Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-09 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] All Greeks should have access to education, says PM Tsipras [02] Gov't spokesman Tzanakopoulos outlines government roadmap [03] Europe changes, but Greece remains stuck, ND leader Mitsotakis says --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] All Greeks should have access to education, says PM Tsipras "We believe in the right of all the Greeks to have access to education, to a modern and quality public education, independent of their economic condition," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in joint statements with Education Minister Costas Gavroglou after his visit to the ministry. "Education is a very important priority for the government and for the country. It is a public good in which everyone should have access," Tsipras stated. [02] Gov't spokesman Tzanakopoulos outlines government roadmap Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos in an interview with Real FM outlined the government's roadmap for the next period. As he said, the omnibus bill on the prior actions will be immediately submitted followed by the compliance report that will officially conclude the programme review. The government spokesman stated that the debate on the medium term measures on the debt has already started and expressed the hope that an agreement on the issue will be reached in May so that it paves the way for the ECB quantititave easing programme. The aim of the government is to tap the markets in 2018, Tzanakopoulos reiterated. Asked about the possibility of a trial period, he replied positively but did not give more details. Moreover, he added: "The implementation of the medium term measures concerns the period after 2018, that is after the end of the programme, and will pave the way for the ECB quantitative easing programme which is the ECB's signal for the sustainability of the Greek debt and the signal for investments in the country." [03] Europe changes, but Greece remains stuck, ND leader Mitsotakis says Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis started his speech to ND's party parliamentary group on Tuesday commenting on the French elections and its impact on Greece. "Europe changes, but Greece remains stuck, it pays for the government's mistakes, the lies and lack of ability. Europe is changing and populism in its extreme right or extreme left version is defeated. Macron's victory reflects a period of modesty, truth and sincerity," Mitsotakis underlined. Greece is now imprisoned in the lies of Tsipras and his associates. Our responsibility is to set the society free from a government that has been totally discredited but still costs to the country," Mitsotakis said.