Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-21 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Greece needs a serious and credible government, ND spokesman says [02] US Ambassador to Greece sends positive message for Greek-American relations [03] Deputy FM Amanatidis to participate in UfM in Barcelona [04] Protest in Athens against US President Trump --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Greece needs a serious and credible government, ND spokesman says "Greece will be the only European country that the correct political discourse of reforms will beat the lie and populism against state," main opposition New Democracy spokesman Vassilis Kikilias on Saturday said in an interview with Parapolitika newspaper. Kikilias underlined that "we are striving for the largest possible parliamentary majority." He also accused the government saying that there has been no other government in the post-junta period as destructive as the SYRIZA-ANEL. Moreover, he reiterated that the government of ND leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will certainly reduce taxes and stressed the importance of a serious and credible government for the country. [02] US Ambassador to Greece sends positive message for Greek-American relations US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt sent a positive message for the future of Greek-American relations following the swearing in ceremony of the new American President Donald Trump. There is a dynamic and strong commitment by both parties - Republican and Democratic - to the alliance with Greece as well as to the strong relationship between the two peoples, said Pyatt when asked about the future of the Greek-American relations, at an event organized by the Republicans of Greece in a hotel, in Athens, late on Friday. The US ambassador also referred to the NATO alliance, which, as he noted, for decades kept the US on the side of Greece, as well as to Washington's expectation "to see Greece as a strong, economically sound and prosperous EU and NATO member state." It is certainly early to say what will be the policy of the President Trump and his administration, he said, but he expressed confidence that a combination of the two policies will give Greece great potential. Moreover, the ambassador said it will be an exciting time for all the Americans as well as a good period for the Greek-US relations. Giving the message of the first day of Trump presidency for the United States, he said that the American democracy is strong and pointed out that this day of the swearing in ceremony is a celebration of democracy, a commitment of all the Americans for a healthy democratic process, for an orderly transition of power, and a new beginning. [03] Deputy FM Amanatidis to participate in UfM in Barcelona Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Amanatidis on Monday will depart for Barcelona in order to participate in the 2nd Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), on "The Mediterranean in Action: Youth for Stability and Development", which will take place on January 23-24, under the auspices of the EU and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The meeting will focus on further strengthening and accelerating the actions of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), aiming to address the needs of youth in the Mediterranean region, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. It will be attended by the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Spain, Egypt, Portugal, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Slovenia and the Commissioner for Enlargement and EU Neighbourhood Policy, Johannes Hahn. As part of his visit to Spain, Amanatidis will hold a series of meetings with the heads of the Greek Community in Barcelona, members of the Archaeological Institute "Iberia Graeca", and he also will visit the Greek Language Department of the area. [04] Protest in Athens against US President Trump The citizens of Athens along with a delegation of refugees protested on Saturday at Syntagma square against the new US President Donald Trump shouting slogans "no to the President of the war, racism, sexism, greed and the multinationals." Refugee children were holding placards with slogans such as "We want to go to school", "We are worried over our fate," "We want a bright future," claiming their access to education and a better future. "We stand in solidarity to the movements in America and throughout Europe, as the rise of Trump will boost racism," the coordinator of the Movement United against Racism and Fascism Petros Konstantinou said to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA). "We fight for the human rights, the women's rights and the refugees' rights, in order to prevent the transformation of America into a racism centre and avoid a war with China, as Trump has announced," Konstantinou underlined. A march to the American embassy will follow.