Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-11-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Chancellor Merkel hails the 6th Greek-German assembly held in Napflio

[02] Second programme review should be concluded by end November, senior EU official stresses

[03] National Bank announces restructuring of its board

[04] European Greens vice-chair Ska Keller to ANA: Debt relief is necessary

[05] Culture Min Baltas speaks to Praktorio 104.9 FM on the Thessaloniki Film Festival

[06] Economy minister inaugurates secretariat on private debt

[07] 11,920 migrants and refugees on the Greek islands

[01] Chancellor Merkel hails the 6th Greek-German assembly held in Napflio

Addressing the assembly, Deputy Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's personal envoy in the Greek-German assembly Hans-Joachim Fuchtel said that Greece is well on course and stressed the importance of keeping up the effort.

Germany's ambassador to Greece Peter Soof and the Vice President of the German Association of Municipalities Roger also addressed the meeting underlining the importance of the Greek-German assembly and the cooperation between the two countries.

The proceedings were completed with a video message by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who welcomed the fact that the conference took place in the historical city of Nafplion, Greece. This means, she added that the work of the Greek-German Assembly is recognised. Moreover, the Chancellor stressed the importance of the German-Greek cooperation and learning from one another.

[02] Second programme review should be concluded by end November, senior EU official stresses

"It is ambitious, but feasible," he stated adding that everything should have been settled by December 5, namely, the agreement on debt and a first agreement for IMF's participation in the programme. However, he stressed that "if it does not happen, it would not mean the end of the world. It would not be a disaster."

The official noted that important efforts are needed in order to conclude the second review within 2016.

He also confirmed that the representatives of the institutions will return to Athens in around mid-November.

[03] National Bank announces restructuring of its board

National Bank of Greece, in the context of the process prescribed by the regulatory framework concerning reconstitution of its Board of Directors announced the following:

a) The resignation of the Chair of the Board of Directors, Ms Louka Katseli and of independent non-executive members, Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos and Mr. Dimitrios Afendoulis. The National Bank extends a warm thank you to them for their contribution to the workings of the Board of Directors and their substantial contribution in the context of modernization and restructuring of the Group.

b) The election by the Board of Directors, by absolute majority, of new non-executive Board members in replacement of resigning members and in particular the election of Mr. Panayiotis- Aristidis Thomopoulos, who was proposed as a nominee for the position of Chair of the Board of Directors, Mr. Claude Piret, who was proposed as candidate for the position of Chair of the Audit Committee, and Mr. Spyros Lorentziadis, who was proposed as candidate for non-executive member of the board, in accordance with the results of international open selection procedure.

Mr. Panayiotis-Aristidis Thomopoulos has significant experience of 40 years in the financial sector and deep knowledge of European banking regulatory framework, having served, among others, for a number of years, as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Greece, Chair of Eurobank, independent non-executive member of the Board of the National Bank as well as Executive Chairman of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund.

Mr. Claude Piret possesses extensive experience in the international financial sector, having a career of over 35 years in international banking institutions. He has served in high-ranking positions for a number of years at Dexia Group, and has extensive experience in audit and in the areas of risk management and management of non-performing loans.

Mr. Lorentziadis has extensive experience in audit and in the financial sector. He is a Certified Auditor and former Partner of Arthur Andersen and EY with significant experience on consulting services in the areas of corporate governance, internal audit and financial reporting. He has been a member of numerous Boards, mainly in the financial sector, while the last ten years he has been an independent non-executive member of the Board of Eurobank Group.

Specifically, the National Bank of Greece successfully completed yesterday the open international procedure for the selection of Chair of the Board, Audit Committee Chair and non-executive members, which took place in the context of implementation of international best practices on the selection of executives, with a view to the successful reconstitution of the Board in accordance with the provisions of the applicable regulatory framework and the provisions of Law 3864/2010, as currently in force. In this context, three hundred (300) applications from twenty-one (21) different countries were submitted by candidates, which were evaluated by the international executives' evaluation company Egon Zehnder through its offices in London, Brussels and Athens.

All applications that fulfilled the eligibility criteria of Law 3864/2010 as in force, were examined by the Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee of the Bank, in which a representative of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund participates, without any exception and were evaluated based on criteria predetermined by the Board of Directors and also by the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund.

National Bank on Friday announced the resignation of its chairman and all non-executive members of its board and the election of new non-executive members to replace them, along with the completion of an international open tender process to select a new chairman, a new chairman of the Audit Committee and non-executive members.

