Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-04-06
From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] Tsipras: Greece regaining the strength to stand on its feet
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[01] Tsipras: Greece regaining the strength to stand on its feet

The government is determined to lead Greece out of the crisis, Prime
Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday, in statements at a ceremony
inaugurating the newly-delivered Tempi Tunnel and the Maliakos-Kleidi
section of the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway. Linking the project to
the ongoing negotiations for completing the second review of the Greek
programme, Tsipras said it was a symbol that Greece can stand on its
own two feet and succeed.

"Greece is finally attaining a comprehensive agreement that opens the
way for an exit from programmes of economic supervision...It is regaining
the strength to stand on its own feet, using its own strength," he said.

The prime minister underlined that the government was determined to
achieve this and that no one will succeed in preventing it, adding
that the country was now crossing the "last few metres" in a difficult,
uphill course.

"We will not tire nor back down ... we are determined to defend the
efforts and sacrifices of the Greek people and to not let anyone play
games at the expense of the Greek economy," Tsipras said, adding that the
completion of the review was "very close, whether some want it or not."

Referring to the ongoing negotiations, the Greek prime minister emphasised
that the "stalling tactics end here, and within April there will be
an end to the endless discussions and delays regarding the measures
necessary to relieve Greek debt."

The tunnel inaugurated on Thursday bypassed the Tempi valley, the most
dangerous part of the road between Athens and Thessaloniki, Tsipras
pointed out, replacing this by a short road that meets the latest safety
standards.

"The delivery of this part of the road completes the Athens-Thessaloniki
motorway, whose construction started 70 years ago... These works belong
to the Greek people," Tsipras underlined.

While the government could not claim credit for initiating these projects,
he said, it did claim credit for "unravelling" a complicated skein of
obstacles and difficulties that prevented their completion, through a
tough negotiation with concessionaires and banks. The government had
managed to avert the danger that these major infrastructure projects
would become irretrievably stalled, which would have required the return
of 8.5 billion euros and leave the projects unfinished, he added.

Through this process it reached an agreement that reduced the demands
for compensation by 764 million euros, and with the close cooperation and
assistance of European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu and
the European Commission was able to secure funding to begin the works
anew, he explained.

"We proved and are proving that, even in times of difficulty, serious work
and awareness of one's responsibility to the country, the citizens and
the public interest can bring positive and productive results," the prime
minister said. The completion of the project was perhaps the strongest
symbolism that Greece can stand on its own two feet and succeed, he added.

Tsipras attended the inauguration of the new tunnel with Cretu and
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis.