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Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-02-24Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] FinMin: Greek econ recovery by late 2011(ANA-MPA) -- Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou on Thursday expressed certainty that the Greek economy will begin exiting a dire economic recession this year.In presenting an updated Memorandum, the minister said: "we are in the middle of a recession, at its worst part, but we will succeed because we are following the right course of stability and consistency." (ANA-MPA) He described the programme's targets by saying that at the end of this period the fiscal deficit will have fallen to 3.0 pct of the country's GDP, dropping further to 1.0 pct of GDP by 2015. To view the full article please call the ANA-MPA's subscription department at 2106400560. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [02] Greek per capita GDP at 94% of EU average in 2008BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA) -- Greece�s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) totaled 94 pct of the average community rate in 2008, Eurostat announced on Thursday, with Attica (the greater Athens areas) and the Southern Aegean region the only Greek areas to surpass the EU average per capita GDP (113 pct).The EU executive�s statistics agency, in a report, said three Greek regions were below 75 pct of the EU average per capita GDP: Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (66 pct), Epirus and Western Greece (73 pct each). They were followed by Thessaly (78 pct), Northern Aegean (80 pct), Central Macedonia (81 pct), Western Macedonia and the Peloponnese (84 pct each). Attica and Southern Aegean (113 pct each), Central Greece (100 pct), Crete (94 pct) and the Ionian Islands (90 pct) recorded the highest per capita GDP in 2008. Central London (343 pct) recorded the highest per capita GDP among EU regions, while a region in Bulgaria posted the lowest rate, with 28 pct. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [03] Hellenic Petroleum announces 0.45 euro dividend(ANA-MPA) -- Hellenic Petroleum on Thursday said it will seek shareholders� approval for a plan to pay a 0.45-euro per share dividend to shareholders, unchanged from last year, after the group reported net profits of 180 million euros in 2010, down from 199 million euros in 2009. (ANA-MPA)More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [04] Gov't warns of migration crisisROME (ANA-MPA) -- "Europe should be present in the crisis and send a clear and strong message to every direction that it will offer humanitarian and economic assistance where necessary helping in the strengthening of democratic institutions. However, it will not tolerate illegal migrants uncontrollably crossing its external borders and staying on its territory," Citizen Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis stressed here on Thursday.Referring to the conclusions of the six EU Mediterranean interior ministers meeting on Wednesday, which called on the Union to take specific measures against illegal migration, Papoutsis stressed that "the continuous expansion and extension of the crisis is a cause for concern considering that its impact and the increasing flow of illegal migrants could affect our tourist regions and therefore, have a negative effect on our effort aimed at improving the economic situation in Greece." Papoutsis said that despite its economic problems, Greece helps nationals of third countries that are in crisis regions, as in the case of Libya. The common positions of the six EU Mediterranean member-states (Greece, France, Italy, Malta, Cyprus) were presented at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday. In a joint statement the six countries pointed out that they already face dramatic consequences which cause great concern across the European Union. They stressed that thousands of illegal migrants from Tunisia moved toward the coasts of southern Italy within a period of just a few days further increasing the existing pressures on the EU external borders in SE Europe. The communiqu? warned of the danger of "uncontrolled flows of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers into Europe, with serious consequences and potential risks to EU internal security," in case more entry routes for illegal migrants open in the Mediterranean region. The six EU Mediterranean member-states called on the EU to proceed with the adoption of nine measures namely, make the Mediterranean issue a central point in the community agenda; build a new relation with the southern neighbouring states and take under consideration the difficulties with which EU states are met faced with disproportionate flows of illegal migrants. (ANA-MPA) Also, the EU is called to acknowledge the need and urgency of the strategies on issues of security, migration and asylum; encourage bilateral cooperation on migration issues; strengthen the role of Frontex; establish a common and viable asylum system in the EU by the end of 2012; promote regional assistance programmes in southern Mediterranean in cooperation with the UN and set up a special solidarity fund to handle the humanitarian crisis. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [05] ND critical of PM's contactsThe opposition New Democracy (ND) party on Thursday referred to the previous day's 24-hour nationwide strike, stressing that "the large size of the protest rally held was the result of the desperation of the people that see no hope and progress that would lead to economic growth."ND spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis on Thursday condemned the violence regardless of where it comes from, pointing out that the people "detest extreme and irresponsible actions." Commenting on the results of the contacts Prime Minister George Papandreou had abroad, Mihelakis stated that they were "a total failure", adding that "the premier returned from Germany empty-handed". He also said that the government should not attempt presenting the extension of the repayment period for the Greek loans as a success, stressing that it was pre-decided by the Eurogroup. Referring to scenarios on snap elections, he accused the government of being behind them. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [06] 9 arrests during Wed. protest(ANA-MPA) -- Nine individuals, among them one underage youth who will be tried before a juvenile court, were arrested and charged on Thursday for violent incidents that occurred during Wednesday's protest rally and march in central Athens.The other eight face a variety of criminal and misdemeanour charges, including a charge of attempted manslaughter for a man found in possession of a bow and arrows. Other charges against those arrested included those of disturbing the peace, illegal weapons possession and use and resisting arrest. In some cases the charges are compounded by laws for offences committed by persons concealing their faces and count as criminal offences. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |