Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-03-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK MP Kassis says he will not vote the omnibus bill; gov't reaction

[02] Shopping hours in Athens during Easter period

[03] Overdue tax debt up 962 mln euros in Jan.

[04] Extra charges hit PPC's results in 2013‏

[01] PASOK MP Kassis says he will not vote the omnibus bill; gov't reaction

"Better rebel than puppet," he said adding that they are bringing the omnibus bill on Friday and we must vote it by Sunday. If there are no changes in the omnibus bill, I will not vote it. Kassis reiterated that PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos would do him a favour if he expelled him from the party.

Responding to comments that they (MPs) will overthrow the government for the milk issue when they (MPs) have voted harsher measures, Kassis said "If the government falls, I will be responsible and not the prime minister and his ministers that do not see that they should discuss the issue in order a solution to be found."

On his part , Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said that "the vote is a historic moment, speaking to private TV MEGA on Thursday .

"The question is who wants this place to go forward and who wants to return to the nightmare," Georgiadis wondered. He added that "anyone who does not vote, takes the responsibility of the country exiting the euro. We are not children, we are deputies," he said adding that the country was exiting the memorandum and that everyone should take their own responsibilities.

[02] Shopping hours in Athens during Easter period

According to the association, shops in Athens will be open from Thursday, April 10 to Thursday, April 17 (Good Thursday) from 9:00 until 21:00.

On Saturday, April 12 shops will operate between 09:00 and 18:00 and on Sunday, 13 April from 11 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon.

On Friday, April 18 (Good Friday) the shops in Athens will remain open from 13:00 until 19:00 and on Saturday, 19 April (Good Saturday) from 9:00 until 15:00.

On Monday, April 21 the shops will remain closed and will reopen on Tuesday, April 22 at usual shopping hours.

[03] Overdue tax debt up 962 mln euros in Jan.

Collection of overdue debt (older and new debt) totaled 266 million euros in the first month of 2015, of which 61 million euros were new overdue debt.

Under the provisions of a new tax legislation, introduced from January 1, 2014, all new overdue debt will be burdened with a monthly interest of 0.73 pct, while a 10 pct fine on the initial debt will be imposed.

[04] Extra charges hit PPC's results in 2013‏

PPC said demand for electricity energy fell by 5.5 pct in the first nine months of the year, but grew by 1.4 pct and 0.4 pct in the fourth quarter of 2013 (household and commercial use respectively), for an annual decline of 4.0 pct.

Revenue from electricity energy sales rose 0.9 pct to 5.76 billion euros. Pre-tax profits totaled 34.9 million euros, from 106.7 million in 2012.

Arthuros Zervos, PPC's chairman and chief executive, commenting on the results said that the 2013 results did not include the positive impact from a retrospective introduction of a discount in natural gas prices agreed between PPC and Gazprom, which is expected to be reflected in the results of the first quarter of 2014.

Zervos said that PPC's investments totaled 718 million euros last year and made significant progress in the management of its debt portfolio. The electricity utility also signed a five-year bond loan worth 2.2 billion euros with a consortium of Greek banks to refinance an existing loan worth 1.2 billion euros.

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