Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-11 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras: 2017 will be a crucial year for Europe [02] Farmers remain at their blockades expecting government's reaction [03] Second review will conclude before Feb.20, Defence Min. Kammenos says [04] Second 'Open Museum' presentation on conservation next Thursday --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] PM Tsipras: 2017 will be a crucial year for Europe "As long as Europe remains weak-willed, powerless and weak the powers of Euroscepticism will become stronger. Our country will turn page. The crisis belongs to the past" stated Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in his opening address to the meeting of SYRIZA central committee that is held on Saturday and Sunday in Athens. "2017 will be a crucial year for Europe" said Tsipras noting that "for the first time the Euro-Atlantic relation and its orientation are shaking". Referring to the negotiations with Greece's lenders, the Greek prime minister said "We respect those agreed and our partners should also honour the agreements. The second review will conclude and it will conclude positively". [02] Farmers remain at their blockades expecting government's reaction Farmers on Saturday remained at their blockades expecting from the Greek government to state a specific date for their meeting either with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras or with government vice president Yiannis Dragasakis and the responsible ministers and in parallel they organise their participation in the nationwide farmers' rally on Tuesday in Athens. The farmers have not programmed any mobilisations on Saturday, however nobody can rule out a surprise. According to sources, the members of the coordination committee of Central Macedonia will convene on Saturday to evaluate the condition and to plan their future actions. Meanwhile, the blockade at Evzones customs remains and farmers continue to keep closed the Greek-Fyrom borders. Access to Fyrom is held by Doirani border post. Farmers from Chalkidiki keep closed for an indefinite period both directions to Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki. [03] Second review will conclude before Feb.20, Defence Min. Kammenos says Defence Minister and Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader Panos Kammenos estimated that the second review will conclude without additional measures before February 20, in an interview with the Saturday edition of Efimerida ton Syntakton. He also said that the agreements with SYRIZA are honoured. ANEL leader ruled out the possibility of a future cooperation with main opposition New Democracy (ND) that follows its former leader Antonis Samaras' model and has accepted neonazis in the party. I would never cooperate with this monster, said Kammenos. [04] Second 'Open Museum' presentation on conservation next Thursday The secrets of museum's conservation workshops, where antiquities are prepared for public display in the galleries of Greece's National Archaeological Museum and elsewhere, will be unveiled in the NAM's next "Open Museum" activity next Thursday. The second event in the 'Open Museum' series will the presentation "Secret Care: precautionary conservation as a means of protection" that begins at noon on February 16. The hour-long presentation will examine what goes on in conservation workshops, what experts work together to study, restore and care for antiquities and includes a visit to the Organic Matter Preservation Laboratory. The presentation will be held in the Egyptian Collection exhibition area and will include on-the-spot observation of exhibits, a power-point presentation and demonstration of techniques using specialised scientific instruments. The visit to the laboratory will offer participants an opportunity to meet the laboratory staff and learn about important aspects of its work. The "Open Museum" seeks to give the broader public an insight into the multi-faceted work involved in the study, preservation and display of antiquities. Starting in November 2016, it will run until June this year, with presentations on selected topics in the galleries and tours of the conservation workshops, highlighting the NAM's role as a conservation centre for all Greece since its foundation. In order to attend the presentation, members of the public need to pay for entrance into the museum and state their intention to participate at the Museum's information desk. Names of attendants will start to be taken half an hour before the presentation begins.