Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Talks on Greek rescue package

[02] Greek Press Review

[01] Talks on Greek rescue package

The meeting took place in Washington on Saturday, on the sidelines of the IMF's spring meeting, and focused on Greece's request for the activation of the European support mechanism decided by EU leaders on March 25, as well as the progress of work underway in Athens to prepare the economic programme under which the funds from the Eurozone countries and IMF will be given.

Papaconstantinou then had a meeting with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and was scheduled to meet the finance ministers of Brazil, Guido Mantega, and Russia, Alexei Kudrin.

Strauss-Kahn: Greeks should not fear IMF

In an attempt to reassure Greeks fearing the repercussions of bringing in the IMF, Strauss-Kahn stressed in a join press conference with Youssef Boutros-Ghali, Egypt''s Minister of Finance and Chairman of the IMFC (International Monetary and Financial Committee), that the fund was only trying to help.

"Unfortunately, the Greeks are not the only ones that demonize the IMF. But, I think that the Greeks, as others, should see the IMF as it is today.

The IMF is a kind of cooperative organisation, where all the countries of the world work together to try to help those being in trouble. Today, Greece is in trouble.

Tomorrow, maybe another," the IMF Managing Director said.

The IMF director pointed out that the IMF's role was to offer advice and assistance on behalf of the entire international community.

"So the Greek citizens should not fear the IMF. We are there to try to help them," he added.

Strauss-Kahn declined to make any comment concerning his earlier meeting with Papaconstantinou, Trichet and Rehn, adding that he would talk about the content of the negotiations once they were completed.

Boutros-Ghali, on his part, noted that the IMF had changed under Strauss-Kahn's leadership and now placed emphasis on the development of the countries it was called on to rescue.

[02] Greek Press Review

The ongoing negotiations about the terms of the EU-IMF support mechanism and the changes that will result from Greece's decision to borrow from the Eurozone and the IMF were the main front-page items in Athens' newspapers on Sunday.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Everything is changing in jobs, salaries, pensions. Forget everything you knew up until yesterday, our creditors say".

APOGEVMATINI: "Mergers on the table once more. Reactions and proposals from municipalities around the country". [refers to mergers of municipalities under local authority restructuring plans]

ARTHRO: "The time of the new 'super'-prime minister. One leaves, another comes".

AVGHI: "IMF State reform! The intervention of the international organisation is not restricted to the economy, it strikes at the heart of the political system, it operates as a quasi-government".

AVRIANI: "Greek nationality to 50,000 [Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia citizens]. Self-proclaimed 'Macedonians' are celebrating and now preparing to claim property in Greece".

CHORA: "Greece the backdoor into Europe for the U.S! The aim is to weaken the Eurozone".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Cracks in PASOK due to IMF. Papandreou's tragic choices and the disastrous outcome a blow to his image".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Every man for himself....the repercussions of resorting to the support mechanism on the economy, society and politics".

EPOCHI: "Disobedience! Our own one-way street. Let us begin from Labour Day".

ETHNOS: "Last minute bargaining for the final text of the agreement. [German Chancellor Angela Merkel] and IMF pushing for even harsher measures".

KATHIMERINI: "Truth and myths about the IMF era. Radical changes to contracts and dismissals".

LOGOS: "The story also has a ... bad IMF. Three years 'uphill struggle'. What the resort [to IMF-EU loan] means for the citizens".

NIKI: "Rise up Andreas [late premier and founder of PASOK Andreas Papandreou] and see us...Civil war in PASOK over IMF and Kallikratis [bill for restructuring local government]".

PARON: "Rass: Opinion poll blasts the government. Wave of rage over mistaken handling".

PROTO THEMA: "Scenarios about savings and bonds. Life with the IMF in the next three years."

REAL NEWS: "The great robbery. Revelation: Today's valuation of structured bonds".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Popular alliance now. Resort to EU-IMF mechanism pre-planned".

VETO: "The day after. The nightmare scenarios and the traps. The keys of the state to the IMF yuppies".

TO VIMA: "A painful end to life on credit. Resort to IMF to bring reversals in living standards".

VRADYNI: "Kiss of life for the unemployed. The government plan for boosting the market before the IMF. Who can benefit from the new Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) programmes".

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