Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-02-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM on outcome of EU summit

[02] Hellenistic Period tombs unearthed by torrential rainfall

[03] Promachonas open for all vehicles

[04] Tempi will open in May

[05] �SE opening: Rise

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM on outcome of EU summit

He added that "in similar crises the IMF has shown technical knowledge, outside the eurozone, which the eurozone does not have in similar crises, this technical knowledge is important, such as helping for example in administrative changes, to enable us to have a transparent and effective functioning of the budget" and pointed out that "we are willing and our cooperation with the IMF will be useful."

Replying to the question of "who in his morning meeting with (French President Nicolas) Sarkozy, (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel and (EU Council President Heman van) Rompuy had the idea of the IMF becoming involved and if this combination of European Central Bank-IMF concerns Greece only or is a more general measure for the eurozone," the prime minister said "two months ago I requested personally from (IMF president) Dominique Strauss Kahn technical support. We have entered a supervision procedure, I am not hiding this. In the way that we managed our finances, a part of our sovereignty is also removed, I have said this, and we must take this back, with our credibility, our programme and the contribution of each one in accordance with his capabilities."

The prime minister concluded by saying that "in doing our work we must be able to say as soon as possible that Greece is dominant of its own fortune and not under continuous and harsh supervision."

Caption: Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou arrives at an informal summit of European Union (EU) heads of state and government in Brussels, Belgium 11 February 2010. ANA-MPA/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

[02] Hellenistic Period tombs unearthed by torrential rainfall

The Archaeological Service subsequently conducted an excavation, which brought to light the tombs which, according to initial assessment, date back to between the end of the 4th century BC and the beginning of the 3rd century BC.

Of the eight tombs, only one is intact.

[03] Promachonas open for all vehicles

This situation will continue until at least Tuesday when farmers' representatives will meet with Deputy Agriculture Minister Michalis Kachrimakis at the Macedonia-Thrace General Secretary in Thessaloniki.

Promachonas is the last remaining roadblock in the country.

[04] Tempi will open in May

Larissa prefect Loukas Katsaros said on Friday that according to the "Aegean Motorway" company, which is carrying out the restoration works following last December's rain-caused landslides in the area, the reopening of the road by Easter (which falls in early April this year) is not feasible.

The Tempi section of the national highway has been closed to traffic since Dec. 17, 2009 following a major landslide in which a 62-year-old engineer with the company carrying out works at the site was killed as he arrived to inspect damage from earlier landslides.

[05] �SE opening: Rise

Individual sector indices were moving mostly upward, with the biggest gains in Health, up 1.58 percent; and Financial Services, up 1.49 percent.

The biggest losses were in Oil, down 0.90 percent; and Foods, down 0.89 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 0.44 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 0.25 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.20 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 44 were up, 23 were down, and 24 were unchanged.

[06] Athens Newspaper Headlines

European support to Greece decided at Thursday's Summit in Brussels and the triple surveillance by the European Commission, IMF and ECB of progress in the government's measures to curtail the deficit, dominated the headlines on Friday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "New painful measures preannounced by the President of the European Commission - Support under triple surveillance".

APOGEVMATINI: "The country under Commission, ECB and IMF surveillance status".

AVGHI: "IMF plays the role of 'scarecrow' for even harsher measures".

AVRIANI: "We avoided bankruptcy at the last minute - Ten difficult years awaiting our people".

CHORA: "Severe surveillance in exchange for the support".

ELEFTHEROS: "Prime Minister George Papandreou gave everything to the Europeans with exchanges".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "IMF puts noose around Greece's neck".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "European support under IMF monitoring".

ESTIA: "Unbelievable bureaucrats - Tax procedures become more complex".

ETHNOS: "They support us, but also....hold a whip".

IMERISSIA: "Aid with triple surveillance - Europe supports, and demands new measures".

KATHIMERINI: "EU support with IMF measures".

LOGOS: "They are bringing Greece to its knees - European support under harsh conditions".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Euro life vest for Greece with harsh triple surveillance".

NIKI: "Severe surveillance by IMF, unfortunate day for the country".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Thousands of people demonstrated on February 10 against the antisocial storm".

TA NEA: "Support, surveillance, and new measures on the horizon - Papandreou's deal with Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy".

TO VIMA: "Support with guardians and new measures on the horizon - Tough battle in Brussels".

VRADYNI: "Greece under international surveillance".

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