NATO and the European Union, said that "the logic of the 'poor country' is returning continuously with modern cosmopolitan wrappings. The European Union's position is incompatible with popular prosperity, Greece's peaceloving position and the guaranteeing of its borders."

Papariga further wondered "since when is a party judged for its positions with regard to international organisations and not to what extent it serves the interests of the people and of its country."

The KKE leader further said that "NATO blesses the violations of our sovereign rights to which Turkey proceeds, and it is obliging us, together with Turkey and despite its allegations about grey zones, to become the gendarmes of other peoples who are suffering from NATO's imperialist interventions."

Also asked whether U.S. President Barack Obama's policy will reduce tension in the region, Papariga said that "there may be a change in tactic, but not strategy. Maybe, Mr. Obama wants to convey tension in Eurasia and Afghanistan elsewhere as well. He does not have many differences with Bush's policy."

Synaspismos leader Alexis Tsipras, when asked if the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) supports the country's European participation, said that the party is struggling in the European framework in cooperation with other European parties and movements for the EU's change.

However, he added that the problem is the dominant policy in the EU and Greece is not doing well abroad as well, criticising the New Democracy government for "strictly following the mandates of the EU and NATO".

Tsipras went on to say that the country remained "trapped in what is being set by the EU, the US and NATO" and that, however, "we are not optimistic with a change in government, that something will change for the better".

LAOS leader George Karatzaferis, asked abouty the stance Greece should observe towards Turkey, said that "we are Greece and we must defend ourselves, we must take examples from countries such as Israel that have problems around them", adding "we have no confrontation with Turkey because we say yes to everything."

Karatazaferis further said that the policy which increases armaments and decreases military service is contradictory and stressed "we must assert ourselves, have courage and seriousness and not bow our heads." He assessed that the situation is tragic due to the policy that was applied by the government.

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