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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-05-17Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Caretaker Cabinet sworn in, to take Greece to new electionsAMNA-- The new Caretaker Government, under prime minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos will lead Greece to new parliamentary elections in precisely one month, on June 17, was sworn into office on Thursday morning by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.The composition of the Caretaker Cabinet was announced in the first hours of Thursday, comprising 16 ministers, without deputy ministers, comprising chiefly university professors, former ministers and diplomats.amna Caretaker prime minister Pikrammenos, up to now president of the Council of State, was sworn in on Wedneday. CARETAKER CABINET Prime Minister: Panagiotis Pikrammenos Minister of Administrative Reform and e-Governance: Pavlos Apostolidis Minister of the Interior: Antonios Manitakis Minister of Finance: George Zannias Minister of Foreign Affairs: Petros Molyviatis Minister of National Defence: Frangos Frangoulis Minister of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping: Ioannis Stournaras Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change: Grigoris Tsaltas Minister of Education, Life-Long Learning and Religious Affairs: Angeliki-Efrosini Kiaou Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks: Simos Simopoulos Minister of Labour and Social Security: Antonios Roupakiotis Minister of Health and Social Solidarity: Christos Kittas Minister of Agricultural Development and Foods: Napoleon Maravegias Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights: Christos Geraris Minister of Citizens Protection: Eleftherios Economou Minister of Culture and Tourism: Tatiana Karapanagioti Minister of State: Antonios Argyros [02] Opinion polls show SYRIZA leading in respondents' preferencesAMNA--Two new opinion polls published in the newspaper "To Pontiki" and the magazine "Epikera" show the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leading in respondents' preferences.According to the poll conducted by the Pulse company for "To Pontiki", SYRIZA leads with 22 percent and following are New Demcracy with 19.5, PASOK 14, Independent Greeks 7.5, Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Democratic Left and Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) 5.5. The Ecologists Greens, the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party, the Democratic Alliance, Drassi (Action) and Dimiourghia Xana (Creation Again) each have 1.5 percent.amna The other poll carried out by the VPRC company for "Epikera" shows SYRIZA leading with 20.3 percent and followed by ND with 14.2, PASOK 10.9, Democratic Left 6.1, KKE 4.4, Independent Greeks 3.7, Chryssi Avghi 2.2, Dimiourghia Xana 1.6 and the Democratic Alliance 1.1, while 2.3 said they will vote for another party. [03] MPs will not receive compensationsAMNA--The 300 deputies who were elected in the parliamentary elections on May 6, and will be sworn in on Thursday morning at 11:00 will not receive salaries for the days they will be in parliament before its dissolution and the proclamation of new elections, was announced on Wednesday.amnaParliament president Filippos Petsalnikos agreed with all the political leaders that given the economic condition prevailing in Greece, the deputies will not receive remuneration and the money will remain in the State coffers . [04] Pikrammenos sworn in as caretaker prime ministerAMNA--Caretaker Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos and outgoing Prime Minister Lucas Papademos stressed the need "for conditions of calm and moderation to be shaped" during the pre-election period and traded compliments during the ceremony for the change in the government's leadership at the Maximos Mansion on Wednesday evening.Pikrammenos was sworn in earlier in the evening, in the presence of President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.amna "You are assuming the responsibility for the governance of the country in an extremely crucial period," Papademos said, adding that "I am certain that both you and the government you shall form will face the country's problems effectively." On his part, the new caretaker prime minister stressed "the fact that the country is under special conditions" and that he is assuming "a difficult role in a very difficult period." Pointing out that the government he will form is a "caretaker" one, with "the exclusive aim of holding elections so that the Greek people can express themselves and the opportunity can be given for a government to be formed, Pikrammenos agreed that "conditions of calm and order must prevail for the good of the country."amna Lastly, he praised the contribution of Papademos, saying that "with great toil and many sacrifices and with know-how you contributed in a decisive way to enabling us to overcome difficult obstacles that lay before us." [05] The Thursday edition of Athens' dailiesThe Thursday edition of Athens' dailies at a glanceThe caretaker government with president of the Council of State Panagiotis Pikrammenos as prime minister, speculation of Greece's exit from the eurozone and the new opinion polls indicating SYRIZA to be in the lead, dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers. ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Political leaders decided Pikrammenos". AVGHI: "Speculations fall into the void". AVRIANI: "Opinion polls indicate Tsipras (Alexis, SYRIZA leader) to have strong lead". ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Frenzy of deliberations on a united Center-Right". ESTIA: "Final blow to the economy". ETHNOS: "The people bitter over the need for new elections". IMERISSIA: "EU storm of warnings to Greece: Decide whatever you like". LOGOS: "With Pikrammenos we are led to elections". KATHIMERINI: "Political games until the end". NAFTEMPORIKI: "Greece's exit from eurozone an Armageddon for Europe". NIKI: "What will happen with the loans if we return to the drachma". RIZOSPASTIS: "NATO: Enemy against peoples' right to select their own developmental path". TA NEA: "Alexis, behave yourself!". TO PONTIKI: "Blackmailers fired blank shots". VRADYNI: "Let's unite the social base of the great Center- Right". [06] Athens Stock Exchange opening: DeclineAMNA--Equity prices were declining at the opening of trade on Thursday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with the basic share price index down 1.20 percent, standing at 548.77 points at 11:00 am, and turnover at 6.435 million euros.The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 1.18 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.72 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.34 percent. Individual sector indices were moving downward, with the biggest gains in Commerce, up 5.64 percent and Technology, up 2.13 percent.amna The biggest losses were in Telecoms, down 4.79 percent; and Constructions, down 2.27 percent. Of the stocks traded, 16 were up, 25 were down, and 5 were unchanged. [07] Greek inflation lowest in Eurozone in AprilBRUSSELS (AMNA / M. Aroni) - Greece recorded the lowest annual inflation rate in the Eurozone in April (1.5 pct), from 1.4 pct in March, Eurostat said on Wednesday. The EU executive's statistics arm, in a report, said the inflation rate in the Eurozone slowed to 2.6 pct in April, from 2.7 pct in March and 2.8 pct in April 2011. In the EU, the inflation rate slowed to 2.7 pct in April, from 2.9 pct in March and 3.3 pct in April 2011.Sweden (1.0 pct), Greece, (1.5 pct), Ireland and Romania (1.9 pct) recorded the lowest inflation rates in the EU, while Hungary (5.6 pct), Estonia (4.3 pct), Czech Republic and Poland (4.0 pct) the lowest rates. amna Greek inflation rate was 2.3 pct on a 12-month basis. [08] Weekend tours highlight Jewish history of ThessalonikiAMNA--A journey in Thessaloniki's past and future begins on weekend mornings when dozens of people of all ages will be guided on a tour down memory lane by visiting its neighborhoods, while enjoying the free tours offered by the City of Thessaloniki until June. amnaThe tour of old Jewish districts in the city is among the most popular, having as a starting point the Yehudi Hammam or Jewish baths behind the picturesque flower market. Next stop is the Yad Lezicaron Synagogue and Modiano Market, then Aristotle Square, where the Alliance Israelite Universelle used to be houssed, and continues by touring every Jewish monument and historical site in the old city center. The short journey into the Sephardic past of Thessaloniki ends with a visit to the Holocaust Monument. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |