Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-01-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] 'Athena' education streamlining plan gets green light

[02] Poll: New Democracy holds slim 0.2 pct lead over SYRIZA

[03] Gov't raises tone in clash with transport employees

[04] Investigating committee on Papaconstantinou starts work

[05] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies

[06] Increased national participation in international trade fairs

[07] Tourist arrivals 5.2% down

[01] 'Athena' education streamlining plan gets green light

Only departments with minimal staff or small numbers of students are to be cut or merged with others, according to reports.amna

Arvanitopoulos is expected to meet with Democratic Left party leader, Fotis Kouvelis, on Wednesday.

[02] Poll: New Democracy holds slim 0.2 pct lead over SYRIZA

Results were as follows: 22.5 pct of those asked said they would vote for ND (compared to 21 pct in December 2012), 22.3 pct for SYRIZA (22.7 pct), Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) 9.7 pct (9.6 pct), PASOK 5.7 pct (5.6 pct), Independent Greeks 5.6 pct (5.4 pct), DIMAR 4.6 pct (4.5 pct) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) 4.3 pct (4.7 pct). The "Other" category was chosen by 5.2 pct (5.7 pct), Invalid/Blank/Abstain by 10.9 pct (9.6 pct) and Don't know/Can't answer by 9.2 pct (10.7 pct).amna

In terms of weighted influence on voters, without including the invalid/blank percentage and with unknown abstention rates, ND would get 28.2 pct of the vote, according to the sample, SYRIZA 27.9 pct, Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) 12.2 pct, PASOK 7.2 pct, Independent Greeks 7.0 pct, DIMAR 5.8 pct, KKE 5.3 pct and Other 6.4 pct.

Asked "Whom do you prefer as prime minister?", Samaras was selected by 53.2 pct of those polled and Tsipras by 30.9 pct, while 15.9 pct declined to answer.

[03] Gov't raises tone in clash with transport employees

Speaking to private radio Vima, government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou warned that "if the instigators of the strike do not comply with the court's decisions by tomorrow (Thursday), they will have to face the legal reprecussions. The law foresees what should be done with those leading the strikes".

Earlier, responding to the possibility they might be ordered to return to work by the government, employees said that they are adamant in their position and will respond "with war to government's war".

"A black-out will exist in public transport if the government orders us to return to work, and this is not a threat" said STASY president Christos Koukis.

The metro remains immobilized for seventh consecutive day on Wednesday, while tram and electric train employees called a work-stoppage from 12 noon until 4.

[04] Investigating committee on Papaconstantinou starts work

The 13-member committee is headed by New Democracy (ND) deputy Christos Markogiannakis and today's agenda will focus on procedural issues such as its scheduling. Parties are expected to table their proposals on the list of witnesses to be called to testify. The list of the first individuals to testify is expected to be ready Thursday.amna

Parliament voted on January 18 to set up the committee after several parties proposed investigating the former minister over charges of falsification of documents and breach of duty with simultaneous harm to the public interest.amna

The "Lagarde list" of Greek owners of bank accounts in the HSBC bank was first given to Greek authorities by the French Finance Ministry in mid-2010 on a cd and forwarded to Papaconstantinou, then finance minister. The investigation proposal centres around a discrepancy in data between the original list and a newer one provided by French authorities recently, as found by investigating judges.

[05] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies

AVGHI: "Maximos mansion (government headquarters) a mill of fabrications - Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Dendias provocations"

DIMOKRATIA: "Treason! The inflation of the 2009 state budget deficit a felony"

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: "Confession of mistake"

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "1.2 bln euros injection to SMES"

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "The felony of the Memorandum -Greece's independent statistical authority (ELSTAT) Andreas Georgiou prosecuted for the alleged doctorings"

ESTIA: "Stable government, strong economy"

ETHNOS: "New law for illegal buildings"

IMERISSIA: "Athens Stock Exchange's awakening"

KATHIMERINI: "Maximos Mansion, main opposition SYRIZA head on collision"

LOGOS: "Georgiou prosecuted for deficit's 'doctoring'"

NAFTEMPORIKI: "1.2 bln euros financing to SMES"

RIZOSPASTIS: "The people must put a halt to the targeting of the classes' struggles"

TA NEA: "America, America! Tsipras praises US president Barack Obama"

6 DAYS: "The great provocation"

[06] Increased national participation in international trade fairs

HEPO noted that actions have been launched aimed at promoting the Greek wines and olive oil to China, while proposals are being considered for the promotion of Greek products in promising markets, such as, India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.amna

A total of 13 business missions to Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Turkey and Russia, among others, will focus on the promotion of various Greek products.

[07] Tourist arrivals 5.2% down

In a report, the statistics service (ELSTAT) said that tourism arrivals from Europe (accounting for 90 pct of all arrivals in the country) fell by 5.2 pct in the nine-month period last year, while arrivals from the European Union fell by 8.3 pct.amna

Arrivals from Poland, France, Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy and Holland recorded the biggest percentage declines, while arrivals grew significantly from the UK and Russia.amna

Germany maintained its leading position in the list of incoming tourism in Greece with a 13.1 pct market share, followed by the UK (12.6 pct) and France (6.6 pct). Tourist arrivals fell significantly from the US, but rose from Asian countries.

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