The public sector umbrella trade union ADEDY (Supreme Administrative Council of Civil Servants' Trade Unions) on Tuesday called a 24-hour nationwide strike for Wednesday, Feb. 10. The strike was called in protest of the government policy in the public sector. Prime Minister George Papandreou, speaking after a working luncheon he hosted at the Maximos Mansion for European Council President Herman Van Rompuy on Tuesday, said that the present state of the Greek economy "is the symptom of chronic problems and what is most important is the credibility deficit which we guarantee that we shall achieve again both towards the Greek people and our partners in the European Union."
PM: State of economy symptom of chronic problems
The prime minister stressed that the stability and development programme that the government will submit to the EU Commission will be an act of recovery for the country and will reflect institutional changes as well.
He also referred to the administrative reform plan presented at the Ministerial Council, as well as to the target of decreasing the deficit over a three-year period, a target that will be accompanied by the utilisation of funds for the turn of the country's economy to the competitive model of green development.
"We look forward to close cooperation both with the European Council president and the European Commission," Papandreou also stated.
Focusing on the discussion he had with Rompuy on immigration and asylum issues, the prime minister referred to the agreement between the EU and Turkey on these issues, to Frontex, to the EU's policy towards third countries and to the incorporation of legal immigrants and pointed out that the EU must play a decisive role on these issues.
Papandreou also referred the issue of the "Agenda 2014", meaning the proposal he has submitted for the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU in that year, saying that the cycle that opened 100 years ago with World War I must close with stability and rules of law abiding in the region, while this orientation will contribute both to internal reforms in these countries and to solving bilateral and regional problems.
On his part, the European Council president said that Greece is facing substantive economic, taxation and monetary challenges that are of interest to the Euroezone and stressed that "the Greek government's package of reforms is urgently required for an improvement of the situation."
He also assessed that Greece's draft budget is a considerable step in this direction, adding that in 2010 a monetary consolidation must begin while the commitment on a decrease in the deficit within three years must be backed with specific and reliable measures.
The working luncheon was attended by Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou and Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas.
The prime minister will be speaking at a press conference at the Zappion Mansion on Wednesday where he would be announcing the main conclusions of governance so far and priorities in the coming period, while calling on ministers to act likewise in the sectors of their responsibility.
13.01.2010
