Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-04

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] PM Tsipras: We now start the implementation of our strategic planning

[02] Staff level agreement between Greece and institutions to dominate EWG on Thursday

[03] FinMin Tsakalotos responds to ND leader Mitsotakis' criticism

[04] Ships throughout the country to remain docked on 16 and 17 May

[01] PM Tsipras: We now start the implementation of our strategic planning

He noted however that this (agreement) is part of a framework we are struggling to disengage and in this context "the lenders are not our friends...our fundamental target is to get the country out of the memoranda. The period of the humiliating surveillance to finally end" said Tsipras.

This difficult political choice is the ticket to exit from the surveillance and the era of the memoranda, said the Greek prime minister and explained "the technical staff agreement is the first decisive step to close immediately all the important pending issues, with first and most important the debt issue because without solution there will be no measures. The mid-term measures for the debt must have been described in detail until the Eurogroup meeting on 22 May".

The conclusion of the review closes an important round of our governance, said Tsipras and explained that now the government's work can't be delayed "the day after the official completion of the review we will start the implementation of our strategic planning with is based on a six-year perspective" he said adding that "The main and most important issue of the next period is the increase of the job positions and the gradual reduction of the unemployment with target to reach EU's average in the next five years".

[02] Staff level agreement between Greece and institutions to dominate EWG on Thursday

The teleconference is expected to start at 15:00 (Athens time) while, according to the same source, eurozone finance ministers will be briefed on the agreement and the prior actions necessary for the conclusion of the second review of the Greek programme.

The EuroWorking Group will examine, at a next stage, the institutions' 'compliance report on the prior actions and the main draft laws that must be voted by the Greek parliament.

"The political approval is expected to be given at the Eurogroup meeting on 22 May" said the same source to ANA.

[03] FinMin Tsakalotos responds to ND leader Mitsotakis' criticism

Responding to criticism by New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis over a delayed distribution of a budget surplus to the society, the Finance minister said that Mitsotakis should know any additional spending in 2017 would risk lowering this year's primary surplus. "The government distributed 620 million euros to low-income pensioners in 2016, but New Democracy did not vote the measure and now they make things worse by proposing social spending," Tsakalotos said, adding that Mr Mitsotakis has a second chance: to vote positive measures included in an agreement reached with the creditors. These measures will benefit the society and no one else. "Primary surpluses do not disappear or vanish, because they cannot be transferred. Overshooting can create fiscal space only if it based on permanent factors. Any overshooting of the budget should be returned to the society with priority to the weakest. That's what the government has done in 2016 after ensuring there would be no threat to achieve its budget goals.

[04] Ships throughout the country to remain docked on 16 and 17 May

The Federation requests, among others, the restoration of the labour and insurance rights of the seamen, their insurance fund (NAT) independence, the signing of pending labour contracts for 2016 and the tackling of unemployment.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article