National Bank of Greece, in the context of the process prescribed by the regulatory framework concerning reconstitution of its Board of Directors announced the following:

a) The resignation of the Chair of the Board of Directors, Ms Louka Katseli and of independent non-executive members, Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos and Mr. Dimitrios Afendoulis. The National Bank extends a warm thank you to them for their contribution to the workings of the Board of Directors and their substantial contribution in the context of modernization and restructuring of the Group.

b) The election by the Board of Directors, by absolute majority, of new non-executive Board members in replacement of resigning members and in particular the election of Mr. Panayiotis- Aristidis Thomopoulos, who was proposed as a nominee for the position of Chair of the Board of Directors, Mr. Claude Piret, who was proposed as candidate for the position of Chair of the Audit Committee, and Mr. Spyros Lorentziadis, who was proposed as candidate for non-executive member of the board, in accordance with the results of international open selection procedure.

Mr. Panayiotis-Aristidis Thomopoulos has significant experience of 40 years in the financial sector and deep knowledge of European banking regulatory framework, having served, among others, for a number of years, as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Greece, Chair of Eurobank, independent non-executive member of the Board of the National Bank as well as Executive Chairman of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund.

Mr. Claude Piret possesses extensive experience in the international financial sector, having a career of over 35 years in international banking institutions. He has served in high-ranking positions for a number of years at Dexia Group, and has extensive experience in audit and in the areas of risk management and management of non-performing loans.

Mr. Lorentziadis has extensive experience in audit and in the financial sector. He is a Certified Auditor and former Partner of Arthur Andersen and EY with significant experience on consulting services in the areas of corporate governance, internal audit and financial reporting. He has been a member of numerous Boards, mainly in the financial sector, while the last ten years he has been an independent non-executive member of the Board of Eurobank Group.

[04] European Greens vice-chair Ska Keller to ANA: Debt relief is necessary

Keller is paying a three-day official visit to Greece.

"Greece has done its duty and has implemented a series of painful reforms. This effort must be recognised both from the Eurogroup and from the lenders and should be translated into a relief which will come very soon," she estimated.

The German eurodeputy, within the context of her meetings in the Education and Finance Ministries, found that "a number of steps have been taken towards the implementation of reforms on tax evasion, smuggling and also in children refugees education," something that as she said, "the lenders should recognise".

On the refugee crisis, Keller said that "the management of the crisis is EU's responsibility" adding that "the refugees do not have Greece as final destination but EU which should offer them refuge". She also noted that "the fact that many state members appear to believe that it is enough the refugees to be abandoned in the EU border countries is unacceptable".

"We must offer more solidarity with the relocations and most important is to have a new asylum system through which the refugees will not be trapped in the reception countries as Greece and Italy", she stressed.

On COP22 on climate change in Morocco and the benefits for the Mediterrenean countries and particularly Greece, Keller estimated that the "conference may bring huge dynamics, particularly in relation with the promotion of renewable energy and the development of clean forms of energy reaching even the total coverage of the energy needs".

During her visit to Greece, Keller and the delegation of the European Greens will continue their meetings in ministries while on Friday, Keller will be key speaker in an Ecologists Greens event entitled "What Europe we want". On Saturday they will visit the refugees hosting facilities in Schisto and Skaramangas.

[05] Culture Min Baltas speaks to Praktorio 104.9 FM on the Thessaloniki Film Festival

"The people of the culture sector are closely cooperating, caring for each other, creating a climate of love and collectiveness for the city," he underlined.

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival will take place November 3-13.

Referring to the three-day event to showcase the Byzantine Thessaloniki, he said that this is an important effort that highlights the multicultural character of the city.

"Thessaloniki is a central city among all the Byzantine cities of Europe and these events are one more effort of synergy," he added.

[06] Economy minister inaugurates secretariat on private debt

The minister said that a new legislation on NPLs, envisages a new code of ethics for banks, the creation of a secondary market for NPLs with strong rules of protecting borrowers and a stricter regulatory framework under the supervision of the Bank of Greece. "The last piece to complete this framework is a legislation on out-of-court compromise for enterprises, currently in its final stages," the Economy minister said.

Stathakis said a new secretariat will have responsibilities on all issues related with the management of private debt, offering legal advisory services to borrowers, submitting proposals and legislative initiatives.

Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis, in his address, said that the new secretariat takes over a difficult task to the benefit of citizens and the economy.

[07] 11,920 migrants and refugees on the Greek islands

Migrants and refugees flow to Lesvos, Chios and Samos remained at low levels in the last 24 hours. 61 persons arrived on Lesvos, 16 on Chios and 79 on Samos.

According to northern Aegean police, the number of migrants and refugees have sought asylum in Greece and are on Lesvos was 5,441, on Chios 4,145 and on Samos 2,314.

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