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Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-02-14Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] PM to visit Berlin, Helsinki next weekPrime Minister George Papandreou will be visiting Berlin and Helsinki next week, arriving in the German capital on Feb. 21.He is scheduled to meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel a week from Tuesday and will travel to Helsinki on February 23, for talks with the Finnish leadership. Germany and Finland were the two countries that adopted the toughest stance on the issue of a Competitiveness Pact during the last EU summit meeting. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [02] 50-bln-euro privatisation goal a government's decision, spokesman confirms(ANA-MPA) -- Despite sharp criticism of the "attitude" of European Union and International Monetary Fund officials during a press conference at the end of last week, government spokesman Giorgos Petalotis on Monday confirmed that the target for privatisation proceeds had been raised from an original 7 billion euro by 2013 to 50 billion euro by 2015. He stressed, however, that this was decision had been made by the government itself, not by the so-called EC-ECB-IMF 'troika'."The target set was indicative, there is no specific decision as to how this property will be exploited. The bar is raised high but we are the ones that raised it. It is high because the expectations that we have for the country's course are also high," Petalotis told reporters during the regular press briefing. He rejected suggestions that the decision lacked legitimacy, noting that this was one of many targets set. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [03] Air China route to Greece as of May(ANA-MPA) -- To view the article please call the ANA-MPA's subscription department at 2106400560.More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [04] Samaras talks with Rajoy(ANA-MPA) -- Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party leader Antonis Samaras met in Madrid on Monday with the President of the Spanish opposition Popular Party Mariano Rajoy and, speaking afterwards, said "we agreed on the need for reforms, with emphasis on the curbing of public extravagance, on balanced budgets and, of course, on the defining of a common -at last- European Foreign Policy.""Greece and Spain, under socialist governance today, are before great economic and social problems. Both our countries must find once again the path of economic growth, with the creation of jobs and with substantive measures for strengthening competitiveness," Samaras added. (ANA-MPA) The ND leader further said "we agreed with the leader of the Popular Party of Spain on the need for an overall and effective handling of the debt crisis in the countries of the Eurozone. And we agreed, mainly, on the need for Growth. Growth is the secret in the economy." (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [05] Greek budget Jan. surplus(ANA-MPA) -- The central government reported a surplus of 352 million euros (cash flow) in January, the Bank of Greece announced on Monday, after a deficit of 818 million euros in the corresponding month last year.The central bank, in a report, attributed this positive development to an increase of (ANA-MPA) regular budget revenues to 4.9 billion euros, from 4.2 billion euros in 2010 (an increase of 16 pct) and lower budget spending, 4.2 billion euros this year from 4.3 billion euros in 2010, a decline of 3.0 pct. (ANA-MPA) To view the remainder of the article please call the ANA-MPA's subscription department at 2106400560. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [06] FM on illegal migration(ANA-MPA) -- The joint operation "Poseidon", held in cooperation with EU border agency Frontex since 2006 for the protection of the external borders of Greece and the EU, will continue in 2011.A document signed by Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, conveyed to Parliament in response to a question by main opposition New Democracy (ND) MP Theodoros Karaoglou on the problem of illegal migration, reminded that "operation 'Poseidon' is in underway at Greece's sea borders with Turkey and at the land borders with Albania and Turkey, as well as along the borders shared by Bulgaria and Turkey". The foreign minister stressed that this is the largest joint operation coordinated by FRONTEX currently underway at European level and stated that is planned to continue on a permanent basis (throughout 2011) along Greece's sea and land borders with Turkey. Droutsas underlined, however, that "the rapid increase recorded in 2010 in the number of illegal migrants coming from Turkey made necessary the adoption of additional measures to tackle the deteriorating situation." (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |