KATHIMERINI
 


“The Troika made mistakes but Greece was saved”

An interview with the troika’s ‘auditor’ in the European Parliament

The Vice President of the European Parliament and head of the committee which is evaluating the role of the troika, Othmar Karas, in an interview with “K” in light of his arrival today in Athens on a fact finding mission regarding the implementation of the Memorandum in Greece, acknowledges that the troika made errors. However he notes that the specific mechanism was necessary as in the EU there was no rescue procedure for a member-state.

“We were obliged to correct the course of the ship in the middle of the storm. And the storm still has not passed. But we saved the ship. And that must be recognized by everybody,” he says. At the same time he presents the involvement of the IMF as unavoidable as only it had the necessary expertise, while at the same time favouring the creation of a European Monetary Fund which will assist member states in similar situations in the future.  

Mr Karas and the representatives of the committee will meet with Finance Minister Giannis Stournaras, The Speaker of the Greek Parliament Evangelos Meimarakis and leaders of parliamentary committees as well as banking and business executives. 

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON


Rough Landing

The Parliamentary Budgetary Office cuts government ambitions short

  • Sustainability of the primary budget surplus is questioned
  • Foresees high interest rates if Greece borrows from markets
  • There will be no growth without a new scheme for increasing production
  • Over-taxation does not combat tax evasion

The Parliamentary Budget Office has subtly called on the government to face the harsh economic reality. In its three-monthly report, the office’s economists speak indirectly of certain government officials being misled by unfounded ambitions and illusions regarding critical financial issues.  
The report specifically refers to the collapse of workers’ salaries, while with regards to Memorandum mandated structural reforms, the report highlights the slow progress and unequal sharing of the burdens.

 

 

TA NEA
 


Chilly relations with Russia begin to warm

The Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting with the Russian President in a friendly atmosphere yesterday in Brussels. Antonis Samaras raised all the outstanding issues but was warm towards Vladimir Putin, something that irked Brussels due to the general ‘cold-war’ climate between Europe and Russia.

DIMOKRATIA
 


€17,600,000 – the money from bribes to the uninsured and unemployed students

The stolen cash is to be returned to vulnerable groups (and to all those in need) following a brave decision from the government. 

ELEFTHEROTYPIA
 


The Council of State Ruling: The Mall is illegal

The behemoth “The Mall, Athens” in Marousi was ruled illegal by the plenary body of the Council of State which found multiple serious irregularities in the environmental impact assessment report which gave the green light for the shopping complex’s construction.