Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM on economy, eurozone mechanism

[02] ND: Eurogroup decision a deep breath

[03] Parliament president meets AHEPA representatives

[04] Katseli on EXPO 2010 exhibition

[05] Memorial service for Thessaloniki Jews who perished in Nazi concentration camps

[06] Terror investigation finds

[07] Droutsas meets Bulgarian FM

[08] Parties on safety net

[09] Car registrations 27.9 down

[10] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] PM on economy, eurozone mechanism

Papandreou said it should be assessed whether Greece should activate the support mechanism, stressing that the spreads are only one parameter of this process, considering that there are other parameters as well that should be taken into account. The prime minister set no specific time limits as regards the assessment process.

He stated that the markets have put Greece through "psychological terrorism", adding that cool-headedness is now necessary, which is being provided by the economic assistance mechanism.

Referring to the mechanism, he stated that it was the result of the efforts made by the Greek people and stressed that "we have won a new credibility," adding that "we will do what needs to be done regardless of the mechanism."

[02] ND: Eurogroup decision a deep breath

The spokesman added that in ND "we shall wait for the consultations of the government officials and the state functionaries of Greece with the International Monetary Fund and with the European Commission to be concluded, so that the prime minister will give the required, by ND and the circumstances, full and objective briefing to the President of New Democracy Antonis Samaras, on the latest developments."

Panayiotopoulos reminded that Samaras has already requested publicly the holding of this meeting with the prime minister so that ND "after obtaining the full and in depth picture of the content of the relevant decisions, states its position with a feeling of responsibility towards the interest of the Greek people and of the country."

[03] Parliament president meets AHEPA representatives

Petsalnikos appeared optimistic that Greece will succeed in overcoming the economic crisis, while stressing the need for "us to depend on our own forces and sacrifices."

[04] Katseli on EXPO 2010 exhibition

The meeting was the first of a series that will follow on the coordination of all agencies and aiming at the country's better presence.

The theme of the exhibition, that will last 184 days, is "Better City, Better Life" and will focus on innovation.

[05] Memorial service for Thessaloniki Jews who perished in Nazi concentration camps

"The remembrance must not cease. Nearly an entire Greece was led to the crematoriums and put to death," said David Saltiel, president of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS) and leader of the Thessaloniki Jewish Community, which numbers some 1,500 members.

Some 65,000 Jews of Greece perished in the Holocaust, while the number in all of Europe is 6 million.

On Saturday, July 11, 1942, the German occupation forces in Greece gathered up the Jewish males of Thessaloniki at Eleftherias Square on the pretext of listing them on labor rosters and, after putting them through a variety of humiliations, sent 9,000 of them to forced labor.

The last dispatch of Jews to the concentration camps took place on August 1943, after which the German occupation forces destroyed Jewish cultural centers, libraries, philanthropic foundations, Synagogues and the Jewish cemetery.

[06] Terror investigation finds

It was announced that the findings included part of a proclamation of the "Revolutionary Struggle" which was detected in the hard disc of an electronic computer. With this proclamation they had assumed responsibility for three attacks and specifically:

The armed attack with Kalashnikovs against a riot police company outside the Culture ministry in Boumboulinas street, in Exarchia on 5.1.2009 during which riot policeman Diamantis Matzounis was seriously wounded. The attack also with Kalashnikovs against the riot police bus at Goudi outside the Politechnioupoli on 23.12.2008 and the placing of an explosive device at the offices of the shell petroleum company in Paleo Faliro on 24.10.2008, that had not exploded and was neutralised.

Also on Hymettus, at the perpetrators' "firing range", about 40 bullet caps from Kalashnikovs were confiscated that, as was ascertained, have been fired by weapons that have not been used in a criminal act.

The "firing range" was detected two days before the arrest of the six defendants during the stalking of one of them, who went to the remote district that is located near the mountain's peak, about 20 kilometres from Koropi.

Lastly, photographs were publicised of the handwritten drawings of the location at the intersection of Panormou and Vatheos streets where a terrorist attack was to take place against static police forces, that were found in the home of Nikos Maziotis and that bear his fingerprints.

[07] Droutsas meets Bulgarian FM

"We had the opportunity of discussing the Greek initiative on the Agenda 2014. Together with Bulgaria we belong to that group of the EU that warmly supports the European integration of the Western Balkans and we shall promote it jointly. We also agree that the incorporation of the Western Balkans in the EU is linked with the terms that result from the European acquis communautaire and demand from each candidate country to comply with them," Droutsas said in brief statements that followed.

[08] Parties on safety net

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) President George Karatzaferis said he supports the government only in international confrontations but when he disagrees, like in the case of the tax draft law, he does not offer his support.

He stated that if the prime minister resorts to the IMF he will not be able to salvage Greece without "destroying" his own party.

Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) parliamentary group president Alexis Tsipras said the government should not "celebrate" over a rescue plan that involves the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

[09] Car registrations 27.9 down

Car registrations, however, were up compared with the corresponding month last year, boosted by a wave of car purchases by consumers in an effort to avoid paying a raise in VAT and the introduction of a luxury tax. The Federation also noted that March 2009 was the most catastrophic month for the Greek car market.

[10] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The Eurogroup decision to support the Greek economy which was met with a decrease of the spread and a surge on the Athens Stock Exchange, and arrests of suspects alleged to be members of the terrorist group "Revolutionary Struggle" dominated the headlines on Tuesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Foreign nationals who receive citizenship will be able to change their names".

APOGEVMATINI: "Telephone conversation between the (alleged) terrorists connects the Revolutionary Struggle with the death of the 15-year-old boy from Afghanistan".

AVGHI: "It will be painful - IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn preannounces the harsh conditions that will come with the loan".

AVRIANI: "The C41 security system bought for the Olympic Games safety was useless for police, coast guard and army".

ELEFTHEROS: "All the supportive documents for the illegally-enclosed balconies".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Thriller over the terrorists' safehouse".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "The six detainees were indicted on four felonies".

ESTIA: "How the economy will recover".

ETHNOS: "Teachers' appointment plan - All the regulations of the omnibus bill".

IMERISSIA: "Breather for the spread and Athens Stock Exchange - Fear over German involvement".

KATHIMERINI: "IMF: Proceed with cutbacks in salaries and prices (disinflation)".

LOGOS: "Who trust our country .....Germany may possibly offer up to 8.4 billion euros (loan) to Greece".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "The support package gives breather to markets".

NIKI: "This is how the terrorist communicate - The secret code of the urban guerrillas".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Ruling PASOK party and main opposition New Democracy sacrifice health for profit's sake".

TA NEA: "The new school - Everything changes for teachers".

TO VIMA: "Additional measures for the support package - Pensions, competitiveness and reforms on the table".

VRADYNI: "Legalisation of the illegally enclosed semi-balconies: What the regulation foresees - The bill was tabled on Monday in parliament".

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