Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-08 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Stournaras: IMF underestimates progress made in Greece [02] Pittella: IMF's demands for additional measures are unacceptable [03] Passenger traffic in Athens airport up 10.4 pct in January [04] Mouzalas to participate in Vienna meeting on migration on Wednesday --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Stournaras: IMF underestimates progress made in Greece The letter is a response to the IMF's report published on Monday which proposed, among other measures, broadening the personal income tax base and rationalizing pension spending and reducing non-performing loans (NPLs). "Given that the general government's primary surplus may reach 2 percent of GDP, versus a target of 0.5 percent of GDP, the fund's fiscal forecasts raise many questions," Stournaras says, adding the IMF is also very pessimistic concerning future economic developments, including a need to recapitalize banks again. In his letter, the central banker said the IMF argues banks will need an extra 10 billion euros in capital without explaining why this is the case. Additionally, according to the BoG, the achievement of medium-term targets for NPLs would further increase the capital adequacy ratio. [02] Pittella: IMF's demands for additional measures are unacceptable BRUSSELS (ANA/C. Vasilaki) – The International Monetary Fund's demands for more measures by Greece are unacceptable and could affect negatively the country's political stability and economy, said Gianni Pittella, the leader of the Socialist group in the European parliament, after a meeting with Alternate Foreign Minister George Katrougalos in Brussels on Tuesday. "We're convinced that the deadlock between Greece and its creditors is counterproductive for the European Union," Pittella said, adding, "the demands made by the IMF for additional measures which the Greek government will have to legislate in advance for the 2019 budget are unacceptable and could affect negatively Greece's political stability and ruin its economic prospects." [03] Passenger traffic in Athens airport up 10.4 pct in January Passenger traffic in the Athens International Airport grew 10.4 pct to 1.2 million in January this year, compared with the corresponding month in 2016. Domestic passenger traffic eased 1.8 pct, but international passenger traffic jumped 18.5 pct in the first month of 2017. Greek travelers grew 19 pct while foreign travelers remained unchanged compared with 2016 levels. The number of scheduled flights totaled 11,898 in January, up 3.9 pct from January last year, of which domestic flights eased 0.2 pct and international flights rose 7.1 pct. [04] Mouzalas to participate in Vienna meeting on migration on Wednesday Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas will participate in a meeting of interior and defence ministers from several Balkan and Central European countries in Vienna on Wednesday, during which they will discuss ways of bolstering their borders against new waves of migrants. According to the Austrian interior ministry, the meeting will also focus on maintaining the so-called "Balkan route" closed, which was first implemented a year ago, on Feb. 7. The meeting has been organized by Austria's conservative Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka and the country's Social-Democrat Defence Minister Hans Peter Doskozil. Counterparts from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, FYROM, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania.