Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] SYRIZA accuses gov't of downgrading the parliament

[02] FinMin: Ecofin meeting to focus on social problems

[01] SYRIZA accuses gov't of downgrading the parliament

"It has beem recently proved that the policy damaging the society requires the transformation of the parliament into a toolkit for creditors," SYRIZA's parliamentary group said while describing parliament president Evangelos Meimarakis' speech as "contentious".

[02] FinMin: Ecofin meeting to focus on social problems

Speaking ahead of the start of an informal Eurogroup meeting in Zappeion Hall, Stournaras said that EU authorities commissioned Bruegel (an economic think tank based in Brussels) to draft a survey which will be discussed during a working lunch. The Greek Finance Minister said that the first session of Ecofin meetings will focus on three issues:

-Economic forecasts, growth outlook and economic stability in the European Union.

-Funding of the economy, based on an EU announcement over long-term funding of European economy. This announcement is based on recommendations made by a high-level Group of Experts, who will also participate in the discussion.

-Preparation of a spring Summit by the IMF and World Bank and the spring Summit of G20 Finance ministers.

A second session of Ecofin meeting will be held on Wednesday and will focus on the restructuring of the banking sector and a banking union plan. The Greek EU presidency achieved a political agreement with the European Parliament over a new Single Bank Restructuring Mechanism. This agreement was confirmed by the EU's permanent representatives and allows the Europarliament to ratify this legislation before the end of the current legislative period. "Given these positive developments we look forward to a constructive discussion on the introduction of a regulation of a Single Bank Restructuring Mechanism," the Greek FinMin said.

The agenda of the discussions also includes an ongoing process of implementing a Single Bank Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). Stournaras also referred to the organizing of a 13th joint Ecofin/FEMIP meeting, a co-organizing between the Greek EU presidency and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Ecofin ministers and ministers from Mediterranean countries will exchange views on "challenges and leverage of sustainable growth" and the importance of investing in the Mediterranean region. EIB's strategy in the Mediterranean towards 2020 will be a topic of discussion, particularly ways to boost growth and creating job positions for young people "a joint target of the EU and the Mediterranean", the Greek minister said.

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