Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-02
From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] Dijsselbloem: Agreement paves the way for discussions on Greek
     debt sustainability
[02] Moscovici: The agreement opens the way for swift conclusion of
     second programme review
[03] Main opposition ND lashes out at government for the agreement
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[01] Dijsselbloem: Agreement paves the way for discussions on Greek
debt sustainability

The agreement opens the way for discussions on the sustainability of
the Greek debt, the president of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem‏
posted on Twitter.

"Welcomes preliminary agreement between institutions & Greece on a policy
package. This will now be complemented by discussions in the coming weeks
on a credible strategy for ensuring that Greece's debt is sustainable,"
he posted.


[02] Moscovici: The agreement opens the way for swift conclusion of
second programme review

BRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) -The agreement paves the way for the swift
conclusion of the second programme review, EU Commissioner for Economic
and Financial Affairs, Taxations and Customs Pierre Moscovici said on
Tuesday adding that the debt issue needs to be considered in the new
few weeks.

"The agreement reached overnight in Athens on the Greek Stability Support
Programme is a very positive development following months of complex
negotiations. These new efforts agreed by the Greek authorities open the
way for a rapid conclusion of the second review. The swift implementation
of these commitments should enable the Eurogroup to endorse this agreement
at its next meeting. This second review is strategic for Greece as it
not only delivers on key reforms to modernise the Greek economy but also
secures a credible fiscal path for the years to come, beyond the ESM
programme. It is now for all partners to reach an understanding on the
question of Greece's debt in the coming weeks. It is time to turn the page
on this long and difficult austerity chapter for the Greek people. With
this agreement, we need now to write a new story of stability, jobs and
growth for Greece and for the euro area as a whole."


[03] Main opposition ND lashes out at government for the agreement

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a
party meeting on Tuesday leveled against the government for the terms
of the agreement.

SYRIZA's election was a product of deception and its stay in government
is based on the same political method, he underlined and added: "The
measures of the agreement will now be tabled in Parliament. We will
do what we have to do. We will explain that the government has agreed
on a fourth memorandum without additional financing but with permanent
measures of 2 pct of GDP and high primary surplus targets. The so-called
offset measures will only be implemented provided that the country will
exceed the primary surplus target. And all the above without a commitment
about the debt and the ECB quantitative easing programme. The cost of
the measures reach 12.5 billion euros."

"The cost of Tsipras' lack of credibility is high," he said adding that
he brought a fourth memorandum that puts more pressure on the society
in order to remain in government.

Regarding the elections, he said: The government is doing its best to
avoid the elections.

Finally, he claimed that the creditors are asking additional measures
because they do not trust the government.