Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-12-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] Schulz sees 'reasonable compromise' on Greek welfare measures before next Eurogroup

[02] Tsakalotos: 'Greece's credibility toward the institutions and Greek people important at this time'

[03] Chancellor Merkel has brief meeting with Greek main opposition leader Mitsotakis

[04] MEPs call for special meeting with Dijsselbloem over 'unacceptable decisions' on Greece

[01] Schulz sees 'reasonable compromise' on Greek welfare measures before next Eurogroup

Schulz said there must be a "dynamic review" of the Greek measures and expressed his conviction that a compromise solution will be found before the next Eurogroup in January.

"I believe there is time before January 26 for a reasonable compromise," he said.

Following his meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Schulz added, he "understood that the Greek government is ready to constructively discuss its commitments and obligations with the Eurogroup."

Asked to comment on the decision to suspend short-term debt-relief measures for Greece, Schulz said that an objective examination of the measures announced by Tsipras showed that certain parameters had not been taken into account. At the same time, he added, he fully understood the Greek government's efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

[02] Tsakalotos: 'Greece's credibility toward the institutions and Greek people important at this time'

Speaking during a press conference with Greece's Labour Minister Efi Achtsioglou, attended by the German and foreign media, Tsakalotos said the Greek government did not intend to call early elections and that its goal was to proceed with the negotiations.

[03] Chancellor Merkel has brief meeting with Greek main opposition leader Mitsotakis

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the European People's Party (EPP) summit in Brussels, they confirmed Mitsotakis' upcoming visit to Berlin on February 13, when he will meet with the German chancellor.

[04] MEPs call for special meeting with Dijsselbloem over 'unacceptable decisions' on Greece

S&D MEPs proposed a special meeting of the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament with Dijsselbloem, with the support of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left and the Green groups in the EU Parliament. They also urged the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker "to step up on the Greek situation," an S&D Group press release said.

According to S&D Group Vice-President Udo Bullmann, the decision to stop short-term debt relief to Greece was a measure that was "wrong and unjustified".

"We believe that Greece has made a lot of sacrifices and that the economic conditions of the bailout agreement have been more than fulfilled. We would like the Parliament to invite Dijsselbloem to explain this decision in an extraordinary Conference of Presidents as soon as possible. Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission should also contribute to assessing the empiric situation in Greece," he said.

S&D Group spokeswoman on economic and monetary affairs Pervenche Berès pointed out that "nobody in the Eurogroup can decide to reverse a decision without even consulting all the euro area finance ministers."

"Social policies cannot be taken hostage for the negotiations on debt relief. The European Parliament needs to have its say," she added.

GUE/NGL President Gabi Zimmer said it was unacceptable to demand things of Greece that greatly exceed the scope of Community laws, noting that "it is about lives in Greece and the EU."

She said the GUE/NGL will submit a written request for a special meeting of the political group leaders, to which Dijsselbloem and Juncker will both be invited.

"By how we behave toward Greece, we determine the future of the European Union. Whether you like it or not. It is about lives in Greece and the EU. Whether you like it or not. It is an issue of joint solidarity. And it is not permitted for some individual gentlemen, whether they are called Schaeuble or something else, to behave in this way, wanting to expose the Greek government and denying us the possibility for action that we have to build the European Union together," she said.

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