NEWS IN ENGLISH 21/02/2015

The Inner Cabinet convened until 9 p.m. this evening in order to evaluate the outcome of the recent Eurogroup.


Finance Minister Gianis Vroufakis briefed the Ministers for the negotiations in Brussels. There was also a first discussion of the list of measures and structural reforms that the Greek government will have submit to the creditors, in order to come to an official agreement on Monday.


The list of measures which will be sent will have to be verified by the EU, the ECB and the IMF. If it is accepted, according to the agreement that was signed yesterday, Greece will get a four-month extension of the current programme which will have to be validated by the country members’ parliaments after Tuesday.


In a televised address Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stated that “negotiations are now entering a new, more substantial phase towards the complete Interim Agreement,  from the memorandum policies of destruction  to policies of development, employment and social cohesion.”

Mr. Tsipras estimated that the battle has been won, but the “war” is still to be fought.”


The government does not intend to continue with privatisations, even more the selling off of state-owned property and public enterprises, noted Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Panagiotis Lafazanis in an interview in the Newspaper of the Editors.


Protesters against the detention centre in Amygdaleza were attacked by riot police this afternoon. The protesters had previously entered the camp, marching into the places of detention. At least one person was arrested.  The demonstrators remained gathered in front of the camp for about an hour.


The trial of former Finance Minister Giorgos Papakonstadinou for the case of the so-called Lagarde list , will start on the following Wednesday February 25th in the Special Court. The former Minister is charged with felony for the distortion of a Public Document , under the law 1608/1950 for Embezzlement of Public Funds as well as for attempted treason.  


On Tuesday February 24th Minister of State Nikos Pappas will start consultations with POSPERT, representatives of the ERT journalists and representatives of ERT 3 on the draft for the opening of ERT. The new government has affirmed its intention to re- open the public broadcaster which was abruptly shut down on June 11th 2013.



INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Around 40,000 people demonstrated today in the centre of Moscow, in support of Russian president Vladimir Putin and against any form of popular uprising as in Ukraine, with the slogan "We won't forget! We won't forgive!".

Pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych  was ousted from Ukraine after protests in 2014.

In the United States, 23 people died from the cold spell that has been sweeping the country. Thousands of homes were left without electricity because of the difficult conditions. Meteorologists expect one more week of frost and blizzards.



WEATHER
It seems that the Carnival will be celebrated under rain in the largest part of the country. According to the National Meteorological Service the weather will gradually deteriorate, with rains and storms towards the end of the day. Conditions will remain more or less the same during Ash Monday.

Heavy snowfalls are expected in the highlands, possibly lower in the regions of Western Macedonia and Epirus.

Temperatures will range from 0 to 8 degrees Celsius in Northern Greece, 7 to 10 degrees in Central and Southern Greece and from 8 to 11 degrees in Western Greece.

Increasing cloudiness and rain are forecast for Sunday in Attica. Temperatures in Athens will range from 5 to 11 degrees Celsius. Cloudiness and rain especially in the afternoon are forecast also for Thessalonica. Temperatures will range from 3 to 6 degrees Celsius.
Τελευταία τροποποίηση στις Παρασκευή, 14/06/2013 - 23:54