Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-01-06

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Samaras attends Epiphany celebration in Kavala

[02] Tsipras-May the light of justice and truth warm Greece

[03] PASOK claims the role of the guarantor, Venizelos says

[04] Weapons in Xiros' hideout are unused, police say

[05] Schulz-Greece will remain in the Eurozone

[01] Samaras attends Epiphany celebration in Kavala

After the ceremony, Samaras wished that the country continued standing on its feet. He also offered wishes for health to all Greeks and "progress for our country; now that it is standing on its feet, may it never slide back."

The blessing of the waters ceremony was held at the city port where swimmers, defying the low temperatures, jumped into the sea to collect the cross. Dimitris Giannikopoulos, 35, an employee at the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) of Kavala, was the lucky one who collected the Cross. Samaras congratulated all swimmers and wished them health and enlightenment.

[02] Tsipras-May the light of justice and truth warm Greece

The waters blessing ceremony, officiated by the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Ieronymos, was held at the country's main port, where Special Forces men jumped into the sea to collect the cross.

The government was represented by Education and Religious Affairs Minister Andreas Loverdos, who wished a "happy new year and that we are all enlightened by the light of reason."

[03] PASOK claims the role of the guarantor, Venizelos says

According to Venizelos, PASOK wants to be the third party and claim the role of guarantor rather than the one of the wildcard.

"We are aiming at the third place," he noted. "Others want the role of the guarantor as well. We are the guarantors. Guarantor is one thing and a wildcard is quite another. ..We claim the third mandate to form a government."

"There is no majority government, there are no second round elections, there is no excuse, no one can blackmail a second election; there should be cooperation because the negotiations with the troika should be concluded within a month," he warned.

He also attacked SYRIZA on its view over extending the extension that already has been agreed with the Troika. "An extension on the extension equals staying in the Memorandum, without a new loan, just on the terms. What a great idea! Of course, markets will have reacted violently, foreign investors would have rushed out, banks will be facing problems with the European Central Bank and we will be begging to remain in the Memorandum!" he said.

He called on citizens to vote for PASOK as his party guarantees the exit from the Memorandum. "We are not saying ‘vote for us' to continue austerity; we are saying there are no new austerity measures," he said.

PASOK central pre-election rally will take place on Sunday, January 18 in Thessaloniki.

[04] Weapons in Xiros' hideout are unused, police say

According to a police announcement, the pistol that was found on Xiros as well as the three pistols and the eight Kalashnikov rifles confiscated in the hideout in the area of Anavissos in southern Attica have not been used for any terrorist or other criminal act.

The counter-terrorism squad continues its search in the other hideout in the coastal region of Perahora in Loutraki, southern Greece.

[05] Schulz-Greece will remain in the Eurozone

He added that he has already told SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras that a unilateral moratorium of payments would trigger a similar moratorium on the part of the EU. He stressed, however, that the turmoil in the markets has never been caused by Tsipras' statements but by the standoff in Brussels and Berlin.

In an interview with German state TV ZDF, Schulz said Greece was a member of the Eurozone and "I believe it will remain a member of the Eurozone."

"My advice is that we wait for the elections on January 25. They all act as if Tsipras has already won the elections. Even if SYRIZA is the leading party, it will have to form a coalition. I cannot see any coalition partner that would support its radical positions," he said.

"All members of the EU and the Eurozone, regardless of which government is in power, are aware of their responsibilities. I think this applies to Mr. Tsipras as well. Of course he has an extreme rhetoric, but I must say it again: he will not be able to govern alone and for the things he promises there, I cannot see how he can get a majority in Parliament. So he will have to make compromises in Greece and compromises with the European partners."

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