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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-06-29Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Referendum 'another means of negotiating,' Admin. Reform Minister Katrougalos saysANA/MPA---Sunday's referendum is another way of negotiating, not a means of leaving Europe, according to Alternate Minister for Administrative Reform George Katrougalos, exiting Maximos Mansion late on Sunday night after a Cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.Speaking to the press, Katrougalos said, "We see the referendum as a continuation of the negotiations by other means, it is not a way of leaving Europe, it is a way to remain in a Europe which will be a social Europe, not a Europe of austerity." He said details of whether banks would be open on Monday would be "announced later, in detail, by the economic group, so that the Greek people are fully informed tomorrow (Monday)." He added that "the Greek people always reacts in accordance with the gravity of the challenges placed before it, therefore in this great challenge they will answer in the way we all expect: with pride, without fear, calmly, without creating an artificial new national rift, but in the belief that we must safeguard democracy - because all these things are fundamentally against democracy - and the best future for us and our children." Asked whether the government was expecting a new proposal by its lenders, he said "it is obvious that by levelling even greater pressure, the lenders are trying to cancel the referendum or force its outcome... for this reason we must be calm before this blackmail and see where our real interests lie." [02] ND leader urges Greeks to stay calmANA/MPA---Main opposition New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras on Sunday urged the Greek people to stay calm and united, in a statement after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced that capital controls would likely be imposed. At the same time, he called on Tsipras to cancel plans for a referendum, which he said now "lacked content" and had become a parody.Alexis Tsipras knows that it was primarily his own mistakes that forced him to even close the banks, Samaras said. The country must remain in the heart of Europe and the euro, Samaras emphasised, and the prime minister has an obligation to continue the negotiations. If he cannot do it himself, let him brave a great national understanding, he added. "On our part, we will do everything to restore normality in the country and return hope to the Greeks," the ND leader said. [03] Banks to shut down June 29-July 6; tourists not affected by daily ATM limitANA/MPA---Greek banks will shut down from Monday, June 29, to Monday, July 6 inclusive, the government said following a Cabinet meeting that ran into early Monday, following the breakdown of talks between Greece and its creditors.Greek citizens will be allowed to withdraw a maximum of 60 euros from ATMs per card daily - pensioners being exempted - while both pensions and wages will be paid as normal. Foreign visitors currently in Greece or planning to visit Greece will not be affected by the daily cash limits, the government added, as long as their debit/credit cards were issued outside Greece. All transactions within Greece carried out electronically will also not be affected, as long as transfers are not made to overseas accounts. Details of the measures were published online in the Government Gazette and go into effect immediately. The measures come after the failure of an agreement between Greece and its creditors (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund), and following an announcement by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras calling for a referendum this coming Sunday on approving the creditors' proposals, voted on by Parliament. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |