Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-23 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras, main opposition leader Mitsotakis condemn attack in Manchester [02] We are close to reaching the final agreement, Deputy Economy Min Pitsiorlas says [03] IMF needs more realism in eurozone assumptions on Greece, its chief Thomsen says [04] ND leader Mitsotakis visits Thessaloniki [05] Delays hurt both Greece and eurozone, EU Parliament VP Papadimoulis says --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] PM Tsipras, main opposition leader Mitsotakis condemn attack in Manchester Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras condemned on Tuesday the terrorist attack in Manchester in a post on Twitter, expressing solidarity with the British people and support to the relatives of the victims. Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis also condemned the attack. "Our thoughts and prayers with them. Abhorrence and indignation," he said. [02] We are close to reaching the final agreement, Deputy Economy Min Pitsiorlas says "I believe that an agreement will be reached at the next Eurogroup," Deputy Economy Minister Stergios Pitsiorlas said on Tuesday in statements to SKAI TV. "The pressure is reasonable as we are in the final stage of reaching the final agreement," Pitsiorlas said and added: "It is positive that the surplus target will be 3.5 pct over a five-year period instead of ten years, but the 2.2 pct surplus target until 2060 is too high." Moreover, he stressed that the markets are aware that Greece is entering a period of stability adding that the investment interest has increased. [03] IMF needs more realism in eurozone assumptions on Greece, its chief Thomsen says BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/M. Aroni, Ch. Vassilaki) - Greece has adopted a very hard programme that will allow for a more fiscal-friendly fiscal policy, said the head of the European IMF department, Poul Thomsen, speaking to reporters in Brussels. This programme, according to Thomsen, addresses the "difficult" and "sensitive" issues of tax and pension reforms. "We still think there is need for more realism in assumptions and more specificity," Thomsen said. "We accept the main assumption of the May 2016 agreement that it does not have to be finally approved, calibrated or delivered before the end of the program (bailout) but we need more specificity on what will come at the end of the program," Thomsen added. [04] ND leader Mitsotakis visits Thessaloniki Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is visiting Thessaloniki on Tuesday and Wednesday. At 7 pm, he will address a meeting of the party's cadres, at Porto Palace hotel. On Wednesday, he will visit the archaeological site of Amphipolis and at 4 pm he will speak at the annual general meeting of the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. [05] Delays hurt both Greece and eurozone, EU Parliament VP Papadimoulis says The delays of (German Finance Minister Wolfgang) Schaeuble and the IMF hurt both Greece and the eurozone, the vice president of the European Parliament Dimitris Papadimoulis posted on Twitter. He underlined that an agreement must be reached on June 15. Papadimoulis also criticized New Democracy and PASOK parties on their stance.